Comparison of fractionation methods to assess Ni impact on anaerobic digestion: Filtration versus DGT.

Excess of trace elements (TE) significantly alters the performances of anaerobic digestors (AD). Due to interactions with organic matter in particular, only a small fraction of TE can effectively interact with the biomass. However, assessing the bioavailable fraction of TE remains an issue.

Machine learning-based automated waste sorting in the construction industry: A comparative competitiveness case study.

This article presents a comparative analysis of the circularity and cost-efficiency of two distinct construction material recycling processes: ML-based automated sorting (MLAS) and conventional sorting technologies. Empirical data was collected from two Finnish companies, providing a robust foundation for this comparison. Our study examines the operational specifics, economic implications, and environmental impacts of each method, highlighting the advantages and drawbacks.

Defining an NK Cell-enriched Rejection-like Phenotype in Liver Transplant Biopsies From the INTERLIVER Study.

Background: Initial analysis of liver transplant biopsies in the INTERLIVER study (ClinicalTrials.gov; unique identifier NCT03193151) using rejection-associated transcripts failed to find an antibody-mediated rejection state (ie, rich in natural killer [NK] cells and with interferon-gamma effects). We recently developed an optimization strategy in lung transplants that isolated an NK cell-enriched rejection-like (NKRL) state that was molecularly distinct from T cell-mediated rejection (TCMR).

Considerations for social networks and health data sharing: An overview.

The use of network analysis as a tool has increased exponentially as more clinical researchers see the benefits of network data for modeling of infectious disease transmission or translational activities in a variety of areas, including patient-caregiving teams, provider networks, patient-support networks, and adoption of health behaviors or treatments, to name a few. Yet, relational data such as network data carry a higher risk of deductive disclosure. Cases of reidentification have occurred and this is expected to become more common as computational ability increases.

New Conjugates of Vancomycin with Cell-Penetrating Peptides-Synthesis, Antimicrobial Activity, Cytotoxicity, and BBB Permeability Studies.

Vancomycin (Van) is a glycopeptide antibiotic commonly used as a last resort for treating life-threatening infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacterial strains, such as and spp. However, its effectiveness is currently limited due to the rapidly increasing number of drug-resistant clinical strains and its inherent cytotoxicity and poor penetration into cells and specific regions of the body, such as the brain. One of the most promising strategies to enhance its efficacy appears to be the covalent attachment of cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) to the Van structure.

Real-world survival and economic burden among patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma in the United States.

Background: Given the changing treatment landscape for locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (la/mUC), this study aimed to describe real-world treatments, overall survival (OS), health care resource utilization (HCRU), and costs among US patients with la/mUC receiving first-line therapy.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted using 100% Medicare claims data (2015-2020). Patients with la/mUC were selected; initiation of first-line therapy was the index date.

Trend of Kidney Replacement Therapy in North Macedonia from the Years 2015 Through 2020.

Introduction: Kidney replacement therapy (KRT) by dialysis or kidney transplantation represents the main treatment modalities for patients with kidney failure. Here we evaluate the trends in taking care of such patients in North Macedonia from 2015 through 2020.

Methods: The patients were analyzed according to age, sex, primary disease, and treatment modality.

Incorporation of doxorubicin into plant-derived nanovesicles: process monitoring and activity assessment.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are an experimental class of drug carriers. Alternative sources of EVs are currently being explored to overcome limitations related to their manufacturing from mesenchymal stem cells. In this work, derived EVs were tested as carriers for the widely used chemotherapeutic drug - doxorubicin (DOX).

Real-World Treatment Patterns and Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma by Eligibility for Maintenance Avelumab.

Introduction: 1L PBC has historically been recommended for patients with la/mUC. Maintenance avelumab is recommended for patients without disease progression following 1L PBC. Real-world data on the proportion of patients eligible for maintenance avelumab are limited, and outcomes among patients ineligible for maintenance avelumab are uncertain.

Skin cells protection against UVA radiation - The comparison of various antioxidants and viability tests.

This study compares the effects of vitamins - including ascorbic acid, its derivative 3-O-ethyl-ascorbic acid (EAA), and tocopherol - as well as the main non-psychoactive phytocannabinoids on the viability of various skin cells, including healthy (keratinocytes/melanocytes/fibroblasts) and cancer cells (melanoma/SCC), under standard culture conditions and after the exposure to UVA radiation. All the conducted tests (MTT, SRB, and LDH) consistently indicate that the regenerative effect of EAA is stronger than that of ascorbic acid, while tocopherol acts selectively on healthy/cancer cells, inducing or inhibiting their proliferation, respectively. In the case of phytocannabinoids, only cannabidiol shows protective/regenerative properties for healthy cells.

Impact of trace elements (total and labile fraction) on the anaerobic digestion activity and microbial community structure.

Trace elements (TEs) in anaerobic digestion (AD) are known to be essential for optimal biogas production, but inhibitive in excessive concentrations. However, the mechanisms of inhibition are not fully understood. The effects of the addition essential TEs (Co, Cu and Ni) and a non-essential TE (Cd) on the microbial community structure of AD were studied in lab-scale reactors, using total TE concentrations that ranged from 0 to 100 μM.

A microcontroller-based system for flexible oxygen control in laboratory experiments.

Environmental control systems are important tools for experimental researchers studying animal-environment interactions. Commercial systems for the measurement and regulation of environmental oxygen conditions are relatively expensive and cannot always be adapted to varying experimental applications. Here, I present a low-cost and highly flexible oxygen control system using Arduino microcontrollers in combination with a commercial optical oxygen sensor.

Long term survival and outcomes in patients with paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes.

Objective: It is unknown whether delay in diagnosis affects morbidity reportedly in paraneoplastic syndromes (PNS). We aimed to explore various aspects of PNS, including prevalence, clinical characteristics, diagnostic criteria, and treatment outcomes.

Methods: We studied n-PNS diagnosis between 2016 to 2023, and included only patients with positive onconeural antibodies, who developed cancer, and exhibited a recognizable PNS phenotype.

The background sodium leak channel NALCN is a major controlling factor in pituitary cell excitability.

The pituitary gland produces and secretes a variety of hormones that are essential to life, such as for the regulation of growth and development, metabolism, reproduction, and the stress response. This is achieved through an intricate signalling interplay between the brain and peripheral feedback signals that shape pituitary cell excitability by regulating the ion channel properties of these cells. In addition, endocrine anterior pituitary cells spontaneously fire action potentials to regulate the intracellular calcium ([Ca]) level, an essential signalling conduit for hormonal secretion.

Asymptomatic Hyperuricemia: A Nephro-Rheumatological Perspective.

Hyperuricemia (HU) is a common disorder associated with gout, kidney injury, and high cardiovascular risk. However, whether high serum uric acid (sUA) is a causative factor or just comorbidity remains unclear. When asked if asymptomatic hyperuricemic patients need treatment, even artificial intelligence in the form of the GPT chat provides an ambivalent answer and refers us to a healthcare provider.

A Novel Look at Mechanisms and Applications of Xanthohumol (XN) in Dermatology and Cosmetology.

Xanthohumol (XN), representing the group of chalcones, is a hydroxyl and superoxide free radical scavenger. It also has antimicrobial properties, showing antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Propionibacterium acnes. XN exerts an inhibitory effect on tyrosinase (it hinders the oxidation of l-tyrosine and l-DOPA).

Distribution of Recessive Genetic Defect Carriers in Holstein Friesian Cattle: A Polish Perspective.

Genetic disorders are caused by a hereditary change in the structure of DNA that may hurt the health and life of animals. Several recessive haplotypes and a few causative mutations are known in Holstein Friesian cattle: CDH (Holstein cholesterol deficiency), haplotypes with a homozygous deficiency in Holstein (HH1, HH3, HH4, HH5, HH6, HH7), BLAD (bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency), DUMPS (deficiency of uridine monophosphate synthase), FXI (factor XI deficiency), HHM (mule foot, syndactyly), and BC (citrullinaemia). From a breeding point of view, these genetic diseases have highly negative effects and are a significant problem for breeders, exposing them to economic losses and hurting animal welfare.

Phase diagram for the quasi-binary thallium(I) selenide-bismuth(III) telluride system.

The phase diagram for the quasi-binary Tl2Se-Bi2Te3 system has been established based on the results of phase studies by differential thermal analysis (DTA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The diagram for the title system presented in this paper has been compared with that previously published by other authors. As a result of the research, a significant correction of the former phase diagram was made, because it was found that the components of the studied system formed three new chemical compounds.

Development of a metabolome-based respiratory infection prognostic during COVID-19 arrival.

In a new respiratory virus pandemic, optimizing allocation of scarce medical resources becomes an urgent challenge. Infection prognosis takes on particular importance when allocating scarce antiviral antibodies and drugs, which are most effective when administered before the onset of severe disease. During arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic to the United States in 2020, we conducted a prognostic biomarker discovery and validation effort based upon metabolomic profiling with a liquid-chromatography-mass spectrometer (LC-MS) type used clinically for rapid toxicology.

Can Eye Tracking Help Assess the State of Consciousness in Non-Verbal Brain Injury Patients?

Developments in eye-tracking technology are opening up new possibilities for diagnosing patients in a state of minimal consciousness because they can provide information on visual behavior, and the movements of the eyeballs are correlated with the patients' level of consciousness. The purpose of this study was to provide validation of a tool, based on eye tracking by comparing the results obtained with the assessment obtained using the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R). The mul-ti-center clinical trial was conducted in Poland in 2022-2023.

Sharing for Caring? A Patients' and Clinicians' View on Handling Personal Medical Data in the Context of Digitization: An Exploratory Study.

Background: The healthcare sector is currently undergoing a significant transformation, driven by an increased utilization of data. In this evolving landscape, surveys are of pivotal importance to the comprehension of patient needs and preferences. Moreover, the digital affinity of patients and physicians within the healthcare system is reforming the manner in which healthcare services are accessed and delivered.

Factors determining semen sample collection and semen quality parameters in African penguins Spheniscus demersus.

Our research focuses on semen collection from 42 African penguin males, grouped by age, habituation levels, and reproductive season timing. We assess behavioral and physiological responses to dorso-abdominal massage, evaluating species-specific seminal traits using conventional and advanced methods. Positive behavioral responses corresponded with successful semen collection.