Charting water quality improvements and practice reversion with pesticide interventions at catchment scale.

Freshwater quality, and the impacts of farming practice on drinking water supplies, are of concern in many countries and time-limited catchment management interventions are commonly used to improve water quality. However, ending such schemes may result in practice reversion. This study adopts an interdisciplinary approach combining evidence from water quality monitoring data with a behavioural study of farmers to explore changes in land use practice with reference to the pesticide MCPA (2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid) following a catchment-based management scheme delivered in the cross-border Derg catchment in Northern Ireland/Ireland between 2018 and 2021.

Current evidence around key underrepresented women's health topics in pregnancy and postpartum nutrition: a narrative review.

Adequate nutrition during pregnancy and postpartum is critical to maternal and child health, but there is often a missing focus around health outcomes specifically for women. Women's health includes sex-specific biological attributes and socially constructed gender roles framing behaviours and practices. This narrative review aims to highlight key areas where women's health has been underrepresented in pregnancy and postpartum nutrition research.

An Amorphous Donor-Acceptor Conjugated Polymer with Both High Charge Carrier Mobility and Luminescence Quantum Efficiency.

Organic semiconducting polymers play a pivotal role in the development of field-effect transistors (OFETs) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), owing to their cost-effectiveness, structural versatility, and solution processability. However, achieving polymers with both high charge carrier mobility (μ) and photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield (Φ) remains a challenge. In this work, we present the design and synthesis of a novel donor-acceptor π-conjugated polymer, TTIF-BT, featuring a di-Thioeno[3,2-b] ThioenoIndeno[1,2-b] Fluorene (TTIF) backbone as the donor component.

Associations between maternal fish intake and polyunsaturated fatty acid status with childhood asthma in a high fish-eating population.

Background: Studies investigating associations between prenatal polyunsaturated fatty acid status (PUFAs), in particular the anti-inflammatory n-3 PUFAs, and the development of childhood asthma have yielded conflicting results.

Objective: To determine the associations between maternal fish intake (a rich source of the n-3 PUFAs), maternal or cord PUFAs with the prevalence of childhood asthma in a high fish-eating population.

Methods: We examined these associations between fish intake and PUFA concentrations with childhood asthma prevalence in the Seychelles Child Development Study Nutrition Cohort 2, a large observational study in a high fish-eating population.

Biogeographical Distribution of River Microbial Communities in Atlantic Catchments.

Microbes inhabit virtually all river ecosystems, influencing energy flow and playing a key role in global sustainability and climate change. Yet, there is uncertainty about how various taxonomic groups respond to large-scale factors in river networks. We analysed microbial community richness and composition across six European Atlantic catchments using environmental DNA sequencing.

Diacylation of Peptides Enables the Construction of Functional Vesicles for Drug-Carrying Liposomes.

Membrane-forming phospholipids are generated in cells by enzymatic diacylation of non-amphiphilic polar head groups. Analogous non-enzymatic processes may have been relevant at the origin of life and could have practical utility in membrane synthesis. However, aqueous head group diacylation is challenging in the absence of enzymes.

Characterization and in vitro anticancer study of PEGylated liposome dually loaded with ferulic acid and doxorubicin.

Doxorubicin is an anthracycline antibiotic widely used in cancer therapy. However, its cytotoxic properties affect both cancerous and healthy cells. Combining doxorubicin with antioxidants such as ferulic acid reduces its side effects, while simultaneously enhancing therapeutic effectiveness.

Changing patterns of general practice services during a period of public sector investment in Britain.

Introduction: Given the importance of GP care to the public's health, it is important that we understand how patterns of service use change as levels of investment change. This study investigated GP use in Britain in conjunction with use of outpatient services during a period of investment and during a period of austerity.

Method: The study used data from the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) that included service use, morbidity (as an indicator of need) and socio-demographic characteristics (e.

Self-supervised parametric map estimation for multiplexed PET with a deep image prior.

Multiplexed positron emission tomography (mPET) imaging allows simultaneous observation of physiological and pathological information from multiple tracers in a single PET scan. Although supervised deep learning has demonstrated superior performance in mPET image separation compared to purely model-based methods, acquiring large amounts of paired single-tracer data and multi-tracer data for training poses a practical challenge and needs extended scan durations for patients. In addition, the generalisation ability of the supervised learning framework is a concern, as the patient being scanned and their tracer kinetics may potentially fall outside the training distribution.

Tobacco-free generation: reflecting on progress globally and its potential feasibility in India.

Tobacco-free generation (TFG) policies, also conceptualised as smoke-free or nicotine-free generation in some geographies, envision the elimination of tobacco use initiation by preventing tobacco sales to generations born after a specified birth date. This cohort-based policy approach eventually aims to phase out tobacco use. This paper defines TFG, reviews its international developments and explores the feasibility of the TFG policy approach in India, considering the country's federal governance structure with health as a state responsibility, within a national policy framework.

Thirty years of StAR gazing: expanding the universe of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein.

Current understanding of the biology, biochemistry and genetics of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and its deficiency state (congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia, lipoid CAH) involves the complex interplay of four areas of study: the acute regulation of steroidogenesis, clinical phenomena in lipoid CAH, the enzymatic conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone in steroidogenic mitochondria, and the cell biology of StAR. This review traces the origins of these areas of study, describes how they have been woven into an increasingly coherent fabric, and tries to explore some remaining loose ends in this ongoing field of endocrine research. Abundant research from multiple laboratories establishes that StAR is required for the rapid, abundant steroidal responses of the adrenals and gonads, but all steroidogenic cells, especially the placenta, have StAR-independent steroidogenesis, whose basis remains under investigation.

Role of voltage-gated Ca channels and Ano1 Ca-activated Cl channels in M2 muscarinic receptor-dependent contractions of murine airway smooth muscle.

Cholinergic tone is elevated in obstructive lung conditions such as COPD and asthma, but the cellular mechanisms underlying cholinergic contractions of airway smooth muscle (ASM) are still unclear. Some studies report an important role for L-type Ca channels (LTCC) and Ano1 Ca-activated Cl™ channels (CACC) in these responses, but others dispute their importance. Cholinergic contractions of ASM involve activation of M3Rs, however stimulation of M2Rs exerts a profound hypersensitisation of these responses.

Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists and Risk of Thyroid Cancer: An International Multisite Cohort Study.

Concerns have been raised that glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP1-RAs) may increase the risk of thyroid cancer, but evidence remains conflicting. We therefore investigated if GLP1-RA use, compared with use of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4is), was associated with thyroid cancer risk in patients with type 2 diabetes. This multisite cohort study with subsequent meta-analysis included six population-based databases from Canada (Ontario), Denmark, Norway, South Korea, Sweden, and Taiwan.

The Impact of COVID-19 on People with a Visual Impairment in Northern Ireland: A Sensory Support View.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought many challenges for all and especially for people with a visual impairment. As a result, many healthcare services had to close or be reduced, and new rules and regulations were implemented. These rules, regulations and testing procedures were challenging for many people with a visual impairment.

Comparative Effects of GLP-1 and GLP-2 on Beta-Cell Function, Glucose Homeostasis and Appetite Regulation.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) are related intestinal L-cell derived secretory products. GLP-1 has been extensively studied in terms of its influence on metabolism, but less attention has been devoted to GLP-2 in this regard. The current study compares the effects of these proglucagon-derived peptides on pancreatic beta-cell function, as well as on glucose tolerance and appetite.

Non-neuraxial labour analgesia.

Epidural analgesia is considered the gold standard for labour pain but may not be an option for all parturients due to patient choice or medical contraindication. Non-neuraxial alternatives for labour analgesia have been extensively studied and include both pharmacological and non-pharmacological options. Pharmacological options include the use of opioids and inhalational agents while non-pharmacological options range from non-invasive methods such as continuous labour support to techniques such as sterile water injection.

A study evaluation framework for measuring cognition. Lessons learned in cross-national contexts from four English-speaking aging cohorts.

The Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) is a detailed battery assessing cognition among older people used by studies across the world. Data harmonization is a key priority for HCAP studies. We used a mixed-methods approach using established theories from the existing literature detailing the methodologies of longitudinal studies and from the implementation of HCAP in four English-speaking studies adopting the same protocol.

Causal genes identification of giant cell arteritis in CD4+ Memory t cells: an integration of multi-omics and expression quantitative trait locus analysis.

Background: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a prevalent artery and is strongly correlated with age. The role of CD4+ Memory T cells in giant cell arteritis has not been elucidated.

Method: Through single-cell analysis, we focused on the CD4+ Memory T cells in giant cell arteritis.

Patient activation and support needs in patients after ICU discharge: A UK survey of critical illness survivors.

Background: Understanding the degree to which patients are actively involved, confident and capable of engaging with self-management and rehabilitation could be an initial step in guiding individualised supportive strategies for people after critical illness.

Aims: To assess the levels of active involvement with self management among ICU survivors using the Patient Activation Measure (PAM), explore associations between patient characteristics and PAM results, and investigate its relationship with patients' support needs at key transition points during the recovery process.

Methods: Eligible participants received both the PAM and Support Needs After Critical care (SNAC) questionnaires by post.

Effect of orthodontic forced eruption for implant site development in the maxillary esthetic zone: A systematic review of clinical data.

Dental implant placement in the esthetic zone is associated with challenges for clinicians. The best esthetic outcome of this procedure can be obtained through precise management of hard and soft tissue. Orthodontic forced eruption (OFE) has presented an alternative approach to augment hard and soft tissues, which can be applied rapidly or slowly.

Toward Automated Preprocessing of Untargeted LC-MS-Based Metabolomics Feature Lists from Human Biofluids.

Maximizing the extraction of true, high-quality, nonredundant features from biofluids analyzed via LC-MS systems is challenging. Here, the R packages IPO and AutoTuner were used to optimize XCMS parameter settings for the retrieval of metabolite or lipid features in both ionization modes from either faecal or urine samples from two cohorts ( = 621). The feature lists obtained were compared with those where the parameter values were selected manually.

Land Use Change Consistently Reduces α- But Not β- and γ-Diversity of Bees.

Land use change threatens global biodiversity and compromises ecosystem functions, including pollination and food production. Reduced taxonomic α-diversity is often reported under land use change, yet the impacts could be different at larger spatial scales (i.e.

Exploring the stigma experienced by people affected by Parkinson's disease: a systematic review.

Background: Stigma significantly impacts individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) and their caregivers, exacerbating social isolation, psychological distress, and reducing quality of life (QoL). Although considerable research has been conducted on PD's clinical aspects, the social and emotional challenges, like stigma, remain underexplored. Addressing stigma is crucial for enhancing well-being, fostering inclusivity and improving access to care and support.

Microbial fuel cells to monitor natural attenuation around groundwater plumes.

This research presents a straightforward and economically efficient design for a microbial fuel cell (MFC) that can be conveniently integrated into a borehole to monitor natural attenuation in groundwater. The design employs conventional, transparent, and reusable PVC bailers with graphite tape and granular activated carbon to create high surface area electrodes. These electrodes are connected across redox environments in nested boreholes through a wire and variable resistor setup.