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This prospective study aimed to compare the oral functions of removable partial dentures (RPDs) with those of implant-assisted removable partial dentures (IARPDs) with short implants and magnetic attachments in patients with mandibular Kennedy class I and II.Thirty participants with mandibular Kennedy class I or II and at least three distal missing teeth were recruited. Oral functions, including mixing ability, comminuting ability, maximum bite force, and occlusal contact area, were assessed for RPDs (stage 0), IARPDs with healing caps (stage 1), and IARPDs with magnetic attachments (stage 2). The implants were loaded with occlusal force in stages 1 and 2. Finally, the data of the 27 participants who completed the evaluation at stage 2 were analyzed. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test with Bonferroni correction was used to assess the differences in the oral functions among the different stages.The implant survival rate was 93.8%. There were significant differences in the comminuting ability and occlusal contact area between stages 0 and 2 (p .001 and p = .036, respectively) and stages 1 and 2 (p = .003 and p = .015, respectively). Regarding the maximum bite force, there was a significant difference between stages 1 and 2 (p = .018). However, there was no significant difference in the mixing ability between the three stages.Within the limitations of this study, it was concluded that IARPDs in the mandible with short implants and magnetic attachments may improve oral functions.

In this study, magnetic pomelo peel-derived biochar composite was fabricated and applied as a low-cost adsorbent for the simultaneous extraction of morphine-like opioids named morphine, codeine, and 6-monoacetylmorphine from wastewaters, prior to their determination via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. A total of four biochar products were synthesized under different pyrolytic temperatures of 400, 500, 600, and 700°C, respectively, and the 400°C biochar was found to have the greatest extraction ability, with enrichment factors of 34, 58, and 61 for the three drugs. The primary adsorption mechanism includes π-π interaction and H-bonding. Parameters affecting the extraction of opioids were optimized. Under optimum conditions (such as pH = 7; adsorbent amount = 15 mg; sample volume = 20 ml; eluent solvent, 200 µl of methanol), the method was proved to be linear in the range of 0.05-10.0 µg/L, with coefficients of determination greater than 0.99, and the limits of detection were 0.006-0.010 µg/L. In-batch and inter-batch precisions were 1.8%-6.5% and 4.8%-10.6%, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the determination of the target opioids in the samples of influent and effluent wastewater. The developed method by using magnetic pomelo peel-derived biochar could potentially be applied for the effective estimation of illicit drug consumption.

Excessive emission of sulfur dioxides from the combustion of coal and other fossil fuels for thermal and industrial purposes has been associated with serious environmental hazards. Biodesulfisation (BDS) can be an effective approach for reducing the impact of toxic gases to its inbuilt operational feasibility under ambient environmental conditions. In the present research, two strategies for BDS of a standard organosulfur compound such as dibenzothiophene (DBT) were investigated under laboratory conditions. In the first treatment, the role of different surfactants such as Tween-20, Tween-80, SDS, and EDTA on the desulfurization of DBT was investigated by the application of bacterial consortium IQMJ-5. In the second treatment, Iron oxidenanoparticles were synthesized and immobilized on the surface of bacteria cells. Shake flask experiments were conducted with immobilized cells, surfactant amended immobilized cells, and control or noncoated cells. Among different surfactant treatments, Tween-80 was found to be the most effective surfactant, showing maximum desulfurization activity at a concentration of 5 g/L. The transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that produced nanoparticles were spherical in shape with a size of about 46 nm and had a stoichiometric ratio of 55.85% and 44.15% between O and Fe, respectively. The nanoparticle treatment enhanced the DBT desulfurization process up to 11.37% as compared to the control, specifically when immobilized cells were used. Therefore, it was concluded that nanoparticles treatments with immobilization of the bacterial cells enhanced the desulfurization rate of DBT under ambient reaction conditions and provide a sustainable alternative for commercial coal BDS.

Low-gradient magnetic separation (LGMS) of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) has been proven as one of the techniques with great potential for biomedical and environmental applications. Recently, the underlying principle of particle capture by LGMS, through a process known as magnetophoresis, under the influence of hydrodynamic effect has been widely studied and illustrated. Even though the hydrodynamic effect is very substantial for batch processes, its impact on LGMS operated at continuous flow (CF) condition remained largely unknown. Hence, in this study, the dynamical behaviour of LGMS process operated under CF was being studied. First, the LGMS experiments using poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate)-functionalized-MNP as modelled particle system were performed through batchwise (BW) and CF modes at different operating conditions. Here BW operation was used as a comparative study to elucidate the transport mechanism of MNP under the similar environment of CF-LGMS process, and it was found out that the convection induced by magnetophoresis (timescale effective is ∼1200 s) is only significant at far-from-magnet region. Hence, it can be deduced that forced convection is more dominant on influencing the transport behaviour of CF-LGMS (with resident time ≤240 s). Moreover, we found that the separation efficiency of CF-LGMS process can be boosted by the higher number of magnets, the higher MNP concentration and the lower flowrate of MNP solution. To better illustrate the underlying dynamical behaviour of LGMS process, a mathematical model was developed to predict its kinetic profile and separation efficiency (with average error of ∼2.6% compared to the experimental results).

Cell membrane ligand-affinity assay is a useful tool for screening the active compounds from natural products. However, in traditional cell membrane ligand-affinity assays, natural products need to be refluxed, before being analyzed. This process consumes considerable time and energy and cannot be used for screening natural products that contain thermally unstable compounds. Therefore, an efficient analytical method is required. In this study, chitosan-based matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction was combined with cell membrane magnetic bead ligand-affinity assay to form a novel method for identifying the active compounds in Fructus Cnidii such as osthole and imperatorin. When compared with traditional cell membrane ligand-affinity assays, this assay requires less energy, extraction time (7 min), solvent volume (1.2 mL), and fewer natural products (40 mg). This indicates that the chitosan-based matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction assisted cell membrane magnetic beads ligand-affinity assay is an alternative analytical method for studying natural products.

The composition of the traditional Chinese medicine compound preparation is complex, while the content of each active ingredient is extremely low, which brings difficulties to the plasma concentration detection. In this study, the magnetic covalent-organic frameworks were synthesized by a simple one-step Schiff base reaction and applied for the specific extraction of trace angoroside C in rat plasma prior to ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry detection. The synthesized magnetic covalent-organic frameworks have high magnetic responsiveness (35.67 emu·g

Difficulty in precise tracking of the in vivo distribution and migration of transplanted stem cells in a noninvasive way is a great hurdle in regenerative medicine research. Paramagnetic element-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) emerge as a kind of promising dual-modal imaging agents owing to the possibility in combining strong contrast of MR imaging and high efficiency of fluorescence imaging. Herein a kind of Mn-doped NaYF4-based UCNPs (NaYF4: 20%Yb, 2%Er, 30%Mn) was developed and then hydrophilized by various coatings, including cell penetrating peptide, DNA, and SiO

In the present research, an ultrasound-assisted magnetic solid-phase extraction coupled with a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry hybrid system was developed for the extraction/determination of trace amounts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in high-consumption soft drinks and non-alcoholic beers in Iran using magnetite graphene oxide adsorbent. The magnetite graphene oxide was characterized by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and vibrating-sample magnetometer techniques. The highest extraction recovery (73.05%-95.56%) and enrichment factor (90.65-106.38) were obtained at adsorbent mass: 10 mg, adsorption time: 30 min, salt addition: sodium chloride 10% w/v, desorption time: 20 min, eluent type: hexane: acetone (1:1, v/v), and desorption solvent volumes: 200 μl. Under optimum conditions, the linearity range for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons determination was 0.2-200 ng/ml with a coefficient of determination 0.993, the limit of detection = 0.09-0.21 ng/ml, the limit of quantitation = 0.3-0.7 ng/ml, and relative standard deviation 8.1%, respectively. Relative recoveries in spiked real samples ranged from 94.67 to 109.45% with a standard deviation 6.05%. The proposed method is effective, sensitive, and reusable and it is promising for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons residues in environmental samples.

In this study, morin magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (Morin-MMIPs) were synthesized based on magnetic nanoparticles and surface molecularly imprinted technology with superparamagnetism and extraction selectivity. The polymers allowed the separating of morin from complex matrices in the presence of an external magnetic field with no need for centrifugation or filtration. The microstructure of the polymers was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Meanwhile, the functional group and magnetic properties of the polymers were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and magnetic vibration meter (VSM). The maximum adsorption capacity of MMIPs was 3.24 mg/g, which was 2.55 times higher than that of MNIPs (1.27 mg/g). Morin was quantified by HPLC-DAD, which showed good linearity in the concentration range of 0.05-60 µg/ml with the correlation coefficient R

A sensitive and straightforward liquid-liquid-liquid microextraction method was developed to preconcentrate and cleanup antidepressants, including mirtazapine, venlafaxine, escitalopram, fluoxetine, and fluvoxamine, from biological samples before analyzing with high-performance liquid chromatography. The essential novelty of this study is using magnetic ionic liquids as the extraction phase in the lumen of hollow fiber and preparing a liquid magnetic stir bar. In this method, polypropylene hollow fiber was utilized as the permeable membrane for the analyte extraction. Six magnetic ionic liquids consisting of the transition metal and rare earth compounds were synthesized and then hollow fiber lumen was injected as acceptor phase to extract the antidepressants. Besides, 3-pentanol as a water-immiscible solvent was impregnated in the hollow fiber wall pores. The effective factors in the method were optimized with the central composition design. The resultant calibration curves were linear over the concentration range of 0.8-400.0 ng mL

An amino-functionalized magnetic covalent organic framework composite TpBD-(NH

A novel molecularly imprinted polymer based on magnetic multiwalled carbon nanotubes was fabricated and applied for selective dispersive micro-solid phase extraction of fenitrothion prior its determination by ion mobility spectrometry. The composite was synthesized using magnetic multiwalled carbon nanotubes as the support. Methacrylic acid was used as the functional monomer, fenitrothion as the template, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the cross-linker, and 2,2-azoisobutyronitrile as the initiator. The resultant polymer was characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmet-Teller analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and vibrating sample magnetometer techniques. Experimental factors affecting the extraction efficiency such as pH and amount of sorbent were evaluated. Under optimum experimental conditions, the developed method displayed the linear range of 5-220 μg/L with a detection limit of 1.3 μg/L. The intra- and interday relative standard deviations for determination of fenitrothion were 3.6 and 4.7% (n = 6), respectively. Ultimately, the proposed method was used to monitor trace amounts of fenitrothion in fruits, vegetables, and water samples.

A magnetic solid phase extraction method based on magnetic covalent organic frameworks (TpBD@Fe

Antibiotic-loaded bone cement beads have been a reliable passive delivery system for the localized treatment of osteomyelitis; however, low, and unregulated drug release rates limit the ability of this system to maintain therapeutic concentrations. This problem is further amplified by drug-resistant pathogens that might invade or evolve under these conditions. Furthermore, currently available bone cements are incompatible with some antibiotics. The proposed device resembles conventional bone cement beads but contains an on-demand drug delivery magnetic sponge that provides actively controlled release of antibiotics. The slightly porous structure facilitates some drug diffusion while further drug release may be controlled remotely via magnetic actuation. Additionally, a combination of silver nitrate and gentamicin are used in the device as these agents are shown to display a synergistic antibacterial activity in vitro using checkerboard and time-kill assays. The device releases gentamicin and silver in both actuation and diffusion modes over 7 days. The in vitro bacterial studies demonstrate the efficacy of the released agents alone, and synergistically in combination, against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The proposed device offers a facile fabrication process which allows control of the release profile by engineering hole configurations or manipulating magnetic field strength to provide the most effective therapy.

Backgrounds Magnetic sphincter augmentation (MSA) is a newly-developed procedure for refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease (rGERD). A systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted to determine its effectiveness in rGERD. Methods Electronic search was performed in Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, Opengrey and ClincalTrials.gov up to April 2020. Single-arm studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of MSA in rGERD or comparative studies with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) or laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (LNF) served as control were included. Demographic data，postoperative PPI use，GERD-HRQL (GERD-health related quality of life)，acid exposure time (AET)，adverse events (AEs) were collected. The primary outcome was the rate of postoperative PPI use, and secondary outcomes incorporated postoperative GERD-HRQL, normalization in AET and incidence of procedure-related AEs. Results In total, 14 trials involving 1138 participants with rGERD were included: 10 single-arm studies, 1 RCT and 3 cohort studies. After MSA, PPIs withdrawal, significant improvement of GERD-HRQL and normalization of AET were achieved respectively in 87.0%, 88.0% and 75.0% of the patients. The incidence of postoperative dysphagia was 29%, and endoscopic dilation was required in 7.4% of MSA patients. MSA showed a better efficacy in symptom control as compared to PPIs (PPI cessation: 91% vs 0%; GERD-HRQL improvement: 81% vs 8%) and similar effectiveness but a lower risk of gas-bloat syndrome (RR 0.69 [0.51, 0.93]，p=0.01) and better reserved ability to belch (RR 1.48 [0.76, 2.86]，p=0.25) as compared to LNF. Conclusion MSA was an effective and safe therapy for rGERD. Well-designed randomized trials that compares the efficacy of MSA with other therapies are needed.

Analytical tests/devices that are used outside laboratory settings are required to have a very simple analytical protocol to get clearance by regulatory authorities. This study describes sink/float magnetic immunoassays, a new type of rapid, mix-and-observe, instrument-free tests for the detection of biomarkers in untreated biological samples that are very simple and might meet the simple-to-use criterion of authorities to be used in the field. These tests can tell whether an analyte is above or below a predetermined level within 25-45 minutes based on the sinking or floating of a mm-sized sphere on the surface of which an immunoassay that uses reporter antibodies conjugated to superparamagnetic nanoparticles is performed. This manuscript describes the theory and proof-of-concept applications of sink/float magnetic immunoassays for the detection of C-Reactive Protein, anti-Treponema pallidum antibodies and E. coli bacteria.

© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.Implantable thermo-responsive drug-loaded magnetic nanofibers (NFs) have attracted great interest for localized thermo-chemotherapy of cancer tissue/cells. From this perspective, smart polymeric electrospun NFs co-loaded with magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and a natural polyphenol anticancer agent, curcumin (CUR), were developed to enhance the local hyperthermic chemotherapy against melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer. CUR/MNPs-loaded thermo-sensitive electrospun NFs exhibited alternating magnetic field (AMF)-responsive heat generation and “ON–OFF” switchable heating capability. Besides, corresponding to the reversible alterations in the swelling ratio, the “ON–OFF” switchable discharge of CUR from the magnetic NFs was detected in response to the “ON–OFF” switching of AMF application. Due to the combinatorial effect of hyperthermia and release of CUR after applying an AMF (“ON” state) for 600 s on the second and third days of incubation time, the viability of the B16F10 melanoma cancer cells exposed to the CUR/MNPs-NFs was reduced by 40% and 17%, respectively. Taken together, the macroscopic and nanoscale features of the smart NFs led to the creation of a reversibly adjustable structure that enabled hyperthermia and facile switchable release of CUR for eradication of melanoma cancer cells.

Efficient removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from contaminated waters is urgently needed to safeguard public and environmental health. In this work, novel magnetic fluorinated polymer sorbents were designed to allow efficient capture of PFAS and fast magnetic recovery of the sorbed material. The new sorbent has superior PFAS removal efficiency compared with the commercially available activated carbon and ion-exchange resins. The removal of the ammonium salt of hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (GenX) reaches99 % within 30 s, and the estimated sorption capacity was 219 mg g

BACKGROUND Electrical stimulation therapy is effective for patients with dysphagia. However, because of the pain, strong stimulation cannot be applied. Although magnetic stimulation induces less pain, there are no reports on magnetic stimulation being synchronised with a swallowing reflex. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine whether it is possible to induce magnetic stimulation during a voluntary swallowing using electromyography (EMG)-triggered peripheral magnetic stimulation and to evaluate its effect on healthy individuals. METHODS A total of 20 healthy adults in seated position were instructed to swallow saliva and 10 ml of barium under videofluoroscopy. For concomitant use of magnetic stimulation, a magnetic stimulus for suprahyoid muscles at 30 Hz frequency was applied for 2 s when the EMG level in the sternohyoid muscle exceeded the threshold. During the voluntary swallowing, the movement of the hyoid bone and opening width of the upper oesophageal sphincter (UES) were measured. Furthermore, pressure topography was evaluated in 6 subjects using high-resolution manometry. RESULTS The magnetic stimulation significantly extended the movement time of the hyoid bone (p

Recently, research about droplet self-transportation on slippery surfaces has become a hotspot. However, to achieve on/off sliding control during the self-transportation process is still difficult. Herein, we report a magnetic slippery surface, and demonstrate on/off sliding control during the self-transportation of superparamagnetic droplets. The surface is prepared through integrating a substrate that has a gradient magnetic region with a layer of paraffin infused hydrophobic SiO

Programmable smart materials that can respond locally to specific stimuli hold great potential for many applications, but controllable fabrication of these materials remains challenging. This work reports the development of novel programmable anisotropic materials with both magnetic and photothermal stimuli-responsiveness, which are fabricated by anchoring thermosensitive poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAm) and magnetic Fe

The immobilization of the biocatalysts onto magnetic nanoparticles has been extensively applied as the external magnetic field facilitates the enzyme recovery from the reaction mixture. In the present study, glutaraldehyde-modified magnetite-cornstarch nanoparticles (MCNs) were successfully synthesized, elaborately characterized by ZetaSizer and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and used for the immobilization of a thermoalkalophilic esterase from Geobacillus sp. The optimal immobilization conditions were obtained at 65°C, 2:3 molar ratios of Fe2+ :Fe3+ , and 1 g cornstarch resulted in approximately 90 nm magnetic particles in size. Also, immobilization yield and immobilization efficiency of the esterase were found as 74% and 82%, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs showed that MCNs were uniform, spherical in shape, and well dispersed and esterase immobilized MCNs displayed similar morphology as free MCNs. The maximum activity of free and immobilized esterase was obtained at 65°C and pH 9. Immobilization onto glutaraldehyde-modified MCNs significantly enhanced the esterase thermostability. Additionally, the immobilized esterase kept its residual activity of 75% after three sequential cycles, suggesting that it has favorable operational stability.

Magnetic nanoparticles are desirable adsorbents because of their unique superparamagnetic nature with the enhanced binding specificity and surface material interaction. The above unique features attract researchers to use it for wider applications. Herein, the study focuses on the amino‐induced silica‐layered magnetic nanoparticles amalgamated with plant‐extracted products of Cynodon dactylon in order to turn them into a potent adsorbing material in a continuous column set up for the elimination of noxiously distributed Cr(VI) ionsin the effluents. The selected plant‐mediated magnetite nanoadsorbent, which was used in the fixed column studies, is optimised with the attributes of inlet concentration, adsorbent bed depth, and flow rate. Thomas, Yoon‐Nelson and bed depth model showed the best experimental fit. Breakthrough adsorption time was reported for the various inlet concentrations of 100, 200 and 300 mg/L, adsorbent bed depths 2, 3 and 4 cm and volumetric flow rates of 4, 5 and 6 mL/min. The breakthrough point evaluated for the optimised attribute of inlet concentration of 100 mg/L, packed adsorbent depth 4 cm and flow rate 4 mL/min was 1400 min and the maximum removal efficiency was 60.6%. A better insight of the adsorption of metal ions for large‐scale industrial effluents is provided.

Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) is used to quantify iron deposition in non-human primates in our study. Although QSM has many applications in detecting iron deposits in the human brain, including the distribution of iron deposits in specific brain regions, the change of iron deposition with aging, and the comparison of iron deposits between diseased groups and healthy controls, few studies have applied QSM to non-human primates, while most animal brain experiments focus on biochemical and anatomical results instead of non-invasive experiments. Additionally, brain imaging in children's research is difficult, but can be substituted using young rhesus monkeys, which are very similar to humans, as research animals. Therefore, understanding the relationship between iron deposition and age in rhesus macaques' brains can offer insights into both the developmental trajectory of magnetic susceptibility in the animal model and the correlated evidence in children's research. Twenty-three healthy rhesus macaque monkeys (23 ± 7.85 years, range 2-29 years) were included in this research. Seven regions of interest (ROIs-globus pallidus, substantia nigra, dentate nucleus, caudate nucleus, putamen, thalamus, red nucleus) have been analyzed in terms of QSM and R

Bi-metallic and tri-metallic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) supported on the magnetic activated carbon (MAC) were synthesized for the reduction of methylene blue (MB) concentration in the aqueous solutions. The adsorbent nanocomposites were characterized by applying the general tests including XRD, FTIR, FESEM, TEM, BET, and VSM. The XRD achievements demonstrated that crystalline structure of MOFs was derived on the MAC by the presented method. The core-shell morphology with nano-scale size of the magnetic carbonaceous MOFs was detected in TEM and FESEM micro-images. The acceptable magnetic strength of the prepared adsorbents was proved by using the VSM analysis. The important operating conditions including pH and temperature were also evaluated, while the other parameters were kept constant. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model was matched with the experimental data to show the kinetic behavior of the multi-component MOFs. The isotherm studies showed that the good agreement between the experimental data with both Langmuir model and the maximum capacities was calculated to be about 66.51 and 71.43 mg/g for the bi-metallic and tri-metallic nanocomposites, respectively. Regeneration experiments indicated that the fabricated adsorbents have an excellent reusing adsorption capacity which can be a proper selection for the industrial applications. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Bi-metallic and tri-metallic MOFs supported on the magnetic activated carbon were synthesized by the facile preparation method. Adsorption of methylene blue by using MOFs were successfully done. Nanocomposites were evaluated by XRD, FTIR, BET, FESEM, TEM, and VSM techniques. Maximum of adsorption capacity was observed for tri-metallic MOF as 71.43 mg/g.

Weighing paper-assisted magnetic ionic liquid headspace single-drop microextraction using microwave distillation followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was successfully developed to determine the essential oil components in lavender. The magnetic ionic liquid 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrachloroferrate was successfully synthesized and used as the optimal extraction solvent. An aliquot of 9 μL of magnetic ionic liquid could be stably suspended on the weighing paper for long time extraction. The increase of the extractant volume resulted in a significantly enhanced in extracting efficiency of the weighing paper-assisted magnetic ionic liquid headspace single-drop microextraction than traditional headspace single-drop microextraction method. In this experiment, the optimal conditions were 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrachloroferrate as the extraction solvent, extraction time of 12 min, microwave power of 600 W, cyclohexane as back-extractant and sample amount of 30 mg. The developed method was successfully applied to analyze 16 lavender samples from three different harvest years. A total of 39 compounds in lavender were identified and the principal component analysis provided a clear separation between those lavender samples harvested in different years. The results indicated that the proposed weighing paper-assisted magnetic ionic liquid headspace single-drop microextraction is a novel, fast, simple and sensitive microextration technique for the determination of the essential oil components in lavender.

Background and Objective Magnetic muscle stimulation (MMS) is a relatively new energy‐based technology that provides a non‐invasive option for body contouring through stimulation and toning of underlying skeletal muscles. This study was conducted to examine the safety, efficacy, and body satisfaction scores of MMS using a CoolToneTM prototype for the aesthetic improvement of abdominal and buttock contour. Study Design/Materials and Methods This was a prospective, non‐comparative, non‐randomized, 12‐week, multicenter study. Male and female participants aged 22‐65 years received 4 MMS treatment sessions to the abdomen and/or buttocks. Body Satisfaction Questionnaire (BSQ) scores for abdomen and/or buttocks were assessed at baseline, immediately post final treatment, at 4 weeks (primary endpoint), and 12 weeks post final treatment. Subject‐rated Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (SGAIS) was assessed at 4 weeks post final treatment (secondary endpoint), and 12 weeks post final treatment. Additional efficacy assessment included abdominal circumference obtained by 3D imaging at baseline, immediately post final treatment, and at 4 and 12 weeks post final treatment. A Subject Experience Questionnaire (SEQ) was used to assess treatment satisfaction and perspectives at 4 weeks and 12 weeks post final treatment. Adverse events (AEs) were monitored throughout the study. Results A total of 110 participants were recruited, who were 75% female, 80% Caucasian (mostly non‐Hispanic), average age of 39.5 years (range 22–59) with an average body mass index (BMI) of 23.3 kg/m2 (range 18–29.9). At the 4‐week post final treatment visit, the average BSQ score for participants receiving abdominal treatment (n = 93) was significantly improved with a 5.1 average increase in total score from baseline (possible score range 10–50) and by a 5.5 average increase from baseline for participants receiving buttocks treatment (n = 32) (p “Improved” was 68.1% for participants receiving treatment of the abdomen (n = 94), and 81.8% for those receiving buttocks treatment (n = 33). The mean total decrease from baseline in waist circumference was significant at all time points. At the 12‐week post final treatment visit, SEQ data revealed that a majority of participants were “Satisfied” or “Very Satisfied” with overall treatment results and “Agreed” or “Strongly Agreed” that they were motivated to maintain results either by working out or by additional treatment. A total of 6 AEs related to the device and/or treatment were reported, which resolved spontaneously during the study. Conclusion Treatment of the abdomen and/or buttocks with MMS was well‐tolerated and demonstrated significant improvement in aesthetic appearance through the 12‐week post final treatment study duration. As a stand‐alone treatment, MMS expands the range of options for individualized treatment planning for patients seeking abdominal and/or gluteal muscle toning. © 2020 The Authors. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Favipiravir is a potential antiviral medication that has been recently licensed for Covid-19 treatment. In this work, a gadolinium-based magnetic ionic liquid was prepared and used as an extractant in dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) of favipiravir in human plasma. The high enriching ability of DLLME allowed the determination of favipiravir in real samples using HPLC/UV with sufficient sensitivity. The effects of several variables on extraction efficiency were investigated, including type of extractant, amount of extractant, type of disperser and disperser volume. The maximum enrichment was attained using 50 mg of the Gd-magnetic ionic liquid (MIL) and 150 μl of tetrahydrofuran. The Gd-based MIL could form a supramolecular assembly in the presence of tetrahydrofuran, which enhanced the extraction efficiency of favipiravir. The developed method was validated according to US Food and Drug Administration bioanalytical method validation guidelines. The coefficient of determination was 0.9999, for a linear concentration range of 25 to 1.0 × 10

Nanoporosity, crystal structure, good thermal and mechanical stability, high surface-to-volume ratio, nanoscale cavities, and uniform pore topology have made metal-organic frameworks one of the best class of sorbents for adsorption/separation purposes. In this research, a metal-organic framework/polyaniline magnetite nanocomposite was synthesized and intercalated by polyaniline by electrophoretic deposition on the surface of a thin steel wire, to prepare a solid-phase microextraction fiber. It was coupled with gas chromatography-flame ionization detection and employed for the extraction and determination of aldehydes in biological samples. The magnetic nanocomposite was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the calibration curves were linear in the range of 0.01-1 and 0.1-1 µg/L for hexanal and heptanal, respectively. The limits of detections for hexanal and heptanal were 0.001 and 0.01 µg/L, respectively. Intrafiber repeatability for six replicate analyses of 0.2 µg/L of the analytes was over the range 3.5-7.1%. Interfiber (fiber-to-fiber) reproducibility, calculated by six replicate analyses of the same concentration using three different fibers, and was found to be 10.4-15.7%. The developed procedure was successfully utilized for the analysis of hexanal and heptanal in human plasma and urine samples.

Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are ubiquitous aquatic microorganisms that incorporate iron from their environment to synthesize intracellular nanoparticles of magnetite (Fe3 O4 ) or greigite (Fe3 S4 ) in a genetically controlled manner. Magnetite and greigite magnetic phases allow MTB to swim towards redox transition zones where they thrive. MTB may represent some of the oldest microorganisms capable of synthesizing minerals on Earth and have been proposed to significantly impact the iron biogeochemical cycle by immobilizing soluble iron into crystals that subsequently fossilize in sedimentary rocks. In the present article, we describe the distribution of MTB in the environment and discuss the possible function of the magnetite and greigite nanoparticles. We then provide an overview of the chemical mechanisms leading to iron mineralization in MTB. Finally, we update the methods used for the detection of MTB crystals in sedimentary rocks and present their occurrences in the geological record.

Introduction Kwakhurin (Kwa) is one of the unique isoflavonoids produced in Pueraria candollei var. mirifica (P. candollei), which has long been used as folk medicine for rejuvenation in Thailand. Recently, the use of P. candollei-derived products has widely spread among Japanese women for cosmetic purposes. Correspondingly, there has been an increase in the number of reports regarding possible health hazards caused by estrogenic activity inherent to the plant; thus, the need for a detailed evaluation of the phytoestrogen content of P. candollei-derived products has gained a sense of urgency in recent years. Objective This study aims to develop a rapid enzyme immunoassay that can be applied to the quantitative analysis of Kwa in P. candollei and its derived products. Material and method A rapid and sensitive immunoassay was developed with a combination of Kwa-specific monoclonal antibody (MAb 11F) and Kwa-magnetic particles (MPs) conjugates, which increased the surface area of the solid phase, resulting in a decrease in the immunoreaction time. Result This novel MPs-based enzyme immunoassay (MPs-EIA) was used to determine Kwa concentration in the range from 2.44 to 78.1 ng/mL with a limit of detection of 1.90 ng/mL. Validation analyses revealed that the proposed MPs-EIA protocol was sufficiently precise and accurate for effective quantitative analysis of Kwa in P. candollei and its derived products.

Magnetic dispersive solid-phase extraction followed by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was applied for the quantitative analysis of phenazopyridine in urinary samples. Magnetic dispersive solid-phase extraction was carried out using magnetic graphene oxide nanoparticles modified by poly(thiophene-pyrrole) copolymer. The eluting solvent of this step was used as the disperser solvent for the dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction procedure. To reach the maximum efficiency of the method, effective parameters including sorbent amount, adsorption time, type and volume of disperser and extraction solvents, pH of the sample solution, and ionic strength as well as desorption time, and approach were optimized, separately. Characterization of the synthesized sorbent was studied by utilizing infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Calibration curve was linear in the range of 0.5-250 ng/mL (R2 = 0.9988) with limits of detection and quantification of 0.1 and 0.5 ng/mL, respectively. Intra- and interday precisions (RSD%, n = 3) of the method were in the range of 4.6-5.4% and 4.0-5.5%, respectively, at three different concentration levels. Under the optimal condition, this method was successfully applied for the determination of phenazopyridine in human urine samples. The relative recoveries were obtained in the range of 85.0-89.0%.

A novel sorbent based on a mixture of magnetic functionalized graphene oxide and MOFs was developed to remove enrofloxacin (EFX) from water samples. The prepared sorbent was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectra, scanning electron microscope images, and X-ray powder diffraction pattern. The sorbent compositions were optimized by the mixture experimental design. Under the optimal condition, the percentages of each sorbent component, including triethylene tetramine-functionalized graphene oxide (FGO), Fe3 O4 , and MOF-5, were 40%, 21%, and 39%, respectively. Besides, the intraparticle diffusion and pseudo-second-order kinetic models can describe the EFX adsorption procedure because of two adsorption mechanisms of EFX on FGO and MOF-5. A positive standard enthalpy of 49.80 kJ/mol indicated the EFX adsorption is endothermic with a chemisorption process. The negative values of ΔGo obtained in the range of -8.979 to -3.431 kJ/mol at all studied temperatures showed that the adsorption process was also spontaneous. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were analyzed with the partition coefficient to reduce bias in the isotherm model evaluation. The maximum adsorption capacity of 344.83 mg/g and a high partition coefficient of 17.42 g/L in an initial EFX concentration of 10 mg/L were obtained for the EFX removal. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Magnetic functionalized graphene oxide @MOF-5 as a sorbent for the enrofloxacin removal is synthesized. The percentage amount of each component of the sorbent is optimized using the D-optimal mixture design. Adsorption mechanisms of enrofloxacin on magnetic functionalized graphene oxide @MOF-5 are discussed. Thermodynamic parameters for the enrofloxacin adsorption with the sorbents are determined. Isotherm model for the enrofloxacin removal with the sorbent is investigated.

Day-night cycle is the main zeitgeber (time giver) for biological circadian rhythms. Recently, it was suggested that natural diurnal geomagnetic variation may also be utilized by organisms for the synchronization of these rhythms. In this study, life-history traits in Daphnia magna were evaluated after short-term and multigenerational exposure to 16 h day/8 h night cycle, 32 h day/16 h night cycle, diurnal geomagnetic variation of 24 h, simulated magnetic variation of 48 h, and combinations of these conditions. With short-term exposure, the lighting mode substantially influenced the brood to brood period and the lifespan in daphnids. The brood to brood period, brood size, and body length of crustaceans similarly depended on the lighting mode during the multigenerational exposure. At the same time, an interaction of lighting mode and magnetic variations affected to a lesser extent brood to brood period, brood size, and newborn's body length. The influence of simulated diurnal variation on life-history traits in daphnids appeared distinctly as effects of synchronization between periods of lighting mode and magnetic variations during the multigenerational exposure. Newborn's body length significantly depended on the lighting regime when the periods of both studied zeitgebers were unsynchronized, or on the interaction of light regime with magnetic variations when the periods were synchronized. These results confirm the hypothesis that diurnal geomagnetic variation is an additional zeitgeber for biological circadian rhythms. Possible mechanisms for these observed effects are discussed. Bioelectromagnetics. © 2020 Bioelectromagnetics Society.

In this work, a novel extraction technique based on the effervescence-assisted dispersion and magnetic recovery of attapulgite/polypyrrole sorbents was developed for determining the concentrations of five pyrethroids in honey samples. The magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized by a one-pot method. Several experimental parameters that affected the extraction efficiency, including the dispersion conditions, pH, ionic strength, and desorption conditions, were investigated. Under optimal conditions, the calibration curves for the five pyrethroids in honey samples exhibited good linearity, with r2 values ranging from 0.9979 to 0.9990. The limits of detection varied between 0.21 and 0.34 µg/L. Satisfactory recoveries of 81.42-106.73% with intra- and interday relative standard deviations of less than 6.94 and 10.89%, respectively, were obtained. Moreover, the sorbents exhibited acceptable batch-to-batch repeatability in the range of 5.06-15.01%, and each sorbent could be reused for up to four extraction cycles without a significant loss in the extraction recovery.

A novel approach is presented to determine four bisphenols in water and urine samples, employing magnetic dispersive solid‐phase extraction combined with liquid chromatography and diode array detection. A modified zeolite‐based magnetic composite was used as an efficient sorbent, combining the advantages of magnetic materials with the remarkable properties of zeolites. A multivariate optimization design was employed to optimize some experimental factors affecting magnetic dispersive solid‐phase extraction. The method was evaluated under optimized conditions (i.e., amount of sorbent, 50 mg; sample pH, unadjusted; NaCl concentration, 1.25%; extraction and elution time, 2 min; eluent solvent, ethanol; eluent solvent volume, 400 µL), obtaining good linearity with correlation coefficients ranging between 0.995 and 0.999 (N = 5) (from 2 to 250 µg/L for bisphenol A, bisphenol AP, and bisphenol P and from 5 to 250 µg/L for bisphenol AF). Method repeatability was assessed obtaining coefficients of variation between 3 and 11% (n = 6). Finally, the method was applied to spiked real samples, obtaining for water samples relative recoveries between 83 and 105%, and for urine samples between 81 and 108% for bisphenol A, bisphenol AP, and bisphenol AF, and between 47 and 59% for bisphenol P. The authors would like to thank the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and European Union (FEDER funds) (project no. CTQ2016-79991-R) and Generalitat Valenciana (Spain) (project no. PROMETEO/2018/087) for the financial support. P. Baile also thanks Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports for her FPU grant (FPU14/04589).

Multidrug resistance is recognized as one of the main reasons leading to the failure of chemotherapy. Studies have shown that glutathione S-transferase inhibitors could be regarded as multidrug resistance reversal agents. Herein, a method of applying enzyme immobilization, molecular docking, and high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry was employed to screen glutathione S-transferase inhibitors from natural products. Magnetic mesoporous silica microspheres were synthesized and modified with a poly(dopamine) layer, which has a large quantity of amino, enabling further non-covalent binding with glutathione S-transferase. Moreover, the immobilization conditions, namely, potential of hydrogen, catalase concentration, reaction temperature and reaction time, were optimized. In total, six potential compounds were isolated and identified from Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt leaves and green tea and molecular docking was applied to identify the binding site. Rosmarinic acid, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate and (-)-epicatechin-3-gallate showed higher binding affinity than the compounds, and their half maximal inhibitory concentration values were further determined. The results suggested that this proposed method was effective and convenient for identifying glutathione S-transferase inhibitors from natural products.

Here, magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers were designed for norfloxacin via oil-in-water emulsifier-free emulsion method. It was prepared by simply mixing norfloxacin, methacrylic acid-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate copolymer, and Fe3 O4 together at room temperature. Characterized by multiple analytical tools, the particle size, pore size, pore volume, specific surface area, and saturation magnetization of the product were about 30 µm, 10-500 nm, 2.92 mL/g, 105.84 m2 /g, and 3.052 emu/g, respectively. And the adsorption capacity was high at 27.04 mg/g towards norfloxacin. Combined with ultra high performance liquid chromatography, it was used to determine norfloxacin in real samples. Average recoveries were above 77.44% with relative standard deviations between 1.21 and 6.85% at three spiked levels (n = 3) for lake water and pork liver. The determination was achieved for the most complex biosample pork liver spiked with norfloxacin low to 30 ng/g, about 100 times less than the maximum residue limit regulated by Commission of the European Communities. All evidences demonstrated that the magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers can be used in practice for monitoring norfloxacin either in environmental water or meat product with high accuracy and reliability.

PURPOSE The fringe field of the Australian MRI-linac causes contaminant electrons to be focused along the central axis resulting in a high surface dose. This work aims to characterize this effect using Gafchromic film and high-resolution detectors, MOSkinTM and microDiamond. The secondary aim is to investigate the influence of the inline magnetic field on the relative dose response of these detectors. METHODS The Australian MRI-linac has the unique feature that the linac is mounted on rails allowing for measurements to be performed at different magnetic field strengths while maintaining a constant source-to-surface distance (SSD). Percentage depth doses (PDD) were collected at SSD 1.82 m in a solid water phantom positioned in a low magnetic field region and then at isocenter of the MRI where the magnetic field is 1 T. Measurements for a range of field sizes were taken with the MOSkinTM , microDiamond, and Gafchromic® EBT3 film. The detectors' relative responses at 1 T were compared to the near 0 T PDD beyond the region of electron contamination, that is, 20 mm depth. The near surface measurements inside the MRI bore were compared among the different detectors. RESULTS Skin dose in the MRI, as measured with the MOSkinTM , was 104.5% for 2.1 × 1.9 cm2 , 185.6% for 6.1 × 5.8 cm2 , 369.1% for 11.8 × 11.5 cm2 , and 711.1% for 23.5 × 23 cm2 . The detector measurements beyond the electron contamination region showed agreement between the relative response at 1 T and near 0 T. Film was in agreement with both detectors in this region further demonstrating their relative response is unaffected by the magnetic field. CONCLUSIONS Experimental characterization of the high electron contamination at the surface was performed for a range of field sizes. The relative response of MOSkinTM and microDiamond detectors, beyond the electron contamination region, were confirmed to be unaffected by the 1-T inline magnetic field.

BACKGROUND: Ingestible wireless capsules, including the 3D-transit magnetic capsule and the wireless motility capsule (WMC), describe gastrointestinal (GI) motility from changes in position or pressure. This study aimed to combine information on contractile events in terms of position (assessed with the 3D-transit) and change in pressure (assessed with the WMC) throughout the entire GI tract.METHODS: The 3D-transit capsule and WMC were combined into a single-wireless unit system. Three-dimensional space-time coordinates, pressure, and pH data from a pilot case were analyzed as the combined unit passed the GI tract. Two single and three continuous contraction patterns were defined according to pressure changes and quantified through the GI tract.KEY RESULTS: The combined unit was well tolerated and provided information on contractions throughout the gut. Single contraction patterns with no significant progressive movement of the unit were most prevalent in the stomach and the rectosigmoid colon. During the continuous contraction patterns, the unit moved in an antegrade or retrograde direction. Longer distance and higher velocity were seen during antegrade than during retrograde movements. The motility indices (as measured with WMC) in combined ascending, transverse and descending colon showed a positive linear association (r = 0.7) to the capsule movements (as measured with 3D-transit).CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: The combined system provides synchronous information about movements and gut contractions. These measurements can be used to extract more information from existing recordings and may enhance our understanding of GI motility in health and disease.

Playing a great role in human physiologies and pathologies, carbonyl metabolites are intimately associated with a variety of diseases, though the effective analysis method of them remains a challenge. A hydrazide-terminated polyurea-modified magnetic particle (HPMP) with versatile probes is developed to address this issue. The capture ability of HPMPs for carbonyl metabolite is more than 1200 µmol g

An integrated trapped device (ITD) capable of removal of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can assuage or even prevent metastasis. However, adhesion repertoires are ordinarily neglected in the design of ITDs, possibly leading to the omission of highly metastatic CTC and treatment failure. Here a vascular-like ITD with adhesive sites and wireless magnetothermal response to remove highly metastatic CTC in vivo is presented. Such a vascular-like ITD comprises circumferential well-aligned fibers and artificial adhesion repertoires and is optimized for magnetothermal integration. Continuous and repeated capture in a dynamic environment increases capture efficiency over time. Meanwhile, the heat generation of the ITD leads to the capture of CTC death owing to cell heat sensitivity. Furthermore, the constructed bioinspired ultrastructure of the ITD prevents vascular blockage and induces potential vascular regeneration. Overall, this work defines an extendable strategy for constructing adhesion repertoires against intravascular shear forces, provides a vascular-like ITD for reducing CTC counts, and is expected to alleviate the risk of cancer recurrence.

The central cells of solid tumors are more proliferative and metastatic than the marginal cells. Therefore, more intelligent strategies for targeting cells with deep spatial distributions in solid tumors remain to be explored. In this work, a biocompatible nanotheranostic agent with a lipid membrane-coated, Fe