Enhancing visible light degradation of gaseous formaldehyde with CuO/OVs-TiO photocatalyst loaded wallpaper: Preparation, efficacy and mechanism.

Photocatalytic oxidation is considered to be a highly promising technology for indoor formaldehyde (HCHO) abatement. However, powdered photocatalysts encounter practical challenges due to their recycling difficulties and propensity for aggregation. In this study, we developed a CuO/OVs-TiO photocatalyst dispersion using various physical and chemical methods, which could be stabilized for an extended period.

Temporal trends and spatial variations of chlorinated paraffins and olefins in sewage sludge from eight Swiss wastewater treatment plants from 1993 to 2020.

High production rates of chlorinated paraffins (CPs) and their widespread use resulted in a global contamination. Since 2017, short-chain CPs (SCCPs, C-C) are listed as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the Stockholm Convention. Technical CP mixtures contain hundreds of homologues and side products such as chlorinated olefins (COs), diolefins (CdiOs) and triolefins (CtriOs).

Modelling vitamin D fortification scenarios for the Australian population.

Background: Low vitamin D status (circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration <50 nmol/L) is prevalent in Australia, and 95% of Australians have been estimated to have low vitamin D intake (mean range 1.8-3.2 μg/day).

Application of machine learning algorithms in an epidemiologic study of mortality.

Purpose: Epidemiologic studies are important in assessing risk factors of mortality. Machine learning (ML) is efficient in analyzing multidimensional data to unravel dependencies between risk factors and health outcomes.

Methods: Using a representative sample from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data collected from 2009 to 2016 linked to the National Death Index public-use mortality data through December 31, 2019, we applied logistic, random forests, k-Nearest Neighbors, multivariate adaptive regression splines, support vector machines, extreme gradient boosting, and super learner ML algorithms to study risk factors of all-cause mortality.

A deep learning approach to perform defect classification of freeze-dried product.

Cosmetic inspection of freeze-dried products is an important part of the post-manufacturing quality control process. Traditionally done by human visual inspection, this method poses typical challenges and shortcomings that can be addressed with innovative techniques. While many cosmetic defects can occur, some are considered more critical than others as they can be harmful to the patient or affect the drug's efficacy.

Early detection of subjective cognitive decline from self-reported symptoms: An interpretable attention-cost fusion approach.

Background And Objective: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) refers to self-reported difficulties in concentration, memory, and decision-making. Since SCD is based on subjective experiences, no specific medical test can definitively confirm its presence, making early detection challenging. Thus, it is advantageous to develop an AI model to capitalize on self-reported health complications, personality traits, and sociodemographic factors for early detection of SCD.

Three Underused Statistical Methods in Social Epidemiology: Multiple Informant Models, Fractional Regression, and Restricted Mean Survival Time.

We recommend three well-established yet underused statistical methods in social epidemiology: Multiple Informant Models (MIMs), Fractional Regression Model (FRM), and Restricted Mean Survival Time (RMST). MIMs improve how we identify critical windows of exposure over time. FRM addresses the inadequacies of ordinary least squares and logistic regression when dealing with fractional outcomes that are naturally proportions or rates, thereby accommodating data at the boundaries of the unit interval without requiring transformations.

A new form of hazardous microparticulate contamination to the marine environment from ships using heavy fuel oil with exhaust gas scrubbers - Characterization and implications for fate, transport and ecotoxicity.

Aiming to reduce sulfur oxides emission in the atmosphere, the International Maritime Organization developed regulations on shipping that came into effect in 2020. The new rules incentivized many owners to install scrubber systems on thousands of ships. However, the overall environmental implications of scrubbers is a controversial subject, largely due to the release of acids, metals, and chemicals in the oceans and impact on marine life.

Preparation of pH-resistant multicolor thiol fluorescent carbon dot using cysteine and neutral red as precursors and its application in detection and adsorption of apigenin.

Conventional carbon dots (CDs) typically exhibit substantial variations in fluorescence intensity across different pH. This limitation underscores the pressing need for advancements in their stability and performance under diverse environmental conditions. Herein, l-cysteine and neutral red are selected as precursors, and three kinds of CDs, which can emit red, orange, and green fluorescent light (assigned as r-CD, o-CD, g-CD, respectively), are synthesized by simply changing the reaction conditions.

Ratiometric fluorescence aptasensor for lysozyme based on the controllable excimer formation of perylene probe.

As an important biological indicator, the abnormity of the lysozyme level is closely related to many diseases. Herein, we devise a novel ratiometric fluorescence aptasensor for lysozyme based on the controllable excimer formation of a perylene probe, N, N'-bis(6-caproic acid)-3,4:9,10-perylene diimide (PDI) induced by cationic silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs). Binding of lysozyme aptamer with multiple phosphate groups to cationic Ag NPs strongly hinders the formation of excimer, yielding intense monomer fluorescence of PDI probe.

Sensitive non-enzymatic sensing of creatinine in urine using a novel paper-based electroanalytical device.

Accurate analysis of urinary creatinine levels is of great clinical significance. Non-enzymatic creatinine sensing systems (NECSs) have gained growing development because of higher stability and lower cost compared to enzymatic sensing systems. At present, there is a demand for simple approaches to develop NECSs with high sensitivity.

Dual-frequency ultrasonic oxidation of cyanobacterial toxins (MC-LR and MC-RR) at drinking water resources: Assessment of analytical methods and ultrasonic reactor configuration.

Ultrasonic oxidation provides the degradation of a wide range of water pollutants to the final products defined as carbon dioxide, short-chain organic acids, and inorganic ions, typically less toxic and favorable to biodegradation. In this study, it was investigated the application of novel ultrasonic reactor that allows the several combinations of low (20 kHz and 40 kHz) and high frequency ultrasonic piezoceramic transducer (578 kHz, 862 kHz and 1142 kHz) to degrade two main cyanobacterial toxins, Microcystin-RR (MC-RR) and Microcystin-LR (MC-LR). A plate transducer operating at different frequencies (40 kHz or 578 kHz/862 kHz/1142 kHz) was combined with a probe (20 kHz) as well as two plate transducers 40 kHz and 578 kHz/862 kHz/1142 kHz were combined to provide dual frequency ultrasonic reactor (DFUR).

A simple automated assay format for measuring multiple immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have improved survival rates in oncology, but there is a rising concern for immune-related adverse health outcomes. Monitoring drug serum concentration would enable tailored dosing, however this strategy has not yet been evaluated for ICIs. Fully automated analyte capture assays with time-resolved fluorometry using protein A as tracer, were developed for three different ICIs; the cytotoxic T lymphocyte Antigen-4 (CTLA4) inhibitor ipilimumab (Yervoy; Bristol-Myers Squibb) and the Programmed Death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors nivolumab (Opdivo; Bristol-Myers Squibb) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda; Merck).

Radial SERS acquisition on coffee ring for Serum-based breast cancer diagnosis through Multilayer Perceptron.

The coffee-ring effect, involving spontaneous solute separation, has demonstrated promising potential in the context of patient serum analysis. In this study, an approach leveraging the coffee-ring-based analyte redistribution was developed for spectral analysis of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). By performing radical SERS scanning through the coffee-ring area and sampling across the coffee ring, complicated chemical information was spatially gathered for further spectra analysis.

The relationships between positive/negative metacognitions and Internet gaming disorder among Chinese adult gamers: Cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence.

Previous research investigating Internet gaming disorder (IGD) in China involved mainly youth samples despite the large population of adult gamers. Drawing on the self-regulatory executive function model, this study aimed to demonstrate the psychometric robustness of negative and positive gaming-specific metacognitions assessed by the short-form Metacognitions about Online Gaming Scale (MOGS; Study 1). Then, Study 2 aimed to explore bidirectional associations between these two factors of the MOGS and IGD among a broad age spectrum of Chinese adult gamers.

Directional intermodular coupling enriches functional complexity in biological neuronal networks.

Hierarchically modular organization is a canonical network topology that is evolutionarily conserved in the nervous systems of animals. Within the network, neurons form directional connections defined by the growth of their axonal terminals. However, this topology is dissimilar to the network formed by dissociated neurons in culture because they form randomly connected networks on homogeneous substrates.

The dispositif is alive! Recovering social agents in Foucauldian analysis.

Michel Foucault's concept of the dispositif is increasingly salient in sociological scholarship. We identify and criticise an 'anonymous' emphasis in this scholarship, which often presents the dispositif as an anonymous network that acts without human agents. To remedy this tendency we develop an agent-inclusive version of the dispositif for sociological research.

Gender differentials in access to medical services during COVID-19 lockdown: Insights from Nigeria.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigeria, like many other countries, implemented a lockdown policy that restricted all movement except for essential services. Access to medical services is a critical component of an effective healthcare system, and without equitable access across genders, improving the overall health outcomes of the population is unlikely to be achieved. This study analyses gender differential in access to medical services and sexual reproductive health services namely, family planning, child health, adult health, pharmacy, emergency care, vaccination, and other medical services during the COVID-19 lockdown in Nigeria, using both descriptive and inferential analytical techniques.

Neural stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles purified by monolith chromatography retain stimulatory effect in in vitro scratch assay.

Background Aims: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have gained traction as potential cell-free therapeutic candidates. Development of purification methods that are scalable and robust is a major focus of EV research. Yet there is still little in the literature that evaluates purification methods against potency of the EV product.

The impact of weight loss after bariatric surgeries on the patient's body image, quality of life, and self-esteem.

Objectives: The objective of this web-based study is to analyze the attributes of bariatric surgery cases ensuing health implications. Additionally, the study seeks to delve into the factors influencing post-bariatric psychological evaluations and the impact of various bariatric surgeries on weight loss and psycho-social assessment scores for patients who had undergone bariatric surgeries within a specific bariatric surgery center in Egypt between January 2017 and January 2024.

Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study recruited 411 adults who had undergone different bariatric procedures by the same surgical team.

Network Abnormalities in Ischemic Stroke: A Meta-analysis of Resting-State Functional Connectivity.

Aberrant large-scale resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) has been frequently documented in ischemic stroke. However, it remains unclear about the altered patterns of within- and across-network connectivity. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to identify the altered rsFC in patients with ischemic stroke relative to healthy controls, as well as to reveal longitudinal changes of network dysfunctions across acute, subacute, and chronic phases.

Nobiletin: a potential erythropoietin receptor activator protects renal cells against hypoxia.

Tangerine peel is a traditional Chinese herb and has been widely applied in foods and medicine for its multiple pharmacological effects. Erythropoietin receptor (EPOR), a member of the cytokine receptor family, is widely expressed in multiple tissues in especial kidney and plays protective effects in adverse physiological and pathological conditions. We hypothesized that it might be EPOR agonists existing in Tangerine peel bring such renal benefits.

An integrated DEA-fuzzy AHP method for prioritization of renewable energy sources in India.

As India's population grows and urbanization accelerates, energy demand is increasing sharply while conventional sources fall behind. To tackle energy shortages and climate change, India must prioritize renewable energy sources (RES), which offer sustainable solutions. The country is rich in RES, which can enhance fuel mix for electricity generation.

Open challenges and opportunities in federated foundation models towards biomedical healthcare.

This survey explores the transformative impact of foundation models (FMs) in artificial intelligence, focusing on their integration with federated learning (FL) in biomedical research. Foundation models such as ChatGPT, LLaMa, and CLIP, which are trained on vast datasets through methods including unsupervised pretraining, self-supervised learning, instructed fine-tuning, and reinforcement learning from human feedback, represent significant advancements in machine learning. These models, with their ability to generate coherent text and realistic images, are crucial for biomedical applications that require processing diverse data forms such as clinical reports, diagnostic images, and multimodal patient interactions.

Negotiating a physically active life in tune with ageing: a grounded theory study of older persons' experiences of participating in high-intensity interval training.

Background: Physical activity and exercise are promoted worldwide as effective interventions for healthy ageing. Various exercise initiatives have been developed and evaluated for their efficacy and effectiveness among older populations. However, a deeper understanding of participants' experiences with these initiatives is crucial to foster long-term activity and exercise among older persons.