Basic Groups Research Articles

Robustly reusable fuzzy extractor from isogeny

Robustly reusable Fuzzy Extractor (rrFE) allows multiple extractions from the same fuzzy source in a reproducible way. The reusability of rrFE asks the pseudo-randomness of the extracted keys, while robustness of rrFE makes sure that active attacks can be detected during the reproduction of the extracted key. With rrFE, we are able to produce cryptographic keys for our cryptosystems from fuzzy sources, like biometrics, physical unclonable functions, etc. There are rrFE schemes from the DDH, LWE and LPN assumptions. However there is no rrFE scheme from isogeny-based assumptions up to now.In this paper, we construct the first rrFE from isogeny. To obtain such an rrFE, we propose a new framework for constructing rrFE with a core technical tool, named Enhanced Effective Group Action (EEGA). EEGA is built upon the basic Effective Group Action (EGA), and is equipped with a sampling algorithm and a derivation algorithm. With such an EEGA, the same random input can be derived to produce different pseudo-random and unpredictable outputs. The EEGA, together with other routine building blocks like secure sketch and extractor, leverages an FE to achieve reusability and robustness. We construct EEGA based on CSI-FiSh, which admits the first rrFE scheme from isogeny. Besides, we also propose another two EEGA instantiations from the DDH assumption, and this provides another approach to DDH-based rrFE, which may be of independent interest.

Nonclassical Zwitterions as a Design Principle to Reduce Lipophilicity without Impacting Permeability.

The ionization of bioactive molecules impacts many ADME-relevant physicochemical properties, in particular, solubility, lipophilicity, and permeability. Ampholytes contain both acidic and basic groups and are distinguished as ordinary ampholytes and zwitterions. An influential review states that zwitterions only exist if the acidic pKa is significantly lower than the basic pKa. Through concordance of measured and calculated pKa and log P, we show that the zwitterionic behavior of several marketed drugs and natural products occurs despite a low or negative ΔpKa. These nonclassical zwitterions are characterized by a weak acidic and basic pKa and conjugation through an extended aromatic system, often including pseudorings via intramolecular hydrogen bonds. In contrast to most classical zwitterions, nonclassical zwitterions can exhibit excellent permeability. As permeability and lipophilicity are typically correlated, the combination of low lipophilicity and high permeability makes nonclassical zwitterions an attractive design principle in medicinal chemistry.

Newer generations of multi-target CAR and STAb-T immunotherapeutics: NEXT CART Consortium as a cooperative effort to overcome current limitations.

Adoptive T cellular immunotherapies have emerged as relevant approaches for treating cancer patients who have relapsed or become refractory (R/R) to traditional cancer treatments. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has improved survival in various hematological malignancies. However, significant limitations still impede the widespread adoption of these therapies in most cancers. To advance in this field, six research groups have created the "NEXT Generation CART MAD Consortium" (NEXT CART) in Madrid's Community, which aims to develop novel cell-based immunotherapies for R/R and poor prognosis cancers. At NEXT CART, various basic and translational research groups and hospitals in Madrid concur to share and synergize their basic expertise in immunotherapy, gene therapy, and immunological synapse, and clinical expertise in pediatric and adult oncology. NEXT CART goal is to develop new cell engineering approaches and treatments for R/R adult and pediatric neoplasms to evaluate in multicenter clinical trials. Here, we discuss the current limitations of T cell-based therapies and introduce our perspective on future developments. Advancement opportunities include developing allogeneic products, optimizing CAR signaling domains, combining cellular immunotherapies, multi-targeting strategies, and improving tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs)/T cell receptor (TCR) therapy. Furthermore, basic studies aim to identify novel tumor targets, tumor molecules in the tumor microenvironment that impact CAR efficacy, and strategies to enhance the efficiency of the immunological synapse between immune and tumor cells. Our perspective of current cellular immunotherapy underscores the potential of these treatments while acknowledging the existing hurdles that demand innovative solutions to develop their potential for cancer treatment fully.

Bifunctional Metal-Organic Nanoballs Featuring Lewis Acidic and Basic Sites as a New Platform for One-Pot Tandem Catalysis.

The design and synthesis of polyhedra using coordination-driven self-assembly has been an intriguing research area for synthetic chemists. Metal-organic polyhedra are a class of intricate molecular architectures that have garnered significant attention in the literature due to their diverse structures and potential applications. Hereby, we report Cu-MOP, a bifunctional metal-organic cuboctahedra built using 2,6-dimethylpyridine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid and copper acetate at room temperature. The presence of both Lewis basic pyridine groups and Lewis acidic copper sites imparts catalytic activity to Cu-MOP for the tandem one-pot deacetalization-Knoevenagel/Henry reactions. The effect of solvent system and time duration on the yields of the reactions was studied, and the results illustrate the promising potential of these metal-organic cuboctahedra, also known as nanoballs for applications in catalysis.

Cluster methods in function better selection

Cluster analysis methods, also known as taxonomic methods, are intended for grouping objects and subjects according to certain characteristics, attributes and properties. Cluster analysis looks at relevant objects and attributes, classifying them into two or more independent groups. Cluster analysis supplemented with discriminant analysis is used in confirmatory and fundamental research. In numerous statistical-methodological procedures, these methods are applied when setting up and testing various hypotheses. Grouping methods are particularly useful in the process of different selections with the aim of forming coherent groups, which may or may not necessarily be statistically different. There are several models of clustering (grouping), always with one goal, which is greater proximity (similarity) of an entity belonging to a group compared to an entity belonging to another group. Two basic grouping models are recognizable, Hierarchical and Non-Hierarchical. Both models have the same goal, which is the formation of several independent homogeneous groups from one common group of entities. The hierarchical approach does not define the number of clusters in advance (a priori), in contrast to the Non-Hierarchical Model which defines in advance number of clusters. The grouping model is chosen depending on the specific problem and the set goal of grouping. In the process, several different models are often applied, and then one is chosen as in this research. It is important to point out that the theoretical number of clusters (groups) is often not realistically applicable in practice. Using the example of this research, it was proven that the first grouping was not a good solution. Through the subsequent, second and third iteration, as well as the application of additional discriminative methods, three optimal clusters were determined in the population of girls and boys. Satisfactory optimal grouping was obtained on the basis of gender criteria and achieved results on psycho-motor tests.

Green synthesis and characterization of polyphenol-coated magnesium-substituted manganese ferrite nanoparticles: Antibacterial and antioxidant properties

Magnesium-substituted manganese ferrite (Mn0.9Mg0.1Fe2O4) nanoparticles were obtained through a wet chemical method and coated with green-extracted polyphenol from Punica granatum peel. The obtained spinel nanocomposite was fully characterized. The X-ray diffraction pattern revealed a single phase with an average crystalline size of 3.33–8.74 nm, confirming the cubic-spinel structure. The FESEM micrograph showed a quasi-spherical shape with nearly uniform particles, indicating mild agglomeration. The mean size of the Mn0.9Mg0.1Fe2O4 was 13.66 nm with a standard deviation of 2.05. The BET isotherms indicated a surface area of 85.45 m2/g. The basic groups attached to the external surface of Mg-doped spinel ferrite were discovered. The resulted superparamagnetic modified doped-nanoferrite particles showed antibacterial activity as well as antioxidant efficiency through studying Catalase (CAT), Glutathione (GSH), and Glutathione Peroxidase (GSH-Px) parameters. The outcomes highlight the promising potential of polyphenol-functionalized Mn0.9Mg0.1Fe2O4 magnetite nanosized particles for the development of novel anti-biofilm agents.

THE WAR IN UKRAINE AND A SOCIAL POLICY: SOCIAL SERVICES IN UKRAINE UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF MARTIAL LAW

The article concerns the issue of providing social services under martial law in Ukraine.The system of social services in modern Ukraine has a complex organizational structure, the main stages of the genesis and development of the social services system in the years 1991–2023 have been identified and characterized. Particular attention has been given to innovations in the social sphere, caused by the adoption of the new law of Ukraine „On social services”, which entered into force on January 1, 2020. The article defines the specificity of the functioning of the system of providing social services under the conditions of martial law in Ukraine. As a result of the decentralization reform in Ukraine, new territorial communities were created, which are now building their own system of providing social services, considering the needs of various population groups. The analysis of the researched issues has allowed for the identification of basic groups of recipients of social services during the martial law period and groups of children requiring specialized social services.

Optimizing the Incorporation Modes of TiO2 in TiO2-Al2O3 Composites for Enhancing Hydrodesulfurization Performance of Corresponding NiMoP-Supported Catalysts

TiO2-Al2O3 supports with different incorporation methods of titania were synthesized via three methods: impregnation (TA-I), co-precipitation (TA-CP), and co-precipitation–hydrothermal treatment (TA-HT). And the NiMoP catalysts prepared on the corresponding supports were evaluated for hydrodesulfurization (HDS) reactions. The results demonstrated that the Ti atoms in TA-I are attached to alumina through hydroxyl groups, while the Ti atoms in TA-CP and TA-HT can be dispersed in the alumina skeleton. Variations in the incorporation modes of TiO2 affect the support properties, consequently influencing the nature of the active metal on the supports. The Ti atoms dispersed in the Al2O3 skeleton allow an increase in the basic hydroxyl groups. Meanwhile, TiO2 in TA-CP and TA-HT can absorb hydrogen molecules and be partially reduced. Furthermore, metal species supported on the TA-CP and TA-HT are more easily reduced and better dispersed. For the NiMoP catalysts prepared with TA-CP and TA-HT, the Ti element promotes the sulfidation degree of Mo, besides shortening the average (Ni)MoS2 slab. The catalysts prepared with TA-CP exhibited superior activity for 4,6-DMDBT hydrodesulfurization. This can be ascribed not only to the relatively high sulfidation degree of Mo and proportion of the NiMoS active phase but also to the well-dispersed (Ni)MoS2 slabs. Moreover, the Ti4+ ions dispersed in the Al2O3 skeleton can be partially reduced to act as electron donors, enhancing the metallic character of the S layers in MoS2, which facilitates the improvement of the hydrogenation desulfurization activity.

Cellulose Nitrates-Blended Composites from Bacterial and Plant-Based Celluloses.

Cellulose nitrates (CNs)-blended composites based on celluloses of bacterial origin (bacterial cellulose (BC)) and plant origin (oat-hull cellulose (OHC)) were synthesized in this study for the first time. Novel CNs-blended composites made of bacterial and plant-based celluloses with different BC-to-OHC mass ratios of 70/30, 50/50, and 30/70 were developed and fully characterized, and two methods were employed to nitrate the initial BC and OHC, and the three cellulose blends: the first method involved the use of sulfuric-nitric mixed acids (MAs), while the second method utilized concentrated nitric acid in the presence of methylene chloride (NA + MC). The CNs obtained using these two nitration methods were found to differ between each other, most notably, in viscosity: the samples nitrated with NA + MC had an extremely high viscosity of 927 mPa·s through to the formation of an immobile transparent acetonogel. Irrespective of the nitration method, the CN from BC (CN BC) was found to exhibit a higher nitrogen content than the CN from OHC (CN OHC), 12.20-12.32% vs. 11.58-11.60%, respectively. For the starting BC itself, all the cellulose blends of the starting celluloses and their CNs were detected using the SEM technique to have a reticulate fiber nanostructure. The cellulose samples and their CNs were detected using the IR spectroscopy to have basic functional groups. TGA/DTA analyses of the starting cellulose samples and the CNs therefrom demonstrated that the synthesized CN samples were of high purity and had high specific heats of decomposition at 6.14-7.13 kJ/g, corroborating their energy density. The CN BC is an excellent component with in-demand energetic performance; in particular, it has a higher nitrogen content while having a stable nanostructure. The CN BC was discovered to have a positive impact on the stability, structure, and energetic characteristics of the composites. The presence of CN OHC can make CNs-blended composites cheaper. These new CNs-blended composites made of bacterial and plant celluloses are much-needed in advanced, high-performance energetic materials.

Group Guidance Services : A Literature Review of Social Skills Improvement of Elementary School Students

This study aims to analyze various studies related to group guidance services and the improvement of social skills of elementary school students. This study used the systematic literature review method with a qualitative approach. This study used bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer software by reviewing research sourced from DOAJ and Google Scholar. The results of the analysis from VOSviewer showed that the issues and trends of group guidance services research had been carried out by researchers in various fields of guidance and counseling and carried out at various levels of education. The findings of various studies showed that group guidance services were seen as having a positive impact on improving the social skills of elementary school students. In the implementation of group guidance services, the role of the leader (counselor) must be active in encouraging the involvement of group members both in group dynamics and in social interactions. The process in this group guidance service will encourage students to achieve the expected goals and also be a means of improving their social skills. This research can be a reference in the implementation of basic group guidance services in improving students' social skills, especially in elementary schools. Guidance and counseling teachers/counselors and teachers in elementary schools can implement group guidance services to improve social skills.

Post‐combustion carbon dioxide adsorption of concurrent activated and surface modified palm kernel shell‐derived activated carbon

AbstractThis research applied a concurrent activation and surface modification (CAM) process to synthesize palm kernel shell‐derived activated carbon (PKSdAC) to obtain CO2 affinity surface functionalization. The CAM process is a simplified activated carbon activation process that is cost‐effective. The CAM process used in this study integrates sulphuric acid activation and barium chloride functionalization. The formation of barium sulphate is targeted to incorporate barium through a reduction process with carbon‐containing material at elevated temperatures into PKSdAC to obtain basic metal surfaces functional group for chemical adsorption. The optimal temperature for CAM‐PKSdAC CO2 adsorption performance was at 40–60 °C, established through temperature‐programmed desorption of CO2 (TPD‐CO2) analysis. The CAM‐PKSdAC adsorption performance was tested using a lab‐scale adsorption system. The bed CO2 content was determined using gas chromatography coupled with a thermal conductivity detector (GC‐TCD) by manual syringe injection. CAM‐PKSdAC exhibited a high CO2 adsorption capacity of 0.89 mmol g−1 from TPD‐CO2, and 1.91 mmol g−1 from GC‐TCD at 40 °C and 1 bar. It showed comparable CO2 adsorption capacity to conventional surface modified‐activated PKSdAC (1.96 mmol g−1) while higher than commercial and modified ACs (1.14–1.60 mmol g−1), but lower than potassium hydroxide modified ACs (1.81–2.10 mmol g−1) at 40 °C and 1 bar. Barium promoted chemisorption of CO2 as supplementary reaction, which increases adsorption capacity. The non‐linear Dubinin Radushkevich model strongly correlates with the experimental adsorption data for CAM‐PKSdAC adsorption, indicating the physisorption process via micropore filling on CAM‐PKSdAC. CAM‐PKSdAC showed moderate reusability with negligible variation in adsorption capacity after 10 adsorption–desorption cycles. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Study on the Damage of Fiber-Reinforced Seawater Sea Sand Concrete by Freezing and Thawing of Seawater.

The use of seawater and sea sand as replacements for fresh water and river sand in the preparation of seawater and sea sand concrete can effectively address issues such as high transportation costs, extended construction periods, and resource wastage. Nevertheless, in northern coastal areas, the problem of concrete durability in the complex and changing marine environment is more prominent. Research on the durability of seawater sea sand concrete is beneficial to the widening of its application range. To investigate the impact of glass fiber (GF) and polyvinyl alcohol fiber (PVA) with different blending methods on the seawater freeze-thaw resistance of seawater sea sand concrete (SSC), corresponding specimens were prepared, and seawater freeze-thaw cycling tests were conducted. By adopting the slow-freezing method and combining macro-structure and micro-morphology, the damage mechanism and the deterioration law of fiber-reinforced SSC under seawater freezing and thawing were investigated. The results indicate that, macroscopically, the incorporation of GF and PVA can effectively mitigate the damage to the matrix and reduce the effects of external erosive substances on the rate of strength loss, the rate of mass loss, and the relative dynamic elastic modulus. After 75 cycles, the SSC with a total volume doping of 0.3% and a blending ratio of 1:1 showed a 41.23% and 27.55% reduction in mass loss and strength loss, respectively, and a 29.9% improvement in relative dynamic elastic modulus compared with the basic group. Microscopic analysis reveals that the combined effect of freezing and expansion forces, the expansive substances generated by seawater intrusion into the interior of the matrix, and salt crystallization all weaken the bond between aggregate and mortar, leading to accelerated deterioration of the concrete. The incorporation of fibers enables the matrix to become denser and improves its crack-resistant properties, resulting in a better durability than that of the basic group. The damage prediction model established by the NSGM(1,N) model of gray system theory exhibits high accuracy and is suitable for long-term prediction, accurately predicting the damage of seawater sea sand concrete under seawater freeze-thaw coupling.

Iron-based biochar materials for phosphorus recovery from agricultural runoff: Mechanism and potential application as a slow-release fertilizer

Agricultural runoff is an important pathway leading to the loss of phosphorus (P) resources. In this study, three amorphous FeOOH biochar (AF-BC) composites with good P adsorption properties were prepared. Batch experiments showed that both the Elovich model and the Langmuir-Friedrich model were effective in describing the P adsorption by AF-BC, suggesting that the P adsorption by these three materials is a multi-mechanism adsorption process dominated by chemical process. Among them, S-AF exhibited the best adsorption performance with an expected maximum adsorption capacity of 276.40 mg/g. This superior performance can be attributed to S-AF having a larger surface area and a higher concentration of basic groups. Plant culture tests have shown this composite to be effective in promoting seed germination and growth, so it can be used to sequester P lost from agricultural runoff and as a slow-release P fertilizer to improve the soil.

The effects of modifiers on electrospray ionization for small-to-medium-sized molecules in comparison with solution-phase ionization.

Modifiers are essential additives in electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometric analysis to enhance the production of ionic species in the gas phase for the detection of small-to-medium-sized molecules in biological and aqueous samples. Therefore, an appropriate modifier, in conjunction with the right ionization polarity, is crucial for sensitive ESI mass spectrometric analysis. However, the charge carried by basic and acidic functional groups in solution is neither quantitatively nor qualitatively reflected in the MS spectrum. For example, adding an acidic modifier will cause sufficient protonation of a basic functional group in solution; however, this may result in inferior positive ESI compared to using a basic modifier. Another example is when the MS spectrum does not reflect the charge distribution of multiply charged molecules in solution. Therefore, this review will summarize and discuss the proposed mechanisms by which modifiers induce and influence ESI. It will also cover molecular characteristics that affect ESI, such as charge state and polarity, which result in a difference between solution-phase ionization and ESI.

Study on the Pb(II) adsorption mechanism on acid‐modified ceramsite made from sewage sludge and industrial solid wastes

AbstractCeramsite was made from sludge, phosphogypsum, and red mud and then modified with different concentrations of hydrochloric, nitric, or citric acid. The resulting composite ceramsite was subsequently utilized for the adsorption of Pb(II). The maximum adsorption capacities of hydrochloric acid– and nitric acid–modified ceramsites were 90.38 and 88.57 mg/g, respectively, which were much higher than those of unmodified ceramsite (66.86 mg/g) and citric acid–modified ceramsite (57.85 mg/g). The variation of isoelectric point, acidic and basic groups, and Fourier transform infrared spectra of ceramsite were compared before and after adsorption. A decrease of isoelectric point implied weakening of electrostatic repulsion between Pb(II) and the modified ceramsite. Functional groups, such as O─H, C═O (or C═C), and Si─O─Si (or Al─O─Al), were involved in the adsorption. In addition, phenol hydroxyl, which exhibited a significant increase in modified ceramsite and a noticeable decrease after adsorption, was the most important group. Besides, the modified ceramsite had larger specific surface areas and pores (30.66 g/m2, .11256 cm3/g), more functional groups, and lower isoelectric points (8.57), which were favorable for adsorption. The adsorption processes described by pseudo‐second‐order kinetics were controlled by chemical adsorptions. Isothermal studies indicated that monolayer adsorption occurred on hydrochloric acid–modified ceramsite and multiple processes occurred on nitric acid– and citric acid–modified ceramsites. Thermodynamic analysis confirmed Pb(II) adsorption on modified ceramsite was spontaneous and endothermic.

A triple-layer based surface complexation model for oil-brine interface in low-salinity waterflooding: Effect of sulphate interaction with carboxylic and basic groups, pH and temperature

The determination of the electrokinetic properties of oil-brine interface is necessary to understand and evaluate the low-salinity waterflooding (LSWF) effect on enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Among the least understood aspects are the effect of SO42- interaction with the polar oil components, and temperature on the zeta-potential of the oil-brine interface. Therefore, a novel triple-layer based surface complexation model (SCM) was developed to capture the effect of SO42- interaction with both carboxylic and amine sites. One of the key uncertainties in a SCM is the surface site density of the functional groups. In this regard a Monte-Carlo based optimization algorithm for determination of these parameters as a function of pH and brine composition was devised. The SCM was successfully validated with the published zeta-potential data and was further used to evaluate the electrokinetic properties of oil-brine interface in a wide range of temperature and pH and to unravel the reason behind positive oil-brine zeta-potential at high ionic strength and pH, as reported for some crude oils in the literature. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the relative contribution of site densities of carboxylic and amine groups as well as the capacitances to the oil-brine zeta-potential. The results clearly show that the interaction of SO42- ions with both carboxylic and particularly amine groups affects the surface potential significantly, thus should not be underestimated. Presence of SO42- in Na2SO4 and MgSO4 brines results in an incremental negative zeta-potential compared to that in NaCl and MgCl2 brines; confirming its role in changing charge distribution in the Stern layer. If these interactions are ignored, it should be compensated for by artificially adjusting concentration of positively and neutrally charged surface species. One important finding is that, despite the common perceptions, the site density of the oil polar groups is not constant and should be changed as pH and brine composition are changed and linear correlations between acid and base number and site densities are not justifiable. It is also found that zeta-potential tends to shift to neutral values as temperature is elevated due to the increased adsorption of divalent cations to the interface. The findings of this paper can help predict the zeta-potential of oil-brine interface more accurately and explain the observed trends in the experimental data.

Insight into the key factors for the tetracycline removal in biochar-mediated oxidative system

This study prepared pomelo peel biochar (PBC) under different pyrolysis temperatures (T) (300–800 °C) and investigated the removal efficiency of tetracycline (TC) under the oxidative systems established by PBC and oxidants (hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), peroxymonosulfate (PMS), and peroxydisulfate (PDS)). The correlation between the properties of PBC and the removal efficiencies of TC was studied by Pearson analysis to clarify the critical properties of biochar in catalytic processes. The inorganic carbon (IC), ash, pH, basic functional groups (BFG), specific surface area (SSA), microporous surface area (Smicro), pore volume (PV), and graphitization degree (ID/IG) of PBC were positively correlated with the increase of T (p < 0.05). Notably, the SSA and PV of PBC increased from 4.294 m2/g and 0.002 cm3/g to 496.864 m2/g and 0.261 cm3/g as the pyrolysis temperature increased from 300 to 800 °C. In contrast, the yield, organic carbon (OC), and acidic functional groups (AFG) of PBC displayed negatively correlated with the increase of T (p < 0.05). Rad, RPBC/H2O2, RPBC/PMS, and RPBC/PDS represented the removal efficiencies of TC by PBC adsorption, PBC/H2O2, PBC/PMS, and PBC/PDS system. RPBC/H2O2, RPBC/PMS, and RPBC/PDS showed a highly positive correlation to the Rad (r = 0.965, 0.952, 0.946, p < 0.01). Rad, RPBC/H2O2, RPBC/PMS, and RPBC/PDS were positively correlated with K, Mg, ash, pH, BFG, and ID/IG (p < 0.01). There was no statistically significant correlation between persistent free radicals (PFRs) and the removal efficiencies of TC. Furthermore, SSA and PV showed positive relationships with the removal efficiencies of TC in the PBC/PMS and PBC/PDS systems, but no significant correlation with the removal efficiencies of TC in the PBC/H2O2 systems. Moreover, the catalytic behaviors and mechanisms were studied in the PBC-800 based oxidative systems. The quenching experiments and EPR spectra indicated that singlet oxygen (1O2) was the main active species. Except for 1O2, superoxide radical (O2•−) also contributed to TC removal in the oxidative systems. From the changes in used PBC-800, the disordered sp2 hybrid carbon, sp3 C–C, and pyridinic-N were the main active sites in activation.

Effects of CICARE model combined with traditional Chinese medicine encapsulation on muscle strength and depression levels in hemiplegic patients with sequelae of cerebrovascular disease

Objective To investigate the impact of the combination of CICARE (C - Connect, I - Introduce, C - Communicate, A - Ask, R - Respond, E - Exit) communication model and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) poultice on muscle strength and depression levels in patients. Methods Patients were divided into three groups: basic treatment group, basic treatment + TCM poultice group, and combined treatment group. Conventional rehabilitation therapy, TCM poultice external application, and the combination of both with the CICARE communication model were applied in the respective groups. Muscle strength (AMA muscle strength grading scale), self-care abilities (Barthel Index), depression symptoms (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale), neurological deficit status (NIHSS score) and serum inflammatory factor levels were assessed at admission, 3 weeks, and 8 weeks of treatment. Results After 3 and 8 weeks of treatment, the combined treatment group had higher AMA muscle strength scores and improved Barthel Index scores compared to other groups (p < 0.05). Depressive symptoms also improved significantly in the combined treatment group, with lower HDRS scores at 3 and 8 weeks (p < 0.05). After 8 weeks, IL-1, IL-6, and hs-CRP levels decreased in all groups, with the combined treatment group showing the lowest levels (p < 0.05). NIHSS scores decreased significantly in all groups post-intervention, with the combined treatment group showing the greatest improvement (p < 0.05). Conclusion The integration of CICARE communication model with TCM poultice shows notable benefits in enhancing muscle strength, daily living self-care abilities, reducing depression, neurological impairment, and inflammatory factors in post-stroke hemiplegia patients.

Preparation of Activated Biocarbons from Cones and their Potential Application for Adsorption of Antibiotics (Tetracycline).

The pine cones (PC), spruce cones (SC) and fir cones (FC) were used for biocarbons preparation. Chemical activation with sodium hydroxide was applied to prepare activated biocarbons. All the materials under investigation were characterized by the N2 adsorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), elemental analysis (CHNS), infrared spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR), and the Boehm's titration method. Moreover, pHpzc (the point of zero charge) was determined. It was shown that cones are a good, cheap precursor from which biocarbons with a developed porous structure, characterized by good adsorption properties, can be obtained. All the obtained adsorbents are characterized mainly by a microporous structure. Moreover, they contain both acidic and basic surface functional groups (acidic ones prevail over basic ones). The tested activated biocarbons have large specific surface area values ranging from 578 to 1182 m2 g-1. The efficacy of selected materials in the adsorption of an essential contaminant of increasing concern, tetracycline (TC), was investigated. The experimental data were described using the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models. The maximum adsorption capacity of the tested biocarbons ranges from 200 to 392 mg g-1. Thermodynamic studies proved that adsorption is a spontaneous and endothermic process. In summary, economical and environmentally friendly adsorbents were obtained.

Gene Expression Profile-Guided Personalized Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Gastric Cancer Peritoneal Carcinomatosis.

Peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) is one of the most unfavorable sites of metastasis for malignant tumors of various localizations, especially gastric cancer (GC). According to the literature, synchronous PC in GC is common in 15-52% of patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the long-term results using personalized systemic and intraperitoneal chemotherapy as part of the combined treatment of stomach cancer presenting with synchronous PC. Cytoreductive surgical treatment was performed for 70 patients at the first stage. The control group (n = 35) received standard postoperative chemotherapy according to the FOLFOX scheme. Personalized postoperative systemic and intraperitoneal chemotherapy was administered in the basic group (n = 35), based on the expression levels of the eight genes in the primary tumor, lymph node, and peritoneal metastases. The median progression-free survival was 14.9 months in the basic group, and in the control group it was 11.2 months (P < 0.001). The median life expectancy in the basic group was 16.8 (13.7 - 18.8) months, in the control group it was 12.5 (11.3 - 13.1) months (P < 0.001). Developing algorithms of personalized systemic and intraperitoneal chemotherapy in patients with GC with synchronous carcinomatosis, based on the analysis of molecular genetic characteristics of the tumor and metastases, allows to improve the long-term results of combined treatment.