09/15/2024


A simple and fast method was developed for the determination of quercetin. The concentration of quercetin can be determined based on the fluorescence emission resulting from the coordinative interactions between quercetin and the yttrium ion (Y3+). Notably, a portable platform to quantitatively analyze quercetin was constructed. This platform incorporates our custom-built homemade reader based on a photodiode, and Arduino hardware, which accepts a paper ribbon on which Y3+ is deposited as an input. In addition, the color change of the paper ribbon was identified using a smartphone via the hue values of the photographs. The limits of detection for quercetin using spectroscopy, a smartphone, and a custom-built reader were calculated to be 27, 110, and 129 nM, respectively. The use of a custom-built device and a smartphone for detecting quercetin via fluorescence from the prepared paper ribbon reduces the time and cost of quercetin detection. This approach could be employed for on-site sensing of quercetin in real samples.Water is the sustainable solvent of excellence, but its high polarity limits the solubility of non-polar compounds. Confinement of water in hydrophobic pores alters its hydrogen bonding structure and related properties such as dielectric constant and solvation power. Whether this special state of confined water can be rendered useful in chemical processes is hitherto underexplored. Confining water in hydrophobic nanopores could be a way to modulate water solvent properties, enabling the use of water as a tuneable solvent (WaTuSo). Applying pressure forces a heterogeneous mixture of poorly soluble molecules and water into hydrophobic nanopores of a host material where the lowered polarity of water enhances dissolution. Decompression after reaction causes expulsion of the solution from the pores and spontaneous demixing of reaction products because water returns to its normal polar state. Temporary dissolution enhancement during confinement is expected to be advantageous to chemical reaction and molecular storage. Nano-confined water offers a potential alternative to compression for storing CH4 and H2 gas, and opens new opportunities for green chemistry such as aqueous phase hydrogenation reactions which benefit from enhanced hydrogen solubility. Unprecedented control in time and space over H2O solvation properties in a WaTuSo system will enable new technologies with major scientific and societal impact.A simple di(thioamido)carbazole 1 serves as a potent multispecific transporter for various biologically relevant oxyanions, such as drugs, metabolites and model organic phosphate. The transport kinetics of a wide range of oxyanions can be easily quantified by a modified lucigenin assay in both large and giant unilamellar vesicles.In this work we describe the formulation and characterisation of red-emitting polymeric nanocapsules (NCs) incorporating superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) for magnetic tumour targeting. The self-fluorescent oligomers were synthesised and chemically conjugated to PLGA which was confirmed by NMR spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Hydrophobic SPIONs were synthesised through thermal decomposition and their magnetic and heating properties were assessed by SQUID magnetometry and calorimetric measurements, respectively. Magnetic nanocapsules (m-NCs) were prepared by a single emulsification/solvent evaporation method. Their in vitro cytotoxicity was examined in CT26 colon cancer cells. The formulated fluorescent m-NCs showed good stability and biocompatibility both in vitro and in vivo in CT 26 colon cancer models. Following intravenous injection, accumulation of m-NCs in tumours was observed by optical imaging. A higher iron content in the tumours exposed to a magnetic field, compared to the contralateral tumours without magnetic exposure in the same animal, further confirmed the magnetic tumour targeting in vivo. The overall results show that the engineered red-emitting m-NCs have great potential as multifunctional nanocarriers for multi-model bioimaging and magnetic-targeted drug delivery.Bulk 1T'-MoTe2 shows a structural phase transition from the 1T' to Weyl semimetallic (WSM) Td phase at ∼240 K. This phase transition and transport properties in the two phases have not been investigated on ultra-thin crystals. Here we report electrical transport, 1/f noise and Raman studies on ultra-thin 1T'-MoTe2 (∼5 to 16 nm thick) field-effect transistor (FETs) devices as a function of temperature. The electrical resistivities for a thickness of 16 nm and 11 nm show maxima at temperatures of 208 K and 178 K, respectively, making a transition from the semiconducting to semi-metallic phase, hitherto not observed in bulk samples. Raman frequencies and linewidths for an 11 nm thick crystal show a change around 178 K, attributed to the additional contribution to the phonon self-energy due to the enhanced electron-phonon interaction in the WSM phase. Furthermore, the resistivity at low temperature shows an upturn below 20 K along with the maximum in the power spectral density of the low frequency 1/f noise. The latter rules out the metal-insulator transition (MIT) being responsible for the upturn of resistivity below 20 K. The low temperature resistivity follows ρ∝ 1/T, changing to ρ∝T with increasing temperature supports electron-electron interaction physics at electron-hole symmetric Weyl nodes below 20 K. These observations will pave the way to unravel the properties of the WSM state in layered ultra-thin van der Waals materials.We contrive two strategies to assemble well-defined nanoclusters with high-throughput guided by DNA origami frames either by (1) introducing a micro-sized surface to fabricate patchy particles for binding with DNA structures or (2) restricting the assembly process of free nanoparticles and DNA origami frames on the fixed sites. Both the strategies can omit the process of gel purification of the final products.BACKGROUND Despite functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) being the standard of care in medically recalcitrant chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), its effect on sinus ventilation has not been fully characterized. Airflow simulations can help improve our understanding of how surgical strategies affect post-surgical sinus ventilation. METHODS Eight postoperative sinonasal cavity models were reconstructed from a wide spectrum of CRS patients who had undergone FESS. Computational fluid dynamics modeling of steady-state, laminar, inspiratory airflow was performed. Ventilation was quantified and observed for all the sinuses in each model. RESULTS Sinus aeration was enhanced following FESS, particularly in the maxillary and ethmoid sinuses. The degree of improvement was related to the extent of surgery performed. This finding was accentuated at a higher inhalational flow rate of 15L/min. The relationship between ostium size and corresponding sinus inflow was stronger for the maxillary and sphenoid sinuses. Maxillary inflow reached 50% in a mega-antrostomy patient, while negligible flow occurred in the frontal sinuses for except one whom had undergone a modified Lothrop procedure. CONCLUSIONS This study has quantified sinus airflow in the largest set of post-FESS patients to date, to show that with increasing extensive surgery, the sinus and nasal cavity become more interconnected and functionally interdependent. Accordingly, sinus ventilation is improved. This may have important consequences for pre- and post-surgical assessment and planning, and on predicting how drug delivery treatments and devices can be designed to target the postoperative sinuses.PURPOSE To examine the relationships between (1) the levels of each temperament traits and the levels of milk-feeding frequency, oral hygiene care and dental caries, and (2) the difference in mean numbers of decayed surfaces among temperament types. MATERIALS AND METHODS Four hundred and ninety-three (493) 12-month-old infants were assessed for temperaments and characteristics of child-rearing practices. The data were analysed with their dental caries status at 18 months of age. The chi-squared test, Student's t test, ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to assess the association between temperament traits and the following variables; dental caries, oral cleaning habits and feeding frequency. Logistic regression models were used to identify the effect of temperament traits and other factors on dental caries status. RESULTS The trait of adaptability was found to associate with feeding frequency at night, while those of activity and approach/withdrawal were significantly associated with regularity of oral cleaning habits by the children's caregiver. Three of the nine temperament traits - biological rhythmicity, approach/withdrawal and mood - were significantly associated with dental caries in bivariate analysis. Biological rhythmicity and approach/withdrawal traits were significantly associated with a higher chance of having caries after adjusting for regularity of oral cleaning habits and frequency of night feeding. CONCLUSION Biological rhythmicity, approach/withdrawal and mood traits were related to caries in these young children.PURPOSE To assess the effect of oral comprehensive healthcare on the prevalence of early childhood caries in urban areas of China. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 398 children aged 4-5 years from six different kindergartens in Qingdao were recruited to participate in a 1-year single-blind randomised controlled clinical trial. They were randomly assigned into either an experimental group (187 children) or a control group (211 children). The experimental group received comprehensive oral healthcare including oral health examinations, oral health education for children and their guardians, and local fluoride application and dental treatment, whereas children in the control group only received oral health examinations twice a year. The children's parents finished a comprehensive oral health questionnaire before and after the experiment. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/su6656.html After a year, the oral health status of two groups of children was statistically analysed to determine the effect of oral comprehensive healthcare on early childhood caries. RESULTS After 1 year, the numbers of decayed teeth (dt), decayed tooth surfaces (ds), filled teeth (ft), and filled tooth surfaces (fs) in the experimental group were significantly lower than the control group (p less then 0.001). The dmft and dmfs were also significantly different between the two groups (p less then 0.05). Statistically significant differences were additionally shown in oral hygiene habits and eating habits of both the children and their parents in the two groups compared with 1 year before (all p less then 0.001). CONCLUSION Implementation of comprehensive oral healthcare measures both prevents and reduces early childhood caries.PURPOSE The first large-scale epidemiological survey on dental caries in Slovenia was conducted in 1987 and repeated in 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008, 2013 and 2017, using the same methodology. The aim of the study was to examine the trend of caries in 12-year-olds in Slovenia during a 30-year time period. The changes over time in caries experience were compared with disease trends observed in other European countries. Study Populations and Methods The WHO National Oral Health Pathfinder Survey was applied in all seven surveys (1987-2017). The surveys were carried out in all nine geographical regions of Slovenia. For each subject, the caries experience and presence of sealants were recorded. RESULTS The mean DMFT of 12-year-olds decreased significantly from 5.1 in 1987 to 1.5 in 2017 (p less then 0.0001). The percentage of persons with sealed teeth increased from 6% in 1987 to 94% in 2017, and the percentage of caries-free persons increased from 6% to 42%. CONCLUSION The implementation of a nation-wide preventive programme was determined to significantly contribute to the effective control of caries and continuously improve the oral health of Slovenian children.