Physicochemical Modeling of Electrochemical Impedance in Solid-State Supercapacitors.

Solid-state supercapacitors (SSCs) consist of porous carbon electrodes and gel-polymer electrolytes and are used in novel energy storage applications. The current study aims to simulate the impedance of SSCs using a clearly defined equivalent circuit (EC) model with the ultimate goal of improving their performance. To this end, a conventional mathematical and a physicochemical model were adapted.

A mRNA Vaccine Encoding for a RBD 60-mer Nanoparticle Elicits Neutralizing Antibodies and Protective Immunity Against the SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant in Transgenic K18-hACE2 Mice.

Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic there is still a need for vaccines to effectively control the spread of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants and associated cases of severe disease. Here we report a messenger RNA vaccine directly encoding for a nanoparticle displaying 60 receptor binding domains (RBDs) of SARS-CoV-2 that acts as a highly effective antigen. A construct encoding the RBD of the Delta variant elicits robust neutralizing antibody response, and also provides protective immunity against the Delta variant in a widely used transgenic mouse model.

Are residents of downtown Toronto influenced by their urban neighbourhoods? Using concept mapping to examine neighbourhood characteristics and their perceived impact on self-rated mental well-being.

Background: There is ample evidence that residential neighbourhoods can influence mental well-being (MWB), with most studies relying on census or similar data to characterize communities. Few studies have actively investigated local residents' perceptions.

Methods: Concept mapping was conducted with residents from five Toronto neighbourhoods representing low income and non-low income socio-economic groups.

Standardized observation of neighbourhood disorder: does it work in Canada?

Background: There is a growing body of evidence that where you live is important to your health. Despite numerous previous studies investigating the relationship between neighbourhood deprivation (and structure) and residents' health, the precise nature of this relationship remains unclear. Relatively few investigations have relied on direct observation of neighbourhoods, while those that have were developed primarily in US settings.

Thresholds for small for gestational age among newborns of East Asian and South Asian ancestry.

Objective: To determine the risk that newborn infants of East Asian and South Asian ancestry may be misclassified as small for gestational age (SGA).

Methods: We performed a single-centre, cross-sectional study of a cohort of liveborn infants born to women who had been born in Canada (n = 2362), East Asia (n = 1565) and South Asia (n = 753) and generated smoothed birth weight curves for males and females. We determined the rate of misclassification of infants of East Asian and South Asian maternal origin as SGA, using conventional weight centile cut-offs, rather than those specific to each ethnic group.

Nonsurgical, radiofrequency collagen denaturation for stress urinary incontinence: retrospective 3-year evaluation.

Transurethral radiofrequency collagen denaturation, a nonsurgical treatment for stress urinary incontinence, reduces regional dynamic tissue compliance without causing tissue necrosis or gross tissue shrinkage, unlike transvaginal radiofrequency tissue ablation. This retrospective study evaluated long-term safety and efficacy in 21 patients from a 12-month, randomized controlled trial utilizing 3-day diaries and the Incontinence Quality of Life (I-QOL) survey. Significant increases in overall I-QOL scores 3 years or more post treatment was the primary end point.

Results of the Recent Immigrant Pregnancy and Perinatal Long-term Evaluation Study (RIPPLES).

Background: People who immigrate to Western nations may experience fewer chronic health problems than original residents of those countries, which raises concerns about long-term environmental or lifestyle factors in those countries. We tested whether the "healthy immigrant effect" extends to the risk of placental dysfunction during the short interval of pregnancy.

Methods: We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study of data for 796 105 women who had a first documented obstetric delivery in Ontario between 1995 and 2005.

Experience of miscarriage in the UK: qualitative findings from the National Women's Health Study.

Miscarriage is the most common adverse outcome in pregnancy. For many women it is a traumatic experience. Previous research has identified shortcomings in the emotional and social support provided for miscarriage sufferers but personal accounts of pregnancy loss remain relatively under-explored.

Abnormal urinary potassium metabolism in patients with interstitial cystitis.

Purpose: If most patients with interstitial cystitis (IC) have epithelial leakage allowing urinary K to penetrate the interstitium and provoke symptoms, urinary K should be lower in untreated patients than in healthy subjects and it should increase with successful heparinoid treatment. This study tested these hypotheses.

Materials And Methods: Na, K and creatinine (Cr) were determined in spot urine samples from new, symptomatic, untreated patients with IC meeting all National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases clinical diagnostic criteria, returning patients with IC reporting 50% or greater symptom improvement after 4 or greater months of oral heparinoid therapy and control subjects, and in 24-hour urine samples from new untreated patients and controls.

Evidence for suboptimal use of periconceptional folic acid supplements globally.

Objective: To systematically summarise the available evidence concerning the rate of folic acid supplement use pre- and periconceptionally, to identify those characteristics associated with low rates of use and to assess whether folic acid public awareness campaigns are associated with higher folic acid use.

Design: Systematic overview.

Setting: Survey studies.

Randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind, crossover design trial of the efficacy and safety of Zestra for Women in women with and without female sexual arousal disorder.

Zestra for Women is a botanical feminine massage oil formulated to enhance female sexual pleasure and arousal when applied to the vulva. We conducted this randomized, double-blinded, crossover study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Zestra for Women compared to placebo oil in 10 women with and 10 women without female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD) in conditions of home use in conjunction with sexual activities. Subjects were screened by physical examination, sex therapist interviews, and questionnaires.

Immunogenicity of a plasmid DNA vaccine encoding chimeric idiotype in patients with B-cell lymphoma.

B-cell lymphomas express tumor-specific immunoglobulin, the variable regions of which [idiotype (Id)] can serve as a target for active immunotherapy. Promising results have been obtained in clinical studies of Id vaccination using Id proteins.However, Id protein is laborious and time-consuming to produce.

The development of a bicistronic plasmid DNA vaccine for B-cell lymphoma.

Tumor vaccines are a promising alternative to chemotherapy for the treatment of metastatic cancer. To be effective and safe, a therapeutic cancer vaccine should specifically target antigens expressed only on metastatic tumor cells. A vaccine directed against the unique surface immunoglobulin or idiotype expressed on non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma fulfills these criteria, as both primary and metastatic tumor cells express tumor specific immunoglobulins.