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Molded plywood is used for furniture components such as seats, backrests, or integral seat shells, and it must be durable and harmless to health. Molded plywood is made with urea-formaldehyde (UF) adhesives; therefore, the issue of the fillers used in them is important. The potential of using ground beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) bark as an eco-friendly additive in UF adhesives for molded plywood manufacturing was investigated in this work. Wheat flour was used as a reference filler. The beech bark (BB) level as a filler was 10%, a value verified under laboratory conditions. Nine-layer flat and molded plywood were produced under industrial conditions from beech veneers bonded with a UF adhesive mixture. The mechanical (bending strength and bonding quality) and physical (swelling and absorbency values after 2 and 24 h) properties of the industrially fabricated molded plywood were evaluated and compared with the European standard requirements (EN 310 and EN 314-2). The mechanical properties of the molded plywood with the addition of BB in the adhesive mixture were acceptable and met these standards' requirements. The positive effect of BB in the UF adhesive mixture on a reduction in formaldehyde emissions from the molded plywood was also confirmed. BB, considered to be wood-processing industry waste or a by-product, has significant potential to be used as a filler in UF resins for molded plywood production, providing an environmentally friendly, inexpensive solution for the industrial valorization of bark as a bio-based formaldehyde scavenger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particleboards, which are widely used in various fields, are commonly coated with solid and liquid surface coating materials to achieve better physical, mechanical, and aesthetic results. This study produced low-density particleboards from waste wood bark using different adhesive mixtures and densities. These particleboards were then coated with three types of varnish: water-based (Aq), polyurethane-based (Pu), and oil/wax-based (Ow). The color, gloss, and surface roughness values of the coated boards were determined to investigate the effect of varnish type, total adhesive usage, and density on these properties. In the board groups produced with the same glue ratio and density, the roughness values obtained with Ow varnish application were mostly higher compared to Aq and Pu. In the Ow varnish type, the roughness (Rmax) decreased linearly with increasing total adhesive amount in particleboards produced at low density (320 kg/m3). The highest color change (ΔE*) values for all variations were obtained in the Ow varnish type, while the highest gloss values were achieved at 85° and in the B2 (4%-420 kg/m3) board group. It was concluded that higher density should be preferred for smoother and glossier surfaces, which are important in terms of surface properties and aesthetics. Overall, these findings highlight the preference for higher density to achieve smoother and glossier surfaces in areas where surface properties and aesthetics are significant.

El uso y comportamiento de unidades fraseológicas plantea, a menudo, una serie de dificultades en el aula de ELE debido a las manipulaciones creativas que llevan a cabo los hablantes nativos de una lengua. En este contexto surge el fenómeno de la desautomatización fraseológica mediante modificaciones semánticas, fruto del juego que se establece entre la lectura figurada y literal en contextos determinados. Por otro lado, el acercamiento de los estudiantes universitarios a la literatura en su comprensión escrita también puede llevarse a cabo a través de la práctica creativa. En este sentido, la escritura creativa puede resultar una actividad de gran interés pedagógico, ya que ofrece la posibilidad de expresión artística a través del lenguaje. En respuesta a tal interés nace el objetivo de esta investigación de cara a explorar las posibilidades creativas del lenguaje en materia fraseológica. Asimismo, este estudio pretende examinar una muestra de escritura creativa en contextos fraseológicos dirigida a alumnos universitarios rusos de ELE. Para ello, se recurre a una metodología de estudio de caso mediante el análisis de locuciones verbales en contextos de desautomatización fraseológica. A partir de la desautomatización que sufre la fraseología se intenta acercar a los estudiantes a la puesta en práctica de la creación literaria que permite estimular la creatividad del lenguaje y desarrollar la competencia escrita mediante la producción de textos en la lengua meta.

Particleboards, which are widely used in various fields, are commonly coated with solid and liquid surface coating materials to achieve better physical, mechanical, and aesthetic results. This study produced lowdensity particleboards from waste wood bark using different adhesive mixtures and densities. These particleboards were then coated with three types of varnish: water-based (Aq), polyurethane-based (Pu), and oil/wax-based (Ow). The color, gloss, and surface roughness values of the coated boards were determined to investigate the effect of varnish type, total adhesive usage, and density on these properties. In the board groups produced with the same glue ratio and density, the roughness values obtained with Ow varnish application were mostly higher compared to Aq and Pu. In the Ow varnish type, the roughness (Rmax) decreased linearly with increasing total adhesive amount in particleboards produced at low density (320 kg/m³). The highest color change (ΔE*) values for all variations were obtained in the Ow varnish type, while the highest gloss values were achieved at 85° and in the B2 (4%-420 kg/m³) board group. It was concluded that higher density should be preferred for smoother and glossier surfaces, which are important in terms of surface properties and aesthetics. Overall, these findings highlight the preference for higher density to achieve smoother and glossier surfaces in areas where surface properties and aesthetics are significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrafiltration treatment of algae-laden water is the biggest challenge of membrane fouling. In this study, a bi-layer composite dynamic membrane was constructed by depositing anion exchange resin (AER) and quartz sand on the surface of UF membrane to enhance the separation performance and reduce membrane fouling. AER deposition layers improve contaminants removal and reduce membrane fouling based on retention and ion exchange effect, however, the large porosity results in less than optimal efficiency gains. Deposition of quartz sand on the AER deposit layer significantly enhanced pollutants removal rate and reduced the fouling resistance of the membrane. Compared to AER deposition alone, the bi-layer significantly improved the removal of DOC (20%), UV 254 (22%), protein (18%), polysaccharide (13%), MC-LR (11%), GSM (18%) and 2-MIB (3%) and slowed down the development of fouling resistance when the amount of quartz sand deposited reached 68.6 g/m2. As the quartz sand deposition increased to 91.4 g/m2, the presence of a critical value was found, and although the pollutants retention rate increased further, reversible fouling appeared to increase. SEM image analysis of the dense sediment layer traps too much contaminants, resulting in a gel-like layer of contamination that increases membrane fouling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The secondary effluent of the sewage treatment plant was treated by sodium hypochlorite oxidation combined with powdered activated carbon and ultrafiltration process (NaClO-PAC-UF). The effects of the dosage of NaClO, pH and temperature on the removal of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the secondary effluent were investigated. The results show that 8.0 mg/L effective chlorine concentration of sodium hypochlorite oxidizing agent was the best removal effect. The removal amount of different types of ARGs (tetA, tetC, tetG, sulI, sulII) in secondary effluent was 103.25 ~ 103.47 copies/mL. The removal effect of cellular and free ARGs was significantly enhanced. The removal rate of DOC by the combined process was up to 57.5 %, and the removal rate of organic matter with different molecular weight was improved overall. Increasing temperature and decreasing pH can improve the removal effect of ARGs by the combined process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives By eliminating fluorine and other ions through precipitation of fluoride and UF, RO membrane filtration using the hydrofluoric acid wastewater generated from the semiconductor production processes, this study aimed to investigate the possibility of the reuse of the reclaimed wastewater for the processes. Methods For the experiment, firstly, the 2-stage precipitation of fluoride was done using Ca(OH)2 and PAC and it aimed to judge whether the water quality standards for reuse by each market were satisfied by eliminating colloidal particles and then other metal ions through the UF and RO membrane filtration. Results and Discussion About 93 % of F- was removed through the 1st and 2nd precipitation. It can be also removed ammonium, phosphate ions, through the UF membrane filtration, about 95 % of particulate matter was removed and finally, the water quality for reuse was satisfied through RO filtration. Conclusion This study found that the fluorine wastewater generated from the semiconductor production processes can be reused by precipitation and filtration methods without going through the existing complicated treatment methods. In the future, through such treatment procedures, it is expected to be able to secure the reuse of the reclaimed wastewater in the process.

• ECs tracked over 6 months in wastewater reuse facility with SBR, UF, RO, UV. • UHPLC-QTOF-MS used to detect >400 ECs and quantify 17 ECs. • SBR plant showed variable removals from 4 % to 99 %, while UF had limited efficacy. • RO decreased most ECs to <1 ng/L, but UV disinfection caused some rebound. • Important to optimize treatment train and monitor ECs in water reuse facilities. A critical factor for widescale water reuse adoption is the capability of advanced wastewater treatment facilities to consistently produce high-quality water by efficiently removing various pollutants, including emerging contaminants (ECs). This study monitored the fate of seventeen ECs (which included pesticides, antibiotics and other pharmaceutically active compounds) over six months in an advanced wastewater reuse facility situated in the United Arab Emirates. The facility integrates a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) based sewage treatment plant (STP) with a water recycling facility featuring ultrafiltration (UF), reverse osmosis (RO), and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection. ECs were detected and quantified at the influent and effluents of the various treatment stages, using an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS). The STP exhibited variable removal efficiencies, achieving >90 % removal for compounds like caffeine and acetaminophen, while others, such as carbamazepine and thiabendazole, displayed poor removal (<10 %). UF treatment broadly resulted in limited removal, with ECs in permeate typically persisting in the 1–10 ng/L range. Subsequently, after undergoing RO treatment, eight ECs were still detected in the RO permeate, albeit at <1 ng/L, except for imidacloprid (2.5 ng/L). Conversely, the final UV disinfection step led to concentration increases of certain ECs, namely imidacloprid, thiabendazole, sulfamethoxazole, sulfamethazine and caffeine. Overall, the total EC concentration levels decreased considerably from 2300 ng/L in the STP influent to 5.2 ng/L in the RO permeate. However, a subsequent increase to 27.5 ng/L was observed after UV disinfection. While the study underscores the effectiveness of advanced treatment processes, notably RO, in reducing EC concentrations, it also demonstrates the importance of continuous EC monitoring in such facilities as many compounds persist post treatment. Additionally, the potential for processes like UV disinfection to increase certain EC concentrations highlights the need to optimize treatment trains to minimize EC concentration rebound. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surfactants are widely distributed in wastewater at concentrations below the critical micelle concentration (CMC). Generally, surfactant monomers are smaller than the pore sizes of ultrafiltration (UF) membranes, meaning that they can not be effectively rejected through sieving. However, it has been reported that surfactants with low concentrations play a non-negligible role during the UF process. UF performance is highly dependent on the interactions (e.g. electrostatic and hydrophobic) between surfactants and membrane and/or other pollutants. Given this, this review focuses on the treatment of surfactants with concentrations below the CMC values by UF processes. The effects of several variables including membrane properties, operation parameters, surfactant type, and feed concentration on the retention coefficient and membrane fouling are summarized. Finally, the potential fouling mechanisms and fouling control methods are discussed.

Palm Fatty Acid Distillate (PFAD) is a by product of CPO (crude palm oil) physical refining. PFAD containing multicomponent bioactive compounds such as tocopherols, tocotrienols, phytosterols, and squalene which accumulated in unsaponifiable fraction (UF) and can be separated by saponification. Utilization of bioactive compounds can be applied on food products by fortification into biscuits. The research aimed to determine the effect of addition level of UF from PFAD on physical and organoleptics of the biscuits and also to determine chemical characteristic and bioactive compounds from the best treatment biscuit. The method used a completely randomized design with one factor, namely the level of addition of the UF from PFAD consisted of 6 treatments and was repeated four times. Data were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), then continued using the Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) with significance level of 5%. The best treatment in this study was a treatment which contained 0.5% (w/w) of the UF from PFAD. The best biscuit had chemichal characteristics included those were the water content 1.81 ± 0.06%, 2.10 ± 0.06% ash content, 27.98 ± 0.54% fat content, 8.04 ± 0.13% protein content, 0.22 ± 0.02% crude fiber content, 60.07 ± 0.66% carbohydrate content, 2.66 ± 0.00002% FFA, and 7.10 ± 0.19 mek/kg total oxidation. The best biscuit contained bioactive compounds such as 147.19 ppm α–tocotrienol, 190.30 ppm δ–tocotrienol, 68.091 ppm ϒ–tocotrienol, 5,848.45 ppm β–sitosterol, 143.97 ppm stigmasterol, 621.09 ppm campesterol, and squalene content 3,284.50 ppm.

The aim of this study was to optimize the production of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), using the response surface methodology (RSM), to use the produced PUFAs in kareish cheese processing. PlackettBurman design (PBD) was employed to screen media components that affect PUFAs development (glucose, olive cake, yeast extract, tryptone, MgSO4, KH2PO4, NH4Cl, agitation speed, incubation time, and pH), and results showed that olive cake and yeast extract, with confidence level > 98%, had a positive effect on PUFAs production. The central composite design (CCD) of the response surface methodology was used to optimize the selected parameters levels where maximum PUFAs production (1790 mg/l) was observed near the mid-point (0) values (concentrations) of olive cake (15 g/l), tryptone (7.5 g/L) and KH2PO4 (1.25 g/l). Polyunsaturated fatty acids account for 47.83 % of the total fatty acid profile, according to gas chromatography analysis of the collected PUFAs. The produced PUFAs was encapsulated using whey protein concentrate and maltodextrin, freeze dried, grinded and incorporated in Kareish cheese manufacture. The average particle size of a 0.005% suspension of oil microcapsules was 671.4 nm with a poly dispersity index of 0.611 indicating a moderate stability of the emulsion. The negative zeta potential of the microcapsules particles was -37.6 mv, which is identical to the -42 mv value recorded in the literature for oil emulsions stabilized by whey protein, maltodextrin, and K-carrageenan. The addition of 0.5 % PUFAs-containing microcapsules to Kareish cheese increased antioxidative activity to 38.13 % compared to 30.14 % for the control, as well as Texture profile analysis (TPA) parameters including hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness. The elasticity of the Kareish cheese sample increased slightly by the addition of 0.5% microcapsules, but higher concentration tended to change the elasticity to a brittleness of the cheese structure.

• 1-(3-Aminopropyl) imidazole modified UF for mitigating alginate and calcium fouling. • 1% APIm was selected as the optimal modified dosage. • APIm was used to extract organically bound calcium ions from alginate fouling. UF is widely used as a wastewater treatment and recycling technology. However, membrane fouling is still an important factor affecting the wide application. In this study, APIm with positive amino group was adsorbed to the surface of the carboxylated polyacrylonitrile (PAN) membrane by electrostatic force to reduce the fouling of sodium alginate (SA) caused by Ca2+. The results show that 1 v/v% APIm was selected as the optimal dosage, accompanied by the highest water flux of 330.5 L·m-2h−1 bar−1 and bovine serum albumin (BSA) rejection rate of 91.0 %. When the concentration of Ca2+ was increased to 10 mM, the Ca2+ catch amount increased to 48.25 mg/cm2. The main anti-fouling mechanism was that APIm captured a certain amount of Ca2+ in situ, destroyed the complex structure of sodium alginate (SA) and Ca2+. Then the fouling layer was easy to be removed by physical cleaning. At the concentration of 10 mM Ca2+, the membrane flux recovery rate of 1 v/v% APIm membrane was increased to 80.1 %. This study demonstrates a fouling control strategy for in-situ removal of Ca2+ bound SA fouling, providing a new approach for the future development of UF membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oil and gas industry and related applications generate large quantities of oily wastewater, which can adversely affect the environment and human health if not properly handled. This study aims to prepare polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes incorporated with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) additives and utilize them to treat oily wastewater through the ultrafiltration (UF) process. Flat sheet membranes were prepared using PVDF dissolved in N,N-dimethylacetamide, followed by the addition of PVP ranging from 0.5 to 35 g. Characterization by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water contact angle, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and mechanical strength tests were performed on the flat PVDF/PVP membranes to understand and compare the changes in the physical and chemical properties of the membranes. Prior to the UF process, oily wastewater was treated by a coagulation–flocculation process through a jar tester using polyaluminum chloride (PAC) as a coagulant. Based on the characterization of the membrane, the addition of PVP improves the physical and chemical properties of the membrane. The membrane’s pore size becomes larger, which can increase its permeability and flux. In general, the addition of PVP to the PVDF membrane can increase the porosity and decrease the water contact angle, thereby increasing the membrane’s hydrophilicity. With respect to filtration performance, the wastewater flux of the resultant membrane increases with increasing PVP content, but the rejections for TSS, turbidity, TDS, and COD are reduced.

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[Display omitted] Membrane fouling during the use of separation membrane has always been the main reason for the degradation of membrane performance. The traditional solution is complicated and inefficient, so we proposed multi-step integration method to prepare antifouling zwitterionic poly(aryl ether sulfone) (PAES-Z-x) ultrafiltration (UF) membrane with higher efficiency. We designed and synthesized a bisphenol precursor containing tertiary amine groups, which could provide reactive sites for grafting zwitterionic group. Afterwards, the zwitterionic modified UF membrane was prepared by graft copolymerization and non-solvent-induced phase separation (NIPS). The morphology, hydrophilicity, water flux and rejection of the PAES-Z-x membrane could be optimized by tuning zwitterion content. The hydration layer formed by zwitterions effectively reduced the adsorption of proteins and endowed the membrane good antifouling properties. The resulting membrane showed the pure water flux increased (up to 311 L m−2h−1 bar−1), high bovine serum albumin (BSA) rejection (97%) and good water flux recovery ratio (FRR) (82.8%). Zwitterionic antifouling PAES UF membrane prepared by a simple and effective method provided a new direction for improving PAES UF membrane's antifouling performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of additives for resins modification is common practice in wood-based panel industry and wheat flour has been one of the most widely used extenders for decades. The amount of wheat flour to be added is determined through a sense of proportion, mainly based on experience, as systematic scientific studies on the effect of its individual components are limited. In this study, we added wheat flour, wheat starch and wheat protein as extenders in various quantities to urea (UF) and phenol formaldehyde (PF) resins and analysed their structure, pH value and buffer capacity through closely examining their interaction with the resins as well as their effect on viscosity and bonding strength development. As a result, wheat protein proved to be the most effective on both resins. Despite influencing adhesive properties in uncured state, no effect on the curing behaviour of the resins could be observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat flour is used as an extender for urea (UF) and phenol formaldehyde (PF) resins in plywood production. The addition of wheat flour is usually based on operational experience. Whereas flour quality parameters are important predictors for the bread production, fundamental scientific knowledge is hardly available for adhesive applications. Therefore, this work focusses on the separate investigation of the main components of wheat flour: starch and protein, as additives to UF and PF resins in different amounts. The resin batches produced were used for manufacturing 9-layered birch plywood panels. While part I focused on physico-chemical properties of the adhesives, in this present part panel performance was tested in accordance with EN 314-1 (2005) and by evaluating formaldehyde emissions using micro-chamber/thermal extractor. The UF-based panels were tested for class 2 covered exterior use and the PF panels for class 3 non-covered exterior use according to EN 314-2 (1997). Wheat protein showed the most promising wet shear strength results for both resins, the resulting high viscosity limits its addition to 30%. An addition up to 100% wheat flour and wheat starch to UF resins provided sufficient wet shear strengths. None of the extenders had an effect on formaldehyde emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The brain hemispheres can be divided into an upper dorsal and a lower ventral system. Each system consists of distinct cortical regions connected via long association tracts. The tracts cross the central sulcus or the limen insulae to connect the frontal lobe with the posterior brain. The dorsal stream is associated with sensorimotor mapping. The ventral stream serves structural analysis and semantics in different domains, as visual, acoustic or space processing. How does the prefrontal cortex, regarded as the platform for the highest level of integration, incorporate information from these different domains? In the current view, the ventral pathway consists of several separate tracts, related to different modalities. Originally the assumption was that the ventral path is a continuum, covering all modalities. The latter would imply a very different anatomical basis for cognitive and clinical models of processing. To further define the ventral connections, we used cutting-edge in vivo global tractography on high-resolution diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data from 100 normal subjects from the human connectome project and ex vivo preparation of fiber bundles in the extreme capsule of 8 humans using the Klingler technique. Our data showed that ventral stream tracts, traversing through the extreme capsule, form a continuous band of fibers that fan out anteriorly to the prefrontal cortex, and posteriorly to temporal, occipital and parietal cortical regions. Introduction of additional volumes of interest in temporal and occipital lobes differentiated between the inferior fronto-occipital fascicle (IFOF) and uncinate fascicle (UF). Unequivocally, in both experiments, in all subjects a connection between the inferior frontal and middle-to-posterior temporal cortical region, otherwise known as the temporo-frontal extreme capsule fascicle (ECF) from nonhuman primate brain-tracing experiments was identified. In the human brain, this tract connects the language domains of “Broca's area” and “Wernicke's area”. The differentiation in the three tracts, IFOF, UF and ECF seems arbitrary, all three pass through the extreme capsule. Our data show that the ventral pathway represents a continuum. The three tracts merge seamlessly and streamlines showed considerable overlap in their anterior and posterior course. Terminal maps identified prefrontal cortex in the frontal lobe and association cortex in temporal, occipital and parietal lobes as streamline endings. This anatomical substrate potentially facilitates the prefrontal cortex to integrate information across different domains and modalities.

BackgroundUterine fibroids(UF) are the most common benign tumors in women, with high incidence and unknown causes. We aimed to explore the correlation between Methylenetetra-hydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism and UF.MethodsThis is a retrospective cohort study. Data were collected from 2411 women detected for MTHFR C677T polymorphism in the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from 2018 to 2020. B-ultrasound (BU) and the first page of medical records were used to analyze whether they had ever been diagnosed with UF. The collected data were analyzed. Using the chi-square test and regression analysis to explore the correlation, and the risk factors was screened by multifactor logistic regression analysis.ResultsA total of 2411 pregnant women were in the MTHFR C677T polymorphism detection. Among them, 226(9.37%) were diagnosed as UF by BU or clinical diagnosis. The allele and genotype of MTHFR C677T were significantly different between the case and control group (p0.05). However, older maternal age was associated with the incidence of UF, especially the multiple UF (p

The aim of this study was to optimize the production of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), using the response surface methodology (RSM), to use the produced PUFAs in kareish cheese processing. Plackett Burman design (PBD) was employed to screen media components that affect PUFAs development (glucose, olive cake, yeast extract, tryptone, MgSO4, KH2PO4, NH4Cl, agitation speed, incubation time, and pH), and results showed that olive cake and yeast extract, with confidence level > 98%, had a positive effect on PUFAs production. The central composite design (CCD) of the response surface methodology was used to optimize the selected parameters levels where maximum PUFAs production (1790 mg/l) was observed near the mid-point (0) values (concentrations) of olive cake (15 g/l), tryptone (7.5 g/L) and KH2PO4 (1.25 g/l). Polyunsaturated fatty acids account for 47.83 % of the total fatty acid profile, according to gas chromatography analysis of the collected PUFAs. The produced PUFAs was encapsulated using whey protein concentrate and maltodextrin, freeze dried, grinded and incorporated in Kareish cheese manufacture. The average particle size of a 0.005% suspension of oil microcapsules was 671.4 nm with a poly dispersity index of 0.611 indicating a moderate stability of the emulsion. The negative zeta potential of the microcapsules particles was -37.6 mv, which is identical to the -42 mv value recorded in the literature for oil emulsions stabilized by whey protein, maltodextrin, and Kcarrageenan. The addition of 0.5% PUFAscontaining microcapsules to Kareish cheese increased antioxidative activity to 38.13 % compared to 30.14 % for the control, as well as Texture profile analysis (TPA) parameters including hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness. The elasticity of the Kareish cheese sample increased slightly by the addition of 0.5% microcapsules, but higher concentration tended to change the elasticity to a brittleness of the cheese structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Uterine fibroids(UF) are the most common benign tumors in women, with high incidence and unknown causes. We aimed to explore the correlation between Methylenetetra-hydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism and UF. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. Data were collected from 2411 women detected for MTHFR C677T polymorphism in the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from 2018 to 2020. B-ultrasound (BU) and the first page of medical records were used to analyze whether they had ever been diagnosed with UF. The collected data were analyzed. Using the chi-square test and regression analysis to explore the correlation, and the risk factors was screened by multifactor logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 2411 pregnant women were in the MTHFR C677T polymorphism detection. Among them, 226(9.37%) were diagnosed as UF by BU or clinical diagnosis. The allele and genotype of MTHFR C677T were significantly different between the case and control group (p<0.05), and the distribution of the allele was following Hardy-Weinberg (H-W) equilibrium. Comparing with the wild-type (C/C), the mutant group (C/T+T/T) was more likely to form UF(OR,1.43;OR95%CI,1.07-1.89). After adjusting for confoundings, the heterozygous mutant (C/T) was more susceptible to UF than the wild-type (aOR,1.41;aOR95%CI,1.41-1.91). In the case group, BMI, gravidity and parity were not associated with the size and number of UF and the MTHFR C677T polymorphism (p>0.05). However, older maternal age was associated with the incidence of UF, especially the multiple UF (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our results found that MTHFR C677T polymorphism was associated with UF occurrence for the first time. This could imply that it may increase the risk of forming UF in women of gestational age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physical activity (PA) is important for body health. A few reports suggested that PA also influenced skin structure and components. Little data are available on the influence of PA on skin mechanical properties (SMP). Here, we investigated the relationship between PA and SMP. Methods: Twenty‐five healthy Japanese female subjects (31.0 ± 3.3 years) were enrolled in the study. To monitor the 24‐hr pulse rate, a wrist watch‐type pulse monitor was used. PA intensity was divided into five PA intensity zones (max, anaerobic, aerobic, fat combustion, and warm‐up) by the pulse monitor. The average values of the time spent on each intensity for 70 days were calculated. To measure SMP, a Cutometer was used at the end of the monitoring. R0 indicated the height of the maximal skin deformation, and R6 was the ratio between viscoelastic and elastic deformation. Results: R0 was positively correlated with the time spent in four of the five PA intensity zones (max, anaerobic, aerobic, and fat combustion), whereas R6 was negatively correlated with the time spent in these four PA intensity zones. The time of warm‐up did not correlate with SMP. Conclusion: These results suggest that habitual moderate‐to‐vigorous PA influences SMP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Uterine fibroids (UF) are benign monoclonal hormone-depended tumors originating from smooth myocytes of cervix or body uterus affecting up to 29 % of women aged 15–45 years worldwide. Taking into account the current demographic situation and annually increasing tendency for pregnancy planning at older reproductive age, an organ-sparing strategy is becoming a first-priority approach for UF treatment.Aim: to investigate efficiency of selective progesterone receptors modulators (SPRM) for UF treatment in women of reproductive age.Materials and Methods. A prospective cohort study involved 40 patients with UF at average age of 39.3 ± 5.8 years. Using simple randomization, the patients were divided into 2 groups per 20 subjects in each. The average age of the patients was comparable and comprised 38.15 ± 5.65 and 40.5 ± 5.8 years in groups 1 and 2, respectively (p = 0.203). In both groups, after assessing liver function tests in accordance with the instructions, a treatment course with SPRM group drug (ulipristal acetate) was used at a daily dose of 5 mg for 84 days (1 course) with an interval until the onset of second menstruation after drug withdrawal. Group 1 and group 2 subjects received 2 and 3 therapy courses, respectively. After each course, patients underwent control ultrasound examinations (UE) by analyzing uterus volume and diameter of dominant myomatous node along with liver tests. A temporal quantitation of the difference between UF and dominant node two sizes as well as the maximum uterine volume size and effect size assessment was expressed as the difference of means (Δ) with a 95 % confidence interval (CI).Results. Based on UE data, the uterus size in group 1 was enlarged to an average of 129.49 ± 75.57 cm3, the maximum size of dominant node was 38.9 ± 17.38 mm; in group 2, the uterus was as large as 294.83 ± 161.37 cm3 with maximum size of the dominant node of 53.33 ± 25.48 mm. After therapy in group 1, dominant node size was significant regressed: after therapy course 1 an effect size of quantitated difference between UF two sizes and the dominant node (Δ) was 8.70 (4.11; 13.29) mm (p < 0.001). After therapy course 2 vs. therapy course 1, a size stabilization (Δ) was noted comprising 1.00 (–1.39; 3.39) mm (p = 0.390); the total effect (Δ) was 9.67 (–14.59; –4.75) mm (p

Walnut and hazelnut shells are agricultural by-products, available in high quantities during the harvest season. The potential of using these two agricultural residues as raw materials in particleboard production has been evaluated in this study. Different panels with either walnut or hazelnut shells in combination with melamine-urea formaldehyde or polyurethane at the same level of 1000 kg/m3 density were produced in a laboratory hot press and mechanical properties (modulus of elasticity, bending strength, and Brinell hardness) and physical properties (thickness swelling and water absorption) were determined, together with formaldehyde content. Although Brinell hardness was 35% to 65% higher for the nutshell-based panels, bending strength and modulus of elasticity were 40% to 50% lower for the melamine-urea formaldehyde bonded nutshells compared to spruce particleboards, but was 65% higher in the case of using polyurethane. Water absorption and thickness swelling could be reduced significantly for the nutshell-based boards compared to the spruce boards (the values recorded ranged between 58% to 87% lower as for the particleboards). Using polyurethane as an adhesive has benefits for water uptake and thickness swelling and also for bending strength and modulus of elasticity. The free formaldehyde content of the lignocellulosic-based panels was included in the E0 category (≤2.5 mg/100 g) for both walnut and hazelnut shell raw materials and the use of polyurethane improved these values to super E0 category (≤1.5 mg/100 g). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies original protocols of rapid PES/PVP membrane NaOCl degradation allowing at reaching ageing states that are representative of industrial ageing. The long term objective is to propose basis for further fundamental studies aiming at the improvement of the impact of membrane ageing on behaviour in UF (fouling and cleaning mastering). The key of several protocols is the use of ageing acceleration thanks to microwave irradiation, either continuous or pulsed ones, that can be further associated (or not) with short ageing time in UF conditions. To evaluate the representativeness of obtained aged membranes, comparisons are achieved between pristine, voluntary laboratory aged membranes and an industrial membrane at the end of its service-life. Several physico-chemical analyses were used (ATR-FTIR, SEM-EDX, contact angle, SEC-HPLC). Evaluation of UF performances were made in UF of a model protein (Lysozyme, 14,300 g.mol−1). Finally, the proof of concept is done that conditions using MW exist to reach ageing state representative of industrial ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]