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Background: Well-being, burnout, and resiliency have been topics of discussion among health care providers over the last few years. Wellness can relate to many areas or domains in our lives such as financial, social, spiritual, physical, and occupational, whereas well-being is career focused. Wellness is multidimensional and encompasses different domains, and well-being usually focuses on a singular domain. Literature supports the study of well-being in health care workers; however, research is limited for assessing wellness in different domains of health care workers.Objective: This study sought to describe perceived pharmacy resident wellness during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.Methods: A 67-item survey was sent by e-mail to eligible study participants, including any postgraduate year (PGY) 1, 2, or 24-month pharmacy resident completing/completed their training in June 2019-July 2020. The primary outcome was perceived resident wellness based on the 7 domains from Princeton UMatter Wellness Self-Assessment, developed to measure self-perceptions of wellness across dimensions. Descriptive statistics and participant scores were aggregated and presented as a total domain score. Statistics and scores were determined from completed surveys.Results: A total of 418 participants accessed the survey, 384 met inclusion criteria, and 326 completed the survey. Of the participants, 77% were female with 85% completing a traditional PGY-1 residency program. The wellness domain with the lowest total was physical wellness, with a domain median of 23 of 28. The highest-scoring domain was social wellness, with a median of 27.Conclusion: Perceived resident wellness during COVID-19 was highest in the social domain and lowest in the physical wellness domain. Residency programming administrators could use this information to make improvements to orientation practices and wellness domain programming throughout the duration of residency training during a pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this analysis was to determine which characteristics increase a candidate's likelihood of matching with a post-graduate year 1 (PGY1) community-based residency program (CBRP). Current and former CBRP residents' curriculum vitae (CVs) were collected and reviewed utilizing a survey and standardized rubric. Eligible participants were current PGY1 CBRP residents or had completed a PGY1 program no earlier than 2015. Primary endpoints included number of participants with extensive leadership experience, relevant experiential rotations, presentation history, and involvement in pharmacy organizations. Descriptive statistics were performed to identify the most common characteristics and their relative quantities. A total of 50 eligible CVs were submitted and reviewed. The majority of participants had extensive (defined as four or more) presentation experiences, at least three mid- to high-level leadership experiences, multiple ambulatory/outpatient pharmacy experiential rotations, and involvement in pharmacy organizations. Few participants (26%) had previous teaching experience. Residency candidates who matched with CBRPs tended to have extensive mid- to high-level leadership experiences and presentation experience. Based on these findings, additional studies are warranted to compare existing and/or redesigned postgraduate training preparation curricula and their impact on residency match rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the global plastic waste crisis intensifies, innovative and sustainable solutions are urgently needed. This study evaluated waste-derived metal-incorporated activated carbon (AC) catalysts for the pyrolysis of mixed plastic waste to generate value-added products, focusing on product yield distribution, composition, hydrogen, and carbon nanotube (CNT) formation. Pyrolysis-catalysis experiments were conducted using a two-stage fixed-bed reactor, wherein the temperature was maintained at 500 °C in first stage (pyrolysis) and varied (500, 600, and 700 °C) in the second stage (catalysis). The tested ACs were incorporated with nickel (Ni-AC), iron (Fe-AC), and zinc (Zn-AC) to assess the impact of metal particles distributed on the carbonaceous support in the second stage. The results from the ACs were compared to those obtained using zeolite (H-ZSM-5), Raw-AC, and non-catalytic runs. The Ni-AC and Fe-AC demonstrated superior catalytic activity, with Ni-AC being more efficient in producing hydrogen (4.24 wt%) and CNTs (34.5 wt%) with diameters of approximately 30 nm, and Fe-AC leading to higher gas yields (68.8 wt%) and CNTs (12.4 wt%) of around 60 nm. In contrast, Zn-AC and Raw-AC presented limited effectiveness, although Raw-AC moderately outperformed Zn-AC with enhanced gas yields and reduced oil/wax yields. The zeolite H-ZSM-5 exhibited the highest gas yields (78 wt%), converting heavy fractions into lighter molecules, notably the monomers ethylene and propylene. These findings provide valuable insights into catalyst selection and optimization for plastic waste pyrolysis processes, with H-ZSM-5 being the most effective catalyst for monomer recovery, and Ni-AC and Fe-AC demonstrating promising results. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conversion of biomass to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF), levulinic acid (LA), formic acid (FA), and other platform chemicals is attracting more attention. In this work, the catalysts were prepared from sugarcane bagasse with H 2 SO 4 (BG-H 2 SO 4) and with p-TsOH (BG-TsOH) containing –SO 3 H, –COOH, and –OH groups on the surface and used for the conversion of sugarcane bagasse into these valuable compounds. The cellulose was extracted from the sugarcane bagasse by an acetate-based ionic liquid and used as a starting material for this conversion. After investigation, the optimal conditions were BG-H 2 SO 4 (50 mg), MnCl 2.4H 2 O (1 mmol), and [DMSO][ChCl] deep eutectic solvent (10 mmol) at 120 °C for 10 h. The highest yields of valuable products were 17.59 % of HMF, 15.92 % of DFF, 20.02 % of FA, and 41.09 % of LA. Catalytic performance was compared to traditional methods using sulfuric acid in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (EMIMCl) ionic liquid. The BG-H 2 SO 4 catalyst could be recovered and reused four times. Based on the study, the combination of BG-H 2 SO 4 , MnCl 2.4H 2 O, and [DMSO][ChCl] demonstrated an efficient and sustainable reaction medium for biomass conversion. Our work will help the scientific community apply revolutionary technologies to sustainably create sophisticated materials with high technological application. [Display omitted] • BG-H 2 SO 4 and BG-TsOH catalysts were synthesized from sugarcane bassage. • Cellulose from sugarcane bagasse was extracted by acetate ionic liquid. • The catalytic system demonstrated to be cost-effective and environmentally friendly. • The total yield was obtained in 97 % (17.59 % HMF, 15.92 % DFF, 20.02 % FA, and 41.09 % LA) in 10 h at 120 °C. • The catalytic system could be recovered and reused four times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofuels are a type of renewable energy that can become more vital in our lives. There are several advantages to switching to alternative biofuels and green techniques for producing these biofuels from biomass feedstock. 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is a potential precursor for biofuel and is synthesized from biomass sources. DMSO is specifically known as the most effective solvent for the conversion of biomass into HMF, leading to high yields. Due to the high miscibility of DMSO with various organic solvents, isolating HMF from the reaction mixture continues to be complicated. The use of a deep eutectic solvent (DES) in the biomass conversion process is attracting much attention. We have developed the synthesis of HMF from glucose, fructose, and cellulose using metal chloride in a [DMSO][CholineCl] deep eutectic solvent, which was easily obtained by combining DMSO and choline chloride. The yields of HMF under optimal conditions from glucose, fructose, and cellulose were 40%, 93%, and 15%, respectively. The HMF product can be isolated from [DMSO][CholineCl] deep eutectic solvent mixture by the liquid-liquid extraction using organic solvents with high purity. [Display omitted] • [DMSO][ChCl] deep eutectic solvent was easily prepared by choline chloride and DMSO. • The yields of HMF from glucose, fructose, and cellulose were 36%, 93%, and 15%, respectively. • The metal chloride in [DMSO][ChCl] could be recycled. • Pure HMF was isolated through liquid-liquid extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article for the first time reports the effects of properties of cellulose fibers obtained from various pre-treatments on the properties of aerogels. Here, cellulose fibers with different properties were produced by pre-treating barley straw with three different pre-treatment methods: alkaline, dilute acid, and acidified glycerol at 100 °C for 2 h. The results showed that the difference in composition of fibers lead to the difference in properties of aerogels. The aerogel prepared from fibers with the highest cellulose content (80% from acidified glycerol) had the largest surface area of 49.5 m2/g, whereas the aerogel with the lowest lignin content (6% from alkaline) has the lowest density and highest porosity of 0.0274 g/cm3 and 98.17%, respectively. Also, it shows that aerogels prepared from cellulose fibers with higher hemicellulose content and porosity had higher adsorption capacity towards methylene blue, suggesting that hemicellulose content and porosity of aerogels govern the adsorption capacity via electrostatic attraction and pore-filling. All synthesized cellulose aerogel had the oil adsorption capacity up to 30 times of its own weight and excellent storage capacity. The oil was easily recovered via a mechanical approach. This suggests the cellulose aerogels can be used as oil-spillage clean-up. • Fibers with 80% cellulose obtained from acidified glycerol pre-treated barley straw. • Aerogels had oil adsorption and storage capacity up 30 times their mass. • Porosity and hemicellulose content determined the adsorption of methylene blue. • Barley straw derived fibers with low lignin content produced highly porous and light aerogel. • Aerogel with high cellulose content had the largest surface area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) has great promise as a versatile platform chemical for the synthesis of a wide range of other chemical compounds. The preparation of HMF from carbohydrates for industrial applications, especially fuels and fine chemicals, has received much more attention. In the present study, metal/nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (M/N-CNTs) were produced using a one-step carbonization method and used as an exceptional catalyst for converting fructose to HMF. The catalyst structure was determined using Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), High-resolution X-ray Photoelectron Spectrometer (HRXPS), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) techniques. The effects of temperature, catalytic loading, substrate feed concentrations, solvents, reusability, and scalability were carried out. This work achieved an excellent yield of HMF (91 % ± 2) utilizing Cr/N-CNTs as a catalyst for producing HMF at 120 °C for 180 min. Furthermore, the Cr/N-CNTs could be recovered and reused in industrial applications without significant loss of the catalytic activity. [Display omitted] • A highly efficient catalytic metal/nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube has been developed to convert fructose to HMF. • An excellent HMF yield of 91 ± 2 % was obtained in DMSO at 120 °C for 3 h. • The catalyst has the ability to be recycled and employed in industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Characterization of eighty coffee bacterial endophytes. • Twelve bacterial genera described for the first time as coffee endophytes. • Wide range of plant growth promoting and biocontrol activities. • Antifungal activity on Fusarium oxysporum. • Nematicidal activity on Radopholus duriophilus and Pratylenchus coffeae. The endophytic bacteria were isolated from coffee roots and seeds in Vietnam and identified with 16S rDNA sequencing as belonging to the Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria phyla with the Nocardia , Bacillus and Burkholderia as dominant genera, respectively. Out of the thirty genera recovered from Coffea canephora and Coffea liberica , twelve were reported for the first time in endophytic association with coffee including members of the genera Brachybacterium, Caballeronia, Kitasatospora, Lechevalieria, Leifsonia, Luteibacter, Lysinibacillus, Mycolicibacterium, Nakamurella, Paracoccus, Sinomonas and Sphingobium. A total of eighty bacterial endophytes were characterized in vitro for several plant growth promoting and biocontrol traits including: the phosphate solubilization, the indolic compounds, siderophores, HCN, esterase, lipase, gelatinase and chitinase production. A subset of fifty selected bacteria were tested for their potential as biocontrol agents with in vitro confrontations with the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum as well as the coffee parasitic nematodes Radopholus duriophilus and Pratylenchus coffeae. The three most efficient isolates on F. oxysporum belonging to the Bacillus, Burkholderia , and Streptomyces genera displayed a growth inhibition rate higher than 40%. Finally, five isolates from the Bacillus genus were able to lead to 100% of mortality in 24 h on both R. duriophilus and P. coffeae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF) from fructose is a simultaneous process using two distinct catalysts, including fructose dehydration to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) accelerated by an acid catalyst, followed by 5-HMF oxidation to DFF mediated by a redox catalyst. In this study, various catalysts with Ag metal decorated on sulfonated amorphous carbon supports (AC-SO 3 H@Ag) were performed, and their structures were characterized via different characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, Boehm's titration, inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, elemental mapping analysis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The catalytic performance of the prepared AC-SO 3 H@Ag bifunctional catalysts with various wt% of Ag/AC-SO 3 H was determined for the one-pot transformation of fructose into DFF. The influence of solvent, substrates, reaction time, and catalyst loading were also examined thoroughly to optimize the reaction, and a mechanism was proposed. 5-HMF formed by the dehydration of fructose was converted entirely to DFF, and the highest DFF yield of 77.9 % was obtained after 18 h of reaction time at 150 °C in dimethyl sulfoxide with 3 wt% of the AC-SO 3 H@Ag catalyst and without the use of any additives, traditional hydrogen acceptors, or oxidants. The reusability of the catalysts was also tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The flow reactor was employed for fructose dehydration to 5-HMF using acidic ionic liquids. • 1-(4-Sulfobutyl)-3-methylimidazolium bromide resulted in the maximum 5-HMF yield, which was achieved in 68.0% for 5 min. • The method showed environmentally friendly and practical synthesis of HMF. The application of continuous flow reactors for sustainable chemical research and production has attracted much attention. 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) has been considered high potential for the production of chemicals and fuels. This work demonstrated the promise of synthesizing 5-HMF with high yield and selectivity using ionic liquids under continuous flow. The effects of temperature, solvent, catalyst activity, catalyst loading, substrate, and large-scale synthesis were investigated to choose the optimal reaction condition. As a result, 1-(4-sulfobutyl)-3-methylimidazolium bromide afforded 5-HMF in the good yield, about 68% in DMSO at 140 °C for 5 min. This approach is not only an eco-friendly pathway but also saves time, which can obtain high efficiency and apply in the large-scale production of 5-HMF from fructose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The screening and monitoring of residual antibiotics in pork meat were conducted in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from 2014 to 2015. One hundred samples collected from a wholesale market were screened on-site using a microbiological kit, and eighteen samples were determined as positive for residual antibiotics. Once transferred to the lab, all the samples were analyzed for 28 antibiotics using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Sulfamethazine residues (11–1600 μg/kg) were detected in 23 samples by LC-MS/MS. Notably, 11 samples with sulfamethazine concentrations ranging from 310 to 1600 μg/kg were detected as “positive” in the initial screening, whereas 12 other samples with sulfamethazine levels below 200 μg/kg were screened as “negative”. No other targeted antibiotics were identified among the remaining positive samples. These results show the potential and limitations of a monitoring system combining on-site microbiological tests and an LC-MS/MS method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interferon-gamma release assays have limited sensitivity for detecting latent tuberculosis infection. In this study, we determine if the addition of immunomodulators to the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) increased test sensitivity without compromising specificity. We prospectively compared QFT-GIT results with and without incubation with 2 immunomodulators (lipopolysaccharide [LPS] and polyinosine-polycytidylic acid [PolyIC]) in 2 cohorts—113 culture-confirmed tuberculosis (TB) subjects in Hanoi, Vietnam, and 226 documented QFT-GIT–negative, low TB risk health care workers undergoing annual TB screening at a US academic institution. Sensitivity of the tests in TB subjects was 84.1% with the standard QFT-GIT and 85.8% and 74.3% after incubation with LPS and PolyIC, respectively. Specificity in low TB risk health care workers was 100% with the standard QFT-GIT by design and 86.7% with LPS and 63.3% with PolyIC. In conclusion, use of the 2 immunomodulators did not improve sensitivity of the QFT-GIT in TB patients and reduced specificity in low-risk health care workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing use of online study management systems and rapid availability of data, timely data review and quality assessments are necessary to ensure proper clinical trial implementation. In this report we describe central monitoring used to ensure protocol compliance and accurate data reporting, implemented during a large phase 3 clinical trial. The Tuberculosis Trials Consortium (TBTC) Study 31/AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) study A5349 (S31) is an international, multi-site, randomized, open-label, controlled, non-inferiority phase 3 clinical trial comparing two 4-month regimens to a standard 6 month regimen for treatment of drug-susceptible tuberculosis (TB) among adolescents and adults with a sample size of 2500 participants. Central monitoring utilized primary study data in a five-tiered approach, including (1) real-time data checks & topic-specific intervention reports, (2) missing forms reports, (3) quality assurance metrics, (4) critical data reports and (5) protocol deviation identification, aimed to detect and resolve quality challenges. Over the course of the study, 240 data checks and reports were programed across the five tiers used. This use of primary study data to identify issues rapidly allowed the study sponsor to focus quality assurance and data cleaning activities on prioritized data, related to protocol compliance and accurate reporting of study results. Our approach enabled us to become more efficient and effective as we informed sites about deviations, resolved missing or inconsistent data, provided targeted guidance, and gained a deeper understanding of challenges experienced at clinical trial sites. Trial registration: This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT02410772) on April 8, 2015. • Informed sites about deviations and resolved missing or inconsistent data. • Minimized future deviations, queries, and data inconsistencies. • Tailored training messages, creating a cycle of quality improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]