Concentration Of Solution Research Articles

Inhibition sensitivity of invitro firefly bioluminescence quantum yields to Zn2+ and Cd2+ concentrations in aqueous solutions.

To elucidate the inhibition effects of Zn2+ and Cd2+ on the luciferin-luciferase reaction, we performed quantitative measurements of quantum yields and spectral shapes for invitro firefly bioluminescence in aqueous solutions containing ZnSO4, ZnCl2, CdSO4, and CdCl2 at different concentrations. Particular care was taken toward the equilibrium between metal ions and enzyme proteins, anion difference, solubility, and uncertainty evaluation. The bioluminescence quantum yields decreased almost linearly to the concentration of Zn2+ and Cd2+ below 0.25 mM. No obvious difference was found between the chloride and sulfate anion solutions. We defined inhibition sensitivity as the decrease in relative quantum yield versus the concentration of metal ions, and they were determined to be 1.48 ± 0.13 and 1.13 ± 0.16/mM for Zn2+ and Cd2+, respectively. We estimated the detection limit of inhibition effects as the concentration of metal ions that decrease relative quantum yields by 10%, which were 0.07 mM (4 ppm) and 0.09 mM (10 ppm) for Zn2+ and Cd2+, respectively. The shape of the bioluminescence spectra changed sensitively with the increase in Zn2+ concentrations. The bioluminescence peak energy for 0.10-mM Zn2+ was ~2.2 eV, while that for 0.25-mM Zn2+ was ~2.0 eV. The shape of the spectra changed less sensitively with the increase in Cd2+concentrations, and the peak energy was at ~2.2 eV for Cd2+ concentrations of 0.10 and 0.25 mM.

Catalytic Effects of Potassium Concentration on Steam Gasification of Biofuels Blended from Olive Mill Solid Wastes and Pine Sawdust for a Sustainable Energy of Syngas

The effect of potassium impregnation at different concentrations during gasification, under nitrogen/water steam atmosphere, of char produced via pyrolysis of olive mill residues blended or not with pine sawdust was investigated. Three concentrations (0.1 M, 0.5 M, and 1.5 M) of potassium carbonate solution (K2CO3) were selected to impregnate samples. First, four types of pellets were prepared; one using exhausted olive mill solid waste (G) noted (100G) and three using G blended with pine sawdust (S) in different percentages (50%S–50%G (50S50G); 60%S–40%G (60S40G); 80%S–20%G (80S20G)). Investigations showed that when isothermal temperature increases during the gasification conducted with two water steam percentages of 10% and 30%, the reactivity increases with potassium concentration up to 0.5 M, especially for 100G. Still, higher catalyst concentration (1.5 M) showed adverse effects attributable to silicon release and char pore fouling. Moreover, the effect of the steam concentration on the gasification reactivity was significant with the non-impregnated sample 100G. Finally, a kinetic study was carried out to determine the different kinetic parameters corresponding to the Arrhenius law.

Biosensing beyond Debye screening length using epitaxial graphene field-effect transistors on SiC substrate

We demonstrated the antigen detection beyond Debye screening length using antibody-modified epitaxial graphene field-effect transistors (FETs), which have been considered to be impossible because of the Debye screening length. The transfer characteristics of the graphene FETs with a single crystal epitaxial graphene film showed no concentration dependence of buffer solutions. The capacitance measurements in an epitaxial graphene FET also showed no concentration dependence, indicating that the solution-gate capacitance of the epitaxial graphene FET was independent on the Debye screening length. In addition, the minimum capacitance values were also almost independent for the concentration change. Since the Debye screening length depends on the ionic strength of the solution, which is proportional to the buffer solution concentration, the electrical characteristics of solution-gated epitaxial graphene FETs are almost independent on the Debye screening length owing to their small quantum capacitance. The antibody-modified epitaxial graphene FETs indeed detected the antigen, indicating that the epitaxial graphene FETs can detect the target beyond the Debye screening length without any complicated device fabrication processes and other desalted apparatuses.

Prediction of Dynamic Toxicity of Nanoparticles Using Machine Learning.

Predicting the toxicity of nanoparticles plays an important role in biomedical nanotechnologies, in particular in the creation of new drugs. Safety analysis of nanoparticles can identify potentially harmful effects on living organisms and the environment. Advanced machine learning models are used to predict the toxicity of nanoparticles in a nutrient solution. In this article, we performed a comparative analysis of the current state of research in the field of nanoparticle toxicity analysis using machine learning methods; we trained a regression model for predicting the quantitative toxicity of nanoparticles depending on their concentration in the nutrient solution at a fixed point in time with the achieved metrics values of MSE = 2.19 and RMSE = 1.48; we trained a multi-class classification model for predicting the toxicity class of nanoparticles depending on their concentration in the nutrient solution at a fixed point in time with the achieved metrics values of Accuracy = 0.9756, Recall = 0.9623, F1-Score = 0.9640, and Log Loss = 0.1855. As a result of the analysis, we concluded the good predictive ability of the trained models. The optimal dosages for the nanoparticles under study were determined as follows: ZnO = 9.5 × 10-5 mg/mL; Fe3O4 = 0.1 mg/mL; SiO2 = 1 mg/mL. The most significant features of predictive models are the diameter of the nanoparticle and the nanoparticle concentration in the nutrient solution.

Quantifying the Impact of Nitrogen Concentration Variations on Quality Characteristics of Soilless Cultivated Cherry Tomato

Within the domain of macronutrients, nitrogen has garnered significant recognition as a pivotal element due to its profound influence on both the vegetative growth and quality attributes of a crop. An abundance of scientific research has consistently demonstrated that attaining optimal productivity necessitates the meticulous management of soil moisture availability, complemented by the timely provision of nitrogen during critical growth stage intervals. The study aimed to optimize the nitrogen concentration in a hydroponic solution by testing a range of concentrations. The objective was to systematically examine the effects of different nitrogen levels and determine the optimal concentration for the desired outcomes. The assessment was carried out in a meticulously controlled greenhouse environment from October 2019 to April 2021, with the primary objective of systematically investigating the impact on quality characteristics specific to the rosa variety of cherry tomato. To investigate the effects of different nitrogen concentrations, four distinct levels of 4 mM, 6 mM, 8 mM, and 10 mM per litre of nutrient solution were employed. The nitrogen source consisted of a combination of NO3- and NH4+, with a ratio of 40:60, respectively. The nutrient solution with an 8 mM nitrogen concentration exhibited a significantly augmented effect on increasing the equatorial and polar diameter of fruits, average fruit weight, pericarp thickness, as well as the accumulation of total chlorophyll, ascorbic acid, lycopene, β-carotene, and total soluble solids (TSS) content. These findings demonstrate the pronounced and positive influence of the 8 mM nitrogen concentration on the aforementioned quality characteristics.

Study on the adsorption of phosphate by composite biochar of phosphogypsum and rape straw.

Wastewater containing phosphorus is often added by industrial activities, which is bad for the environment. In this study, composite biochar (PG-RS700) was prepared from phosphogypsum (PG) and rape straw (RS) for the treatment of phosphate in wastewater. SEM, FTIR, XRD and XPS characterization results showed that PG and RS were successfully combined. When PG-RS700 was dosed at 1.5g/L and the phosphate solution concentration was 50mg/L and pH = 8, the phosphate removal rate was 100% and the adsorption capacity was three times higher than the corresponding pure PG and RS. The quasi-secondary kinetic model indicated that the adsorption mechanism was chemisorption, and the maximum adsorption capacity for phosphate in the Langmuir isotherm model was 102.25mg/g. Through pot experiment, the phosphorus adsorbed material obviously promoted the growth of plants. PG-RS700 can be used as a powerful adsorbent to treat phosphate in water and return it to soil as phosphate fertilizer.

An integrated approach to sustainable mine wastewater treatment: Magnesium recovery with anion exchange membranes

With recent emphasis on sustainable and efficient mineral valorization, novel approaches to treating mineral wastewater in natural settings bring both environmental and economic value. This paper presents the results of an applied research to develop an integrated approach to sustainable wastewater treatment that includes an ion exchange process to recover copper and cobalt from mine wastewater, followed by the membrane recovery of magnesium. The paper investigates magnesium hydroxide crystallization process employing an anion exchange membrane (AEM) cell. This process involves the penetration of OH- ions from the alkaline solution through the AEM to the feed solution in exchange for Cl- ions and precipitation of Mg(OH)2 as solid particles. The wastewater was sampled from different mine waste sources from the copper mine tailings dam in South Australia, all containing significant amounts of critical metals, including magnesium, copper, and cobalt. The results have demonstrated the potential for sustainable magnesium hydroxide recovery methods. The findings suggest that the most influential process parameters for magnesium hydroxide recovery and purity are magnesium concentration in the feed solution and sodium hydroxide to magnesium ratio in the alkaline solution and feed solution, respectively. It was also established that the overall recovery of cobalt, copper and magnesium in a combination of ion exchange and AEM processes was achieved at a level near 100 %. The purity of magnesium hydroxide precipitate was achieved in the range of 90–96.6 % and depends mainly on the presence of impurities in brine.

Performance and Mechanism of Porous Carbons Derived from Biomass as Adsorbent for Removal of Cr(VI)

To solve the problem of heavy metal hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) pollution in water bodies, this study was carried out to prepare nitrogen-doped porous carbon by using bamboo shoots as the raw material and KHCO3 as the activator, which has a good ability to remove Cr(VI) from water bodies. The prepared N-doped carbon materials were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), elemental analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the prepared carbon material had hierarchical pore structures and abundant functional groups, which is conducive to the adsorption of Cr(VI). The effects of various factors on the adsorption performance of Cr(VI), such as the carbon materials prepared under different conditions, the pH of the initial solution, the concentration of the initial solution, and the contact time between the carbon and Cr(VI), were explored. The results showed that the bamboo shoot-based nitrogen-doped carbon materials, especially BSNC-800 (prepared at 800 °C with a mass ratio of KHCO3 to bamboo shoot of 4:1), performed well in removing Cr(VI) from a water solution. The maximum adsorption of Cr(VI) by BSNC-800 under equilibrium conditions was 385.8 mg g−1 (conditions: at the pH of 2 with the initial concentration of 400 mg L−1). The adsorption kinetics and isotherms were analyzed, and the adsorption mechanism was discussed. It can be found that the adsorption of Cr(VI) by BSNC-800 fits better with the Langmuir isotherm model and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The adsorption mechanism between the Cr(VI)-containing solution and BSNC-800 was controlled by membrane diffusion and chemisorption. The results broaden the ways of utilizing biomass resources as precursors of carbon materials, which is significant and helpful for applying biomass carbon materials as adsorbents for wastewater treatment.

Solubility effect of deep eutectic solvent and ethanol concentration on corncob lignin extraction

This research investigates the solubility effect of deep eutectic solvent (DES) mass ratio and ethanol–water solution concentration on corncob lignin extraction. The objective is to propose a solubility matching technique based on like-dissolves-like theory to optimize lignin extraction conditions. The choline chloride (ChCl):lactic acid (LA) mass ratio that maximized lignin extraction was determined by varying DES mass ratio between 1:2 and 1:5, and ethanol–water solution (5–95 % (v/v)) was added to precipitate lignin. By using the solubility matching technique, the maximum lignin extraction was achieved at 1:4 ChCl:LA mass ratio, and 70 % (v/v) ethanol–water concentration yielded the highest lignin precipitation. Lignin is highly soluble where the solubility (δ-values) of lignin, DES, and precipitant are similar. Unlike conventional trial-and-error methods, the solubility matching technique relies on δ-values calculated by the Hildebrand and Scott equation. The proposed technique can also be applied to optimize the extraction conditions of other biomass materials.

Quantitative Chemical Sensing Using Genetically Engineered Bacterial Bioreporters

We present a generic quantitative chemical sensing methodology for assessing the concentration of a target material (TM) in an aqueous solution by using bioluminescent microbial bioreporters as the core sensing elements. Such bioreporters, genetically engineered to respond to the presence of a TM in their microenvironment by emitting bioluminescence, have previously been mostly designed to report the presence or absence of the TM in the sample. We extend this methodology to also assess the TM concentration, by exploiting the dose-dependency of the TM-induced luminescence. To overcome luminescence intensity variations due to bacterial batch differences and the ambient temperature, simultaneous measurements were carried out on sample solutions containing known concentrations of the TM. A “standard ratio” parameter, defined as the ratio between the two measurements, is shown to be independent of the bacterial batch and the temperature, and hence provides the conceptual basis for a generic quantitative chemical sensing methodology. Assessment of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) concentration in solutions is demonstrated with an accuracy of 2.5% over a wide dynamic range.

Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles (NPPs) Using Xylocarpus Granatum Fruit Extract and its Application in Heavy Metal Pollution Detection

Heavy metals are dangerous pollutants because they are toxic, non-biodegradable, and stable. Mercury (Hg) is a type of heavy metal that is often a source of pollution in the aquatic environment. The biosynthesis process of nanoparticles using Xylocarpus granatum fruit extract as a bioreductant has been carried out using the green synthesis method. The research was conducted to synthesize silver nanoparticles (NPP) from Xylocarpus granatum fruit extract to detect heavy metals. The optimum condition of NPP was obtained through the comparison of AgNO3 concentration with extract and reaction time. The optimum NPP produced was at a concentration of AgNO3 1 mM 1:1 at a synthesis time of 2 hours. The NPP formed is selective to Hg metal as can be seen from the color change of NPP from dark brown to clear and sensitive to Hg metal at a concentration of 40 ppm. The calibration curve formed obtained a linear regration value of the relationship between the concentration of Hg standard solution and absorbance, namely y = -0.01330 + 3.71658 with a coefficient of determination (R2) value of 0.99229. Based on the standard curve obtained NPP mangrove fruit extract Xylocarpus granatum has an accuracy of 99.229% in predicting the concentration of the sample.

The investigation of endodontic irrigants and polyhexanide-based solution action on smear layer

AIM. The effect of irrigants on the smear layer on the intracanalicular dentin surface is one of the important issues in endodontics. The objective of this article is to determine the effect of different concentrations of polyhexanide-based solutions and standard irrigants on the smear layer using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).MATERIALS AND METHODS. The present study was conducted on 42 extracted teeth (third molars, first and second premolars) with formed apices that had been extracted for orthodontic indications. The teeth were decoronated and samples were prepared. In order to create a smear layer, the lumen of the canals was instrumented with H-file #40 throughout. A simulation of root canal irrigation was conducted by immersing the specimens in a 5-ml container filled with the proper solution for 1 hour: group 1 – no treatment (n = 6); group 2 – saline (n = 6); group 3 – 2% chlorhexidine (n = 6); group 4 – 3% sodium hypochlorite (n = 6); group 5 – 17% EDTA; group 6 – polyhexanide 0.1% (n = 6); group 7 – polyhexanide 0.2% (n = 6). A ~30 nm thick platinum film was sputtered onto the surface of each sample using a magnetron deposition technique. SEM microphotos were acquired on a Vega3 TESCAN scanning electron microscope (SEM) with an SE secondary electron detector, which enables imaging with high topographic contrast. The initial detector (incamera) was employed for image acquisition, with an electron energy of 30 keV. Images were acquired at magnifications of x20 (overview image), x150, x250, x500, x1000, x2500, x7500 for each sample.RESULTS. The samples from groups 1 and 5 demonstrated the absence of a smear layer on the dentin surface and the absence of smear plugs in the dentinal tubules. Groups 2 and 3 are distinguished by the deposition of a pronounced amorphous smear layer and the obturation of all dentinal tubules. Groups 4, 6, and 7 are distinguished by the deposition of a smaller volume of smear layer on the dentin surface, as well as the presence of semi-open or completely open entrances to the dentinal tubules.CONCLUSION. The data obtained indicates that antiseptic compositions based on polyhexanide in concentrations of 0.1 and 0.2% do not have a pronounced effect on the smear layer. However, in visual evaluation of SEM micrographs, their effect is comparable to that of 3% sodium hypochlorite. In instances where enhanced dissolution of the smear layer and smear plugs from the tubules is necessary to facilitate decontamination of the wall dentin, the combination of antiseptics with chelate compounds, such as 17% EDTA, may be employed.

Effects of temperature and drought stress on the seed germination of a peatland lily (Lilium concolor var. megalanthum).

Sexual reproduction through seeds is an effective way to renew plant populations and increase their genetic diversity, but seed germination process is complicated and relatively difficult due to the restriction of environmental conditions. Wetland plants that reproduce sexually through seeds may be affected by changes in moisture and temperature. This study aims to explore the ecological adaptation strategies of seed germination of Lilium concolor var. megalanthum under different hydrothermal conditions. Controlled experiments were conducted to investigate the germination performance of L. concolor var. megalanthum seeds at different temperatures (10°C, 15°C, 20°C, 25°C, and 30°C) and simulated drought stress conditions using PEG-6000 solutions (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%). The results showed that temperature, drought stress, and their interaction significantly affected the days to first germination, germination percentage, coefficient of germination rate, germination energy, germination index, and vigor index of seeds (p<0.01). The germination percentage, germination index, and vigor index of seed were significantly higher at 25°C compared to other temperatures (p<0.01). The interaction between low temperature and drought stress significantly delayed the days to first germination. The inhibition of drought stress on seed germination was enhanced by PEG-6000 solution under high temperature. Under the conditions of 25°C and 5% PEG-6000 solution concentration, seeds of L. concolor var. megalanthum exhibited optimal germination parameters. At 10°C and 15°C, the seeds exhibited the highest tolerance to PEG-6000-simulated drought stress. Rehydration germination results showed that extreme temperatures and drought stress conditions inhibit seed germination of L. concolor var. megalanthum without damaging seed structure. The germination pattern of seeds under variable temperature and drought stress conditions reflects their adaptive strategies developed over long-term evolution to cope with the environmental conditions.

Effects of different LED light spectra and nutrient solution strength on the growth, photosynthetic parameters, and nutrients uptake in tomato seedlings

Light-emitting diode (LED) lighting is currently the most energy-efficient lighting technology, and its use in agriculture is rapidly increasing. This research aimed to investigate the interaction effect of nutrient solution concentration and light quality on tomato seedlings growth. The tested factors included two nutrient solution concentrations (50% and 33% Hoagland solution) and four ratios of blue (440 nm) to red (660 nm) light in LED lighting at a constant light intensity (B2R1, B1R1, B1R2, and B1R3). Height growth was greatest in the 33% nutrient solution × B1R2 light treatment and smallest in the 33% nutrient solution × B2R1 light treatment. Regardless of the nutrient solution concentration, total chlorophyll and carotenoid concentrations decreased with an increase in the proportion of blue light. Plant absorption of sulfur was highest in the 50% nutrient solution × B1R2 light treatment, significantly higher than all other treatments. Although the 50% nutrient solution × B1R2 light treatment also showed the greatest magnesium absorption, it did not differ significantly from most of the other treatments. In general, for growing tomato seedlings, a high ratio of blue light regime (B2R1) with a dilute nutrient solution, enriched with magnesium and sulfur, can be recommended to prevent elongation disorder and have no negative impact on various growth and physiological indicators.

Enhancing physicochemical properties of papaya through osmotic dehydration with various natural sweeteners

Osmotic processes play a crucial role in developing high-quality intermediate moisture food products. This study investigates the role of osmotic dehydration focusing on using natural sweeteners to reduce health risks from refined sugar. Jaggery and honey were used for osmosis of papaya cubes, with a Box-Behnken design to determine optimal conditions: osmosis temperature (30, 40, 50 °C), osmotic solution concentration (40, 50, 60°Brix), and osmosis time (3, 4, 5 h). Simultaneous optimization of these parameters considered responses such as water loss, solid gain, weight reduction, colour change, ascorbic acid content, lycopene content, and phenolic content. The optimized conditions were identified as 49.46 °C, 40°Brix, and 5 h for jaggery osmosed samples and 39.64 °C, 60°Brix, and 4.92 h for honey osmosed samples. Drying the osmosed samples using advanced domestic solar dryer revealed superior quality (total phenolic content and lycopene content) in jaggery osmosed papaya compared to honey osmosed papaya. The study suggests that introducing a new osmotic agent, jaggery, can enhance the nutritional value of osmosed papaya cubes.

Efficacy of neutral electrolyzed water vs. common topical antiseptics in the healing of full‑thickness burn: Preclinical trial in a mouse model.

Burn injuries impose challenges such as infection risk, pain management, fluid loss, electrolyte imbalance and psychological and emotional impact, on healthcare professionals, requiring effective treatments to enhance wound healing. The present study evaluated the efficacy superoxidized electrolyzed solution (SES), with low (SES-low) or high (SES-high) concentrations of active species, alone or in combination with a formulation in gel (G), in comparison with commonly prescribed treatments for burn injury, including nitrofurazone (NF) and silver sulfadiazine (S); normal saline was used as placebo (PI). A scald burn model was established in BALB/c mice. Measurements of the burned area and histological parameters such as inflammatory infiltration state, epithelial regeneration and collagen fibers were evaluated on days 3, 6, 9, 18 and 32 to assess healing score and status. All treatments achieved wound closure at day 32; histopathological parameters indicated that SES-low and SES-low + G performed better than the Pl and S groups (P<0.05). All treatments showed a lower count of inflammatory cells compared with S (P<0.05); for collagen deposition and orientation, SES-low + G showed a more uniform horizontal orientation compared with Pl, SES-high + G, NF and S groups (P<0.05). SES-Low was the most effective substance to induce favorable and organized healing, while S was the worst, inducing disorganized closure of the wound due to a pro-inflammatory effect.

Deciphering Pathways and Thermodynamics of Protein Assembly Using Native Mass Spectrometry.

Protein oligomerization regulates many critical physiological processes, and its dysregulation can contribute to dysfunction and diseases. Elucidating the assembly pathways and quantifying their underlying thermodynamic and kinetic parameters are crucial for a comprehensive understanding of biological processes and for advancing therapeutics targeting abnormal protein oligomerization. Established binding assays, with limited mass precision, often rely on simplified models for data interpretation. In contrast, high-resolution native mass spectrometry (nMS) can directly determine the stoichiometry of biomolecular complexes in vitro. However, quantification is hindered by the fact that the relative abundances of gas-phase ions generally do not reflect solution concentrations due to nonuniform response factors. Recently, slow mixing mode (SLOMO)-nMS, which can quantify the relative response factors of interacting species, has been demonstrated to reliably measure the affinity (Kd) of binary biomolecular complexes. Here, we introduce an extended form of SLOMO-nMS that enables simultaneous quantification of the thermodynamics in multistep association reactions. Application of this method to homo-oligomerization of concanavalin A and insulin confirmed the reliability of the assay and uncovered details about the assembly processes that had previously resisted elucidation. Results acquired using SLOMO-nMS implemented with charge detection shed new light on the binding of recombinant human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Importantly, new assembly pathways were uncovered, and the affinities of these interactions, which regulate host cell infection, were quantified. Together, these findings highlight the tremendous potential of SLOMO-nMS to accelerate the characterization of protein assembly pathways and thermodynamics and, in so doing, enhance fundamental biological understanding and facilitate therapeutic development. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3389-7112.

An In Vitro Macrophage Response Study of Silk Fibroin and Silk Fibroin/Nano-Hydroxyapatite Scaffolds for Tissue Regeneration Application.

In recent years, silk fibroin (SF) has been incorporated with low crystallinity nanohydroxyapatite (nHA) as a scaffold for various tissue regeneration applications due to the mechanical strength of SF and osteoconductive properties of nHA. However, currently, there is a lack of understanding of the immune response toward the degradation products of SF with nHA composite after implantation. It is known that particulate fragments from the degradation of a biomaterial can trigger an immune response. As the scaffold is made of degradable materials, the degradation products may contribute to the inflammation. Therefore, in this study, the effects of the enzymatic degradation of the SF/nHA scaffold on macrophage response were investigated in comparison to the control SF scaffold. Since the degradation products of a scaffold can influence macrophage polarization, it can be hypothesized that as the SF and SF/nHA scaffolds were degraded in vitro using protease XIV solution, the degradation products can contribute to the polarization of THP-1-derived macrophages from pro-inflammatory M1 to anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype. The results demonstrated that the initial (day 1) degradation products of the SF/nHA scaffold elicited a pro-inflammatory response, while the latter (day 24) degradation products of the SF/nHA scaffold elicited an anti-inflammatory response. Moreover, the degradation products from the SF scaffold elicited a higher anti-inflammatory response due to the faster degradation of the SF scaffold and a higher amino acid concentration in the degradation solution. Hence, this paper can help elucidate the contributory effects of the degradation products of SF and SF/nHA scaffolds on macrophage response and provide greater insights into designing silk-based biomaterials with tunable degradation rates that can modulate macrophage response for future tissue regeneration applications.

An Analytical View on the Use of Flucloxacillin for Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy.

Although the addition of buffers provides improved stability to flucloxacillin (FLU) solutions, unbuffered solutions are often preferred in clinical practice. The first purpose of this study was to investigate whether a 50 mg/mL solution of FLU in normal saline is stable for 24 h at 33 °C so that it can be applied for outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) using portable elastomeric infusion pumps (PEIPs). When the PEIPs were stored in an oven at 33 °C and deflated over 24 h, the volume of the collected solution, pH, and FLU concentration were checked every 4 h. Obtaining better results than expected based on the literature data, other storage conditions, such as refrigeration, room temperature (RT), 37 °C, refrigeration followed by 24 h at 33 °C and 37 °C, and different batches/brands, were also tested. This study confirmed the pronounced effect of temperature on the stability of FLU and also showed the relationship between the stability of FLU and the initial pH of the solution. FLU was quite stable at refrigeration and RT conditions, with more than 99% and 95% remaining. After 24 h at 33 °C, more than 92% of FLU was still present in the solution, while this number decreased to less than 85% when the storage temperature reached 37 °C. The remaining percentage was found to be even lower when the solution was stored at 2-8 °C for 6 days, followed by 24 h storage at 33 °C or 37 °C, with losses of 17% and 30%, respectively. The stability of FLU became worse when the initial pH of the solution was lower than 5.9 since the concentration of FLU dropped to less than 90% after 24 h at 33 °C, and a precipitate started to form when the initial pH of the solution was around 5.3. Therefore, FLU in PEIPs could be employed for 24 h if the temperature was ideally not more than 33 °C, while the pH should be not less than 5.9 upon reconstituting the FLU solution.

YOLOv8-licorice: a lightweight salt-resistance detection method for licorice based on seed germination state.

Seeds will display different germination states during the germination process, and their good or bad state directly influences the subsequent growth and yield of the crop. This study aimed to address the difficulties of obtaining the images of seed germination process in all time series and studying the dynamic evolution law of seed germination state under stress conditions. A licorice sprouting experiment was performed using a seed sprouting phenotype acquisition system to obtain images of the sprouting process of licorice in full-time sequence. A labeled dataset of licorice full-time sequence sprouting process images was constructed based on the four states of unsprouted, sprouted, cracked, and shelled in the sprouting process. An optimized model, YOLOv8-Licorice, was developed based on the YOLOv8-n model and its effectiveness was demonstrated by comparative and ablation tests. Different salt stress environments were simulated via NaCl aqueous solution concentration, and germination experiments of licorice seeds were performed under different salt stresses. The germination state of licorice under different salt stress environments was detected using the YOLOv8-Licorice detection model. Percentage curve of licorice seeds in an unsprouted state displayed a continuous decreasing trend. For the percentage curve of licorice seeds in the sprouted state, an increasing and then decreasing trend was observed under the condition of 0-200 mmol/L NaCl solution, and a continuous increasing trend was observed under the condition of 240-300 mmol/L NaCl solution. Licorice seeds in the cracked state demonstrated percentage curves with an increasing and then decreasing trend under the condition of 0-140 mmol/L NaCl solution and a continuous increasing trend under the condition of 160-300 mmol/L NaCl solution. The percentage curve of licorice seeds in shelled state displayed a continuous increasing trend in 0-200 mmol/L NaCl solution condition and remained horizontal in 220-300 mmol/L NaCl solution condition. Overall, this study provides a valuable method involving the seed sprouting phenotype acquisition system and the proposed method for detecting the germination state of licorice seeds. This method serves as a valuable reference to comprehensively understand the seed sprouting process under triggering treatment.