Search

[Objective] To elucidate the characteristics of litter decomposition and changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions under thinning, and to reveal the impact of litter decomposition on the stability of SOC in coastal shelter forests under thinning. [Methods] After three years of thinning, the litter and surface soil (0—20 cm) of coastal shelter forests (Quercus acutissima Carruth. (QAC), Pinus thunbergii Parl. (PTP) and mixed Q. acutissima Carruth. and P. thunbergii Parl. (QP) in Qingdao were studied. In situ decomposition of litter, indoor analyses of chemical properties, and random forest model were used to characterize the litter decomposition and SOC fractions under three different thinning intensities (control 0, light 15% and heavy 30%), and analyzed their relationships. [Results] Heavy thinning significantly increased the mass remaining of QAC and QP litter during decomposition, with an increase of 22.36% and 4.18% compared to the control, respectively. The trend of K-value changes representing litter decomposition rate was opposite to mass remaining. The SOC content, mineral associated organic carbon (MAOC) content, and SOC stability of QAC and QP all significantly increased with the increase of thinning intensity. The content and stability of SOC were significantly correlated with nitrogen and phosphorus residual rates during litter decomposition under thinning, but not with litter decomposition rate. [Conclusion] Thinning reduces the decomposition rate of litter, but increases the residual rates of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in litter, especially under heavy thinning. Thinning improves the stability of SOC, and the changes in SOC content and stability are mainly influenced by the residual rates of nitrogen and phosphorus in litter, with phosphorus residual rate having the greatest impact.

[Display omitted] • HCV underdiagnosis among hard-to-reach population is still of concern. • Our new RT-LAMP system detects HCV RNA directly from lysed serum. • High diagnostic test accuracy: LOD < 20 copy/rxn, 94 % sensitivity and 100 specificity. • Time from sample collection to result is under 50 min. • Optimal for implementation at point-of-care by capillary punction. Globally, it is estimated that 1.0 million individuals are newly infected by Hepatitis C virus (HCV) every year, and nearly 50 million people live with a chronic infection, according to World Health Organization. To overcome underdiagnosis of HCV infection among hard-to-reach populations, it is essential to develop new rapid and easy-to-use molecular diagnostic systems. In this work, we have developed a pangenotypic diagnostic tool based on Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP), coupled to a direct sample lysis procedure for molecular detection of HCV at point-of-care (POC). Procedure validation was performed using 129 different samples from HCV infected patients (116 serum samples, and 13 fresh blood samples), 27 individuals who tested negative for HCV but positive for HIV, and 11 healthy donors. Serum was collected, lysed for 10 min at room temperature, and assayed by RT-LAMP. To achieve this, a set of 9 LAMP-primers was used for the first time. Parallel RT-qPCR assays were conducted for HCV to both validate the procedure and quantify viral loads. HCV was detected by RT-LAMP in 109/116 HCV positive serum samples, and in 11/13 positive blood samples in less than 40 min. Compared to RT-qPCR results, our RT-LAMP procedure showed a sensitivity of 94 %, 100 % specificity, and a limit of detection of 3.26 log 10 IU/mL (10–20 copies per reaction). We have developed an accurate system, more affordable than the current available rapid tests for HCV. Since no prior RNA purification step from capillary blood is required, we strongly recommend our RT-LAMP system as a valuable and rapid tool for the molecular detection of HCV at POC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the composition and seasonal characteristics of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) during winter and summer through simultaneous measurements conducted at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea and the Changping campus of Peking University in China. PM2.5 samples were concurrently collected at both sites, and chemical analyses were conducted to quantify various components, including carbonaceous materials, ionic species, and metals. Although the average PM2.5 concentrations were comparable between the two sites, there were distinct differences in the concentrations of major components. Organic indicator compounds were analyzed to discern the contributions of primary and secondary pollution sources. Changping displayed a mix of primary and secondary pollution, characterized by higher concentrations of primary organic carbon (POC) such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and hopanes, compared to Gwangju. In contrast, Gwangju demonstrated a higher prevalence of secondary organic carbon (SOC), particularly water-soluble organic carbon not related to biomass burning (WSOCnbb) and various polar organic compounds. The organic mass to organic carbon (OM/OC) ratios estimated using the mass balance method revealed significant differences, with Gwangju showing a higher ratio of 2.3 compared to 1.9 at Changping, indicating a greater influence of secondary pollutants at Gwangju. Additionally, both Changping and Gwangju exhibited higher OM/OC ratios in summer (Changping: 2.0, Gwangju: 2.5) compared to winter (Changping: 1.8, Gwangju: 2.2), indicating seasonal differences in organic mass contributions to PM2.5. These findings underscore the importance of accounting for spatial and seasonal variations in air pollution studies and suggest that updating commonly used OM/OC ratios could enhance the reliability of research outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bleeding events in patients receiving direct oral anticoagulation (DOAC) can be life-threatening even at therapeutic DOAC plasma concentrations, as anticoagulation impairs hemostasis and should therefore be identified immediately after hospital admission. The anticoagulatory effects of DOAC are typically not measurable in standard coagulation tests, such as PT or aPTT. Specific calibrated anti-FXa-tests allow specific drug monitoring, but they are too time-consuming for critical bleeding events and are commonly not available for 24 h/7 days in routine care. However, recent advances in point-of-care (POC) viscoelastic testing (VET) have shown a promising approach for rapid and quantitative detection of DOAC plasma concentrations using the Russell viper venom factor V activator (RVV for FXa-inhibitors) test or the ecarin clotting time (thrombin inhibitors). In acute bleeding situations, direct FXa inhibitors can be reversed by specific antidote andexanet alfa or hemostasis can be improved by prothrombin complex factor concentrates (PCCs). After reversal, confirmation of reversal efficacy is often requested, but no routine assays are currently available. Thus, the emergency management of bleeding DOAC patients is usually "blinded" with regard to reversal efficacy. POC VET laboratory assays might therefore also be helpful for measuring DOAC effects after reversal. We present a case series demonstrating the usefulness of RVV-clotting time post-DOAC reversal with andexanet alfa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundMild cognitive impairment (MCI) is associated with an increased risk of dementia in older adults. Olfactory impairment may indicate prodromal dementia, yet its underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the alterations in functional connectivity (FC) of odor-induced olfactory neural circuits in MCI patients.MethodsThe study included 39 MCI patients and 42 normal controls (NCs). All subjects underwent cognitive assessments, olfactory behavior tests, and odor-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Differences in FC within olfactory circuits were analyzed using the generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI) method.ResultsMild cognitive impairment patients showed significant cognitive deficits, including lower scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), alongside impairments in episodic memory, visuospatial memory, executive function, language, attention, olfactory threshold, and total olfactory function. Compared to NCs, MCI patients exhibited reduced activation in the bilateral primary olfactory cortex (bPOC) during olfactory stimulation. Odor-induced bPOC activation correlated with olfactory thresholds across the cohort. During odor stimulation, MCI patients showed increased FC from the bPOC to the right anterior frontal lobe, particularly the middle frontal gyrus (MFG) and superior frontal gyrus (SFG). Conversely, FC from the right anterior frontal lobe to the medial temporal cortex, including the fusiform and parahippocampal gyri, was reduced in MCI patients. Increased FC from the bPOC to the right SFG/MFG negatively correlated with episodic memory, while decreased FC to the right fusiform/parahippocampal gyri positively correlated with attention, language ability, and olfactory identification.ConclusionThis study indicates that impaired FC within the primary olfactory cortex (POC)-anterior frontal cortex-medial temporal cortex circuit is a sensitive neuroimaging marker for early MCI identification. The primary dysfunction appears in the POC, suggesting that FC alterations from this region may provide novel diagnostic and therapeutic avenues for early intervention.

Trichomonas vaginalis infection represents the most prevalent non-viral, curable parasitic sexually transmitted infection (STI) worldwide. The demand for precise and cost-effective point-of-care (POC) tests is paramount in the pursuit of STI epidemic control, ensuring expeditious patient diagnosis and therapeutic interventions. In the present study, we searched academic databases, including PubMed (US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health), Scopus, and Web of Science, employing the following keywords: “Trichomonas vaginalis”, “diagnosis”, “point-of-care tests”, and “rapid diagnosis”, to provide information about the development and effectiveness of POC tests to identify T. vaginalis. Present assays for T. vaginalis exhibit suboptimal performance, and the integration of advanced technologies, notably nanotechnologies, emerges as a formidable instrumentality for augmenting diagnostic precision while curtailing expenditure. In this review, we provide an encompassing survey of cutting-edge POC tests for T. vaginalis diagnosis and offer an outlook on future prospects in this domain.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a cost-effective, rapid, and highly specific method of replicating nucleic acids. Adding multiple targets into a single LAMP assay to create a multiplex format is highly desirable for clinical applications but has been challenging due to a need to develop specific detection techniques and strict primer design criteria. This study describes the evaluation of a rapid triplex LAMP assay, MAST ISOPLEX® VTEC, for the simultaneous detection of Shiga toxin/verotoxin 1 and 2 (stx1/vt1 and stx2/vt2) genes in verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) (VTEC) isolates with inhibition control (IC) synthetic DNA using a single fluorophore–oligonucleotide probe, MAST ISOPLEX® Probes, integrated into the primer set of each target. MAST ISOPLEX® Probes used in the MAST ISOPLEX® VTEC kit produce fluorescent signals as they integrate with reaction products specific to each target, allowing tracking of multiple amplifications in real time using a real-time analyzer. Initial validation on DNA extracts from fecal cultures and synthetic DNA sequences (gBlocks) showed that the MAST ISOPLEX® VTEC kit provides a method for sensitive simultaneous triplex detection in a single assay with a limit of detection (LOD) of less than 100 target copies/assay and 96% and 100% sensitivity and specificity, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the interactions between stream water and subsurface sediment to quantify how these interactions influenced organic C respiration and dissolved inorganic C (DIC) production in the hyporheic zone of a high-gradient headwater mountain stream draining a forested catchment at the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest, Oregon, USA. We compared measurements from a well network with those from six 2-m-long hyporheic mesocosms. The patterns in hyporheic metabolism were similar in wells and mesocosms: O2 declined and DIC increased with travel time. However, the dissolved organic C (DOC) showed little net change in concentration. The mesocosms showed that net losses of DOC could account for 7% of O2 consumed during summer and autumn and 24% of O2 consumed in the winter and spring. Previous research at our study site suggested that large volumes of hyporheic exchange are likely to result in continual processing of streamwater DOC through the hyporheic zone, which would limit the accumulation of bioavailable DOC. Consequently, hyporheic respiration in this forested headwater stream appears to rely primarily on organic C ultimately derived from sediment-bound or buried particulate organic matter (POC). We modeled the consumption of O2 (k O2) and the production of DIC (k DIC) as zero-order kinetic reactions. In the mesocosms, k O2 and k DIC were correlated to temperature and were 2× higher in the summer and autumn than in the winter and spring. In the well network, however, neither k O2 nor k DIC showed seasonal differences. The k DIC was also correlated to initial DOC concentrations in both the mesocosms and the wells. Further, the k DIC was correlated to the time since the mesocosms were packed, which suggests that sediment disturbance or incorporation of relatively fresh organic matter from packing the mesocosms increased the bioavailability of the POC. Further, changes in concentrations of O2, DOC, and DIC were approximately linear when plotted against travel time for both the mesocosms and the well field. These data suggest that the processes that release bioavailable DOC from POC are relatively constant along hyporheic flow paths and govern the rate of hyporheic metabolism in the hyporheic zone of this forested headwater stream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shiga toxin (Stx) is one of the most potent bacterial toxins known to cause serious gastrointestinal disease in humans. However, the high costs in terms of time, equipment, and operators hinder their further application in timely diagnosis. In this work, we provide a method of coating globotriaosylceramide (Gb3), an Stx receptor, on a glass chip to detect food toxins in real time and a portable fluorescence detection system that can diagnose Stx after loading the chip. The total size of the system with an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display is about 8.8 × 6.2 × 15 cm3 and its weight is about 375.5 g with a lithium-ion battery. The novel solvent-assisted lipid bilayer method was utilized to coat a bilayer of receptors on the glass substrate instead of placing a bi-lipid membrane and inserting receptors into the membrane, thereby increasing the fluorescence intensity within the chip and being detected by the system. The optimal conditions for coating receptors were verified and the flow rate of 3 μL/min and flow time of 10 min for the process of solvent exchange showed relatively good efficiency. The limit of detection was 250 pg/mL of Stx1B and the system successfully detected Stx in the lettuce eluate sample. The stability of the chip remained highly reliable within 3 days of storage, but after 14 days, the chip lost most of its detection ability due to delamination of the coated receptor bilayer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangrove‐dominated coastlines have high carbon sequestration capacity, but it remains unclear whether tidally outwelled carbon is transformed within the coastal ocean or exported offshore. Here, we used radium isotopes (224Ra and 223Ra) to investigate carbon outwelling in two mangrove seascapes in Brazil across multiple spatial scales. We sampled porewaters to define the source composition, mangrove creek waters to resolve tidal cycles, and cross‐shelf transects to trace outwelling in coastal seascapes. Radium isotopes were positively correlated with dissolved inorganic (DIC), organic (DOC) and particulate organic (POC) carbon across the seascapes. DIC was the primary form of carbon (mean ± SD), representing 85% of the total carbon pool as bicarbonate (75 ± 11%), carbonate (6 ± 5%), and CO2 (4 ± 9%). DOC and POC accounted for 10 ± 6% and 5 ± 6% of total carbon, respectively. Although mangrove waters emitted CO2 to the atmosphere (38–143 mmol m−2 d−1), both bays and continental shelves were a CO2 sink (−2.5 to −0.5 mmol m−2 d−1) associated to chlorophyll‐a enrichments (r2 = 0.86). Total carbon outwelled from mangroves were 3–4 times higher than soil carbon burial at both mangrove sites. Bicarbonate export (27–72 mmol m−2 d−1) to the continental shelf was the major fate of carbon outwelling, more than doubling the perceived capacity of mangrove soil to sequester carbon. Hence, disregarding outwelling as a blue carbon sink mechanism would lead to underestimated assessments of how mangroves capture CO2 and help to mitigate climate change. Plain Language Summary: Mangrove forests effectively store large amounts of carbon within their muddy soils due to their complex root systems, high sedimentation rates, and high productivity. Mangroves also play a crucial role in exporting carbon to the ocean through tidal flushing and climate change mitigation. Here, we measured overlooked lateral carbon fluxes using geochemical tracers. Our findings demonstrated that mangroves could sequester 3–4 times more CO2 if total carbon exports to ocean are accounted in addition to soil carbon burial. Most of the carbon is exported as bicarbonate, with the potential to remain in seawater for millennia. We argue that a fraction of mangrove carbon is not lost during transport offshore, but rather stored in the ocean, the largest global carbon reservoir. Key Points: Porewater exchange is a pivotal component of the carbon budget within mangrove seascapesMangrove carbon outwelling oscillates between tidal cycles and reaches the continental shelf within 1–3 weeksCarbon sequestration via outwelling to the ocean was 3–4 times greater than soil burial [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichomonas vaginalis infection represents the most prevalent non-viral, curable parasitic sexually transmitted infection (STI) worldwide. The demand for precise and cost-effective point-of-care (POC) tests is paramount in the pursuit of STI epidemic control, ensuring expeditious patient diagnosis and therapeutic interventions. In the present study, we searched academic databases, including PubMed (US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health), Scopus, and Web of Science, employing the following keywords: "Trichomonas vaginalis", "diagnosis", "point-of-care tests", and "rapid diagnosis", to provide information about the development and effectiveness of POC tests to identify T. vaginalis. Present assays for T. vaginalis exhibit suboptimal performance, and the integration of advanced technologies, notably nanotechnologies, emerges as a formidable instrumentality for augmenting diagnostic precision while curtailing expenditure. In this review, we provide an encompassing survey of cutting-edge POC tests for T. vaginalis diagnosis and offer an outlook on future prospects in this domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is a high‐risk population in the preclinical stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and olfactory dysfunction is a risk factor for dementia progression. The present study aimed to explore the patterns of functional connectivity (FC) changes in the olfactory neural circuits during olfactory stimulation in SCD subjects. A total of 56 SCD subjects and 56 normal controls (NCs) were included. All subjects were assessed with a cognitive scale, an olfactory behavior test, and olfactory task‐based functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. The FC differences in olfactory neural circuits between the two groups were analyzed by the generalized psychophysiological interaction. Additionally, we calculated and compared the activation of brain regions within the olfactory neural circuits during odor stimulation, the volumetric differences in brain regions showing FC differences between groups, and the correlations between neuroimaging indicators and olfactory behavioral and cognitive scale scores. During odor stimulation, the FC between the bilateral primary olfactory cortex (bPOC) and the right hippocampus in the SCD group was significantly reduced; while the FC between the right hippocampus and the right frontal cortex was significantly increased in the SCD group. The bPOC of all subjects showed significant activation, but no significant difference in activation between groups was found. No significant differences were observed in the volume of the brain regions within the olfactory neural circuits or in olfactory behavior between groups. The volume of the bPOC and right frontal cortex was significantly positively correlated with olfactory identification, and the volume of the right frontal cortex and right hippocampus was significantly correlated with cognitive functions. Furthermore, a significant correlation between the activation of bPOC and the olfactory threshold was found in the whole cohort. These results suggested that while the structure of the olfactory neural circuits and olfactory behavior in SCD subjects remained stable, there were significant changes observed in the FC of the olfactory neural circuits (specifically, the POC‐hippocampus‐frontal cortex neural circuits) during odor stimulation. These findings highlight the potential of FC alterations as sensitive imaging markers for identifying high‐risk individuals in the early stage of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the dynamics of mixed-gas adsorption is essential for industrial-scale adsorptive separations. Also, obtaining binary adsorption isotherms is essential to gain a better understanding of adsorbate-adsorbent interactions in multicomponent gas mixtures. Porous organic cages (POCs) are highly porous, crystalline materials, with a small average pore window that make them promising candidates for separation applications. In this work, we utilized zero-length column (ZLC) technique to not only determine the kinetics of CO2/H2 separation over CC3 but also obtain the binary adsorption isotherms. The ultracrystalline diffusivities of 1.49 × 10–4 and 8.31 × 10–5 cm2.s-1 were estimated from the ZLC desorption profiles for unary CO2 and H2 gases at 293 K, respectively, whereas in binary CO2/H2 mixture, these diffusion values were reduced by 18 and 19 times, respectively. Moreover, our results indicated that the adsorption capacities estimated from binary runs diminished by approximately 36.0% and 33.6% for CO2 and H2, respectively, relative to the unary runs. The findings of this investigation highlight the importance of the ZLC technique in providing valuable insights on mixture adsorption equilibrium and dynamics without the need for tedious and complex experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid and accurate diagnosis of meningitis is critical for preventing severe complications and fatalities. This study addresses the need for accessible diagnostics in the absence of specialized equipment by developing a novel diagnostic assay. The assay utilizes dual-priming isothermal amplification (DAMP) with unique internal primers to significantly reduce non-specificity. For fluorescence detection, the dye was selected among Brilliant Green, Thioflavin T, and dsGreen. Brilliant Green is preferred for this assay due to its availability, high fluorescence level, and optimal sample-to-background (S/B) ratio. The assay was developed for the detection of the primary causative agents of meningitis (Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae), and tested on clinical samples. The developed method demonstrated high specificity, no false positives, sensitivity comparable to that of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), and a high S/B ratio. This versatile assay can be utilized as a standalone test or an integrated assay into point-of-care systems for rapid and reliable pathogen detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consensus mechanism (CM) is the heart and soul of blockchain, for it allows nodes in a blockchain network to reach an agreement on the state of system execution. Among the CMs, the right for constructing the next new block is regarded as the most important one since it is required for the blockchain to grow so that transaction data can be recorded in it. Proof-of-work (PoW) is an efficient CM since it allows all the nodes to participate equally in the competition for the right. However, high energy consumption makes PoW less desirable for applications. Moreover, application-oriented blockchains should employ CMs that could reflect some main characteristics of the applications to facilitate the development of other mechanisms, such as the incentive mechanisms. Proof-of-contribution (PoC) is an effective, application-oriented CM since the right for constructing the next new block is determined by contributions made by the nodes and the node that has accumulated the highest contribution value (CV) gets the right. PoC is a general-purpose CM since the behavior of nodes can be characterized in the form of contributions. However, the deterministic nature of PoC as the result of ranking nodes based on CVs may lower efficiency since nodes could fail to function due to network delay, node failure or node's simply dropping out of the network. This paper proposes to design highly effective and efficient CMs by integrating PoC with PoW, which we refer to as PoCW. In PoCW, nodes compete for the right for constructing the next new block based on PoW after being assigned different difficulty values (DVs) based on the ranking of their CVs. Since assigning DVs strictly according to the ranking of CVs would make PoCW resemble PoC while assigning the same DV to all the nodes would make PoCW the same as PoW, PoCW could be designed as a class of CMs through applying different DV assignment strategies to meet the effectiveness and efficiency requirements of a variety of applications. We can further apply the same principle at finer levels of granularity by dynamically grouping nodes along the ranking of CVs and then applying different DV assignment strategies to different groups. The paper will first describe a generic PoCW without involving node grouping and then present the design of a general PoCW through applying an example node grouping method to demonstrate the feasibility of PoCW as a general-purpose CM for blockchain-based applications. Experiments were also conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness and the efficiency of PoCW as well as its advantages over comparable CMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health-care professionals routinely measure blood glucose of all critically ill patients in intensive care unit (ICU). The traditional reference standard, venous blood glucose requires venipuncture, and laboratories usually return the test results after 60 min. We wondered if a point of care (POC) capillary glucose measured by glucometer could be as accurate and reliable as blood venous glucose. Methods: We studied consecutive patients admitted to an ICU between May 1, 2009, and May 10, 2009. We compared the diagnostic accuracy of two-POC glucometers with laboratory venous glucose, the reference standard. We used Bland–Altman plots and the Clark error grid method to analyze the results. Results: This study included a total of 110 patients 38 (34%) women; mean age 52.1 years (standard deviation [SD] =17.3); range = 14–85 years. Fourteen patients (12%) were known to have diabetes. The mean glucose value (glucometer 1) was 152.9 mg/dL (SD = 83.1); range = 48–501 mg/dL; that by glucometer 2 was 152.2 mg/dL (SD = 76.2); range = 30–458 mg/dL and by the laboratory was 148.6 mg/dL (SD = 81.5); range = 52–480 mg/dL. Of the 110 subjects, 2 (2%) had blood glucose below 70 mg/dL; 85 (77%) between 70 and 180 mg/dL; and 23 (21%) had blood glucose exceeding 180 mg/dL. The Bland–Altman plot showed a bias of 4 mg% (95% confidence intervals = −9.8–+1.1); and the limits of agreement were −63 and +54 mg%. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the two glucometers was 0.92 and 0.93, respectively. The error grid analysis showed that 80% (78/110) of samples lay within Zone A, 22 (110) in Zone B, and 1% (1/110) in Zone C. Conclusions: POC glucose, measured by glucometers was in agreement with the venous glucose estimation. Both glucometers were equally accurate and performed uniformly well across the wide range of blood glucose values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucleic acid tests are key tools for the detection and diagnosis of many diseases. In many cases, the amplification of the nucleic acids is required to reach a detectable level. To make nucleic acid amplification tests more accessible to a point-of-care (POC) setting, isothermal amplification can be performed with a simple heating source. Although these tests are being performed in bulk reactions, the quantification is not as accurate as it would be with digital amplification. Here, we introduce the use of the vibrating sharp-tip capillary for a simple and portable system for tunable on-demand droplet generation. Because of the large range of droplet sizes possible and the tunability of the vibrating sharp-tip capillary, a high dynamic range (~2 to 6000 copies/µL) digital droplet loop-mediated isothermal amplification (ddLAMP) system has been developed. It was also noted that by changing the type of capillary on the vibrating sharp-tip capillary, the same mechanism can be used for simple and portable DNA fragmentation. With the incorporation of these elements, the present work paves the way for achieving digital nucleic acid tests in a POC setting with limited resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Investigate the most appropriate mathematical formula to objectively express upper eyelid contour symmetry. Methods: 62 eyes of 31 patients were included in the study. The upper eyelid contour symmetry of the patients was classified subjectively (independent of MRD1) as poor, acceptable, and good by three oculoplastic specialists (senior, expert, and junior surgeon). Bézier curves of the upper lid contour were drawn with ImageJ software (NIH, Bethesda, MA, USA). Using the algorithms created by Author SKC in Spyder (Python 3.7.9.), the symmetry of the Bézier curves of the left eyelids were obtained according to the y-axis, and the mid-pupils of both eyes were superimposed. The lower curve moved vertically to the equal height of the other curve to equalize MRD1's. R2 (Coefficient of determination), RMSE (Root-mean-square error), MSE (Mean squared error), POC (Percentage of co-efficiency), and MAE (Mean absolute error) were calculated. We evaluated the correlation between these objective formulas and the subjective grading of three surgeons using Spearman's rho (ρ). Results: The correlation coefficient of RMSE and MSE were the same for all surgeons grading. There was a strong correlation between the senior surgeon's subjective scoring (N; poor = 8, acceptable = 16, good = 8) and R2, RMSE, POC, MAE (ρ = 0.643, p < 0.001, ρ = −0.607, p < 0.001, ρ = 0.562, p < 0.001, ρ = −0.517, p < 0.001, respectively). We found a strong relationship between the expert surgeon's subjective scoring (N; poor = 9, acceptable = 13, good:10) and R2 (ρ = 0.611, p < 0.001), RMSE (ρ = −0.549, p < 0.001), POC (ρ = 0.511, p < 0.001), and MAE (ρ = −0.450, p < 0.05). We found a strong correlation between junior surgeon's subjective scoring (N; poor = 6, acceptable = 18, good = 8) and R2, RMSE, and POC (ρ: −0.517, p < 0.001; ρ: −0.470, p < 0.001; ρ: 0.521, p < 0.001; respectively) and moderate correlation between MAE (ρ:-0.394, p < 0.05). The highest correlation is observed with R2. Conclusions: RMSE, MSE, POC, MAE, and especially R2, may quantitatively express upper eyelid contour symmetry, comparable with the oculoplastic surgeon. The highest correlation was observed between the senior surgeon and R2, and decreases with the experience of the surgeon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In medical diagnosis, detecting disease biomarkers at ultra‐low concentrations is vital. Point‐of‐care (POC) diagnostics require rapid detection, live monitoring, high sensitivity, low detection threshold, and cost‐effectiveness. Carbon‐based nanomaterials (CBNs) are promising due to their large surface‐to‐volume ratio, conductivity, biocompatibility, and stability, making them ideal for biosensors. Recent advancements in CBN applications, including biosensing, drug delivery, and cancer therapy, highlight their potential in enhancing detection sensitivity and specificity. Electrochemical sensors and biosensor platforms using carbon nanocomposites are pivotal in diagnostics. This review explores the current state and future challenges of CBN integration in POC settings, envisioning a transformative impact on healthcare diagnostics and therapeutics.

Although corticosteroid therapy is the standard of care for all patients hospitalized with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the studies demonstrating the mortality-benefit ratio of corticosteroids were limited to fully evaluate their adverse effects. To determine the severity of corticosteroid-induced hyperglycemia in patients with and without diabetes mellitus, we retrospectively collected data from the medical records of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 before and after corticosteroids were the standard of care. Corticosteroid-induced hyperglycemia was more severe in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 with diabetes than those without diabetes. Additionally, patients with diabetes required higher doses of correctional insulin per day when on corticosteroid therapy, suggesting that intensive point-of-care glucose monitoring could be limited in patients without diabetes mellitus and support cautionary use of corticosteroids in patients with COVID-19 discharged with supplemental oxygen.

Acrylamide (AA), an odorless and colorless organic small-molecule compound found generally in thermally processed foods, possesses potential carcinogenic, neurotoxic, reproductive, and developmental toxicity. Compared with conventional methods for AA detection, bio/chemical sensors have attracted much interest in recent years owing to their reliability, sensitivity, selectivity, convenience, and low cost. This paper provides a comprehensive review of bio/chemical sensors utilized for the detection of AA over the past decade. Specifically, the content is concluded and systematically organized from the perspective of the sensing mechanism, state of selectivity, linear range, detection limits, and robustness. Subsequently, an analysis of the strengths and limitations of diverse analytical technologies ensues, contributing to a thorough discussion about the potential developments in point-of-care (POC) for AA detection in thermally processed foods at the conclusion of this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroponic lettuce cultivation using AB-mix nutrients has several weaknesses, one of which is that the price of nutrients is relatively expensive and difficult to obtain in small towns. Rice bran liquid organic fertilizer (LOF) has the potential to be a substitute or supplementary nutrient in hydroponic cultivation; it has a fairly high nitrogen content (2.08%). This research aims to examine the effect of rice bran POC on the yield of lettuce plants cultivated hydroponically. The research used a non-factorial Randomized Group Design (RGD), consisting of 3 treatments, namely P1 (rice bran LOF 5 ml/l), P2 (AB-mix 1500 ppm), and P3 (AB-mix 1500 ppm + rice bran LOF 5 ml/l), which were repeated 10 times to obtain 30 experimental units. The observation variables in this research were plant height, number of leaves, wet weight, and dry weight of harvest. Data analysis was carried out using analysis of variance; if there was a real effect, a 5% BNT test was carried out. The results of the research showed that rice bran POC (5 ml/l) was not able to be used as the sole nutrient in hydroponic lettuce cultivation, AB-mix 1500 ppm nutrition treatment + 5 ml/l rice bran LOF gave the best and highest results in plant height, number of leaves, wet weight, and lettuce dry weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediment trap data set and 234Th profiles (deep water excesses and deficits) reveal that particulate organic carbon (POC) export at the highly oligotrophic Levantine Sea is dominated by lateral transport from the nearby margin. These intermediate nepheloid layers (INL) operate at multi‐depth, with the silt‐to‐clay size particulate matter (PM) fraction transported at water depths of about 100–500 m, while finer fraction arrives also at deeper depths. The shallow NIL is triggered by winter storms, manipulated by coastal flash floods and shelf resuspension and assisted by cross‐shore currents, which allow the arrival of PM at a distance of 50 km within about 10 days. The deeper INL could be related to sediments initially driven to depth by density currents. Our data show that inter‐annual differences in sediment trap fluxes were related to changes in both the intensity of coastal floods and current velocity. The frequent observation of deep‐water 234Th excesses during a (relatively) low export winter (2018) is related to lessened cleansing of the water column, that is, reduced removal of fine‐grained PM by sinking coarser‐grained material. These observations highlight the importance of winter storm intensity in the POC budget of marginal seas like the Levantine Basin (LB) even in areas with limited river discharge. This further suggests that the anticipated increase in extreme weather events due to the on‐going climate change should have an impact on this coastal‐deep sea conveyor and on POC export in the LB. Plain Language Summary: We present sediment traps and radioisotope results from the DeepLev marine station, the first deep water mooring to be deployed in the highly fragile ecosystem of the Levantine Basin (eastern Mediterranean Sea). Unlike the open ocean, particulate organic carbon export from surface to deep water is controlled by the transport of particulate matter from the nearby coast/continental shelf. We show that this land‐sea conveyor is nurtured by flash floods and shelf sediment resuspension, and is further manipulated by cross‐shore currents. The conveyor operates at multiple depths, with silt and clay transported sub‐horizontally from the shelf, arriving at DeepLev within ca. 10 days at 100–500 m depth (shallow intermediate nepheloid layer, INL), while colloids being carried through the whole water column (deep INL). The latter is probably related to particle‐laden density currents, which flow down submarine canyons, cutting into the nearby continental slope. Inter‐annual changes in winter events and cross‐shore current velocity result in significant changes of POC export intensity. This further implies that the predicted increase in the occurrence of extreme meteorological events could result in an enhanced transport of particular carbon, with important implications to the POC export in this and other marginal basins. Key Points: POC export in the Levantine Basin is controlled by lateral transport of multi‐depths intermediate nepheloid layers (INL)The shallow INL carries silt and clay from the coast and shelf, while the deep INL hauls colloids related to transport through submarine canyonsInter‐annual variability in winter event intensity results in lateral transport and vertical export variability [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) and Coomassie stainable particles (CSP), two prominent classes of gel-like particles in the ocean primarily produced by phytoplankton, play crucial roles in ecological and biogeochemical processes, influencing microbial nutrition, growth, and particle aggregation. The distribution of these particles is intricately linked to the spatiotemporal dynamics of phytoplankton. Mesoscale cyclonic eddies (CEs) are known to stimulate phytoplankton growth and influence particle transport, but their effects on TEP and CSP remain to be determined. In the Eastern Tropical North Atlantic (ETNA), we examined three CEs: one off the Mauritanian coast during summer (Mau), one offshore during winter (Sal), and another near Brava island during winter. Mau and Brava CEs were in their intensification/maturity phase, while the Sal CE was in its decay phase. Both TEP and CSP concentrations correlated with primary productivity, but TEP increased with chlorophyll-a concentration, whereas elevated CSP coincided also with the highest abundance of pico-nanophytoplankton (<20 µm), mainly Synechococcus. Both gels exhibited a positive correlation with bacterial biomass production, indicating their consumption by heterotrophic bacteria. TEP total area in the epipelagic waters of all CEs (Mau, Brava, and Sal) was elevated compared to surrounding waters, with on average 4, 2.5, and 1.6-fold higher values, respectively. However, no significant difference in TEP size distribution was observed within any CEs and their surroundings. Similarly, CSP total area increased in the epipelagic waters of Mau and Brava CEs, with on average 5 and 2.4-fold higher values, respectively, compared to surrounding waters. CSP particles were notably larger in these two eddies, while the Sal CE showed no significant difference from surrounding waters in CSP abundance and size. Overall, TEP and CSP exhibited distinct responses to CEs, with increased concentrations during their intensification/maturation stage and remineralization dominating during their decaying stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A laboratory-based lateral flow (LF) test that utilizes up-converting reporter particles (UCP) for ultrasensitive quantification of Schistosoma circulating anodic antigen (CAA) in urine is a well-accepted test to identify active infection. However, this UCP-LF CAA test requires sample pre-treatment steps not compatible with field applications. Flow, a new low-cost disposable, allows integration of large-volume pre-concentration of urine analytes and LF detection into a single field-deployable device. We assessed a prototype Flow-Schistosoma (Flow-S) device with an integrated UCP-LF CAA test strip, omitting all laboratory-based steps, to enable diagnosis of active Schistosoma infection in the field using urine. Flow-S is designed for large-volume (5–20 mL) urine, applying passive paper-based filtration and antibody-based CAA concentration. Samples tested for schistosome infection were collected from women of reproductive age living in a Tanzania region where S. haematobium infection is endemic. Fifteen negative and fifteen positive urine samples, selected based on CAA levels quantified in paired serum, were analyzed with the prototype Flow-S. The current Flow-S prototype, with an analytical lower detection limit of 1 pg CAA/mL, produced results correlated with the laboratory-based UCP-LF CAA test. Urine precipitates occurred in frozen banked samples and affected accurate quantification; however, this should not occur in fresh urine. Based on the findings of this study, Flow-S appears suitable to replace the urine pre-treatment required for the laboratory-based UCP-LF CAA test, thus allowing true field-based applications with fresh urine samples. The urine precipitates observed with frozen samples, though less important given the goal of testing fresh urines, warrant additional investigation to evaluate methods for mitigation. Flow-S devices permit testing of pooled urine samples with applications for population stratified testing. A field test with fresh urine samples, a further optimized Flow-S device, and larger statistical power has been scheduled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest degradation is increasingly recognized as a major threat to global biodiversity and the multiple ecosystem services forests provide. This study examined the impacts of forest degradation on soil quality and function in a seasonally dry tropical forest (SDTF) of Ecuador. Previous studies of SDTFs have focused on the impacts of land‐use conversion on soils, while this study assessed the less visible but pervasive effects of degradation. We compared soil physical–chemical properties, enzymatic activity, particulate organic carbon (POC) and mineral‐associated organic carbon (MAOC) along a gradient of SDTF degradation in both the dry and rainy season. Our findings showed a consistent and steady reduction in soil quality (total C and N) and function (dehydrogenase and β‐glucosidase activity) that paralleled the loss of vegetative structure and diversity along the degradation gradient. Soil physical–chemical properties were less variable and enzymatic activity was generally higher in the dry season compared to the rainy season. We also showed for the first time a significant and uniform decrease in POC and MAOC with degradation in SDTF. The relative proportion of these two components was constant along the gradient except in the most degraded state (arid land), where POC was higher in proportion to MAOC, suggesting that extreme forest degradation may cause this ecosystem to cross a functional tipping point. These findings address an important knowledge gap for SDTFs by showing a consistent loss of soil quality and functionality with degradation, and suggest that extreme degradation can result in an alternate state with compromised resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Limited research exists on translation of in-vitro glucose measurement interfering compounds to the in-vivo situation. We investigated whether Point-of-Care glucose measurements by Accu Chek Inform II (ACI II) were accurate to monitor glucose concentrations during surgery with general anesthesia by comparing with the reference laboratory hexokinase plasma glucose test. Method: Patients undergoing surgery with general anesthesia were included. Anesthesia was maintained with either Sevoflurane or Total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA). Prior to and after induction, blood glucose was measured with ACI II and the hexokinase test. Bland-Altman analysis was performed to assess method agreement. Subgroup analyses on glucose measurement differences per type of maintenance anesthesia were performed. Results: Thirty-nine patients were included, and 78 measurements were performed. All paired measurements had clinically acceptable agreement with a percentage error of 10.0% (95% CI 8.0 to 11.9). The mean difference (95% limits of agreement) between ACI II and hexokinase for all measurements was 0.0 mmol/L (-0.7 to 0.7 mmol/L). Before induction (n = 39), mean difference was -0.1 mmol/L (-0.6 to 0.4 mmol/L), and after induction (n = 39), mean difference was 0.1 mmol/L (-0.8 to 0.9 mmol/L). Further investigation showed the difference varied per test for patients receiving Sevoflurane compared to patients receiving TIVA (-0.2 ± 0.4 mmol/L vs. 0.4 ± 0.3 mmol/L, p < 0.001). Before and after induction, the difference between ACI II and hexokinase measurements increased for patients receiving Sevoflurane compared to patients receiving TIVA (0.4 ± 0.4 mmol/L vs. -0.4 ± 0.3 mmol/L, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The agreement between glucose measurements using ACI II and the reference laboratory hexokinase test was clinically acceptable with a percentage error of 10.0% (95% CI 8.0 to 11.9). The use of TIVA may negatively affect the measurement performance of the ACI II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Sweet corn in Indonesia was the main commodity after rice, and it was useful for food, the snack processing industry, semi-finished ingredients, side dishes, and animal feed. Problems with sweet corn farming include limited land, inappropriate cultivation technology, expensive superior seeds, insufficient water availability, fertilizers and pesticides that do not meet needs, as well as expensive and difficult labor, and competition with other commodities. The quality of the corn was that the husk was bright green and slightly moist, the sweet corn tassels were light brown and moist, and the grain texture was dense. The research aimed to analyze the effect of adding humic acid and POC on the growth and yield of sweet corn. Methods: The experimental design was RAKF. The first factor was humic acid (A) consisting of 4 levels: control, 5 kg/ha, 10 kg/ha, and 15 kg/ha. The second factor is POC (P) consisting of 5 levels: control, 60 ml/l, 90 ml/l, 120 ml/l, and 150 ml/l so there are 20 experimental combinations. Analysis used the F count test, 5% BNT test, and 5% DMRT test. Results: In the analysis of plant height, number of leaves, and weight of corn with and without husks, the best combination was A3P4.The P4 level (150 ml/L) has the highest level of sweetness but is not significantly different, the degree of sweetness was 16.25 brix. Addition of humic acid at a concentration of 15 kg/Ha. Produces a sweetness degree of 18.35 brix. Conclusion: The results of the study indicated a significant influence from the combination of treatments, as well as an interaction between the experimental treatments. The most effective combination was A3P4, which involved a humic acid concentration of 15 kg/ha and a POC dose of 150 ml/L. This combination yielded the best results for the tested parameters and sweetness levels.

Desa Kalibaru adalah salah satu desa yang berpotensi di bidang peternakan sapi, namun hal ini juga meningkatkan risiko pencemaran lingkungan akibat limbah peternakan. Penerapan instalasi biogas menjadi salah satu solusi yang telah diaplikasikan. Tujuan dari pelatihan ini adalah meningkatkan kesadaran, memberikan pengetahuan dan keterampilan baru kepada peternak dan petani mengenai potensi dan pemanfaatan limbah biogas (bio-slurry) dengan kombinasi pestisida nabati. Pelatihan ini dapat menjadi solusi dalam penanganan dan pemanfaatan limbah peternakan serta mengurangi ketergantungan pada pupuk dan pestisida anorganik. Metode pelatihan dilakukan melalui transfer teknologi yang mengkombinasikan demonstrasi dan praktik langsung. POC berbasis bio-slurry terbukti mampu menjadi pengganti pupuk dan pestisida anorganik yang lebih ekonomis dan ramah lingkungan. Pengaplikasian POC berbasis bio-slurry dengan kombinasi pestisida nabati pada tanaman harus dilakukan dengan dosis yang tepat untuk menghindari dampak buruk bagi tanaman. Hasil pelatihan menunjukkan peningkatan wawasan dan keterampilan peserta dalam mengolah limbah bio-slurry menjadi POC yang juga berfungsi sebagai pestisida organik yang bermanfaat bagi pertumbuhan dan produktivitas tanaman.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration has become a critical component of climate change mitigation strategies, offering a natural and economically viable means to mitigate atmospheric CO2 levels. Current practices in SOC sequestration auditing face limitations due to the requirement for carbon permanence, which can discourage landholders from participating due to long-term commitments and uncertainties. We propose the concept of the Soil Carbon Tonne-Year as a new unit of measurement for assessing SOC sequestration, focusing on the time-integrated amount of carbon stored in the soil. Soil carbon tonne-year measures SOC stock across different operational soil carbon pools (such as Mineral Associated Organic Carbon and Particulate Organic Carbon), each with its own mean residence time. This approach, based on physical rather than economic or climatic metrics, aims to offer a more accurate, flexible, and realistic method of accounting for SOC. Our examples suggest that the Soil Carbon Tonne-Year approach could significantly enhance management flexibility, potentially increasing land value and leading to sustainable gains over the long term.

Over the past 40 years, the significance of microzooplankton grazing in oceanic carbon cycling has been highlighted with the help of dilution experiments. The ecologically relevant Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) ecosystem in the Southern Ocean (SO), however, has not been well studied. Here we present data from dilution experiments, performed at three stations around the northern tip of the WAP to determine grazing rates of small zooplankton (hetero- and mixotrophic members of the 0.2–200 µm size fraction, SZP) on auto- and heterotrophic members of the < 200 µm plankton community as well as their gross growth. While variable impacts of SZP grazing on carbon cycling were measured, particulate organic carbon, not the traditionally used parameter chlorophyll a, provided the best interpretable results. Our results suggested that heterotrophic picoplankton played a significant role in the carbon turnover at all stations. Finally, a comparison of two stations with diverging characteristics highlights that SZP grazing eliminated 56–119% of gross particulate organic carbon production from the particulate fraction. Thus, SZP grazing eliminated 20–50 times more carbon from the particulate fraction compared to what was exported to depth, therefore significantly affecting the efficiency of the biological carbon pump at these SO sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cover crops (CC) offer numerous benefits to agroecosystems, particularly in the realm of soil organic carbon (SOC) accrual and loss mitigation. However, uncertainties persist regarding the extent to which CCs, in co‐occurrence with environmental factors, influence SOC responses and associated C pools. We therefore performed a weighted meta‐analysis on the effects of CCs on the mineral‐associated organic carbon (MAOC), the particulate organic carbon (POC) and the microbial biomass carbon (MBC) pool compared to no CC cultivation in arable cropland. Our study summarized global research of comparable management, with a focus on climatic zones representative of Europe, such as arid, temperate and boreal climates. In this meta‐analysis, we included 71 independent studies from 61 articles published between 1990 and June 2023 in several scientific and grey literature databases. Sensitivity analysis was conducted and did not identify any significant publication bias. The results revealed that CCs had an overall statistically significant positive effect on SOC pools, increasing MAOC by 4.8% (95% CI: 0.6%–9.4%, n = 16), POC by 23.2% (95% CI: 13.9%–34.4%, n = 39) and MBC by 20.2% (95% CI: 11.7%–30.7%, n = 30) in the top soil, compared to no CC cultivation. Thereby, CCs feed into the stable as well as the more labile C pools. The effect of CCs on MAOC was dependent on soil clay content and initial SOC concentration, whereas POC was influenced by moderators such as CC peak biomass and experiment duration. For MBC, for example, clay content, crop rotation duration and tillage depth were identified as important drivers. Based on our results on the effects of CCs on SOC pools and significant moderators, we identified several research needs. A pressing need for additional experiments exploring the effects of CCs on SOC pools was found, with a particular focus on MAOC and POC. Further, we emphasize the necessity for conducting European studies spanning the north–south gradient. In conclusion, our results show that CC cultivation is a key strategy to promote C accrual in different SOC pools. Additionally, this meta‐analysis provides new insights into the state of knowledge regarding SOC pool changes influenced by CCs, offering quantitative summary results and shedding light on the sources of heterogeneity affecting these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The IOWN Global Forum has proposed the Open All-Photonic Network (Open APN) as a network infrastructure that achieves low latency and low power consumption and issued an architecture document entitled "Open All-Photonic Network Functional Architecture," in early 2022. This article introduces the activities carried out since the release of the above architecture document to detail the Open APN architecture and promote its practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this investigation, hydrothermal liquefaction‐derived hydrochar from pulverized corn stover (avg. particle size 1.12 mm and ash content 6.75 wt%) is chemically activated with aqueous KOH in the presence of Pluronic F127 surfactant and thermally treated further up to 800°C to generate porous carbon (POC) with higher specific surface area and porosity. POC obtained under different processing conditions is thoroughly characterized by Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller surface area analyzer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Metallic impurity present in POC is characterized by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Higher specific surface area POC is observed with the use of the surfactant during the activation process. Fully characterized POC is used with (Mn, Ti)‐mixed oxide electrode to fabricate asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC). Specific capacitance of ASC is measured by cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique using Gamry G‐300 potentiostat/galvanostat/ZRA. CV plots are obtained with different voltage scan rates whereas galvanostatic charge‐discharge plots are studied by varying the current density. Renewable corn stover‐derived POC prepared using Pluronic F127/KOH activation method is found to be highly suitable as an electrode material because of higher capacitance and electrochemical stability over 100 charging‐discharging cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) testing as a non‐invasive approach to detecting aneuploidies in clinical miscarriages. Design: A retrospective cohort study of women with pregnancy loss. Setting: Hospitals and genetic analysis laboratories. Population or sample: Pregnancy losses in the period 2021–2022. Methods: Results derived from non‐invasive cfDNA testing (Veriseq NIPT Solution V2) of maternal blood and invasive analysis of products of conception (POC) (Ion ReproSeq) compared in 120 women who suffered a miscarriage. Main outcome measures: Concordance rate results, cfDNA testing performance, non‐informative rate (NIR) and fetal fraction (FF). Results: We found no significant differences in the NIR between invasive (iPOC) and non‐invasive (niPOC) analysis of POC (10.0% [12/120] versus 16.7% [20/120]). Of 120 samples, 90 provided an informative result in iPOC and niPOC groups (75%). cfDNA analysis correctly identified 74/87 (85.1%) samples (excluding triploidies). Sensitivity and specificity were 79.4% and 100%, respectively; all discordant cases were female. A binomial logistic model suggested fetal sex as the only variable influencing the concordance rate (P = 0.035). A Y‐chromosome‐based FF estimate allowed the optimal reclassification of cfDNA of non‐informative male fetuses and a more accurate evaluation of cfDNA testing performance. The difference between the two FF estimates (native algorithm and Y‐chromosome‐based) suggests that female non‐concordant cases may represent non‐informative cases. Conclusions: Cell‐free DNA‐based testing provides a non‐invasive approach to determining the genetic cause of clinical miscarriage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This review provides an overview of recent advances in electrochemical sensors for analyte detection in saliva, highlighting their potential applications in diagnostics and health care. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the current state of the field, identify challenges and limitations and discuss future prospects for the development of saliva-based electrochemical sensors. Design/methodology/approach: The paper reviews relevant literature and research articles to examine the latest developments in electrochemical sensing technologies for saliva analysis. It explores the use of various electrode materials, including carbon nanomaterial, metal nanoparticles and conducting polymers, as well as the integration of microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices and wearable/implantable technologies. The design and fabrication methodologies used in these sensors are discussed, along with sample preparation techniques and biorecognition elements for enhancing sensor performance. Findings: Electrochemical sensors for salivary analyte detection have demonstrated excellent potential for noninvasive, rapid and cost-effective diagnostics. Recent advancements have resulted in improved sensor selectivity, stability, sensitivity and compatibility with complex saliva samples. Integration with microfluidics and LOC technologies has shown promise in enhancing sensor efficiency and accuracy. In addition, wearable and implantable sensors enable continuous, real-time monitoring of salivary analytes, opening new avenues for personalized health care and disease management. Originality/value: This review presents an up-to-date overview of electrochemical sensors for analyte detection in saliva, offering insights into their design, fabrication and performance. It highlights the originality and value of integrating electrochemical sensing with microfluidics, wearable/implantable technologies and point-of-care testing platforms. The review also identifies challenges and limitations, such as interference from other saliva components and the need for improved stability and reproducibility. Future prospects include the development of novel microfluidic devices, advanced materials and user-friendly diagnostic devices to unlock the full potential of saliva-based electrochemical sensing in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]