Despite increased integration of digital technologies in higher education, nursing students face major barriers in resource-limited settings. The study investigated the utilisation of digital educational technologies amongst undergraduate nursing students in the Western Cape. The study was conducted at the school of nursing at a higher education institution in the Western Cape. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design with a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of 253 participants. Descriptive analysis was conducted to determine the frequencies and percentages; the mean score and Chi-square test were conducted to determine the association between the variables. Nearly 90% of participants had experience in the use of digital educational technology, 94.5%, learning management system and Facebook, and 93.7% used PowerPoint, communication and collaboration tools. The gender differences in technology use are consistent with the literature. The results suggest female respondents' frequent use of social networks. Male respondents reported more frequent use of bibliographic and web conferencing technologies. Although overall use was very low, gender remains an important factor in understanding technology use. In contrast, blogs, discussion forums and immersive technologies were amongst the least utilised educational technologies. Most nursing students use basic digital tools like learning management systems, Facebook and PowerPoint, but advanced tools such as blogs, forums and immersive technologies are underused, revealing a gap in digital competence that limits collaborative learning and clinical simulation. This study provides evidence on digital technology use amongst undergraduate nursing students, showing frequent use of basic tools but limited engagement with advanced, interactive technologies.
Family caregivers of persons living with dementia experience high stress, elevated rates of depression and anxiety, and an increased risk of cognitive decline compared to non-caregivers. Applications of telehealth interventions in the field of aging and geriatrics can overcome geographic and logistical barriers in the delivery of education and lifestyle support. We report preliminary efficacy findings for Brain Health for Me (BH4Me)©, a brief, co-designed telehealth intervention promoting dementia knowledge, healthy lifestyles, and wellbeing among dementia caregivers. This single-arm, pre-post study evaluated the preliminary efficacy of BH4Me© with 59 racially- and ethnically-diverse dementia caregivers based on a three-session co-designed psychoeducational and skill-building program on dementia-knowledge and brain-health pillars: physical activity, social engagement, stress management, sleep, mental stimulation, healthy diet, chronic condition management, and substance use. Weekly session integrated brief lectures with guided discussion, Q&A, and interactive games to enhance engagement and skill application. Participant reports showed significant improvements in physical activity, social engagement, stress-management, self-efficacy, negative relationship quality, and anxiety, highlighting the potential of telehealth lifestyle and psychoeducational approaches to enhance caregivers' brain health and emotional wellbeing. Delivering the program virtually overcame geographic and scheduling barriers and fostered group interaction that may have reinforced sustained behavior change. Our study provides preliminary evidence of positive outcomes in the areas of lifestyle health behaviors, self-efficacy, and anxiety, thus contributing to the evidence on interventions targeting dementia caregivers. Future work should focus on larger randomized trials, longer observation periods, and objective, real-time measures to evaluate caregiver knowledge and skill acquisition.
Deep learning methods for protein structure generation, sequence design, and structure and property prediction have created unprecedented opportunities for protein engineering and drug discovery. However, using these tools often requires navigating incompatible software environments, diverse input/output formats, and high-performance computing infrastructure, any of which may hinder adoption by primarily experimental chemical biology laboratories. Here, we present BioPipelines, an open-source Python framework that allows researchers to define multistep computational design workflows in a few lines of code. Additionally, its robust yet modular architecture provides a straightforward way to expand the tool kit with different functionalities, particularly by leveraging coding agents, with little effort. The framework currently integrates over 40 tools encompassing structure generation, sequence design, structure prediction, compound screening, and analysis. The same workflow code can be prototyped interactively in a Jupyter notebook and then submitted for production-scale runs without modification. We demonstrate applications in inverse folding, gene synthesis, de novo protein design, compound library screening, iterative binding site optimization, and fusion-protein linker optimization. We hope that this framework will empower researchers, allowing them to focus on the scientific question rather than computational logistics. BioPipelines is available under the MIT license at https://github.com/locbp-uzh/biopipelines.
Maintaining muscular power is essential for preventing sarcopenia and ensuring optimal physical performance. Although inadequate vitamin D levels and environmental pollutants are increasingly recognized as threats to musculoskeletal integrity, their synergistic impact has not been fully established. This study examined how the vitamin D status and atmospheric contaminants independently and collectively influence the prevalence of suspected sarcopenia, defined strictly as low handgrip strength. This cross-sectional analysis included 20,304 individuals from the Health Examinees cohort using baseline data. Vitamin D insufficiency was categorized as circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations below 20 ng/mL. Residential address-linked data were used to estimate the annual mean exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10). Possible sarcopenia was distinguished from clinically diagnosed sarcopenia by relying solely on gender-specific low grip strength cut-offs, according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia guidelines. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were used to assess the associations, and the interaction terms were included to evaluate the effect modification according to the vitamin D status. Suboptimal vitamin D levels were widespread in the cohort (65.0%) and strongly correlated with increased pollutant exposure. After accounting for all potential confounders, elevated PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 levels were associated with reduced serum 25(OH)D levels and a greater likelihood of suspected sarcopenia. Significant interplay was detected between PM2.5 exposure and the vitamin D status, suggesting a combined effect on muscle health (P for interaction = 0.005). Vitamin D deficiency and air pollution exposure are independently associated with possible sarcopenia. In particular, PM2.5 and a vitamin D deficiency exhibit a synergistic adverse association. These findings suggest that adequate vitamin D levels may be protective against pollution-associated declines in muscle strength, highlighting the need for longitudinal studies to explore integrated nutritional and environmental prevention strategies.
At a moment of dramatic retreat from refugee resettlement, accompanied by anti-immigrant political discourse that criminalizes migrants, this study examines how Iraqi resettled refugees who came to the United States with Special Immigrant Visa status following the 2003 war in Iraq navigate stigmatizing welfare dependency tropes and narrate their identities. Using the lens of narrative criminology and based on interviews with Iraqi resettled refugees and social service staff, this study asks how resettled Iraqi refugees construct narratives of self and identity in relation to the organizational narratives they encounter at social services offices, and what these narratives reveal about welfare administration as a site of social harm. Findings show that while resettled refugees construct counter-narratives, these are limited in their emancipatory potential and reproduce harmful narratives of welfare. The study contributes to narrative criminology's engagement with welfare settings as sites of social harm. How Iraqi refugees in Michigan navigate welfare, and how the stories of caseworkers and social services staff shape their experiencesIraqi refugee families in the United States require government assistance while undergoing resettlement and search for employment. The families interact with staff at welfare offices and nonprofit organizations who help them with assistance and resettlement. Their experiences of assistance are usually explained as part of their resettlement journey. However, there is more to understand about how these families see themselves specifically as welfare recipients and how stories about welfare told by their caseworkers and case managers affect them. To understand the connections between the way refugees are described in stories about welfare and how refugees see themselves, I interviewed Iraqi refugees, and staff members who worked at an organization helping refugee families in Michigan. I asked Iraqi families about their experiences of resettlement and receiving assistance. I asked the staff about their role in helping refugees with resettlement and assistance. Then, I looked for patterns in what people said about welfare, unemployment, and refugee resettlement. The staff at the organization often described unemployed refugees as lacking motivation or having the wrong attitude about employment. By contrast, refugees described themselves as professional, motivated to find work, and compliant with all welfare requirements. They described the experience of receiving welfare as humiliating and emphasized to me that they were different from other people who abuse welfare. These are important findings that tell us that people experience harm in these places through humiliating interactions that attack their sense of self-worth. Refugees push back against these negative experiences. Yet, they do so in ways that reinforce negative views about other people receiving welfare. Understanding how stories operate in social services offices can help us understand how welfare stereotypes amplify social harm against welfare recipients.
Varicocele is a prevalent cause of male infertility and has been associated with erectile dysfunction in clinical and preclinical studies, characterized by a complex pathophysiological process involving immune-inflammatory responses. This review focuses on the preclinically supported immune-inflammatory interactions between the testicular and penile microenvironments in varicocele patients, systematically summarizing the plausible and partially validated molecular mechanisms mediating erectile dysfunction and spermatogenic impairment. We explore the network relationships among local and systemic inflammatory cytokines, immune cell infiltration, oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and neurovascular injury. By integrating recent omics studies, animal models, and available clinical data, this article elucidates the hypothetical and mechanistically plausible pathological linkage from abnormal varicose veins in the pampiniform plexus to distal impairment of penile cavernous function. The review aims to synthesize and contextualize the systemic impact of varicocele and to establish a theoretical foundation for developing targeted therapies addressing immune-inflammatory pathways.
Tourette syndrome (TS) has traditionally been conceptualized as a movement disorder characterized by involuntary motor and vocal tics. However, growing evidence suggests that tic generation involves complex interactions between neural, physiological, and psychological processes, particularly the role of premonitory urges (PU). This paper aims to develop an integrative model of tic generation by synthesizing recent evidence across neurobiological, neurophysiological, and psychological domains. A narrative review of PubMed-indexed literature (2020-2026) was conducted, complemented by landmark earlier studies. Evidence was selected and synthesized to explore the relationships between cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical dysfunction, motor inhibition, interoception, and reinforcement mechanisms. Findings indicate that TS is associated with multilevel dysfunction, including impaired inhibitory control, altered cortical excitability, and abnormal interoceptive processing. Premonitory urges emerge as central drivers of tic behavior, linking internal states to motor output. Tic execution produces temporary relief, reinforcing behavior through negative reinforcement mechanisms. These processes form a dynamic urge-action-relief loop, further shaped by perception-action coupling and neural noise. TS can be conceptualized as a disorder of action regulation, in which tics arise from the interaction between dysfunctional neural systems, abnormal interoceptive signals, and reinforcement-based learning processes. The proposed model provides a unified and testable framework for understanding tic generation and has potential implications for clinical intervention targeting the functional relationship between urges and behavior.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sensory integration therapy on balance, functional independence, functional mobility, sensory processing, and cognitive function in children with cerebral palsy. Twenty-two children with cerebral palsy attending a rehabilitation center participated in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to the study group (two females, nine males; 7.3 ± 1.7 years) and the control group (four females, seven males; 8.3 ± 1.4 years). Sociodemographic data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Balance was assessed with the Pediatric Berg Balance Scale, functional mobility with the Timed Up and Go Test, functional independence with WeeFIM, sensory processing with the Sensory Profile, and cognitive function with Dynamic Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment for Children (DOTCA-Ch). Both groups received balance and coordination exercises (1 session/week, 45 minutes), while the study group additionally received individualized sensory integration therapy (1 session/week, 45 min) for 12 weeks. Both groups showed improvement in all measured variables after the intervention. Although both groups demonstrated improvements in Berg Balance Scale and Timed Up and Go Test scores following the intervention, no statistically significant between-group differences were observed (p > 0.05). Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between groups in WeeFIM, DOTCA-Ch, and specific subscales of the Sensory Profile (sensory seeking, emotional response, inattention, sensory sensitivity, and perceptual fine motor domains). Consistent with the hypothesis, sensory integration therapy combined with balance and coordination exercises was associated with improvements in balance, functional mobility, independence, sensory processing, and cognitive function in children with cerebral palsy. However, these findings should be interpreted cautiously because formal group × time interaction analyses were not performed.
Thyroid cancer represents the most prevalent malignancy of the endocrine system, with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) accounting for approximately 90% of cases. Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is a common benign thyroid disorder, frequently associated with structural alterations in thyroid morphology. Evidence indicated that HT may be a risk factor for the development of PTC. Exosomes promote intercellular communication by transferring proteins, mRNAs, micro-RNAs (miRNAs), and lipids to recipient cells, rendering them potential sources of disease-specific biomarkers. This study employed an integrative approach, combining exosome isolation, proteomics, and bioinformatics to identify plasma-derived exosomal biomarkers associated with PTC in the context of HT. Plasma samples were obtained from three patients each with PTC, PTC associated with HT (PTC-W), HT, and healthy controls (HCs). Exosomal proteins were extracted and analyzed using label-free quantitative proteomics. A total of 45 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified between PTC-W and HT. Functional annotation and enrichment analyses revealed that these DEPs were predominantly implicated in extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interactions and immune response pathways. Subsequent validation via parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) confirmed that SVEP1 and IGKV3-7 exhibited consistent and statistically significant expression levels across discovery and validation phases. These results highlight SVEP1 and IGKV3-7 as promising plasma exosomal biomarkers for PTC in patients with HT, providing mechanistic insights into the progression from HT to PTC and potential utility for non-invasive clinical diagnosis.
The vaginal microbiome plays a central role in women's health by supporting immune function, maintaining mucosal homeostasis, and preventing infections. Spaceflight and its analogs can induce acute physiological stress, which can alter host microbiome interactions. While other studies have analyzed the microbiome changes at certain body sites, the female-specific microbiome changes have not been explored in depth in space medicine research. Pre- and post-parabolic flight vaginal and oral microbiome were analyzed via metagenomic shotgun sequencing to assess taxonomic composition and metabolic pathways. Host DNA and bad quality sequences were removed using the KneadData tool. Taxonomic and functional profiles were analyzed with MetaPhlAn and HUMAnN. Microbiome data were integrated with stress response parameters including cortisol, proinflammatory cytokines, and urinary short-chain fatty acids. Both alpha- and beta diversity analysis showed minimal impact of parabolic flight on oral microbiome while vaginal microbiome showed significant differences. Taxonomic profiling showed marked restructuring of the vaginal microbiome, characterized by increased Firmicutes dominance and enrichment of Lactobacillus species, particularly Lactobacillus crispatus and Lactobacillus jensenii, whereas oral microbiome stayed relatively stable. Overall, only 2.54% of oral species showed significant postflight changes compared to 57.9% of vaginal species (p < 0.0001). Random Forest model identified L. crispatus as a key discriminator of postflight vaginal microbiome composition. Metabolic pathway analysis revealed minimal postflight pathway redistribution in saliva samples but greater number of changes in the vaginal microbiome, with significant postflight enrichment of fatty acid biosynthesis and nucleotide metabolism. Vaginal samples demonstrated a threefold greater proportion of altered metabolic pathways compared to oral samples. In addition, urinary acetate, butyrate, and valeric acid levels were significantly reduced postflight. Salivary cortisol increased postflight and positively correlated with L. jensenii. Parabolic flight induces body site-specific microbiome changes in reproductive age women, with greater taxonomic and functional metabolic remodeling in the vaginal microbiome than in the oral microbiome. These findings highlight the sensitivity of the vaginal microbial ecosystem to spaceflight stressors and underscore the need for longitudinal and mechanistic studies to determine the persistence, clinical significance, and potential health implications of these changes during longer duration space missions.
Epic poetry represents an important component of literary education and plays a significant role in shaping historical consciousness and cultural identity among students in multicultural learning environments. The aim of this study was to examine students' affective, cognitive, and arousal responses to two selected epic narratives centered on Marko Kraljević and Alija Đerzelez within an educational context, and to explore how students' cultural background moderated responses to these specific narrative stimuli. Using a mixed factorial design, 64 seventh-grade students (32 Serbian, 32 Bosniak) from multicultural schools evaluated both poems. Responses were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models with poem, ethnicity, and their interaction as fixed effects and participant as a random intercept. Significant poem × ethnicity interactions were observed for valence, F (1, 62) = 42.17, p < 0.001; cognitive evaluation, F (1, 62) = 53.01, p < 0.001; and arousal, F (1, 62) = 40.50,p < 0.001. Simple effects showed that Bosniak students evaluated Alija more positively in valence and cognitive terms, whereas Serbian students favored Marko. Arousal differed only among Serbian students, who reported stronger engagement with Marko, while Bosniak students showed no arousal difference. Although both selected narratives were generally evaluated positively, students' responses differed in the relative strength of affective, cognitive, and arousal evaluations as a function of cultural background. These findings underscore the importance of critically contextualizing national literary traditions in educational settings to promote reflective and inclusive engagement with shared cultural heritage.
To analyze the association between short-term exposure to air pollutants and the risk of fatal recurrence within 1 year in patients with first-episode acute hemorrhagic stroke, to provide scientific basis for health management and risk early warning of patients with hemorrhagic stroke in environmental dimension as well as pollution source control. Patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke who had their first onset in Zhenjiang City from 2020 to 2023 and experienced fatal recurrence within 1 year were selected as the study subjects. A time-stratified case-crossover study design was adopted, with each case day (the day of stroke fatal recurrence) matched with the date 1 week before, 2 weeks before, and 1 week after the case day as control days. Through conditional logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio of fatal recurrence risk caused by short-term exposure to air pollutants on case days and control days was compared. Based on the model fit results, statistically significant models were identified, followed by analyses of lag effects, dose-response relationships, and interactions among pollutants. Stratification was performed according to sex, age, and season to identify potential effect modifiers of the corresponding variables. A total of 1,056 case days and 3,168 control days were included in this study. Using China's national ambient air quality standards as a reference, the average concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, and O3_8h in Zhenjiang City were close to the first-level concentration limits, while the concentrations of SO2, NO2, and CO were far better than the first-level concentration limits. The conditional logistic regression analysis revealed that short-term exposure to PM2.5, PM10, SO2, and NO2 was associated with an increased risk of fatal recurrence within 1 year in patients with first-episode acute hemorrhagic stroke (p < 0.05), whereas no statistically significant association was observed for CO and O3_8h (p > 0.05). The OR values corresponding to a 1 μg/m3 increase in air pollutant concentration for the 3-day moving average lag (lag02) were as follows: PM2.5 (1.010, 95% CI: 1.007-1.013), PM10 (1.018, 95% CI: 1.011-1.025), SO2 (1.044, 95% CI: 1.012-1.075), and NO2 (1.024, 95% CI: 1.013-1.035); for the 2-day lag (lag2), the OR values were PM10 (1.013, 95% CI: 1.008-1.017) and NO2 (1.017, 95% CI: 1.011-1.023). For each IQR increase in pollutant concentration, the OR value for SO2 (1.137, 95% CI: 1.006-1.274) was the highest among the pollutants in the lag02 model, while the OR value for NO2 (1.123, 95% CI: 1.021-1.224) was the highest among the pollutants in the lag2 model. The dose-response curves of the 3-day moving average lag (lag02) for all four pollutants were statistically significant at low concentration levels (p < 0.05), with the risk of fatal recurrence increasing as the concentration of air pollutants rose. The dose-response curves of PM10 and PM2.5 with a 2-day lag (lag2) was statistically significant at low concentration levels (p < 0.05), with the risk of fatal recurrence first increasing and then decreasing. In contrast, the dose-response curve of NO2 with a 2-day lag (lag2) was statistically significant at high concentration levels (p < 0.05), showing a rapid upward trend in the risk of fatal recurrence. Female sex, age ≥80 years, and autumn were significant effect modifiers, and PM10 attenuated the effect of gaseous pollutants on the risk of fatal recurrence. Short-term exposure to air PM2.5, PM10, SO2, and NO2, even at low concentrations, can increase the risk of fatal recurrence within 1 year in patients with first-episode acute hemorrhagic stroke. Therefore, further strengthening the control and management of pollution sources and establishing tailored risk warning and control measures for different populations and air pollutants are crucial for the health management of current acute hemorrhagic stroke patients.
We examined whether diet quality is associated with executive function (EF) in middle-aged women with a family history of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and whether this is moderated by a genetic AD risk factor, APOE-ε4 allele carriage. Data from 102 low-physically active women (AgeMean = 56.9 ± 5.8 years) were analyzed cross-sectionally. Diet quality was quantified via the Healthy Eating Index-2020 (HEI-2020). Overall EF and sub-domains (working memory [WM], exogenous inhibitory control [ICex], endogenous inhibitory control [ICen], and cognitive flexibility) were measured using neurocognitive assessments. APOE-ε4 carriage was determined from saliva. Moderated regression models tested HEI-2020*APOE-ε4 interactions; significant (p < .05) and near-significant (p < .10) interactions were followed by simple slope analyses. Main effects of HEI-2020 predicted overall EF (p = .033) and WM (p = .003). Interaction effects of HEI-2020*APOE-ε4 for EF and WM (p's = .056-.038) were such that diet quality was positively associated with overall EF (p = .003) and WM (p = .005) in noncarriers only. Main effects of select HEI-2020 sub-scores were observed for overall EF and sub-domains (p's = .001-.047). Interaction effects of total vegetables*APOE-ε4 on overall EF and ICex, saturated fatty acids*APOE-ε4 on overall EF and WM, and added sugars*APOE-ε4 on ICen (p's = .007-.074) were such that sub-scores were positively associated with cognition in noncarriers only (p's < .05). Diet quality and select sub-scores were positively associated with EF in middle-aged women without APOE-ε4 only. Future work should explore if APOE-ε4 carriers require a threshold of diet quality to yield cognitive benefits.
The incidence of exertional heat stroke (EHS) has increased markedly in recent decades. Although intestinal barrier dysfunction and gut microbiota alterations are increasingly implicated in EHS pathophysiology, the respective contributions of heat exposure and physical exercise to these processes remain incompletely defined. Male C57BL/6 mice were assigned to Control (C), Exercise (E), Heat shock (H), or Exercise + Heat shock (HE) groups. Exercise and/or heat exposure were applied to induce exertional heat stress. Intestinal injury and permeability were assessed by histopathology and circulating D-lactate levels. Gut and blood microbial profiles were characterized using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and associations between microbial signatures and intestinal injury markers were analyzed. Both heat exposure and exercise induced intestinal injury and increased circulating D-lactate levels, with the most severe effects observed in the combined HE group. Heat exposure was associated with pronounced alterations in gut microbial diversity and community structure, whereas exercise was associated with increased microbial diversity and gut-associated microbial signatures detected in blood samples. Differential abundance analyses revealed distinct taxonomic profiles associated with heat, exercise, and their combination. Correlation analyses demonstrated significant associations between intestinal injury markers and circulating microbial profiles. These findings indicate that heat exposure and exercise exert distinct yet interacting associations with intestinal barrier integrity and microbial community distribution. Heat stress primarily disrupts gut microbial ecology and barrier function, whereas exercise is more closely associated with increased systemic detection of gut-derived microbial signatures. Together, these results highlight the gut microbiota-barrier axis as a key interface linking environmental and physiological stressors to systemic responses during exertional heat stress.
[This corrects the article on p. 2948 in vol. 13, PMID: 37560007.].
Organic anion-transporting polypeptide (OATP) transporters have a significant influence on the disposition of drugs, significantly influencing their efficacy and toxicity. Humans express two transporters (OATP1B1 and OATP1B3), while murine possess only a single ortholog (Oatp1b2). To elucidate the impact of OATP1B1 and 1B3 on the pharmacokinetics of the hepatoprotective agent glycyrrhizin and its potential drug-drug interactions, we conducted a study utilizing wild-type, murine Oatp1b2 knockout, and newly generated humanized OATP1B1 and OATP1B3 transgenic mice (Slco1b2-/-; 1B1/1B3tg). These models were characterized physiologically and biochemically, followed by intravenous administration of glycyrrhizin for pharmacokinetic analysis. Compared to wild-type controls, Oatp1b2 knockout mice exhibited a 2-fold decrease in liver AUC0-7h and up to 26.9-fold reduction in liver-to-plasma ratios, indicating impaired hepatic uptake of glycyrrhizin. Additionally, the absence of Oatp1b2 resulted in a 2.8-fold increase in plasma AUC0-7h and enhanced renal distribution of glycyrrhizin. However, the knock-in of human OATP1B1 and OATP1B3 partially or fully restored the impaired hepatic uptake and reduced plasma levels of glycyrrhizin in Oatp1b2 knockout mice. Furthermore, we evaluated drug-drug interactions between glycyrrhizin and glecaprevir/pibrentasvir, a clinically relevant combination. Glecaprevir/pibrentasvir inhibited OATP1B1/1B3-mediated hepatic uptake of glycyrrhizin at therapeutic concentrations, increasing systemic exposure and highlighting drug-drug interaction risks. Our study provides the first in vivo evidence of glycyrrhizin hepatic transport by human OATP1B1 and OATP1B3, emphasizing the need for careful dosing in patients with variable OATP1B/1B3 activity due to transporter-mediated drug-drug interactions. Additionally, this humanized mouse model can serve as a robust in vivo tool for the prediction of human OATP1B1 and 1B3 function.
Viral hepatitis B and C are a significant public health burden in Ghana, yet elimination efforts, as outlined by the WHO, are hindered by gaps in understanding and access to care. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the knowledge, misconceptions, and barriers to care from the critical perspectives of patients, caregivers, and healthcare workers (HCWs) in Ghana. We used structured questionnaires to evaluate the awareness, risk perception, understanding of transmission, chronicity, treatment preferences, and recognition of high-risk groups among 449 participants. While general awareness was high, specific knowledge about sources of infection and symptoms was poor among the patient participants (p < 0.05). Less than 50% of patient participants were aware of their HCV status. About 4-20% of all the study participants believed the disease is caused by ageing, having malaria, eating oily foods, witchcraft and curses, or engaging in laborious work. Disparity existed in serostatus awareness (HCWs: 91.2%; patients and caregivers: 56%) and personal risk perception. Major barriers included cost (cited by 75%), distance, and unpleasant interactions between patient-care providers. Most study participants correctly identified clinical risk groups. However, 16% of community participants failed to recognise multiple sexual partners as a risk factor. The findings reveal a significant gap between the aetiology of viral hepatitis disease and community understandings of the disease, driven by misconceptions and structural barriers. To achieve elimination targets as outlined by the World Health Organisation, public health strategies must integrate cultural beliefs into education, destigmatisation, and health system strengthening to improve access to prevention, testing, and treatment services.
3,4,3-LI-(1,2-HOPO) is an octadentate hydroxypyridinone chelator that forms exceptionally stable complexes with tri- and tetravalent f-element ions and has been widely explored in radiopharmaceutical development, actinide decorporation, and metal separations. Despite a broad range of applications under highly acidic, oxidative, and radiolytic conditions, the intrinsic ligand-centered redox chemistry of 3,4,3-LI-(1,2-HOPO), and the influence of metal coordination on this behavior, remain poorly defined. Here, we present the first systematic electrochemical investigation of uncoordinated 3,4,3-LI-(1,2-HOPO) and its La-(III), Th-(IV), Zr-(IV), and Ce-(IV/III) complexes in acidic aqueous media. Cyclic voltammetry reveals that the free ligand undergoes a single, irreversible, pH- and protonation-state-dependent oxidation assigned to the 1-electron oxidation of the hydroxypyridinone moieties, proceeding through either an electron transfer or proton-coupled electron transfer mechanism. Coordination to redox-inactive metal ions significantly suppresses ligand oxidation, shifting oxidation potentials anodically by 0.2 to 0.5 V, depending on metal identity and speciation. Density functional theory calculations demonstrate strong sensitivity of ligand redox potentials to hydration state, coordination mode, and metal-ligand interactions. A pH-dependent reduction mechanism governed by coupled electron-transfer and protonation equilibria is evidenced in the Ce-(IV/III) system, enabling clear distinction between ligand-centered and metal-centered redox processes. Notably, oxygen is determined to be the chemical oxidant responsible for the spontaneous oxidation of Ce-(III), and likely Bk-(III), complexes, resolving a long-standing mechanistic ambiguity. Combined, these results establish quantitative design principles for predicting ligand oxidative stability in f-element complexes, as well as a general experimental framework for disentangling their ligand- and metal-centered redox chemistry using trivalent and tetravalent f-element-3,4,3-LI-(1,2-HOPO) systems as an example.
Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are promising for large-scale energy storage but suffer from zinc anode issues like dendrite growth and side reactions. This study synthesized sulfur-containing carbon dots (S-CDs) from high-sulfur coal via hydrodynamic cavitation. These quasi-spherical S-CDs have abundant surface groups (O-H, C[double bond, length as m-dash]C, C-S) and good aqueous compatibility. As a 0.5 mg mL-1 additive in 2 mol per L ZnSO4 electrolyte, S-CDs weakened Zn2+-water interaction, bound Zn2+ via negative groups, inhibited hydrogen/oxygen evolution and corrosion (corrosion current down to 0.168 mA from 2.3 mA), restricted Zn2+ diffusion, and induced dense (002) plane zinc deposition to suppress dendrites. Electrochemical tests showed Zn‖Zn symmetric batteries with S-CDs had R ct reduced to 200 Ω (from 610 Ω), cycling stably over 1120 h (1 mA cm-2) and 2000 h (5 mA cm-2). Zn‖NH4V4O10 full cells delivered 310.1 mAh g-1 at 3 A g-1 (vs. 250.5 mAh g-1 for pristine electrolyte) and retained 90.3% capacity after 500 cycles (vs. 72.1%). This work enables high-value use of high-sulfur coal and provides a scalable additive to boost AZIBs' practicality in large-scale energy storage.
One major limitation of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) systems is the presence of metallic artifacts. Given the widespread use of metals in dental treatments and the diversity of CBCT designs, this study aimed to compare the effect of aligned and lateral offset detectors on metal artifact formation within the field of view (FOV). This in vitro cross-sectional study evaluated four CBCT systems-two with aligned and two with lateral offset detectors. A dry human skull phantom was scanned with various metallic objects (a titanium implant, a tooth with a chrome-cobalt post and PFM crown, and a tooth with an amalgam restoration) placed in the FOV in two orientations (same vs. opposite side of the region of interest [ROI]) and in three quantities (1, 2, or 3 objects). A polypropylene tube filled with dipotassium phosphate solution was placed in the right first premolar socket to simulate alveolar bone. Ten axial slices were analyzed using 1.5-mm circular ROIs. Mean gray value (MGV) and standard deviation (SD) were calculated, where higher MGV and lower SD indicate lower artifact severity. Data were analyzed with four-way weighted analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multiple comparisons were performed using Games-Howell, Bonferroni, and t-tests (p < 0.05). Detector type, material, object location, and number significantly affected artifact formation. Aligned detectors showed significantly higher MGV and lower SD, indicating reduced artifact severity (p < 0.001). Amalgam produced the most severe artifacts, reflected by the lowest MGVs, while cobalt-chromium yielded the highest variability (SD) (p < 0.005). Artifacts were more severe when metallic objects were on the same side as the ROI and increased with more objects. Several significant interaction effects were observed (p < 0.05). Detector type, metal composition, and the number and position of metallic objects within the FOV significantly influence artifact formation in CBCT images. Optimizing these factors can reduce artifacts and improve image quality.