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Cardiac arrhythmias are a major cause of death and disability. A large number of experimental cell and animal models have been developed to study arrhythmogenic diseases. These models have provided important insights into the underlying arrhythmia mechanisms and translational options for their therapeutic management. This position paper from the ESC Working Group on Cardiac Cellular Electrophysiology provides an overview of (i) currently available in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo electrophysiological research methodologies, (ii) the most commonly used experimental (cellular and animal) models for cardiac arrhythmias including relevant species differences, (iii) the use of human cardiac tissue, induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived and in silico models to study cardiac arrhythmias, and (iv) the availability, relevance, limitations, and opportunities of these cellular and animal models to recapitulate specific acquired and inherited arrhythmogenic diseases, including atrial fibrillation, heart failure, cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, sinus node, and conduction disorders and channelopathies. By promoting a better understanding of these models and their limitations, this position paper aims to improve the quality of basic research in cardiac electrophysiology, with the ultimate goal to facilitate the clinical translation and application of basic electrophysiological research findings on arrhythmia mechanisms and therapies.

In 2015 the Spanish Society of Rheumatology (Sociedad Espanola de Reumatologia [SER]) published its position paper on biosimilar drugs. In this update, the SER, continues to manifest its unequivocal commitment to the sustainability of the health system of our country and is aligned with the measures that, without reducing quality of care, are aimed at ensuring its continuity. Since the publication of the previous position paper, the European Commission has authorized new biosimilar drugs, which provides an excellent opportunity to advance the efficiency of health care. In this new scenario of increased therapeutic offer of biologics, the SER considers it crucial to preserve the freedom of prescription of physicians who prescribe drugs based exclusively on the characteristics and individual circumstances of each patient, without forgetting the economic aspects there of.

Allergo journal international 30(5), 155-168 (2021). doi:10.1007/s40629-021-00178-2, Published by Urban & Vogel, München

Main application of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (µPADs) is for low-cost and portable assays. In order to reduce the cost, miniaturization seems to be an effective way to save reagents, samples, materials, etc. Present study demonstrates that mini-µPADs based on nitrocellulose membrane with only 2 main channels can perform sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for quantitative determination of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Moreover, the width and the length of these devices are only about 4.0 and 33.4 mm, respectively. Inkjet printing technology, having the advantages of simple and material-saving process, was used to create hydrophobic barrier. Colorimetric signals from ELISA captured by digital camera and measured by ImageJ software shows that these µPADs can quantitative determine of hCG in the range from 5 to 10 000 ng/mL. Furthermore, duration for each tests is only about 5 min. The success in fabricating miniaturized µPADs shows the potentials to reduce the size of µPADs as well as the amount of needed samples, time and reagents. For all these reasons, this miniaturization concept can be applied to many further applications of analytical biochemical assays.

Mineralized polymer scaffolds have proven to be effective biomaterials for inducing osteoinductivity in bone tissue engineering. Sequential mineralization is a promising technique for depositing minerals in three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds. Paper, which is made of cellulose fibers, can be used as a tissue scaffold due to its highly porous structure and flexibility, as well as its excellent ability to wick fluids and support the growth of bone cells. In this study, paper-based, mineralized scaffolds were fabricated using sequential mineralization. We conducted experiments with two groups of scaffolds based on different incubation times in the mineralization solutions (30 min and 24 h). Ten cycles of mineralization were performed for each group. We found that the mineral content increased as the cycle number increased and that the 24-h group scaffolds consistently had more mineralization than did the 30-min group scaffolds when measured at the same cycle number. A quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was performed for two osteogenic differentiation markers of the preosteoblasts that were grown on the mineralized paper scaffolds. The gene expression results for bone-specific markers revealed that the mineralized scaffolds were osteoinductive. Subcutaneous implantation of the scaffolds in rats demonstrated favorable biocompatibility, high vascularization, and non-immunogenicity in vivo. The overall results suggest that the sequentially mineralized paper scaffolds are promising materials for use in bone tissue engineering.

Up to 90% of the human genome is transcribed into Long-noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) that longer than 200 nucleotides but do not code for proteins. LncRNAs play a vital role in a broad range of biological process, it’s dysregulations and mutations are linked to the development and progression of various complex human diseases. Given the dramatic changes and growing scientific outputs in lncRNAs field, using a quantitative measurement to analyze and characterize the existing studies has become imperative.Bibliometric analysis is a widely used tool to assess the academic influence of a publication or a country in a specific field. However, a bibliometric analysis of the top 100 most-cited papers in lncRNAs area has not been conducted. Thus, we executed a bibliometric study to identify the authors, journals, countries and institutions that contributed most to the top 100 lncRNAs list, characterize the key words and focus of top 100 most-cited papers, and detect the factors related to their successful citation. This study provides a comprehensive list of the most influential papers on lncRNAs research and demonstrates the important advances in this field, which might be benefit to researchers in their paper publication and scientific cooperation.

BackgroundChronic rhinosinusitis is regarded as a chronic airway disease. According to WHO recommendations, it may be a risk factor for COVID-19 patients. In most CRSwNP cases, the inflammatory changes affecting the nasal and paranasal mucous membranes are type-2 (T2) inflammation endotypes. MethodsThe current knowledge on COVID-19 and on treatment options for CRS was analyzed by a literature search in Medline, Pubmed, international guidelines, the Cochrane Library and the Internet. ResultsBased on international literature, on current recommendations by WHO and other international organizations as well as on previous experience, a panel of experts from EAACI and ARIA provided recommendations for the treatment of CRS during the COVID-19 pandemic. ConclusionIntranasal corticosteroids remain the standard treatment for CRS in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Surgical treatments should be reduced to a minimum and surgery preserved for patients with local complications and for those with no other treatment options. Systemic corticosteroids should be avoided. Treatment with biologics can be continued with careful monitoring in noninfected patients and should be temporarily interrupted during the course of the COVID-19 infection.

Utilization of paper wastes as renewable resource of lignocellulosic constituents has the opportunity to promote a cleaner environment and to prepare valuable materials. This paper describes our study on an isolation of low-fiber powder cellulose from two grades of wastes as feedstocks: waste newsprint paper and cardboard wrapper through recycling including a thermal defibration, an alkali treatment with a solution of NaOH with a concentration from 0.03 to 1.00 М, bleaching with a solution of Н2О2 with a concentration from 0.8 to 2.6 М followed with an acid hydrolysis of the pretreated species with a solution of HNO3 of 1.5 and 3.0 M. The impact of the pretreatment on sizes of fibers was evaluated with stereoscopic microscopy. The powder celluloses obtained as a result of the acid hydrolysis exhibited the structure of cellulose I revealed with a WAXS method and were of a high-grade purity, according to EDXA. Sorption capacities of the powder celluloses from the waste cardboard and newsprint towards a dye methylene blue were 6.67 and 8.75 mg g–1, respectively.

Biologicals have transformed the management of severe disease phenotypes in asthma, atopic dermatitis, and chronic spontaneous urticaria. As a result, the number of approved biologicals for the treatment of atopic diseases is continuously increasing. Although atopic diseases are among the most common diseases in the reproductive age, investigations, and information on half-life, pharmacokinetics defining the neonatal Fc receptors (FcRn) and most important safety of biologicals in pregnancy are lacking. Given the complex sequence of immunological events that regulate conception, fetal development, and the intrauterine and postnatal maturation of the immune system, this information is of utmost importance. We conducted a systematic review on biologicals in pregnancy for indications of atopic diseases. Evidence in this field is scare and mainly reserved to reports on the usage of omalizumab. This lack of evidence demands the establishment of a multidisciplinary approach for the management of pregnant women who receive biologicals and multicenter registries for long-term follow-up, drug trial designs suitable for women in the reproductive age, and better experimental models that represent the human situation. Due to the very long half-life of biologicals, pre-conception counseling, and health care provider education is crucial to offer the best care for mother and fetus. This position paper integrates available data on safety of biologicals during pregnancy in atopic diseases via a systematic review with a detailed review on immunological considerations how inhibition of different pathways may impact pregnancy.

Paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) is a perennial woody plant used as source material for Cai Lun paper making, in traditional Chinese medicine, and as livestock feed. To identify the presence of viruses in paper mulberry plants affected by a disease with leaf curl symptoms, high-throughput sequencing of total RNA was performed. Analysis of transcriptome libraries allowed the reconstruction of two geminivirus-like genomes. Rolling-circle amplification and PCR with back-to-back primers confirmed the presence of two geminiviruses with monopartite genomes in these plants, with the names paper mulberry leaf curl virus 1 and 2 (PMLCV-1 and PMLCV-2) proposed. The genomes of PMLCV-1 (3,056 nt) and PMLCV-2 (3,757 to 3,763 nt) encode six proteins, with the V4 protein of PMLCV-1 and the V3 proteins of both viruses having low similarities to any known protein in databases. Alternative splicing of an intron, akin to that of mastre-, becurto-, capula-, and grabloviruses, was identified by small RNA (sRNA)-seq and RNA-seq reads mapping to PMLCV-1 and PMLCV-2 antisense transcripts. Phylogenetic analyses and pairwise comparisons showed that PMLCV-1 and PMLCV-2 are most closely related to, but distinct from, two unassigned geminiviruses, citrus chlorotic dwarf associated virus and mulberry mosaic dwarf associated virus, suggesting that they are two new members of the family Geminiviridae. Field investigation confirmed the close association of the two viruses with leaf curl symptoms in paper mulberry plants and that coinfection can aggravate the symptoms.

The main objective of this study is the evaluation of RPPW anaerobic digestion feasibility at laboratory scale under Mesophilic condition. The experiment is conducted using a two-stage biofilm digester of 5 L capacity with mobile support material. Anaerobic treatment of wastewater from recycled pulp and paper industry in Morocco was tested using a laboratory-scale anaerobic biofilm digester that operated under mesophilic conditions over a 70-day. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) efficiency, volatile and total solid (VS, TS) elimination of the substrate during the process were: 78%, 52% and 48% respectively. The system was stable throughout its operating cycle with an optimum pH (7.24), alkalinity (1750 mg CaCO3/L) and a volatile fatty acid value (760 mg/L). The experimental daily biogas production measured reaches a value of 5 L/day with a composition of 71% methane, 27.6% carbon dioxide, 0.2 oxygen and 7713 ppm of the H2S. The study results show that the anaerobic biofilm reactor is a suitable technique for recycled pulp and paper wastewater (RPPW) treatment. The reactor shows high performances in terms of process stability, removal efficiency (> 70%) and biogas production. Anaerobic digestion is an efficient waste treatment technology that uses natural anaerobic decomposition to reduce the volume of waste while producing biogas. However, research is needed to strengthen microbial metabolism, biochemistry and the functioning of the rector to improve biogas production. The RPPW AD experiment with biofilm digester technology was stable throughout the operation period. The digester knows an overloaded in the last phase of the experiment which leads to an inhibition of biogas production.

PTDC/EPH-PAT/0224/2014. POCI-01-0145-FEDER-PTDC/EPHPAT/3345/2014. The action of fungi on books, documents, maps, and works of art on paper can result in inestimable cultural losses. Plus, some of the fungi present in paper documents, surfaces and air from archives, libraries and museums are also a threat to human health. This work aims to review the literature on the most important and frequent microfungal populations found in paper-based collections all over the world, and correlate these data with human health risks. A total of 71 studies, dating between 1997 and 2018 were reviewed and organized. From 27 different countries, 207 fungal genera and 580 species were reported. Chaetomium sp. and Fusarium sp. were found to be special contaminants in the air of archives and have been associated with paper biodeterioration. The most common fungi reported (e.g. Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Alternaria species) have an impact on paper conservation but can also cause adverse human health effects. The most frequent fungal species retrieved from discoloured paper materials are discussed in greater detail. Considerations on methods of identification and quantification of fungal contamination are also presented. Finally, the authors acknowledge an urgent need for standardizing research in this area and further studies are proposed. publishersversion published

Background: Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction (ASPIRE) aims to improve knowledge and awareness of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) and infertility-related services, with the aim of improving the quality of patient care. Methods: A survey was developed and responded by a group of 10 ASPIRE board members to gather in-depth information about current practices, recommendations, and perceptions about SARS-CoV-2 and ART. The collected data were summarized and individual responses pooled among questions requiring voting. The overall rates were computed by response category. The group discussed the summary evidence, until a consensus was reached concerning a series of recommendation on how to make decisions concerning ART service provision during the current (and any future) pandemic. A two-tier recommendation was developed based on agreement rate and implementation priority. Tier 1 comprises recommendations in which the rate of “absolutely agree” responses were [Formula: see text]60%, whereas tier 2 refers to recommendations in which the rate of “absolutely agree” plus “agree” was >60%, but the rate of “absolutely agree” was [Formula: see text]50%. Results: The survey was responded by all participants between July 24 and July 30, 2020. Nine tier 1 and five tier 2 recommendations are provided concerning prevention, testing, personal protective equipment, informed consent, and quality management. The former indicates the situations in which most individuals should receive the intervention/procedure, whereas the latter relates to those that may be suitable for individual clinics and patients. Conclusions: This document provides the ASPIRE viewpoint on better managing infertile patients seeking ART during the COVID-19 pandemic. This expert opinion guide aims to help both competent authorities and healthcare providers to deliver quality and safe ART.

Why workers forfeit direct reproduction is a crucial question in eusocial evolution. Worker reproduction provides an excellent opportunity to understand the mechanism of kin conflict resolution between the queen and workers. We evaluated behavioral and physiological differences among females in the paper wasp Polistes chinensis antennalis to examine why some workers reproduce under queenright conditions. Reproductive workers were old and foraged less early in the season; their cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles overlapped with those of queens but were significantly different. The distinct CHC profile of the eggs of the queen likely represented a cue for policing against those by workers. Juvenile hormone (JH) and dopamine seemed to be associated with gonadotropic function, and the JH level of reproductive workers was similar to that of the queen. The high JH level of reproductive workers likely facilitated their reproduction even under queenright conditions. Gene expression levels of the queen and reproductive workers differed only in vitellogenin. These results suggest that worker reproduction is facilitated by an increase in JH level; however, CHC is not a fertility-linked signal, but a queen-linked signal; consequently, reproductive workers without a queen-linked signal might be allowed to stay within the colony.

The term sarcopenia was introduced in 1988. The original definition was a “muscle loss” of the appendicular muscle mass in the older people as measured by dual energy x‐ray absorptiometry (DXA). In 2010, the definition was altered to be low muscle mass together with low muscle function and this was agreed upon as reported in a number of consensus papers. The Society of Sarcopenia, Cachexia and Wasting Disorders supports the recommendations of more recent consensus conferences, i.e. that rapid screening, such as with the SARC‐F questionnaire, should be utilized with a formal diagnosis being made by measuring grip strength or chair stand together with DXA estimation of appendicular muscle mass (indexed for height2). Assessments of the utility of ultrasound and creatine dilution techniques are ongoing. Use of ultrasound may not be easily reproducible. Primary sarcopenia is aging associated (mediated) loss of muscle mass. Secondary sarcopenia (or disease‐related sarcopenia) has predominantly focused on loss of muscle mass without the emphasis on muscle function. Diseases that can cause muscle wasting (i.e. secondary sarcopenia) include malignant cancer, COPD, heart failure, and renal failure and others. Management of sarcopenia should consist of resistance exercise in combination with a protein intake of 1 to 1.5 g/kg/day. There is insufficient evidence that vitamin D and anabolic steroids are beneficial. These recommendations apply to both primary (age‐related) sarcopenia and secondary (disease related) sarcopenia. Secondary sarcopenia also needs appropriate treatment of the underlying disease. It is important that primary care health professionals become aware of and make the diagnosis of age‐related and disease‐related sarcopenia. It is important to address the risk factors for sarcopenia, particularly low physical activity and sedentary behavior in the general population, using a life‐long approach. There is a need for more clinical research into the appropriate measurement for muscle mass and the management of sarcopenia. Accordingly, this position statement provides recommendations on the management of sarcopenia and how to progress the knowledge and recognition of sarcopenia.

Thermal printing is a fast, widespread and inexpensive technology that uses a developer to produce a print on the paper, among many applications. A common developer is bisphenol A (BPA), used for this purpose in its free form. Consequently, the handling of thermal paper, as evaluated by the European Food Safety Authority, was reported to be the second largest source of external human exposure to this endocrine disrupting chemical. Recently, reports have been made on the substitution of BPA by alternative developers, which are yet less studied. In this study, 311 receipts and other thermal paper products were collected from 14 countries in Europe, Asia, North America and Oceania and analysed using liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. BPA was the most frequently used main developer and was detected in 194 thermal paper samples, which represents a detection frequency of 63%. A statistically significant difference in the detection of BPA was shown between continents. BPA was followed by bisphenol S (BPS) which was detected in 64 samples as the main developer. Pergafast 201 was the third most abundant main developer and detected in 37 samples as the main developer. Less frequently used main developers included BPS-MAE, TGSA, d -8, and d -90, many of them being BPS derivatives. Two oligomers of d -90 (n = 1 and n = 2) were also identified. The sensitizer diphenyl sulphone (DPS) was identified using high-resolution mass spectrometry for the first time and detected in combination with other developers than BPS for the first time. Despite the lack of structural, nation-wide legislation prohibiting the use of BPA in thermal paper, it is clear that alternative developers are currently globally in use for the manufacturing of thermal paper.

WOS: 000462022300057 PubMed: 30474775 A newly identified ligninolytic Rhodococcus strain (Rhodococcus sp. T1) was isolated from forestry wastes (Trabzon/Turkey). The DyP type peroxidase of Rhodococcus sp. T1 (DyPT1) was cloned, characterized and paper treated for industrial applications. Molecular weight of the protein was about 38kDa. The kinetic parameters were 0.94mM and 1417.53 mu mol/min/mg for Km and Vmax, respectively. The enzyme was active at the temperature range of 25-65 degrees C and optimum temperature was 35 degrees C, enzyme was stable up to 6 days at room temperature. Optimum pH of the DyPT1 was 4.0 and it was stable between pH 4.0-6.0 up to 8 days at room temperature. Effects of some metal ions, Hemin, and some chemical agents on DyPT1 were determined. Hemin has implemented protective effects on the stability and the activity of the enzyme in long time periods when added into growing medium. DyPT1 was applied to eucalyptus kraft pulp for analyzing the bleaching efficiency, physical and optical tests of the manufuctared paper were carried out. Application of lignin peroxidase to kraft pulp caused a decrease of 5.2 units for kappa number and an increase from 52.05 to 64.18% in the delignification rate. Karadeniz Technical University Research Foundation [FBA-2015-5182] This study was financially supported by Karadeniz Technical University Research Foundation (Project No: FBA-2015-5182).

The health risks associated with acute and prolonged exposure to estrogen receptor (ER) modulators has led to a concerted effort to identify and prioritize potential disruptors present in the environment. ER agonists and antagonists are identified with end-point assays, quantifying changes in cellular proliferation or gene transactivation in monolayers of estrogen receptor alpha expressing (ER+) cells upon exposure. While these monolayer cultures can be prepared, dosed, and analyzed in a highly parallelized manner, they are unable to predict the potencies of ER modulators in vivo accurately. Physiologically relevant model systems that better predict tissue- or organ-level responses are needed. To address this need, we describe here a screening platform capable of quantitatively assessing ER modulators in 96 chemically isolated 3D cultures. These cultures are supported in wax-patterned paper scaffolds whose design has improved performance and throughput over previously described paper-based setups. To highlight the potential of paper-based cultures for toxicity screens, we measured the potency of known ER modulators with a luciferase-based reporter assay. We also quantified the proliferation and invasion of two ER+ cell lines in the presence of estradiol. Despite the inability of the current setup to better predict in vivo potencies of ER modulators than monolayer cultures, the results demonstrate the potential of this platform to support increasingly complex and physiologically relevant tissue-like structures for environmental chemical risk assessment.

Thermophilic methane fermentation was a valid approach for handling the stillage eluted from ethanol fermentation of waste paper and kitchen waste. The wide organic loading rate (OLR) range (2-14 g VTS/(L d)) for stable performance and relatively high energy recovery efficiency (79.0%) were achieved, and OLR of 8 g VTS/(L d) was optimum for achievement of highest biogas evolution and VTS removal efficiency. Microbial community analysis revealed that hydrolysis of cellulose was the critical step for methane production from the stillage.

Morbidity and mortality from ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and heart failure (HF) remain significant in Europe and are increasing worldwide. Patients with IHD or HF might benefit from novel therapeutic strategies, such as cell-based therapies. We recently discussed the therapeutic potential of cell-based therapies and provided recommendations on how to improve the therapeutic translation of these novel strategies for effective cardiac regeneration and repair. Despite major advances in optimizing these strategies with respect to cell source and delivery method, the clinical outcome of cell-based therapy remains unsatisfactory. Major obstacles are the low engraftment and survival rate of transplanted cells in the harmful microenvironment of the host tissue, and the paucity or even lack of endogenous cells with repair capacity. Therefore, new ways of delivering cells and their derivatives are required in order to empower cell-based cardiac repair and regeneration in patients with IHD or HF. Strategies using tissue engineering (TE) combine cells with matrix materials to enhance cell retention or cell delivery in the transplanted area, and have recently received much attention for this purpose. Here, we summarize knowledge on novel approaches emerging from the TE scenario. In particular, we will discuss how combinations of cell/bio-materials (e.g. hydrogels, cell sheets, prefabricated matrices, microspheres, and injectable matrices) combinations might enhance cell retention or cell delivery in the transplantation areas, thereby increase the success rate of cell therapies for IHD and HF. We will not focus on the use of classical engineering approaches, employing fully synthetic materials, because of their unsatisfactory material properties which render them not clinically applicable. The overall aim of this Position Paper from the ESC Working Group Cellular Biology of the Heart is to provide recommendations on how to proceed in research with these novel TE strategies combined with cell-based therapies to boost cardiac repair in the clinical settings of IHD and HF. © Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved.

Many paper products are coated with plastic to improve their quality and stability. However, this limits recycling and recovery options and the plastic-coated waste paper is mostly disposed in landfills. Such practices are uneconomical and contrary to sustainable waste management. In this work enzymes of the white rot fungus Dichomitus squalens were investigated for possible delamination of plastic-coated waste paper. Enzymes were found capable to release the polyethylene foil from plastic-coated paper which resulted in 88.6-91.5% mass loss. The delamination rate, however, was depended on the ratio between plastic-coated paper and volume of enzyme filtrate. Results of a consequent experiment showed that enzymes are also efficient when plastic-coated paper is treated in a sequencing batch reactor resulting in 88.2-90.6% mass loss. The system was fully functional up to the 5th cycle; afterwards, the delamination rate reduced due to high thickness of the waste paper sludge. The enzyme activity, however, was still very high; with the laccase activity at the end of the experiment above 900 U/L and manganese peroxidase above 250 U/L. Our results demonstrated, that plastic-coated waste paper has the potential to be efficiently recovered instead of being disposed in landfills.

In paper conservation practice, adhesives are used for several purposes, such as mending tears and gaps, or paper consolidation. The criteria to choose one or another adhesive should be based on the knowledge of the properties and stability of those adhesives. However, the several different adhesives available on the market still lack enough information to help the process of a rational decision-making. In the present work, five adhesives currently used in the paper conservation field (starch paste, unsupported ArchibondTM, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose and methylcellulose) were analyzed for their chemical stability and fungal bioreceptivity (the ability of a material to be colonized by fungi). Bioreceptivity of products used in conservation and restoration is a still poorly explored subject, despite its great relevance for the preservation of objects. The chemical and physical properties of the adhesives, before and after moist heat artificial ageing, were analyzed by thermogravimetry, capillary viscometry, measurement of water absorption capacity, colourimetry, and pH measurement. Fungal bioreceptivity of the adhesives was tested on two different substrates (paper and glass) against three fungal species: Aspergillus niger, Aureobasidium pullulans and Penicillium pinophilum. Along 56 days of incubation, the colonization area on the adhesives was measured through digital photo analysis. Starch paste was the most bioreceptive adhesive, but on other hand was also the most stable adhesive to artificial ageing, regarding colour alteration, degree of polymerization and pH. Carboxymethylcellulose and ArchibondTM showed chemical deterioration with ageing. Nevertheless, these two adhesives presented only scarce bioreceptivity to the tested fungi. Methylcellulose and hydroxypropylcellulose showed the best relationship between higher chemical stability with artificial ageing and lower fungal bioreceptivity.

This study determined the effects of a static liquid culture system on shoot regeneration from citrus epicotyl explants. A mixture-amount experiment was used to determine the effects of zeatin riboside (ZR), 6-benzylaminopurine (BA), and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) on two citrus types—citrange (Citrus sinensis ‘Washington’ L. Osbeck. × Poncirus trifoliata L. Raf var. Carrizo) and sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck var. ‘Ridge Pineapple’). A liquid culture system comprising a Petri dish, cellulose filter paper, and liquid culture medium was used. Shoot regeneration experiments were conducted over 6 wk that included 2 wk in the dark followed by 4 wk in the light. Three responses were measured: (1) number of explants forming buds and/or shoots, (2) number of explants with shoots > 2 mm, and (3) overall explant and shoot quality. The effects of paper disc number, liquid medium volume, and explant size on shoot regeneration were determined. High-quality shoots were produced from explants cultured in 5.25 to 12 mL medium volume and explant sizes ranging from 2 to 15 mm. The effects of the plant growth regulators were similar for the two citrus types and were as follows: (1) use of ZR or BA resulted in high-quality shoot production; (2) ZR and BA were not synergistic; (3) culture in 20 μM ZR resulted in the highest shoot production; (4) BA and IAA were strongly synergistic, with the greatest production with BA when IAA was included in the mixture; and (5) ZR and IAA were antagonistic, particularly with Ridge Pineapple.

Protein corona coated onto the hydrophilic cellulose fiber turns into hydrophobic upon UV irradiation without hindering the porosity of the paper while simultaneously reducing nonspecific adsorption. Taking advantage of the biofouling-resistant, hydrophobic, and fluid transport through property, we demonstrated hanging drop three-dimensional (3D) spheroid culture and in-site analysis, including drug testing, time-dependent detection of secreted protein, and fluorescence staining without disturbing the spheroids. This single hanging drop system can also be extended to a networked hanging drop chip to mimic in vivo microphysiology by combining with wax-patterned microfluidic channels, where well-to-well interaction can be accurately controlled in a passive manner. As a proof of concept, the effects of a concentration gradient of nutrient and variable dosage of anticancer drugs were studied in the 3D spheroids cultured on paper. The experimental results suggested that a complex network device could be fabricated on a large scale on demand at a minimal cost for 3D spheroid culture. Our method demonstrates a future possibility for paper as a low cost, high-throughput 3D spheroid-based "body-on-a-chip" platform material.

Banknotes are widely exchanged for goods and services overall the world, which could play a role in transferring infectious diseases through contact. This study has performed the survey of the microbial contamination in Egyptian paper banknotes and their role on banknotes biodegradation, soiling, dirtiness and deterioration. Twenty four paper currency notes of all available denominations (three samples of each denomination as an example for a different period of use) were collected from different areas in Egypt. All samples were found high contaminated with bacteria except the new 50 piasters note, which was zero bacterial contamination. This study results showed that the paper banknotes can be post coated by varnish (conventional – antibacterial) or converted to using polymer may be effective or long-lasting antibacterial paper as well as in order to reduce the microbial population and exceed the negative effect of the microorganism contaminations. Moreover, many samples were found with high contamination with E. Coli which transferred mainly from human feces. Moreover, the high contamination samples were remarked high cellulase enzyme content which affect paper banknotes (cellulose).

Echocardiography is a reliable and reproducible method to assess non-invasively cardiac function in clinical and experimental research. Significant progress in the development of echocardiographic equipment and transducers has led to the successful translation of this methodology from humans to rodents, allowing for the scoring of disease severity and progression, testing of new drugs, and monitoring cardiac function in genetically modified or pharmacologically treated animals. However, as yet, there is no standardization in the procedure to acquire echocardiographic measurements in small animals. This position paper focuses on the appropriate acquisition and analysis of echocardiographic parameters in adult mice and rats, and provides reference values, representative images, and videos for the accurate and reproducible quantification of left ventricular function in healthy and pathological conditions. ispartof: CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH vol:117 issue:1 pages:43-59 ispartof: location:England status: published

A description of a case is presented on a relationship between paper-based documents as a risk factor for fungal keratitis. A 32-year-old woman, a long-term contact lens user, presented with fungal keratitis in her right eye caused by Fusarium spp. while working with books and old documents as a librarian. Her visual acuity was hand motion in the right eye. She was satisfactorily treated with topical antifungal and antibiotic agents.

Human blood is a self-regenerating lipid-rich biological fluid that is routinely collected in hospital settings. The inventory of lipid molecules found in blood plasma (plasma lipidome) offers insights into individual metabolism and physiology in health and disease. Disturbances in the plasma lipidome also occur in conditions that are not directly linked to lipid metabolism; therefore, plasma lipidomics based on MS is an emerging tool in an array of clinical diagnostics and disease management. However, challenges exist in the translation of such lipidomic data to clinical applications. These relate to the reproducibility, accuracy, and precision of lipid quantitation, study design, sample handling, and data sharing. This position paper emerged from a workshop that initiated a community-led process to elaborate and define a set of generally accepted guidelines for quantitative MS-based lipidomics of blood plasma or serum, with harmonization of data acquired on different instrumentation platforms across independent laboratories as an ultimate goal. We hope that other fields may benefit from and follow such a precedent.

Background In Software Engineering (SE), conference publications have high importance both in effective communication and in academic careers. Researchers actively discuss how a paper should be organized to be accepted in mainstream conferences. Aiming This work tackles the problem of generalizing and characterizing the type of papers accepted at SE conferences. Method The paper offers a new perspective in the analysis of SE literature: a categorization scheme for SE papers is obtained by merging, extending and revising related proposals from a few existing studies. The categorization scheme is used to classify the papers accepted at three top-tier SE conferences during five years (2012–2016). Results While a broader experience is certainly needed for validation and fine-tuning, preliminary outcomes can be observed relative to what problems and topics are addressed, what types of contributions are presented and how they are validated. Conclusions The results provide insights to paper writers, paper reviewers and conference organizers in focusing their future efforts, without any intent to provide judgments or authoritative guidelines.

It is well-established that food proteins, such as egg, soya, cow's milk and wheat, are detectable in breastmilk for many hours or days after ingestion. Exposure to these proteins is important to the process of developing tolerance but can also sometimes elicit IgE-mediated and non-IgE-mediated allergic symptoms in breastfed infants. Non-IgE-mediated allergy, outside of food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis and eosinophilic oesophagitis, is not well understood, leading to variations in the diagnosis and management thereof. A primary objective of the European Academy for Allergy and Clinical Immunology is to support breastfeeding in all infants, including those with food allergies. A Task Force was established, to explore the clinical spectrum of non-IgE-mediated allergies, and part of its objectives was to establish diagnosis and management of non-IgE-mediated allergies in breastfed infants. Eight questions were formulated using the Patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (PICO) system and Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN) criteria for data inclusion, and consensus was achieved on practice points through the Delphi method. This publication aims to provide a comprehensive overview on this topic with practice points for healthcare professionals.

Civil Construction Industry impacts significantly the environment, being one of the most critic factors related to elevated production of Civil Construction Residue (CCR). Among CCR produced, the Kraft paper package acquires notoriety, due their large use on material packaging, such as Portland cement and lime, then, present a high production rate and offer contamination potential, lack of collection logistics and nearly any reuse. In this scenario, the study and development of alternative constructive materials which applies the sustainability concept and CCR recycling have acquired great relevance in the sector. It is highlighted the residue incorporation on masonry soil-cement blocks, due its block are not submitted to the sintering process. Then, the present research intend to study adobe blocks mechanical properties based on soil-cement reinforced with cellulose fibers obtained from Kraft paper recycling. The bricks were confectioned with 7% Portland cement content and with 0%, 8%, 10% e 12% Kraft paper fiber addition, being submitted to compressive strength test, water absorption test, durability test with wetting and drying and retraction analysis. It was verified the confectioned composites presented as a viable and interesting alternative on technical and environment range. All studied researches presented null retraction and compressive strength increase on cracked state, toughness increase and good performance about durability.

Aim: Since 2014, enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) has been available for treatment of Morquio A syndrome. During clinical trials, urinary keratan sulfate (KS) has been a useful biomarker and showed a marked decrease in patients on ERT, demonstrating therapy efficacy. Unfortunately, quantitative urinary KS testing is not widely available in biochemical genetics laboratories for efficient monitoring and follow-up of treated patients. Materials & methods: A tandem mass spectrometry methodology was devised to analyze KS disaccharides and creatinine in urine specimens collected on filter paper. Results: All Morquio A patients presented abnormal results pretreatment compared with reference values. Conclusion: This collection procedure can be performed by patients at home and filter papers sent by regular mail to a specialized laboratory, facilitating follow-up of patients.

Introduction: Brain Ichemic-Reperfusion Injury (IRI) activates different pathophysiological processes. It also changes physiological parameters such as Blood Glucose (BG) level. An increase in BG after stroke is associated with poor clinical outcomes. Erythropoietin has been shown to be effective on both reducing inflammation and BG level. Therefore, in this study the erythropoietin pretreatment effect on BG and its relationship with inflammatory markers after brain IRI was investigated. Methods: Thirty adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: sham, control and 3 pretreatment groups: single dose, double dose, and triple dose that received 1000 U/kg of erythropoietin before stroke induction in different times intraperitoneally. A rat model of IRI was established by Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion (MCAO) for 60 minutes. Infarct volume, neurological defects, Interleukin-1α (IL-1α) and IL-6 serum levels were evaluated 24 hours after reperfusion. Also BG was measured after 1, 6, and 24 hours. Results: Single dose of erythropoietin significantly decreased infarct volume and improved neurological defects which was associated with decreased serum level of IL-1α and IL-6 but higher doses of erythropoietin administration had adverse effects on histological, neurological, and inflammatory results. In addition, erythropoietin significantly increased BG in a dose- dependent manner. Conclusion: Erythropoietin could reduce brain IRI by reducing inflammation and BG stabilization. The results of the present study demonstrated a relationship between inflammatory factors and hyperglycemia after IRI and suggested that erythropoietin may be useful for preventing brain IRI, but its higher doses should be used with caution due to possible side effects.

Although nucleic acid amplification test (NAT) is widely used for pathogen detection, rapid NAT systems that do not require special and expensive instruments must be developed in order to enable point of care (POC)-NATs, which contribute to early initiation of treatment. As a POC-NAT system, Kaneka DNA chromatography chip (KDCC), developed using DNA tag-bound primer through modified substance, was shown to be suitable for POC testing, due to the rapid detection time, simple procedures, and low manufacturing costs. However, owing to some modifications in primer, the detection performance and amplification speed were shown to be reduced when using KDCC, counteracting the increased speed of detection. To solve these issues and improve the speed of this NAT system, we investigated a better modification substance for KDCC. Here, azobenzene-modified primers were shown to have the highest amplification speed and detection performance in KDCC, of all modifications tested in this study, showing 10-100-fold lower detection limit but maintaining the same reaction time. Additionally, rapid herpes simplex virus detection system with azobenzene modified primers was developed. We believed that this breakthrough will contribute toward enabling greater utilization of POC-NATs for medical care, especially in developing countries and clinics.

Bisphenol A (BPA) was commonly used as color developer for thermal paper such as cash register receipts, labels or tickets. Therefore, thermal paper was considered by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) as the main source of human exposure to BPA beside epoxy based food contact materials. In this study, a German market analysis on the use of BPA and alternative color developers in thermal paper receipts is provided for the years 2015, 2016 and 2017.114 (2015), 98 (2016) and 99 (2017) samples were randomly collected and analyzed by HPLC-DAD. In summary, BPA was still the most frequently found color developer (48.2% in 2015, 46.9% in 2016 and 52.5% in 2017). The most commonly used alternative was the phenol-free substance Pergafast® 201 (34.2%, 33.7%, 40.4%). The bisphenol analogs bisphenol S (BPS; 11.4%, 9.2%, 6.1%) and D8 (6.1%, 7.1%, 1.0%) were less common. Another phenol-free substituent, a urea urethane compound (UU), was also detected (3.1% in 2016). Concentrations of color developers in thermal paper ranged from 1.4 to 32.4 mg/g (median values between 2.5 and 15.9 mg/g). Concentrations of BPA were found to be highest followed by BPS, UU, Pergafast® 201 and D8. In addition, two pharmacologically active substances, dapsone (6.0 mg/g) and tolbutamide (5.5 mg/g), were detected in a non-marketed thermal paper, that was supposed to use ascorbic acid as initial color developer. Different release experiments of the detected color developers were performed. Sensitizers 1,2-diphenoxy-ethane, 1-phenylmethoxy-naphthalene and diphenylsulfone, used frequently in the thermal paper processes, were quantified.

Scientific writing is an important skill in both academia and clinical practice. The skills for writing a strong scientific paper are necessary for researchers (comprising academic staff and health-care professionals). The process of a scientific research will be completed by reporting the obtained results in the form of a strong scholarly publication. Therefore, an insufficiency in scientific writing skills may lead to consequential rejections. This feature results in undesirable impact for their academic careers, promotions and credits. Although there are different types of papers, the original article is normally the outcome of experimental/epidemiological research. On the one hand, scientific writing is part of the curricula for many medical programs. On the other hand, not every physician may have adequate knowledge on formulating research results for publication adequately. Hence, the present review aimed to introduce the details of creating a strong original article for publication (especially for novice or early career researchers).

The pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 is a global threat, causing high mortality, especially in the elderly. The main symptoms and the primary cause of death are related to interstitial pneumonia. Viral entry also into myocardial cells mainly via the angiotensin converting enzyme type 2 (ACE2) receptor and excessive production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, however, also make the heart susceptible to injury. In addition to the immediate damage caused by the acute inflammatory response, the heart may also suffer from long-term consequences of COVID-19, potentially causing a post-pandemic increase in cardiac complications. Although the main cause of cardiac damage in COVID-19 remains coagulopathy with micro- (and to a lesser extent macro-) vascular occlusion, open questions remain about other possible modalities of cardiac dysfunction, such as direct infection of myocardial cells, effects of cytokines storm, and mechanisms related to enhanced coagulopathy. In this opinion paper, we focus on these lesser appreciated possibilities and propose experimental approaches that could provide a more comprehensive understanding of the cellular and molecular bases of cardiac injury in COVID-19 patients. We first discuss approaches to characterize cardiac damage caused by possible direct viral infection of cardiac cells, followed by formulating hypotheses on how to reproduce and investigate the hyperinflammatory and pro-thrombotic conditions observed in the heart of COVID-19 patients using experimental in vitro systems. Finally, we elaborate on strategies to discover novel pathology biomarkers using omics platforms.

Abstract Mechanical stimuli play important roles on the growth, development, and behavior of tissue. A simple and novel paper-based in vitro tissue chip was developed that can deliver two types of mechanical stimuli—local compression and shear flow—in a programmed manner. Rat vascular endothelial cells (RVECs) were patterned on collagen-coated nitrocellulose paper to create a tissue chip. Localized compression and shear flow were introduced by simply tapping and bending the paper chip in a programmed manner, utilizing an inexpensive servo motor controlled by an Arduino microcontroller and powered by batteries. All electrical compartments and a paper-based tissue chip were enclosed in a single 3D-printed enclosure, allowing the whole device to be independently placed within an incubator. This simple device effectively simulated in vivo conditions and induced successful RVEC migration in as early as 5 h. The developed device provides an inexpensive and flexible alternative for delivering mechanical stimuli to other in vitro tissue models. Graphical abstract

To study the possible roles of type-2C protein phosphatases (PP2Cs) which have been confirmed to play roles in the response to diverse abiotic stresses in paper mulberry, we launched a series of genomic and functional studies of BpPP2Cs. Sixty-three PP2C proteins in paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) were classified into 13 clades. Four BpPP2Cs with kinase domains were verified to be highly conserved in organisms ranging from algae to dicots. Seven pairs of BpPP2C genes were found to be expanding, and 18 BpPP2C genes had orthologues in Arabidopsis. BpPP2Cs showed broad expression in different tissues; the expression levels of 18 BpPP2Cs were changed and the phosphorylation levels of seven BpPP2C proteins increased at low temperature. Cold-response elements were found in the promoter region of 31 BpPP2Cs. Finally, Bp01g0320 was found to act as a hub protein and Bp01g0512 and Bp09g1278 played key roles in the ABA-signaling pathway and MAPK cascades, respectively. These results suggest that the PP2C gene family of paper mulberry is evolutionarily conserved and participates the regulation of the response to cold stress, which will play a vital role in further research on phosphatases in paper mulberry.

The present study analyzes the offshoring network constructed from the information contained in the Panama Papers, characterizing worldwide regions and countries as well as their intra- and inter-relationships. The Panama Papers 2016 divulgence is the largest leak of offshoring and tax avoidance documentation. The document leak, with a volume content of approximately 2.6 terabytes, involves more than two hundred thousand enterprises in more than two hundred countries. From this information, the offshore connections of individuals and companies are constructed and aggregated using their countries of origin. The top offshore financial regions and countries of the network are identified, and their intra- and inter-relationship are mapped and described. We are able to identify the top countries in the offshoring network and characterize their connectivity structure, discovering the more prominent actors in the worldwide offshoring scenario and their range of influence., Panama Papers; Offshore societies; Tax havens; Geographical networks; Graph Theory; Network Analysis; International Relations; Money; Globalization; Business; Economics

Highlights • Retrieval of BoHV-1 DNA from extended semen spotted paper matrix was optimized. • The method was repeatable in inter-assay and intra-assay precision testing. • Viral DNA was stable in the matrix for at least 28 days when stored at 4°–37 °C. • The analytical sensitivity was equivalent to the OIE approved Chelex based method. • The dsn and dsp was 83% and 93% respectively in comparison to Chelex based method., The extended frozen semen (EFS) batches produced from infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) sero-positive cattle and buffalo bulls housed in various semen stations in India are transported to the testing laboratory in liquid nitrogen (LN2) for screening bovine herpesvirus-1 (BoHV-1). This procedure is laborious and poses LN2 related hazards. An alternative logistics for transportation of samples was investigated. Use of Flinders Technology Associates (FTA®) elute card was evaluated for transportation of extended bovine semen to screen BoHV-1 DNA by real-time PCR targeting gB gene and the method was compared with the OIE approved Chelex resin based method. A protocol for extraction of BoHV-1 DNA from FTA® card spotted with extended semen was optimized. The viral DNA was found to be stable on FTA® card for at least 28 days when the cards are stored at 4°–37 °C. The analytical sensitivity for the assay was determined using variable dilutions of BoHV-1 spiked semen and positive plasmid harbouring gB gene (97bp) spotted onto FTA® card and it was found to be 100.8 TCID50/ml or 100 copies respectively in real-time PCR. The test could detect as low as 100.008 TCID50/ml or 1 copy of positive plasmid when more number of replicates (n = 6) of the same sample were tested. This sensitivity was found to be comparable to Chelex method and both the methods demonstrated a very strong correlation (r = 0.9774; 95% CI: 0.9620–0.9860) in terms of Ct value (p

Molecular pathology is an essential part of pathology complementing conventional morphological tools to obtain a correct integrated diagnosis with appropriate assessment of prognosis and prediction of response to therapy, particularly in cancer. There is a concern about the situation of molecular pathology in some areas of Europe, namely, regarding the central role of pathologists in assessing somatic genomic alterations in cancer. In some countries, there are attempts that other laboratory medicine specialists perform the molecular analysis of somatic alterations in cancer, particularly now when next generation sequencing (NGS) is incorporated into clinical practice. In this scenario, pathologists may play just the role of "tissue providers," and other specialists may take the lead in molecular analysis. Geneticists and laboratory medicine specialists have all background and skills to perform genetic analysis of germline alterations in hereditary disorders, including familial forms of cancers. However, interpretation of somatic alterations of cancer belongs to the specific scientific domain of pathology. Pathologists are necessary to guarantee the quality of the results, for several reasons: (1) The identified molecular alterations should be interpreted in the appropriate morphologic context, since most of them are context-specific; (2) pre-analytical issues must be taken into consideration; (3) it is crucial to check the proportion of tumor cells in the sample subjected to analysis and presence of inflammatory infiltrate and necrosis should be monitored; and 4) the role of pathologists is crucial to select the most appropriate methods and to control the turnaround time in which the molecular results are delivered in the context of an integrated diagnosis. Obviously, there is the possibility of having core facilities for NGS in a hospital to perform the sequence analysis that are open to other specialties (microbiologists, geneticists), but also in this scenario, pathologists should have the lead in assessing somatic alterations of cancer. In this article, we emphasize the importance of interpreting somatic molecular alterations of the tumors in the context of morphology. In this Position Paper of the European Society of Pathology, we strongly support a central role of pathology departments in the process of analysis and interpretation of somatic molecular alterations in cancer. The proposal for this position paper was approved by the Publication Task Force of the European Society of Pathology (ESP), and this approval was subsequently verified by the Council of ESP. We thank Mar Varela, Dolors Cuevas, Ana Velasco and Jordi Temprana for help in writing the manuscript.

Objective Electronic data collection (EDC) has become a suitable alternative to paper based data collection (PBDC) in biomedical research even in resource poor settings. During a survey in Nepal, data were collected using both systems and data entry errors compared between both methods. Collected data were checked for completeness, values outside of realistic ranges, internal logic and date variables for reasonable time frames. Variables were grouped into 5 categories and the number of discordant entries were compared between both systems, overall and per variable category. Results Data from 52 variables collected from 358 participants were available. Discrepancies between both data sets were found in 12.6% of all entries (2352/18,616). Differences between data points were identified in 18.0% (643/3580) of continuous variables, 15.8% of time variables (113/716), 13.0% of date variables (140/1074), 12.0% of text variables (86/716), and 10.9% of categorical variables (1370/12,530). Overall 64% (1499/2352) of all discrepancies were due to data omissions, 76.6% (1148/1499) of missing entries were among categorical data. Omissions in PBDC (n = 1002) were twice as frequent as in EDC (n = 497, p

This paper presents a whole-cell biosensor that operates in conjunction with a smartphone-based fluorescence diagnostic system on a paper device to monitor the concentration of gold ions in human urine. The heavy metal-tolerant bacteria Cupriavidus metallidurans was genetically engineered for use as a chassis in a red fluorescent protein (RFP)-based microbial sensor. The biosensor is highly sensitive to gold ions, with a detection limit of 110 nM. The proposed smartphone-based analysis system provides a user-friendly approach to design tools of personal health monitoring for reporting the presence of gold ions in human urine.

The incidence of flavivirus infections has increased dramatically in recent decades in tropical and sub-tropical areas worldwide, affecting hundreds of millions of people each year. Dengue viruses are typically transmitted by mosquitoes and can cause a wide range of symptoms from flu-like fever to organ impairment and death. Although conventional diagnostic tests can provide early diagnosis of acute dengue infections, access to these tests is often limited in developing countries. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop affordable, simple, rapid, and robust diagnostic tools that can be used at 'Point of Care' settings. Early diagnosis is crucial to improve patient management and reduce the risk of complications. In the present study, a novel laser-cut device made of glass-fiber paper was designed and tested for the detection of the dengue Non Structural 1 (NS1) viral protein and specific IgM in blood and plasma. The device, called PAD, was able to detect around 25 ng/mL of NS1 protein in various sample types in 8 minutes, following a few simple steps. The PAD was also able to detect specific IgM in human plasmas in less than 10 minutes. The PAD appears to have all the potential to assist health workers in early diagnosis of dengue fever or other tropical fevers caused by flaviviruses.

It is commonly hypothesized that scientists are more likely to engage in data falsification and fabrication when they are subject to pressures to publish, when they are not restrained by forms of social control, when they work in countries lacking policies to tackle scientific misconduct, and when they are male. Evidence to test these hypotheses, however, is inconclusive due to the difficulties of obtaining unbiased data. Here we report a pre-registered test of these four hypotheses, conducted on papers that were identified in a previous study as containing problematic image duplications through a systematic screening of the journal PLoS ONE. Image duplications were classified into three categories based on their complexity, with category 1 being most likely to reflect unintentional error and category 3 being most likely to reflect intentional fabrication. We tested multiple parameters connected to the hypotheses above with a matched-control paradigm, by collecting two controls for each paper containing duplications. Category 1 duplications were mostly not associated with any of the parameters tested, as was predicted based on the assumption that these duplications were mostly not due to misconduct. Categories 2 and 3, however, exhibited numerous statistically significant associations. Results of univariable and multivariable analyses support the hypotheses that academic culture, peer control, cash-based publication incentives and national misconduct policies might affect scientific integrity. No clear support was found for the “pressures to publish” hypothesis. Female authors were found to be equally likely to publish duplicated images compared to males. Country-level parameters generally exhibited stronger effects than individual-level parameters, because developing countries were significantly more likely to produce problematic image duplications. This suggests that promoting good research practices in all countries should be a priority for the international research integrity agenda. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s11948-018-0023-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a reemerging flavivirus causing an ongoing pandemic and public health emergency worldwide. There are currently no effective vaccines or specific therapy for Zika infection. Rapid, low-cost diagnostics for mass screening and early detection are of paramount importance in timely management of the infection at the point-of-care (POC). The current Zika diagnostics are laboratory-based and cannot be implemented at the POC particularly in resource-limited settings. Here, we develop a nanoparticle-enhanced viral lysate electrical sensing assay for Zika virus detection on paper microchips with printed electrodes. The virus is isolated from biological samples using antibodies and labeled with platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) to enhance the electrical signal. The captured ZIKV-PtNP complexes are lysed using a detergent to release the electrically charged molecules associated with the intact virus and the PtNPs on the captured viruses. The released charged molecules and PtNPs change the electrical conductivity of the solution, which can be measured on a cellulose paper microchip with screen-printed microelectrodes. The results confirmed a highly specific detection of ZIKV in the presence of other non-targeted viruses, including closely related flaviviruses such as dengue virus-1 and dengue virus-2 with a detection limit down to 101 virus particles per μl. The developed assay is simple, rapid, and cost-effective and has the potential for POC diagnosis of viral infections and treatment monitoring.

Switching between metabolically active and dormant states provides bacteria with protection from environmental stresses and allows rapid growth under favorable conditions. This rapid growth can be detrimental to the environment, e.g., pathogens in recreational lakes, or to industrial processes, e.g., fermentation, making it useful to quickly determine when the ratio of dormant to metabolically active bacteria changes. While a rapid increase in metabolically active bacteria can cause complications, a high number of dormant bacteria can also be problematic, since they can be more virulent and antibiotic-resistant. To determine the metabolic state of Escherichia coli and Salmonella Typhimurium, we developed two paper-based colorimetric assays. The color changes were based on oxidoreductases reducing tetrazolium salts to formazans, and alkaline phosphatases cleaving phosphates from nitrophenyl phosphate salt. Specifically, we added iodophenyl-nitrophenyl-phenyl tetrazolium salt (INT) and methylphenazinium methyl sulfate to metabolically active bacteria on paper and INT and para-nitrophenyl phosphate salt to dormant bacteria on paper. The color changed in less than 60 min and was generally visible at 103 CFU and quantifiable at 106 CFU. The color changes occurred in both bacteria, since oxidoreductases and alkaline phosphatases are common bacterial enzymes. On one hand, this feature makes the assays suitable to a wide range of applications, on the other, it requires specific capture, if only one type of bacterium is of interest. We captured Salmonella or E. coli with immobilized P22 or T4 bacteriophages on the paper, before detecting them at levels of 102 or 104 CFU, respectively. Determining the ratio of the metabolic state of bacteria or a specific bacterium at low cost and in a short time, makes this methodology useful in environmental, industrial and health care settings.

The papers have a porous structure which can be a suitable medium for the growth of bacteria. Therefore, in the sanitary papers, creation of a suitable antibacterial property is necessary. In this way, the plant extracts were prepared using solid–liquid extraction method from the Rosmarinus officinalis, Olea europaea, Mentha spicata and Punica granatum. Relatively, the total phenol and flavonoid contents were determined according to colorimetric method. Their antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH method. The extracts were sprayed on the surface of the handsheets, and then their antibacterial activity was investigated. The results showed that extracts from the P. granatum has the highest phenol (5.82%) and antioxidant activity (71.13%), while the extract from the R. officinalis had the highest flavonoid (4.23%) and antibacterial activity (90.43%). Hence, it can be concluded that these two extracts could be the suitable combinations to create desirable antibacterial properties in the manufacture of papers with sanitary purposes.

Pulp and paper mill effluent can cause changes in the morphology and energy metabolism in the zebrafish (Danio rerio) testis. Betulin, a naturally occurring triterpene is commonly present in this type of effluent and is suspected of being involved in these effects. The aim of this study was to compare the effects pulp and paper mill effluent and betulin on various aspects of testicular physiology in the zebrafish. This included the in vitro effects of effluent and betulin on testicular lactate content and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity. In addition, the effects of betulin on glucose uptake, glycogen, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), reactive oxygen and nitrogen species formation and oxidative damage in the testes were determined. Furthermore, we compared the effects and mechanism of action of betulin and effluent on calcium homeostasis in testes. In vitro exposure to both effluent and betulin decreased lactate and calcium influx, possibly due to the activation of the sodium‑calcium exchanger (NCX) pump. Additionally, betulin-treated testes had higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduced glutathione (GSH) content, as well as increased glutathione transferase (GST) activity and a tendency towards decreased catalase (CAT) activity. Thus, this study shows that alterations in testis physiology caused by the pulp and paper mill effluent in the testis may be due in part to the actions of betulin.