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This paper presents a new approach towards the design of paper based autonomous microfluidic devices. Autonomy in the device operation is achieved through the incorporation of mechanically actuated microfluidic switches that are versatile in their design and may be configured to be simple time triggered ON or OFF switches or more complex switches that can be timed to be in multiple states (timed ON, followed by timed OFF). These switches are self-contained and require no external power for their operation, deriving their functionality solely through stored elastic energy. This paper presents the design and fabrication of these switches as fluidic analogs of electronic transistors, and their integration into microfluidic paper based circuit demonstrating their operation as a programmable paper-based microfluidic device.

This study aims to explore the channel patterns and the characteristic parameters of the zigzag microchannel based on microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs), in which the mixing efficiency and speed can be greatly enhanced. Better mixing of the solutions was obtained by adding a simple directing electric field to the optimized structure of the zigzag microchannel on paper-based chips instead of the traditional complex devices. A higher mixing efficiency was reached when the direct-current (DC) power supply reached 20 V. Meanwhile, a piezoelectric transducer (PZT) driver was used in the mixing experiment with the paper-based zigzag microchannel. The results show that the mixing efficiency reached a maximum value when the input voltage and frequency were 30 V and 150 Hz, respectively. These paper-based devices meet the requirements of the biochemical analysis field because they are low cost, easy to operate, and have high efficiencies, giving them good prospects for future applications. Graphical Abstract.

Advancements in health care monitoring demand a rapid, accurate and reliable early diagnosis of "Heart Attack" (acute myocardial infarction) with an objective to develop a cost-effective, rapid and label-free point of care diagnostic test kit for the detection of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) on paper-based multi-frequency impedimetric transducers. Paper based sensing platforms were developed by integrating carboxyl group functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) with antibodies of cardiac troponin I (anti-cTnI) biomarker and was characterized using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). Various concentrations of cTnI with anti cTnI were studied as a function of impedance change. The suitability of the proposed immunosensor is demonstrated by spiking cTnI in blood serum samples. The limit of detection (LoD) and sensitivity of the proposed sensor was determined to be 0.05 ng/mL and 1.85 mΩ/ng/mL respectively, with a response time of ~1 min. The shelf life of the fabricated sensor was nearly 30 days. The rapid response, very low detection limit, and cost effectiveness offer a portable platform to detect cTnI in blood serum samples. The proposed immunosensor, therefore, offers an affordable healthcare diagnostic platform in resource limited areas.

The clinical importance of blood group (BG) antigens is related to their ability to induce immune antibodies that can cause hemolysis. Yet, ABO and D (Rh) are still considered to be the key antigens for healthy blood transfusion and secondary antigens are the next priority. Serological typing is the most widely used typing method. Rapid and accurate blood grouping plays an important role in some clinical conditions, rather than conventional techniques. Hence, developing a simple and economical model for rapid blood grouping would facilitate these tests. In recent decades, paper-based microfluidics such as μPADs has gained much interest in wide application areas such as point-of-care diagnostic. In this study, we evaluated μPADs that are performed for blood grouping and its recent progress. A comprehensive literature search was performed using databases including PUBMED, SCOPUS, Web of Science and Google Scholar. Keywords were blood grouping or typing, paper analytical device, rapid test, etc. After investigation of search results, 16 papers from 2010 to 2020 were included. Further information in detail was classified in Table 1. Generally, two principles for blood typing μPADs are introduced. The lateral chromatographic flow method and the vertical flow-through method that detects BG in a visual-based manner. To detect results with acceptable clarity many factors and challenges like paper, blood sample, buffer, Ab and RBC interaction and also μPADs stability need to be considered, which are discussed. In conclusion, the simplicity, stability, cheapness, portability and biocompatibility of μPADs for blood grouping confirming its utility and also they have the capability to robust, universal blood-grouping platform. Table 1 Summary of blood grouping tests using paper-based analytical devices Antigens Type of diagnosis Validation method Sample No Accuracy Action time Paper type Stability Sample dilution Buffer Ref A, B, Rh Forward volunteers records 5 - - Whatman No. 4 - 1/2 PBS* (Khan et al. 2010) A, B, Rh Forward gel assay test and conventional slide test 100 100% 1 min Whatman No. 4 and Kleeenex paper towel 7 Days in 4 °C 1/1 NSS (Al-Tamimi et al. 2012) A, B, Rh Forward gel card assay 99 100% 20 Sec + Washing Kleeenex paper towel - 1/1 NSS (Li et al. 2012) A, B, Rh Forward - - - - Kleeenex paper towel - 45/100 PSS (Li et al. 2013) A, B, Rh Forward gel card assay 98 100% 1.5 min Kleeenex paper towel - 85/100 PBS (Guan et al. 2014b) C, E, c, e, K, Jka, Jkb, M, N, S, P1, and Lea Forward gel card assay 266 100% - Kleeenex paper towel - 1/1 NSS (Li et al. 2014b) A, B, Rh Forward and Reverse conventional slide test 96 ≈ 91% 10 min Whatman No. 1 21 Days in 4 °C 1/2 NSS (Noiphung et al. 2015) C, c, E, e, K, k, Fya, Fyb, Jka, Jkb, M, N, S and s, P1, Lea and Leb Forward - 478 - - Kleeenex paper towel - 1/1 NSS, PBS (Then et al. 2015) A, B Forward and Reverse conventional slide test 76 100% 5-8 min Whatman No. 4 38 Days in 4 °C 1/4, 1/1 NSS (Songjaroen and Laiwattanapaisal 2016) D, K Forward volunteers records 210 - 7.5 min Kleenex paper towel - 1/1 NSS (Yeow et al. 2016) A, B, c, e, D, C, E, M, N, S, s, P1, Jka, Jkb, Lea, Leb, Fya, and Fyb Forward and Reverse gel card assay 3550 ≈100% 30 s Fiber glass and cotton linter 180 Days in 25 °C 45/100, 1/1 PBS (Zhang et al. 2017) A, B Forward conventional slide test 598 100% 3 min Whatman No. 113 14 Day in 4 °C 1/1 NSS (Songjaroen et al. 2018) A, B, Rh Forward conventional slide test - - 30 Sec + Washing Unrefined sisal paper - 1/2 NSS (Casals-Terré et al. 2019) A, B, Rh Forward - - - - Whatman No.1 - 1/1 NSS (Ansari et al. 2020) ABO & Rh Forward and Reverse conventional slide test - 100% Unrefined Eucalyptus papers - 1/2 NSS, PBS (Casals-Terré et al. 2020) A, B, Rh Forward - - - 30 Sec + Washing Whatman No. 4 modified with chitosan  ≥ 100 days in 25 °C 1/1 NSS (Parween et al. 2020) * phosphate buffer saline, normal saline solution.

Multiplex detection is a smart and an emerging approach in point-of-care testing as it reduces analysis time and testing cost by detecting multiple analytes or biomarkers simultaneously which are crucial for disease detection at an early stage. Application of inexpensive substrate such as paper has immense potential and matter of research interest in the area of point of care testing for multiplexed analysis as it possesses several unique advantages. This study presents the use of paper, strategies adopted to refine the design created on paper and lateral flow strips to enhance the signal, increase the sensitivity and specificity of multiplexed biosensors. An overview of different multiplexed detection studies performed using biological samples has also been reviewed along with the challenges and advantages offered by multiplexed analysis., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Over the last few years, the microfluidics phenomenon coupled with the Internet of Things (IoT) using innovative nano-functional materials has been recognized as a sustainable and economical tool for point-of-care testing (POCT) of various pathogens influencing human health. The sensors based on these phenomena aim to be designed for cost-effectiveness, make it handy, environment-friendly, and get an accurate, easy, and rapid response. Considering the burgeoning importance of analytical devices in the healthcare domain, this review paper is based on the gist of sensing aspects of the microfabricated paper-based analytical devices (μPADs). The article discusses the various used design methodologies and fabrication approaches and elucidates the recently reported surface modification strategies, detection mechanisms viz., colorimetric, electrochemical, fluorescence, electrochemiluminescence, etc. In a nutshell, this article summarizes the state-of-the-art research work carried out over the nano functionalized paper-based analytical devices and associated challenges/solutions in the point of care testing domain., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Cystinuria, is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder involving increasingly high levels of poorly soluble cysteine in urine leading to formation of stones. Developing a facile, low-cost, point-of-care and selective sensor for diagnosis of cysteine is imperative. Accordingly, for the detection of cysteine, the present study demonstrates an inexpensive colorimetric, paper-based vertical flow plasmonic micro-well device with a two-minute turn-around time. The method encompasses the use of microbially-synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) that change from light brown / yellow to dark brown upon binding with Sulphur present in cysteine. This technique allows for visual detection up to 1 × 10 -5  mM cysteine and can be easily offered as a rapid diagnostic test even at setups with minimal resources.

Rapid, disposable, point-of-care (POC) oral fluid testing has gained considerable attention in recent years as saliva contains biomarker and components of the serum proteome that offer important information on both oral and systemic disease. Microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) coupled with smartphone reflectance sensing systems have long been considered to be an effective POC tool for the diagnostics of biomarkers in oral fluid. However, the existing portable systems are limited by the poor color distribution in the detection area as well as not being universally applicable. Therefore, using the properties of nanomaterials to our advantage, we present a simple, universally applicable approach that features graphene oxide (GO) coated μPADs coupled with smartphone-based colorimetric detection for the direct quantification of glucose. An integrated portable system is used to implement the approach. Owing to the enhanced reagents absorptivity, reactive efficiency and homogeneity of color distribution from the deposition of GO, the glucose assay performance was improved. Also, by using a self-developed app, the glucose concentrations in physiological range can be automatically quantified. Finally, the approach is universally applicable as the modification of μPADs with GO can be achieved without the use of any linker, binder or retention aid, which avoids possible enzyme cross contamination. The system was first calibrated by standard glucose buffer solutions, and the limit of detection as well as the linear dynamic range were found to be 0.02 mM and 0~1 mM, respectively, which are appropriate for analyzing glucose concentrations in a clinically relevant range. Finally, the system was used for quantifying glucose concentrations in artificial saliva and the results obtained using our portable system showed reasonable agreement with the actual use concentrations. Thus, the utility of the system in sensitively quantifying glucose concentrations in a portable, and repeatable manner is demonstrated.

This article introduces a novel inkjet printing method for the fabrication of a microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPADs) with improved analytical performance for colorimetric measurements. Firstly, a hydrophobic boundary was created by wax printing on chromatography paper. Then, chitosan (CHI), 3,3',5,5'-Tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and enzymatic mixture solvent (glucose oxidase (GOx) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP)) were sequentially printed in the sensing zone. Polyethylene glycol (PEG6000) was mixed with the bienzymatic solution to act as an enzyme stabilizer, forming the printable ink. The resulting μPADs exhibited a linear relationship between color intensity and glucose concentration from 0.0 25 mg/ml to 0 .5mg/ml. The detectable glucose concentration was in a clinically relevant range from 0.01 mg/ml to 4 mg/ml. The limit of detection (LOD) was achieved at 0.01 mg/ml. After 60-day storage under 4 °C, the color intensity at the testing zone retained over 80% of the original intensity. In addition, a smartphone application was developed for in situ colorimetric image processing, and the colorimetric analysis results were compared with those from the use of a scanner followed by processing using ImageJ. Furthermore, the development of this ink printing method also provides a point of care (POC) platform for other substances detection purposes.

Nowadays, there is great interest in the use of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) for low-cost diagnostics. In most cases, the test equipment is needed. Here we report a new type of device-independent detection method based on timer-paper-based analytical devices, which can be tested by smartphone, and its application for cholesterol detection. The Quick Response code was designed as the timer component of this device. Wax printing method was employed to print the pattern on filter paper. The color and enzyme reagents have been immobilized in the hydrophilic channel to complete the colorimetric detection for cholesterol. Under laminar flow conditions of the cellulose network, the liquid volume of detection zone has been quantified by monitoring the fluid residence time on different area of the timer-paper-based devices. The precise monitoring of detection time can promote the accuracy of colorimetric detection. This is very important for the quantitative detection of paper-based analytical devices. One significant outcome of this report is that simple and accurate timer can be used for detection process self-clocking. The factors of total detection time have been investigated. The linear range of the calibration curve was 3.0 ~ 6.0 mmol L -1 , with correlation coefficient of 0.9956. With the characteristic of easy to use, low cost and accurate monitoring of detection time, this kind of timer-paper-based devices can be applied to cholesterol or other substances rapid detection.

Vitamin K antagonists such as warfarin are the most widely used class of oral anticoagulants. Due to a narrow therapeutic window, patients on warfarin require regular monitoring. Self-testing using point-of-care (POC) diagnostic devices is available, but cost makes this monitoring method beyond reach for many. The main objective of this research was to assess the clinical utility of a low-cost, paper-based lateral flow POC diagnostic device developed for anticoagulation monitoring without the need for a separate electronic reader. Custom-fabricated lateral flow assay (LFA) test strips comprised of a glass fiber sample pad, a nitrocellulose analytical membrane, a cellulose wicking pad, and a plastic backing card were assembled in a plastic cassette. Healthy volunteers and patients on warfarin therapy were recruited for this prospective study. For each participant, a whole blood sample was collected via fingerstick to determine: (1) international normalized ratio (INR) using the CoaguChek® XS coagulometer, (2) hematocrit by centrifugation, and (3) red blood cell (RBC) travel distance on the experimental LFA device after 240 s using digital image analysis. RBC travel distance measured on the LFA device using blood samples obtained from warfarin patients positively correlated with increasing INR value and the LFA device had the capability to statistically distinguish between healthy volunteer INR values and those for patients groups with INR ≥ 2.6. From these data, it is predicted that this low-cost, paper-based LFA device can have clinical utility for identifying anticoagulated patients taking vitamin K antagonists who are outside of the desired therapeutic efficacy window.

A novel screen-printed microfluidic paper-based analytical device with all-carbon electrode-enabled electrochemical assay (SP-ACE-EC-μPAD) has been developed. The fabrication of these devices involved wax screen-printing, which was simple, low-cost and energy-efficient. The working, counter and reference electrodes were screen-printed using carbon ink on the patterned paper devices. Different wax screen-printing processes were examined and optimized, which led to an improved method with a shorter heating time (~5 s) and a lower heating temperature (75 °C). Different printing screens were examined, with a 300-mesh polyester screen yielding the highest quality wax screen-prints. The carbon electrodes were screen-printed on the μPADs and then examined using cyclic voltammetry. The analytical performance of the SP-ACE-EC-μPADs for the detection of glucose and uric acid in standard solutions was investigated. The results were reproducible, with a linear relationship [R(2) = 0.9987 (glucose) or 0.9997 (uric acid)] within the concentration range of interest, and with detection limits as low as 0.35 mM (glucose) and 0.08 mM (uric acid). To determine the clinical utility of the μPADs, chronoamperometry was used to analyze glucose and uric acid in real urine samples using the standard addition method. Our devices were able to detect the analytes of interest in complex real-world biological samples, and have the potential for use in a wide variety of applications.

Devices based on rapid, paper-based, isothermal nucleic acid amplification techniques have recently emerged with the potential to fill a growing need for highly sensitive point-of-care diagnostics throughout the world. As this field develops, such devices will require optimized materials that promote amplification and sample preparation. Herein, we systematically investigated isothermal nucleic acid amplification in materials currently used in rapid diagnostics (cellulose paper, glass fiber, and nitrocellulose) and two additional porous membranes with upstream sample preparation capabilities (polyethersulfone and polycarbonate). We compared amplification efficiency from four separate DNA and RNA targets (Bordetella pertussis, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Influenza A H1N1) within these materials using two different isothermal amplification schemes, helicase dependent amplification (tHDA) and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), and traditional PCR. We found that the current paper-based diagnostic membranes inhibited nucleic acid amplification when compared to membrane-free controls; however, polyethersulfone allowed for efficient amplification in both LAMP and tHDA reactions. Further, observing the performance of traditional PCR amplification within these membranes was not predicative of their effects on in situ LAMP and tHDA. Polyethersulfone is a new material for paper-based nucleic acid amplification, yet provides an optimal support for rapid molecular diagnostics for point-of-care applications.

Inspired by the paper platforms for 3-D cell culture, a paper-based microfluidic device containing drug concentration gradient was designed and constructed for investigating cell response to drugs based on high throughput analysis. This drug gradient generator was applied to generate concentration gradients of doxorubicin (DOX) as the model drug. HeLa cells encapsulated in collagen hydrogel were incubated in the device reservoirs to evaluate the cell viability based on the controlled release of DOX spatially. It was demonstrated that drug diffusion through the paper fibers created a gradient of drug concentration, which influenced cell viability. This drug screening platform has a great opportunity to be applied for drug discovery and diagnostic studies with simultaneous and parallel tests of drugs under various gradient concentrations.

Low cost, disposable paper based electrical sensor to examine the analyte concentration in an extremely small volume of sample solution is essential for environmental and healthcare applications. For the development of paper based devices, sophisticated instruments are essential to pattern electrode on the top surface of the paper. In most cases, such fabricated device results in direct contact with the analyte solution on the surface of the electrode during electrical detection and leads to high electrical double layer capacitance. In this work, we have focused to reduce the double layer capacitance by fabricating hand drawn electrode paper sensor utilising the reverse side of the paper. This design acts as a sample storage and facilitate impedimetric sensing of ionic concentration of analyte solution using a few microlitre. Droplet formation at the bottom of the paper in the confined area is visually monitored to reduce sample wastage. The interaction between two different electrode materials (graphite and silver) on the paper substrate with the different volume and concentration of the electrolyte is analysed to improve the robustness and sensitivity of the measurement. Simultaneously, we observed a reduction in the electrical double layer effect on the low sample volumes. The proposed paper based sensor shows the enhanced impedance stability on silver electrode patterned paper chip than graphite electrode paper chip to detect the different ionic concentration of artificial sweat sample. Finally, it demonstrates that paper chip has great potential as a disposable diagnostics sensor in healthcare applications., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

We developed a simple method to achieve semiquantitative detection of an amphiphilic biosample through measuring the length of flow on a microfluidic analytical device (μPAD) based on paper. When an amphiphilic sample was dripped into a straight microchannel defined with a printed wax barrier (hydrophobic) on filter paper (hydrophilic), the length of flow was affected by the reciprocal effect between the sample, the filter-paper channel and the wax barrier. The flow length decreased with increasing concentration of an amphiphilic sample because of adsorption of the sample on the hydrophobic barrier. Measurement of the flow length enabled a determination of the concentration of the amphiphilic sample. The several tested samples included surfactants (Tween 20 and Triton X-100), oligonucleotides (DNA), bovine serum albumin (BSA), human albumin, nitrite, glucose and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The results show that the measurement of the flow length determined directly the concentration of an amphiphilic sample, whereas a non-amphiphilic sample was not amenable to this method. The proposed method features the advantages of small cost, simplicity, convenience, directness, rapidity (<5 min) and requirement of only a small volume (5 μL) of sample, with prospective applications in developing areas and sites near patients for testing at a point of care (POCT).

Temperature is a critical extrinsic physical parameter that determines cell fate. Hyperthermia therapy has become an efficient treatment for tumor ablation. To understand the response of tumor cells under thermal shocks, we present a paper-based photothermal array that can be conveniently coupled with commercial 96-well cell culture plates. This paper chip device was fabricated in one step using Parafilm® and Kimwipers® based on a heat lamination strategy. Liquid was completely adsorbed and confined within the cellulose fibres of hydrophilic regions. Then, Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs) as the photothermal initiator were introduced into the loading wells, and thermal energy was generated via near infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. After assembling the paper device with a 96-well plate, the temperature of each well could be individually controlled by varying the loading amount of PB NPs and laser irradiation time. As a proof-of-concept study, the effects of local thermal shocks on HeLa cells were investigated using MTT cell viability assay and Live/Dead cell staining. The variation of cell viability could be monitored in situ with controllable temperature elevation. The proposed paper photothermal array loaded with thermal initiators represents an enabling tool for investigating the hyperthermia responses of biological cells. Moreover, the facile fabrication technique for paper patterning is advantageous for customizing high-throughput microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) with extremely low cost.

Globally, the microbe Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) causes 106 million newly documented sexually transmitted infections each year. Once appropriately diagnosed, NG infections can be readily treated with antibiotics, but high-risk patients often do not return to the clinic for treatment if results are not provided at the point of care. A rapid, sensitive molecular diagnostic would help increase NG treatment and reduce the prevalence of this sexually transmitted disease. Here, we report on the design and development of a rapid, highly sensitive, paperfluidic device for point-of-care diagnosis of NG. The device integrates patient swab sample lysis, nucleic acid extraction, thermophilic helicase-dependent amplification (tHDA), an internal amplification control (NGIC), and visual lateral flow detection within an 80 min run time. Limits of NG detection for the NG/NGIC multiplex tHDA assay were determined within the device, and clinical performance was validated retroactively against qPCR-quantified patient samples in a proof-of-concept study. This paperfluidic diagnostic has a clinically relevant limit of detection of 500 NG cells per device with analytical sensitivity down to 10 NG cells per device. In triplicate testing of 40 total urethral and vaginal swab samples, the device had 95% overall sensitivity and 100% specificity, approaching current laboratory-based molecular NG diagnostics. This diagnostic platform could increase access to accurate NG diagnoses to those most in need.

Compared with traditional drug delivery methods, transdermal drug delivery has many advantages in avoiding the side effects in gastrointestinal tract, reducing the fluctuations in drug concentration, and improving patients' compliance. Among them, electrically controlled drug delivery is a promising solution. This work presents a wireless, battery-free and wearable device with electrically controlled drug delivery capability. The electronic component of the device is a flexible circuit board with a temperature sensor and a near-field communication module. With the help of smartphone, the device could wirelessly obtain energy and implement data transmission. The drug delivery component is a paper-based electrode modified with polypyrrole, in which non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug sodium salicylate was encapsulated. The applied potential for electrically controlled drug delivery was more negative than -0.6 V. The drug release dose and release rates could be controlled by applying potentials with different amplitudes and durations through this device. It provided a minimalized wearable transdermal drug delivery platform for monitoring diseases such as gout. This wearable device shows promising potential in develop closed-loop drug delivery and monitoring systems for the treatment of various diseases.

In this work, we present a new iSIMPLE concept (infusion Self-powered Imbibing Microfluidic Pump by Liquid Encapsulation), which requires no external power for activation nor liquid manipulation, it is easy to use while its fabrication method is extremely simple, inexpensive and suited for mass replication. The pump consists of a working liquid, which is - after finger activation - absorbed in a porous material (e.g. filter paper). The air expelled from the porous material increases the pressure in the downstream outlet channel and propels the outlet liquid (i.e. the sample) through the channel or ejects it. Here we investigated the influence of different filter papers on the iSIMPLE flow rates, achieving a wide range from 30 down to 0.07 μL/min. We also demonstrated the versatility of the iSIMPLE in terms of the liquid volume that can be manipulated (from 0.5 μL up to 150 μL) and the working pressure reaching 64 kPa, unprecedented high for a self-powered microfluidics pump. In addition, using a 34 G microneedle mounted on the iSIMPLE, we successfully injected liquids with different viscosities (from 0.93 up to 55.88 cP) both into an agarose matrix and a skin-like biological ex vivo substrate (i.e. chicken breast tissue). This work validated the compatibility of the iSIMPLE with drug delivery in a controlled way into a skin-like matrix, envisioning a whole new scenario for intradermal injections using self-contained skin patch. In addition, due to the extreme flexibility of the design and manufacturing, the iSIMPLE concept offers enormous opportunities for completely autonomous, portable and cost effective LOC devices.

Purpose of Review: Despite the prevalence of weight loss programs, their success rates remain discouraging, with around half of individuals regaining lost weight within two years. The primary objective of this review is to explore the factors contributing to the failure of weight loss programs and to provide insights into effective weight management strategies., Recent Findings: Factors contributing to the failure of weight loss programs include the impracticality of restrictive diets, potential metabolic impacts, limited focus on lifestyle changes, genetic predispositions, psychological influences, socioeconomic status, and medical conditions. A holistic approach considering these factors is crucial for safe and sustainable weight loss. Key findings indicate the importance of holistic approaches to weight management, including lifestyle modifications, medical interventions, and behavioral and psychological strategies. Effective weight loss strategies emphasize low-calorie, nutrient-rich diets, regular physical activity, and interventions tailored to individual needs. Combining multiple approaches offers the best chance of successful weight management and improved health outcomes. This review provides insights into the complexities of obesity management and the factors contributing to the failure of weight loss programs. It highlights the necessity of adopting a holistic approach that addresses dietary habits, physical activity, genetic factors, psychological well-being, and socioeconomic influences. Recommendations include implementing lifestyle modifications, medical interventions when necessary, and integrating behavioral and psychological support to achieve sustainable weight loss and mitigate the global health challenge posed by obesity., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Flexible electronics offer a versatile, rapid, cost-effective and portable solution to monitor water contamination, which poses serious threat to the environment and human health. This review paper presents a comprehensive exploration of the versatile platforms of flexible electronics in the context of heavy metal ion detection in water systems. The review overviews of the fundamental principles of heavy metal ion detection, surveys the state-of-the-art materials and fabrication techniques for flexible sensors, analyses key performance metrics and limitations, and discusses future opportunities and challenges. By highlighting recent advances in nanomaterials, polymers, wireless integration, and sustainability, this review aims to serve as an essential resource for researchers, engineers, and policy makers seeking to address the critical challenge of heavy metal contamination in water resources. The versatile promise of flexible electronics is thoroughly elucidated to inspire continued innovation in this emerging technology arena., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Callous-unemotional (CU) traits are associated with interpersonal difficulties and risk for severe conduct problems (CP). The ability to communicate thoughts and feelings is critical to social success, with language a promising treatment target. However, no prior studies have examined objective linguistic correlates of childhood CU traits in early childhood, which could give insight into underlying risk mechanisms and novel target treatments., Methods: We computed lexical (positive emotion, sad, and anger words) and conversational (interruptions and speech rate) markers produced by 131 children aged 5-6 years (M = 5.98; SD = 0.54, 58.8% female) and their parents while narrating wordless storybooks during two online visits separated by 6-8 weeks (M = 6.56, SD = 1.11; two books, order counterbalanced). Audio recordings were diarized, time-aligned, and orthographically transcribed using WebTrans. Conversational markers were calculated using R and word frequencies were calculated using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) software. We examined links between child CU traits and linguistic markers, and explored whether relationships were moderated by child sex., Results: Higher CU traits were associated with fewer positive emotion words produced by parents and children. Higher CU traits were also associated with greater concordance in the degree of interruptions and expression of anger emotion words by parents and children., Conclusions: Results suggest that objective linguistic correlates of CU traits are detectable during early childhood, which could inform adjunctive treatment modules that improve outcomes by precisely tracking and targeting subtle communication patterns., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Microfluidic-based point-of-care diagnostics offer several unique advantages over existing bioanalytical solutions, such as automation, miniaturisation, and integration of sensors to rapidly detect on-site specific biomarkers. It is important to highlight that a microfluidic POC system needs to perform a number of steps, including sample preparation, nucleic acid extraction, amplification, and detection. Each of these stages involves mixing and elution to go from sample to result. To address these complex sample preparation procedures, a vast number of different approaches have been developed to solve the problem of reagent storage and delivery. However, to date, no universal method has been proposed that can be applied as a working solution for all cases. Herein, both current self-contained (stored within the chip) and off-chip (stored in a separate device and brought together at the point of use) are reviewed, and their merits and limitations are discussed. This review focuses on reagent storage devices that could be integrated with microfluidic devices, discussing further issues or merits of these storage solutions in two different sections: direct on-chip storage and external storage with their application devices. Furthermore, the different microvalves and micropumps are considered to provide guidelines for designing appropriate integrated microfluidic point-of-care devices., (© 2024. Crown.)

Child psychosocial competencies protect against the development of psychopathology, ameliorate existing psychosocial problems, and predict positive long-term developmental cascades. Assessment of these competencies can improve identification of children in need of psychosocial services, enrich treatment planning, and improve treatment progress and outcome monitoring. Yet, appropriate measures are limited. One promising option is the Psychosocial Strengths Inventory for Children and Adolescents (PSICA), although its discriminative properties were formerly unknown. The present study evaluated the PSICA's sensitivity, specificity, and optimal cutoff scores with 228 youth (38 clinic-referred and 190 community-based youth with case-control matching) ages 2-10 years (M age  = 5.8, 71% boys, 77% White). Results indicated large, significant discrepancies, with clinic-referred youth rated as having less overall psychosocial competence overall and across domains of compliance, prosociality, and attention. Caregivers also reported significantly less satisfaction with the psychosocial competence of clinic-referred versus community youth. Discriminative accuracy of the PSICA's Frequency and Satisfaction scales, and its subscales, were good-to-excellent. Such discriminative accuracy and empirically derived, if preliminary, cutoff scores further support the PSICA as a pragmatic, psychometrically strong tool to screen children for referral into services, and potentiate future investigations into the PSICA's use in treatment planning and evaluation., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Kirigami is one of the interesting paper art forms and the modified sub-class of origami. Kirigami paper art is widely employed in a variety of applications, and it is currently being used in biosensors because of its outstanding advantages. This is the first study on the use of a Kirigami-based aptasensor for DENV (Dengue virus)-antigen detection. In this study, the kirigami approach has been utilized to develop a stretchable, movable, and flexible sensor. The constructed stretchable-kirigami electrode helps in adjusting the connection of electrodes without disturbing the electrochemical cell zone during the experiment. To increase the sensitivity of this biosensor we have synthesized Ag-NPs (Silver nanoparticles) via chemical methods and characterized their results with the help of TEM & UV-Vis Spectroscopy. Different electrochemical approaches were used to validate the sensor response i.e., CV (Cyclic voltammetry) and LSV (Linear sweep voltammetry), which exhibited great detection capability towards dengue virus with the range of 0.1 µg/ml to 1000 µg/ml along with a detection limit of 0.1 µg/ml and showing no reactivity to the chikungunya virus antigen, making it more specific to the DENV antigen. Serum (healthy-human) was also successfully applied to validate the results of the constructed aptasensor. Integration of the Kirigami approach form with the electrochemical aptasensor that utilizes a 3-E setup (three-electrode setup) which is referred to as a tripod and collectively called Kirigami-tripod-based aptasensor. Thus, the developed integrated platform improves the sensors capabilities in terms of cost efficiency, high stretchability, and sensitivity., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Nanostructured materials have gained significant attention in recent years for their potential in biological applications, such as cell and biomolecular sorting, as well as early detection of metastatic cancer. Among these materials, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) stand out for their easy functionalization, high specific surface area, chemical stability, and superparamagnetic properties. However, conventional fabrication methods can lead to inconsistencies in MNPs' characteristics and performance, highlighting the need for a cost-effective, controllable, and reproducible synthesis approach. In this review, we will discuss the utilization of microfluidic technology as a cutting-edge strategy for the continuous and regulated synthesis of MNPs. This approach has proven effective in producing MNPs with a superior biomedical performance by offering precise control over particle size, shape, and surface properties. We will examine the latest research findings on developing and integrating MNPs synthesized through continuous microfluidic processes for a wide range of biological applications. By providing an overview of the current state of the field, this review aims to showcase the advantages of microfluidics in the fabrication and integration of MNPs, emphasizing their potential to revolutionize diagnostic and therapeutic methods within the realm of biotechnology., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Glucose serves as a pivotal biomarker crucial for the monitoring and diagnosis of a spectrum of medical conditions, encompassing hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, and diabetes, all of which may precipitate severe clinical manifestations in individuals. As a result, there is a growing demand within the medical domain for the development of rapid, cost-effective, and user-friendly diagnostic tools. In this research article, we introduce an innovative glucose sensor that relies on microfluidic devices meticulously crafted from disposable, medical-grade tapes. These devices incorporate glucose urine analysis strips securely affixed to microscope glass slides. The microfluidic channels are intricately created through laser cutting, representing a departure from traditional cleanroom techniques. This approach streamlines production processes, enhances cost-efficiency, and obviates the need for specialized equipment. Subsequent to the absorption of the target solution, the disposable device is enclosed within a 3D-printed housing. Image capture is seamlessly facilitated through the use of a smartphone camera for subsequent colorimetric analysis. Our study adeptly demonstrates the glucose sensor's capability to accurately quantify glucose concentrations within sucrose solutions. This is achieved by employing an exponential regression model, elucidating the intricate relationship between glucose concentrations and average RGB (Red-Green-Blue) values. Furthermore, our comprehensive analysis reveals minimal variation in sensor performance across different instances. Significantly, this study underscores the potential adaptability and versatility of our solution for a wide array of assay types and smartphone-based sensor systems, making it particularly promising for deployment in resource-constrained settings and undeveloped countries. The robust correlation established between glucose concentrations and average RGB values, substantiated by an impressive R-square value of 0.98709, underscores the effectiveness and reliability of our pioneering approach within the medical field., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Diagnosis of prostate cancer (PC) has posed a challenge worldwide due to the sophisticated and costly diagnostics tools, which include DRE, TRUS, GSU, PET/CT scan, MRI, and biopsy. These diagnostic techniques are very helpful in the detection of PCs; however, all the techniques have their serious limitations. Biosensors are easier to fabricate and do not require any cutting-edge technology as required for other imaging techniques. In this regard, point-of-care (POC) biosensors are important due to their portability, convenience, low cost, and fast procedure. This review explains the various existing diagnostic tools for the detection of PCs and the limitation of these methods. It also focuses on the recent studies on biosensors technologies as an alternative to the conventional diagnostic techniques for the detection of PCs., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Based on the network theory of mental disorders, this study used network analysis to examine the network of ODD symptoms and multilevel family factors and identify the most crucial family factors influencing ODD symptoms in children. A total of 718 Chinese migrant children aged 7-14 years participated in this study. This study measured ODD symptoms, family system-level variables (3 factors), family dyadic-level variables (6 factors), and family individual-level variables (6 factors) with factors selected based on the multilevel family factors theory of ODD symptoms. The results indicated that (1) "annoy" was the center symptom of ODD, (2) "annoy" and "vindictive" was the main bridge connecting the multilevel family factors, and (3) family cohesion at the family system level, parent-child conflict at the family dyadic level, and parental depression at the family individual level were critical central and bridging influencing factors. The findings of this study highlight the critical role of "annoy" and "vindictive" symptoms in the activation of ODD symptom networks in children and provide a basis for future improvements in diagnostic criteria. These potential core and bridge factors might become key intervention targets for childhood ODD., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Youth who experience psychopathy display multiple impairments across interpersonal (grandiose-manipulative [GM]), affective (callous-unemotional [CU]), lifestyle (daring-impulsive [DI]), and potentially antisocial and behavioral features. Recently, it has been acknowledged that the inclusion of psychopathic features can offer valuable information in relation to the etiology of Conduct Disorder (CD). Yet, prior work largely focuses on the affective component of psychopathy, namely CU. This focus creates uncertainty in the literature on the incremental value of a multicomponent approach to understanding CD-linked domains. Consequently, researchers developed the Proposed Specifiers for Conduct Disorder (PSCD; Salekin & Hare, 2016) as a multicomponent approach to assess GM, CU, and DI features in combination with CD symptoms. The notion of considering the wider set of psychopathic features for CD specification requires testing whether multiple personality dimensions predict domain-relevant criterion outcomes above-and-beyond a CU-based approach. Thus, we tested the psychometric properties of parents' reports on the PSCD (PSCD-P) in a mixed clinical/community sample of 134 adolescents (M age = 14.49, 66.4% female). Confirmatory factor analyses resulted in a 19-item PSCD-P displaying acceptable reliability estimates and a bifactor solution consisting of GM, CU, DI, and CD factors. Findings supported the incremental validity of scores taken from the PSCD-P across multiple criterion variables, including (a) an established survey measure of parent-adolescent conflict; and (b) trained independent observers' ratings of adolescents' behavioral reactions to laboratory controlled tasks designed to simulate social interactions with unfamiliar peers. These findings have important implications for future research on the PSCD and links to adolescents' interpersonal functioning., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Transdermal drug delivery (TDD) has significantly advanced medical practice in recent years due to its ability to prevent the degradation of substances in the gastrointestinal tract and avoid hepatic metabolism. Among different available approaches, microneedle arrays (MNAs) technology represents a fascinating delivery tool for enhancing TDD by penetrating the stratum corneum painless and minimally invasive for delivering antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral medications. Polymeric MNAs are extensively utilized among many available materials due to their biodegradability, biocompatibility, and low toxicity. Therefore, this review provides a comprehensive discussion of polymeric MNAs, starting with understanding stratum corneum and developing MNA technology. Furthermore, the engineering concepts, fundamental considerations, challenges, and future perspectives of polymeric MNAs in clinical applications are properly outlined, offering a comprehensive and unique overview of polymeric MNAs and their potential for a broad spectrum of clinical applications., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose of the Review: Diabetes and obesity are complicated multifactorial conditions that have been highlighted as a significant global burden for both health care and national budgets and their complications are considered a substantial public health concern. This review focuses on the potential anti-diabetic and anti-obesity properties of bee pollen (BP) and bee bread (BB), two bee products with a long history of use in traditional medicine and supplemental nutrition., Recent Findings: Recent studies, encompassing cellular models, experimental models, and clinical trials, have shed light on the therapeutic potential of these bee products. BP and BB are rich in phytochemical constituents like flavonoids and phenolic acids, which are believed to confer their anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and anti-obesity properties. These bee products have shown promising results in the treatment of diabetes and obesity, underscoring their potential as natural therapeutic tools. BP and BB possess properties that aid in decreasing blood glucose levels and body weight. BP and BB have been found to enhance insulin sensitivity, alleviate oxidative stress, regulate appetite, adjust levels of hormones linked to obesity, while bolstering anti-oxidant defense systems. BP and BB nutritional qualities and health benefits make them promising candidates for further research towards diabetes and obesity treatment strategies., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose of Review: Cancer, a complex disease affecting millions globally, presents considerable challenges for both patients and health care providers. Within the broad spectrum of cancer care, nutrition plays a key role in supporting patients throughout their journey. This narrative review examines the role of nutrition in cancer care, exploring its impact on treatment outcomes, nutritional status, current dietary recommendations, physical activity, palliative care, and finally, as a nutritional encouragement for cancer survivors., Recent Findings: Evidence indicates that cancer and anticancer treatments frequently cause malnutrition and loss of muscle mass, which can exacerbate symptoms, impair immune function, and hamper recovery. Therefore, adequate nutritional support is crucial for maintaining strength, controlling symptoms, and optimizing treatment tolerance in patients with cancer. Several factors influence nutritional needs and dietary recommendations, including cancer type, treatment, and individual patient characteristics. Nutritional care aims not only to ensure sufficient energy and protein intake, but also to manage specific symptoms such as dysgeusia, nausea, and dysphagia. Registered dietitians play a crucial role in providing personalized nutritional guidance, monitoring nutritional status, and implementing interventions to address emerging challenges in cancer care. Furthermore, recent research has underscored the benefits of dietary interventions in cancer treatment. From targeted nutritional supplements to more invasive nutritional support, interest in how nutrition can affect cancer risk and treatment outcomes is increasing. Overall, this review highlights the critical role of nutritional care in comprehensive cancer treatment. By recognizing and meeting dietary demands throughout the entire cancer journey, health care professionals can improve patients' well-being, response to treatment, and long-term prognosis., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose of Review: Global food production leads to substantial amounts of agricultural and food waste that contribute to climate change and hinder international efforts to end food insecurity and poverty. Food waste is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, fibers, phenolic compounds, lipids, and bioactive peptides. These compounds can be used to create food products that help reduce heart disease risk and promote sustainability. This review examines the potential cardiovascular benefits of nutrients found in different food waste categories (such as fruits and vegetables, cereal, dairy, meat and poultry, and seafood), focusing on animal and clinical evidence, and giving examples of functional food products in each category., Recent Findings: Current evidence suggests that consuming fruit and vegetable pomace, cereal bran, and whey protein may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly in individuals who are at risk. This is due to improved lipid profile, reduced blood pressure and increased flow-mediated dilation, enhanced glucose and insulin regulation, decreased inflammation, as well as reduced platelet aggregation and improved endothelial function. However, the intervention studies are limited, including a low number of participants and of short duration. Food waste has great potential to be utilized as cardioprotective products. Longer-term intervention studies are necessary to substantiate the health claims of food by-products. Technological advances are needed to improve the stability and bioavailability of bioactive compounds. Implementing safety assessments and regulatory frameworks for functional food derived from food waste is crucial. This is essential for maximizing the potential of food waste, reducing carbon footprint, and improving human health., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Depressive symptoms are prevalent in adolescents, especially girls, underscoring the need for early detection and targeted interventions. Identifying initial symptoms and their temporal associations is vital for such interventions. This study used cross-lagged panel network (CLPN) analysis to examine the central depressive symptoms and their interconnections within a national cohort derived from the China Family Panel Study (CFPS). The participants included 2524 adolescents (45.8% girls), with depressive symptoms assessed using the Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-8) in 2016 (M age = 12.30) and 2018 (M age = 14.25). The CLPN model showed that "loneliness" and "not getting going (fatigue)" at T1 were the strongest predictors of subsequent depressive symptoms at T2, after controlling for demographic variables and depressive symptoms at T1. Conversely, depressed mood and anhedonia at T2 were most likely to be influenced by other symptoms at T1. Gender-stratified analyses identified "loneliness" as the initial symptom in girls and "fatigue" for boys. Additionally, girls exhibited stronger reciprocal associations among depressive symptoms than boys. The findings suggest that addressing interpersonal loneliness is crucial for adolescent girls, whereas somatic fatigue should be a focus for adolescent boys, highlighting the need for gender-specific approaches in early intervention strategies. This research provides insights into the distinct gendered networks of depressive symptomatology in adolescents, informing tailored prevention and intervention efforts., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The microneedles have attracted great interests for a wide range of transdermal biomedical applications, such as biosensing and drug delivery, due to the advantages of being painless, semi-invasive, and sustainable. The ongoing challenges are the materials and fabrication methods of the microneedles in order to obtain a specific shape, configuration and function of the microneedles to achieve a target biomedical application. Here, this review would introduce the types of materials of the microneedles firstly. The hardness, Young's modulus, geometric structure, processability, biocompatibility and degradability of the microneedles are explored as well. Then, the fabrication methods for the solid and hollow microneedles in recent years are reviewed in detail, and the advantages and disadvantages of each process are analyzed and compared. Finally, the biomedical applications of the microneedles are reviewed, including biosensing, drug delivery, body fluid extraction, and nerve stimulation. It is expected that this work provides the fundamental knowledge for developing new microneedle devices, as well as the applications in a variety of biomedical fields., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Cancer antigen 125 (CA125) and human epididymal secretory protein 4 (HE4) are critical biomarkers for ovarian cancer diagnosis and progression monitoring; therefore, sensitive determination of their levels in body fluids is crucial. In recent study, label-free CA125 and HE4 immunosensors were prepared using disposable screen-printed carbon electrodes modified with reduced graphene oxide, polythionine, and gold nanoparticles for the sensitive, fast, and practical determination of CA125 and HE4. Differential pulse voltammetry, square wave voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy methods were used for the electrochemical determination of antigens in four different linear ranges (1-100 pg mL - 1 , 0.01-10 ng mL - 1 , 10-50 ng mL - 1, and 50-500 ng mL - 1 ). High sensitivity, low limit of detection, and limit of quantification were obtained for each linear range with a correlation coefficient above 0.99. The application stability of CA125 and HE4 immunosensors was determined as 60 days, and the storage stability was determined as 16 weeks. Immunosensors showed high selectivity in nine different antigen mixtures. The reusability of the immunosensors has been tested up to 9 cycles. The Risk of Ovarian Malignancy Algorithm score% values were calculated using the concentration of CA125 and HE4 in the blood serum and evaluated in terms of ovarian cancer risk. For the point-of-care testing, CA125 and HE4 levels at pg mL - 1 concentration were measured in blood serum samples using the developed immunosensors and a hand-held electrochemical reader in approximately 20-30 s, and high recoveries were obtained. These disposable label-free immunosensors are user-friendly and can be used in point-of-care tests for rapid and practical detection of CA125 and HE4 with high selectivity, sensitivity, and repeatability., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The present study investigated the relations between maternal depressive symptoms and internalizing problems in offspring during late childhood and early adolescence, examining sex differences using symptom network analysis. A total of 885 Chinese youths in late childhood (n = 497, 38.6% girls; age = 9.58 years, SD = 0.24) and early adolescence (n = 388, 48.5% girls; age = 11.30 years, SD = 0.24) and their mothers (M age = 37.34 years, SD = 5.42) were recruited. Cross-lagged panel network (CLPN) analysis was used to explore bridge symptoms (i.e., symptoms connecting two or more mental disorders) and identify transmission pathways between maternal depressive symptoms and offspring's internalizing problems at these two developmental stages. The CLPN results revealed that in late childhood, the bridge connections in the network model were boys feeling worried to mothers feeling distractible, and girls feeling worried to mothers feeling powerless. In early adolescence, the bridge connections were boys experiencing depressed mood to mothers feeling powerless, and mothers feeling bad to girls experiencing depressed mood. These findings highlight the network-level relations between maternal depressive symptoms and offspring internalizing problems. They provide insights into the developmental differences and similarities in symptoms during these periods and suggest ways to break the vicious cycle of psychopathology between mothers and their children., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Little is known about the relationship between violence exposure and mental health in preschoolers living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Multiple regression analyses investigated associations between violence exposure and mental health in the Drakenstein Child Health Study (N = 978), a South African birth cohort. Lifetime violence exposure was assessed at age 4.5 years using the parent-report Child Exposure to Community Violence Checklist (CECV). Mental health was assessed at age 5 years using the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL 1.5-5). Eighty-three percent of the children were exposed to some form of violence. Internalising and externalising behaviours were positively associated with overall violence exposure (β per one unit change in the overall score = 0.55 [0.16, 0.94] and β = 0.53 [0.23, 0.84], respectively), domestic victimisation (β per one unit change in the subscore = 1.28 [0.28, 2.27]; β = 1.14 [0.37, 1.90]) and witnessing community violence (β = 0.77 [0.15, 1.39]; β = 0.68 [0.19, 1.18]). There was a positive association between polyvictimisation and externalising (β = 1.02 [0.30, 1.73]) but not internalising (β = 0.87 [-0.06, 1.80]) behaviour problems. Evidence for an association of witnessing domestic violence with internalising (β = 0.63 [-0.97, 2.24]) or externalising (β = 1.23 [-0.04, 2.50]) behaviours was less robust. There was no association between community victimisation and internalising or externalising behaviours (β = 0.72 [-1.52, 2.97; β = 0.68 [ -1.06, 2.41]). Observations highlight the risk for mental health problems among preschoolers living in high-violence contexts and emphasize the need for early interventions., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Mental health issues in children and young people are frequent and can have enduring negative consequences. Preventive early interventions delivered at school may foster psychological well-being, and preliminary evidence suggests that mindfulness-based social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions have positive effects on children's mental health. The aim of this study was to evaluate a mindfulness-based SEL curriculum including a French adaptation of the Kindness Curriculum (KC), delivered by pre-kindergarten teachers, in a cluster randomized control trial. Sixty-four classes (761 children, aged 38-58 months) from a socio-economically disadvantaged area in France were randomly assigned to either intervention or waiting-list control conditions. Indicators of children's mental health, self-management, positive relationships with teachers and peers, emotional processing and executive functioning were collected through teacher-rated questionnaires, standardized observations, and behavioral tasks. Results in the whole sample indicated a positive effect of the intervention on children's mental health, including a reduction in emotional, conduct and peer relationship problems, and a reduction in teacher-child conflicts. No significant effects were found on the other indicators. Heterogeneity analyses revealed stronger effects of the intervention on several indicators for children who had a teacher with lower level of teaching experience, for children with lower baseline mental health and for older children. This program therefore appears as a promising early school-based intervention promoting mental health and positive relationships, especially in a subgroup of at-risk preschool-aged children., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Past research has speculated that using grandiose-manipulative (GM) and daring-impulsive (DI) traits, rather than solely callous-unemotional (CU) traits, could better inform subtyping youths with behavioral problems. However, this approach remains largely untested. To further enhance our understanding of this matter, the current study utilized self-report (n = 2,381) and parent-report (n = 1,846) data to examine the utility of three psychopathic dimensions as specifiers for oppositional defiant problems (ODP). Findings showed that ODP was a significant predictor of negative outcomes, while the GM, CU, and DI traits emerged as significant predictors of theoretically and clinically relevant external variables (e.g., conduct problems and proactive aggression), independent of ODP (and age, gender, and socioeconomic status), forming the potential foundation for the development of specifiers for ODP. Furthermore, children presenting ODP alongside heightened levels of the three psychopathic traits demonstrated notably higher scores in important external variables compared to other groups, including but not confined to the subgroup of children with ODP and high CU trait levels. Findings provide preliminary support for employing GM and DI traits as specifiers for ODP. However, more comprehensive evaluations of these specifiers' utility would help inform ongoing discussions before definitively concluding they should be included in diagnostic manuals., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The present study examined developmental changes in forms of peer victimization and longitudinal associations between forms of peer victimization and internalizing problems among Japanese adolescents. Participants were 271 students (Time 1 M age = 12.72, SD = 0.45, 50% girls) from 9 classrooms and 2 public middle schools in Japan. Data were collected at five time points from 7th to 9th grade. Growth curve modeling (GCM) of mean changes indicated that relational victimization and internalizing problems decreased over three school years. Overt victimization first decreased and then remained relatively constant toward the end of the assessment. In addition, the results of the Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model (RI-CLPM) indicated that the random intercept of relational victimization was positively and strongly correlated with that of internalizing problems. Although the random intercept of overt victimization was positively correlated with that of internalizing problems, the effect size was small to moderate. In general, there were no significant within-person changes between relational and overt victimization and internalizing problems. However, some exceptions were noted towards the end of middle school, such that higher relational victimization was associated with increases in internalizing problems, which in turn led to more relational victimization. There were no gender differences in the above trajectories or in the transactional models. The findings regarding at-risk youth who are vulnerable to relational and overt victimization are discussed from clinical, cultural, and developmental perspectives., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Child maltreatment is a risk factor for mental disorders and decreased life satisfaction during adolescence. We investigated whether child maltreatment would link to life satisfaction both directly and through psychological symptoms, whether these relations would change from admission to discharge after treatment, and which types of maltreatment, symptoms and facets of life satisfaction would be most influential in adolescent inpatients with internalizing mental disorders. N = 896 adolescent receiving inpatient psychotherapeutic treatment completed questionnaires on child maltreatment experiences, current psychopathology and subjective life satisfaction at admission and discharge (n = 765). Main diagnoses were affective (n = 322), eating (n = 447), obsessive-compulsive (n = 70) and anxiety disorders (n = 57). Network models of child maltreatment, psychopathology and life satisfaction nodes were estimated at admission and discharge and compared using network comparison tests. Potential causal shortest pathways were investigated using directed acyclic graphs.Network models were stable with no significant differences between admission and discharge. Strongest nodes of each cluster were "emotional abuse" (child maltreatment), "worthlessness", "thinking about dying" and "feeling lonely" (psychopathology) and "satisfied with life" (life satisfaction) at both admission and discharge. Emotional neglect showed direct connections to life satisfaction, indicating its relevance for therapeutic interventions. At both admission and discharge, "sexual abuse" indirectly predicted lower life satisfaction through psychological symptoms. In conclusion, child maltreatment is directly and indirectly connected to life satisfaction in adolescents with mental disorders. Emotional abuse and neglect were especially important in linking child maltreatment to life satisfaction and psychopathology., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Research on tonic (persistently angry or grumpy mood) and phasic (temper tantrums/outbursts) irritability in youth has utilized community samples and information from parents and youth. We examined whether tonic and phasic irritability are empirically distinguishable and have similar correlates using teacher, in addition to parent, reports in a clinical sample of children and adolescents. The sample included youth aged 5-18 evaluated at a university outpatient clinic, with complete information from 2481 parents and 2449 teachers. We conducted confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using items from several parent- and teacher-report inventories and examined concurrent associations with psychopathology and functioning. The CFA supported a two-factor model consistent with tonic and phasic irritability in both parent- and teacher-reports. Parent-reported tonic irritability was associated with higher rates of depression and anxiety disorders, suicidality, and antidepressant medication use. Teacher-reported tonic irritability was associated with elevated rates of depression and antidepressant use. Both parent- and teacher-reported phasic irritability were linked to higher rates of ADHD combined type, oppositional defiant/conduct disorders, and referral for rages. Parent- and teacher-reported tonic and phasic irritability were all associated with impaired social functioning. Parents and teachers can distinguish tonic and phasic irritability, which are associated with internalizing and externalizing problems, respectively. Findings were generally consistent across informants, and with prior studies using community samples., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

In this study, we developed a microfluidic device for a dual work of protein preconcentration and subsequent capture by an immunoassay system. The fabrication of nano-interstices (nanochannels) to generate ion concentration polarization effect (ICP) for the preconcentration was simply performed by exploiting the loose association of glass-on-modified AuNPs to the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) channel pads as well as spaces between the substrate and the PDMS pad caused by these AuNPs. As a result, 65-fold concentration enhancement was achieved when performed on a sample of fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA). Furthermore, a modification procedure of antibodies responsible for capturing target proteins was performed on gold electrodes integrated into the proposed chip. After preconcentration, the immunoassay system was worked, and showed a good performance in capturing targets. Through this study, we demonstrated that the device can work efficiently for the dual purpose, has the potential to apply widely for the analysis and capture of various targets., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

This paper examines whether adolescents can be reliably categorized into subgroups based on their patterns of anxiety levels over time and whether low levels of social support from parents, peers, and their school, and high levels of peer victimization, predict a pattern of increasing anxiety. Participants were 3392 youth from the Longitudinal Study of Australia's Children (LSAC). Youth-reported anxiety was measured at three occasions at ages 12/13 years, 14/15 years, and 16/17 years, with social support and victimization assessed at age 12/13 years. Anxiety trajectories were identified using latent class growth mixture modelling, and predictors of class membership were examined using multinomial logistic regression analyses. Three discrete classes of anxiety trajectories were identified. Most youth fell within a stable-low anxiety symptom class (89.5% males; 78.2% females), with smaller percentages in low-increasing (5.6% males; 14.4% females) or high-decreasing (4.9% males; 7.4% females) classes. Low support from parents and teachers, low sense of school belonging, and high peer victimization predicted membership of the low-increasing anxiety trajectory class, irrespective of gender. Social support did not moderate the effect of peer victimization upon the risk of developing anxiety, with peer victimization remaining a risk factor even when adolescents experienced good social support from parents, peers, and school. The findings highlight the need for screening in early adolescence to identify those who are experiencing low social support and high peer victimization and are thus at increased risk of developing anxiety problems. These youth could then be offered targeted intervention to reduce the likelihood of anxiety development., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)