DNA methylation patterns of circadian and ultradian genes are altered in the peripheral blood of patients with hidradenitis suppurativa.

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that affects hair follicles in areas with apocrine sweat glands, such as the underarms, groin, and buttocks. The pathogenesis of HS is not fully understood, but considering the key role played by the biological clock in the control of immune/inflammatory processes the derangement of circadian and ultradian pathways could be hypothesized.

Methods: We analyzed genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in peripheral blood from 24 HS cases and 24 controls using the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip array (Illumina), followed by bioinformatics and statistical analyses.

Hidradenitis suppurativa associated telomere-methylome dysregulations in blood.

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic debilitating disease with a significant burden of both organic and psychological comorbidities. It has been shown that certain telomere-related genes (TRGs) affect a wide range of diseases, including HS and its associated comorbidities, but their exact role in HS pathogenesis is still unknown.

Objectives: To determine whether TRG methylomes can be used as biomarkers in HS.

Placental microRNA methylome signatures may serve as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for prenatally opioid-exposed infants with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome.

The neonate exposed to opioids in utero faces a constellation of withdrawal symptoms postpartum commonly called neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS). The incidence of NOWS has increased in recent years due to the opioid epidemic. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that play a crucial role in gene regulation.

Hidradenitis suppurativa presents a methylome dysregulation capable to explain the pro-inflammatory microenvironment: Are these DNA methylations potential therapeutic targets?

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, systemic, inflammatory skin condition with elusive pathogenesis that affects therapeutic intervention directly.

Objective: To characterize epigenetic variations in cytokines genes contributing to HS.

Methods: Epigenome-wide DNA methylation profiling with the Illumina Epic array was performed on blood DNA samples from 24 HS patients and 24 age- and sex-matched controls to explore DNA methylation changes in cytokine genes.

Efficient photo-adsorptive eradication of endocrine disrupting pesticides by chitosan co- decorated metal oxide bio-nanocomposite.

Extensive consumption, toxicity and bioaccumulation of malathion (MLT) and lindane (γ-HCH) pesticides collectively attract the world's attention. Herein, the nanocomposite of chitosan wrapped NiO@ZnO was synthesized by a green methodology using Azadirachta indica leaves extract. Structural and morphological analysis of chitosan-NiO@ZnO showed hollow sphere-flake shaped image adsorbed on a solid chitosan surface with a large surface area of 73 mg.

COVID-19 related antiviral drugs are less adsorbable on sediment under alkaline and high cation conditions.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in unprecedented usage and elevated environmental concentrations of antiviral drugs. However, very limited studies have reported their sorption characteristics on environmental matrices. This study investigated the sorption of six COVID-19 related antivirals on Taihu Lake sediment with varied aqueous chemistry.

Improving pediatric COVID-19 vaccine uptake using an mHealth tool (MoVeUp): study protocol for a randomized, controlled trial.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines demonstrate excellent effectiveness against infection, severe disease, and death. However, pediatric COVID-19 vaccination rates lag among individuals from rural and other medically underserved communities. The research objective of the current protocol is to determine the effectiveness of a vaccine communication mobile health (mHealth) application (app) on parental decisions to vaccinate their children against COVID-19.

Methylated miRNAs may serve as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for hidradenitis suppurativa.

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease influenced by genetics, non-genetic and environmental factors that modulate miRNA expression. Currently, no miRNA data are available for HS. In this study, we profiled DNA methylation patterns of miRNA genes associated with HS susceptibility.

Sensitive detection of chronic wasting disease prions recovered from environmentally relevant surfaces.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been identified in 30 states in the United States, four provinces in Canada, and recently emerged in Scandinavia. The association of CWD prions with environmental materials such as soil, plants, and surfaces may enhance the persistence of CWD prion infectivity in the environment exacerbating disease transmission. Identifying and quantifying CWD prions in the environment is significant for prion monitoring and disease transmission control.

Enzyme immobilized nanomaterials as electrochemical biosensors for detection of biomolecules.

Biosensors have emerged as a potential tool for selective and sensitive detection. Biomolecules like enzymes, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and antibodies are used as recognition sites in biosensors due to their high selectivity, sensitivity, and signal-to-noise ratio. Nowadays, biosensors are used to detect many vital biomolecules such as glucose, urea, and cholesterol.

Dark fermentation: Production and utilization of volatile fatty acid from different wastes- A review.

Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) are the building blocks of the chemical industry, and they are the primary contributors to the planet's organic carbon cycle. VFA production from fossil fuels (mostly petroleum) is unsustainable, pollutes the environment, and generates greenhouse gases. As a result of these issues, there is a pressing need to develop alternate sources for the long-term generation of VFAs via anaerobic digestion.

Identifying the K-12 classrooms' indoor air quality factors that affect student academic performance.

The objective of this study was to investigate associations between indoor air quality (IAQ) in K-12 classrooms and student academic performance. During the academic years 2015-2017, various IAQ factors in 220 classrooms in the US were measured seasonally, excluding summer. Measurements were taken during occupied and unoccupied times in several classrooms within each school.

Experimental assessment of cement hydration and leaching characteristics for waste-to-energy bottom ash mixed with concrete.

To achieve a more sustainable waste-to-energy (WTE) process, the recycling of solid waste incineration (MSWI) bottom ash (BA) has received large attention nowadays. This study investigated how WTE BA form is changed after the hydration and the impacts of WTE BA hydration on its leaching characteristics by using geometrical and leaching tests when incorporated in cement matrix for the recycling. The material composition and characteristics of anhydrous BA, hydrated BA, cement paste, Portland cement concrete (PCC), and BA-combined PCC were evaluated through scanning electron microscopy, X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses.

Placental DNA methylation profiles in opioid-exposed pregnancies and associations with the neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome.

Opioid abuse during pregnancy can result in Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS). We investigated genome-wide methylation analyses of 96 placental tissue samples, including 32 prenatally opioid-exposed infants with NOWS who needed therapy (+Opioids/+NOWS), 32 prenatally opioid-exposed infants with NOWS who did not require treatment (+Opioids/-NOWS), and 32 prenatally unexposed controls (-Opioids/-NOWS, control). Statistics, bioinformatics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), including Deep Learning (DL), and Ingenuity Pathway Analyses (IPA) were performed.

Recent progress in g-CN, TiO and ZnO based photocatalysts for dye degradation: Strategies to improve photocatalytic activity.

Water contamination by dyes is a matter of concern for human health and the environment. Various methods (membrane separation, coagulation and adsorption) have been explored to remove/degrade dyes. However, now the exploitation of semiconductor assisted materials using renewable solar energy has emerged as a potential candidate to resolve the issue.

Recent advances in visible-light-driven carbon dioxide reduction by metal-organic frameworks.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising materials and have attracted researchers due to their unique chemical and physical properties-design flexibility, tuneable pore channels, a high surface-to-volume ratio that allow their distinct application in diverse research fields-gas storage, gas separation, catalysis, adsorption, drug delivery, ion exchange, sensing, etc. The rapidly growing CO in the atmosphere is a global concern due to the excessive use of fossil fuels in the current era. CO is the prime cause of global warming and should be ameliorated either through adsorption or conversion into value-added products to protect the environment and mankind.

Clustering acoustical measurement data in pediatric hospital units.

The previous hospital acoustic literature has highlighted some important considerations and various complexities regarding objective noise measurements. However, extensive use of conventional acoustical metrics such as logarithmically averaged equivalent sound pressure levels (L) do not sufficiently describe hospital acoustical environments and often lack considerations of the room-based activity status that can significantly influence the soundscape. The goal of this study was to explore utilizing statistical clustering techniques in healthcare settings with a particular aim of identifying room-activity conditions.

Evaluating hospital soundscapes to improve patient experience.

Hospital soundscapes can be difficult environments to assess acoustically due to alarms, medical equipment, and the continuous activity within units. Routinely, patients perceive these soundscapes to be poor when rating their hospital experience on HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) surveys administered after discharge. In this study, five hospital units of widely varying HCAHPS "quietness" performance were analyzed.

Feasibility of using the Fitbit Charge HR in validating self-reported exercise diaries in a community setting in patients with heart failure.

Background: Use of wrist-worn activity monitors has increased over the past few years; however, the use of the Fitbit® Charge HR (FCHR) in a community setting in patients with heart failure has not been tested.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to assess the feasibility, practicality and acceptability of utilizing the FCHR to validate self-reported exercise diaries and monitor exercise in community dwelling patients with heart failure.

Methods: Thirty heart failure patients (12 females and 18 males) aged 64.

Dehydration of Prions on Environmentally Relevant Surfaces Protects Them from Inactivation by Freezing and Thawing.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an emerging prion disease in North America. Recent identification of CWD in wild cervids from Norway raises the concern of the spread of CWD in Europe. CWD infectivity can enter the environment through live animal excreta and carcasses where it can bind to soil.

Response and recovery of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) following early life exposure to water and sediment found within agricultural runoff from the Elkhorn River, Nebraska, USA.

Agricultural runoff is a non-point source of chemical contaminants that are seasonally detected in surface water and sediments. Agrichemicals found within seasonal runoff can elicit endocrine disrupting effects in organisms as adults, juveniles and larvae. The objectives of this study were (1) to determine if exposure to water, sediment or the water-sediment combination collected from an agricultural runoff event was responsible for changes in endocrine-responsive gene expression and development in fathead minnow larvae, and (2) whether such early life exposure leads to adverse effects as adults.