This study aimed to identify the sexual information requirements and related factors according to gender to improve sexual health in cancer patients. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 687 cancer patients from a single cancer center in Korea completed a self-reported questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to compare the sexual information requirements and related factors among cancer patients. The results showed that male cancer patients had higher demands for sexual information than female cancer patients (t = 27.11, p less then 0.001). Men appeared to have a greater need than women in the need for sexual information (t = 30.41, p less then 0.001) and professional sexual intervention (t = 21.97, p less then 0.001). Regarding sexual information needs, income (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.73) was a significant factor in men. In women, age (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.86), alcohol consumption (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.12-3.16), and chemotherapy (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.12-3.12) were significant factors. Significant differences in the overall sexual information needs and related factors were observed between male and female cancer patients. Therefore, a strategy needs to be established to improve the sexual health of cancer patients considering gender differences.The alkaline milieu of chronic wounds severely impairs the therapeutic effect of antibiotics, such as rifampicin; as such, the development of new drugs, or the smart delivery of existing drugs, is required. Herein, two innovative polyelectrolyte nanoparticles (PENs), composed of an amphiphilic chitosan core and a polycationic shell, were synthesized at alkaline pH, and in vitro performances were assessed by 1H NMR, elemental analysis, FT-IR, XRD, DSC, DLS, SEM, TEM, UV/Vis spectrophotometry, and HPLC. According to the results, the nanostructures exhibited different morphologies but similar physicochemical properties and release profiles. It was also hypothesized that the simultaneous use of the nanosystem and an antioxidant could be therapeutically beneficial. Therefore, the simultaneous effects of ascorbic acid and PENs were evaluated on the release profile and degradation of rifampicin, in which the results confirmed their synergistic protective effect at pH 8.5, as opposed to pH 7.4. Overall, this study highlighted the benefits of nanoparticulate development in the presence of antioxidants, at alkaline pH, as an efficient approach for decreasing rifampicin degradation.The use of phase change materials (PCMs) is an attractive method for energy storage and utilization in building envelopes. Here, shape-stabilized phase change materials (SS-PCMs) were prepared via direct adsorption using mesoporous silica (MS) with different pore diameters as the support matrix. The leakage properties, microstructure, chemical structure, thermophysical properties, activation energy, thermal stability and thermal storage-release characteristics of paraffin and SS-PCMs were investigated. The results show that the maximum mass proportion of paraffin in SS-PCMs is 70% when the average pore diameter of mesoporous silica is 15 nm, and the phase change temperature and latent heat of the corresponding SS-PCM are 23.6 °C and 135.4 kJ/kg, respectively. No chemical reaction occurs between mesoporous silica and paraffin and the SS-PCMs exhibit high thermal stability. The high activation energy of the paraffin (70%)/MS1 SS-PCM verifies that the shape and thermal properties can be maintained stably during phase change conversions. The time required for SS-PCMs to complete the thermal storage and release process is reduced by up to 34.0% compared with that for pure paraffin, showing a decline in the thermal conductivity of SS-PCMs after the addition of mesoporous silica. Hence, the prepared paraffin/MS SS-PCMs, in particular paraffin (70%)/MS1 SS-PCM, can be used for storing thermal energy and regulating indoor temperature in buildings.Leishmaniasis is one of the deadliest neglected tropical diseases affecting 12-15 million people worldwide, especially in middle- and low-income countries. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of the disease is important for its adequate management and treatment. Several techniques are available for the diagnosis of leishmaniasis. Among these, parasitological and immunological tests are most widely used. However, in most cases, the utilized diagnostic techniques are not good enough, showing cross-reactivity and reduced accuracy. In recent years, many new methods have been reported with potential for improved diagnosis. This review focuses on the diagnosis of Leishmania exploring the biosensors and nanotechnology-based options for their detection. New developments including the use of nanomaterials as fluorophores, fluorescence quenchers as reducing agents and as dendrimers for signal improvement and amplification, together with the use of aptamers to replace antibodies are described. Future research opportunities to overcome the current limitations on the available diagnostic approaches are also discussed.This study assessed three commercially available cell-free DNA (cfDNA) extraction kits and the impact of a PEG-based DNA cleanup procedure (DNApure) on cfDNA quality and yield. Six normal donor urine and plasma samples and specimens from four pregnant (PG) women carrying male fetuses underwent extractions with the JBS cfDNA extraction kit (kit J), MagMAX Cell-Free DNA Extraction kit (kit M), and QIAamp Circulating Nucleic Acid Kit (kit Q). Recovery of a PCR product spike-in, endogenous TP53, and Y-chromosome DNA was used to assess kit performance. Nucleosomal-sized DNA profiles varied among the kits, with prominent multi-nucleosomal-sized peaks present in urine and plasma DNA isolated by kits J and M only. Kit J recovered significantly more spike-in DNA than did kits M or Q (p less then 0.001) from urine, and similar amounts from plasma (p = 0.12). Applying DNApure to kit M- and Q-isolated DNA significantly improved the amplification efficiency of spike-in DNA from urine (p less then 0.001) and plasma (p ≤ 0.013). Furthermore, kit J isolated significantly more Y-chromosome DNA from PG urine compared to kit Q (p = 0.05). https://www.selleckchem.com/products/necrosulfonamide.html We demonstrate that DNApure can provide an efficient means of improving the yield and purity of cfDNA and minimize the effects of pre-analytical biospecimen variability on liquid biopsy assay performance.