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(1) Background: Numerous oral drugs exhibit limited bioavailability due to their poor solubility and poor intestinal permeability. The smartFilm technology is an innovative approach that improves the drug aqueous solubility via incorporating the drug in an amorphous state into a cellulose-based matrix, i.e., paper. smartFilms can be transformed into a free-flowing physical form (i.e., paper granules) that can be compressed into tablets with optimum physico-chemical and pharmaceutical properties. The aim of this study was to investigate if smartFilm tablets are suitable for improved oral delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs. (2) Methods: Curcumin is a poorly soluble drug with low intestinal permeability and was used for the production of curcumin-loaded smartFilms. The curcumin-loaded smartFilms were transferred into smartFilm granules which were then compressed into curcumin-loaded smartFilm tablets. The tablets were characterized regarding their physico-chemical and pharmaceutical properties, and the intestinal permeability of curcumin was determined with the ex vivo porcine intestinal model. The ex vivo intestinal permeability of curcumin from the smartFilm tablets was compared to a physical mixture of curcumin and paper and to a classical and to an innovative commercial product, respectively. (3) Results: The produced curcumin-loaded smartFilm tablets fulfilled the European Pharmacopoeia requirements, incorporated curcumin in amorphous state within the cellulose matrix and exhibited an enhanced dissolution rate. The ex vivo intestinal permeation data were shown to correlate to the in vitro dissolution data. The ex vivo intestinal permeation of curcumin from the smartFilm tablets was about two-fold higher when compared to the physical mixture and the classical commercial product. No differences in the ex vivo bioavailability were found between the smartFilm tablets and the innovative commercial product. (4) Conclusions: smartFilm tablets are a cost-effective and industrially feasible formulation approach for the formulation of poorly water-soluble drugs, i.e., BCS class II and IV drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current context and changes in the communicational paradigm in the last ten years lead to think we are experiencing a moment of transition that entails the end of mass media, like different studies have concluded. Among them, the most vulnerable product is the printed newspaper, which disappearance generates few doubts. However, immersed in this moment of change, we cannot yet evaluate what means to lose a journalistic model that has prevailed for over two centuries and a half as informational reference. From this perspective, the province of Cuenca, in Castile-La Mancha, one of the two in Spain which today no longer has a printed newspaper, offers us a unique scenario to approach what kind of medium positions as leader in its place. Using a mixed methodology, based on the review of documentary sources and contents analysis, we analyse a case study that aims to collect tendencies regarding proximity media. In this case, the switching from one platform to another has devaluated very relevant journalistic genres, such as the photo news or the editorial, but also some core practices in the journalism, like the editing task on the material that arriving to the editorial offices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of tablet computers to supplement or replace paper-based text in everyday life has yet to be fully revealed. Previous investigations comparing reading performance using tablets and paper have, however, reported inconsistent results. Furthermore, the interpretability of some previous findings is limited by lack of experimental control over variables like text display conditions. In the current study, we investigated reading performance for text presented on tablet and paper. Crucially, the levels of luminance and contrast were matched precisely across tablet and paper. The study used Arabic text which differs substantially from the languages used previously to investigate effects of tablet and paper on reading, thus offering a distinctive test of the influence of these two media on reading performance. The results suggest that when text display conditions are well-matched, there is no reliable difference in reading performance between the two media. Also, neither the order of medium (reading from tablet or paper first), nor familiarity with using a tablet significantly influence reading performance. These results call into question previous suggestions that reading from tablets is linked to poorer reading performance, and demonstrate the benefits of controlling text display conditions. These findings are of interest to reading scientists and educators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An anisotropic aerogel hot-extrusion strategy is designed to convert polyimide aerogels into aerogel-based paper. The multilayer interconnected aerogel-based paper exhibits excellent thermal stability and mechanical properties, and the mechanical properties remain great at high temperatures. This aerogel-based paper has huge application potential in the aerospace field. [Display omitted] • Multi-layer interconnected aerogel based paper was successfully prepared by anisotropic aerogel hot extrusion strategy. • Aerogel-based papers exhibit excellent thermal stability and stable mechanical properties (PI-1: 216.28 MPa at 25 °C). • The tensile strength of PI-1 was 3 times that of commercial polyimide paper and 24 times that of aramid paper at 400 °C. • Aerogel-based paper maintain stable mechanical property after 5000 cycles. The continuous improvement of papermaking technology has attracted widespread attention. However, the prevention of high-temperature decomposition and a subsequent decline in mechanical strength is still a significant challenge with current papermaking technology. Herein, a newly developed multilayer interconnected polyimide aerogel-based paper was successfully prepared via an anisotropic aerogel hot-extrusion strategy. Precursor solutions of highly rigid benzimidazole units containing intermolecular hydrogen bonds and linear rod-like benzimide units were first prepared. Anisotropic precursor polyimide (PAAS) aerogels with a thickness of 3 mm were then manufactured by unidirectional freeze-drying. Then, aerogel-based papers with a thickness of 40 μm and microstructure multilayer interconnected properties were obtained by a hot extrusion strategy and a thermal imidization process. This polyimide structural paper exhibited excellent thermal and mechanical properties. Through the design of micro and macro structures, the tensile strength of the aerogel-based paper was much higher than that of commercial paper at both room temperature and 400 ℃. This aerogel-based paper also exhibited high-temperature cycle stability, high flexibility, and good stretchable bending properties. The successful preparation of this aerogel-based paper demonstrates the feasibility of the hot extrusion strategy. This work provides a new papermaking technology method and broadens the application field of paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The impact of digital technologies on writing and reading is investigated in Finland. [•] The positive affordances of writing on paper are similar to those found in Italy. [•] Students consider important to write a lot, quickly and instantly without losing time. [•] A keyboard is a point of reference for all comparisons in students’ responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the first investigations on peptide nucleic acids (PNA), peculiar features have been described as intrinsic of the singular chemical nature of these biomolecules. Relevant applications in the development of biosensors occurred in the last decades, exploiting them as bioreceptors. Their outstanding chemical and thermal stability as well as highly sensitive towards both complementary and non-complementary sequences, promoted them in the Olympus of biocomponents for applications in diagnostics. The intent of this review (85 ref) is to describe the last trends on the astonishing PNA technology in the biosensing field, in the view of the positive contamination with vanguard technologies including rational design and nanotechnology. In particular, electrochemical and optical biosensors exploiting PNA were reported from the literature, as well as nanostructured and paper-based biosensors for the design of microfluidics and lab-on-chip tools. • PNAs mimic DNA in binding oligonucleotide sequences through Hoogsteen base pairing in the major groove. • PNAs show outstanding stability and sensitivity towards both complementary and non-complementary sequences. • Vanguard technologies as rational design, nanotechnology, and microfluidics boost PNA use as smart bioreceptors for biosing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]