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Essential oils (EOs) are known to have varying degrees of antimicrobial properties that are mainly due to the presence of bioactive compounds. These include antiviral, nematicidal, antifungal, insecticidal and antioxidant properties. This review highlights the potential of EOs and their compounds for application as antifungal agents for the treatment of skin diseases via conventional and nonconventional approaches. A search was conducted using three databases (Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar), and all relevant articles from the period of 2010–2020 that are freely available in English were extracted. In our findings, EOs with a high percentage of monoterpenes showed strong ability as potential antifungal agents. Lavandula sp., Salvia sp., Thymus sp., Citrus sp., and Cymbopogon sp. were among the various species found to show excellent antifungal properties against various skin diseases. Some researchers developed advanced formulations such as gel, semi-solid, and ointment bases to further evaluate the effectiveness of EOs as antifungal agents. To date, most studies on the application of EOs as antifungal agents were performed using in vitro techniques, and only a limited number pursued in vivo and intervention-based research.

Despite the improvements in life expectancy, neurodegenerative conditions have arguably become the most dreaded maladies of older people. The neuroprotective and anti-ageing potentials of essential oils (EOs) are widely evaluated around the globe. The objective of this review is to analyse the effectiveness of EOs as neuroprotective remedies among the four common age-related neurodegenerative diseases. The literature was extracted from three databases (PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar) between the years of 2010 to 2020 using the medical subject heading (MeSH) terms “essential oil”, crossed with “Alzheimer’s disease (AD)”, “Huntington’s disease (HD)”, “Parkinson’s disease (PD)” or “amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)”. Eighty three percent (83%) of the studies were focused on AD, while another 12% focused on PD. No classifiable study was recorded on HD or ALS. EO from Salvia officinalis has been recorded as one of the most effective acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors. However, only Cinnamomum sp. has been assessed for its effectiveness in both AD and PD. Our review provided useful evidence on EOs as potential neuroprotective remedies for age-related neurodegenerative diseases.

Consumer psychology has been proven to have an essential influence on aesthetic preferences. Previous research on aesthetics focused on long-lasting product categories and was conducted at a single level. However, aesthetics is multidimensional, which has been overlooked. Our research is based on the unified model of aesthetics (UMA), which aims to investigate the unique contributions of the perceptual (unity, variety), cognitive (typicality, novelty), and social (connectedness, autonomy) levels to aesthetic preferences for packaging designs. The studies used soft drink packaging from the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) category as stimuli, and Chinese participants evaluated the packaging on a 7-point Likert scale. Study 1 shows that people gravitate toward safety over accomplishment and that connectedness, typicality, and unity are the main determinants of aesthetic pleasure. Study 2 added two scenarios: for “going to a very formal meeting,” stimuli with unity, typicality, and connectedness could best induce aesthetic pleasure. For “going to a good friend’s rave party,” the novelty, autonomy, and variety of designs were the most pleasing. Furthermore, two studies showed that for the overall stimulus, unity consistently evoked more positive aesthetic preferences than variety. Overall, this research provides new insights into aesthetic influences at the perceptual, cognitive, and social levels in soft drink packaging and offers new perspectives on aesthetic preferences for new product development.

In the light of the abundance of various analgesic methods available for analgesia following modified radical mastectomy (MRM) (pharmacological or interventional), we aimed to try a very simple technique using a drug combination (ketamine-bupivacaine) through wound instillation and to compare it to the reputable PECS-II block using the same drug combination. We hypothesized that, with this drug combination, local instillation may achieve a comparable, long lasting, analgesia for almost 48 hours, with less costly, and simple method. Sixty women scheduled to undergo MRM participated in this study. Patients were randomized to have either; ultrasound-guided, modified PECS block (PECS group), or instillation of analgesics into the surgical wound (local instillation group). In both groups, we used 1 mg/kg ketamine HCL plus 0.25% bupivacaine HCL in a 30 mL volume. Total consumption of rescue morphine, time to 1 analgesic request, numerical rating scale (NRS), hemodynamic effects were recorded over 48 hours postoperatively. In addition, the time required to perform either technique and possible side effects were recorded. Total consumption of rescue morphine, first analgesic request, pain scores, showed no statistically significant differences in both groups; the local instillation procedure required a statistically significant shorter time to perform than the PECS procedure. None of the groups showed significant differences in the incidence of adverse effects. Local wound instillation provided a comparable analgesia to PECS-II block following modified radical mastectomy. Ketamine-bupivacaine combination prolonged analgesia for almost 2 days.

The plasminogen system is a critical proteolytic system responsible for the remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM). The master regulator of the plasminogen system, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), has been implicated for its role in exacerbating various disease states not only through the accumulation of ECM (i.e., fibrosis) but also its role in altering cell fate/behaviour. Examination of PAI-1 has extended through various tissues and cell-types with recent investigations showing its presence in skeletal muscle. In skeletal muscle, the role of this protein has been implicated throughout the regeneration process, and in skeletal muscle pathologies (muscular dystrophy, diabetes, and aging-driven pathology). Needless to say, the complete function of this protein in skeletal muscle has yet to be fully elucidated. Given the importance of skeletal muscle in maintaining overall health and quality of life, it is critical to understand the alterations—particularly in PAI-1—that occur to negatively impact this organ. Thus, we provide a comprehensive review of the importance of PAI-1 in skeletal muscle health and function. We aim to shed light on the relevance of this protein in skeletal muscle and propose potential therapeutic approaches to aid in the maintenance of skeletal muscle health.

Background: Breast surgery is an exceedingly common procedure with an increased incidence of acute and chronic pain. Pectoral nerve block is a novel peripheral nerve block alternative to neuro-axial and paravertebral blocks for ambulatory breast surgeries. Objectives: This study aims to compare the analgesic efficacy and safety of modified Pecs block with ketamine plus bupivacaine versus bupivacaine in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery. Study Design: A randomized, double-blind, prospective study. Setting: Academic medical center. Methods: This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov under number: (NCT02620371) after approval by the ethics committee of South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assuit University, Assuit, Egypt. Sixty patients aged 18 – 60 years scheduled for modified radical mastectomy were enrolled and randomly assigned into 2 groups (30 patients each): Control group patients were given ultrasound-guided, Pecs block with 30 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine only. Ketamine group patients were given ultrasound-guided, Pecs block with 30 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine plus ketamine hydrochloride (1 mg/kg). Patients were followed up for 48 hours postoperatively for vital signs, VAS score, first request of rescue analgesia and total morphine consumption, sedation score, and side effects. Results: Ketamine plus bupivacaine in Pecs block compared to bupivacaine alone prolonged the mean time of first request of analgesia (18.25 ± 1.98), (12.56 ± 2.64), respectively (P < 0.001), reduced total morphine consumption (12.50 ± 4.63), (18.86 ± 6.28), respectively (P = 0.016). With no significant difference in hemodynamics, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, VAS and sedation scores, and side effects observed between the 2 groups (P > 0.05). Limitations: This study is limited by its sample size. Conclusion: The addition of ketamine to modified Pecs block prolonged the time to first request of analgesia and reduced total opioid consumption without serious side effects in patients who underwent a modified radical mastectomy. Key words: Ketamine, bupivacaine, pecs block, postoperative, pain, breast cancer

Furniture design plays a crucial role in the development and promotion development of culture. The rising spiritual needs of furniture users have opened up new opportunities and challenges for culturally oriented furniture design. However, there need to be more review articles in this field. To address this gap, the researcher utilized ATLAS.ti 23 software to conduct a thematic review of 29 literature sources on culture-related furniture design published between 2013 and 2022. Through thematic analysis, we identified four main themes: furniture design methods, cultural resources, human-centered design, and sustainable development. The study argues that while integrating cultural elements in furniture design remains the predominant strategy, the focus of artistic research is gradually shifting from protection to broader promotion and development. Additionally, the study highlights the growing emphasis on users' cultural preferences and the emerging utilization of new technologies in furniture design. This research provides valuable insights for scholars and designers interested in cultural advancements and trends in furniture design. In an era increasingly attentive to cultural diversity, furniture design is not just an embodiment of living aesthetics, but also a vital pathway for cultural heritage and innovation. Our study, examining 29 literature sources from the past decade, delves into how furniture design intertwines with culture. We found that furniture design is evolving from mere integration of cultural elements to a comprehensive consideration of users' cultural preferences and sustainable development. This research offers designers innovative ideas for blending traditional culture with modern design, while also revealing to the general public the deeper cultural significance behind furniture design. With technological advancements, we also observe new technologies breathing fresh life into traditional furniture. The insights from this study serve as an inspiration for those interested in cultural evolution and trends in furniture design. This research is a part of a broader investigation into how cultural elements influence contemporary design practices. The authors used ATLAS.ti 23 software to conduct a detailed thematic review of 29 culturally relevant academic articles on furniture design spanning a 10-year period. Key activities included identifying recurring themes, analyzing the evolution of design methodologies, and understanding the integration of cultural aspects in furniture design. This study contributes to a wider project that aims to bridge traditional cultural heritage with modern design needs. It emphasizes the growing significance of user-centred design concept and sustainable practices in the context of cultural heritage. The insights gained here extend beyond furniture design, offering a framework for exploring cultural influences in various design fields. This research aligns with contemporary issues of cultural preservation and technological integration in design, reflecting a global shift towards more culturally responsive and sustainable design practices.

Jadeite jade, renowned for its unique texture and cultural significance, stands as the epitome of jade varieties, embodying the latest evolution of China's jade culture. This research endeavors to establish an AI model for precisely screening jadeite quality, employing deep learning techniques to revolutionize jadeite design and detection. The objective is to provide jewelry companies, designers, and customers with an unbiased means of grading and evaluating jadeite quality. We have meticulously curated a database of jadeite images, applied preprocessing techniques, and have harnessed convolutional neural networks (CNN) for feature extraction. The outcomes were promising, with the model achieving notable performance indicators: an accuracy rate of approximately 84.75%, a recall rate of about 84.94%, and an F1 score of roughly 73.76% in jade image classification tasks. These results underscore the model's effectiveness in the assessment of jadeite quality. Incorporating computer-aided technology into jadeite screening foreshadows a transformative era where artificial intelligence seamlessly integrates with traditional jade carving design, signifying a pivotal shift in the industry's landscape.

Through the specific identification and direct targeting of cancer stem cells (CSCs), it is believed that a better treatment efficacy of cancer may be achieved. Hence, the present study aimed to identify a CSC subpopulation from adenocarcinoma cells (A549) as a model of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Initially, we sorted two subpopulations known as the triple-positive (EpCAM+/CD166+/CD44+) and triple-negative (EpCAM−/CD166−/CD44−) subpopulation using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Sorted cells were subsequently evaluated for proliferation and chemotherapy-resistance using a viability assay and were further characterized for their clonal heterogeneity, self-renewal characteristics, cellular migration, alkaline dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity and the expression of stemness-related genes. According to our findings the triple-positive subpopulation revealed significantly higher (P<0.01) proliferation activity, exhibited better clonogenicity, was mostly comprised of holoclones and had markedly bigger (P<0.001) spheroid formation indicating a better self-renewal capacity. A relatively higher resistance to both 5-fluouracil and cisplatin with 80% expression of ALDH was observed in the triple-positive subpopulation, compared to only 67% detected in the triple-negative subpopulation indicated that high ALDH activity contributed to greater chemotherapy-resistance characteristics. Higher percentage of migrated cells was observed in the triple-positive subpopulation with 56% cellular migration being detected, compared to only 19% in the triple-negative subpopulation on day 2. This was similarly observed on day 3 in the triple-positive subpopulation with 36% higher cellular migration compared to the triple-negative subpopulation. Consistently, elevated levels of the stem cell genes such as REX1 and SSEA4 were also found in the triple-positive subpopulation indicating that the subpopulation displayed a strong characteristic of pluripotency. In conclusion, our study revealed that the triple-positive subpopulation demonstrated similar characteristics to CSCs compared to the triple-negative subpopulation. It also confirmed the feasibility of using the triple-positive (EpCAM+/CD166+/CD44+) marker as a novel candidate marker that may lead to the development of novel therapies targeting CSCs of NSCLC.