A novel cross-priming amplification technique combined with lateral flow strips for rapid and visual detection of zoonotic Toxoplasma gondii.

Toxoplasma gondii, an obligate intracellular protozoan, infects almost all warm-blooded animals and humans, with felines serving as its sole definitive hosts. Cats release T. gondii oocysts into the environment through feces, contributing to environmental contamination that can lead to toxoplasmosis in humans upon exposure through ingestion of contaminated food, water, or soil.

Diversity and 'successful ageing': exploring intersectional and existential dimensions to ageing well.

Background And Objectives: This paper aims to add to the literature on successful ageing in minoritized ethnic groups. Concurring with the critiques of 'successful ageing' for focusing on values and abilities more attainable by white middle-class older people, it explores alternative discourses according to which older people from minoritized groups consider themselves to be 'ageing well'.

Research Design And Methods: The paper draws on original empirical material derived from a longitudinal research project focused on five minority ethnic groups living in a city (and surrounding areas) of the UK known for its diverse population.

Membranes of Polymer of Intrinsic Microporosity PIM-1 for Gas Separation: Modification Strategies and Meta-Analysis.

Polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) have received considerable attention for making high-performance membranes for carbon dioxide separation over the last two decades, owing to their highly permeable porous structures. However, challenges regarding its relatively low selectivity, physical aging, and plasticisation impede relevant industrial adoptions for gas separation. To address these issues, several strategies including chain modification, post-modification, blending with other polymers, and the addition of fillers, have been developed and explored.

Factors influencing participation and engagement in post-stroke cardiac rehabilitation and exercise: an exploratory qualitative study.

The secondary prevention benefits of cardiac rehabilitation and similar exercise classes for stroke survivors are well established, however post-stroke exercise participation remains low. This research aimed to explore the factors affecting participation and engagement in UK-based post-stroke cardiac rehabilitation and exercise, from the perspective of the service user and service provider. An exploratory study, using semi-structured interviews, was conducted (n = 8, service user = 4), adopting a phenomenological approach.

Chlorpyrifos Acts as a Positive Modulator and an Agonist of -Methyl-d-Aspartate (NMDA) Receptors: A Novel Mechanism of Chlorpyrifos-Induced Neurotoxicity.

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is a broad-spectrum organophosphate insecticide. Long-term exposure to low levels of CPF is associated with neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. The mechanisms leading to these effects are still not fully understood.

Long-term ultrasonographic changes of the canine prostate gland after castration.

Introduction: Ultrasound imaging (US) is the method of choice to assess the canine prostate gland. Whilst recent studies have documented the role of castration in the development of prostatic neoplasia, little is known about parenchymal and perfusion features of the normal and abnormal prostate in neutered dogs. No data are available concerning prostatic changes after the first 90 days following castration.

Heterogeneous and higher-order cortical connectivity undergirds efficient, robust, and reliable neural codes.

We hypothesized that the heterogeneous architecture of biological neural networks provides a substrate to regulate the well-known tradeoff between robustness and efficiency, thereby allowing different subpopulations of the same network to optimize for different objectives. To distinguish between subpopulations, we developed a metric based on the mathematical theory of simplicial complexes that captures the complexity of their connectivity by contrasting its higher-order structure to a random control and confirmed its relevance in several openly available connectomes. Using a biologically detailed cortical model and an electron microscopic dataset, we showed that subpopulations with low simplicial complexity exhibit efficient activity.

The Future of Artificial Intelligence in Mental Health Nursing Practice: An Integrative Review.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been increasingly used in delivering mental healthcare worldwide. Within this context, the traditional role of mental health nurses has been changed and challenged by AI-powered cutting-edge technologies emerging in clinical practice. The aim of this integrative review is to identify and synthesise the evidence of AI-based applications with relevance for, and potential to enhance, mental health nursing practice.

Integration of vanHAX downstream of a ribosomal RNA operon restores vancomycin resistance in a susceptible Enterococcus faecium strain.

During the genomic characterisation of Enterococcus faecium strains (n = 39) collected in a haematology ward, we identified an isolate (OI25), which contained vanA-type vancomycin resistance genes but was phenotypically susceptible to vancomycin. OI25 could revert to resistance when cultured in the presence of vancomycin and was thus considered to be vancomycin-variable. Long-read sequencing was used to identify structural variations within the vancomycin resistance region of OI25 and to uncover its resistance reversion mechanism.

Probing and manipulating the Mexican hat-shaped valence band of InSe.

Ferroelectrics based on van der Waals semiconductors represent an emergent class of materials for disruptive technologies ranging from neuromorphic computing to low-power electronics. However, many theoretical predictions of their electronic properties have yet to be confirmed experimentally and exploited. Here, we use nanoscale angle-resolved photoemission electron spectroscopy and optical transmission in high magnetic fields to reveal the electronic band structure of the van der Waals ferroelectric indium selenide (α-InSe).

A genome-wide association study identifies genetic variants associated with hip pain in the UK Biobank cohort (N = 221,127).

Hip pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint that leads many people to seek medical attention. We conducted a primary genome-wide association study (GWAS) on the hip pain phenotype within the UK Biobank cohort. Sex-stratified GWAS analysis approach was also performed to explore sex specific variants associated with hip pain.

How do Gram-negative bacteria escape predation by Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus?

Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus is a small predatory bacterium which reproduces by invading and killing Gram-negative bacteria. The natural antimicrobial activity of B. bacteriovorus has garnered interest for the potential to develop this predatory bacterium as a therapeutic agent.

SLC1A5 is a key regulator of glutamine metabolism and a prognostic marker for aggressive luminal breast cancer.

Cancer cells exhibit altered metabolism, often relying on glutamine (Gln) for growth. Breast cancer (BC) is a heterogeneous disease with varying clinical outcomes. We investigated the role of the amino acid transporter SLC1A5 (ASCT2) and its association with BC subtypes and patient outcomes.

Normative percentile values for the TGMD-3 for Italian children aged 3-11+years.

Objectives: Sufficient gross motor skill proficiency is an essential prerequisite for the successful performance of sport-specific skills and physical activities. The Test of Gross Motor Development is the most common tool for assessing motor skills in paediatric populations, however, there is a lack of 'normative' data available against which children's scores can be compared. Normative data would enable the comparison of an individual's motor development to age-standardised norms.

Konjac glucomannan-based foams incorporating cellulose phase change microcapsules for efficient thermal energy regulation.

Biomass foam with porous structure has broad application prospects in thermal energy management. However, traditional foams can only passively insulate heat, unable to effectively store thermal energy and prolong the insulation time. In this work, microcapsules rich in paraffin were prepared using the Pickering emulsion template method with phosphorylated cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) as an emulsifier.

Konjac glucomannan foams integrated with bilayer phase change microcapsules for efficient heat storage and thermal insulation.

The traditional foams can only block heat loss, and cannot effectively store and release heat energy on demand to extend the insulation time. In this work, the paraffin-rich monolayer microcapsules were prepared using negatively charged phosphorylated cellulose nanofibers (CNF) as the emulsifier of Pickering emulsion. The positive chitosan was assembled on the surface of the monolayer microcapsules through an electrostatic layer-by-layer self-assembly method to prepare the bilayer microcapsules.

The clinical and molecular landscape of diffuse hemispheric glioma, H3 G34-mutant.

Background: Diffuse hemispheric glioma, histone 3 (H3) G34-mutant, has been newly defined in the 2021 WHO classification of central nervous system tumors. Here we sought to define the prognostic roles of clinical, neuroimaging, pathological, and molecular features of these tumors.

Methods: We retrospectively assembled a cohort of 114 patients (median age 22 years) with diffuse hemispheric glioma, H3 G34-mutant, CNS WHO grade 4 and profiled the imaging, histological and molecular landscape of their tumors.

Intra-patient comparison of microarchitecture of tumour negative lymph nodes from oesophageal cancer patients - Results from the MRC Oe02 trial.

Background: Regional lymph node (LN) status is a key prognostic factor in oesophageal cancer (OeC). Tumour-derived antigens can activate immune reactions in LNs, potentially reflecting the host's anti-tumour immune response. It remains unclear whether this response is homogeneous across all tumour negative LNs (LNneg) within individual OeC patients.

Effects of Ramadan intermittent fasting on hormones regulating appetite in healthy individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Aims: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the effect of Ramadan intermittent fasting on appetite-regulating hormones including leptin, ghrelin, insulin, gastrin, glucagon-like peptide-1, peptide YY, and cholecystokinin.

Methods: We searched the MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases to identify relevant research on appetite-regulating hormones during Ramadan intermittent fasting, published until the end of March 2024.

Results: Data from 16 eligible studies comprising 664 participants (341, 51.

Life satisfaction around the world: Measurement invariance of the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups.

The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) is a widely used self-report measure of subjective well-being, but studies of its measurement invariance across a large number of nations remain limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset-with data collected between 2020 and 2022 -to assess measurement invariance of the SWLS across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups (N = 56,968). All participants completed the SWLS under largely uniform conditions.

On face value: a ghost driver field study investigating interactions between pedestrians and a driverless vehicle with anthropomorphic displays.

In a novel, on-road study, using a 'Ghost Driver' to emulate an automated vehicle (AV), we captured over 10 hours of video (n = 520) and 64 survey responses documenting the behaviour and attitudes of pedestrians in response to the AV. Three prototype external human-machine interfaces (eHMIs) described the AV's behaviour, awareness and intention using elements of anthropomorphism: High (human face), Low (car motif), Abstract (partial representation of human features that lacked precise visual reference); these were evaluated against a (no eHMI) baseline. Despite many pedestrians reporting that they still relied on vehicular cues to negotiate their crossing, there was a desire/expectation expressed for explicit communication with future AVs.

Imaging predictors of adverse prognosis in Fabry disease cardiomyopathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Cardiac involvement represents the main cause of death in patients with Fabry disease (FD). Echocardiography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) have an established diagnostic role, but their prognostic value remains unresolved. This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to assess the prognostic implications of imaging parameters in FD.

Scale-Up of Continuous Metallaphotoredox Catalyzed C-O Coupling to a 10 kg-Scale Using Small Footprint Photochemical Taylor Vortex Flow Reactors.

We report the development and optimization of a scalable flow process for metallaphotoredox (Ir/Ni) C-O coupling, a mild and efficient approach for forming alkyl-aryl ethers, a common motif in medicinal and process chemistry settings. Time-resolved infrared spectroscopy (TRIR) highlighted the amine as the major quencher of the photocatalyst triplet excited state, along with the formation of an Ir(II) species that, in the presence of the Ni cocatalyst, has its lifetime shortened, suggesting reductive quenching of Ir(III)*, followed by reoxidation facilitated by the Ni cocatalyst. TRIR and batch reaction screening was used to develop conditions transferrable to flow, and many processing benefits of performing the reaction in flow were then demonstrated using a simple to construct/operate, small-footprint FEP coil flow reactor, including short (<10 min) space times and reduced catalyst loadings (down to 0.

Patient Experience Regarding Medication-Related Information Received in a Rural Private Polyclinic Setting in Vietnam.

Inadequate provision of medication-related information can lead to nonadherence to treatment. This study aims to investigate patient satisfaction regarding medication-related information provided by healthcare professionals and to identify factors associated with patient experience regarding information. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in October 2023 among 400 patients at a rural private polyclinic in Ben Tre, Vietnam by using a self-administered questionnaire.

Age-dependent phenotypes of cognitive impairment as sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Cognitive changes associated with PASC may not be uniform across populations. We conducted individual-level pooled analyses and meta-analyses of cognitive assessments from eight prospective cohorts, comprising 2,105 patients and 1,432 controls from Argentina, Canada, Chile, Greece, India, Italy, Russia, and the UK. The meta-analysis found no differences by country of origin.