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Background: Clinical diagnostic assessments and the outcome monitoring of patients with depression rely predominantly on interviews by professionals and the use of self-report questionnaires. The ubiquity of smartphones and other personal consumer devices has prompted research into the potential of data collected via these devices to serve as digital behavioral markers for indicating the presence and monitoring of the outcome of depression., Objective: This paper explores the potential of using behavioral data collected with smartphones to detect and monitor depression symptoms in patients diagnosed with depression. Specifically, it investigates whether this data can accurately classify the presence of depression, as well as monitor the changes in depressive states over time., Methods: In a prospective cohort study, we collected smartphone behavioral data for up to 1 year. The study consists of observations from 164 participants, including healthy controls (n=31) and patients diagnosed with various depressive disorders: major depressive disorder (MDD; n=85), MDD with comorbid borderline personality disorder (n=27), and major depressive episodes with bipolar disorder (n=21). Data were labeled based on depression severity using 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) scores. We performed statistical analysis and used supervised machine learning on the data to classify the severity of depression and observe changes in the depression state over time., Results: Our correlation analysis revealed 32 behavioral markers associated with the changes in depressive state. Our analysis classified patients who are depressed with an accuracy of 82% (95% CI 80%-84%) and change in the presence of depression with an accuracy of 75% (95% CI 72%-76%). Notably, the most important smartphone features for classifying depression states were screen-off events, battery charge levels, communication patterns, app usage, and location data. Similarly, for predicting changes in depression state, the most important features were related to location, battery level, screen, and accelerometer data patterns., Conclusions: The use of smartphone digital behavioral markers to supplement clinical evaluations may aid in detecting the presence and changes in severity of symptoms of depression, particularly if combined with intermittent use of self-report of symptoms., (©Arsi Ikäheimonen, Nguyen Luong, Ilya Baryshnikov, Richard Darst, Roope Heikkilä, Joel Holmen, Annasofia Martikkala, Kirsi Riihimäki, Outi Saleva, Erkki Isometsä, Talayeh Aledavood. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 03.12.2024.)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic prompted various containment strategies, such as work-from-home policies and reduced social contact, which significantly altered people's sleep routines. While previous studies have highlighted the negative impacts of these restrictions on sleep, they often lack a comprehensive perspective that considers other factors, such as seasonal variations and physical activity (PA), which can also influence sleep., Objective: This study aims to longitudinally examine the detailed changes in sleep patterns among working adults during the COVID-19 pandemic using a combination of repeated questionnaires and high-resolution passive measurements from wearable sensors. We investigate the association between sleep and 5 sets of variables: (1) demographics; (2) sleep-related habits; (3) PA behaviors; and external factors, including (4) pandemic-specific constraints and (5) seasonal variations during the study period., Methods: We recruited working adults in Finland for a 1-year study (June 2021-June 2022) conducted during the late stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. We collected multisensor data from fitness trackers worn by participants, as well as work and sleep-related measures through monthly questionnaires. Additionally, we used the Stringency Index for Finland at various points in time to estimate the degree of pandemic-related lockdown restrictions during the study period. We applied linear mixed models to examine changes in sleep patterns during this late stage of the pandemic and their association with the 5 sets of variables., Results: The sleep patterns of 27,350 nights from 112 working adults were analyzed. Stricter pandemic measures were associated with an increase in total sleep time (TST) (β=.003, 95% CI 0.001-0.005; P<.001) and a delay in midsleep (MS) (β=.02, 95% CI 0.02-0.03; P<.001). Individuals who tend to snooze exhibited greater variability in both TST (β=.15, 95% CI 0.05-0.27; P=.006) and MS (β=.17, 95% CI 0.03-0.31; P=.01). Occupational differences in sleep pattern were observed, with service staff experiencing longer TST (β=.37, 95% CI 0.14-0.61; P=.004) and lower variability in TST (β=-.15, 95% CI -0.27 to -0.05; P<.001). Engaging in PA later in the day was associated with longer TST (β=.03, 95% CI 0.02-0.04; P<.001) and less variability in TST (β=-.01, 95% CI -0.02 to 0.00; P=.02). Higher intradaily variability in rest activity rhythm was associated with shorter TST (β=-.26, 95% CI -0.29 to -0.23; P<.001), earlier MS (β=-.29, 95% CI -0.33 to -0.26; P<.001), and reduced variability in TST (β=-.16, 95% CI -0.23 to -0.09; P<.001)., Conclusions: Our study provided a comprehensive view of the factors affecting sleep patterns during the late stage of the pandemic. As we navigate the future of work after the pandemic, understanding how work arrangements, lifestyle choices, and sleep quality interact will be crucial for optimizing well-being and performance in the workforce., (©Nguyen Luong, Gloria Mark, Juhi Kulshrestha, Talayeh Aledavood. Originally published in JMIR mHealth and uHealth (https://mhealth.jmir.org), 03.09.2024.)

Introduction: NUT carcinoma (NC) is an underdiagnosed and aggressive poorly differentiated or squamous cell cancer. A subset of NC is sensitive to chemotherapy, but the optimal regimen is unknown. Experts have recommended platinum- and ifosfamide-based therapy based on case reports., Methods: Patients with pathologically confirmed NC with known survival outcomes after chemotherapy and consented to participate in a worldwide registry were studied. Results were summarized using descriptive methods., Results: The study included 118 patients with NC. Median age was 34 (range: 1-82) years, 39% were women, and 61% harbored a BRD4::NUTM1 fusion. Patients received platinum (74%) or ifosfamide (26%, including regimens with both, 13%). Of 62 patients with nonmetastatic disease, 40% had a thoracic primary. Compared with platinum-based chemotherapy, patients who received ifosfamide-based chemotherapy had nominally higher progression-free survival (12 mo: 59% [95% CI: 32-87] versus 37% [95% CI: 22-52], hazard ratio = 0.68 [0.32, 1.42], p = 0.3) but not overall survival (OS). Among the 56 patients with metastatic disease, 80% had a thoracic primary. Ifosfamide had an objective response rate (ORR) of 75% (six of eight) and platinum had an ORR of 31% (11 of 36). Nevertheless, there was no difference in progression-free survival or OS. The 3-year OS of the entire cohort was 19% (95% CI: 10%-28%). Of the 11 patients alive greater than 3 years, all presented with nonmetastatic and operable or resectable disease., Conclusion: There is a numerically higher ORR for ifosfamide-based therapy compared with platinum-based therapy, with limited durability. OS at 3 years is only 19%, and development of effective therapies is an urgent unmet need for this patient population., Competing Interests: Disclosure Dr. Luo reports receiving research support to her institution from Erasca, Genentech, Kronos Bio, Novartis, and Revolution Medicines; receiving honoraria from Targeted Oncology, Physicians’ Education Resource, VJ Oncology, Cancer GRACE, and Community Cancer Education, Inc.; having advisory board participation from Astellas, AstraZeneca, and Amgen; receiving personal fees from Erasca, Blueprint Medicines, and Daiichi Sankyo; and having a pending patent filed by Memorial Sloan Kettering related to multimodal features to predict response to immunotherapy (PCT/US2023/115872). Dr. Paik receives compensation for consulting or advisory board participation from Bicara Therapeutics, Inc., EMD Serono, Inc., Novartis, Mirati Therapeutics, and Janssen; and receives honoraria for participation in CME educational programs from IDEOlogy, Excerpta Medica, PeerVoice, Physicians Education Resource, Medscape, Agile, Axis Medical Education, Aptitude Health, MJH, Annenberg Center, Cardinal Health, and Touch Independent Medical Education Ltd. Dr. Chaft has served as a consultant for AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squib, Genentech, Merck, Flame Biosciences, Novartis, Regeneron-Sanofi, Guardant Health, and Janssen; and has received research funding to her institution from AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squib, Genentech, and Merck. Dr. Cheng reports receiving honoraria from Lynx Group, WebMD, and Potomac Center for Medical Education; having consulting or advisory role for AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Mirati Therapeutics, Cepheid, Janssen, and Pfizer; receiving research funding from Palleon Pharmaceuticals (Inst); and receiving travel, accommodations, and expenses from Daiichi Sankyo, AstraZeneca, and Genzyme. Dr. Piha-Paul reports receiving clinical trial research support/grant funding through the institution from AbbVie, Inc., ABM Therapeutics, Inc., Acepodia, Inc., Alkermes, Aminex Therapeutics, BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squib, Cerulean Pharma, Inc., Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Curis, Inc., Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals, Daiichi Sankyo, Eli Lilly, ENB Therapeutics, Epigenetix Inc., Five Prime Therapeutics, F-Star Beta Limited, F-Star Therapeutics, Gene Quantum, Genmab A/S, Gilead Sciences, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline, Helix BioPharma Corp., Hengrui Pharmaceuticals, Co., Ltd., HiberCell, Inc., Immorna Biotherapeutics, Inc., Immunomedics, Inc., Incyte Corp., Jacobio Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Simcere Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Loxo Oncology, Inc., Lytix Biopharma AS, Medimmune, LLC, Medivation, Inc., Merck Sharp and Dohme Corp., Nectin Therapeutics, Ltd., Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Nurix, Pieris Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Pfizer, Phanes Therapeutics, Principia Biopharma, Inc., Puma Biotechnology, Inc., Purinomia Biotech, Inc., Rapt Therapeutics, Inc., Replimune, Roche/Blueprint, Seattle Genetics, Silverback Therapeutics, Shasqi, Inc., Synlogic Therapeutics, Taiho Oncology, Tesaro, Inc., Theradex Oncology, Toragen Therapeutics, Inc., TransThera Bio, Xencor, Inc., ZielBio, Inc., NCI/NIH, and P30CA016672 – Core Grant (CCSG Shared Resources); and having consulting for CRC Oncology. Dr. Sholl reports receiving research support to her institution from Genentech; and consulting from GV20 Therapeutics, Genentech, and Lilly. Dr. Nishino reports having consulting for AstraZeneca; and receiving research grants to the institution from Canon Medical Systems, AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo, and Konica-Minolta. Dr. Jänne reports receiving grants from The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research and the American Cancer Society during the conduct of the study; personal fees outside of submitted work from Boehringer Ingelheim, Pfizer, Roche/Genentech, Chugai Pharmaceuticals, Ignyta, LOXO Oncology, Eli Lilly, SFJ Pharmaceuticals, Voronoi, Daiichi Sankyo, Biocartis, Novartis, Sanofi, Takeda Oncology, Transcenta, Silicon Therapeutics, Syndax, Nuvalent, Bayer, Esai, and Mirati Therapeutics; and grants outside the submitted work from Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Daiichi Sankyo, Takeda Oncology, PUMA, Astellas Pharmaceuticals, and Revolution Medicines. Dr. DuBois reports receiving honoraria or having advisory board participation from Amgen, Bayer, and Jazz Pharmaceuticals; and receiving travel expenses from LOXO Oncology, Roche, and Salarius, all outside the submitted work. Dr. Hanna reports receiving grants/contracts outside the submitted work from ACCRF, Actuate Therapeutics, ASCO CCF, Bicara, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Elevar Therapeutics, Exicure, Gateway for Cancer Research, Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, ImmunityBio, Kartos, Kite, KSQ, Kura Oncology, Regeneron, Repertoire, Sanofi Genzyme, Secura Bio, and V Foundation; and having advisory role and/or receiving honoraria outside the submitted work from Bicara, Bio-Rad, Boxer Capital, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Coherus, Elevar, Exicure, General Catalyst, Guardian Bio, KSQ, Kura Oncology, Massachusetts Medical Society, Merck, Naveris, Nextech, Prelude, Rain, Regeneron, Remix, Replimune, Sanofi Genzyme, SIRPant, and Surface Oncology. Dr. Shapiro reports receiving personal fees from Merck KGaA/EMD-Serono, Bicycle Therapeutics, Cybrexa Therapeutics, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bayer, ImmunoMet, Concarlo Holdings, Syros, Zentalis, CytomX Therapeutics, Blueprint Medicines, Kymera Therapeutics, Janssen, Xinthera, and Artios; receiving grants from Merck KGaA/EMD-Serono, Tango, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer, and Eli Lilly; and having a patent for “Dosage regimen for sapacitabine and seliciclib” issued to Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals and GIS and a patent for “Compositions and methods for predicting response and resistance to CDK4/6 inhibition” issued to Liam Cornell and GIS. Dr. French reports receiving research funding from Boehringer Ingelheim and consultant fees from Boehringer Ingelheim. The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted daily activity rhythms and life routines with people adjusting to new work schedules, exercise routines, and other everyday life activities. This study examines temporal changes in daily activity rhythms and routines during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing disproportionate changes among working adult subgroups., Materials and Methods: In June 2021, we conducted a year-long study to collect high-resolution fitness tracker data and questionnaire responses from 128 working adults. Questionnaire data were analyzed to explore changes in exercise and work routines during the pandemic. We build temporal distributions of daily step counts to quantify their daily movement rhythms, then measure their consistency over time using the inverse of the Earth mover's distance. Linear mixed-effects models were employed to compare movement rhythm variability among subpopulations., Results: During the pandemic, our cohort exhibited a shift in exercise routines, with a decrease in nonwalking physical exercises, while walking remained unchanged. Migrants and those living alone had less consistent daily movement rhythms compared to others. Those preferring on-site work maintained more consistent daily movement rhythms. Men and migrants returned to work more quickly after pandemic restriction measures were eased., Discussion: Our findings quantitatively show the pandemic's unequal impact on different subpopulations. This study opens new research avenues to explore why certain groups return to on-site work, exercise levels, or daily movement rhythms more slowly compared to prepandemic times., Conclusions: Considering the pandemic's unequal impact on subpopulations, organizations and policymakers should address diverse needs and offer tailored support during future crises., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association.)

Water films formed by the adhesion and condensation of air moisture on minerals can trigger the formation of secondary minerals of great importance to nature and technology. Magnesium carbonate growth on Mg-bearing minerals is not only of great interest for CO 2 capture under enhanced weathering scenarios but is also a prime system for advancing key ideas on mineral formation under nanoconfinement. To help advance ideas on water film-mediated CO 2 capture, we tracked the growth of amorphous magnesium carbonate (AMC) on MgO nanocubes exposed to moist CO 2 gas. AMC was identified by its characteristic vibrational spectral signature and by its lack of long-range structure by X-ray diffraction. We find that AMC (MgCO 3 ·2.3-2.5H 2 O) grew in sub-monolayer (ML) to 4 ML thick water films, with formation rates and yields scaling with humidity. AMC growth was however slowed down as AMC nanocoatings blocked water films access to the reactive MgO core. Films could however be partially dissolved by exposure to thicker water films, driving AMC growth for several more hours until nanocoatings blocked the reactions again. These findings shed new light on a potentially important bottleneck for the efficient mineralization of CO 2 using MgO-bearing products. Notably, this study shows how variations in the air humidity affect CO 2 capture by controlling water film coverages on reactive minerals. This process is also of great interest in the study of mineral growth in nanometrically thick water films.

Thin water films that form by the adhesion and condensation of air moisture on minerals can initiate phase transformation reactions with broad implications in nature and technology. We here show important effects of water film coverages on reaction rates and products during the transformation of periclase (MgO) nanocubes to brucite [Mg(OH) 2 ] nanosheets. Using vibrational spectroscopy, we found that the first minutes to hours of Mg(OH) 2 growth followed first-order kinetics, with rates scaling with water loadings. Growth was tightly linked to periclase surface hydration and to the formation of a brucite precursor solid, akin to poorly stacked/dislocated nanosheets. These nanosheets were the predominant forms of Mg(OH) 2 growth in the 2D-like hydration environments of sub-monolayer water films, which formed below ∼50% relative humidity (RH). From molecular simulations, we infer that reactions may have been facilitated near surface defects where sub-monolayer films preferentially accumulated. In contrast, the 3D-like hydration environment of multilayered water films promoted brucite nanoparticle formation by enhancing Mg(OH) 2 nanosheet growth and stacking rates and yields. From the structural similarity of periclase and brucite to other metal (hydr)oxide minerals, this concept of contrasting nanosheet growth should even be applicable for explaining water film-driven mineralogical transformations on other related nanominerals.

Millions are confined in U.S. jails each year, often with unmet health and social needs. After release, many will visit the emergency department (ED). To illuminate their patterns of ED use, this study linked records from all individuals detained at a Southern urban jail over a 5-year period with health records from a large health care system with three EDs. Over half used the ED at least once, and of those who received care at the health system, 83% visited the ED. Jail-involved people made up 4.1% of the health care system's ED users but 21.3% of its chronic frequent ED users. Frequent ED use was associated with more frequent jail bookings and with co-occurring serious mental illness and substance use disorder. Health systems and jails have a common interest in addressing the needs of this population. Individuals with co-occurring disorders should be prioritized for intervention.

Water films captured in the interlayer region of birnessite (MnO 2 ) nanosheets can play important roles in biogeochemical cycling, catalysis, energy storage, and even atmospheric water harvesting. Understanding the temperature-dependent loadings and properties of these interlayer films is crucial to comprehend birnessite reactivity when exposed to moist air and temperature gradients. Using vibrational spectroscopy we show that birnessite intercalates one water (1W) monolayer at up to ∼40 °C, but that loadings decrease by half at up to 85 °C. Our results also show that the vibrational properties of intercalated water are unaffected by temperature, implying that the hydrogen bonding network of water remains intact. Using molecular simulations, we found that the lowered water storage capacity at high temperatures cannot be explained by variations in hydrogen bond numbers or in the solvation environments of interlayer K + ions initially present in the interlayer region. It can instead be explained by the compounded effects of larger evolved heat, as inferred from immersion energies, and by the larger temperature-driven mobility of water over that of K + ions, which are electrostatically bound to birnessite basal oxygens. By shedding new light on the temperature-driven intercalation of water in a nanolayered mineral, this study can guide future efforts to understand the (geo)chemical reactivity of related materials in natural and technological settings.

Hydrophilic nanosized minerals exposed to air moisture host thin water films that are key drivers of reactions of interest in nature and technology. Water films can trigger irreversible mineralogical transformations, and control chemical fluxes across networks of aggregated nanomaterials. Using X-ray diffraction, vibrational spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and (micro)gravimetry, we tracked water film-driven transformations of periclase (MgO) nanocubes to brucite (Mg(OH) 2 ) nanosheets. We show that three monolayer-thick water films first triggered the nucleation-limited growth of brucite, and that water film loadings continuously increased as newly-formed brucite nanosheets captured air moisture. Small (8 nm-wide) nanocubes were completely converted to brucite under this regime while growth on larger (32 nm-wide) nanocubes transitioned to a diffusion-limited regime when (∼0.9 nm-thick) brucite nanocoatings began hampering the flux of reactive species. We also show that intra- and inter-particle microporosity hosted a hydration network that sustained GPa-level crystallization pressures, compressing interlayer brucite spacing during growth. This was prevalent in aggregated 8 nm wide nanocubes, which formed a maze-like network of slit-shaped pores. By resolving the impact of nanocube size and microporosity on reaction yields and crystallization pressures, this work provides new insight into the study of mineralogical transformations induced by nanometric water films. Our findings can be applied to structurally related minerals important to nature and technology, as well as to advance ideas on crystal growth under nanoconfinement.

Iron oxyhydroxide nanoparticle reactivity has been widely investigated, yet little is still known on how particle aggregation controls the mobility and transport of environmental compounds. Here, we examine how aggregates of goethite (α-FeOOH) nanoparticle deposited on 100-300 μm quartz particles (G ag CS) alter the transport of two emerging contaminants and two naturally occurring inorganic ligands-silicates and phosphates. Bromide tracer experiments showed no water fractionation into mobile and immobile water zones in an individual goethite-coated sand (GCS) column, whereas around 10% of the total water was immobile in a G ag CS column. Reactive compounds were, in contrast, considerably more mobile and affected by diffusion-limited processes. A new simulation approach coupling the mobile-immobile equation with surface complexation reactions to surface reactive sites suggests that ∼90% of the binding sites were likely within the intra-aggregate zones, and that the mass transfer between mobile and immobile fractions was the rate-limited step. The diffusion-controlled processes also affected synergetic and competitive binding, which have otherwise been observed for organic and inorganic compounds at goethite surfaces. These results thereby call for more attention on transport studies, where tracer or conservative tests are often used to describe the reactive transport of environmentally relevant molecules.

The diversity of microalgae and bacteria allows them to form a complementary consortium for efficient wastewater treatment and nutrient recovery. This review highlights the potential of wastewater-derived microalgal biomass as a renewable feedstock for producing animal feed, biofertilisers, biofuel, and many valuable biochemicals. Data corroborated from this review shows that microalgae and bacteria can thrive in many environments. Microalgae are especially effective at utilising nutrients from the water as they grow. This review also consolidates the current understanding of microalgae characteristics and their interactions with bacteria in a consortium system. Recent studies on the performance of only microalgae and microalgae-bacteria wastewater treatment are compared and discussed to establish a research roadmap for practical implementation of the consortium systems for various wastewaters (domestic, industrial, agro-industrial, and landfill leachate wastewater). In comparison to the pure microalgae system, the consortium system has a higher removal efficiency of up to 15% and shorter treatment time. Additionally, this review addresses a variety of possibilities for biomass application after wastewater treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Crown Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The effects of microalgae harvesting methods on microalgal biomass quality were evaluated using three species namely the freshwater green alga Chlorella vulgaris, marine red alga Porphyridium purpureum and marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Harvesting efficiencies of polyacrylamide addition, alkaline addition, and centrifugation ranged from 85 to 95, 59-92 and 100%, respectively, across these species. Morphology of the harvested cells (i.e. compromised cell walls) was significantly impacted by alkaline pH-induced flocculation for all three species. Over 50% of C. vulgaris cells were compromised with alkaline pH compared to < 10% with polyacrylamide and centrifugation. The metabolic profiles varied depending on harvesting methods. Species-specific decrease of certain metabolites was observed. These results suggest that the method of harvest can alter the metabolic profile of the biomass amongst the three harvesting methods, polyacrylamide addition showed higher harvesting efficiency with less compromised cells and higher retention of industry important biochemicals., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This work examined the chiral inversion of 2-arylpropionic acids (2-APAs) under anaerobic conditions and the associated microbial community. The anaerobic condition was simulated by two identical anaerobic digesters. Each digester was fed with the substrate containing 11 either pure ( R )- or pure ( S )-2-APA enantiomers. Chiral inversion was evidenced by the concentration increase of the other enantiomer in the digestate and the changes in the enantiomeric fraction between the two enantiomers. Both digesters showed similar and poor removal of 2-APAs (≤30%, except for naproxen) and diverse chiral inversion behaviors under anaerobic conditions. Four compounds exhibited ( S → R ) unidirectional inversion [flurbiprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen, and 2-(4- tert -butylphenyl)propionic acid], and the remaining seven compounds showed bidirectional inversion. Several aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacterial genera ( Candidatus Microthrix , Rhodococcus , Mycobacterium , Gordonia , and Sphingobium ) were identified in both digesters and predicted to harbor the 2-arylpropionyl-CoA epimerase (enzyme involved in chiral inversion) encoding gene. These genera presented at low abundances, <0.5% in the digester dosed with ( R )-2-APAs and <0.2% in the digester dosed with ( S )-2-APAs. The low abundances of these genera explain the limited extent of chiral inversion observed in this study.

The presence of micropollutants in water, wastewater and soil are a global problem due to their persistent effect on ecosystems and human health. Although there are many methods of removal of environmental pollutants, they are often ineffective for degradation of pharmaceuticals, including estrogens. In presented work we proposed fabrication of electrospun material from polyacrylonitrile/polyethersulfone (PAN/PES) as a support for laccase immobilization by covalent binding. Oxidoreductase was attached to the electrospun fibers using polydopamine as a linker and produced system was used for degradation of two estrogens: 17β-estradiol (E2) and 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2). It was shown that 92% of E2 and 100% of EE2 were degraded after 24 h of the process. Moreover, the effect of surfactants, metal ions and mediators on conversion efficiencies of estrogens was investigated and it was confirmed that immobilized enzyme possessed higher resistance to inhibitory agents as well as thermal and storage stability, compared to its native form. Finally, estrogenic activities of E2 and EE2 solutions decreased around 99% and 87%, respectively, after enzymatic conversion, that corresponds to significant reduction of the total organic carbon and formation of low-toxic final products of estrogens degradation., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Smoking leads to many smoking-attributable diseases. The promotion of quitting tobacco smoking is urgent as it has significant and immediate health benefits and improves the impacts of other tobacco control strategies. Intention to quit smoking is considered the first step before quitting smoking., Methodology: This paper used data from Vietnam provincial GATS 2020 on 80,166 participants who were 15-year-old or older. Data were collected from 34 provinces and cities throughout Vietnam and managed using REDCap., Results: Among those who were current smokers, 50.3% (95% CI: 49.1%-51.4%) had the intention to quit smoking. Some predictive factors found to be positively associated with the intention to quit smoking were age (from 45-64), education level, received information about harmful effects or encouragement to quit smoking from media channels (from 6 channels), hearing about the Tobacco Control Law and noticing health warnings on the cigarette package. There was no significant difference in intention to quit smoking between current smokers from urban and rural areas or among different age groups to start smoking., Conclusions: Interventions or health promotion programs on smoking cessation should be focused on current smokers who have low education levels as they have a higher smoking rate and are less motivated to stop smoking. Received information about harmful effects or encouragement to quit smoking from media channels is also associated with stopping smoking in the future. The importance of health warning pictures on tobacco packages should be maintained and promoted as it has a specific effect on one's intention to stop smoking., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2022.)

Dry eye disease (DED) is recognized as a chronic inflammatory condition with an increase in tear osmolarity and loss of tear film integrity. DED is often accompanied by adverse ocular symptoms which are more prevalent in females than males. The basis for ocular hyperalgesia in DED remains uncertain; however, both peripheral and central neural mechanisms are implicated. A model for aqueous deficient DED, exorbital gland excision, was used to determine if activation of the purinergic receptor subtype 7, P2X7R, expressed by non-neural cells in peripheral and central trigeminal nerve pathways, contributed to persistent ocular hyperalgesia. Densitometry of trigeminal brainstem sections revealed increases in P2X7R, the myeloid cell marker Iba1, and the inflammasome, NLRP3, of estradiol-treated DED females compared to estradiol-treated sham females, while expression in DED males and DED females not given estradiol displayed minor changes. No evidence of immune cell infiltration into the trigeminal brainstem was seen in DED rats; however, markers for microglia activation (Iba1) were increased in all groups. Isolated microglia expressed increased levels of P2X7R and P2X4R, IL-1 β (Ιnterleukin-1 β ), NLRP3, and iNOS (nitric oxide synthase). Further, estradiol-treated DED females displayed greater increases in P2X7R, IL-1 β and NLRP3 expression compared to untreated DED females. Orbicularis oculi muscle activity (OOemg) evoked by ocular instillation of hypertonic saline (HS) was recorded as a surrogate measure of ocular hyperalgesia and was markedly enhanced in all DED groups compared to sham rats. Systemic minocycline reduced HS-evoked OOemg in all DED groups compared to sham rats. Local microinjection in the caudal trigeminal brainstem of an antagonist for P2X7R (A804598) greatly reduced HS-evoked OOemg activity in all DE groups, while responses in sham groups were not affected. Intra-trigeminal ganglion injection of siRNA for P2X7R significantly reduced HS-evoked OOemg activity in all DED groups, while evoked responses in sham animals were not affected. These results indicated that activation of P2X7R at central and peripheral sites in trigeminal pain pathways contributed to an increase in ocular hyperalgesia and microglia activation in DED males and females. Estrogen treatment in females further amplified ocular hyperalgesia and neuroimmune responses in this model for aqueous deficient DED., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Bereiter, Rahman, Ahmed, Thompson, Luong and Olson.)

Hydrogen sulphide (H 2 S) in biogas is a problematic impurity that can inhibit methanogenesis and cause equipment corrosion. This review discusses technologies to remove H 2 S during anaerobic digestion (AD) via: input control, process regulation, and post-treatment. Post-treatment technologies (e.g. biotrickling filters and scrubbers) are mature with >95% removal efficiency but they do not mitigate H 2 S toxicity to methanogens within the AD. Input control (i.e. substrate pretreatment via chemical addition) reduces sulphur input into AD via sulphur precipitation. However, available results showed <75% of H 2 S removal efficiency. Microaeration to regulate AD condition is a promising alternative for controlling H 2 S formation. Microaeration, or the use of oxygen to regulate the redox potential at around -250 mV, has been demonstrated at pilot and full scale with >95% H 2 S reduction, stable methane production, and low operational cost. Further adaptation of microaeration relies on a comprehensive design framework and exchange operational experience for eliminating the risk of over-aeration., (Crown Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study develops and applies the PROMETHEE-GAIA method as a new tool to select microalgae strains for aviation fuel production. Assessment involves 19 criteria with equal weighting in three aspects, namely biomass production, lipid quality, and fatty acid methylester properties. Here, the method is demonstrated for evaluating 17 candidate microalgae strains. Chlorella sp. NT8a is assessed as the most suitable strain for aviation fuel production. The results also show that unmodified biofuel from the most suitable strain could not meet all jet fuel standards. In particular, microalgae-based fuel could not satisfy the required density, heating value and freezing points of the international jet fuel standards. These results highlight the need for a broad action plan including improvement in the processing or modification of biofuel produced from microalgae and revision of the current jet fuel standards to facilitate the introduction of microalgae-based biofuel for the aviation industry., (Crown Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study examined the removal and enantio‑specific fate of a suite of eleven chiral 2-arylpropionic acids (2-APAs) during biological wastewater treatment simulated in a laboratory-scale membrane bioreactor (MBR). Using pure (R)- and (S)- enantiomers in the MBR influent, chiral inversion was determined through the increase in the concentration of the non-dominant enantiomer and changes in the enantiomeric fraction (EF) between the two enantiomers during the treatment process. Effective (>90%) and similar removal rates between (R)- and (S)- enantiomers were confirmed for eight 2-APAs. In this study, 2-APAs exhibited diverse and distinctive chiral inversion behaviours: two 2-APAs showed (R→S) unidirectional inversion, three 2-APAs showed (S→R) unidirectional inversion, and six 2-APAs showed bidirectional inversion. This is the first study to report chiral inversion behaviours of a comprehensive suite of 2-APAs with a variety of functional groups substituted onto the aryl ring. A decrease in effluent EF over time was observed for two 2-APAs. This study shows that chiral inversion of 2-APAs varies significantly from compound to compound, despite the high similarity in their chemical structures., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study aims to evaluate the performance of C. vulgaris microalgae to simultaneously recover nutrients from sludge centrate and produce biomass in a membrane photobioreactor (MPR). Microalgae growth and nutrient removal were evaluated at two different nutrient loading rates (sludge centrate). The results show that C. vulgaris microalgae could thrive in sludge centrate. Nutrient loading has an indiscernible impact on biomass growth and a notable impact on nutrient removal efficiency. Nutrient removal increased as the nutrient loading rate decreased and hydraulic retention time increased. There was no membrane fouling observed in the MPR and the membrane water flux was fully restored by backwashing using only water. However, the membrane permeability varies with the hydraulic retention time (HRT) and biomass concentration in the reactor. Longer HRT offers higher permeability. Therefore, it is recommended to operate the MPR system in lower HRT to improve the membrane resistance and energy consumption., (Crown Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Enzymatic conversion of micropollutants into less-toxic derivatives is an important bioremediation strategy. This paper aims to critically review the progress in water and wastewater treatment by both free and immobilized enzymes presenting this approach as highly efficient and performed under environmentally benign and friendly conditions. The review also summarises the effects of inorganic and organic wastewater matrix constituents on enzymatic activity and degradation efficiency of micropollutants. Finally, application of enzymatic reactors facilitate continuous treatment of wastewater and obtaining of pure final effluents. Of a particular note, enzymatic treatment of micropollutants from wastewater has been mostly reported by laboratory scale studies. Thus, this review also highlights key research gaps of the existing techniques and provides future perspectives to facilitate the transfer of the lab-scale solutions to a larger scale and to improve operationability of biodegradation processes., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Addition of conductive materials (CMs) has been reported to facilitate direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) and improved anaerobic digestion (AD) performance. This review summarises the benefits and outlines remaining research challenges of the addition of CMs with a focus on the downstream processing of AD. CM addition may alter biogas quality, digestate dewaterability, biosolids volume, and centrate quality. Better biogas quality has been observed due to the adsorption of H 2 S to metallic CMs. The addition of CMs results in an increase in solid content of the digestate and thus an additional requirement for sludge dewatering and handling and the final biosolids volume for disposal. This review highlights the need for more research at pilot scale to validate the benefits of CM addition and to evaluate CM selection, doses, material costs, and the impact on downstream processes. The lack of research on the impact of CMs on the downstream process of AD is highlighted., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study aims to elucidate the mechanisms governing the harvesting efficiency of Chlorella vulgaris by flocculation using a cationic polymer. Flocculation efficiency increased as microalgae culture matured (i.e. 35-45, 75, and > 97% efficiency at early, late exponential, and stationary phase, respectively. Unlike the negative impact of phosphate on flocculation in traditional wastewater treatment; here, phosphorous residue did not influence the flocculation efficiency of C. vulgaris. The observed dependency of flocculation efficiency on growth phase was driven by changes in microalgal cell properties. Microalgal extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in both bound and free forms at stationary phase were two and three times higher than those at late and early exponential phase, respectively. Microalgae cells also became more negatively charged as they matured. Negatively charged and high EPS content together with the addition of high molecular weight and positively charged polymer could facilitate effective flocculation via charge neutralisation and bridging., (Crown Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Antibiotics in wastewater leads to migration of pollutants and disrupts natural processes of mineralization of organic matter. In order to understand the mechanism of this, research was undertaken on the influence of nitrofurantoin (NFT) and furazolidone (FZD), on the behaviour of a consortium of microorganisms present in a model wastewater in a bioreactor. Our study confirmed biodegradation of the antibiotics by the microbial consortium, with the degradation efficiency within 10 days of 65% for FZD, but only 20% for NFT. The kinetic study proved that the presence of analysed antibiotics had no adverse effect on the microbes, but the consortium behaviour differ significantly with the NFT reducing the consumption of organic carbon in wastewater and increasing the production of extracellular biopolymeric and volatile organic compounds, and the FZD reducing assimilation of other carbon sources to a less extent, at the expense of cellular focus on biodegradation of this antibiotic., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

This retrospective study investigated burn features and predicted factors for death of pediatric burn patients in Vietnam. The results showed that pediatric burn accounted for 48.1% of total admitted burn patients. Preschool children and boys were predominant, burns were mostly caused by scald (76.2%) and the majority of patients lived in a rural area (64.1%). In addition, 94.5% had burn size less than 30% total body surface area and deep burn injury was seen in 45.5% patients. Moreover, a significantly higher incidence of deep burn injury was recorded in preschool age, patients living in a rural area, and non-scald burn. Overall LA50 was 81.5% and a significantly higher mortality rate was seen in non-scald burns, older children, extensive burn and inhalation injury. Multivariate logistic analysis indicated that only burn extent and inhalation injury were independent risk factors for death. An increased 1% of burn extent resulted in a .7 probability unit of death (OR=1.08) and this was 2.16 in the case of inhalation injury (OR=8.67). This health issue should be highlighted in order to develop appropriate policies and intervention measures in developing countries., (Copyright © 2021 Euro-Mediterranean Council for Burns and Fire Disasters.)

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing threat to human and animal health. Progress in molecular biology has revealed new and significant challenges for AMR mitigation given the immense diversity of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), the complexity of ARG transfer, and the broad range of omnipresent factors contributing to AMR. Municipal, hospital and abattoir wastewater are collected and treated in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), where the presence of diverse selection pressures together with a highly concentrated consortium of pathogenic/commensal microbes create favourable conditions for the transfer of ARGs and proliferation of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB). The rapid emergence of antibiotic resistant pathogens of clinical and veterinary significance over the past 80 years has re-defined the role of WWTPs as a focal point in the fight against AMR. By reviewing the occurrence of ARGs in wastewater and sludge and the current technologies used to quantify ARGs and identify ARB, this paper provides a research roadmap to address existing challenges in AMR control via wastewater treatment. Wastewater treatment is a double-edged sword that can act as either a pathway for AMR spread or as a barrier to reduce the environmental release of anthropogenic AMR. State of the art ARB identification technologies, such as metagenomic sequencing and fluorescence-activated cell sorting, have enriched ARG/ARB databases, unveiled keystone species in AMR networks, and improved the resolution of AMR dissemination models. Data and information provided in this review highlight significant knowledge gaps. These include inconsistencies in ARG reporting units, lack of ARG/ARB monitoring surrogates, lack of a standardised protocol for determining ARG removal via wastewater treatments, and the inability to support appropriate risk assessment. This is due to a lack of standard monitoring targets and agreed threshold values, and paucity of information on the ARG-pathogen host relationship and risk management. These research gaps need to be addressed and research findings need to be transformed into practical guidance for WWTP operators to enable effective progress towards mitigating the evolution and spread of AMR., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Crown Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Monocytes are among the first cells to infiltrate the tumor microenvironment. The conversion of monocytes to suppressor cells in the tumor microenvironment is crucial in evasion of the immune response and tumor maintenance. Tumor cells may secrete products that promote the conversion of monocytes to suppressor cells. Cells secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs) containing cargos of genetic materials and proteins as a way to communicate with neighboring cells. During pathologic conditions like cancers, tumor cells increase their EVs production containing microRNA, RNA, and proteins that may affect the immune cell response, contributing to the immunosuppressive microenvironment. Our studies show that EVs secreted by a wide range of murine tumor cells, including osteosarcoma, glioma, colon carcinoma, sarcoma, and melanoma, can be taken up by bone marrow-derived monocytes. The monocytes that took up the EVs secreted by tumor cells matured toward an immune-suppressive phenotype by upregulating the expression of suppressive cytokines and effector molecules. The monocytes also downregulated MHC class II and costimulatory molecules while increasing the expression of PD-L1 on their surface after taking up EVs from tumor cells. Most importantly, monocytes exposed to EVs secreted by tumor cells suppressed activated Ag-specific CD4 + T cells. These results show that tumor cells from several different tumor types secrete EVs which promote the conversion of monocytes into suppressor cells, thus promoting immune evasion. These studies suggest that EVs secreted by tumors are potentially a new target for future cancer therapy., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors.)

Microglia become persistently infected during Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) infection in the central nervous system (CNS) of susceptible mice. We have previously shown that microglia infected with TMEV become activated through the innate immune receptors to express type I interferons, cytokines, and chemokines. Persistent TMEV infection in the CNS promotes chronic neuroinflammation and development of demyelinating disease similar to multiple sclerosis. In the current studies, we wanted to determine whether TMEV-infected microglia secrete exosomes which contribute to neuroinflammation in the CNS thus promoting the development of demyelinating disease. Exosomes are vesicles containing RNA, DNA, and proteins that are released from one cell and taken up by another cell to facilitate communication between cells. These studies isolated exosomes secreted by microglia during TMEV infection in vitro as well as exosomes secreted by microglia during early TMEV infection in mice. These studies show that microglia secrete exosomes during TMEV infection which contain the viral RNA coding region. The exosomes secreted by microglia during TMEV infection can be taken up by uninfected bystander cells, including CNS resident microglia, astrocytes, and neurons. The viral RNA in the exosomes can be transferred to the bystander cells. In addition, the bystander cells that took up these exosomes were activated through the innate immune response to express type I interferons, IFNα and IFNβ, pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-6, IL-12, and TNFα, and chemokines, CCL2. Most interestingly, exosomes secreted by microglia during early TMEV infection in mice activated an inflammatory response when transferred to the brains of naïve mice. These results show that exosomes secreted by microglia during early TMEV infection contain viral RNA and can activate uninfected bystander CNS cells to promote an inflammatory immune response. Thus, exosomes secreted by microglia during virus infection may promote viral persistence and neuroinflammation which contributes to the development of demyelinating disease., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Luong and Olson.)

Anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) can utilise spare digestion capacity at existing wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) to generate surplus biogas beyond the plant's internal energy requirement. Data from industry reports and the peer-reviewed literature show that through AcoD, numerous examples of WWTPs have become net energy producers, necessitating other high-value applications for surplus biogas. A globally emerging trend is to upgrade biogas to biomethane, which can then be used as town gas or transport fuel. Water, organic solvent and chemical scrubbing, pressure swing adsorption, membrane separation, and cryogenic technology are commercially available CO 2 removal technologies for biogas upgrade. Although water scrubbing is currently the most widely applied technology due to low capital and operation cost, significant market growth in membrane separation has been seen over the 2015-2019 period. Further progress in materials engineering and sciences is expected and will further enhance the membrane separation competitiveness for biogas upgrading. Several emerging biotechnologies to i) improve biogas quality from AcoD; ii) accelerate the absorption rate, and iii) captures CO 2 in microalgal culture have also been examined and discussed in this review. Through a combination of AcoD and biogas upgrade, more WWTPs are expected to become net energy producers., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study aims to examine the flocculation efficiency of Porphyridium purpureum (i.e. a red marine microalga with high content of pigments and fatty acids) grown in seawater medium using polyacrylamide polymers and alkaline flocculation. Polymers Flopam™ and FO3801 achieved the highest flocculation efficiency of over 99% at the optimal dose of 21 mg per g of dry biomass through charge neutralisation and bridging mechanism. The addition of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and sodium carbonate also achieved flocculation efficiency of 98 and 91%, respectively, but high doses were required (i.e. > 500 mg per g of dry biomass). Calcium hydroxide was not as effective and could only achieve 75% flocculation efficiency. Precipitation of magnesium hydroxide was identified as the major cause of hydroxide-induced flocculation. On the other hand, sodium carbonate addition induced flocculation via both magnesium and calcium carbonate co-precipitation. The large mass of precipitates caused a sweeping effect and enmeshed the microalgal cells to trigger sedimentation. Cell membrane integrity analysis of flocculated P. purpureum indicated that polyacrylamide polymers led to significant compromised cells (i.e. 96%), compared to the alkaline bases (70-96% compromised cells). These results appear to be the first to demonstrate the high efficiency of polyacrylamide polymer and alkaline flocculation of P. purpureum but at the expense of the biomass quality., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Birnessite is a layered MnO 2 mineral capable of intercalating nanometric water films in its bulk. With its variable distributions of Mn oxidation states (Mn IV , Mn III , and Mn II ), cationic vacancies, and interlayer cationic populations, birnessite plays key roles in catalysis, energy storage solutions, and environmental (geo)chemistry. We here report the molecular controls driving the nanoscale intercalation of water in potassium-exchanged birnessite nanoparticles. From microgravimetry, vibrational spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction, we find that birnessite intercalates no more than one monolayer of water per interlayer when exposed to water vapor at 25 °C, even near the dew point. Molecular dynamics showed that a single monolayer is an energetically favorable hydration state that consists of 1.33 water molecules per unit cell. This monolayer is stabilized by concerted potassium-water and direct water-birnessite interactions, and involves negligible water-water interactions. Using our composite adsorption-condensation-intercalation model, we predicted humidity-dependent water loadings in terms of water intercalated in the internal and adsorbed at external basal faces, the proportions of which vary with particle size. The model also accounts for additional populations condensed on and between particles. By describing the nanoscale hydration of birnessite, our work secures a path for understanding the water-driven catalytic chemistry that this important layered manganese oxide mineral can host in natural and technological settings.

Flocculation is a low-cost harvesting technique for microalgae biomass production, but flocculation efficiency is species dependent. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of two synthetic (polyacrylamide) and one natural (chitosan) flocculants against three algal species: the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp., the freshwater Chlorella vulgaris, and the marine Phaeodactylum tricornutum at laboratory and pilot scales to evaluate harvesting efficiency, biomass integrity and media recycling. Growth phase affected the harvesting efficiency of the eukaryotic microalgae. The flocculation was optimal at stationary phase with high flocculation efficiency achieved using polyacrylamides at 24-36 mg/g dry weight. The effect of the flocculants on the harvested biomass was investigated. The flocculated Synechocystis sp. showed a higher proportion of compromised cells compared to C. vulgaris and P. tricornutum likely due to differences in cell walls composition. Compromised cells could lead to the release of valuable products into the surrounding growth media during flocculation. The residual culture media was recycled once with no impact on cell growth for all treatments and algal species. The flocculation technique was demonstrated at pilot-scale using 350 L microalgal suspension, showing an efficiency of 82-90% at a polyacrylamide dosage of 6.5-10 mg/L. This efficiency and the biomass quality are comparable to the laboratory-scale results. Overall, results indicate that polyacrylamide flocculants work on a wide range of species without the need for pre-treatment. The information generated in this study can contribute to making the microalgae industry more competitive., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are contaminants of great concern due to their wide-spread occurrence and persistence in the environments (i.e., in water, soil and sediment) and potential toxicology even at very low concentration. The main focus of this review is on the PFASs in soil and sediments. More specifically, this review systematically examines the occurrence and toxicological effects with associated risks, fate (i.e., PFASs adsorption by soil and sediment, transportation and transformation, and bioaccumulation), and remediation practices of PFASs in soil and sediment. Various models and equations such as fugacity-based multimedia fate and hydrodynamic models are used to study the fate, transport, and transformation of PFASs. Among different remediation practices, sorption is the dominant process for the removal of PFASs from soil and sediments. Results also indicate that PFASs adsorption onto activated carbon decrease with the increase of carbon chain length in the PFASs. The longer-chain PFASs have larger partition coefficient values than shorter-chained PFASs. Sorption of PFASs to soil and sediments are mainly governed by different electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonds formation, hydrophobic interactions, organic content in soil and sediments, and ligand exchange. Other technology such as thermal treatment might be potential in the removal of PAFSs, but need further study to elucidate a conclusion. Finally, the associated challenges and future outlook have been included., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors do not have any known competing for financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Composite polycaprolactone-chitosan material was produced by an electrospinning method and used as a support for immobilization of tyrosinase by mixed ionic interactions and hydrogen bonds formation. The morphology of the fibers and enzyme deposition were confirmed by SEM images. Further, multivariate polynomial regression was used to model the experimental data and to determine optimal conditions for immobilization process, which were found to be pH 7, temperature 25 °C and 16 h process duration. Under these conditions, novel type of biocatalytic system was produced with immobilization yield of 93% and expressed activity of 95%. Furthermore, as prepared system was applied in batch experiments related to biodegradation of bisphenol A under various remediation conditions. It was found that over 80% of the pollutant was removed after 120 min of the process, in the temperature range 15-45 °C and pH 6-9, using solutions at concentration up to 3 mg/L. Experimental data collected proved that the stability and reusability of the tyrosinase were significantly improved upon immobilization: the immobilized biomolecule retained around 90% of its initial activity after 30 days of storage, and was still capable to remove over 80% of bisphenol A even after 10 repeated uses. By contrast, free enzyme was able to remove over 80% of bisphenol A at pH 7-8 and temperature range 15-35 °C, and retained less than 60% of its initial activity after 30 days of storage., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

An effective pretreatment is the first step to enhance the digestibility of lignocellulosic biomass - a source of renewable, eco-friendly and energy-dense materials - for biofuel and biochemical productions. This review aims to provide a comprehensive assessment on the advantages and disadvantages of lignocellulosic pretreatment techniques, which have been studied at the lab-, pilot- and full-scale levels. Biological pretreatment is environmentally friendly but time consuming (i.e. 15-40 days). Chemical pretreatment is effective in breaking down lignocellulose and increasing sugar yield (e.g. 4 to 10-fold improvement) but entails chemical cost and expensive reactors. Whereas the combination of physical and chemical (i.e. physicochemical) pretreatment is energy intensive (e.g. energy production can only compensate 80% of the input energy) despite offering good process efficiency (i.e. > 100% increase in product yield). Demonstrations of pretreatment techniques (e.g. acid, alkaline, and hydrothermal) in pilot-scale have reported 50-80% hemicellulose solubilisation and enhanced sugar yields. The feasibility of these pilot and full-scale plants has been supported by government subsidies to encourage biofuel consumption (e.g. tax credits and mandates). Due to the variability in their mechanisms and characteristics, no superior pretreatment has been identified. The main challenge lies in the capability to achieve a positive energy balance and great economic viability with minimal environmental impacts i.e. the energy or product output significantly surpasses the energy and monetary input. Enhancement of the current pretreatment techno-economic efficiency (e.g. higher product yield, chemical recycling, and by-products conversion to increase environmental sustainability) and the integration of pretreatment methods to effectively treat a range of biomass will be the steppingstone for commercial lignocellulosic biorefineries., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A proof of concept of using steel-making slag to upgrade biogas to biomethane is demonstrated in this study. Biogas is generated from the anaerobic co-digestion of sewage sludge and beverage waste. The CO 2 capture capacity of an alkaline liquor derived from the release of calcium from the steel-making slag is comparable to that of the commercial adsorbent monoethanolamine. Although only 5% of Ca in the steel-making slag was released to the alkaline liquor, 1 ton of steel-making slag could be capable of upgrading 10 m 3 of biogas to over 90% methane content. The results also show that pH can be used as a surrogate parameter to monitor and control biogas upgrading. Further research to improve the release of calcium is essential for the acceleration of the weathering process of steel-making slag for subsequent construction applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Crown Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study evaluates the feasibility of a novel rumen membrane bioreactor (rumen MBR) to produce volatile fatty acids (VFA) from crop residues (i.e. lignocellulosic biomass). Rumen MBR can provide a sustainable route for VFA production by mimicking the digestive system of ruminant animals. Rumen fluid was inoculated in a reactor coupled with ultrafiltration (UF) membrane and fed with maize silage and concentrate feed at 60:40% (w/w). Continuous VFA production was achieved at an average daily yield of 438 mg VFA/g substrate. The most abundant VFA were acetic (40-80%) and propionic (10-40%) acids. The majority (73 ± 15%) of produced VFA was transferred through the UF membrane. Shifts in dominant rumen microbes were observed upon the transition from in vivo to in vitro environment and during reactor operation, however, stable VFA yield was maintained for 35 days, providing the first proof-of-concept of a viable rumen MBR., (Crown Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of inhalation injury on resting energy expenditure (REE) and some plasma metabolic hormones in adult burn patients. A prospective study was conducted on 16 adult burn patients admitted to the burn intensive care unit, National Burn Hospital, Vietnam. Eight patients with inhalation injury were matched with 8 non-inhalation injury patients by burn extent and age. REE measurements were obtained within 48h of admission and every week after burn. Plasma levels of epinephrine and cortisol were determined on admission and on the 7th day after burns. The results showed that, apart from REE at admission, all values of REE were significantly higher than basal metabolic rate (BMR) at all time points (p < .005). Over time, REE of both groups significantly increased and reached peak values on the 7th day after burn (1964 ± 300Kcal/m2 and 1991.8 ± 467.8Kcal/m2; REE/BMR: 1.5 vs. 1.6 respectively). These values then steadily reduced, but no remarkable differences of REE and REE/BMR were seen between the two groups at any time point (p > .05). In addition, plasma concentrations of epinephrine and cortisol were not significantly different in each group and between the two groups of patients with and without inhalation injury. In conclusion, inhalation injury may not affect metabolic response state in adult burn patients as measured by REE and metabolic hormones., (Copyright © 2020 Euro-Mediterranean Council for Burns and Fire Disasters.)

This study investigated the effects and fate of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIP) at environmentally relevant levels (50-500 µg/L) in activated sludge (AS) microbial communities under aerobic conditions. Exposure to 500 µg/L of CIP decreased species diversity by about 20% and significantly altered the phylogenetic structure of AS communities compared to those of control communities (no CIP exposure), while there were no significant changes upon exposure to 50 µg/L of CIP. Analysis of community composition revealed that exposure to 500 µg/L of CIP significantly reduced the relative abundance of Rhodobacteraceae and Nakamurellaceae by more than tenfold. These species frequently occur in AS communities across many full-scale wastewater treatment plants and are involved in key ecosystem functions (i.e., organic matter and nitrogen removal). Our analyses showed that 50-500 µg/L CIP was poorly removed in AS (about 20% removal), implying that the majority of CIP from AS processes may be released with either their effluents or waste sludge. We therefore strongly recommend further research on CIP residuals and/or post-treatment processes (e.g., anaerobic digestion) for waste streams that may cause ecological risks in receiving water bodies.

Recent developed sequencing techniques have resulted in a new and unprecedented way to study biological wastewater treatment, in which most organisms are uncultivable. This review provides (i) an insight on state-of-the-art sequencing techniques and their limitations; (ii) a critical assessment of the microbial community in biological reactor and biofouling layer in a membrane bioreactor (MBR). The data from high-throughput sequencing has been used to infer microbial growth conditions and metabolisms of microorganisms present in MBRs at the time of sampling. These data shed new insight to two fundamental questions about a microbial community in the MBR process namely the microbial composition (who are they?) and the functions of each specific microbial assemblage (what are their function?). The results to date also highlight the complexity of the microbial community growing on MBRs. Environmental conditions are dynamic and diverse, and can influence the diversity and structural dynamics of any given microbial community for wastewater treatment. The benefits of understanding the structure of microbial communities on three major aspects of the MBR process (i.e. nutrient removal, biofouling control, and micropollutant removal) were symmetrically delineated. This review also indicates that the deployment of microbial community analysis for a practical engineering context, in terms of process design and system optimization, can be further realized., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We replicated and extended previous research on the use of auditory feedback to decrease toe walking exhibited by 3 children with autism. After pretreatment screening analyses suggested that toe walking occurred independent of social consequences, we attached squeakers to the heels of each participants' shoes. The squeakers provided auditory feedback when participants walked appropriately (i.e., with a heel-to-toe gait). For all participants, the auditory feedback itself produced increases in appropriate walking. For 1 participant, this feedback was sufficient to reduce toe walking to clinically acceptable levels; however, for 2 other participants, delivery of edible items paired with the auditory feedback was necessary. Intervention effects maintained when the schedule for edible delivery was thinned for all participants. In addition, for 2 participants, effects maintained when the intervention was implemented in a different setting and with a different person with no edibles or a thin schedule of edibles., (© 2019 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.)

Irreversible oxidation of Cys residues to sulfinic/sulfonic forms typically impairs protein function. We found that persulfidation (CysSSH) protects Cys from irreversible oxidative loss of function by the formation of CysSSO 1-3 H derivatives that can subsequently be reduced back to native thiols. Reductive reactivation of oxidized persulfides by the thioredoxin system was demonstrated in albumin, Prx2, and PTP1B. In cells, this mechanism protects and regulates key proteins of signaling pathways, including Prx2, PTEN, PTP1B, HSP90, and KEAP1. Using quantitative mass spectrometry, we show that (i) CysSSH and CysSSO 3 H species are abundant in mouse liver and enzymatically regulated by the glutathione and thioredoxin systems and (ii) deletion of the thioredoxin-related protein TRP14 in mice altered CysSSH levels on a subset of proteins, predicting a role for TRP14 in persulfide signaling. Furthermore, selenium supplementation, polysulfide treatment, or knockdown of TRP14 mediated cellular responses to EGF, suggesting a role for TrxR1/TRP14-regulated oxidative persulfidation in growth factor responsiveness., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License 4.0 (CC BY-NC).)

Activated sludge (AS) and return activated sludge (RAS) microbial communities from three full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plants (denoted plant A, B and C) were compared to assess the impact of sludge settling (i.e. gravity thickening in the clarifier) and profile microorganisms responsible for nutrient removal and reactor foaming. The results show that all three plants were dominated with microbes in the phyla of Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, Nitrospirae, Spirochaetae, Acidobacteria and Saccharibacteria. AS and RAS shared above 80% similarity in the microbial community composition, indicating that sludge thickening does not significantly alter the microbial composition. Autotrophic and heterotrophic nitrifiers were present in the AS. However, the abundance of autotrophic nitrifiers was significantly lower than that of the heterotrophic nitrifiers. Thus, ammonium removal at these plants was achieved mostly by heterotrophic nitrification. Microbes that can cause foaming were at 3.2% abundance, and this result is well corroborated with occasional aerobic biological reactor foaming. By contrast, these microbes were not abundant (<2.1%) at plant A and C, where aerobic biological reactor foaming has not been reported., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Cisplatin and other widely employed platinum-based anticancer agents produce chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) that often results in pain and hyperalgesia that are difficult to manage. We investigated the efficacy of a novel bivalent ligand, MCC22, for the treatment of pain arising from CIPN. MCC22 consists of mu opioid receptor (MOR) agonist and chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) antagonist pharmacophores connected through a 22-atom spacer and was designed to target a putative MOR-CCR5 heteromer localized in pain processing areas. Mice received once daily intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of cisplatin (1 mg/kg) for seven days and behavior testing began 7 days later. Cisplatin produced mechanical hyperalgesia that was decreased dose-dependently by MCC22 given by intrathecal (ED 50  = 0.004 pmol) or i.p. (3.07 mg/kg) routes. The decrease in hyperalgesia was associated with decreased inflammatory response by microglia in the spinal cord. Unlike morphine, MCC22 given daily for nine days did not exhibit tolerance to its analgesic effect and its characteristic antihyperalgesic activity was fully retained in morphine-tolerant mice. Furthermore, MCC22 did not alter motor function and did not exhibit rewarding properties. Given the exceptional potency of MCC22 without tolerance or reward, MCC22 has the potential to vastly improve management of chronic pain due to CIPN. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'New Vistas in Opioid Pharmacology'., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the production of biogas, volatile fatty acids (VFAs), and other soluble organic from lignocellulosic biomass by two microbial communities (i.e. rumen fluid and anaerobic sludge). Four types of abundant lignocellulosic biomass (i.e. wheat straw, oaten hay, lurence hay and corn silage) found in Australia were used. The results show that rumen microbes produced four-time higher VFAs level than that of anaerobic sludge reactors, indicating the possible application of rumen microorganism for VFAs generation from lignocellulosic biomass. VFA production in the rumen fluid reactors was probably due to the presence of specific hydrolytic and acidogenic bacteria (e.g. Fibrobacter and Prevotella). VFA production corroborated from the observation of pH drop in the rumen fluid reactors indicated hydrolytic and acidogenic inhibition, suggesting the continuous extraction of VFAs from the reactor. Anaerobic sludge reactors on the other hand, produced more biogas than that of rumen fluid reactors. This observation was consistent with the abundance of methanogens in anaerobic sludge inoculum (3.98% of total microbes) compared to rumen fluid (0.11%). VFA production from lignocellulosic biomass is the building block chemical for bioplastic, biohydrogen and biofuel. The results from this study provide important foundation for the development of engineered systems to generate VFAs from lignocellulosic biomass., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Our aims were to evaluate resources and the preparedness of the health care facilities to respond to mass burn injuries in Vietnam. A survey was conducted in 19 provincial and central/regional hospitals using a questionnaire. The contents of the survey included infrastructure, human resources, medical equipment for burn care, and preparedness of hospitals for mass burn injuries. Results indicated that a variety of burn care facilities were set up, from separate burn departments (42.1%) to burn units (15.8%) or burn beds (42.1%) inside trauma or surgical departments. Medical staff/burn bed ratio was .7 and nurse/physician ratio was 1.7, with 52.7% of nurses having more than 5 years' experience. Infrastructure and medical equipment for burn facilities were limited, with just under half of the hospitals equipped with an air conditioner and heater. Bronchoscopy for diagnosis and management of inhalation injury was available in 6 (31.6%) hospitals. Few health facilities had a mechanical ventilator, fluid warmer, hemofiltration machine, burn theater, electro-dermatome or skin mesher. Only 26.3% hospitals had a plan for the management of mass burn injuries. A burn specialist was a member of the hospital's emergency medical team in 36.8% of the hospitals. Guidelines for burn emergency care were available in 63.2% hospitals. In the last 5 years, 21.1% of health facilities had conducted a drill for mass casualty incident management, but only 1 (5.3%) hospital had conducted a drill for MBI management. In conclusion, facilities, equipment, human resources for burn care and preparedness to manage mass burn injuries in Vietnam are still limited and need to be improved.

This study investigated the impact of mixing on key factors including foaming, substrate stratification, methane production and microbial community in three full scale anaerobic digesters. Digester foaming was observed at one plant that co-digested sewage sludge and food waste, and was operated without mixing. The lack of mixing led to uneven distribution of total chemical oxygen demand (tCOD) and volatile solid (VS) as well as methane production within the digester. 16S rRNA gene-based community analysis clearly differentiated the microbial community from the top and bottom. By contrast, foaming and substrate stratification were not observed at the other two plants with internal circulation mixing. The abundance of methanogens (Methanomicrobia) at the top was about four times higher than at the bottom, correlating to much higher methane production from the top verified by ex-situ biomethane assay, causing foaming. This result is consistent with foaming potential assessment of digestate samples from the digester., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Chlorhexidine (CHX) is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial, which may pose environmental health risks. This study examined the removal potential and the mechanisms regulating the fate of CHX in activated sludge (AS). Bioreactors inoculated with AS removed 74 ± 8% and 81 ± 6% of CHX at steady state while receiving 0.5 and 1 mg/L CHX, respectively. Analysis of the removal pathways showed that biosorption, rather than biological breakdown or other abiotic losses, largely (>70%) regulated the removal of CHX. 16S rRNA gene-based analysis revealed that CHX selected for Luteolibacter (4.3-10.1-fold change) and Runella (6.2-14.1-fold change) with potential multi-drug resistance mechanisms (e.g., efflux pumps). In contrast, it significantly reduced core members (Comamonadaceae and Flavobacteriaceae) of AS, playing a key role in contaminant removal and floc formation directly associated with the performance of WWTPs (e.g., wastewater effluent quality). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that 0.4-1.3 mg/L of CHX can be sublethal to AS. Our work provided new insights into the fate of CHX in urban waste streams and the potential toxicity and effects on the structure and function of AS, which has practical implications for the management of biological WWTPs treating CHX., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

An experimental model of a hemodialysis monitor has been developed to perform ultrafiltration control, and urea and creatinine clearance tests. This model allowed us to develop an original device that separates the used dialysate from fresh dialysate and to define the characteristics of an industrial prototype which ultimate objective is to reduce the costs of haemodialysis treatment in low and middle-income countries., (Copyright © 2019 Société francophone de néphrologie, dialyse et transplantation. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)