Enhancing the nitrogen and phosphorus content of faecal-derived biochar via adsorption and precipitation from human urine.

Urine diversion in toilets is a promising strategy to maximise nutrient recovery and produce low-cost urine-derived fertilisers. There are various methods for nutrient recovery from urine, including precipitation and adsorption onto porous media, such as biochars. This study uses faecal-derived biochars to produce and, for the first time, comprehensively characterise enriched biochar fertilisers with the addition of fully hydrolysed undiluted human urine.

Source separation of human excreta: Effect on resource recovery via pyrolysis.

More people globally are now using on-site sanitation technologies than sewered connections. The management of faecal sludge generated by on-site facilities is still challenging and requires an understanding of all sanitation service chain components and their interactions; from source conditions to treatment and resource recovery. This study aimed to improve the current lack of knowledge regarding these interactions, by establishing a quantifiable relationship between human excreta source separation and resource recovery via pyrolysis.

Insights into the molecular mechanisms of stress and inflammation in ageing and frailty of the elderly.

Frailty is a natural state of physical, cognitive and mental decline that is expected in the elderly. The role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of frailty has been hypothesized, and so far many studies have been performed in order to understand the mechanism of action underlying this association. Recent studies support this hypothesis and show a clear association between inflammation, frailty, and age-related disease.

Whole blood interferon-γ release assay is a useful tool for the diagnosis of tuberculosis infection particularly among Bacille Calmette Guèrin-vaccinated children.

The performance of QuantiFERON-tuberculosis (TB) Gold-In-Tube assay was compared with the tuberculin skin test for the diagnosis of TB among children. It was shown that among non-Bacille Calmette Guèrin immunized children, agreement between tests was excellent both in those with TB disease and in TB contacts. Among Bacille Calmette Guèrin-immunized children, agreement was fair in those with active disease and poor among TB contacts.