Search Results (1,923)

Worldwide, synthetic compounds are used for both in-office and at-home dental care. They are a valuable resource for both prophylactic and curative treatments for various dental problems, such as tooth decay, periodontal diseases, and many more. They are typically preferred due to their broad range of actions and ability to produce targeted, rapid, and long-lasting effects. Using a 0.12% chlorhexidine mouthwash is capable of reducing the plaque index from 47.69% to 2.37% and the bleeding index from 32.93% to 6.28% after just 2 weeks. Mouthwash with 0.1% OCT is also highly effective, as it significantly lowered the median plaque index and salivary bacterial counts in 152 patients in 5 days compared to a control group (p < 0.0001), while also reducing the gingival index (p < 0.001). When povidone-iodine was used as an irrigant during the surgical removal of mandibular third molars in 105 patients, it resulted in notably lower pain scores after 2 days compared to a control group (4.57 ± 0.60 vs. 5.71 ± 0.45). Sodium hypochlorite is excellent for root canal disinfection, as irrigating with 1% NaOCl completely eliminated the bacteria from canals in 65% patients. A 0.05% CPC mouthwash proved effective for perioperative patient care, significantly decreasing gingival bleeding (p < 0.001) and suppressing Streptococcus levels even one week post-surgery. Lastly, a 6% H2O2 paint-on varnish and 6% H2O2 tray formulations successfully bleached the teeth of 40 patients, maintaining a noticeably whiter appearance up to the 6-month follow-up, with significant color differences from the baseline (p < 0.005). Synthetic compounds have a large research base, which also provides a greater awareness of their mechanism of action and potential adverse effects. For a better understanding of how they work, several methods and assays are performed. These are protocolary techniques through which a compound’s efficacy and toxicity are established. Full article

Opioids are administered epidurally (PV) to provide trans- and postoperative analgesia. Twenty healthy female cats aged between 6 and 24 months and weighing between 2 and 3.7 kg, undergoing elective ovariohysterectomy (OVH), were induced with propofol (8 mg/kg), followed by continuous infusion (0.1–0.4 mg/kg/min). Three groups were defined: CG (0.1 mL/kg of iodinated contrast, n = 6), G0.1 (0.1 mg/kg of morphine, n = 7), and G0.2 (0.2 mg/kg of morphine, n = 7) per VP. All received 0.1 mL/kg of iodinated contrast per VP and injection water to obtain a total of 0.3 mL/kg. Heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), temperature, expired CO₂, oxygen saturation, and number of rescue analgesics were monitored. Postoperatively, a multidimensional scale was used to assess acute pain in cats for 12 h. The mean HR and SBP in the CG were higher at the time of maximum noxious stimulation and required fentanyl in all groups. Postoperatively, 83%, 28%, and 7% of the animals in CG, G0.1, and G0.2, respectively, received rescue analgesia. In cats undergoing OVH, epidural morphine at doses of 0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg did not prevent the need for intraoperative rescue analgesia but reduced the postoperative analgesic needed. Full article

To obtain oil from bee brood, which was dried using a tray drying method, this study used the supercritical CO₂ extraction method. Extraction occurred at temperatures between 40–60 °C and low pressures of 180–220 bar for 1.5 h, with a high pressure of 600 bar for 1 h. The study investigated both the yield and chemical properties of the extracted bee brood oils. Supercritical CO₂ extraction of tray-dried bee brood at 600 bar pressure demonstrated higher oil extraction efficiency compared to lower pressures (180–220 bar). At temperatures of 40–60 °C, total phenolic compounds increased while total flavonoids decreased. The extracted oil exhibited antioxidant activity, primarily due to quercetin. Despite decreased acid, iodine, and saponification values, peroxide value slightly increased but remained below 12 meqO₂/kg of oil. The make-up of the fatty acids changed. At 600 bar, palmitic and oleic acids were the most common, while myristic, linoleic, and docosadienoic acids decreased. At 600 bar, eicosadienoic acid was absent. The defatted bee brood retained significant essential and non-essential amino acids, indicating its potential for further development as a protein source. Full article

Background/Objectives: Carbon dioxide digital-subtraction angiography (CO₂-DSA) is an increasingly adopted technique in endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) and fenestrated/branched EVAR (F/B-EVAR); it is used to reduce the amount of iodinate contrast medium (ICM) and prevent postoperative renal function worsening (PO-RFW). Our aim is to report results from the literature on EVAR and F/B-EVAR procedures using CO₂-DSA, together with wider applications in aortic endovascular treatment. Methods: We performed a literature review by searching electronic databases for published data on CO₂-DSA during EVAR and F/B-EVAR procedures. The endpoints were postoperative renal function worsening (PO-RFW) and efficacy of intraoperative arterial visualization. Further, applications of CO₂ for thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) were described. Results: Seventeen studies reporting results on CO₂-DSA in EVAR (644 patients) were retrieved. Overall, 372 (58%) procedures were performed with CO₂ alone, and 272 (42%) were performed with CO₂+ICM. Eight studies analyzed the effect of CO₂-DSA angiography on PO-RFW; four studies showed a significantly lower rate of PO-RFW compared to ICM. Five studies (153 patients) analyzed intraoperative arterial visualization with CO₂-DSA; renal and hypogastric arteries were effectively visualized in 69% and 99% of cases, respectively. The use of CO₂-DSA in F/B-EVAR has not been widely investigated. The largest series reported that PO-RFW was lower in the CO₂ vs. ICM group. Conclusions: Carbon dioxide is widely applied in modern aortic endovascular treatment. CO₂-DSA for EVAR and F/B-EVAR is an efficient technique for reducing PO-RFW while allowing acceptable arterial intraoperative visualization. Full article

Cardiovascular diseases, which are the leading cause of death in Croatia, are linked to the high prevalence of hypertension. Both are associated with high salt intake, which was determined almost two decades ago when Croatian Action on Salt and Health (CRASH) was launched. The main objective of the present study was to evaluate salt, potassium, and iodine intake using a single 24 h urine sample in a random sample of the adult Croatian population and to analyse trends in salt consumption after the CRASH was intensively started. Methods: In this study, we analysed data on 1067 adult participants (mean age 57.12 (SD 13.9), men 35%). Results: Mean salt and potassium intakes were 8.6 g/day (IQR 6.2–11.2) and 2.8 g/day (IQR 2.1–3.5), respectively, with a sodium-to-potassium ratio of 2.6 (IQR 1.8–3.3). We detected a decrease of 17.6% (2 g/day less) in salt consumption compared with our previous salt-mapping study. However, only 13.7% and 8.9% met the WHO salt and potassium recommended targets of 5 g/day and 3.5 g/day, respectively. Salt intake was higher, and potassium ingestion was lower, in rural vs. urban regions and in continental vs. Mediterranean parts of Croatia. Moderate to severe iodine insufficiency was determined in only 3% of the adult participants. Conclusion: In the last fifteen years, salt consumption has been significantly reduced in the Croatian adult population because of the intensive and broad CRASH program. However, salt intake is still too high, and potassium ingestion is too low. Salt reduction programs are the most cost-effective methods of cardiovascular disease prevention and merit greater consideration by the government and health policy makers. Full article

The traditional metallurgical routes for producing lead and zinc from primary sources have a significant environmental footprint. Thus, using less pollutant solvents, such as deep eutectic solvents (DESs), would offer a greener solution in metal extraction. This study explores the use of three DESs based on choline chloride (ChCl) (1:2 ChCl–urea, 1:2 ChCl–ethylene glycol, and 1:2 ChCl–glycerol) for recovering Zn and Pb from a sphalerite–galena concentrate of the mining region in Ecuador. Leaching tests of the concentrate (untreated and roasted at 600 °C) in each DES were conducted (30 °C—24 h). The effect of adding iodine as an oxidizing agent was also evaluated. Recoveries of 2% (Zn) and 14% (Pb) were reported when leaching the untreated concentrate with DES. These recovery values increased to 11% (Zn) and 99% (Pb) after adding iodine during the leaching of the untreated concentrate. Roasting had a similar effect on leaching, increasing the recovery values of Zn (75%) and Pb (90%). Combining roasting as a pretreatment and iodine as an oxidizing agent produced higher Zn recoveries (99%) and Pb (99%). These results were compared to recoveries in acid leaching (H₂SO₄ and HNO₃), revealing the potential of DESs as an alternative for metal recovery from primary sources. Full article

Autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis) is the most common autoimmune disease. It most often manifests itself as hypothyroidism but may also present with euthyroidism or even hyperthyroidism. The etiopathogenesis of autoimmune thyroiditis is still unclear. However, in addition to genetic and epigenetic factors, many environmental factors are known to increase the risk of developing AIT. In this review, we aimed to collect and analyze data connected with environmental factors and autoimmune thyroiditis development. Our review indicates iodine intake, vitamin D deficiency, selenium deficiency, viral infections caused by Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV), Human parvovirus B19 (PVB19), Human herpesvirus 6A (HHV-6A) and Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), bacterial infection caused by Helicobacter pylori, microbiome disruption, medications such as interferon-alpha and tyrosine kinase inhibitors, as well as stress, climate, and smoking can influence the risk of the occurrence of autoimmune thyroiditis. Having knowledge of risk factors allows for making changes to one’s diet and lifestyle that will reduce the risk of developing the disease and alleviate the course of autoimmune thyroiditis. Full article

Pregnancy is an opportunistic time for dietary intake to influence future disease susceptibility in offspring later in life. The ORIGINS Project was established to identify the factors that contribute to ‘a healthy start to life’ through a focus supporting childhood health and preventing disease (including non-communicable diseases). We aim to describe the dietary intakes of pregnant women in this cohort and to compare these to the Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) and Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS). The usual food and nutrient intakes of women were collected using the Australian Eating Survey (AES), a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). A total of 374 women completed the AES FFQ at both 20 weeks and 36 weeks of gestation between December 2016 and January 2023. Macronutrient, micronutrient, and food group intake were explored using descriptive statistics. Overall, it was found that the energy contribution from carbohydrates was low, while that from fat and saturated fat was high; participants were not meeting the recommendations for several key micronutrients (calcium, iron, iodine, and folate); and they had low diet quality scores for all food groups. These findings suggest that despite the ongoing promotion of healthy eating during pregnancy, further exploration into why dietary guidelines during pregnancy are not being adhered to is warranted. Full article

This study used a meta-analytic approach to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with seaweed on milk yield, milk composition, nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation, and enteric methane (CH₄) emissions of dairy cows. Data used in statistical analyses were obtained from 23 peer-reviewed scientific articles. Effect size was assessed using weighted mean differences (WMD) between seaweed-supplemented and control treatments. Dietary supplementation with seaweed decreased (p < 0.05) dry matter intake, milk protein content, milk urea nitrogen, and somatic cell count. In contrast, milk fat content, milk lactose content, and milk iodine increased (p < 0.05) in response to dietary supplementation with seaweed. Dietary supplementation with seaweed did not affect (p > 0.05) nutrient digestibility, total volatile fatty acids, acetate, and propionate. Dietary supplementation with seaweeds increased (p < 0.05) ruminal pH and ruminal concentration of butyrate and valerate. In contrast, lower (p < 0.05) ruminal ammonia nitrogen concentration, acetate/propionate ratio, daily CH₄ emission, CH₄ yield, and CH₄ intensity were observed in response to dietary supplementation with seaweeds. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with seaweed modifies milk composition, improves ruminal fermentation, and decreases enteric methane emissions without negatively affecting milk yield or feed efficiency. Full article

Thyroid dyshormonogenesis (THD) is a heterogeneous group of genetic diseases caused by the total or partial defect in the synthesis or secretion of thyroid hormones. Genetic variants in DUOX2 can cause partial to total iodination organification defects and clinical heterogeneity, from transient to permanent congenital hypothyroidism. The aim of this study was to undertake a molecular characterization and genotype–phenotype correlation in patients with THD and candidate variants in DUOX2. A total of 31 (19.38%) patients from the Catalan Neonatal Screening Program presented with variants in DUOX2 that could explain their phenotype. Fifteen (48.39%) patients were compound heterozygous, 10 (32.26%) heterozygous, and 4 (12.90%) homozygous. In addition, 8 (26.67%) of these patients presented variants in other genes. A total of 35 variants were described, 10 (28.57%) of these variants have not been previously reported in literature. The most frequent variant in our cohort was c.2895_2898del/p.(Phe966SerfsTer29), classified as pathogenic according to reported functional studies. The final diagnosis of this cohort was permanent THD in 21 patients and transient THD in 10, according to reevaluation and/or need for treatment with levothyroxine. A clear genotype–phenotype correlation could not be identified; therefore, functional studies are necessary to confirm the pathogenicity of the variants. Full article

Carrier-selective contacts (CSCs) for high-efficiency heterojunction solar cells have been widely studied due to their advantages of processing at relatively low temperatures and simple fabrication processes. Transition metal oxide (TMO) (e.g., molybdenum oxide, vanadium oxide, and tungsten oxide) thin films are widely used as hole-selective contacts (HSCs, required work function for Si solar cells > 5.0 eV). However, when TMO thin films are used, difficulties are faced in uniform deposition. In this study, we fabricated a copper (I) iodide (CuI) thin film (work function > 5.0 eV) that remained relatively stable during atmospheric exposure compared with TMO thin films and employed it as an HSC layer in an n-type Si solar cell. To facilitate efficient hole collection, we conducted iodine annealing at temperatures of 100–180 °C to enhance the film’s electrical characteristics (carrier density and carrier mobility). Subsequently, we fabricated CSC Si solar cells using the annealed CuI_x layer, which achieved an efficiency of 6.42%. Full article

Cardiovascular diseases account for almost 18 million deaths annually, the most of all non-communicable diseases. The reduction of dietary salt consumption is a modifiable risk factor. The WHO recommends a daily sodium intake of <2000 mg but average consumption exceeds this in many countries globally. Strategies proposed to aid effective salt reduction policy include product reformulation, front of pack labelling, behavioural change campaigns and establishing a low-sodium-supportive environment. Yet, salt for household and processed food use is, in countries wholly or partially adopting a universal salt iodisation policy, the principal vehicle for population-wide iodine fortification. With salt reduction policies in place, there is concern that iodine deficiency disorders may re-emerge. Recognising the urgency to tackle the rising prevalence of NCDs yet not risk the re-emergence and detrimental effect of inadequate iodine intakes, this review lays out the feasibility of integrating both salt reduction and salt iodine fortification strategies. Reducing the burden of health risks associated with an excessive sodium intake or inadequate iodine through population-tailored, cost-effective strategies involving salt is both feasible and achievable, and represents an opportunity to improve outcomes in public health. Full article

Background. The diagnosis and treatment of head and neck tumors present significant challenges due to their infiltrative nature and diagnostic hindrances such as the blood–brain barrier. The intricate anatomy of the head and neck region also complicates the clear identification of tumor boundaries and assessment of tumor characteristics. Aim. This review aims to explore the efficacy of molecular imaging techniques that employ targeted contrast agents in head and neck cancer imaging. Head and neck cancer imaging benefits significantly from the combined advantages of CT and MRI. CT excels in providing swift, high-contrast images, enabling the accurate localization of tumors, while MRI offers superior soft tissue resolution, contributing to the detailed evaluation of tumor morphology in this region of the body. Many of these novel contrast agents have integration of dual-modal, triple-modal, or even dual-tissue targeting imaging, which have expanded the horizons of molecular imaging. Emerging contrast agents for the purpose of MRI and CT also include the widely used standards in imaging such as gadolinium and iodine-based agents, respectively, but with peptide, polypeptide, or polymeric functionalizations. Relevance for patients. For patients, the development and use of these targeted contrast agents have potentially significant implications. They benefit from the enhanced accuracy of tumor detection and characterization, which are critical for effective treatment planning. Additionally, these agents offer improved imaging contrast with the added benefit of reduced toxicity and bioaccumulation. The summarization of preclinical nanoparticle research in this review serves as a valuable resource for scientists and students working towards advancing tumor diagnosis and treatment with targeted contrast agents. Full article

Thyroid function is closely linked to nutrition through the diet–gut–thyroid axis. This narrative review highlights the influence of nutritional components and micronutrients on thyroid development and function, as well as on the gut microbiota. Micronutrients such as iodine, selenium, iron, zinc, copper, magnesium, vitamin A, and vitamin B12 influence thyroid hormone synthesis and regulation throughout life. Dietary changes can alter the gut microbiota, leading not just to dysbiosis and micronutrient deficiency but also to changes in thyroid function through immunological regulation, nutrient absorption, and epigenetic changes. Nutritional imbalance can lead to thyroid dysfunction and/or disorders, such as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, and possibly contribute to autoimmune thyroid diseases and thyroid cancer, yet controversial issues. Understanding these relationships is important to rationalize a balanced diet rich in essential micronutrients for maintaining thyroid health and preventing thyroid-related diseases. The synthetic comprehensive overview of current knowledge shows the importance of micronutrients and gut microbiota for thyroid function and uncovers potential gaps that require further investigation. Full article

Brain metastases pose a significant therapeutic challenge in the field of oncology, necessitating treatments that effectively control disease progression while preserving neurological and cognitive functions. Among various interventions, brachytherapy, which involves the direct placement of radioactive sources into or near tumors or into the resected cavity, can play an important role in treatment. Current literature describes brachytherapy’s capacity to deliver targeted, high-dose radiation while minimizing damage to adjacent healthy tissues—a crucial consideration in the choice of treatment modality. Furthermore, advancements in implantation techniques as well as in the development of different isotopes have expanded its efficacy and safety profile. This review delineates the contemporary applications of brachytherapy in managing brain metastases, examining its advantages, constraints, and associated clinical outcomes, and provides a comprehensive understanding of advances in the use of brachytherapy for brain metastasis treatment, with implications for improved patient outcomes and enhanced quality of life. Full article