Neighborhood environment associations with cognitive function and structural brain measures in older African Americans.

Background: Since older adults spend significant time in their neighborhood environment, environmental factors such as neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage, high racial segregation, low healthy food availability, low access to recreation, and minimal social engagement may have adverse effects on cognitive function and increase susceptibility to dementia. DNA methylation, which is associated with neighborhood characteristics as well as cognitive function and white matter hyperintensity (WMH), may act as a mediator between neighborhood characteristics and neurocognitive outcomes.

Methods: In this study, we examined whether DNA methylation in peripheral blood leukocytes mediates the relationship between neighborhood characteristics and cognitive function (N = 542) or WMH (N = 466) in older African American (AA) participants without preliminary evidence of dementia from the Genetic Epidemiology Network of Arteriopathy (GENOA).

Adaptive evolution of stress response genes in parasites aligns with host niche diversity.

Background: Stress responses are key the survival of parasites and, consequently, also the evolutionary success of these organisms. Despite this importance, our understanding of the evolution of molecular pathways dealing with environmental stressors in parasitic animals remains limited. Here, we tested the link between adaptive evolution of parasite stress response genes and their ecological diversity and species richness.

Molecular Design for Dual Circularity: Polyester with Complementary Mechanical and Chemical Recyclability under Mild Conditions.

The plastic waste accumulation requires facile yet effective solutions. Currently mechanical recycling typically leads to downcycling, while the environmental footprint of chemical recycling is often unacceptable. Here, we introduce a dual circularity concept, where rational molecular design paves the way for complementary closed-loop mechanical and chemical recyclability under mild conditions.

1.5D Chiral Perovskites Mediated by Hydrogen-Bonding Network with Remarkable Spin-Polarized Property.

In this study, we developed new chiral hybrid perovskites, (R/S-MBA)(GA)PbI4, by incorporating achiral guanidinium (GA+) and chiral R/S-methylbenzylammonium (R/S-MBA+) into the perovskite framework. The resulting materials possess a distinctive structural configuration, positioned between 1D and 2D perovskites, which we describe as 1.5D.

Review - Insect farming for food and feed in the Global South: Focus on black soldier fly production.

Clear differences exist between the Global South and the Global North with respect to economic development. The majority of small and medium-sized insect production farms are located in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, which face challenges to food production and organic waste management in general. These regions have a long history of insect use, as well as environmental advantages, making production of insects in general - and the black soldier fly in particular - a promising option for sustainable food production and organic waste management.

Temperature-dependent pathways in carbon dioxide electroreduction.

Temperature affects both the thermodynamics of intermediate adsorption and the kinetics of elementary reactions. Despite its extensive study in thermocatalysis, temperature effect is typically overlooked in electrocatalysis. This study investigates how electrolyte temperature influences CO electroreduction over Cu catalysts.

Staple principles for the definition of front-of-pack nutritional labels.

Front-of-pack nutrition labels (FOPNLs) have been developed since 1989 to curb the increasing prevalence of obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and to promote healthy consumption choices. While several countries have introduced their own labeling schemes on a voluntary basis, the European Commission aims to harmonize a FOPNL system that will be mandatory for all member states. This paper summarizes a contribution to the current debate on FOPNLs from Italian and Spanish researchers working in the fields of human nutrition, nutritional epidemiology and public health education and communication policy before the final decision on FOPNLs to become mandatory in Europe is taken.

Prospective association of changes in (poly)phenol intake, body weight and physical activity with inflammatory profile.

Backgrounds And Aim: To prospectively evaluate the associations between changes in (poly)phenol intake, body weight(BW), and physical activity(PA) with changes in an inflammatory score after 1-year.

Methods And Results: This is a prospective observational analysis involving 484 participants from the PREDIMED-Plus with available inflammatory measurements. (Poly)phenol intake was estimated using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire and the Phenol-Explorer database.

Understanding Nurses' perspectives on electronic health records in Egypt: Insights from a cross-sectional study.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and acceptance of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) among nurses in Egypt.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted involving 1217 nurses from 33 public and private hospitals. Data were collected using a self-administered online questionnaire, which assessed knowledge, attitudes, and acceptance of EHRs.

Factors Influencing Choosing Diagnostic Radiology As a Specialty Among Medical Students.

Rationale And Objectives: Radiology plays a crucial role in modern healthcare as it facilitates the diagnosis and treatment of various medical conditions in different specialties. Therefore, this study aimed to gain insights into the factors that contribute to medical students choosing radiology as a future career.

Materials And Methods: This cross-sectional study used an online, self-administered questionnaire.

Trigeminal neuralgia: therapeutic strategies to restore quality of life.

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) usually affects the maxillary and mandibular branches of the fifth cranial nerve. Although the condition is primarily unilateral, few cases of bilateral manifestation have been reported. TN is uncommon; however, it significantly affects patients' quality of life because the neuropathic pain worsens over time.

Stakeholder and patient experience with virtual reality in burn treatment - a study of the Cold River application in a clinical setting.

The use of virtual reality (VR) in medicine is rapidly expanding, particularly in areas like pain management, surgical training, and mental health therapy. This study examines the implementation and effects of the Cold River VR application, a fully immersive tool designed to help manage pain and anxiety during dressing changes for burn trauma patients in a Czech hospital. The Cold River application immerses patients in a peaceful, interactive virtual environment, utilizing eye-tracking technology to engage them without the need for physical controllers, which could interfere with wound care.

Preparation, mechanism, and biological applications of targeting LDs ratiometric fluorescent probes for HClO detection.

Hypochlorous acid (HClO) is a well-known inflammatory signaling molecule, while lipid droplets (LDs) are dynamic organelles closely related to inflammation. Using organic small-molecule fluorescence imaging technology to target LDs for precise monitoring of HClO is one of the most effective methods for diagnosing inflammation-related diseases. A thorough investigation of how probes detect biological markers and the influencing factors can aid in the design of probe molecules, the selection of high-performance tools, and the accuracy of disease detection.

Medium entropy-derived flower-like FeCeCu nanozyme with excellent oxidase-like activity for on-site and visual detection of carbosulfan.

Background: Carbosulfan residues in environment is very harmful to human health. The rapid and high sensitive detection of carbosulfan residues is particularly important to guarantee human health and safety. The conventional chromatographic techniques and enzyme inhibition strategies cannot realize on-site and visual detection of carbosulfan.

Frontiers in laccase nanozymes-enabled colorimetric sensing: A review.

In recent years, nanozyme-based analytics have become popular. Among these, laccase nanozyme-based colorimetric sensors have emerged as simple and rapid colorimetric detection methods for various analytes, effectively addressing natural enzymes' stability and high-cost limitations. Laccase nanozymes are nanomaterials that exhibit inherent laccase enzyme-like activity.

Sample preparation using deep eutectic solvents in combination with nanomaterials in analytical procedures: A review.

Background: Sample preparation can be a critical stage of analytical procedures that profoundly influences their performance, environmental impact, and overall efficiency. While nanomaterials have revolutionized sample preparation owing to their high surface area-to-volume ratios, tunable surface chemistry, and enhanced adsorption capacities, limitations persist. Researchers have ushered in a new era of efficient sample preparation methodologies that could overcome the limitations of nanomaterials by introducing deep eutectic solvents (DESs), which have unique advantages such as low volatility and toxicity, biodegradability, and tunability.

Advances in the design and application of contactless conductivity detectors for separation, flow-through, microfluidic and sensing techniques: A review.

The review focuses on the design of detection cells, the use of microcontrollers for processing and evaluation of the detection signal, and the development of multi-detection systems for electromigration, liquid chromatography, flow-through and microfluidic techniques. A separate section is the introduction of modern 3D printing techniques and the use of new printing materials for the design of multidetection systems. In addition to traditional utilisation in separation techniques, new versions of contactless conductivity detectors are finding applications in FIA, SIA, portable and paper based analytical systems or as independent sensors.

Exploiting the synergistic effect of β-cyclodextrin functionalized-multi-walled carbon nanotubes and Zn-MOF for the detection of endocrine-disrupting chemical methylparaben.

Background: The buildup of methylparaben (MP), a broad-spectrum antimicrobial preservative with endocrine-disrupting properties, in environmental sources, especially aquatic systems, has become a significant concern due to its adverse health effects, including allergic reactions, promoting the risk of developing cancer, and inducing reproductive disorders. Hence, introducing inexpensive and easy-to-use monitoring devices for rapid, selective, and sensitive detection and quantification of MP is highly desirable. In this context, electrochemical platforms have proven to be attractive options due to their remarkable features, such as ease of fabrication and use, short response time, and acceptable sensitivity, accuracy, and selectivity.

Carbon dot embedded hybrid microgel from synthesis to sensing: Experimental and theoretical approach.

Background: The intellectual progress in fabricating artificial probes for selective appraisal of biologically admissible amino acids has displayed exponential growth in recent era.The neoteric era in material science has witnessed the significant application of carbon quantum dots (CQDs). However, the hybrid microgel of CQDs was less explored.

Lysosome-targeted dual-locked NIR fluorescent probe for visualization of HS and viscosity in drug-induced liver injury and tumor models.

Background: Lysosomes, as an indispensable subcellular organelle have numerous physiological functions closely associated with HS and viscosity, and accurate assessment of HS/viscosity fluctuations in lysosomes is essential for gaining a comprehensive understanding of lysosome-related physiological activities and pathological processes. The previous single-response fluorescent probes for either HS or viscosity alone have the potential to generate "false positive" signals in a complex biological environment. In contrast, dual-locked probes can simultaneously respond to multiple targets simultaneously, which could effectively eliminate this defect.

Self-powered photoelectrochemical sensor based on molecularly imprinted polymer-coupled CBFO photocathode and AgS/SnS photoanode for ultrasensitive dimethoate sensing.

Dimethoate (DIM) is one of the most extensively applied organophosphorus pesticides (OPs), which is used to boost farm productivity due to its high insecticidal efficacy. However, the excessive use of DIM can result in the extensive contamination of soil, groundwater and food. Monitoring of DIM in environmental and food samples is crucial in view of its potential health risks and environmental hazards from excessive residues.

A novel 3D-printed sample preparation method for benzodiazepine quantification in human serum.

Background: Benzodiazepine abuse remains a significant public health concern. Current sample preparation methods for benzodiazepine analysis from human serum often involve complex procedures that require large sample volumes and extensive organic solvent use. To address these limitations, this study presents a novel and efficient sample preparation method utilizing 3D-printed sorbent devices.

Post-synthesis surface modification of Cu/Zr metal azolate framework: A pathway to highly sensitive electrochemical biosensors for atrazine detection.

Background: Atrazine (ATZ), a pesticide that poses serious health problems, is observed in the environment, thereby prompting its periodic monitoring and control using functional biosensors. However, established methods for ATZ detection have limited applicability. Two-dimensional (2D) metal azolate frameworks (MAF) have a higher surface area per unit volume and provide easier access to active sites.