Examining Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) Cue Reactivity Using a Remote Platform: Cigarette and ENDS Desire in Dual Users.

Introduction: Prior research shows that in-person exposure to electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use increases desire for cigarettes and ENDS. However, less is known about the impact of cues delivered during remote interactions. This study extends previous in-person cue work by leveraging a remote confederate-delivered cue-delivery paradigm to evaluate the impact of dual nicotine vaping (vs.

Absorption, Steady-State Fluorescence and Solvent Effect Studies of Fluorescent Haloarchaeal Bacterioruberin.

Fluorescence characterization of halophilic archaeal C50 carotenoid-bacterioruberin extracts was investigated using UV/Vis and steady-state fluorescence spectrophotometry in solvents with different polarity. Different extracts showed maximum absorption and fluorescence wavelengths between 369-536 nm and 540-569 nm. Stokes' shifts varied between 50-79 nm depending on the solvent.

Septicemic omphalophlebitis by Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus in a southern right whale calf (Eubalaena australis).

Southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) are mysticete cetaceans commonly observed in the coastal waters of Brazil, particularly in Santa Catarina State. There is limited understanding of the causes of calf mortality in this species, particularly concerning infectious diseases. We report a case of omphalophlebitis caused by Streptococcus equi subsp.

Variable effects of a fire-retardant gradient on seasonal wetland communities.

Wildfires have become larger and more severe in recent decades. Fire retardant is one of the most common wildfire response tools to protect against loss of life and property. Previous studies have documented various effects of fire retardant, which commonly contains chemicals used in fertilizers, on plant and invertebrate community composition.

Development of Electrospinning Setup for Vascular Tissue-Engineering Application with Thick-Hierarchical Fiber Alignment.

Background: Tissue engineering holds promise for vascular repair and regeneration by mimicking the extracellular matrix of blood vessels. However, achieving a functional and thick vascular wall with aligned fiber architecture by electrospinning remains a significant challenge.

Methods: A novel electrospinning setup was developed that utilizes an auxiliary electrode and a spring.

Exogenous melatonin and grafting improved the growth and physiological characteristics of Citrullus lanatus seedlings under cadmium stress.

Citrullus lanatus is an important vegetable crop, but it is heavily polluted by cadmium. In this study, we used C. Lanatus as experimental material to investigate effects of different concentrations (0, 50, 100, 200, 400 µmolL) of exogenous melatonin, and grafting on the physiological growth index and anatomical structure of seedlings were studied by simulating Cd (180 mg L) stress environment.

Unlocking the Key to Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Using Electronic Mediators for Z-Scheme Water Splitting.

A prevalent challenge in particulate photocatalytic water splitting lies in the fact that while numerous photocatalysts exhibit outstanding hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity in organic sacrificial reagents, their performance diminishes markedly in a Z-scheme water splitting system using electronic mediators. This underlying reason remains undefined, posing a long-standing issue in photocatalytic water splitting. Herein, we unveiled that the primary reason for the decreased HER activity in electronic mediators is due to the strong adsorption of shuttle ions on cocatalyst surfaces, which inhibits the initial proton reduction and results in a severe backward reaction of the oxidized shuttle ions.

Isolation, Purification, and Characterization of Lentinus edodes Polysaccharides Extracted with Subcritical Water Enhanced with Deep Eutectic Solvent.

The Lentinus edodes polysaccharide (LEP) was extracted with a new subcritical water extraction (SWE) enhanced with deep eutectic solvent (DES) method and then purified with a DEAE-52 cellulose column and a Sephadex G-100 column. Two purified polysaccharides (LEP1 and LEP2) were obtained and their structure, antioxidant activity, and immunomodulatory activity were analyzed. LEP1 and LEP2 were composed of mannose, glucose, and galactose with a molar ratio of 1:12.

Probing the Interaction Mechanisms of Dodecane and Mica/Calcite: Implications for Oil Recovery.

Understanding the interfacial interaction mechanisms between oil and minerals is of vital importance in the applications of petroleum production and environmental protection. In this work, the interactions of dodecane with mica and calcite in aqueous media were investigated by using the drop probe technique based on atomic force microscopy. For the dodecane-mica interactions, the electrical double layer (EDL) repulsion dominated in 10 mM NaCl solution, and a higher pH facilitated the detachment of dodecane.

Nanoscale Viscometry Reveals an Inherent Mucus Defect in Cystic Fibrosis.

The abnormally viscous and thick mucus is a hallmark of cystic fibrosis (CF). How the mutated CF gene causes abnormal mucus remains an unanswered question of paramount interest. Mucus is produced by the hydration of gel-forming mucin macromolecules that are stored in intracellular granules prior to release.

Foldable, Stretchable, Superelastic, and Tunable Wettability Aramid Nanofiber Aerogels for Efficient Thermal Insulation and Oil-Water Separation.

Aerogels hold great potential in thermal insulation, catalytic supports, adsorption, and separation, due to their low density, high porosity, and low thermal conductivity. However, their inherent mechanical fragility and limited control functionality pose substantial challenges that hinder their practical use. In this study, a strategy is developed for the fabrication of cross-linked aramid nanofiber aerogels (cANFAs) by combining internanofiber surface cross-linking with ice-templating techniques.

Unveiling of Hydrogen Spillover Mechanisms on Tungsten Oxide Surfaces.

Hydrogen spillover is an important process in catalytic hydrogenation reactions, facilitating H activation and modulating surface chemistry of reducible oxide catalysts. This study focuses on the unveiling of platinum-induced hydrogen spillover on monoclinic tungsten trioxide (γ-WO), employing ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, density functional theory calculations and microkinetic modeling to investigate the dynamic evolution of surface states at varied temperatures. At room temperature, hydrogen spillover results in the formation of W and hydrogen intermediates (hydroxyl species and adsorbed water), facilitated by Pt metal clusters.

Boosting C-O Bond Cleavage and Reverse Water-Gas Shift Activity via Enriched in-plane Sulfur Vacancies in Single-Layer Molybdenum Disulfide.

The reduction of CO2 to CO provides a promising approach to the production of valuable chemicals through CO2 utilization. However, challenges persist with the rapid deactivation and insufficient activity of catalysts. Herein, we developed a soft-hard dual-template method to synthesize layered MoS2 using inexpensive and scalable templates, enabling facile regulation of sulfur vacancies by controlling the number of layers.

Premedication in upper gastrointestinal endoscopy to improve mucosal visualization. A systematic review.

Objective: This review aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of premedication comprising mucolytics and/or defoaming agents to improve the quality of visualization during elective upper digestive endoscopy (elective upper GI endoscopy) procedure.

Materials And Methods: A systematic review of the literature contained in electronic databases (Medline/Pubmed, Embase, and Lilacs) was performed to identify randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews that assessed patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (elective upper GI Endoscopy) under sedation, after being premedicated with mucolytics and/or defoaming agents for mucous clearance. A meta-analysis was conducted to determine the relative efficacy and safety profile of such premedication.

Guest-Molecule-Induced Glass-Crystal Transition in Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Antimony Halides.

The glassy state of inorganic-organic hybrid metal halides combines their excellent optoelectronic properties with the outstanding processability of glass, showcasing unique application potential in solar devices, display technologies, and plastic electronics. Herein, by tailoring the organic cation from -phenylpiperazine to dimethylamine gradually, four types of zero-dimensional antimony halides are obtained with various optical and thermal properties. The guest water molecules in crystal (-phenylpiperazine)SbCl·Cl·5HO lead to the largest distortion of the Sb-halogen unit, resulting in the red emission different from the yellow emission of other compounds.

Easily Water-Synthesisable Iron-Chloranilate Frameworks as High Energy and High-Power Cathodes for Sustainable Alkali-Ion Batteries.

Achieving high battery performance from low-cost, easily synthesisable electrode materials is crucial for advancing energy storage technologies. Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) combining inexpensive transition metals and organic ligands are promising candidates for high-capacity cathodes. Iron-chloranilate-water frameworks are herein reported to be produced in aqueous media under mild conditions.

Effect of Ph on the Physicochemical Properties of a Cassava Peel Starch Biopolymer.

Background/aims: This study investigates how pH levels affect the characteristics of biopolymer films manufactured from cassava peel starch. Cassava peel starch's abundance and biodegradability make it a promising candidate for sustainable packaging. The study seeks to improve film qualities such as thickness, density, moisture content, solubility, and optical properties by altering pH levels.

Unraveling the Molecular Architecture of Mosquito D1-Like Dopamine Receptors: Insights Into Ligand Binding and Structural Dynamics for Insecticide Development.

Vector-borne diseases pose a severe threat to human life, contributing significantly to global mortality. Understanding the structure-function relationship of the vector proteins is pivotal for effective insecticide development due to their involvement in drug resistance and disease transmission. This study reports the structural and dynamic features of D1-like dopamine receptors (DARs) in disease-causing mosquito species, such as Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus, Anopheles gambiae, and Anopheles stephensi.

Management Measures and Trends of Biological Invasions in Europe: A Survey-Based Assessment of Local Managers.

Biological invasions are a major threat to biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and nature's contributions to people worldwide. However, the effectiveness of invasive alien species (IAS) management measures and the progress toward achieving biodiversity targets remain uncertain due to limited and nonuniform data availability. Management success is usually assessed at a local level and documented in technical reports, often written in languages other than English, which makes such data notoriously difficult to collect at large geographic scales.

Evaluation of Carbohydrate-Containing Fluid Preloading in Pregnant Women Using the Obstetric Quality of Recovery Scale after Caesarean Section.

Objective: To test the short and long-term effects of consuming carbohydrate-rich beverages on patient-centred outcomes after caesarean delivery under spinal anaesthesia.

Study Design: A prospective randomised controlled study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Karaman Training and Research Hospital, Karaman, Turkiye, between May 2023 and February 2024.

Plasma-Activated Water/Ultrasound as a Green Method to Modify Wood Fiber By-Product: Insights of Their Mechanical Performance in Polylactic Acid-Based Biofilms.

Exploring new ecological and simultaneous processes to modify wood fibers (WF) by-products is a required pathway toward circular economy and sustainability. Thus, plasma-activated water (PAW) and ultrasound (U) were employed as alternative methods to modify WF in a continuous process. Such treatments promoted the etching and cavities on the WF surface that destabilized the hydrogen bonds of the hemicellulose and lignin molecules, increasing the cellulose fraction.

Monitoring of drinking water quality: a preliminary approach by an electronic tongue based on functionalized polymer membrane electrodes.

Functionalized polymer membrane electrodes based multichannel sensor is used as an electronic tongue to monitor the drinking water (DW) quality simply by measuring the surface electric potential with respect to Ag/AgCl reference electrode in 1 mM aqueous KCl. Changes of minute concentration of dissolved minerals greatly affected the surface potential of the sensor. The three-channel sensor device (electronic tongue) is made by using three different functionalized polymer membrane electrodes, namely, phosphorylated hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride modified polyvinyl alcohol-polyacrylic acid membrane; phosphorylated and crosslinked polyvinyl--ethylene membrane; phosphorylated and crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol membrane, as working electrodes and a Ag/AgCl reference electrode.

CNT-anchored cellulose fluorescent nanofiber membranes as a fluorescence sensor for Cu and Cr.

1,4-Dihydroxyanthraquinone (1,4-DHAQ, a fluorophore) doped carbon nanotubes@cellulose (1,4-DHAQ-doped CNTs@CL) nanofibrous membranes have been prepared electrospinning and subsequent deacetylation in this work. They have been successfully applied for highly sensitive detection of Cu in aqueous solution. The surface area per unit mass (S/M) ratio of the nanofibrous membranes was enhanced by incorporating the CNTs into cellulose.

Symbiotic fungi alter plant resource allocation independent of water availability.

Premise: The ability of plants to adapt or acclimate to climate change is inherently linked to their interactions with symbiotic microbes, notably fungi. However, it is unclear whether fungal symbionts from different climates have different impacts on the outcome of plant-fungal interactions, especially under environmental stress.

Methods: We tested three provenances of fungal inoculum (originating from dry, moderate or wet environments) with one host plant genotype exposed to three soil moisture regimes (low, moderate and high).

Two TAL Effectors of Xanthomonas citri pv. malvacearum Induce Water Soaking by Activating GhSWEET14 Genes in Cotton.

Bacterial blight of cotton (BBC) caused by Xanthomonas citri pv. malvacearum (Xcm) is an important and destructive disease affecting cotton plants. Transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) released by the pathogen regulate cotton resistance to the susceptibility.