Exploring Imaging Applications of a Red-Emitting π-Acceptor (π-A) Pyrene-Benzothiazolium Dye.

Bright biocompatible fluorescent imaging dyes with red to near-infrared (NIR) emissions are ideal candidates for fluorescence microscopy applications. Pyrene-benzothiazolium hemicyanine dyes are a new class of lysosome-specific probes reported on recently. In this work, we conduct a detailed implementation study for a pyrene-benzothiazolium derivative, BTP, to explore its potential imaging applications in fluorescence microscopy.

Evidence-Based Guidance for One Health Preparedness, Prevention, and Response Strategies to Marburg Virus Disease Outbreaks.

Objectives: Marburg virus disease (MVD) is on the WHO list for pandemic-prone pathogens. The current outbreak in Rwanda provides an opportunity to map outbreaks and generate information to inform policymaking, resource mobilization, and guide the implementation of cost-effective response strategies.

Methods: We synthesized available information about MVD to build holistic, up-to-date evidence to inform policymakers, public health leaders, and healthcare and public health services providers in their development and implementation of cost-effective preparedness, prevention, and control measures.

A Review on Multi-Scale Toughening and Regulating Methods for Modern Concrete: From Toughening Theory to Practical Engineering Application.

Concrete is the most widely used and highest-volume basic material in the word today. Enhancing its toughness, including tensile strength and deformation resistance, can boost the structural load-bearing capacity, minimize cracking, and decrease the amount of concrete and steel required in engineering projects. These advancements are crucial for the safety, durability, energy efficiency, and emission reduction of structural engineering.

Application two-dimensional gel electrophoresis coupled with LC-MS/MS to identify candidate serodiagnostic antigens for early detection Psoroptes ovis var. cuniculi infection.

Currently, the 'gold standard' for diagnosis of Psoroptes ovis infections is detecting Psoroptes mites or eggs in skin scrapings under microscopy, but it is prone to be mis-diagnosed for detecting early infection of P. ovis. Hence, seeking a reliable diagnostic technique for detecting early-stage mite infections is extremely desirable.

Optimizing RNA extraction methods for high-throughput transcriptome sequencing of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cardiac tissue specimens.

Archived FFPE cardiac tissue specimens are valuable for molecular studies aimed at identifying biomarkers linked to mortality in cardiovascular disease. Establishing a reliable and reproducible RNA extraction method is critical for generating high-quality transcriptome sequences for molecular assays. Here, the efficiency of four RNA extraction methods: Qiagen AllPrep DNA/RNA method (Method QP); Qiagen AllPrep DNA/RNA method with protocol modification on the ethanol wash step after deparaffinization (Method QE); CELLDATA RNA extraction (Method BP) and CELLDATA RNA extraction with protocol modifications on the lysis step (Method BL) was compared on 23 matching FFPE cardiac tissue specimens (n = 92).

Exposure to Multiple Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals and Associations with Female Infertility: A Case-Control Study.

Parabens (PBs) and their metabolites (MBs), triclocarban (TCC), triclosan (TCS), bisphenols (BPs), benzophenones (BzPs), and phthalate metabolites (mPAEs) are typical endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) used in industrial production and daily life. Studies have suggested that these EDCs affect the reproductive system and may cause infertility; however, epidemiological evidence linking EDC exposure to infertility is still lacking. Herein, a total of 302 serum samples from women of reproductive age were collected, and six categories of typical EDCs were analyzed.

Fifteen Pathways between Electric Vehicles and Public Health: A Transportation-Health Conceptual Framework.

The health impact of electric vehicles (EVs) is complex and multifaceted, encompassing reductions in air pollutants, improvements in road safety, and implications for social equity. However, existing studies often provide fragmented insights, lacking a unified framework to comprehensively assess these public health implications. This paper develops a comprehensive framework to summarize the health outcomes of EVs in urban areas, where the health impacts are more pronounced due to higher levels of traffic congestion and air pollution.

Effect of Fluorine Atoms and Piperazine Rings on Biotoxicity of Norfloxacin Analogues: Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study.

To clarify the effect of the fluorine atom and piperazine ring on norfloxacin (NOR), NOR degradation products (NOR-DPs, P1-P8) were generated via UV combined with hydrogen peroxide (UV/HO) technology. NOR degradation did not significantly affect cytotoxicity of NOR against BV2, A549, HepG2, and Vero E6 cells. Compared with that of NOR, mutagenicity and median lethal concentration of P1-P8 in fathead minnow were increased, and bioaccumulation factor and oral median lethal dose of P1-P8 in rats were decreased.

Balancing the Functionality and Biocompatibility of Materials with a Deep-Learning-Based Inverse Design Framework.

The rational design of molecules with the desired functionality presents a significant challenge in chemistry. Moreover, it is worth noting that making chemicals safe and sustainable is crucial to bringing them to the market. To address this, we propose a novel deep learning framework developed explicitly for inverse design of molecules with both functionality and biocompatibility.

The Constituent-Dependent Translocation Mechanism for PM to Travel through the Olfactory Pathway.

The neurotoxic risk of PM is of worldwide concern, but the pathways through which PM gets to the central nervous system are still under debate. The olfactory pathway provides a promising shortcut to the brain, which bypasses the blood-brain barrier for PM. However, direct evidence is lacking, and the translocation mechanism is still unclear.

Observed Effects on Very Early Pregnancy Linked to Ambient PM Exposure in China among Women Undergoing Fertilization-Embryo Transfer.

The adverse effect of ambient PM exposure on very early pregnancy (VEP) remains controversial among epidemiological studies but is supported by toxicological evidence. We adopted a multicenter retrospective cohort of 141,040 cycles to evaluate the effect of PM exposure on the VEP using the fertilization and embryo transfer platform and high-resolution PM data in China. We first investigated the association between PM exposure 1 week before and 1 week after the embryo transfer date and VEP.

Evaluation of Machine Learning Based QSAR Models for the Classification of Lung Surfactant Inhibitors.

Inhaled chemicals can cause dysfunction in the lung surfactant, a protein-lipid complex with critical biophysical and biochemical functions. This inhibition has many structure-related and dose-dependent mechanisms, making hazard identification challenging. We developed quantitative structure-activity relationships for predicting lung surfactant inhibition using machine learning.

Associations between Metals, Serum Folate, and Cognitive Function in the Elderly: Mixture and Mediation Analyses.

Exposure to metals may potentially impact cognitive health in the elderly; however, the evidence remains ambiguous. The specific role of serum folate in this relationship is also unclear. We aimed to evaluate the individual and joint impact of metals on cognition in the elderly from the United States and explore the potential mediating effect of serum folate.

Self-reported frequency of handwashing among pet and non-pet owners in different situations: results of four surveys of the general adult population in Germany.

Background: Zoonotic diseases are partly associated with pets. However, data is sparse on pet owners' compliance with preventive recommendations. Also, research focuses on self-reports, which are subject to overestimation biases, i.

Design of highly leaf-adhesive and anti-UV herbicide nanoformulation for enhanced herbicidal activity.

Introduction: Conventional pesticide formulations have been widely used to boost agricultural productivity, but their weak foliar adhesion and instability under UV light during spraying lead to low utilization rates and potential environmental and health hazards. To counter these challenges, the development of nanoformulations represents a pivotal strategy. These advanced formulations are designed to enhance the efficacy of active ingredients (AIs) and reduce ecological impacts, thereby addressing the need for sustainable agricultural development.

Modeling urban pollutant wash-off processes with ecological memory.

Urbanization increases the extent of impervious surfaces, runoff, sediment, and nutrient loadings downstream, leading to the deterioration of urban surface waters. During pollutant wash-off from urban surfaces, the peak concentration of pollutants typically occurs after the rainfall peak. However, current urban wash-off models do not consider this time delay, assuming that the effect of rainfall on the wash-off process is immediate.

A multi-valent polymyxin-based fluorescent probe for the detection of Gram-negative infections.

A multi-branched fluorogenic probe for the rapid and specific detection of Gram-negative bacteria is reported. Three Gram-negative-targeting azido-modified polymyxins were clicked onto a trivalent scaffold functionalised with the environmental green-emitting fluorophore 7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazole. The probe allowed wash-free detection of target bacteria with increased sensitivity and lower limits of detection compared to monovalent probes.

Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Transdifferentiate into Chondrocyte-Like Cells and Facilitate Meniscal Fibrocartilage Regeneration.

The effective and translational strategy to regenerate knee meniscal fibrocartilage remained challenging. Herein, we first identified vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) transdifferentiated into fibrochondrocytes and participated in spontaneous meniscal regeneration using smooth muscle cell lineage tracing transgenic mice meniscal defect model. Then, we identified low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) acoustic stimulus enhanced fibrochondrogenic transdifferentiation of VSMCs in vitro and in vivo.

Photoelectrochemical High-Value-Added Chemical Production with Improved Selectivity.

Photoelectrochemistry provides an important application in the production of high-value-added chemicals. However, photoelectrochemical organic transformation with high product selectivity remains a challenge. Until now, various technologies have been developed to promote the selectivity of photoelectrochemical high-value-added chemical production.

Conformal Metamaterials with Active Tunability and Self-Adaptivity for Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Metamaterials hold great potential to enhance the imaging performance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as auxiliary devices, due to their unique ability to confine and enhance electromagnetic fields. Despite their promise, the current implementation of metamaterials faces obstacles for practical clinical adoption due to several notable limitations, including their bulky and rigid structures, deviations from optimal resonance frequency, and inevitable interference with the radiofrequency (RF) transmission field in MRI. Herein, we address these restrictions by introducing a flexible and smart metamaterial that enhances sensitivity by conforming to patient anatomies while ensuring comfort during MRI procedures.

Positive Chemotactic Flasklike Colloidal Motors Propelled by Rotary FF-ATP Synthases.

Living microorganisms can perform directed migration for foraging in response to a chemoattractant gradient. We report a biomimetic strategy that rotary FF-ATPase (adenosine triphosphatase)-propelled flasklike colloidal motors exhibit positive chemotaxis resembling the chemotactic behavior of bacteria. The streamlined flasklike colloidal particles are fabricated through polymerization, expansion, surface rupture, and re-polymerizing nanoemulsions composed of triblock copolymers and ribose.

Diarrhea and associated factors among under-five children in open defecation free and open defecation rural households of Degem district, Oromia, Ethiopia.

Introduction: Diarrheal diseases are the top cause of preventable death, particularly among children under the age of five in developing countries like Ethiopia. Despite the national level of latrine coverage being 61%, diarrhea is responsible for the deaths of half a million children under 5 years annually. Therefore, this study aimed to assess diarrhea and its associated factors among children in open defecation free (ODF) and open defecation (OD) households of Degem district, Oromia, Ethiopia.

Can Thermal Nonreciprocity Help Radiative Cooling?

Radiative cooling has witnessed substantial progress while its performance is constrained by the thermal reciprocal Kirchhoff's law. Violating Kirchhoff's law to pursue nonreciprocal radiative cooling seems promising; however, the energy conservation requirement and radiant flux integrated over the entire hemisphere make the nonreciprocal benefit insignificant. This commentary discusses the practical limits of nonreciprocal radiative cooling and points toward the future direction of directional radiative cooling.