Measuring XNA polymerase fidelity in a hydrogel particle format.

Growth in the development of engineered polymerases for synthetic biology has led to renewed interest in assays that can measure the fidelity of polymerases that are capable of synthesizing artificial genetic polymers (XNAs). Conventional approaches require purifying the XNA intermediate of a replication cycle (DNA → XNA → DNA) by denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, which is a slow, costly, and inefficient process that requires a large-scale transcription reaction and careful extraction of the XNA strand from the gel slice. In an effort to streamline the assay, we developed a purification-free approach in which the XNA transcription and reverse transcription steps occur inside the matrix of a hydrogel-coated magnetic particle.

Are adolescents who do physical activity with their parents more active and mentally healthier?

Background: Adolescents who engage in physical activity experience positive mental health outcomes. However, the increasing prevalence of physical inactivity combined with high screen time use among adolescents is a growing concern. Parents play an important role in shaping adolescents' physical activity and screen time levels through active participation and involvement.

Comparing and assessing physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines for different populations with and without chronic conditions and/or disabilities: a systematic review protocol.

Physical activity guidelines targeting different populations with and without chronic diseases or disabilities are required to meet the diverse functional and physiological needs experienced by different subgroups of people to achieve optimal health benefits. As the importance of physical activity guidelines in promoting optimal health and well-being becomes increasingly recognised, there is a critical need for their systematic evaluation to ensure they remain effective, applicable and aligned with evolving health needs and scientific insights. This study aims to systematically review, critically evaluate, and compare global physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines on frequency, intensity, time, and type of exercise for adults, pregnant and postpartum women, and people living with chronic conditions and/or disabilities.

Sleep: The silent hero in cardiometabolic health.

The essential role of sleep in overall health is increasingly recognized, yet it remains underemphasized in both clinical and public health contexts. Despite extensive research linking poor sleep health to chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cognitive decline, sleep health is not routinely assessed or integrated into standard care practices. Sleep problems, including insomnia, sleep apnea, and poor sleep quality, are prevalent globally, affecting over 30 % of the population and contributing to significant public health burdens like cardiometabolic disease, mental health disorders and multimorbidity.

Revealr-Based Diagnostic Panel for Rapid Detection of Acute Respiratory Infections.

RNA-encoded viral nucleic acid analyte reporter (REVEALR) is a rapid and highly sensitive point-of-care diagnostic developed for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) detection, genotyping, and quantification. Here, we extend the breadth of this nucleic acid technology to include a viral respiratory panel that can detect low attomolar levels of influenza A (IAV), influenza B (IBV), SARS-CoV-2 (CoV2), and the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Of 39 clinical samples collected at the UCI Medical Center in Orange, California, the extended REVEALR panel showed a positive predictive agreement and negative predictive agreement of 100% for IAV, CoV2, and RSV in sequence-verified clinical samples, with 0 false positive results.