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Acalculous cholecystitis is a life-threatening diagnosis that is more commonly associated with ill patients in the ICU. We present a case of acute acalculous cholecystitis (ACC) in an otherwise healthy 18-year-old man who presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with right-sided chest pain that was ultimately diagnosed with point of care ultrasound (POCUS). This case demonstrates the importance of conducting a thorough history and physical as well as the importance of POCUS to aid in clinical decision making and its value in diagnosing acute biliary pathology in the ED.

Transplantation of collagenous matrix from the rat diaphyseal bone to subcutaneous sites resulted in new bone formation by an endochondral sequence. Functional bone marrow develops within the newly formed ossicle. On day 1, the implanted matrix was a discrete conglomerate with fibrin clot and polymorphonuclear leukocytes. By day 3, the leukocytes disappeared, and this event was followed by migration and close apposition of fibroblast cell surface to the collagenous matrix. This initial matrix-membrane interaction culminated in differentiation of fibroblasts to chondroblasts and osteoblasts. The calcification of the hypertrophied chondrocytes and new bone formation were correlated with increased alkaline phosphatase activity and 45Ca incorporation. The ingrowth of capillaries on day 9 resulted in chondrolysis and osteogenesis. Further remodelling of bony trabeculae by osteoclasts resulted in an ossicle of cancellous bone. This was followed by emergence of extravascular islands of hemocytoblasts and their differentiation into functional bone marrow with erythropoietic and granulopoietic elements and megakaryocytes in the ossicle. The onset and maintenance of erythropoiesis in the induced bone marrow were monitored by 59Fe incorporation into protein-bound heme. These findings imply a role for extracellular collagenous matrix in cell differentiation.

The tissue–prosthesis relationship is essential for the success of an implant. Aiming at higher levels of affinity between the implant and the human body, engineering focuses on studies on ceramic coating processes, surface modifications, and the search for new materials. Much research has been done on the coating of metal surfaces with Hydroxyapatite due to its similar mechanical characteristics and biocompatibility to human bone. Through the technique of Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) is possibly formed a ceramic film on metallics subtract, and in case of implants improved the life of the biocompatibility of the implants, the increase of the useful life and the decrease of the processes rejection or adverse reactions. Thus, the given work sought to study the influence of some variables of the PEO process in the formation of a Hydroxyapatite coating on AISI 316 LVM steel surfaces. For this purpose, variations of the treatment time (15.30, 60, and 90 s), the behavior of the electric current over time, and the treatment polarity were studied. As a result, the XRF, EDS, and SEM-FEG analyses showed that it was possible to successfully produce the coating, which can present varying thickness, porosity, topography, and percentage of the hydroxyapatite basics components (Ca and P) according to the treatment variables.

Environmental interpretation is a tool that helps in understanding the landscape and its elements, frequently used in protected areas (PA) to sensitize visitors. In order to improve environmental interpretation and promote bird watching in the Campos Gerais National Park, this paper aims to discuss the importance of interpretative means to achieve the objectives of the PA, presenting a proposal for a panel and a folder of the present avifauna. For this, besides the bibliographical research and experts consulting, we carried out field visits. It is concluded that the proposed tools could improve the interpretation/identification, as well as in the promotion of sustainable tourism potentially in the conservation of birdlife.

Este artigo apresenta o desenvolvimento e aplicação de um roteiro de educação patrimonial numa escola da rede pública de São Raimundo Nonato-PI. As atividades tiveram um cunho interventivo, utilizando-se de ferramentas pedagógicas com as quais foram apresentadas temáticas pertinentes ao patrimônio arqueológico e cultural da região. Questionários consultivos avaliaram o processo e quais ferramentas foram mais eficazes. Observou-se um maior interesse pelas atividades lúdicas, porém, para alcançar o aprofundamento esperado, avaliou-se que as demais, com caráter explicativo, também tiveram um papel relevante. De modo geral, buscou-se construir um projeto socialmente responsável, que promovesse a sensibilização do público abarcado para com o patrimônio arqueológico regional.

Em estudos sobre uso como combustível para tratores agrícolas da mistura de óleo diesel com óleo vegetal, objetivou-se verificar a viabilidade econômica do seu uso como combustíveis de fonte renovável e o desempenho das máquinas agrícolas a campo. Diante disso, avaliou-se a viabilidade econômica e o desempenho de um trator agrícola, alimentado com óleo diesel e mistura diesel com óleo de girassol. O ensaio foi conduzido na Fazenda Experimental da Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá – Paraná. Utilizou-se um trator agrícola MF 275, acoplado a um triturador de palha horizontal. Foi usado diesel B S10 (100%) e mistura de diesel (80%) com óleo de girassol (20%). O conjunto mecanizado foi submetido a três velocidades de deslocamento (3,00; 4,00; 5,00 km h-1) em duas condições de carga de trabalho, com carga (CC) e sem carga (SC). Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental em faixas, com 4 repetições, em esquema fatorial 2x3x2. Os dados foram submetidos ao teste F e Tukey a nível de 5% de probabilidade. O consumo do motor não diferiu com combustíveis testados. O trator com carga apresentou maior patinagem. O trator alimentado com a mistura de diesel com óleo de girassol teve maior custo horário percentual.

Objetivo: identificar a presença de fatores de risco para Hipertensão Arterial Sistêmica (HAS) entre motoristas de ônibus. Metodologia: estudo descritivo, transversal, realizado com 163 motoristas de ônibus do estado de Sergipe. Resultados: a idade média foi 33,8 anos, a maioria possuía companheira (60,1%), não praticava atividade física (62,6%), apresentava circunferência da cintura (CC) e relação cintura/quadril (RCQ) até o limite de normalidade, respectivamente 74,8% e 66,3% e índice de massa corpórea (IMC) médio 26,9 kg/m2 . Com relação à pressão arterial, a média foi acima do valor normal, 132,2 e 87,7 mmHg, para a pressão arterial sistólica (PAS) e pressão arterial diastólica (PAD), respectivamente. Foi observada correlação positiva e moderada (pDescritores: Hipertensão; Fatores de Risco; Saúde do Trabalhador.

O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar os estados transitórios de humor de atletas de basquete participantes dos jogos do JIMI (Jogos do Interior de Minas). Para sua realização, foram selecionados 10 adultos da faixa etária entre 18 a 27 anos, do sexo masculino, participantes da fase classificatória do JIMI de basquete masculino que ocorreu no mês de junho deste ano. Para coleta dos dados, foi aplicado o questionário POMS (perfil dos estados de humor) que contem 65 itens que abordam o vigor como fator positivo de humor, e como fatores negativos, tensão, raiva, fadiga, depressão e confusão mental. Os dados do teste de POMS foram anotados em planilhas especificando os avaliados, jogo (primeiro e segundo) e momento (pré e pós) e foram calculadas as medias de cada estado em cada um dos momentos de cada jogo. Em seguida, foi feita a análise de variância e pós-teste de comparação. Como resultado, verificou-se que os atletas tiveram seus estados de humor (fadiga, raiva, depressão, vigor) muito altos durante os dois jogos, sendo que tensão e confusão mental não se alteraram. Porém, entende-se como necessário a realização de outros estudos sobre as emoções e sentimentos dos jogadores de basquete, para que de algum modo possamos auxiliar em futuros campeonatos.

Abstract Germanium nanowire (GeNW)-positioned Schottky solar cell was fabricated by a solution process. A GeNW-containing solution was spread out onto asymmetric metal electrodes to produce a rectifying current flow. Under one-sun illumination, the GeNW-positioned Schottky solar cell yields an open-circuit voltage of 177 mV and a short-circuit current of 19.2 nA. Schottky and ohmic contacts between a single GeNW and different metal electrodes were systematically investigated. This solution process may provide a route to the cost-effective nanostructure solar architecture.

Abstract Background Neurons in superficial (SDH) and deep (DDH) laminae of the spinal cord dorsal horn receive sensory information from skin, muscle, joints and viscera. In both regions, glycine- (GlyR) and GABAA-receptors (GABAARs) contribute to fast synaptic inhibition. For rat, several types of GABAAR coexist in the two regions and each receptor type provides different contributions to inhibitory tone. Recent work in mouse has discovered an additional type of GlyR, (containing alpha 3 subunits) in the SDH. The contribution of differing forms of the GlyR to sensory processing in SDH and DDH is not understood. Methods and Results Here we compare fast inhibitory synaptic transmission in mouse (P17-37) SDH and DDH using patch-clamp electrophysiology in transverse spinal cord slices (L3-L5 segments, 23°C). GlyR-mediated mIPSCs were detected in 74% (25/34) and 94% (25/27) of SDH and DDH neurons, respectively. In contrast, GABAAR-mediated mIPSCs were detected in virtually all neurons in both regions (93%, 14/15 and 100%, 18/18). Several Gly- and GABAAR properties also differed in SDH vs. DDH. GlyR-mediated mIPSC amplitude was smaller (37.1 ± 3.9 vs. 64.7 ± 5.0 pA; n = 25 each), decay time was slower (8.5 ± 0.8 vs. 5.5 ± 0.3 ms), and frequency was lower (0.15 ± 0.03 vs. 0.72 ± 0.13 Hz) in SDH vs. DDH neurons. In contrast, GABAAR-mediated mIPSCs had similar amplitudes (25.6 ± 2.4, n = 14 vs. 25. ± 2.0 pA, n = 18) and frequencies (0.21 ± 0.08 vs. 0.18 ± 0.04 Hz) in both regions; however, decay times were slower (23.0 ± 3.2 vs. 18.9 ± 1.8 ms) in SDH neurons. Mean single channel conductance underlying mIPSCs was identical for GlyRs (54.3 ± 1.6 pS, n = 11 vs. 55.7 ± 1.8, n = 8) and GABAARs (22.7 ± 1.7 pS, n = 10 vs. 22.4 ± 2.0 pS, n = 11) in both regions. We also tested whether the synthetic endocanabinoid, methandamide (methAEA), had direct effects on Gly- and GABAARs in each spinal cord region. MethAEA (5 μM) reduced GlyR-mediated mIPSC frequency in SDH and DDH, but did not affect other properties. Similar results were observed for GABAAR mediated mIPSCs, however, rise time was slowed by methAEA in SDH neurons. Conclusion Together these data show that Gly- and GABAARs with clearly differing physiological properties and cannabinoid-sensitivity contribute to fast synaptic inhibition in mouse SDH and DDH.

Background: Experimental studies indicate that uranium exposure is toxic to the kidney tubules. We evaluated the association of urinary uranium concentrations with biomarkers of tubule cell dysfunction (alpha-1-microglobulin [A1M], uromodulin [UMOD], epidermal growth factor [EGF]), and tubule cell injury (kidney injury molecule-1 [KIM-1], monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 [MCP-1], and chitinase-3-like protein 1 [YKL-40]), as well as with albuminuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) among participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study that included 461 participants selected for the absence of diabetes, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and cardiovascular disease, evaluated with six kidney tubule biomarker measurements. Urinary uranium concentrations were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in spot urine samples. Linear models were used to determine associations of urinary uranium concentrations with each kidney tubule biomarker, calculated by the geometric mean ratio (GMR), after adjustment for participant's urinary creatinine concentrations, age, sex, race/ethnicity, MESA field center, highest level of education completed, cigarette smoking status, alcohol consumption, body mass index (BMI), albuminuria levels, and eGFR., Results: Median (interquartile range) urinary uranium concentration was 5.2 (2.9, 10.4) ng/L, and mean (standard deviation) eGFR was 99 (16) mL/min/1.73 m 2 . The adjusted GMRs (95%CI) of KIM-1 and MCP-1 were 1.11 (1.01, 1.22) and 1.10 (1.01, 1.20), respectively per 7.5 ng/L (interquartile range) higher urinary uranium concentration, while no statistically significant associations were observed for YKL-40, A1M, UMOD, EGF, albuminuria, or eGFR. In flexible dose-response models, the associations were positive and largely linear between urinary uranium concentrations and higher KIM-1 and MCP-1., Conclusions: Among healthy community-living individuals, chronic low-level uranium exposure, as measured in urine, was associated with markers of kidney tubule cell injury. Chronic low-level uranium exposure observed in contemporary US urban centers may adversely affect kidney tubule health and related outcomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Orlando M. Gutierrez reports financial support was provided by Amgen Inc. Orlando M. Gutierrez reports financial support was provided by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP. Orlando M. Gutierrez reports financial support was provided by Ardelyx Inc. Joseph V. Bonventre reports a relationship with Sarepta Therapeutics Inc that includes: consulting or advisory. Joseph V. Bonventre reports a relationship with PRAXIS that includes: consulting or advisory. Joseph V. Bonventre reports a relationship with Nimbus Therapeutics Inc that includes: consulting or advisory. Joseph V. Bonventre reports a relationship with GentiBio that includes: consulting or advisory. Joseph V. Bonventre reports a relationship with Innoviva Inc that includes: equity or stocks. Joseph V. Bonventre reports a relationship with MediBeacon that includes: equity or stocks. Joseph V. Bonventre reports a relationship with DxNow that includes: equity or stocks. Joseph V. Bonventre reports a relationship with Verinano that includes: equity or stocks. Joseph V. Bonventre reports a relationship with Autonomous Medical Devices, Inc. that includes: equity or stocks. Joseph V. Bonventre reports a relationship with Renalytix AI Inc that includes: equity or stocks. Joseph V. Bonventre has patent #10712349 issued to Brigham & Women's Hospital. co-author is an editorial board member of Environmental Research - Ana Navas-Acien. If there are other authors, they 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 © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Arsenic is a ubiquitous toxic metalloid causing serious health problems. Speciation analysis of arsenic in human urine provides valuable insights for large-scale epidemiological studies and informs on sources of exposure as well as human metabolism. The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) is a valuable cohort for assessing chronic low-moderate arsenic exposure and health effects in an ethnically diverse US population. We present a state-of-the-art arsenic speciation analysis methodology and its application to 7677 MESA spot urine samples based on high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. This method is fast, robust and detects a total of 11 individual As species at method detection limits of 0.02-0.03 μg arsenic/L urine for each individual species. Our analytical approach features excellent mean method accuracy (98%) and precision (5%) for the main arsenic species in urine (arsenobetaine, methylarsonic acid, dimethylarsinic acid, and total inorganic As); intra- (3-6%) and inter-day coefficients of variability (5-6%); column recovery (96 ± 7%); and spike recovery (97 ± 6%). The main arsenic species were detectable in ≥95% of urine samples due to the implementation of an oxidation step. Each individual minor arsenic species was detectable in ≤25% of all urines, although at least one of them was detected in almost half the participants. We identified two minor urinary arsenic species as dimethylarsinoylacetic acid and dimethylarsinoylpropionic acid, potential metabolites of seafood-related arsenicals. We observed differences in individual As species excretion by race/ethnicity, with Asian-American participants featuring 3-4 times higher concentrations compared to other participants. We also found differences by site, body mass index, smoking status, rice intake, and water arsenic levels, potentially indicating different exposures or related to individual bio-metabolism. The proposed approach is suitable for epidemiological studies and the collected data will constitute the base for future research on potential health effects of chronic low-level arsenic exposure., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Several authors report financial support was provided by National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Several authors report financial support was provided by National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. Several authors report financial support was provided by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this work., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics have been an emerging global concern, with hazardous effects on plant, animal, and human health. Their small size makes it easier for them to spread to various ecosystems and enter the food chain; they are already widely found in aqueous environments and within aquatic life, and have even been found within humans. Much research has gone into understanding micro-/nanoplastic sources and environmental fate, but less work has been done to understand their degradation. Photocatalytic degradation is a promising green technique that uses visible or ultraviolet light in combination with photocatalyst to degrade plastic particles. While complete degradation, reducing plastics to small molecules, is often the goal, partial degradation is more common. We examined microscale polyethylene (PE) (125-150 µ m in diameter) and nanoscale polystyrene (PS) (∼300 nm in diameter) spheres both before and after degradation using multiple imaging techniques, especially electron tomography in addition to conventional electron microscopy. Electron tomography is able to image the 3D exterior and interior of the nanoplastics, enabling us to observe within aggregates and inside degraded spheres, where we found potentially open interior structures after degradation. These structures may result from differences in degradation and aggregation behavior between the different plastic types, with our work finding that PE MPs typically cracked into sharp fragments, while PS nanoplastics often fragmented into smoother, more curved shapes. These and other differences, along with interior and 3D surface images, provide new details on how the structure and aggregation of PE MPs and PS nanoplastics changes when degraded, which could influence how the resulting worn particles are collected or treated further., (Creative Commons Attribution license.)

Thin film p-side up vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) with 940 nm wavelength on a composite metal (Copper/Invar/Copper; CIC) substrate has been demonstrated by twice-bonding transfer and substrate removing techniques. The CIC substrate is a sandwich structure with a 10 µm thick Copper (Cu) layer/30 µm thick Invar layer/10 µm thick Cu layer. The Invar layer was composed of Iron (Fe) and Nickel (Ni) with a proportion of 70:30. The thermal expansion coefficient of the composite CIC metal can match that of the GaAs substrate. It results that the VCSEL layers can be successfully transferred to CIC metal substrate without cracking. At 1 mA current, the top-emitting VCSEL/GaAs and thin-film VCSEL/CIC had a voltage of 1.39 and 1.37 V, respectively. The optical output powers of VCSEL/GaAs and VCSEL/CIC were 21.91 and 24.40 mW, respectively. The 50 µm thick CIC substrate can play a good heat dissipation function, which results in improving the electrical and optical characteristics of thin film VCSELs/CIC. The VCSEL/CIC exhibited a superior thermal management capability as compared with VCSEL/GaAs. The obtained data suggested that VCSELs on a composite metal substrate not only affected significantly the characteristics of thin film VCSEL, but also improved considerably the device thermal performance., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Five subcluster C1 mycobacteriophages, Blackbrain, Cactojaque, Kboogie, Trinitium, and YoungMoneyMata, were isolated from soil using the host Mycobacterium smegmatis mc 2 155. The genome sizes range from 154,512 to 156,223 bp. The largest genome encodes 237 predicted proteins, 34 tRNAs, and 1 transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA)., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The objective of this study was to prepare a copper-coated rubber surface using cold spray technology with improved virucidal and antimicrobial properties to fight against highly transmissible viruses and bacteria. A successful cold spray coating was produced using irregular-shaped pure Cu powder on an escalator handrail rubber. The powder particles and the deposited coatings (single and double pass) were characterized in terms of particle morphology and size distribution, coating surface and coat/substrate cross-section properties. The bonding between powder and rubber surfaces was purely mechanical interlocking. The Cu powder penetration depth within the rubber surface increases with a number of depositions pass. The virucidal properties of the coated surface were tested utilizing surrogates for SARS-CoV-2: HCoV-229E, a seasonal human coronavirus, and baculovirus, a high-titer enveloped insect cell virus. A double-pass coated surface showed significant baculovirus inactivation relative to a bare rubber control surface after 2-h (approximately 1.7-log) and 4-h (approximately 6.2-log), while a 4-h exposure reduced HCoV-229E titer to below the limit of detection. A similar microbial test was performed using E. coli, showing a 4-log microbial reduction after 2-h exposure relative to the bare rubber. These promising results open a new application for cold spray in the health sector., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11666-023-01553-x., (© ASM International 2023. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

The resilience and low cost of plastics has made their usage ubiquitous, but is also the cause of their prevalence and longevity as waste. Plastic pollution has become a great concern to the health and wellbeing of ecosystems around the world; microplastics are a particular threat, due to their high mobility, ease of ingestion by wildlife, and ability to adsorb and carry toxic contaminants. Material flow analysis has been widely applied to examine stocks and flows of materials in other industries, and has more recently been applied to plastics to examine areas where waste can reach the environment. However, while much research has gone into the environmental fate of microplastics, degradation strategies have been a lesser focus, and material flow analysis of microplastics has suffered from lack of data. Furthermore, the variety of plastics, their additives, and any contaminants pose a significant challenge in degrading (and not merely fragmenting) microplastic particles. This review discusses the current degradation strategies and solutions for dealing with existing and newly-generated microplastic waste along with examining the status of microplastics-based material flow analysis, which are critical for evaluating the possibility of incorporating microplastic waste into a circular economy. The degradation strategies are critically examined, identifying challenges and current trends, as well as important considerations that are frequently under-reported. An emphasis is placed on identifying missing data or information in both material flow analysis and degradation methods that could prove crucial in improving understanding of microplastic flows, as well as optimizing degradation strategies and minimizing any negative environmental impact., 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 © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To minimise the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, there has been a substantial increase in the production and usage of synthetic personal protective equipment (PPE) globally. Consequently, single-use PPE have been widely adopted without appropriate regulations for their disposal, leading to extensive environmental contamination worldwide. This study investigates the non-catalytic hydrothermal deconstruction of different PPE items, including isolation gowns, gloves, goggles, face shields, surgical masks, and filtering-facepiece respirators. The selected PPE items were subjected to hydrothermal deconstruction for 90 min in the presence of 30-bar initial oxygen pressure, at temperatures ranging between 250 °C and 350 °C. The solid content in form of total suspended solids (TSS) was reduced up to 97.6%. The total chemical oxygen demand (tCOD) and soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD) decreased with increasing deconstruction temperature, and at 350 °C the lowest tCOD and sCOD content of 546.6 mg/L and 470 mg/L, respectively, was achieved. Short-chained volatile fatty acids were produced after 90 min of deconstruction, predominantly acetic acid at concentrations up to 8974 mg/L. Ammonia nitrogen content (NH 3 -N) of up to 542.6 mg/L was also detected. Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and unreacted oxygen (O 2 ) were the main gaseous by-products at up to 15.6% (w/w) and 88.7% (w/w), respectively. The findings suggest that non-catalytic hydrothermal deconstruction is a viable option to process and manage PPE waste., 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 © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Increased demand for single-use personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a marked increase in the amount of PPE waste and associated environmental pollution. Developing efficient and environmentally safe technologies to manage and dispose of this PPE waste stream is imperative. We designed and evaluated a hydrothermal deconstruction technology to reduce PPE waste by up to 99% in weight. Hydrothermal deconstruction of single-use PPE waste was modelled using experimental data in Aspen Plus. Techno-economic and sensitivity analyses were conducted, and the results showed that plant scale, plant lifetime, discount rate, and labour costs were the key factors affecting overall processing costs. For a 200 kg/batch plant under optimal conditions, the cost of processing PPE waste was found to be 10 NZD/kg (6 USD/kg), which is comparable to the conventional practice of autoclaving followed by landfilling. The potential environmental impacts of this process were found to be negligible; meanwhile, this practice significantly reduced the use of limited landfill space., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2022 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Four lytic mycobacteriophages, namely, SynergyX, Abinghost, Bananafish, and Delton, were isolated from soil in Washington, DC, using the bacterial host Mycobacterium smegmatis mc 2 155. Analysis of the genomes revealed that they belong to two subclusters of actinobacteriophage cluster B (subclusters B2 and B3) and subcluster D1 of cluster D.

In this study, the effects of a hybrid filler composed of zero-dimensional spherical AlN particles and two-dimensional BN flakes on the thermal conductivity of epoxy resin were studied. The thermal conductivity (TC) of the pristine epoxy matrix (EP) was 0.22 W/(m K), while the composite showed the TC of 10.18 W/(m K) at the 75 wt% AlN-BN hybrid filler loading, which is approximately a 46-fold increase. Moreover, various essential application properties were examined, such as the viscosity, cooling rate, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), morphology, and electrical properties. In particular, the AlN-BN/EP composite showed higher thermal stability and lower CTE (22.56 ppm/°C) than pure epoxy. Overall, the demonstrated outstanding thermal performance is appropriate for the production of electronic packaging materials, including next-generation flip-chip underfills.

We present and demonstrate a recursive-estimation framework to infer groundwater/surface-water exchange based on temperature time series collected at different vertical depths below the sediment/water interface. We formulate the heat-transport problem as a state-space model (SSM), in which the spatial derivatives in the convection/conduction equation are approximated using finite differences. The SSM is calibrated to estimate time-varying specific discharge using the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) and Extended Rauch-Tung-Striebel Smoother (ERTSS). Whereas the EKF is suited to real-time ("online") applications and uses only the past and current measurements for estimation (filtering), the ERTSS is intended for near-real time or batch-processing ("offline") applications and uses a window of data for batch estimation (smoothing). The two algorithms are demonstrated with synthetic and field-experimental data and are shown to be efficient and rapid for the estimation of time-varying flux over seasonal periods; further, the recursive approaches are effective in the presence of rapidly changing flux and (or) nonperiodic thermal boundary conditions, both of which are problematic for existing approaches to heat tracing of time-varying groundwater/surface-water exchange.

Antimicrobial polymer composites have long been utilized in the healthcare field as part of the first line of defense. These composites are desirable in that they pose a minimal risk of developing contagions with antibiotic resistance. For this reason, the field of antimicrobial composites has seen steady growth over recent years and is becoming increasingly important during the current COVID-19 pandemic. In this article, we first review the need of the antimicrobial polymers in high tough surfaces, the antimicrobial mechanism, and then the recent advances in the development of antimicrobial polymer composite including the utilization of intrinsic antimicrobial polymers, the addition of antimicrobial additives, and new exploration of surface patterning. While there are many established and developing methods of imbuing a material with antimicrobial activity, there currently is no standard quantification method for these properties leading to difficulty comparing the efficacy of these materials within the literature. A discussion of the common antimicrobial characterization methods is provided along with highlights on the need of a standardized quantification of antiviral and antibacterial properties in testing to allow ease of comparison between generated libraries and to facilitate proper screening. We also discuss and comment on the current trends of the development of antimicrobial polymer composites with long-lasting and specific antimicrobial activities, nontoxic properties, and environmental friendliness against a broad-spectrum of microbes., Competing Interests: 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 article., (© 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore perceptions related to COVID-19 vaccination intention among African American and Latinx participants and suggest intervention strategies., Approach: Ninety minute virtual focus groups (N = 8), segmented by county, race and ethnicity were conducted with stakeholders from 3 vulnerable Alabama counties., Participants: Participants (N = 67) were primarily African American and Latinx, at least 19 years, and residents or stakeholders in Jefferson, Mobile, and Dallas counties., Setting: Focus groups took place virtually over Zoom., Methods: The semi-structured guide explored perceptions of COVID-19, with an emphasis on barriers and facilitators to vaccine uptake. Focus groups lasted approximately 90 minutes and were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed by a team of 3 investigators, according to the guidelines of Thematic Analysis using NVivo 12. To provide guidance in the development of interventions to decrease vaccine hesitancy, we examined how themes fit with the constructs of the Health Belief Model., Results: We found that primary themes driving COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, ordered from most to least discussed, are mistrust, fear, and lack of information. Additionally, interventions to decrease vaccine hesitancy should be multi-modal, community engaged, and provide consistent, comprehensive messages delivered by trusted sources.

The arrival of SARS-CoV-2 to Aotearoa/New Zealand in February 2020 triggered a massive response at multiple levels. Procurement and sustainability of medical supplies to hospitals and clinics during the then upcoming COVID-19 pandemic was one of the top priorities. Continuing access to new personal protective equipment (PPE) was not guaranteed; thus, disinfecting and reusing PPE was considered as a potential alternative. Here, we describe part of a local program intended to test and implement a system to disinfect PPE for potential reuse in New Zealand. We used filtering facepiece respirator (FFR) coupons inoculated with SARS-CoV-2 or clinically relevant multidrug-resistant pathogens ( Acinetobacter baumannii Ab5075, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus USA300 LAC and cystic-fibrosis isolate Pseudomonas aeruginosa LESB58), to evaluate the potential use of ultraviolet-C germicidal irradiation (UV-C) or dry heat treatment to disinfect PPE. An applied UV-C dose of 1000 mJ/cm 2 was sufficient to completely inactivate high doses of SARS-CoV-2; however, irregularities in the FFR coupons hindered the efficacy of UV-C to fully inactivate the virus, even at higher UV-C doses (2000 mJ/cm 2 ). Conversely, incubating contaminated FFR coupons at 65 °C for 30 min or 70 °C for 15 min, was sufficient to block SARS-CoV-2 replication, even in the presence of mucin or a soil load (mimicking salivary or respiratory secretions, respectively). Dry heat (90 min at 75 °C to 80 °C) effectively killed 10 6 planktonic bacteria; however, even extending the incubation time up to two hours at 80 °C did not completely kill bacteria when grown in colony biofilms. Importantly, we also showed that FFR material can harbor replication-competent SARS-CoV-2 for up to 35 days at room temperature in the presence of a soil load. We are currently using these findings to optimize and establish a robust process for decontaminating, reusing, and reducing wastage of PPE in New Zealand.

The avoidance and mitigation of energy wastage have attracted increasing attention in the context of global warming and climate change. With advances in materials science, diverse multifunctional materials with high thermal conductivity have shown excellent energy-saving potential. In this study, a hybrid film exhibiting high thermal conductivity with excellent stretchability and washability was prepared. First, a simple surface modification of boron nitride (BN) was performed to realize a modified boron nitride (BNOH) filler. Next, an organic dispersant was synthesized to enhance the dispersion of BNOH and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) in the proposed composite. Subsequently, a simple procedure was used to combine the dispersed GNPs and BNOH fillers with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) to fabricate a hybrid structure. The hybrid films composed of BNOH-GNP/TPU with a dispersant exhibited a high thermal conductivity of 12.62 W m -1 K -1 at a low filler loading of 20 wt.%. This hybrid film afforded excellent stretchability and washability, as indicated by the very small thermal-conductivity reduction to only 12.23 W m -1 K -1 after 100 cycles of fatigue testing and to 12.01 W m -1 K -1 after 10 washing cycles. Furthermore, the cooling and hydrophobicity properties of the hybrid film were enhanced when compared with neat TPU. Overall, our approach demonstrates a simple and novel strategy to break the passive effect of traditional commercial cooling clothing by combining a high-thermal-conductivity film with an active cooling source to amplify the cooling effect and develop wearable cooled smart clothes with great commercial potential., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2021 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Debilitating chronic pain resulting from genetic predisposition, injury, or acquired neuropathy is becoming increasingly pervasive. Opioid analgesics remain the gold standard for intractable pain, but overprescription of increasingly powerful and addictive opioids has contributed to the current prescription drug abuse epidemic. There is a pressing need to screen experimental compounds more efficiently for analgesic potential that remains unmet by conventional research models. The spinal cord dorsal horn is a common target for analgesic intervention, where peripheral nociceptive signals are relayed to the central nervous system through synaptic transmission. Here, we demonstrate that coculturing peripheral and dorsal spinal cord nerve cells in a novel bioengineered microphysiological system facilitates self-directed emergence of native nerve tissue macrostructure and concerted synaptic function. The mechanistically distinct analgesics-morphine, lidocaine, and clonidine-differentially and predictably modulate this microphysiological synaptic transmission. Screening drug candidates for similar microphysiological profiles will efficiently identify therapeutics with analgesic potential., (Copyright © 2021 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 License 4.0 (CC BY).)

Two temperate mycobacteriophages, Dallas and Jonghyun, were isolated from soil in Washington, DC, using the bacterial host Mycobacterium smegmatis mc 2 155. Analysis of the genomes revealed that Dallas and Jonghyun belong to clusters J and G, respectively. The structures of the genomes are typical of their respective clusters.

Background: According to the American Association of Medical Colleges, women comprise 26% of full professors and 19% of medical school department chairs. African American and Latino faculty comprise 4.6% of full professors and 6.9% of department chairs., Objective: Because of the lack of representation of women and racial/ethnic minority faculty at the highest levels of academic medicine, this study examines the perceptions of barriers to advancement by men and women academic medical school faculty of differing races and ethnicities to explore potential differences in perceptions by demographic group., Design: Semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted between July and September 2017., Participants: In order to give all faculty a chance to participate, faculty of all ranks and specialties were recruited from one southeastern medical school to participate in the study., Approach: Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed by 3 members of the research team using an inductive approach to thematic analysis. Participants were organized into 4 groups for analysis-underrepresented in medicine (URiM) women, majority women, URiM men, majority men., Key Results: Sixty-four faculty consented to participate in the study (56.2% women, 34.4% URiM). Subthemes were grouped under three main themes: Perceptions of Barriers to Advancement of Women Faculty, Perceptions of Barriers to Advancement of African American and Latino Faculty, and Perceptions of the Institutional Climate for Diversity. Majority men tended to voice distinctly different perspectives than the other three demographic groups, with the most notable differences between majority men and URiM women. Majority  men tended to suggest that the advancement of women and URiM faculty was acceptable or getting better, the lack of URiM faculty in leadership was due mainly to pipeline issues, and women choose not to advance to leadership positions., Conclusion: We found that participant gender and race/ethnicity shaped perspectives of medical school faculty advancement in distinct ways., (© 2021. Society of General Internal Medicine.)

The explosion of medical information demands a thorough reconsideration of medical education, including what we teach and assess, how we educate, and whom we educate. Physicians of the future will need to be self-aware, self-directed, resource-effective team players who can synthesize and apply summarized information and communicate clearly. Training in metacognition, data science, informatics, and artificial intelligence is needed. Education programs must shift focus from content delivery to providing students explicit scaffolding for future learning, such as the Master Adaptive Learner model. Additionally, educators should leverage informatics to improve the process of education and foster individualized, precision education. Finally, attributes of the successful physician of the future should inform adjustments in recruitment and admissions processes. This paper explores how member schools of the American Medical Association Accelerating Change in Medical Education Consortium adjusted all aspects of educational programming in acknowledgment of the rapid expansion of information.

Vitamin C (VC), widely used in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, is susceptible to degradation, and new formulations are necessary to maintain its stability. To address this challenge, VC encapsulation was achieved via electrostatic interaction with glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride (GTMAC)-chitosan (GCh) followed by cross-linking with phosphorylated-cellulose nanocrystals (PCNC) to form VC-GCh-PCNC nanocapsules. The particle size, surface charge, degradation, encapsulation efficiency, cumulative release, free-radical scavenging assay, and antibacterial test were quantified. Additionally, a simulated human gastrointestinal environment was used to assess the efficacy of the encapsulated VC under physiological conditions. Both VC loaded, GCh-PCNC, and GCh-Sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) nanocapsules were spherical with a diameter of 450 ​± ​8 and 428 ​± ​6 ​nm respectively. VC-GCh-PCNC displayed a higher encapsulation efficiency of 90.3 ​± ​0.42% and a sustained release over 14 days. The release profiles were fitted to the first-order and Higuchi kinetic models with R 2 values greater than 0.95. VC-GCh-PCNC possessed broad-spectrum antibacterial activity with a minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of 8-16 ​μg/mL. These results highlight that modified CNC-based nano-formulations can preserve, protect and control the release of active compounds with improved antioxidant and antibacterial properties for food and nutraceutical applications., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

Microphysiological systems (MPS) designed to study the complexities of the peripheral and central nervous systems have made marked improvements over the years and have allowed researchers to assess in two and three dimensions the functional interconnectivity of neuronal tissues. The recent generation of brain organoids has further propelled the field into the nascent recapitulation of structural, functional, and effective connectivities which are found within the native human nervous system. Herein, we will review advances in culture methodologies, focused especially on those of human tissues, which seek to bridge the gap from 2D cultures to hierarchical and defined 3D MPS with the end goal of developing a robust nervous system-on-a-chip platform. These advances have far-reaching implications within basic science, pharmaceutical development, and translational medicine disciplines.

Context: Weight regain (WR) after bariatric surgery is emerging as a common clinical problem due to the increase in the number of procedures performed. Early interventions are necessary to curtail the potential recurrence of comorbid conditions. However, it is often difficult to recognize WR early enough to introduce mitigating measures because there are no current guidelines for timely diagnosis and assessment of the severity of this condition., Objective: We present a practical approach for the early recognition of WR, based on 11-year follow-up data from our multiethnic bariatric surgery patient population., Methods: We classify WR according to the rate of increase in weight relative to nadir weight, normalized per 30-day interval. We also review pertinent literature about the etiologic factors contributing to WR after bariatric surgery., Results: According to our algorithm, mild, moderate, and rapid WR are defined as weight increases of 0.2% to <0.5%, 0.5% to 1.0%, and more than 1.0% of nadir weight per 30 days, respectively. Treatment options, including dietary counseling, use of antiobesity medication, and consideration of surgical revision, are described. A case is presented to illustrate the utility of timely identification of WR and the importance of collaboration between bariatric surgeons, obesity medicine specialists, and dietitians., Conclusion: Our approach emphasizes the importance of regular long-term follow-up for all bariatric surgery patients., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Endocrine Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

In this study, a thermal conductivity of 0.22 W·m -1 ·K -1 was obtained for pristine epoxy (EP), and the impact of a hybrid filler composed of two-dimensional (2D) flake-like boron nitride (BN) and zero-dimensional (0D) spherical micro-sized aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ) on the thermal conductivity of epoxy resin was investigated. With 80 wt.% hybrid Al 2 O 3 -BN filler contents, the thermal conductivity of the EP composite reached 1.72 W·m -1 ·K -1 , increasing approximately 7.8-fold with respect to the pure epoxy matrix. Furthermore, different important properties for the application were analyzed, such as Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, viscosity, morphology, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), glass transition temperature (T g ), decomposition temperature (T d ), dielectric properties, and thermal infrared images. The obtained thermal performance is suitable for specific electronic applications such as flip-chip underfill packaging.

A physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model for di-isononyl phthalate (DiNP) was developed by adapting the existing models for di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di-butylphthalate (DBP). Both pregnant rat and human time-course plasma and urine data were used to address the hydrolysis of DiNP in intestinal tract, plasma, and liver as well as hepatic oxidative metabolism and conjugation of the monoester and primary oxidative metabolites. Data in both rats and humans were available to inform the uptake and disposition of mono-isononyl phthalate (MiNP) as well as the three primary oxidative metabolites including hydroxy (7-OH)-, oxo (7-OXO)-, and carboxy (7-COX)-monoisononyl phthalate in plasma and urine. The DiNP model was reliable over a wide range of exposure levels in the pregnant rat as well as the two low exposure levels in humans including capturing the nonlinear behavior in the pregnant rat after repeated 750 mg/kg/day dosing. The presented DiNP PBPK model in pregnant rat and human, based upon an extensive kinetic dataset in both species, may provide a basis for assessing human equivalent exposures based upon either rodent or in vitro points of departure.

In the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, hospitals are often stretched beyond capacity. There are widespread reports of dwindling supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE), particularly N95-type filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs), which are paramount to protect frontline medical/nursing staff, and to minimize further spread of the virus. We carried out a rapid review to summarize the existing literature on the viability of SARS-CoV-2, the efficacy of key potential disinfection procedures against the virus (specifically ultraviolet light and heat), and the impact of these procedures on FFR performance, material integrity, and/or fit. In light of the recent discovery of SARS-CoV-2 and limited associated research, our review also focused on the closely related SARS-CoV-1. We propose a possible whole-of-PPE disinfection solution for potential reuse that could be rapidly instituted in many health care settings, without significant investments in equipment.

Objective: Weight regain (WR) after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB) starts to occur 2 years after surgery, ultimately affecting at least 25% of patients. A limited number of studies have evaluated the impact of antiobesity medications (AOMs) on this phenomenon., Methods: This study reviewed the electronic medical records of 1,196 patients who underwent RYGB between 2004 and 2015. WR was evaluated by comparing each patient's weight during subsequent postoperative office visits to nadir weight (lowest weight after RYGB, n = 760), taking into consideration the interval during which WR occurred. Patients who were prescribed AOMs and came to follow-up visits were classified as adherent users, whereas those who missed their follow-up visits were considered nonadherent. This study used a linear mixed model, Cox regression, and generalized equation estimator to determine the impact of AOMs on WR trajectory, hazard ratio for time to event, and odds ratio for repeated event occurrence, respectively., Results: Despite the lack of a unified protocol for using AOMs, the three statistical models converged to show that phentermine and topiramate, used individually or in combination, can significantly reduce WR after RYGB., Conclusions: Phentermine and topiramate are effective in mitigating WR after RYGB. Further studies are needed to help ascertain optimal use of AOMs after bariatric surgery., (© 2020 The Obesity Society.)

Second messenger signaling networks allow cells to sense and adapt to changing environmental conditions. In bacteria, the nearly ubiquitous second messenger molecule cyclic di-GMP coordinates diverse processes such as motility, biofilm formation, and virulence. In bacterial pathogens, these signaling networks allow the bacteria to survive changing environmental conditions that are experienced during infection of a mammalian host. While studies have examined the effects of cyclic di-GMP levels on virulence in these pathogens, it has not been possible to visualize cyclic di-GMP levels in real time during the stages of host infection. Toward this goal, we generate the first ratiometric, chemiluminescent biosensor scaffold that selectively responds to c-di-GMP. By engineering the biosensor scaffold, a suite of Venus-YcgR-NLuc (VYN) biosensors is generated that provide extremely high sensitivity ( K D < 300 pM) and large changes in the bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) signal (up to 109%). As a proof-of-concept that VYN biosensors can image cyclic di-GMP in tissues, we show that the VYN biosensors function in the context of a tissue phantom model, with only ∼10 3 -10 4 biosensor-expressing E. coli cells required for the measurement. Furthermore, we utilize the biosensor in vitro to assess changes in cyclic di-GMP in V. cholerae grown with different inputs found in the host environment. The VYN sensors developed here can serve as robust in vitro diagnostic tools for high throughput screening, as well as genetically encodable tools for monitoring the dynamics of c-di-GMP in live cells, and lay the groundwork for live cell imaging of c-di-GMP dynamics in bacteria within tissues and other complex environments.

A hybrid material obtained by blending β-chitosan (CS) with triethylenetetramine-functionalized graphene oxide (TFGO) (CSGO), was used as an adsorbent for a reactive dye (C.I. Reactive Blue 221 Dye, RB221), and the adsorption and removal performances of unmodified CS and mix-modified CSGO were investigated and compared systematically at different pH values (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12). The adsorption capacities of CS and CSGO were 45.5 and 56.1 mg/g, respectively, at a pH of 2 and 5.4 and 37.2 mg/g, respectively, at a pH of 12. This indicates that TFGO was successfully introduced into CSGO, enabling π-π interactions and electrostatic attraction with the dye molecules. Additionally, benzene ring-shaped GO exhibited a high surface chemical stability, which was conducive to maintaining the stability of the acid and alkali resistance of the CSGO adsorbent. The RB221 adsorption performance of CS and CSGO at acidic condition (pH 3) and alkaline condition (pH 12) and different temperatures was investigated by calculating the adsorption kinetics and isotherms of adsorbents. Overall, the adsorption efficiency of CSGO was superior to that of CS; thus, CSGO is promising for the treatment of dye effluents in a wide pH range.

Evidence suggests priorities differ between patients in HIV care and their providers regarding topics most important to address in care. At five U.S. sites, we asked patients and providers to prioritize 25 potential topic areas to address during routine visits, and invited patients to discuss selection rationale. Patients (n = 206) and providers (n = 17) showed high discordance in rank order priorities (X 2 (24, 223) = 71.12; p < 0.0001). Patients ranked social domains such as HIV stigma highly; a higher proportion of providers prioritized substance use domains. HIV stigma was a higher priority for patients in care fewer than 6 years (Fisher's exact p = 0.0062), nonwhite patients (Fisher's exact p = 0.0114), and younger patients (Fisher's exact p = 0.0281). Patients' priorities differed between men and women (X 2 (24, 188) = 52.89; p < 0.0001), white race vs. other races (X 2 (24, 206) = 48.32; p = 0.0023), and Latinos vs. non-Latinos (X 2 (24, 206) = 48.65; p = 0.0021). Interviews (n = 79) revealed perceived impact of social context on health and health behaviors.