The Denture Mycofilm Plaque: A Literature Review

Denture mycofilms (DMs) are complex, structured microbial communities that develop on removable dental prostheses and shape the oral microbiota of denture wearers. Up to three-quarters of individuals wearing removable dentures may develop denture stomatitis (DS), a highly prevalent inflammatory condition of the oral mucosa. Candida species are detected in approximately 70–80% of DS cases, supporting the concept of DS as a denture-associated oral candidiasis. The denture “mycofilm” is a polymicrobial network—dominated by bacterial and fungal taxa—embedded in an extracellular matrix. In the absence of effective denture hygiene, prostheses constitute a reservoir of microorganisms and may promote chronic or latent infection, particularly in vulnerable patients. Metagenomic studies of denture-associated biofilms in DS reveal a multi-kingdom community with strong bacterial–fungal interrelationships. Reported eukaryotic genera include Candida (including Nakaseomyces/Candida glabrata), Saccharomyces, and Malassezia, among others. Because DMs are located at the interface between an abiotic surface (the denture) and a biotic surface (the mucosa), they are exposed to repeated compressive and shear forces during mastication. Their viscoelastic properties, together with saliva-mediated viscosity, facilitate spreading, mechanical resilience, and persistence. Despite mechanical and chemical cleaning procedures, denture mycofilms may persist due to their architecture, composition, and adaptive mechanical behavior. These properties should be considered when designing preventive and therapeutic strategies for denture stomatitis, while accounting for patient-related systemic risk factors.

Starch-Based Edible Coatings for Sustainable Food Packaging: A Comprehensive Review

The demand for sustainable, biodegradable alternatives in the food industry has increased globally due to the growing environmental impact of plastic packaging. Due to their outstanding film-forming qualities, safety, affordability, and renewability, starch-based edible coatings have become a promising solution. This article offers a thorough overview of starch-based edible coatings, including formulation strategies, coating application techniques, chemical modification methods, and sources of starch. A critical review is conducted of the functional aspects of starch coatings, such as barrier qualities, mechanical behavior, biodegradability, and compatibility with active additives like antimicrobials, antioxidants, and nanoparticles. Applications across a variety of food systems, including fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood, dairy, bakery, and confectionery products, demonstrate the ability of starch coatings to reduce moisture loss, delay oxidative and microbial spoilage, and extend shelf life. Advancements in nanocomposite films, intelligent pH-sensitive systems, and starch-polymer blends highlight emerging opportunities for next-generation active and smart packaging. Despite their potential, commercial adoption is hindered by factors like moisture sensitivity, limited mechanical strength, and scale-up barriers. The review also emphasizes the need for optimized modification methods, green processing technologies, and improved cost-effectiveness to enhance industrial applicability.

Global Perspectives on Ecohydrology and River Connectivity with a Summary and Outlook of the Fish Passage 2025 International Conference

Three New Synthetic Algal Culture Media to Grow Them All ^†

Three new synthetic algal culture media are described that have been used to cultivate ~12,000 diverse strains of (micro)algae, one culture medium for marine and brackish-water algae (ASP-MEL (Artificial Seawater Provasoli-MELKONIAN)), and two culture media for freshwater/terrestrial algae (SFM (Synthetic Freshwater Medium) and W-MEL (Waris-MELKONIAN)). The genesis of the three media since their original formulation and the rationale for modifications of these media over the past 50 years are outlined. A complex trace element mix derived from an enriched natural seawater culture medium (L1) is used in all three media, and allows the omission of soil water extract from one freshwater culture medium (W-MEL). It is suggested that the inclusion of selenite renders soil extract in algal culture media superfluous. Prospects and limitations of the three synthetic algal culture media as general-purpose media for large collections are discussed.

Attitudes to Aging and Emotional Well-Being Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic in China: The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation

Attitudes to aging exert impacts on emotional well-being, yet the underlying psychological mechanisms and their stability across middle and older adulthood remain insufficiently understood. Based on the dual-factor model of mental health and the constructivist theory of emotional aging, this study aimed to: (1) examine the mediating role of emotion regulation in the relationship between aging attitudes and emotional well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) test the cross-age consistency of this mediating mechanism between middle-aged and older adults. Middle-aged and older residents (N = 653) participated in this study from 22 April to 24 April 2020. Participants completed questionnaires to assess their attitudes to aging, the use of emotion regulation strategies, and their levels of emotional well-being. Mediation roles and confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a bootstrap resampling method. Results showed that (1) Older adults exhibited slightly higher negative attitudes to aging, calmness, and boredom than the middle-aged group. They also used rumination, distraction, and social sharing strategies a little more frequently than middle-aged adults. (2) Full-sample mediation analyses indicated that positive aging attitudes were positively associated with positive affect through adaptive emotion regulation, and negative aging attitudes were positively associated with negative affect through maladaptive emotion regulation. (3) Moderated mediation analyses revealed that age group or age did not significantly moderate either mediating pathway. The mediating effect of emotion regulation on the relationship between aging attitudes and emotional well-being appeared stable across the two age groups. These findings support the constructionist approach to emotional aging. Interventions for successful aging should consider cultivating positive aging attitudes and adaptive emotion regulation, as these approaches are potentially both valuable for middle-aged and older adults.

In Vitro Bulb‑Scale Propagation of Lilium leichtlinii var. maximowiczii for Urban Landscaping

This study was conducted to establish an efficient in vitro mass-propagation system for the Korean native bulbous plant Lilium leichtlinii var. maximowiczii and to lay the foundation for supplying the produced bulbs for use in flowerbeds. Although this species is a promising native bulbous lily for urban flowerbeds, its use has been limited by the lack of an efficient system for large-scale propagation. L. leichtlinii var. maximowiczii is distributed in the northern part of Gyeonggi-do, Gangwon-do, and the eastern region of Gyeongsangbuk-do in South Korea, and is a native lily species with very high ornamental value. Among the tested disinfection protocols, a 0.1% (w/v) benomyl solution pretreatment for 1 h, followed by 70% (v/v) ethanol (EtOH) for 30 s and sequential surface sterilization in 1% (v/v) sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) for 20 min and 2% (v/v) NaOCl for 10 min, was the most effective for in vitro introduction of bulb scales. As a result of bulblet induction using combinations of plant growth regulators, the medium containing 2.2 µM BAP + 5.7 µM IAA produced the highest number of bulblets (2.5 ± 0.12 per survived explant; total 38), followed by 4.4 µM BAP + 2.7 µM NAA (2.0 ± 0.00 per survived explant; total 24). Following a total culture period consisting of introduction (3 weeks), formation (3 weeks), and expansion (7 weeks), the regenerated plantlets were acclimatized for 1 week without mortality. These results revealed distinct roles for different plant growth regulators (PGRs) combinations in the regeneration process. The medium supplemented with BAP + IAA was optimal for initial bulblet induction, yielding the highest proliferation efficiency. The in vitro propagation technique established in this study is expected to provide a practical technical basis for the nursery production of uniform L. leichtlinii var. maximowiczii plantlets and to promote their wider use as native flowerbed plants.

Towards an Integrated Future: Examining Water, Climate, and Gender Dynamics for Sustainable Development in Kenya

Kenya’s sustainable development is increasingly shaped by climate variability and climate change, which affect both the availability and quality of water resources. Existing research shows that these impacts are often gendered, particularly where women and girls hold primary household responsibilities for water collection and water-related care work. Literature also indicates that impacts differ substantially by location (arid versus highland versus informal urban settlements), livelihood system (pastoral versus agro-pastoral versus peri-urban), socio-economic status, and age. This study presents a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature examining how water stress, climate pressures, and gender dynamics intersect in Kenya. Three recurring themes emerge: first, climate change makes water supplies less safe, more expensive, and harder to predict. Second, social and political structures dictate who suffers most from these changes. Third, while women drive local climate adaptation and advocacy, they still lack a consistent voice in formal decision-making. The study concludes by identifying points of agreement and disagreement in current literature, while highlighting remaining evidence gaps regarding the shifting dynamics of climate, water, and gender relations in Kenya.

Quartz-Based Castables with Calcium Silicate Cement as Binder-Mineralizer: Replacing Shaped Product for Large-Scale Fabrication

To meet the demand for intelligent masonry of large-sized silica bricks, calcium silicate cement synthesized from high-purity nano CaCO₃ and microsilica was used as both binder and mineralizer in quartz-based castables. The effects of cement content (3−5 wt%) on performance were systematically investigated. With optimal retarder (0.015% citric acid monohydrate), the samples achieved early flexural and compressive strengths of 1.30 MPa and 7.0 MPa, respectively, after 24 h curing. During firing at 1430 °C for 20 h, CaO from cement effectively promoted quartz transformation to tridymite. Compared to conventional silica bricks, castables with 5% cement showed residual quartz below 1%, lower apparent porosity, over 2.5−fold higher cold crushing strength, comparable high-temperature creep, and superior refractoriness under load. This study demonstrates the dual gelling and mineralizing role of calcium silicate cement, offering a feasible route for producing large-sized quartz-based precast components.

Integrated GIS–MCDA (AHP) Framework for Groundwater Potential Mapping in Humid, Structurally Complex Watersheds

Mapping the potential of groundwater is important for managing water resources in a way that will last, especially when the climate changes, land use changes, and water demand rise. This study examines the integration of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) methodologies, focusing on the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), and illustrates their implementation in the Fork Fish Creek watershed, a humid Appalachian headwater basin in West Virginia, USA. Although GIS–AHP methodologies are extensively utilized in semi-arid areas, their efficacy in humid, structurally intricate mountainous environments is still inadequately investigated. Using expert-based AHP weighting and GIS-based weighted overlay analysis, six thematic parameters were combined: rainfall, geology and soil characteristics, slope, drainage density, land use and land cover (LULC), and lineament density. The appropriate AHP consistency ratio (<0.1) showed that the weights were reliable. The resulting groundwater potential map divided the watershed into three zones: Good (6.7%), Moderate (76.5%), and Low (16.8%). The prevalence of Moderate potential indicates the impact of fragmented topography and drainage configuration, which limit groundwater storage despite sufficient precipitation. Validation encompassed an evaluation of hydrogeomorphic consistency and an additional comparison with USGS monitoring-well depth data, so offering empirical corroboration for the Moderate-dominated distribution. The results show that groundwater potential patterns vary greatly from one place to the next. They also show how useful GIS–MCDA frameworks may be for assessing groundwater in humid, data-poor mountainous areas.

From Adolescence to Older Adulthood: Lifespan Pathways Linking AI Companion Chatbots to Mental Health

AI-based conversational agents are increasingly used for emotional support, companionship, and day-to-day coping. These systems can provide immediate reassurance, reduce distress in the moment, and offer a low-barrier channel for reflection. At the same time, concerns are growing that frequent reliance on AI companions may displace human relationships and narrow users’ exposure to the interpersonal friction that supports psychological growth. This narrative review synthesizes conceptual and empirical themes to explain how AI companion chatbot use may relate to loneliness and depressive symptoms across the lifespan. We propose a developmental framework distinguishing supportive pathways (e.g., perceived availability, emotion regulation scaffolding, and social activation) from risk pathways (e.g., social displacement, dependency, avoidance coping, and affirmation-biased feedback loops). A central contribution is a lifespan account of how positive-only or preference-aligned feedback may undermine constructive stress appraisal, frustration tolerance, resilience, and grit—capacities that are built through repeated experiences of manageable challenge, honest feedback, and relationship repair. We conclude with implications for practice, education, and design, emphasizing developmental tailoring, safeguards against over-reliance, and research priorities needed to clarify causal mechanisms and long-term outcomes.