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International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024Bioactive compounds that can be recovered by the solid wastes of the olive oil sector, such as polyphenols, are known for their significant antioxidant and antimicrobial...
Bioactive compounds that can be recovered by the solid wastes of the olive oil sector, such as polyphenols, are known for their significant antioxidant and antimicrobial activities with potential application in nutraceutical, cosmetic, and food industries. Given that industrial demands are growing, and the polyphenol market value is ever increasing, a systematic study on the recovery of natural antioxidant compounds from olive pomace using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was conducted. Single-factor parameters, i.e., the extraction solvent, time, and solid-to-liquid ratio, were investigated evaluating the total phenolic content (TPC) recovery and the antioxidant activity of the final extract. The acetone-water system (50% /, 20 min, 1:20 g mL) exhibited the highest total phenolic content recovery (168.8 ± 5.5 mg GAE per g of dry extract). The olive pomace extract (OPE) was further assessed for its antioxidant and antibacterial activities. In DPPH, ABTS, and CUPRAC, OPE exhibited an antioxidant capacity of 413.6 ± 1.9, 162.72 ± 3.36 and 384.9 ± 7.86 mg TE per g of dry extract, respectively. The antibacterial study showed that OPE attained a minimum inhibitory activity (MIC) of 2.5 mg mL against and 10 mg mL against . Hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol were identified as the major phenolic compounds of OPE. Furthermore, active chitosan-polyvinyl alcohol (CHT/PVA) films were prepared using different OPE loadings (0.01-0.1%, ). OPE-enriched films showed a dose-dependent antiradical scavenging activity reaching 85.7 ± 4.6% (ABTS) and inhibition growth up to 81% against compared to the control film. Increased UV light barrier ability was also observed for the films containing OPE. These results indicate that OPE is a valuable source of phenolic compounds with promising biological activities that can be exploited for developing multifunctional food packaging materials.
Topics: Olea; Antioxidants; Plant Extracts; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Phenols; Food Packaging; Polyphenols; Ultrasonic Waves; Microbial Sensitivity Tests
PubMed: 38928246
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126541 -
Toxics May 2024Polyvinyl chloride microplastics (PVC-MPs) are microplastic pollutants widely present in the environment, but their potential risks to human lung health and underlying...
Polyvinyl chloride microplastics (PVC-MPs) are microplastic pollutants widely present in the environment, but their potential risks to human lung health and underlying toxicity mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, we systematically analyzed the effects of PVC-MPs on the transcriptome and metabolome of BEAS-2B cells using high-throughput RNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics technologies. The results showed that exposure to PVC-MPs significantly reduced the viability of BEAS-2B cells, leading to the differential expression of 530 genes and 3768 metabolites. Further bioinformatics analyses showed that PVC-MP exposure influenced the expression of genes associated with fluid shear stress, the MAPK and TGF-β signaling pathways, and the levels of metabolites associated with amino acid metabolism. In particular, integrated pathway analysis showed that lipid metabolic pathways (including glycerophospholipid metabolism, glycerolipid metabolism, and sphingolipid metabolism) were significantly perturbed in BEAS-2B cells following PVC-MPs exposure. This study provides new insights and targets for a deeper understanding of the toxicity mechanism of PVC-MPs and for the prevention and treatment of PVC-MP-associated lung diseases.
PubMed: 38922079
DOI: 10.3390/toxics12060399 -
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024The recombination of charge carriers at the interface between carrier transport layers such as nickel oxide (NiO) and the perovskite absorber has long been a challenge...
The recombination of charge carriers at the interface between carrier transport layers such as nickel oxide (NiO) and the perovskite absorber has long been a challenge in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). To address this issue, we introduced a polymer additive poly(vinyl butyral) into NiO and subjected it to high-temperature annealing to form a void-containing structure. The formation of voids is confirmed to increase light transmittance and surface area of NiO, which is beneficial for light absorption and carrier separation within PSCs. Experimental results demonstrate that the incorporation of the polymer additive helped to enhance the hole conductivity and carrier extraction of NiO with a higher Ni/Ni ratio. This also optimized the energy levels of NiO to match with the perovskite to raise the open-circuit voltage to 1.01 V. By incorporating an additional NiO layer beneath the polymer-modified NiO, the device efficiency was further increased as verified from the dark current measurement of devices.
PubMed: 38921930
DOI: 10.3390/nano14121054 -
Journal of Xenobiotics Jun 2024Microplastic contamination in agricultural soil is an emerging problem worldwide as it contaminates the food chain. Therefore, this research investigated the...
Microplastic contamination in agricultural soil is an emerging problem worldwide as it contaminates the food chain. Therefore, this research investigated the distribution of microplastics (MPs) in agricultural soils without mulch at various depths (0-5, 5-10, and 10-15 cm) across different zones: rural, local market, industrial, coastal, and research areas. The detection of MP types and morphology was conducted using FTIR and fluorescence microscopy, respectively. Eight types of MPs were identified, including high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinyl fluoride (PVF), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), with concentrations ranging from 0.6 ± 0.21 to 3.71 ± 2.36 MPs/g of soil. The study found no significant trends in MP concentration, with ranges of 0-2.1 ± 0.38, 0-2.87 ± 0.55, and 0-2.0 ± 0.34 MPs/g of soil at depths of 0-5 cm, 5-10 cm, and 10-15 cm, respectively. The highest MP quantity was recorded at 8.67 in coastal area, while the lowest was 6.44 in the local market area. Various MP shapes, e.g., fiber, film, pellet, fragment, and irregular, were observed across all layers. PCA suggested irrigation and organic manure as potential sources of MPs. The estimated concentrations of MPs possessed low non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks to the farming community of Bangladesh.
PubMed: 38921655
DOI: 10.3390/jox14020046 -
Journal of Functional Biomaterials Jun 2024Treatment of volumetric muscle loss (VML) faces challenges due to its unique pathobiology and lower priority in severe musculoskeletal injury management. Consequently, a...
Treatment of volumetric muscle loss (VML) faces challenges due to its unique pathobiology and lower priority in severe musculoskeletal injury management. Consequently, a need exists for multi-stage VML treatment strategies to accommodate delayed interventions owing to comorbidity management or prolonged casualty care in combat settings. To this end, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was used at concentrations of 5%, 7.5%, and 10% to generate provisional muscle void fillers (MVFs) of varying stiffness values (1.125 kPa, 3.700 kPa, and 7.699 kPa) to stabilize VML injuries as part of a two-stage approach. These were implanted into a rat model for a duration of 4 weeks, then explanted and either left untreated (control) or treated through minced muscle grafting (MMG). Additional benchmarks included acute MMG and unrepaired groups. At the MVF explant, the 7.5% PVA group exhibited superior neuromuscular function compared to the 5% and 10% PVA groups, the least fibrosis, and the largest median myofiber size among all groups at the 12-week endpoint. Despite the 7.5% PVA's superiority amongst the two-stage treatment groups, neuromuscular function was neither improved nor impaired relative to acute treatment benchmarks. This suggests that the future success of a two-stage VML treatment strategy will necessitate a more effective definitive intervention.
PubMed: 38921533
DOI: 10.3390/jfb15060160 -
Gels (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Wound dressing production represents an important segment in the biomedical healthcare field, but finding a simple and eco-friendly method that combines a natural...
Wound dressing production represents an important segment in the biomedical healthcare field, but finding a simple and eco-friendly method that combines a natural compound and a biocompatible dressing production for biomedical application is still a challenge. Therefore, the aim of this study is to develop wound healing dressings that are environmentally friendly, low cost, and easily produced, using natural agents and a physical crosslinking technique. Hydrogel wound healing dressings were prepared from polyvinyl alcohol/carboxymethyl cellulose and sericin using the freeze-thawing method as a crosslinking method. The morphological characterization was carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), whereas the mechanical analysis was carried out by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) to test the tensile strength and compression properties. Then, the healing property of the wound dressing material was tested by in vitro and ex vivo tests. The results show a three-dimensional microporous structure with no cytotoxicity, excellent stretchability with compressive properties similar to those of human skin, and excellent healing properties. The proposed hydrogel dressing was tested in vitro with HaCaT keratinocytes and ex vivo with epidermal tissues, demonstrating an effective advantage on wound healing acceleration. Accordingly, this study was successful in developing wound healing dressings using natural agents and a simple and green crosslinking method.
PubMed: 38920958
DOI: 10.3390/gels10060412 -
Gels (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024This study examined the tensile strength and biocompatibility properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel tissue regeneration scaffolds with polylactic acid (PLA)...
This study examined the tensile strength and biocompatibility properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel tissue regeneration scaffolds with polylactic acid (PLA) mesh fabric added as reinforcement, with a focus on the impact of heat treatment temperature and the number of layers of the PLA mesh fabric. The hydrogel scaffolds were prepared using a freeze-thaw method to create PVA hydrogel, with the PLA mesh fabric placed inside the hydrogel. The swelling ratio of the PVA/PLA hydrogel scaffolds decreased with increasing layer number and heat treatment temperature of the PLA mesh. The gel strength was highest when five layers of PLA mesh fabric were added, heat-treated at 120 °C, and confirmed to be properly placed inside the hydrogel by SEM images. The MTT assay and DAPI staining using HaCaT cells demonstrated that the cell proliferation was uninterrupted throughout the experimental period, confirming the biocompatibility of the scaffold. Therefore, we confirmed the possibility of using PLA mesh fabric as a reinforcement for PVA hydrogel to improve the strength of scaffolds for tissue regeneration, and we confirmed the potential of PLA mesh fabric as a reinforcement for various biomaterials.
PubMed: 38920911
DOI: 10.3390/gels10060364 -
Dose-response : a Publication of... 2024This study focuses on the investigation of the significance of polymers in drug delivery approaches. The carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and...
This study focuses on the investigation of the significance of polymers in drug delivery approaches. The carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and dextrin-based hydrogel membrane were prepared and employed for the sustained release of third-generation oral antibiotic (cefixime). Different proportions of CMC, PVA and dextrin were blended and hydrogel membranes were fabricated via solvent casting method. The prepared membrane was characterized by FTIR, SEM, UV-visible, TGA and swelling analysis. Cefixime drug was incorporated in the CMC/PVA/dextrin matrix and drug release was investigated. The sustained release of the tested drug (cefixime) was investigated and the drug was released in 120 min in the phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution. The antibacterial activity of the prepared membrane was promising against , and strains. The swelling capabilities, thermal stability and non-toxic nature of the prepared CMC/PVA/dextrin membrane could have potential applications for cefixime drug in delivery in a controlled way for the treatment of infectious diseases.
PubMed: 38912332
DOI: 10.1177/15593258241264951 -
International Journal of Biological... Jun 2024Electromagnetic hydrogels have attracted significant attention due to their vast potential in soft robotics, biomedical engineering, and energy harvesting. To facilitate...
Bridging papermaking and hydrogel production: Nanoparticle-loaded cellulosic hollow fibers with pitted walls as skeleton materials for multifunctional electromagnetic hydrogels.
Electromagnetic hydrogels have attracted significant attention due to their vast potential in soft robotics, biomedical engineering, and energy harvesting. To facilitate future commercialization via large-scale industrial processes, we present a facile concept that utilizes the specialized knowledge of papermaking to fabricate hydrogels with multifunctional electromagnetic properties. The principles of papermaking wet end chemistry, which involves the handling of interactions among cellulosic fibers, fines, polymeric additives, and other components in aqueous systems, serves as a key foundation for this concept. Our methodology exploits the unique hierarchically pitted and hollow tube-like structures of papermaking grade cellulosic fibers with discernible pits, enabling the incorporation of magnetite nanoparticles through lumen loading. By combining microscale softwood-derived cellulosic fibers with additives, including polyvinyl alcohol and borax, we achieve dynamic covalent interactions that transform the cellulosic fiber slurry into an impressive hydrogel. The cellulosic fibers act as a skeleton, providing structural support within the hydrogel framework. In accordance with our concept, the typical hydrogel exhibits combined attributes, including electrical conductivity, self-healing properties, pH responsiveness, and dynamic rheologic behavior. Our approach not only yields hydrogel with interesting properties but also aligns with the forefront of advanced cellulosic material applications. These materials hold the promise in remote strain sensing devices, electromagnetic navigation systems, contactless toys, and flexible electronic devices. The concept and findings of the current work may shed light on materials innovation based on traditional pulp and paper processes. Furthermore, the facile processes involved in hydrogel formation can serve as valuable tools for chemistry and materials education, providing easy demonstrations of principles for university students at different levels.
PubMed: 38908622
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133280 -
Indian Journal of Ophthalmology Jul 2024
Topics: Humans; Povidone-Iodine; Ophthalmic Solutions; COVID-19; Anti-Infective Agents, Local; SARS-CoV-2; Conjunctivitis
PubMed: 38905467
DOI: 10.4103/IJO.IJO_2666_23