Nanodots of Transition Metal Sulfides, Carbonates, and Oxides Obtained Through Spontaneous Co-Precipitation with Silica.

The controlled formation and stabilization of nanoparticles is of fundamental relevance for materials science and key to many modern technologies. Common synthetic strategies to arrest growth at small sizes and prevent undesired particle agglomeration often rely on the use of organic additives and require non-aqueous media and/or high temperatures, all of which appear critical with respect to production costs, safety, and sustainability. In the present work, we demonstrate a simple one-pot process in water under ambient conditions that can produce particles of various transition metal carbonates and sulfides with sizes of only a few nanometers embedded in a silica shell, similar to particles derived from more elaborate synthesis routes, like the sol-gel process.

Lifestyle Behaviors of Bronx Middle-School Students Enrolled in an Afterschool Program: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Shutdown.

A minority of American youth meet CDC lifestyle behavior recommendations. Children in the Bronx face barriers to healthy behaviors amplified by COVID-19. This research evaluated baseline behavior among distinct cohorts attending afterschool programming before and after the COVID-19 shutdown.

Targeting c-MET for Endoscopic Detection of Dysplastic Lesions within Barrett's Esophagus Using EMI-137 Fluorescence Imaging.

Purpose: Esophageal cancer carries a poor prognosis with a 5-year overall survival of less than 20%. Barrett's esophagus increases the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of EMI-137, a mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (c-MET)-targeting optical imaging tracer, to detect dysplasia in Barrett's esophagus.

PARP1-targeted fluorescence molecular endoscopy as novel tool for early detection of esophageal dysplasia and adenocarcinoma.

Background: Esophageal cancer is one of the 10 most common cancers worldwide and its incidence is dramatically increasing. Despite some improvements, the current surveillance protocol with white light endoscopy and random untargeted biopsies collection (Seattle protocol) fails to diagnose dysplastic and cancerous lesions in up to 50% of patients. Therefore, new endoscopic imaging technologies in combination with tumor-specific molecular probes are needed to improve early detection.

The effect of doxycycline on canine neutrophil functions.

Doxycycline is a broad-spectrum tetracycline-class antibiotic that is frequently used to treat bacterial infections. Its use has also been described in immune-mediated diseases due to its immunomodulatory properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immunomodulatory effect of doxycycline on canine neutrophil functions.

[Polyendocrine syndromes in dogs].

The autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome (APS) refers to a combination of autoimmune endocrine disorders. It is rarely described in dogs. The most common combinations are hypoadrenocorticism and hypothyroidism, followed by diabetes mellitus, and less often hypoparathyroidism and orchitis.

Comparison of exoskeleton microbial communities of co-occurring native and invasive crayfish species.

Host-associated microbial communities are an important determinant of individual fitness and have recently been highlighted as one of the factors influencing the success of invasive species. Invasive hosts introduce their microbes into the new environment, and then both the host and its associated microbes enter into a series of interactions with the native macroscopic and microscopic biota. As these processes are largely unexplored, we aimed to compare the exoskeletal microbial communities of co-occurring and phylogenetically related crayfish: the native narrow-clawed crayfish Pontastacus leptodactylus and the invasive signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus from the recently invaded Korana River, Croatia.

A qualitative analysis of the impact of canine hypoadrenocorticism on the quality of life of owners.

Background: Canine hypoadrenocorticism is a rare chronic disease, which demands intense dog-owner interaction, as its treatment requires to be individualised. The aim of this study was a qualitative analysis of the challenges owners face when dealing with the disease, especially regarding its management and how this affects quality of life. By promoting an online discussion between owners, we transcribed and summarised their experiential knowledge in dealing with the disease.

Lung Cancer Screening Decision Aid Designed for a Primary Care Setting: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Guidelines recommend shared decision-making prior to initiating lung cancer screening (LCS). However, evidence is lacking on how to best implement shared decision-making in clinical practice.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of an LCS Decision Tool (LCSDecTool) on the quality of decision-making and LCS uptake.

Waist-to-height ratio associated cardiometabolic risk phenotype in children with overweight/obesity.

Background: Childhood overweight/obesity has been associated with an elevated risk of insulin resistance and cardiometabolic disorders. Waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) may be a simple screening tool to quickly identify children at elevated risk for cardiometabolic disorders. The primary objective of the present study was to create sex-specific tertile cut points of WHtR and assess its association with Insulin resistance and elevated liver enzyme concentrations in children, factors using cross-sectional data from the randomized, controlled Family Weight Management Study.

Seroprevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus in wild and domestic animals in northern Germany.

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a tick-transmitted flavivirus, which can infect humans and animals, sometimes even with a fatal outcome. Since many decades, TBEV is endemic in southern Germany, while only sporadic occurrence has been noted in northern parts of the country so far. Nevertheless, autochthonous human clinical cases are increasing in the federal state of Lower Saxony in north-western Germany, and several natural foci of TBEV transmission have recently been detected in this federal state.

Trends in health behavior at an afterschool program: the impact of COVID-19 on students' behavior.

Background: A minority of American youth meet CDC physical activity (PA) recommendations; children in the Bronx face additional structural barriers to engaging in PA. The B'N Fit Power expansion draws on pilot programming to increase the proportion of middle school students who engage in one hour of daily PA. The COVID-19 pandemic presented additional obstacles, including increased food insecurity and suspension of organized PA programming.

Metagenomics and metabarcoding experimental choices and their impact on microbial community characterization in freshwater recirculating aquaculture systems.

Background: Microbial communities in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) play a role in system success, nutrient cycling, and water quality. Considering the increasing socio-economic role of fish farming, e.g.

Detecting aquatic pathogens with field-compatible dried qPCR assays.

Field-ready qPCR assays with extended shelf-life support monitoring programs for emerging aquatic pathogens and enable quick conservation and management decisions. Here, we developed, validated, and tested the shelf-life of qPCR assays targeting Gyrodactylus salaris and Aphanomyces astaci with lyophilization and air-drying.

Formation and Dynamic Behavior of Macroscopic Aluminum-Based Silica Gardens.

Chemical gardens are self-assembled structures with intricate plant-like morphologies and consist of mineralized membranes, which form spontaneously at interfaces between compartments with dissimilar chemical composition, most typically acidic metal salt and alkaline sodium silicate solutions. While this phenomenon is thought to occur in a number of practical settings, it has also proven to be valuable for investigating transport characteristics in distinct applied systems. For example, coupled diffusion and precipitation processes were monitored in silica gardens based on calcium and iron salts, considered to be models for cement hydration and steel corrosion, respectively.

Effect of long-term management of hypoadrenocorticism on the quality of life of affected dogs and their owners.

Background: The treatment of canine adrenal insufficiency consists of hormone substitution and requires high owner compliance and intense human-dog interaction. This might affect the quality of life (QoL) of owners and their pets. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of hypoadrenocorticism and its treatment on the QoL of dogs and their owners.

Framework for Armature-Based 3D Shape Reconstruction of Sensorized Soft Robots in eXtended Reality.

Soft robots are typically intended to operate in highly unpredictable and unstructured environments. Although their soft bodies help them to passively conform to their environment, the execution of specific tasks within such environments often requires the help of an operator that supervises the interaction between the robot and its environment and adjusts the actuation inputs in order to successfully execute the task. However, direct observation of the soft robot is often impeded by the environment in which it operates.

Estradiol, stress reactivity, and daily affective experiences in trauma-exposed women.

Objective: Women experience higher risk for PTSD following trauma compared with men. Fluctuations in ovarian hormones might contribute to this greater vulnerability, given that estradiol is associated with affect and stress reactivity. Our objective was to test the relations between menstrual cycle-related changes in estradiol, affect, stress reactivity, and trauma-related symptoms.

Adapting the design of a Web-based decision support clinical trial during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The public health crises that emerged in the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the provision of medical care and placed sudden restrictions on ongoing clinical research. Patient-facing clinical research confronted unique challenges in which recruitment and study protocols were halted and then adapted to meet safety procedures during the pandemic. Our study protocol included the use of a Lung Cancer Screening Decision Tool (LCSDecTool) in the context of a primary care visit and was considerably impacted by the pandemic.

Tubular Structures of Calcium Carbonate: Formation, Characterization, and Implications in Natural Mineral Environments.

Chemical gardens are self-assembled tubular precipitates formed by a combination of osmosis, buoyancy, and chemical reaction, and thought to be capable of catalyzing prebiotic condensation reactions. In many cases, the tube wall is a bilayer structure with the properties of a diaphragm and/or a membrane. The interest in silica gardens as microreactors for materials science has increased over the past decade because of their ability to create long-lasting electrochemical potential.

The Campaign for Universal Free Lunch in New York City: Lessons Learned.

The New York City (NYC) Department of Education is the largest public school system in the United States, with an enrollment of >1.1 million students. Students who participate in school meal programs can have higher dietary quality than nonparticipating students.

Trauma Characteristics Moderate the Relation Between Estradiol and Trauma-Related Symptoms.

Women are more likely to develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than men, and fluctuations in gonadal hormones might contribute to this vulnerability. Low-estradiol states are associated with aversive affective experiences, including trauma-related symptoms. However, the impact of trauma characteristics on the relation between estradiol and trauma-related symptoms is unknown.