Oxidative potential and persistent free radicals in dust storm particles and their associations with hospitalization.

Sand and dust storms (SDS) can cause adverse health effects, with the oxidative potential (OP) and environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) inducing oxidative stress. We mapped the OP and EPFRs concentrations at 1735 sites in China during SDS periods using experimental data for 2021-2023 and a random forest model. We examined 855,869 hospitalizations during SDS events for 2015-2022 in Beijing, China.

Floristic classifications and bioregionalizations are not predictors of intra-specific evolutionary patterns.

The relationship between intra-specific and inter-specific patterns and processes over evolutionary time is key to ecological investigations. We examine this relationship taking an approach of focussing on the association between vegetation and floristic classifications, summaries of inter-specific processes, and intra-specific genetic structuring. Applying an innovative, multispecies, and standardised population genomic approach, we test the relationship between vegetation mapping schemes and structuring of genetic variation across a large, environmentally heterogenous region in eastern Australia.

Evaluation of the Short-Term Restorative Care program: Effects on physical functioning.

Objective: The Short-Term Restorative Care program is an 8-week multidisciplinary early intervention funded by the Australian Government that aims to reverse or slow the functional decline of older Australians. Despite the large investment of tax-payer money to fund the program, very little peer-reviewed literature exists examining the ability of the program to deliver on its aims.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study.

Non-Analog Behaviour of Eastern African Herbivore Communities During the Last Glacial Period.

Modern African ungulates navigate seasonal variation in resource availability through diet-switching (primarily mixed-feeders) and/or migrating (primarily grass grazers). These ecological generalisations are well-documented today, but the extent to which they apply to the non-analog ecosystems of the Pleistocene are unclear. Drawing from serially-sampled stable isotope measurements from 18 Kenyan large herbivore species from the Last Glacial Period (LGP), we evaluate how diet, diet-switching, and migration compare to observations from present-day settings.

Calibrated Ecosystem Models Cannot Predict the Consequences of Conservation Management Decisions.

Ecosystem models are often used to predict the consequences of management interventions in applied ecology and conservation. These models are often high-dimensional and nonlinear, yet limited data are available to calibrate or validate them. Consequently, their utility as decision-support tools is unclear.

Critical Role of Nanomaterial Mechanical Properties in Drug Delivery, Nanovaccines and Beyond.

Nanomaterials have become essential in the daily lives, finding applications in food, skincare, drugs, and vaccines. Traditionally, the surface chemistry of nanoparticles (NPs) is considered the key factor in determining their interactions with biological systems. However, recent studies have shown that the mechanical properties of nanomaterials are equally important in regulating nano-bio interactions, though they have often been overlooked.

Chromatin-based memory as a self-stabilizing influence on cell identity.

Cell types are traditionally thought to be specified and stabilized by gene regulatory networks. Here, we explore how chromatin memory contributes to the specification and stabilization of cell states. Through pervasive, local, feedback loops, chromatin memory enables cell states that were initially unstable to become stable.

CLEC12B regulates melanocyte immunity and homeostasis in the skin through the STAT1/IRF1 axis.

CLEC12B is a C-type lectin receptor involved in the inhibition of natural killers-mediated cytotoxicity. We have previously shown that CLEC12B is predominantly expressed on melanocytes, inhibits melanin production and pigmentation as well as proliferation of melanoma. To date, the role of CLEC12B in skin immunity is unknown.

Enhancing Reflective Practice Using Prompts in Online Submission of Case Reports (OSCAR): An Exploratory Study Among Medical Students in Rural Longitudinal Integrated Clerkships.

Introduction: Medical students learn to reflect to gain new insights into self and practice; however, allowing for reflection within a busy curriculum is challenging. In this study we embedded reflective writing prompts (RWP) into an existing assessment item, Online Submission of Case Reports (OSCAR), to investigate whether this minimalistic scaffolding intervention could develop students' reflective capacity and increase their exposure to rural social determinants of health.

Methods: This study is framed by ontological realism and informed by an interpretivist stance.

Sleep discrepancy and brain glucose metabolism in community-dwelling older adults.

Sleep discrepancy (negative discrepancy reflects worse self-reported sleep than objective measures, such as actigraphy, and positive discrepancy the opposite) has been linked to adverse health outcomes. This study is first to investigate the relationship between sleep discrepancy and brain glucose metabolism (assessed globally and regionally via positron emission tomography), and to evaluate the contribution of insomnia severity and depressive symptoms to any associations. Using data from cognitively unimpaired community-dwelling older adults ( = 68), cluster analysis was used to characterise sleep discrepancy (for total sleep time (TST), wake after sleep onset (WASO), and sleep efficiency (SE)), and logistic regression was used to explore sleep discrepancy's associations with brain glucose metabolism, while controlling for insomnia severity and depressive symptoms.

Bone Ingrowth Simulation Within the Hexanoid, a Novel Scaffold Design.

The utilization of bone scaffold implants represents a promising approach for repairing substantial bone defects. In recent years, various traditional scaffold structures have been developed and, with advances in materials biology and computer technology, novel scaffold designs are now being evaluated. This study investigated the effects of a novel scaffold unit cell design (Hexanoid) through a computational framework, comparing its performance to that of four well-known scaffold designs.

Ultrasound transducer disinfection for percutaneous procedures: A review of the evidence supporting guideline recommendations.

Introduction/purpose: There are varying international recommendations regarding the minimum level of disinfection required for ultrasound transducers used in percutaneous procedures. While some guidelines recommend high-level disinfection (HLD), others question the additional benefit this delivers over low-level disinfection (LLD).

Methods: This narrative review identifies current guidelines and evaluates the evidence used to support disinfection recommendations for ultrasound transducers used in percutaneous procedures.

Ultrasound imaging of the femoral and saphenous nerves.

Introduction: Iatrogenic and traumatic injuries to the femoral and saphenous nerves, and their branches are uncommon but can be a cause of clinically pertinent lower limb dysfunction and neuralgia. Despite this, direct sonographic imaging of these nerves is not commonly requested or performed.

Methods: A review of the literature regarding the detailed relative anatomy, sonographic technique to image these nerves and their branches and their normal and abnormal appearances was conducted.

Population pharmacokinetics and dosing simulations of temocillin in liver transplanted paediatric patients: a prospective, open-label, non-randomized study.

Objectives: Temocillin is a β-lactam antibiotic used for preventing or treating bacterial infections in liver-transplanted children. We characterized its pharmacokinetics in plasma and ascitic fluid and proposed dosing regimens that maximize achievement of effective drug exposures in this patient group.

Methods: Patients aged 6-36 months received 25 mg/kg/12h (n=14) or 25 mg/kg/8h (n=23).

Detecting ion-specific forces between fatty acid colloids and salt crystals in brines using colloidal probe AFM.

Hypothesis: Ion-specific forces in concentrated salt solutions play critical roles in many applications, ranging from biology to engineering, e.g., separating water-soluble minerals in brines by flotation using air bubbles.

Intermarrying MOF Glass and Lead Halide Perovskites for Artificial Photosynthesis.

The development of efficient artificial photosynthesis systems is crucial for sustainable chemical production, as they mimic natural processes to convert solar energy into chemical products, thereby addressing both energy and environmental challenges. The main bottlenecks in current research include fabricating highly selective, stable, and scalable catalysts, as well as effectively harnessing the full spectrum of light, particularly the low-energy, long-wavelength portion. Herein, we report a novel composite photocatalyst system based on lead halide perovskites embedded in functionalized MOF glass.

RESCUE - Rapid, Effective, Safe Communication in Emergency Departments: A cross-sectional e-survey.

Background: Effective staff-to-staff and patient-provider communication in the Emergency Department (ED) is essential for safe, quality care. Routine wearing of Personal-Protective-Equipment (PPE) has introduced new challenges to communication. We aimed to understand the perspectives of ED staff about communicating while wearing PPE, and to identify factors contributing to communication success, breakdown, and repair.

Eradication of commercial tobacco related disease and death.

The eradication of the commercial tobacco industry is a crucial goal for health and well-being, particularly from a public health and health justice perspective. The term 'eradication' is applied in epidemiology to mean the process and outcome of elimination of the-commercial tobacco industry as a human-made-agent of disease and death. In this commentary, we outline why the eradication of the tobacco industry is necessary, urgent and realistic.

Proteomic analysis of natural photoheterotrophic mixed consortium for biohydrogen production under nongrowing conditions.

A biohydrogen and polyhydroxyalkanoates(PHA)-producing natural photoheterotrophic mixed culture composed mainly by Rhodopseudomonas palustris and Clostridium sp was studied by a proteomic analysis under non-growth conditions (nitrogen-absence and organic acids). Proteins in C. pasteurianum were upregulated, particularly those related to stress response.

Seroprevalence of canine distemper virus antibodies in free-roaming dogs in Cambodia.

Canine distemper virus (CDV) can infect a wide range of mammalian carnivores and can cause severe illness and death. Domestic dogs may be an important source of this virus for endangered wild carnivores. The objective of this study was to establish the presence of CDV in rural areas of Cambodia bordering three established protected habitats, and to determine the seroprevalence of CDV in free-roaming dogs inhabiting these areas.

Unified Knowledge-Guided Molecular Graph Encoder with multimodal fusion and multi-task learning.

The remarkable success of Graph Neural Networks underscores their formidable capacity to assimilate multimodal inputs, markedly enhancing performance across a broad spectrum of domains. In the context of molecular modeling, considerable efforts have been made to enrich molecular representations by integrating data from diverse aspects. Nevertheless, current methodologies frequently compartmentalize geometric and semantic components, resulting in a fragmented approach that impairs the holistic integration of molecular attributes.

Electronic and paper delivery of parent proxy and children's report of two scar-specific patient-reported outcome measures (Brisbane Burn Scar Impact Profile and Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale): An equivalence study.

Introduction: The Brisbane Burn Scar Impact Profile (BBSIP) and the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) are used in burn scar assessment to quantify patient health-related quality of life (HR-QoL). These questionnaires were developed using pen-and-paper delivery methods; however, there is a push towards electronic delivery of these questionnaires in both clinical practice and research. Equivalence testing is required to ensure that validity of these paper questionnaires is maintained electronically.