SNaP-C: Development of a Silver Nanoparticle Antioxidant Assay for the Selective Quantitative Analysis of Vitamin C in Beverages.

The development of a sensitive and selective silver nanoparticle assay for the quantitation of vitamin C (SNaP-C), as ascorbic acid (AA) and total ascorbic acid (TAA = AA + dehydroascorbic acid, DHAA), is described. Three assay parameters were investigated and optimized: (1) synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to produce a reliable enhanced localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in the presence of specific added antioxidants; (2) ensuring long-term stability of AA and DHAA in aqueous solutions; and (3) SNaP-C assay conditions to allow for rapid analysis of samples (beverages) by monitoring the enhanced LSPR. The synthesis of AgNPs using soluble starch as a capping agent and d-arabinose as a reducing agent was optimized in a CEM Discover SP laboratory microwave.

Can Spp. Contribute to the Bioremediation and Biostimulation of Plants in Soil Contaminated with Herbicides?

This work aimed to evaluate the potential of spp. in the bioremediation of herbicides and biostimulation of plants in herbicide-contaminated soils. In the first phase, the experiment followed a completely randomized design in a 4 × 3 × 4 factorial scheme with five replications, four strains of spp.

Efficient Phytoremediation of Methyl Red and Methylene Blue Dyes from Aqueous Solutions by .

The contamination of water with dyes stemming from the discharge of industrial waste poses significant environmental risks and health concerns. In this study, the phytoremediation potential of the wetland plant was investigated (as a function of plant biomass, pH, contact time, and initial dye concentration) for the removal of methylene blue and methyl red dyes from wastewater. The experimental adsorption capacities under the optimum conditions were found to be 1.

Attaching artificial Achilles and tibialis cranialis tendons to bone using suture anchors in a rabbit model: assessment of outcomes.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the timing and mode of failure of metallic screw-type suture anchors used to attach artificial tendons to bone in an New Zealand White rabbit model.

Study Design: Metal suture anchors with braided composite sutures of varying sizes (United States Pharmacopeia (USP) size 1, 2, or 5) were used to secure artificial tendons replacing both the Achilles and tibialis cranialis tendons in 12 female New Zealand White rabbits. Artificial tendons were implanted either at the time of (immediate replacement,  = 8), or four/five weeks after (delayed replacement,  = 4) resection of the biological tendon.

Controlled temperature contrasts of three native and one highly invasive annual plant species in California.

Plant responses to changes in temperature can be a key factor in predicting the presence and managing invasive plant species while conserving resident native plant species in dryland ecosystems. Climate can influence germination, establishment, and seedling biomass of both native and invasive plant species. We tested the hypothesis that common and widely distributed native and an invasive plant species in dryland ecosystems in California respond differently to increasing temperatures.

Re-evaluation of mastodon material from Oregon and Washington, USA, Alberta, Canada, and Hidalgo and Jalisco, Mexico.

The presence of at least two contemporaneous Pleistocene mastodon taxa in North America ( and ) invites re-examination of specimens at the geographic margins of each species in order to determine range boundaries, overlaps, and fluctuations. Third molars from Oregon in the United States, as well as from Hidalgo and Jalisco in Mexico, were found to be morphologically consistent with . Washington in the United States includes a number of specimens that could not be confidently assigned to either taxon.

Deep water vetulicolians from the lower Cambrian of China.

Vetulicolians are an enigmatic phylum of extinct Cambrian marine invertebrates. They are particularly diverse in the Chengjiang Biota of China, but representatives have been recovered from other Fossil-Lagerstätten (Cambrian Stage 3-Drumian). These organisms are characterized by a bipartite body, which is split into an anterior section and a posterior segmented section connected by a narrow constriction.

A nociceptor-specific RNAi screen in larvae identifies RNA-binding proteins that regulate thermal nociception.

Nociception is the process by which sensory neurons detect and encode potentially harmful environmental stimuli to generate behavioral responses. Nociceptor neurons exhibit plasticity in which their sensitivity to noxious stimuli and subsequent ability to drive behavior may be altered by environmental conditions, injury, infection, and inflammation. In some cases, nociceptor sensitization requires regulated changes in gene expression, and recent studies have indicated roles for post-transcriptional mechanisms in regulating these changes as an aspect of nociceptor plasticity.

Neighborhood Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Physical Disorder, Parenting Strategies, and Youths' Future Orientation.

Neighborhood disadvantage has been linked to youths' diminished future orientation, defined as the degree to which one thinks about, anticipates, and plans for the future. Yet, parenting behaviors may moderate this link. Using longitudinal data from parent-child dyads ( = 101, 51.

Medical malpractice litigation following humeral fractures in the United States.

Background: The purpose of this study is to characterize malpractice claims against orthopedic surgeons treating humeral fractures and determine factors associated with plaintiff verdicts and settlements.

Methods: The Westlaw legal database was queried for all cases involving humeral fractures. Patient demographics, causes cited for litigation, case outcomes, and indemnity payments were collected to determine common factors that lead plaintiffs to pursue legal action.

Integrating deep learning and machine learning for improved CKD-related cortical bone assessment in HRpQCT images: A pilot study.

High resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HRpQCT) offers detailed bone geometry and microarchitecture assessment, including cortical porosity, but assessing chronic kidney disease (CKD) bone images remains challenging. This proof-of-concept study merges deep learning and machine learning to 1) improve automatic segmentation, particularly in cases with severe cortical porosity and trabeculated endosteal surfaces, and 2) maximize image information using machine learning feature extraction to classify CKD-related skeletal abnormalities, surpassing conventional DXA and CT measures. We included 30 individuals (20 non-CKD, 10 stage 3 to 5D CKD) who underwent HRpQCT of the distal and diaphyseal radius and tibia and contributed data to develop and validate four different AI models for each anatomical site.

Pericoronary adipose tissue feature analysis in computed tomography calcium score images in comparison to coronary computed tomography angiography.

Purpose: We investigated the feasibility and advantages of using non-contrast CT calcium score (CTCS) images to assess pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) and its association with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). PCAT features from coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) have been shown to be associated with cardiovascular risk but are potentially confounded by iodine. If PCAT in CTCS images can be similarly analyzed, it would avoid this issue and enable its inclusion in formal risk assessment from readily available, low-cost CTCS images.

Evaluation of charge summing correction in CdTe-based photon-counting detectors for breast CT: performance metrics and image quality.

Purpose: We evaluate the impact of charge summing correction on a cadmium telluride (CdTe)-based photon-counting detector in breast computed tomography (CT).

Approach: We employ a custom-built laboratory benchtop system using the X-THOR FX30 0.75-mm CdTe detector (Varex Imaging, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States) with a pixel pitch of 0.

International youth football research developments: A CiteSpace-based bibliometric analysis.

With the vigorous development of football, research on youth football has garnered significant attention from scholars, leading to an increase in published findings. However, there is currently no comprehensive retrospective study that examines the status, hotspots, and trends of research in this field. This study employed Cite Space, a visual bibliometric software, to systematically review and analyze 1637 articles from the Web of Science (WOS) and China Knowledge Infrastructure Project (CNKI) databases up to January 2024.

Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing spp. in poultry meat.

spp. present in the food chain have been of much interest during the last few decades due to their implication in the development of antimicrobial resistance. We determined the prevalence of spp.

Intracellular but not undetectable: A case of pericarditis.

is a facultatively intracellular, gram-negative bacillus and a rare cause of infection in the United States. We report a case of a 45-year-old male who presented with ongoing fever, shortness of breath, and was found to have a pericardial effusion and pulmonic infiltrates due to . Though tularemia is classically associated with rabbits and rodents, we note the patient in our case had no clear infectious exposure.

Top 75 most-cited articles in hand microsurgery: A bibliometric and visualised analysis.

Introduction: Hand microsurgery is an important advancement of the speciality that has improved outcomes in hand trauma and hand surgical conditions. This bibliometric analysis aims to identify the 75 most cited hand microsurgery articles and explore their relevance to contemporary practice.

Methods: The Web of Science core collection database was used to screen and identify the top 75 most-cited articles relevant to hand microsurgery.

Evaluation of tension-band osteosynthesis for cubitus varus deformity in pediatric patients: A retrospective review.

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of lateral closing wedge osteotomy with tension-band wire fixation for correcting cubitus varus deformity in pediatric patients. The primary objective was to assess the bone union rate, functional outcomes, and potential complications associated with this surgical approach.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 104 pediatric cases (ages 7-15) with post-traumatic cubitus varus deformity treated between January 2018 and December 2019 at the Pediatric Orthopedic Department.

Hyperspectral analysis to assess gametocytogenesis stage progression in malaria-infected human erythrocytes.

Significance: Developments of anti-gametocyte drugs have been delayed due to insufficient understanding of gametocyte biology. We report a systematic workflow of data processing algorithms to quantify changes in the absorption spectrum and cell morphology of single malaria-infected erythrocytes. These changes may serve as biomarkers instrumental for the future development of antimalarial strategies, especially for anti-gametocyte drug design and testing.

Is there an association of blood cadmium level with nonmelanoma skin cancer: results from a cross-sectional study.

Objective: Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is a common malignancy that starts in the top layer of the skin. Exposure to heavy metals has been suggested to increase the risk of skin cancer. Cadmium, prevalent in various industries and present in cigarette smoke, has been implicated in potential skin effects in animal studies.

Observations of Score Changes Between USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 Among Students of Different Demographic Groups in a Longitudinal Clinical Curriculum.

Background: The transition of the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 to a pass/fail scoring system is reshaping its role in medical students' residency placements. This compels institutions to rethink Step 2 preparation strategies, raising concerns about a clerkship's impact on various student groups. Traditionally, medical schools followed the traditional block rotation model for clerkships, which limits longitudinal learning, and many schools are switching to longitudinal integrated clerkships and longitudinal interleaved clerkships (LInCs).

Developing affordable and efficient heating devices for enhanced live cell imaging in confocal microscopy.

Temperature control is crucial for live cell imaging, particularly in studies involving plant responses to high ambient temperatures and thermal stress. This study presents the design, development, and testing of two cost-effective heating devices tailored for confocal microscopy applications: an aluminum heat plate and a wireless mini-heater. The aluminum heat plate, engineered to integrate seamlessly with the standard 160 mm × 110 mm microscope stage, supports temperatures up to 36°C, suitable for studies in the range of non-stressful warm temperatures (e.

Thiazide-Associated Hyponatremia and Mortality Risk: A Cohort Study.

Rationale & Objective: There are likely over 42 million patients with hypertension taking thiazides in the United States and many more worldwide. Hyponatremia is a common complication of thiazide therapy. It is not currently known if thiazide-associated hyponatremia is also associated with increased mortality.

Difficulties with positive, but not negative, emotion regulation moderate the association between positive alcohol expectancies and alcohol use in college students.

Background: Positive alcohol expectancies are linked to increased alcohol use among college students. Difficulties regulating emotion have been shown to moderate this relationship, though little research accounts for differences based on the valence of the emotion being regulated.

Objective: To examine the independent moderating roles of positive and negative emotion dysregulation on the association between positive alcohol expectancies and alcohol use.

Pathogenic genes and clinical prognosis in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is an autosomal dominant inherited cardiomyopathy characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy. It is one of the chief causes of sudden cardiac death in younger people and athletes. Molecular-genetic studies have confirmed that the vast majority of HCM is caused by mutations in genes encoding sarcomere proteins.