Modelling the effects of intervention measures in reducing the risk of norovirus transmission in preschool settings.

Singapore has seen an increase in norovirus outbreaks in preschools from 2019 to 2022 primarily due to person-to-person transmission. This study describes the use of compartmental susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered (SEIR) modelling to simulate the spread of norovirus among preschool children in a classroom setting. Different intervention measures, such as isolation of infected preschoolers, handwashing and surface decontamination were modelled to quantify their effectiveness at reducing the number of children infected.

Integration of National Chemical Hazards Monitoring, Total Diet Study, and Human Biomonitoring Programmes for Food Safety Exposure Assessment in Singapore.

Food safety and food security can impact the quality of human life, and these two aspects are interrelated alongside many influencing external factors. Global stressors such as climate change, recent pandemic, and geopolitical tensions have demonstrated tangible impacts on food security and safety. Food and food system innovation is a key strategy towards feeding the world in a more sustainable and climate-resilient manner.

Upper Layer-Modulated Pseudo Planar Heterojunction with Metal Complex Acceptor for Efficient and Stable Organic Photovoltaics.

Modulating self-aggregation and charge transport in the upper acceptor layer of the pseudo planar heterojunction (PPHJ) is crucial for enhancing dielectric constant and suppressing trap density, leading to efficient and stable organic photovoltaics (OPVs). In this work, a metal complex acceptor (MCA), PtAC-Cl, is selectively incorporated into the upper host Y6 layer of PPHJ to regulate morphology and fill trap states. There exists a strong chemical interaction between PtAC-Cl and Y6, which can promote electron transfer.

Etiology, Clinical Profiles, and Outcomes of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome Cases Admitted to a Tertiary Care Center in Myanmar in 2023.

Background/objectives: The diagnosis of encephalitis is a challenging problem due to the heterogeneity of clinical presentations. The objective was to determine the etiology, clinical features, laboratory parameters, radiological findings, and in-hospital outcome of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) cases in Myanmar.

Methods: A prospective descriptive study was conducted at the Neuromedical Ward of Yangon General Hospital from March to August 2023.

Sequence Types and Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Typhimurium in the Food Chain in Singapore.

remains a significant foodborne pathogen globally with . Typhimurium presenting as a frequently occurring serovar. This study aimed to characterize 67 .

Lead-free iron-doped CsBiBr perovskite with tunable properties.

Perovskite based on cesium bismuth bromide offers a compelling, non-toxic alternative to lead-containing counterparts in optoelectronic applications. However, its widespread usage is hindered by its wide bandgap. This study investigates a significant bandgap tunability achieved by introducing Fe doping into the inorganic, lead-free, non-toxic, and stable CsBiBr perovskite at varying concentrations.

Achieving sustainable, environmentally viable, solarized vaccine cold chain system and vaccination program-an effort to move towards clean and green energy-driven primary healthcare in Lebanon.

Introduction: Lebanon faces severe economic and energy crises, impacting its healthcare system, particularly vaccine storage. Traditional gas or kerosene-powered refrigerators often fail to maintain necessary temperatures for vaccine efficacy. This study explores transitioning to solar direct-drive (SDD) refrigerators to ensure reliable vaccine storage.

PLASMODESMATA-LOCATED PROTEIN 6 regulates plasmodesmal function in Arabidopsis vasculature.

Plasmodesmata connect adjoining plant cells, allowing molecules to move between the connected cells for communication and sharing resources. It has been well established that the plant polysaccharide callose is deposited at plasmodesmata, regulating their aperture and function. Among proteins involved in maintaining callose homeostasis, PLASMODESMATA-LOCATED PROTEINSs (PDLPs) promote callose deposition at plasmodesmata.

Geospatial joint modeling of vector and parasite serology to microstratify malaria transmission.

The World Health Organization identifies a strong surveillance system for malaria and its mosquito vector as an essential pillar of the malaria elimination agenda. salivary antibodies are emerging biomarkers of exposure to mosquito bites that potentially overcome sensitivity and logistical constraints of traditional entomological surveys. Using samples collected by a village health volunteer network in 104 villages in Southeast Myanmar during routine surveillance, the present study employs a Bayesian geostatistical modeling framework, incorporating climatic and environmental variables together with salivary antigen serology, to generate spatially continuous predictive maps of biting exposure.

Enhancing the Performance of Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes via Synergistic Effect of Defect Passivation and Dielectric Screening.

Metal halide perovskites, particularly the quasi-two-dimensional perovskite subclass, have exhibited considerable potential for next-generation electroluminescent materials for lighting and display. Nevertheless, the presence of defects within these perovskites has a substantial influence on the emission efficiency and durability of the devices. In this study, we revealed a synergistic passivation mechanism on perovskite films by using a dual-functional compound of potassium bromide.

Impact of an Inter-Professional Clinic on Pancreatic Cancer Outcomes: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) presents significant challenges in diagnosis, staging, and appropriate treatment. Furthermore, patients with PDAC often experience complex symptomatology and psychosocial implications that require multi-disciplinary and inter-professional supportive care management from health professionals. Despite these hurdles, the implementation of inter-professional clinic approaches showed promise in enhancing clinical outcomes.

Adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures among residents in selected townships, Yangon Region, Myanmar: a community-based cross-sectional study.

Background: To fight the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, many countries have implemented various mitigation measures to contain the spread of the disease. By engaging with health service providers, the community's participation in adherence to preventive measures is certainly required in the implementation of COVID-19 mitigation strategies. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the level of adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures and its associated factors among the residents, Yangon Region, Myanmar.

Biochemical and biological characterization of the venoms of and from Myanmar and neutralization effects of BPI cobra antivenom.

Snakebite is a neglected public health issue, with many scientific and medical issues to be solved. Cobras are among the most common venomous snakes in Myanmar and are responsible for a considerable number of severe snakebite envenoming. There are three species of cobra (, and ) in Myanmar.

Bacterial symbionts in oral niche use type VI secretion nanomachinery for fitness increase against pathobionts.

Microbial ecosystems experience spatial and nutrient restrictions leading to the coevolution of cooperation and competition among cohabiting species. To increase their fitness for survival, bacteria exploit machinery to antagonizing rival species upon close contact. As such, the bacterial type VI secretion system (T6SS) nanomachinery, typically expressed by pathobionts, can transport proteins directly into eukaryotic or prokaryotic cells, consequently killing cohabiting competitors.

A Fluorination Strategy and Low-Acidity Anchoring Group in Self-Assembled Molecules for Efficient and Stable Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells.

Herein, we synthesized two donor-acceptor (D-A) type small organic molecules with self-assembly properties, namely MPA-BT-BA and MPA-2FBT-BA, both containing a low acidity anchoring group, benzoic acid. After systematically investigation, it is found that, with the fluorination, the MPA-2FBT-BA demonstrates a lower highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level, higher hole mobility, higher hydrophobicity and stronger interaction with the perovskite layer than that of MPA-BT-BA. As a result, the device based-on MPA-2FBT-BA displays a better crystallization and morphology of perovskite layer with larger grain size and less non-radiative recombination.

Analyzing the response of rice to tefuryltrione herbicide: Haplotype variation and evolutionary dynamics of the HIS1 gene.

Weeds pose multifaceted challenges in rice cultivation, leading to substantial economic losses through reduced yield and poor grain quality. Harnessing the natural genetic diversity in germplasm collections becomes crucial for identifying novel herbicide resistance loci in crops. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on 475 rice accessions from the KRICE depository, assessing their response to TFT (tefuryltrione) and probing the underlying HIS1 (HPPD INHIBITOR SENSITIVE 1) genotypic variations.

N-DMBI Doping of Carbon Nanotube Yarns for Achieving High n-Type Thermoelectric Power Factor and Figure of Merit.

The application of carbon nanotube (CNT) yarns as thermoelectric materials for harvesting energy from low-grade waste heat including that generated by the human body, is attracting considerable attention. However, the lack of efficient n-type CNT yarns hinders their practical implementation in thermoelectric devices. This study reports efficient n-doping of CNT yarns, employing 4-(1, 3-dimethyl-2, 3-dihydro-1H-benzimidazole-2-yl) phenyl) dimethylamine (N-DMBI) in alternative to conventional n-dopants, with o-dichlorobenzene emerging as the optimal solvent.

Singapore's Total Diet Study (2021-2023): Study Design, Methodology, and Relevance to Ensuring Food Safety.

A total diet study is often used to evaluate a population's baseline dietary exposure to chemical hazards from across the diet. In 2021-2023, Singapore carried out a TDS, and this article presents an overview of the study design and methodological selections in Singapore's TDS, as well as its relevance to ensuring food safety. A food consumption survey was conducted on Singapore citizens and permanent residents, where food consumption patterns of the Singapore population were identified.

Genotoxin-producing induces tissue-specific types of DNA damage and DNA damage response outcomes.

Introduction: Typhoid toxin-expressing causes DNA damage in the intestinal mucosa , activating the DNA damage response (DDR) in the absence of inflammation. To understand whether the tissue microenvironment constrains the infection outcome, we compared the immune response and DDR patterns in the colon and liver of mice infected with a genotoxigenic strain or its isogenic control strain.

Methods: spatial transcriptomic and immunofluorescence have been used to assess DNA damage makers, activation of the DDR, innate immunity markers in a multiparametric analysis.

Characteristics of Gastroenteritis Outbreaks Investigated in Singapore: 2018-2021.

There is a need to study the characteristics of outbreaks via Singapore's outbreak surveillance system to understand and identify the gaps in food safety for targeted policy interventions due to the increasing trend in gastroenteritis outbreaks and consequential increase in foodborne-related deaths and economic burden on public health systems worldwide. A total of 171 gastroenteritis outbreaks were investigated in Singapore from January 2018 to December 2021. This study analyzed the annual trend of investigated gastroenteritis outbreaks, the proportion of outbreaks by implicated sources of food, and the proportion of the type of pathogens identified from human cases, food samples, and environmental swabs collected from outbreak investigations.

Occurrence and Dietary Exposure of 3-MCPD Esters and Glycidyl Esters in Domestically and Commercially Prepared Food in Singapore.

This study investigated the prevalence and occurrence of 3-monochloropropanediol esters (3-MCPDEs) and glycidyl esters (GEs) in domestically and commercially prepared food in Singapore and assessed the total dietary exposure for the Singaporean population. Minimal impact on the formation of 3-MCPDEs and GEs was observed from the domestic cooking methods commonly practiced in Singapore such as deep frying and stir frying. The estimated total dietary exposure to 3-MCPDEs for the Singaporean population (aged 15 to 92) was 0.

Antisolvent-Free Heterogenous Nucleation Enabled by Employing 4-Tert-Butyl Pyridine Additive and Two-Step Annealing for Efficient CsPbIBr Perovskite Solar Cells.

All inorganic perovskite based on CsPbIBr has attracted significant attention due to its relatively thermal stable structure compare to its hybrid counterparts. With a wide bandgap of 1.9 eV and excellent light absorption capability, it has been extensively explored for applications in indoor photovoltaics and as a front absorber in tandem devices.