New Microgel Lubricant Could Provide Relief From Dry Mouth, new study

A new proof-of-concept lubricant gel provides improved relief for dry mouths.

A novel aqueous lubricant that can be used as a saliva substitute to combat the effects of xerostomia, also known as dry mouth, has been developed by scientists at the University of Leeds.

The lubricant makes use of the material properties of microgels, a lattice-like network of molecules that bind onto the inside of the mouth. Surrounding the microgel is a polysaccharide-based hydrogel that also helps to trap in water and keep the mouth hydrated.

This dual-action lubricant technology is up to five times more effective than current commercial products, the researchers say. The research is published in the journal Scientific Reports.

New benchmarks for dry mouth care

Xerostomia affects roughly 1 in 10 adults, with this rising to approximately 30% of elderly adults and 80% of institutionalized elders. But dry mouth is more than just an important health issue due to its prevalence. It also significantly increases the risk of developing periodontal diseases, oral ulcers, tooth decay and swallowing problems. If left untreated, this can lead to reduced food intake and malnutrition.

To combat the negative effects of xerostomia, a wide range of different saliva substitutes have been developed to help rehydrate the mouth and act as a lubricant when chewing and swallowing food. However, a recent scientific review of such “artificial saliva” products found that any relief brought by such products tends to be short-lived. 

“The problem with many of the existing commercial products is they are only effective for short periods because they do not bind to the surface of the mouth, with people having to frequently reapply the substance, sometimes while they are talking or as they eat,” said lead study author Anwesha Sarkar, a professor of colloids and surfaces in the University of Leeds School of Food and Nutrition. “That affects people’s quality of life.”

The new microgel developed by Sarkar and her team is different, she explains, as the microgel structure is able to physically bind to biological surfaces, such as the dry inside of a mouth, due to a process called adsorption.

New saliva substitute is five times more effective than alternatives

The research team’s novel lubricant comes in two types: one made using a dairy protein, and a “veganized” version, made with a protein found in potatoes.

The researchers used an artificial tongue-like surface to measure the lubrication and desorption – the opposite of adsorption – properties of the lubricant on the tongue after a short rinsing, which mimics the swallowing process.

Similar tests were also conducted for eight commercially available saliva substitutes, including a drug store own-brand product, Biotene, Oralieve, Saliveze and Glandosane.

For the commercial products, between 23% to 58% of the lubricant was lost upon rinsing, compared to just 7% of the new saliva substitute. The dairy version of the substitute was also found to have marginally outperformed the vegan version.

“The test results provide a robust proof of concept that our material is likely to be more effective under real-world conditions and could offer relief up to five times longer than the existing products that are available,” said Olivia Pabois, PhD, a research fellow at the University of Leeds and first author of the paper.

“The results of the benchmarking show favorable results in three key areas. Our microgel provides high moisturization, it binds strongly with the surfaces of the mouth and is an effective lubricant, making it more comfortable for people to eat and talk.”

So far, the University of Leeds team has only tested the new saliva alternative in laboratory studies, though the team is looking to translate this technology into commercially available products that can complete human trials.

Reference: Pabois O, Avila-Sierra A, Ramaioli M, et al. Benchmarking of a microgel-reinforced hydrogel-based aqueous lubricant against commercial saliva substitutes. Sci Rep. 2023;13(1):19833. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-46108-w

This article is a rework of a press release issued by the University of Leeds. Material has been edited for length and content.

Physical appearance of man, a new study

A recent study published in Social Science Quarterly has shed light on an intriguing aspect of our lives—how our physical appearance during our teenage years can impact our future social mobility. Researchers found that being perceived as attractive during adolescence can significantly boost a person’s chances of moving up the social ladder in terms of education, occupation, and income.

We’ve all heard the saying that “looks aren’t everything,” but this study suggests that they might matter more than we think when it comes to social mobility. While previous research has explored various factors influencing social mobility, such as education and family background, the role of physical attractiveness has often been overlooked. This study aimed to fill that gap by examining how physical appearance in adolescence might affect a person’s future opportunities and success.

“My co-author and I became interested in this topic because there is a popular notion that physically attractive individuals have an advantage over others, not only in terms of finding romantic partners, but also in terms of achieving other important outcomes, such as having higher incomes,” explained study author Alexi Gugushvili, a professor at the University of Oslo. “Yet, we couldn’t find many studies which would show if attractiveness really helps to improve individuals’ socioeconomic position when compared to their parents.”

To conduct the study, researchers analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), which involved over 20,000 adolescents in the United States. They looked at information from three different waves of data collection, spanning from the mid-1990s to the late 2010s.

The researchers assessed the participants’ physical attractiveness using interviewer ratings obtained during the first wave of data collection when the respondents were aged 12-19. The attractiveness ratings ranged from “very unattractive” to “very attractive.” These ratings were used to gauge the participants’ physical attractiveness during their adolescent years.

To measure social mobility, the researchers compared the educational, occupational, and income attainment of these adolescents in adulthood with the socioeconomic status of their parents. This allowed them to determine whether individuals had moved up or down the socioeconomic ladder compared to their parents.

The researchers found that individuals who were rated as attractive or very attractive during their adolescent years were more likely to experience upward social mobility in terms of education, occupation, and income when they became adults. This effect was significant even after accounting for various factors such as socioeconomic background, cognitive abilities, personality traits, health, and neighborhood characteristics.

“Despite decades of research on how some individuals climb the social ladder in comparison to their parents, many important characteristics that can facilitate intergenerational social mobility are not well understood,” Gugushvili told PsyPost. “In the present study, we showed that being physically attractive helps individuals be better educated, have more prestigious jobs, and earn higher incomes when compared to their parents.”

The study also uncovered gender differences in the impact of physical attractiveness on social mobility. While physical attractiveness mattered for both males and females, it appeared to have a stronger influence on males’ educational and income mobility compared to females. For females, the effect of physical attractiveness on occupational mobility was less pronounced.

“The most surprising finding of the study was that physical attractiveness appears to matter more for males than females,” Gugushvili said.

But the study, like all research, includes some caveats. For instance, the researchers relied on interviewers’ assessments of physical attractiveness, which may not be a perfect measure. Additionally, factors influencing attractiveness and social mobility could be intertwined in complex ways. Future research could delve deeper into understanding the mechanisms through which physical attractiveness affects social mobility and explore whether these effects persist over time.

“I think it is particularly interesting to study how and why males benefit more from their looks than females, and if the same association also holds in countries other than the United States,” Gugushvili said.

Should you wipe snow off solar panels?

The next time you wake up to find a layer of snow on your solar array, don't sweat the minuscule loss in production. Think of the convenient (and free) cleaning it will be providing your panels, and remember that it will melt away and slide off before you know it!

We do not recommend that you remove the snow from your solar panels. The danger of personal harm or damage to your panels is not worth the minor gain. Your array will most likely be snow-free in a day or two, and any production loss will most likely be offset by production over those long summer days.

What is a biogas?

Biogas is an environmentally-friendly, renewable energy source of renewable fuel produced by the breakdown of organic matter such as food scraps and animal waste. It is produced and used to fuel vehicles, heat our homes and to generate electricity.

Biogas is a type of renewable energy that is produced through the anaerobic digestion of organic materials, such as agricultural waste, food waste, sewage sludge, and animal manure. It is a mixture of primarily methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), along with small amounts of other gases.

The process of biogas production involves the decomposition of organic matter by bacteria in an oxygen-free environment, known as anaerobic digestion. During this process, the bacteria break down the organic material, releasing biogas as a byproduct. The produced biogas can be captured, stored, and utilized as an energy source.

Biogas has several applications. It can be used for heating, cooking, and lighting purposes in households and commercial settings. It can also be used as a fuel for electricity generation in biogas power plants, where the biogas is burned in a generator to produce electricity. In addition, biogas can be upgraded and purified to remove impurities, resulting in biomethane, which has similar properties to natural gas and can be injected into the natural gas grid or used as a transportation fuel.

The production and use of biogas offer various environmental benefits. It helps in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by capturing and utilizing methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas. Biogas production also provides an avenue for waste management, as it allows the conversion of organic waste into a valuable energy resource, reducing the need for landfilling or incineration.

Overall, biogas is a renewable energy source that can contribute to sustainable development, waste management, and the transition to a low-carbon economy. Its utilization can help reduce reliance on fossil fuels, mitigate climate change, and promote a circular economy approach by converting organic waste into a valuable energy asset.

There are 486,713 routes to Rome

All roads lead to Rome

A data visualization unveiling mobility patterns at a very large scale, created with routing algorithms on existing street infrastructure from the city to continent scale.

These are 486,713 routes to Rome.

Ranveer Singh revealed about RaamLeela first actress

In the recent episode of Koffee With Karan, Ranveer Singh revealed that Deepika Padukone made a last minute entry on Ram Leela replacing Kareena Kapoor in the film! 

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What is a power factor?

Power factor (PF) is a ratio that measures how efficiently electrical power is converted into useful work output. It's calculated by dividing the useful power (kW) by the total power (kVA) consumed by an electrical system. The ideal power factor is unity, or one. 

Power factor is measured in kilowatts (kW) and kilovolt amperes (kVA). Apparent power, also known as demand, is the measure of the amount of power used to run machinery and equipment during a certain period. It's found by multiplying (kVA = V x A). 

Power factor has a value between zero and unity. There are good, bad, and poor power factors with specific ranges: 

•Good: 1.0 to 0.95

•Poor: 0.95 to 0.85

•Bad: 0.85 and below

A high power factor indicates that the power supplied to the electrical system is effectively used. A system with low power factor doesn't effectively consume the incoming electric supply and results in losses. 

A low power factor can: 

•Increase electricity costs

•Reduce electrical distribution capacity

•Cause sluggish motor performance

•Require larger wires and other equipment

•Electrical utilities will usually charge a higher cost to industrial or commercial customers where there is a low power factor.