Electrospun Nanofiber Dopped with TiO and Carbon Quantum Dots for the Photocatalytic Degradation of Antibiotics.

Novel photocatalysts were synthesized through the association of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with commercial (P25) titanium dioxide (TiO) by sonication. The resulting TiO/CQDs composite was then incorporated into the polyamide 66 (PA66) biopolymer nanofibers using the electrospinning technique, considering a composite nanoparticles-to-polymer ratio of 1:2 in the electrospinning precursor solution. The produced nanofibers presented suitable morphology and were tested for the photocatalytic degradation under simulated solar radiation of 10 mg L of amoxicillin (AMX) and sulfadiazine (SDZ), in phosphate buffer solution (pH 8.

Medication Management in Portuguese Long-Term Care Facilities: A Preliminary Cross-Sectional Study.

Background/objectives: Population ageing has been a pressing global issue for decades. Older adults, especially those residing in long-term care facilities (LTCFs), often experience frailty and polypharmacy, which can lead to negative clinical outcomes. In Portugal, LTCFs provide essential care for individuals aged 65 or older, offering temporary or permanent accommodation.

Study Protocol for the Development and Preliminary Efficacy Assessment of : A Web-Based Mindful Parenting Postadoption Intervention.

Developing postadoption interventions to prevent parenting stress and promote parents' well-being is urgent. Mindful parenting-based interventions show promise in achieving these goals and are well received by adoptive parents (APs). However, face-to-face interventions face significant barriers.

A scoping review on implementation processes and outcomes of models of care for low back pain in primary healthcare.

Background: To address the societal burden of low back pain (LBP), several health systems have adopted Models of Care (MoCs). These evidence-informed models aim for consistent care and outcomes. However, real-world applications vary, with each setting presenting unique challenges and nuances in the primary healthcare landscape.

Remission versus low disease activity as treatment targets in rheumatoid arthritis: how to strike the right balance between too strict and too lenient targets? A meta-epidemiological study of individual patient data.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of using Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI)-LDA (low disease activity) versus different definitions of remission as a treatment target in established rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: A meta-epidemiological study of individual patient data from eight randomised controlled trials was performed. Four definitions of the target were considered at 6 months: (1) SDAI-LDA: SDAI≤11; (2) SDAI-Remission: SDAI≤3.

Results from the international collaborative systematic literature review informing the 2023 EULAR recommendations for the treatment of systemic sclerosis.

Background: The EULAR recommendations for the treatment of systemic sclerosis (SSc) were updated in 2017, informed by a systematic literature review (SLR) completed in 2014.

Objectives: The aim of this new SLR was to provide the most up-to-date literature to underpin contemporary EULAR recommendations for the management of SSc.

Methods: 30 searches for 30 interventions (including several outcomes/clinical questions), and 1 dedicated search (with several interventions) for calcinosis were prioritised by the task force.

Association of rs35767 polymorphism in the IGF1 gene with athletic performance in power and endurance sports: A meta-analysis.

Background: Sport performance is a multifactorial phenotype dependent on the interaction of multiple genetic and non-genetic factors. More than 200 polymorphisms have been associated with athletic performance. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs35767, located in the regulatory region of the IGF1 gene, influences its expression and has been associated with sports-related phenotypes.

Mechanical Properties of Two-Dimensional Metal Nitrides: Numerical Simulation Study.

It is expected that two-dimensional (2D) metal nitrides (MNs) consisting of the 13th group elements of the periodic table and nitrogen, namely aluminium nitride (AlN), gallium nitride (GaN), indium nitride (InN) and thallium nitride (TlN), have enhanced physical and mechanical properties due to the honeycomb, graphene-like atomic arrangement characteristic of these compounds. The basis for the correct design and improved performance of nanodevices and complex structures based on 2D MNs from the 13th group is an understanding of the mechanical response of their components. In this context, a comparative study to determine the elastic properties of metal nitride nanosheets was carried out making use of the nanoscale continuum modelling (or molecular structural mechanics) method.

An improved energy saving clustering method for IWSN based on Gaussian mutation adaptive artificial fish swarm algorithm.

The current industrial wireless sensor network (IWSN) cluster routing methods suffer from energy inefficiency. Designing efficient cluster-based routing protocols is crucial for improving network performance and energy efficiency. Therefore, this paper first designs a new clustering model to achieve efficient cluster head (CH) selection and data transmission performance by comprehensively considering multiple key factors such as CH energy, base station (BS) distance, packet loss rate, and data delay.

Factors influencing management of dry cell battery waste: a case of Greater Accra Region in Ghana.

Indiscriminate disposal of dry cell battery (DCB) waste contributes to environmental and public health issues in developing countries such as Ghana, due to the toxic nature of this specific waste. Accordingly, a study was conducted in Accra, Ghana, to determine the socio-economic and demographic factors influencing handling DCB waste, aiming a sustainable environment. Using a random sampling technique, a descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted, encompassing 367 respondents from the Accra-Tema Metropolitan areas and Tema West Municipal Assembly in Greater Accra, Ghana.

Illness Stigma and Shame in People With Chronic Illnesses vs. SARS-CoV-2 Survivors: Associations With Psychological Distress Through Psychological Flexibility and Self-Compassion.

Individuals with chronic illnesses and those infected with SARS-CoV-2 often face stigma, shame, and psychological distress related to their conditions. Higher psychological flexibility and self-compassion are often associated with less stigma and shame. Examining and comparing these experiences between people with chronic illness and people who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 can provide valuable insights into the shared and unique challenges they encounter.

Exploring quercetin's protective potential against the pro-inflammatory effects of silver nanoparticles in C57BL/6J mice.

The increasing prevalence of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) in various applications has sparked concerns about their potential adverse effects on human health. Hence, it is crucial to devise strategies to minimize their detrimental effects. Quercetin, a naturally occurring flavonoid present in human diet is known for its broad biological effects, including anti-inflammatory properties.

α-Synuclein plastic antibody applied to monitor monomeric structures and discriminate aggregated forms in human CSF.

Aggregation of alpha-synuclein (aSyn) occurs in presynaptic neurons and constitutes a key factor for the progression of Parkinson's disease, emphasising the urgency of early detection to support effective treatment. Unfortunately, a reliable, sensitive and cost-effective diagnostic tool has so far been lacking. Thus, this work presents a novel biosensor for detecting aSyn using plastic antibodies coupled to electrochemical detection.

Advancing continuous flow techniques in effective trimethoprim oxidation: combatting bacterial resistance in wastewater.

This work describes an innovative catalytic process for aqueous trimethoprim degradation, using a fixed-bed continuous flow reactor packed with a manganese(III) -substituted porphyrin covalently immobilized functionalized aminopropyl silica gel as the catalyst and HO as a green oxidant. It exhibits remarkable activity and stability, maintaining its performance over extended periods (up to 8 hours) and achieving significant reductions in total organic carbon (TOC = 80%). Importantly, microbiological assays confirmed that this degradation process effectively converts trimethoprim into non-resistance-inducing products.

Expansion of the Host Range of : First Occurrence in Sunflower in Bulgaria.

Sunflower is a short-season crop of the Asteraceae family and the Helianthus genus and is the fourth most important oilseed crop in the world. During a field campaign, unusual symptoms (necrosis and longitudinal cracking of the petiole) were observed in a sunflower crop grown in the region of Kavarna (Dobrich district, Bulgaria) and strains of the genus Xanthomonas were isolated. Results based on phylogenetic and phylogenomic analyses showed that they clustered with Xanthomonas euroxanthea CPBF 424T species, a pathogenic strain isolated from walnut buds in Portugal and responsible for causing walnut bacterial blight (WBB).

Keratoconus Detection in High-Astigmatism Pediatric Patients: Optimal Pentacam Indices and Cutoff Points.

Purpose: To assess the accuracy of various Pentacam indices in distinguishing keratoconus (KC) in pediatric patients with high astigmatism and to establish appropriate cutoff values.

Methods: This prospective multicenter cross-sectional study included 312 eyes from 167 patients aged 6 to 18 years (mean age, 13.1 ± 3.

Peripheral immune profiling of soft tissue sarcoma: perspectives for disease monitoring.

Studying the tumor microenvironment and surrounding lymph nodes is the main focus of current immunological research on soft tissue sarcomas (STS). However, due to the restricted opportunity to examine tumor samples, alternative approaches are required to evaluate immune responses in non-surgical patients. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the peripheral immune profile of STS patients, characterize patients accordingly and explore the impact of peripheral immunotypes on patient survival.

Blended CBT Intervention vs. a Guided Web-Based Intervention for Postpartum Depression: Results From a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objectives: This pilot randomized controlled trial evaluated the acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of a blended cognitive behavioural intervention-combination of a web-based program and sessions with a psychologist (intervention group)-compared to a guided web-based intervention (active control group) for the treatment of postpartum depression.

Methods: Adult Portuguese women in the postpartum period (up to 12 months) presenting clinically relevant depressive symptoms were considered eligible. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 17) or the control group (n = 17) and completed self-report questionnaires at baseline, post-intervention and at 3-month follow-up.

Exposing telomere length's impact on malnutrition risk among older adults residing in the community: Insights from cross-sectional data analysis.

Background: Successful aging is associated with an increase in life expectancy. For a better understanding of the aging process, recognize the relationship between telomere length and nutritional status is a novel approach in geriatric science. Telomers shortening coincides with a decrease in life expectancy, and an increased risk of malnutrition-related diseases.

The impact of particle size of nanostructured lipid carriers on follicular drug delivery: A comprehensive analysis of mouse and human hair follicle penetration.

Introduction: Follicular delivery is one of the targeted drug delivery methods aiming to target the hair follicles. The accumulation and retention time of targeted drugs is enhanced when nanoparticles are used as drug carriers. Particle size is one of the important factors affecting the penetration and accumulation of particles in the hair follicles, and there is a controversy in different studies for the best particle size for follicular delivery.

Human identification by medical findings in a forensic anthropology context.

Unlabelled: This article presents a series of three complex forensic cases that posed significant challenges for identifying human remains. These include a mass dam disaster, burnt human remains, and extensively decomposed human remains. Positive identification was achieved using a shadow positioning technique with imaging comparisons of medical findings.

Systematic review of motivational interventions to improve adherence to medication in patients with hypertension and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Antihypertensive medication non-adherence is an important cause of poor control in hypertension. The role of motivational interventions to increase antihypertensive medication adherence remains unclear.

Objective: To systematically review RCTs of motivational interventions for improving medication adherence in hypertension.

Are we better together? Addressing a combined treatment of pitavastatin and temozolomide for brain cancer.

Pitavastatin is commonly prescribed to treat hypercholesterolemia through the regulation of cholesterol biosynthesis. Interestingly, it has also demonstrated a great potential for treating brain tumors, although the detailed cytotoxic mechanism, particularly in glioblastoma, remains incompletely understood. This work explores the activity of pitavastatin in 2D and 3D glioblastoma models, in an attempt to provide a more representative and robust overview of its anticancer potential in glioblastoma.