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[EN] Nowadays, miniaturization and portability are crucial characteristics that need to be considered for the development of water monitoring systems. In particular, the use of handheld technology, including microfluidics, is exponentially expanding due to its versatility, reduction of reagents and minimization of waste, fast analysis times and portability. Here, a hybrid handheld miniaturized polymer platform with a paper-based microfluidic device was developed for the simultaneous detection of nitrite and nitrate in real samples from both, fresh and seawaters. The platform contains an ionogel-based colorimetric sensor for nitrite detection and a paper-based microfluidic device for the in situ conversion of nitrate to nitrite. The platform was fully characterized in terms of its viability as a portable, cheap and quick pollutant detector at the point of need. The calibration was carried out by multivariate analysis of the color of the sensing areas obtained from a taken picture of the device. The limits of detection and quantification, for nitrite were 0.47 and 0.68mgL-1, while for nitrate were 2.3 and 3.4mgL-1, found to be within the limits allowed by the environmental authorities, for these two pollutants. Finally, the platform was validated with real water samples, demonstrating its potential to monitor nitrite and nitrate concentrations on-site as a first surveillance step before performing extensive analysis.

The implementation of a wide diagnostic campaign to diagnose cancer early could save millions of lives and billions of dollars every year. Unfortunately, cancer diagnosis is extremely complicated and current approaches rely on the use of expensive equipment and specialized personnel, which hamper their deployment in low- and middle-income settings. Here, we analyze the technical challenges that must be overcome to achieve precise cancer diagnostics and we describe how such hurdles have limited the development of point-of-care (PoC) sensors. Then, we explain why we believe recent achievements in the field of paper-based sensors could allow their use as widely available sensing platforms for cancer detection. Finally, we present our vision of what should be done in order to make paper-based sensors widely used diagnostics platforms for cancer.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a serious threat to human health. Current methods such as reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) are complex, expensive, and time-consuming. Rapid, and simple screening methods for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 are critically required to fight the current pandemic. In this work we present a proof of concept for, a simple optical sensing method for the screening of SARS-CoV-2 through its spike protein subunit S1. The method utilizes a target-specific extractor chip to bind the protein from the biological specimens. The disulfide bonds of the protein are then reduced into a biothiol with sulfhydryl (SH) groups that react with a blue-colored benzothiazole azo dye-Hg complex (BAN-Hg) and causes the spontaneous change of its blue color to pink which is observable by the naked eye. A linear relationship between the intensity of the pink color and the logarithm of reduced S1 protein concentration was found within the working range 130 ng.mL−1-1.3 pg mL−1. The lowest limit of detection (LOD) of the assay was 130 fg mL−1. A paper based optical sensor was fabricated by loading the BAN-Hg sensor onto filter paper and used to screen the S1 protein in spiked saliva and patients’ nasopharyngeal swabs. The results obtained by the paper sensor corroborated with those obtained by qRT-PCR. The new paper-based sensing method can be extended to the screening of many viruses (e.g. the human immunodeficiency virus, the human polyomavirus, the human papilloma virus, the adeno associated viruses, the enteroviruses) through the cysteine residues of their capsid proteins. The new method has strong potential for screening viruses at pathology labs and in remote areas that lacks advanced scientific infrastructure. Further clinical studies are warranted to validate the new sensing method.

Background: Empathy development is an integral aspect of nurse education in several countries. Empathy supports person-centred care provision by aiding effective communication and promoting feelings of wellbeing by helping people feel understood. Aim: The development of empathy in nursing students is best facilitated through experiential learning and reflective practice, although to date, there are no reflective models specifically designed for this purpose. It is the aim of this paper to present a model designed to promote reflection on the development of empathy. Design: The authors have developed an approach to empathic reflection based on the philosophy of Edith Stein. Methods: In this paper we outline the Empathic Reflection model which emphasises the need for educator support and an appreciative approach. We then present a narrative example of the model in action in an acute care setting. Results: We have developed a three-stage model to support experiential learning about the development of empathy for nursing students. Conclusions: This discussion paper explores an interesting area for future nursing research about empathy development through experiential learning and reflective practice. Educators can contribute to the promotion of empathy by working in partnership with students to explore previously held beliefs which might act as barriers to empathic care provision.

Canadian pulp and paper companies have been experiencing hard times during the last decade. The rising Canadian dollar, low-cost competition and the decline in number of conventional markets have led to several restructuring projects and shutdowns among pulp and paper mills. Setting up a transformation strategy is considered vital for those companies to overcome the crisis and achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. Several transformation pathways could be undertaken, ranging from process modernisation to product portfolio and market diversification. The increasingly volatile business environment makes strategic decisions a tough task. Our objective is then to help decision makers, within the pulp and paper industry, identify profitable transformation strategies that would resist the major driving forces affecting the companies’ competitiveness. A scenario-based modelling approach is presented to evaluate a set of transformation strategies under different trend-based future scenarios and to identify the most robust strategic options, allowing a given pulp and paper company to meet the future challenges. A mathematical model is developed to evaluate the profitability of each transformation strategy under different plausible future scenarios. Investing in high-value bioproducts such as Bioethanol is suggested as a viable transformation pathway. Opting for innovative pulp and paper products such moulded fibre packaging would be a promising strategy to consider within a multi-product diversification pathway. Mixed strategies are also evaluated and it is found that investing in bioethanol while modernising the P&P assets would be the most profitable and the less risky strategy, but with the highest investment cost among all strategies.

Despite the low cost of paper substrates, the lack of appropriate device fabrication techniques has hampered the overall efficacy of paper-based sensors. Addressing this issue, in this work, we develop a multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) coated paper substrate-based biosensor using a novel method of wax deposition followed by vacuum filtration to design dedicated hydrophobic and hydrophilic channels for label-free, highly selective, and sensitive detection of cholesterol. Detailed morphological characterization studies reveal the uniform deposition of MWCNTs on the paper substrate (∼15–20 nm average diameter). Upon exposure to cholesterol, an excellent dynamic range of response over three orders of magnitude from 10 nM −75 µM and 100 µM–8 mM concentration range with a limit of detection of 3.2 nM (3 S/m) was obtained. The Michaelis–Menten constant (Km) was found to be 0.0093 µM. In addition, the fabricated biosensor exhibited excellent reproducibility, stability and high specificity to cholesterol with negligible response from interfering analytes. The excellent response of the fabricated biosensor can be attributed to the modulation of electrical properties due to electrostatic gating effect and direct electron transfer between MWCNTs and cholesterol due to the bioconjugation of Cholesterol oxidase (ChOx). The strategy employed here addresses some major challenges faced by the current methods of using rigid substrates and liquid electrolyte based analytical methods for detection of cholesterol. Furthermore, the sensor could successfully measure concentrations of cholesterol in saliva. This work provides a promising platform for developing low cost, interference free, disposable paper-based biosensors for point of care diagnostics. © 2022 The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry

Despite the low cost of paper substrates, the lack of appropriate device fabrication techniques has hampered the overall efficacy of paper-based sensors. Addressing this issue, in this work, we develop a multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) coated paper substrate-based biosensor using a novel method of wax deposition followed by vacuum filtration to design dedicated hydrophobic and hydrophilic channels for label-free, highly selective, and sensitive detection of cholesterol. Detailed morphological characterization studies reveal the uniform deposition of MWCNTs on the paper substrate (∼15–20 nm average diameter). Upon exposure to cholesterol, an excellent dynamic range of response over three orders of magnitude from 10 nM −75 µM and 100 µM–8 mM concentration range with a limit of detection of 3.2 nM (3 S/m) was obtained. The Michaelis–Menten constant (Km) was found to be 0.0093 µM. In addition, the fabricated biosensor exhibited excellent reproducibility, stability and high specificity to cholesterol with negligible response from interfering analytes. The excellent response of the fabricated biosensor can be attributed to the modulation of electrical properties due to electrostatic gating effect and direct electron transfer between MWCNTs and cholesterol due to the bioconjugation of Cholesterol oxidase (ChOx). The strategy employed here addresses some major challenges faced by the current methods of using rigid substrates and liquid electrolyte based analytical methods for detection of cholesterol. Furthermore, the sensor could successfully measure concentrations of cholesterol in saliva. This work provides a promising platform for developing low cost, interference free, disposable paper-based biosensors for point of care diagnostics. © 2022 The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry

Despite the low cost of paper substrates, the lack of appropriate device fabrication techniques has hampered the overall efficacy of paper-based sensors. Addressing this issue, in this work, we develop a multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) coated paper substrate-based biosensor using a novel method of wax deposition followed by vacuum filtration to design dedicated hydrophobic and hydrophilic channels for label-free, highly selective, and sensitive detection of cholesterol. Detailed morphological characterization studies reveal the uniform deposition of MWCNTs on the paper substrate (∼15–20 nm average diameter). Upon exposure to cholesterol, an excellent dynamic range of response over three orders of magnitude from 10 nM −75 µM and 100 µM–8 mM concentration range with a limit of detection of 3.2 nM (3 S/m) was obtained. The Michaelis–Menten constant (Km) was found to be 0.0093 µM. In addition, the fabricated biosensor exhibited excellent reproducibility, stability and high specificity to cholesterol with negligible response from interfering analytes. The excellent response of the fabricated biosensor can be attributed to the modulation of electrical properties due to electrostatic gating effect and direct electron transfer between MWCNTs and cholesterol due to the bioconjugation of Cholesterol oxidase (ChOx). The strategy employed here addresses some major challenges faced by the current methods of using rigid substrates and liquid electrolyte based analytical methods for detection of cholesterol. Furthermore, the sensor could successfully measure concentrations of cholesterol in saliva. This work provides a promising platform for developing low cost, interference free, disposable paper-based biosensors for point of care diagnostics. © 2022 The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry

Fifteen percent of couples of reproductive age suffer frominfertility globally and the burden of infertility disproportionately impacts residents of developing countries. Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs), including in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), have been successful in overcoming various reasons for infertility including borderline and severe male factor infertility which consists of 20%-30% of all infertile cases. Approximately half of male infertility cases stem from suboptimal sperm parameters. Therefore, healthy/normal sperm enrichment and sorting remains crucial in advancing reproductive medicine. Microfluidic technologies have emerged as promising tools to develop in- home rapid fertility tests and point-of-care (POC) diagnostic tools. Here, we review advancements in fabrication methods for paper-based-microfluidic devices and their emerging fertility testing applications assessing sperm concentration, sperm motility, sperm DNA analysis, and other sperm functionalities, and provide a glimpse into future directions for paper-based fertility microfluidic systems., Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK); 2232 International Fellowship for Outstanding Researchers Award; European Union (EU); Horizon 2020; Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship; Royal Academy Newton-Katip Çelebi Transforming Systems Through Partnership Award; Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship for Experienced Researchers; Science Academy Young Scientist Awards Program (BAGEP); Outstanding Young Scientists Awards (GEBİP); Bilim Kahramanlari Dernegi Young Scientist Award

Background: Empathy development is an integral aspect of nurse education in several countries. Empathy supports person-centred care provision by aiding effective communication and promoting feelings of wellbeing by helping people feel understood. Aim: The development of empathy in nursing students is best facilitated through experiential learning and reflective practice, although to date, there are no reflective models specifically designed for this purpose. It is the aim of this paper to present a model designed to promote reflection on the development of empathy. Design: The authors have developed an approach to empathic reflection based on the philosophy of Edith Stein. Methods: In this paper we outline the Empathic Reflection model which emphasises the need for educator support and an appreciative approach. We then present a narrative example of the model in action in an acute care setting. Results: We have developed a three-stage model to support experiential learning about the development of empathy for nursing students. Conclusions: This discussion paper explores an interesting area for future nursing research about empathy development through experiential learning and reflective practice. Educators can contribute to the promotion of empathy by working in partnership with students to explore previously held beliefs which might act as barriers to empathic care provision.

The paper industry is an important sector annually consuming kilotons of nanoforms and non-nanoforms of fillers and pigments. Fillers accelerate the rate of drying (less energy needed) and product cost (increasing the load of low-cost fillers). The plastic industry is another use sector, where coloristic pigments can be in nanoform, and many food containers are made of plastic. Use of paper to wrap both wet and dry food is consumer practice, but not always intended by producers. Here we compare the release behavior of different nano-enabled products (NEPs) by changing a) nanoform (NF) characteristics, b) NF load, c) the nano-enabled product (NEP) matrix, and d) food simulants. The ranking of these factors enables an assessment of food contact by concepts of analogy, specifically via the similarities of the rate and form of release in food during contact. Three types of matrices were used: Paper, plastic ((Polylactic Acid (PLA), Polyamide (PA6), and Polyurethane (PU)), and a paint formulation. Two nanoforms each of SiO2, Fe2O3, Cu-Phthalocyanine were incorporated, additionally to the conventional form of CaCO3 that is always contained in paper to reduce cellulose consumption. Tests were guided by the European Regulation EC 1935/2004 and EU 10/2011. No evidence of particle release was observed: the qualitative similarity (the form of release) was high regarding the food contact of all NEPs with embedded NFs. Quantitative similarity of releases depended primarily on the NEP matrix, as this controls the penetration of the simulant fluid into the NEP. The solubility of the NF and impurities in the simulant fluid was the second decisive factor, as dissolution of the NF inside the NEP is the main mechanism of release. This led to complete removal of CaCO3 in acidic medium, whereas Fe and Si signals remained in the paper, consistent with the low release rates in an ionic form. In our set of 16 NEPs, only one NEP showed a dependence on the REACH NF descriptors (substance, si

BACKGROUND: Empathy development is an integral aspect of nurse education in several countries. Empathy supports person-centred care provision by aiding effective communication and promoting feelings of wellbeing by helping people feel understood. AIM: The development of empathy in nursing students is best facilitated through experiential learning and reflective practice, although to date, there are no reflective models specifically designed for this purpose. It is the aim of this paper to present a model designed to promote reflection on the development of empathy. DESIGN: The authors have developed an approach to empathic reflection based on the philosophy of Edith Stein. METHODS: In this paper we outline the Empathic Reflection model which emphasises the need for educator support and an appreciative approach. We then present a narrative example of the model in action in an acute care setting. RESULTS: We have developed a three-stage model to support experiential learning about the development of empathy for nursing students. CONCLUSIONS: This discussion paper explores an interesting area for future nursing research about empathy development through experiential learning and reflective practice. Educators can contribute to the promotion of empathy by working in partnership with students to explore previously held beliefs which might act as barriers to empathic care provision.

BACKGROUND: Empathy development is an integral aspect of nurse education in several countries. Empathy supports person-centred care provision by aiding effective communication and promoting feelings of wellbeing by helping people feel understood. AIM: The development of empathy in nursing students is best facilitated through experiential learning and reflective practice, although to date, there are no reflective models specifically designed for this purpose. It is the aim of this paper to present a model designed to promote reflection on the development of empathy. DESIGN: The authors have developed an approach to empathic reflection based on the philosophy of Edith Stein. METHODS: In this paper we outline the Empathic Reflection model which emphasises the need for educator support and an appreciative approach. We then present a narrative example of the model in action in an acute care setting. RESULTS: We have developed a three-stage model to support experiential learning about the development of empathy for nursing students. CONCLUSIONS: This discussion paper explores an interesting area for future nursing research about empathy development through experiential learning and reflective practice. Educators can contribute to the promotion of empathy by working in partnership with students to explore previously held beliefs which might act as barriers to empathic care provision.

It is unusual, and can be difficult, for scientists to reflect in their publications on any limitations their research had. This is a consequence of the extreme pressure that scientists are under to 'publish or perish'. The inevitable consequence is that much published research is not as good as it could, and should, be, leading to the current 'reproducibility crisis'. Approaches to address this crisis are required. Our suggestion is to include a 'Limitations' section in all scientific papers. Evidence is provided showing that such a section must be mandatory. Adding a 'Limitations' section to scientific papers would greatly increase honesty, openness and transparency, to the considerable benefit of both the scientific community and society in general. This suggestion is applicable to all scientific disciplines. Finally, we apologise if our suggestion has already been made by others.

The management of patients with stroke is often multidisciplinary, involving various specialties and healthcare professionals. Given the common shared risk factors for stroke and cardiovascular disease, input may also be required from the cardiovascular teams, as well as patient caregivers and next-of-kin. Ultimately, the patient is central to all this, requiring a coordinated and uniform approach to the priorities of post-stroke management, which can be consistently implemented by different multidisciplinary healthcare professionals, as part of the patient ‘journey’ or ‘patient pathway,’ supported by appropriate education and tele-medicine approaches. All these aspects would ultimately aid delivery of care and improve patient (and caregiver) engagement and empowerment. Given the need to address the multidisciplinary approach to holistic or integrated care of patients with heart disease and stroke, the European Society of Cardiology Council on Stroke convened a Task Force, with the remit to propose a consensus on Integrated care management for optimizing the management of stroke and associated heart disease. The present position paper summarizes the available evidence and proposes consensus statements that may help to define evidence gaps and simple practical approaches to assist in everyday clinical practice. A post-stroke ABC pathway is proposed, as a more holistic approach to integrated stroke care, would include three pillars of management: • A: Appropriate Antithrombotic therapy. • B: Better functional and psychological status. • C: Cardiovascular risk factors and Comorbidity optimization (including lifestyle changes).

The management of patients with stroke is often multidisciplinary, involving various specialties and healthcare professionals. Given the common shared risk factors for stroke and cardiovascular disease, input may also be required from the cardiovascular teams, as well as patient caregivers and next-of-kin. Ultimately, the patient is central to all this, requiring a coordinated and uniform approach to the priorities of post-stroke management, which can be consistently implemented by different multidisciplinary healthcare professionals, as part of the patient ‘journey’ or ‘patient pathway,’ supported by appropriate education and tele-medicine approaches. All these aspects would ultimately aid delivery of care and improve patient (and caregiver) engagement and empowerment. Given the need to address the multidisciplinary approach to holistic or integrated care of patients with heart disease and stroke, the European Society of Cardiology Council on Stroke convened a Task Force, with the remit to propose a consensus on Integrated care management for optimizing the management of stroke and associated heart disease. The present position paper summarizes the available evidence and proposes consensus statements that may help to define evidence gaps and simple practical approaches to assist in everyday clinical practice. A post-stroke ABC pathway is proposed, as a more holistic approach to integrated stroke care, would include three pillars of management: • A: Appropriate Antithrombotic therapy. • B: Better functional and psychological status. • C: Cardiovascular risk factors and Comorbidity optimization (including lifestyle changes).

The management of patients with stroke is often multidisciplinary, involving various specialties and healthcare professionals. Given the common shared risk factors for stroke and cardiovascular disease, input may also be required from the cardiovascular teams, as well as patient caregivers and next-of-kin. Ultimately, the patient is central to all this, requiring a coordinated and uniform approach to the priorities of post-stroke management, which can be consistently implemented by different multidisciplinary healthcare professionals, as part of the patient ‘journey’ or ‘patient pathway,’ supported by appropriate education and tele-medicine approaches. All these aspects would ultimately aid delivery of care and improve patient (and caregiver) engagement and empowerment. Given the need to address the multidisciplinary approach to holistic or integrated care of patients with heart disease and stroke, the European Society of Cardiology Council on Stroke convened a Task Force, with the remit to propose a consensus on Integrated care management for optimizing the management of stroke and associated heart disease. The present position paper summarizes the available evidence and proposes consensus statements that may help to define evidence gaps and simple practical approaches to assist in everyday clinical practice. A post-stroke ABC pathway is proposed, as a more holistic approach to integrated stroke care, would include three pillars of management: • A: Appropriate Antithrombotic therapy. • B: Better functional and psychological status. • C: Cardiovascular risk factors and Comorbidity optimization (including lifestyle changes).

The management of patients with stroke is often multidisciplinary, involving various specialties and healthcare professionals. Given the common shared risk factors for stroke and cardiovascular disease, input may also be required from the cardiovascular teams, as well as patient caregivers and next-of-kin. Ultimately, the patient is central to all this, requiring a coordinated and uniform approach to the priorities of post-stroke management, which can be consistently implemented by different multidisciplinary healthcare professionals, as part of the patient ‘journey’ or ‘patient pathway,’ supported by appropriate education and tele-medicine approaches. All these aspects would ultimately aid delivery of care and improve patient (and caregiver) engagement and empowerment. Given the need to address the multidisciplinary approach to holistic or integrated care of patients with heart disease and stroke, the European Society of Cardiology Council on Stroke convened a Task Force, with the remit to propose a consensus on Integrated care management for optimizing the management of stroke and associated heart disease. The present position paper summarizes the available evidence and proposes consensus statements that may help to define evidence gaps and simple practical approaches to assist in everyday clinical practice. A post-stroke ABC pathway is proposed, as a more holistic approach to integrated stroke care, would include three pillars of management: • A: Appropriate Antithrombotic therapy. • B: Better functional and psychological status. • C: Cardiovascular risk factors and Comorbidity optimization (including lifestyle changes).

Industrial energy management is critical to ensuring efficient energy usage, market viability, and greenhouse gas emission reductions. In this study, the aim is to investigate energy management practices in paper and pulp industries (PPI) of Bangladesh. The study identifies several barriers to adopt energy management practices; “Lack of governmental attention”, “Inadequate staff awareness” and “limited access to capital” are identified as the major constraints. In addition, HVAC systems and compressed air systems present higher barriers compared to electrical motor and pump systems while looking at the barriers by technology areas. On the other hand, “Owner's demand”, “Commitment from the top management” and “Pressure from the customers and different non-Governmental organization” are found to be the dominant drivers of energy management in the studied PPI. Energy management practices can enhance the energy efficiency approximately by 4–5 % according to the study. Furthermore, this study reveals that the majority of PPIs are unaware of the energy service companies (ESCO) with the lack of a standardized system for energy audit, as well as a lack of trust and information, appearing to be the obstacles behind this.

The management of patients with stroke is often multidisciplinary, involving various specialties and healthcare professionals. Given the common shared risk factors for stroke and cardiovascular disease, input may also be required from the cardiovascular teams, as well as patient caregivers and next-of-kin. Ultimately, the patient is central to all this, requiring a coordinated and uniform approach to the priorities of post-stroke management, which can be consistently implemented by different multidisciplinary healthcare professionals, as part of the patient ‘journey’ or ‘patient pathway,’ supported by appropriate education and tele-medicine approaches. All these aspects would ultimately aid delivery of care and improve patient (and caregiver) engagement and empowerment. Given the need to address the multidisciplinary approach to holistic or integrated care of patients with heart disease and stroke, the European Society of Cardiology Council on Stroke convened a Task Force, with the remit to propose a consensus on Integrated care management for optimizing the management of stroke and associated heart disease. The present position paper summarizes the available evidence and proposes consensus statements that may help to define evidence gaps and simple practical approaches to assist in everyday clinical practice. A post-stroke ABC pathway is proposed, as a more holistic approach to integrated stroke care, would include three pillars of management: • A: Appropriate Antithrombotic therapy. • B: Better functional and psychological status. • C: Cardiovascular risk factors and Comorbidity optimization (including lifestyle changes).

The management of patients with stroke is often multidisciplinary, involving various specialties and healthcare professionals. Given the common shared risk factors for stroke and cardiovascular disease, input may also be required from the cardiovascular teams, as well as patient caregivers and next-of-kin. Ultimately, the patient is central to all this, requiring a coordinated and uniform approach to the priorities of post-stroke management, which can be consistently implemented by different multidisciplinary healthcare professionals, as part of the patient ‘journey’ or ‘patient pathway,’ supported by appropriate education and tele-medicine approaches. All these aspects would ultimately aid delivery of care and improve patient (and caregiver) engagement and empowerment. Given the need to address the multidisciplinary approach to holistic or integrated care of patients with heart disease and stroke, the European Society of Cardiology Council on Stroke convened a Task Force, with the remit to propose a consensus on Integrated care management for optimizing the management of stroke and associated heart disease. The present position paper summarizes the available evidence and proposes consensus statements that may help to define evidence gaps and simple practical approaches to assist in everyday clinical practice. A post-stroke ABC pathway is proposed, as a more holistic approach to integrated stroke care, would include three pillars of management: • A: Appropriate Antithrombotic therapy. • B: Better functional and psychological status. • C: Cardiovascular risk factors and Comorbidity optimization (including lifestyle changes).

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have demonstrated that students who are engaged in learning tasks and make errors before receiving instruction on how to complete them, achieve better learning outcomes than students who first receive instruction and then complete the learning activities with the aim of avoiding errors. Although simulation literature often refers to errors as learning opportunities, to date, there is limited understanding of how pedagogical approaches that promote learning from errors can guide the design of simulation-based learning in healthcare education. AIMS: To (a) present the Learning from Errors conceptual model; and (b) provide an example of how educators can use this model. DESIGN: The Learning from Errors model is drawn from critical elements of two pedagogical approaches, productive failure and error management training and pedagogical features of high-quality healthcare simulations. METHODS: We describe the Learning from Errors model, which emphasises the need for adopting pedagogical methods that explicitly use errors as learning opportunities and ultimately inform simulation design. We then illustrate the application of this model to a simulation example. RESULTS: The model includes the following elements: i) normalisation of errors, ii) challenging simulation scenarios, iii) self-directed learning, iv) collaborative teamwork and v) comparison with best practice. CONCLUSION: This discussion paper presents the Learning from Errors conceptual model, an evidence-based approach that can assist educators in the design of simulations that embrace errors as a catalyst for learning.

Europe represents 25% of the world’s production of pulp and paper, being the second largest producer in the world. Waste paper fly ash (WPFA) is a material generated by the incineration of by-products in the manufacture of paper from recycled paper. WPFA has binding properties that allow it to be used as a replacement for cement or lime in soil stabilization. This chapter describes the full-scale application of WPFA in civil works (road projects), from less complex applications than those with high physical-mechanical requirements. The three applications presented here are part of the PaperChain project, funded by the European Union, and are as follows: soil stabilization on a rural road, granular soil stabilization in a local road and, finally, a soil-cement on a regional road. The results obtained show the viability of using WPFA as an alternative binder material to cement or lime., Postprint (author's final draft)

Palaeoenvironmental and historical approaches have often been used separately to investigate past land-use change, but they are still rarely combined, especially in places where the most suitable archives are sediment sequences. Here we used a transdisciplinary approach combining a multiproxy palaeoenvironmental study of two pedosedimentological sequences around a medieval Benedictine abbey at Samos in north-west Spain. A robust chronology was built using OSL apparent ages, conventional OSL and radiocarbon ages and used to date geochemical and palynological proxies which were then analysed alongside an exhaustive historical review of medieval and modern ecclesiastical records. The aims were to reconstruct the agrarian history of the place in a diachronic way and to deepen understanding of the interplay between palaeoenvironmental and historical sources. We demonstrate the potential value of using geoarchaeology, palynology and written sources together to address both the physical and socioeconomic aspects of land-use change.

This paper presents an application of a portable microfluidic platform based on a filter paper on which multi-walled carbon nanotubes were deposited to quickly determine the quality of olive oil by measuring electrical resistance. Three different types of filter paper with different pore sizes and different filtration rates were used in the middle of the microfluidic platform, as a material for soaking a blend of olive and high-oleic sunflower oil. The rapid prototyping xurographic technique was used to fabricate the complete microfluidic platform. For testing purposes, oil blends in various proportions were deposited through the inlet on the top of the platform. The variation in electrical resistance at room temperature was measured, using the Chemical Impedance Analyzer, successfully indicating oil proportions in measured blends. We obtained the change of resistance in the range from 0.26 MΩ to 2.79 MΩ per percentage of olive oil content, for corresponding linearity index from 0.71 to 0.99, for papers labelled with 44–45, respectively. Additionally, a prototype of electronic device was developed for acquisition and displaying measured data, based on the created microfluidic platform.

This study offers a new tool to restorers to bleach paper documents: artificial light radiation (ALR). It is a controlled method that is an alternative to other highly aggressive procedures that have been ap plied to cellulose based media. Its main novelty is its intrinsic lighting characteristics which guarantee uniformity and avoid heating the paper. The results of testing this new tool were compared to those of bleaching with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Each of the two methods was applied to five different types of widely used paper: Arches and Somerset (brands serving for engraving and digital printing), Ingres (drawing), press-type (magazines and newspapers) and Bible-type (historical documents). Once charac terised by physico-mechanical, chemical and optical parameters (grammage, thickness, specular gloss, optical properties, air permeance, tensile properties, determining the pH of both surface and aqueous extracts), the different papers were bleached by the two methods according to pre-established criteria. Finally, to determine the evolution and effects of the two treatments, the papers were subjected to accel erated agein

The number of citations a peer-reviewed article receives is often used as a measure of its importance and scientific impact. This paper identifies, describes and categorizes the highly cited papers in addiction research on cannabis, heroin, cocaine and psychostimulants. Highly cited papers were identified in the Web of Science Core Collection database. Several bibliometric indicators were calculated. Social network analysis was applied to draw groups of authors and institutions with the greatest number of collaborations and co-words. The number of citations for the top 100 cited articles ranged from 649 to 4,672. The articles were published in 40 journals. The subject category Substance Abuse included 10 papers. The United States was the most productive country (79 papers), followed by the United Kingdom (9). The main funding institutions were the National Institutes of Health in the United States. The network of collaboration between authors distributes the 352 researchers into 53 groups. The three most cited works address the neural basis of drug craving as an incentive-sensitization theory of addiction, the clinical and research uses of the Addiction Severity Index, and the neurocircuitry of addiction. Scientific literature on addictions is widely dispersed both in multidisciplinary and specific journals of neurology, psychiatry and addictions, with relatively few publications providing most of the citations. An ongoing challenge for this field is the concentration of highly cited papers coming from a select number of countries, with the United States being the research hub of the world, with the highest volume of publications and total citations.

Recent works aimed to understand how to identify “milestone” scientific papers of great significance from largescale citation networks. To this end, previous results found that global ranking metrics that take into account the whole network structure (such as Google’s PageRank) outperform local metrics such as the citation count. Here, we show that by leveraging the recursive equation that defines the PageRank algorithm, we can propose a family of local versions of PageRank with finite iterations. Our results reveal that these PageRank-based local metrics outperform the citation count and other local metrics in identifying the seminal papers, and compared with global metrics, these local metrics can reach similar performance in the identification of seminal papers with less time overhead and no requirement for the whole network topology. Our findings could help to better understand the nature of groundbreaking research from citation network analysis and find practical applications in large-scale data.

We test the realization effect, i.e., that risk-taking is greater after paper outcomes than after realized outcomes, using gambling data from a real casino. During a particular casino visit, customers likely perceive that gains and losses are paper outcomes, whereas leaving the casino realizes the final account balance. Using individual-level slot machine gambling records, we find that risk-taking after both paper losses and paper gains increases within a visit and that this effect is more pronounced for larger outcomes. Conversely, realized losses from earlier visits significantly decrease risk-taking if losses are comparatively large, whereas comparatively small realized losses and realized gains do not alter risk-taking. These results provide important field validation of the realization effect in an environment with positively skewed lotteries.

Nowadays, there are strong efforts in developing new technology for rapid detection of specific DNA sequences for environmental monitoring, forensic analysis and rapid biomedical diagnosis applications. That is where microfluidic paper-based analytical devices are positioned as suitable platforms for the development of point of care analytical devices, due to their simple fabrication protocols, ease of use and low cost. Herein, a methodology for in situ single strand DNA detection by using a colorimetric assay based on the formation of a DNAzyme within a paper substrate was developed. A DNAzyme that could only be formed in the presence of a specific sequence of the Y human amelogenin gene was designed. The performance of the DNAzyme was followed colorimetrically first in solution and then in paper substrates. The reaction was found to be specific to the Y fragment selected as analyte. The DNAzyme reaction on paper enabled the unequivocal colorimetric identification of the Y single strand DNA fragment both qualitatively, with the naked eye (143 ng), and quantitatively by image analysis (45.7 ng). As a proof of concept, a microfluidic paper-based device, pre-loaded with all DNAzyme reagents, was characterized and implemented for the simultaneous detection of X and Y single strand DNA fragments.

Nowadays, there are strong efforts in developing new technology for rapid detection of specific DNA sequences for environmental monitoring, forensic analysis and rapid biomedical diagnosis applications. That is where microfluidic paper-based analytical devices are positioned as suitable platforms for the development of point of care analytical devices, due to their simple fabrication protocols, ease of use and low cost. Herein, a methodology for in situ single strand DNA detection by using a colorimetric assay based on the formation of a DNAzyme within a paper substrate was developed. A DNAzyme that could only be formed in the presence of a specific sequence of the Y human amelogenin gene was designed. The performance of the DNAzyme was followed colorimetrically first in solution and then in paper substrates. The reaction was found to be specific to the Y fragment selected as analyte. The DNAzyme reaction on paper enabled the unequivocal colorimetric identification of the Y single strand DNA fragment both qualitatively, with the naked eye (143 ng), and quantitatively by image analysis (45.7 ng). As a proof of concept, a microfluidic paper-based device, pre-loaded with all DNAzyme reagents, was characterized and implemented for the simultaneous detection of X and Y single strand DNA fragments.

Nowadays, there are strong efforts in developing new technology for rapid detection of specific DNA sequences for environmental monitoring, forensic analysis and rapid biomedical diagnosis applications. That is where microfluidic paper-based analytical devices are positioned as suitable platforms for the development of point of care analytical devices, due to their simple fabrication protocols, ease of use and low cost. Herein, a methodology for in situ single strand DNA detection by using a colorimetric assay based on the formation of a DNAzyme within a paper substrate was developed. A DNAzyme that could only be formed in the presence of a specific sequence of the Y human amelogenin gene was designed. The performance of the DNAzyme was followed colorimetrically first in solution and then in paper substrates. The reaction was found to be specific to the Y fragment selected as analyte. The DNAzyme reaction on paper enabled the unequivocal colorimetric identification of the Y single strand DNA fragment both qualitatively, with the naked eye (143 ng), and quantitatively by image analysis (45.7 ng). As a proof of concept, a microfluidic paper-based device, pre-loaded with all DNAzyme reagents, was characterized and implemented for the simultaneous detection of X and Y single strand DNA fragments.

Background Over the last number of years, the healthcare system has become more complex in managing increasing costs and outcomes within a defined budget. To be effective through reform, especially moving forward from the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare leaders, specifically in nursing, have an increased need for business acumen beyond traditional leadership and management principles. Aim This paper examines the concept of business acumen in the profession of nursing, specifically for managers and higher nurse leaders, establishing whether these skills are optional or essential. Discussion Nurses learn and develop broad skills in leadership and management, but less specifically about business or the broader system. With a contemporary Australian health system aiming to be more effective, nurses may require a greater level of business acumen to adequately understand the mechanics of business decision making in the system when designing care models, as well as representing the business potential of nursing in balance with clinical outcomes through reform. Conclusion The modern nurse, in addition to clinical skills, may need a foundational understanding of business evolving throughout their career, to maximise innovative growth across the system, in meeting the healthcare needs of our community now and into the future. Without a foundation level of business acumen and an understanding of the system across the profession, nurses may not be empowered with their full potential of being a strong voice influencing health system reform.

Traceability between published scientific breakthroughs and their implementation is essential, especially in the case of open-source scientific software which implements bleeding-edge science in its code. However, aligning the link between GitHub repositories and academic papers can prove difficult, and the current practice of establishing and maintaining such links remains unknown. This paper investigates the role of academic paper references contained in these repositories. We conduct a large-scale study of 20 thousand GitHub repositories that make references to academic papers. We use a mixed-methods approach to identify public access, traceability and evolutionary aspects of the links. Although referencing a paper is not typical, we find that a vast majority of referenced academic papers are public access. These repositories tend to be affiliated with academic communities. More than half of the papers do not link back to any repository. We find that academic papers from top-tier SE venues are not likely to reference a repository, but when they do, they usually link to a GitHub software repository. In a network of arXiv papers and referenced repositories, we find that the most referenced papers are (i) highly-cited in academia and (ii) are referenced by repositories written in different programming languages., identifier:0164-1212

Traceability between published scientific breakthroughs and their implementation is essential, especially in the case of open-source scientific software which implements bleeding-edge science in its code. However, aligning the link between GitHub repositories and academic papers can prove difficult, and the current practice of establishing and maintaining such links remains unknown. This paper investigates the role of academic paper references contained in these repositories. We conduct a large-scale study of 20 thousand GitHub repositories that make references to academic papers. We use a mixed-methods approach to identify public access, traceability and evolutionary aspects of the links. Although referencing a paper is not typical, we find that a vast majority of referenced academic papers are public access. These repositories tend to be affiliated with academic communities. More than half of the papers do not link back to any repository. We find that academic papers from top-tier SE venues are not likely to reference a repository, but when they do, they usually link to a GitHub software repository. In a network of arXiv papers and referenced repositories, we find that the most referenced papers are (i) highly-cited in academia and (ii) are referenced by repositories written in different programming languages., journal article

Traceability between published scientific breakthroughs and their implementation is essential, especially in the case of open-source scientific software which implements bleeding-edge science in its code. However, aligning the link between GitHub repositories and academic papers can prove difficult, and the current practice of establishing and maintaining such links remains unknown. This paper investigates the role of academic paper references contained in these repositories. We conduct a large-scale study of 20 thousand GitHub repositories that make references to academic papers. We use a mixed-methods approach to identify public access, traceability and evolutionary aspects of the links. Although referencing a paper is not typical, we find that a vast majority of referenced academic papers are public access. These repositories tend to be affiliated with academic communities. More than half of the papers do not link back to any repository. We find that academic papers from top-tier SE venues are not likely to reference a repository, but when they do, they usually link to a GitHub software repository. In a network of arXiv papers and referenced repositories, we find that the most referenced papers are (i) highly-cited in academia and (ii) are referenced by repositories written in different programming languages.

In this paper, lignin-activated carbon xerogels from the black liquor of the paper industry were synthesized by the sol-gel polycondensation of resorcinol and lignin with formaldehyde, NaOH, and water. The sol-gel was prepared at three Lignin/(Lignin+Resorcinol) mass ratios of 0, 13, and 27%. A portion of sol-gel was functionalized with a no-common crosslinking agent, cyanuric chloride (CC) saturated in 1,4-dioxane, to introduce some nitrogen functional groups on the surface. The sol-gels non- and functionalized were dried and activated with H3PO4 at a mass ratio of 1:1 at 450 °C. After the functionalization with the CC and activation process, the superficial nitrogen content percentage increased to 7 wt%, where the most prevalent functionality was N-pyrrole. The sample with a high percentage of nitrogen groups did not show the best electrochemical behavior (112 F g−1 at 0.125 A g−1). However, increasing lignin content up to 27% without functionalization improved the gravimetric capacitance value of 149.5 F −1. These results are mainly attributed to electrostatic effects and the high presence of phosphorus functionalities introduced after the activation process that enhance the surface wettability of the electrodes. Furthermore, the analysis of the variance confirmed that the CC impregnation process did not favor gravimetric capacitance. Lignin can be considered as an excellent substitute for resorcinol partially to produce bio-based activated carbon xerogels and use them as electrodes for supercapacitors and reduce production costs.

Among the largest producers of waste, the paper industry stands out due to its impact on human health and ecological balance. However, these residues may also contribute to a more environmental friendly brick industry, since the incorporation of fluxing agents may improve the firing process and the induced porosity reduces thermal conductivity of fired bricks. Therefore, this study aims to assess the feasibility of replacing clay with solid paper residue (PPR) from 2.5 to 17.5% in order to reduce resources depletion and improve brick performance. The original clay was characterized as a non-calcareous red clay with high contents of kaolinite. Several samples were made by extrusion and fired at 900 °C in accordance with industrial procedures. The addition of PPR led to increase shrinkage from 5 to 10% due to the effect of fluxing oxides which reduced pores volume and enlarged pores size. In addition, the impervious fraction was slightly reduced while the apparent porosity certainly increased (i.e. approx. 17%) due to the macroscopic pores developed by PPR combustion. This porosity produces lighter bricks (i.e. density decays from 1.76 to 1.39 g dm−3) with lower thermal conductivity (i.e. from 5.53 to 0.41 W m−1 K−1) but also reduces compressive strength (i.e. from 11 to 3 MPa) and increases water absorption (i.e. up to 24%). Nevertheless, toxicity is below the regulatory limits in all cases and fired bricks are easily adaptable to industrial procedures.

Among the largest producers of waste, the paper industry stands out due to its impact on human health and ecological balance. However, these residues may also contribute to a more environmental friendly brick industry, since the incorporation of fluxing agents may improve the firing process and the induced porosity reduces thermal conductivity of fired bricks. Therefore, this study aims to assess the feasibility of replacing clay with solid paper residue (PPR) from 2.5 to 17.5% in order to reduce resources depletion and improve brick performance. The original clay was characterized as a non-calcareous red clay with high contents of kaolinite. Several samples were made by extrusion and fired at 900 °C in accordance with industrial procedures. The addition of PPR led to increase shrinkage from 5 to 10% due to the effect of fluxing oxides which reduced pores volume and enlarged pores size. In addition, the impervious fraction was slightly reduced while the apparent porosity certainly increased (i.e. approx. 17%) due to the macroscopic pores developed by PPR combustion. This porosity produces lighter bricks (i.e. density decays from 1.76 to 1.39 g dm−3) with lower thermal conductivity (i.e. from 5.53 to 0.41 W m−1 K−1) but also reduces compressive strength (i.e. from 11 to 3 MPa) and increases water absorption (i.e. up to 24%). Nevertheless, toxicity is below the regulatory limits in all cases and fired bricks are easily adaptable to industrial procedures.

Question In people with bone and soft tissue injuries of the wrist, hand and/or fingers, do feedback-guided exercises performed on a tablet touchscreen hasten return to work, reduce healthcare usage and improve clinical recovery more than a home exercise program prescribed on paper? Design Randomised, parallel-group trial with concealed allocation, assessor blinding and intention-to-treat analysis. Participants Seventy-four workers with limited functional ability due to bone and soft tissue injuries of the wrist, hand and/or fingers. Intervention Participants in the experimental and control groups received the same in-patient physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Participants in the experimental group received a home exercise program using the ReHand tablet application, which guides exercises performed on a tablet touchscreen with feedback, monitoring and progression. Participants in the control group were prescribed an evidence-based home exercise program on paper. Outcome measures The primary outcome was the time taken to return to work. Secondary outcomes included: healthcare usage (number of clinical appointments); and functional ability, pain intensity, and grip and pinch strength 2 and 4 weeks after randomisation. Results Compared with the control group, the experimental group: returned to work sooner (MD –18 days, 95% CI –33 to –3); required fewer physiotherapy sessions (MD –7.4, 95% CI –13.1 to –1.6), rehabilitation consultations (MD –1.9, 95% CI –3.6 to 0.3) and plastic surgery consultations (MD –3.6, 95% CI –6.3 to –0.9); and had better short-term recovery of functional ability and pinch strength. Conclusion In people with bone and soft-tissue injuries of the wrist, hand and/or fingers, prescribing a feedback-guided home exercise program using a tablet-based application instead of a conventional program on paper hastened return to work and improved the short-term recovery of functional ability and pinch strength, while reducing the number of required hea

During the early stages of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, EASL and ESCMID published a position paper to provide guidance for physicians involved in the care of patients with chronic liver disease. While some healthcare systems are returning to a more normal routine, many countries and healthcare systems have been, or still are, overwhelmed by the pandemic, which is significantly impacting on the care of these patients. In addition, many studies have been published focusing on how COVID-19 may affect the liver and how pre-existing liver diseases might influence the clinical course of COVID-19. While many aspects remain poorly understood, it has become increasingly evident that pre-existing liver diseases and liver injury during the disease course must be kept in mind when caring for patients with COVID-19. This review should serve as an update on the previous position paper, summarising the evidence for liver disease involvement during COVID-19 and providing recommendations on how to return to routine care wherever possible.

Question In people with bone and soft tissue injuries of the wrist, hand and/or fingers, do feedback-guided exercises performed on a tablet touchscreen hasten return to work, reduce healthcare usage and improve clinical recovery more than a home exercise program prescribed on paper? Design Randomised, parallel-group trial with concealed allocation, assessor blinding and intention-to-treat analysis. Participants Seventy-four workers with limited functional ability due to bone and soft tissue injuries of the wrist, hand and/or fingers. Intervention Participants in the experimental and control groups received the same in-patient physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Participants in the experimental group received a home exercise program using the ReHand tablet application, which guides exercises performed on a tablet touchscreen with feedback, monitoring and progression. Participants in the control group were prescribed an evidence-based home exercise program on paper. Outcome measures The primary outcome was the time taken to return to work. Secondary outcomes included: healthcare usage (number of clinical appointments); and functional ability, pain intensity, and grip and pinch strength 2 and 4 weeks after randomisation. Results Compared with the control group, the experimental group: returned to work sooner (MD –18 days, 95% CI –33 to –3); required fewer physiotherapy sessions (MD –7.4, 95% CI –13.1 to –1.6), rehabilitation consultations (MD –1.9, 95% CI –3.6 to 0.3) and plastic surgery consultations (MD –3.6, 95% CI –6.3 to –0.9); and had better short-term recovery of functional ability and pinch strength. Conclusion In people with bone and soft-tissue injuries of the wrist, hand and/or fingers, prescribing a feedback-guided home exercise program using a tablet-based application instead of a conventional program on paper hastened return to work and improved the short-term recovery of functional ability and pinch strength, while reducing the number of required hea

Question In people with bone and soft tissue injuries of the wrist, hand and/or fingers, do feedback-guided exercises performed on a tablet touchscreen hasten return to work, reduce healthcare usage and improve clinical recovery more than a home exercise program prescribed on paper? Design Randomised, parallel-group trial with concealed allocation, assessor blinding and intention-to-treat analysis. Participants Seventy-four workers with limited functional ability due to bone and soft tissue injuries of the wrist, hand and/or fingers. Intervention Participants in the experimental and control groups received the same in-patient physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Participants in the experimental group received a home exercise program using the ReHand tablet application, which guides exercises performed on a tablet touchscreen with feedback, monitoring and progression. Participants in the control group were prescribed an evidence-based home exercise program on paper. Outcome measures The primary outcome was the time taken to return to work. Secondary outcomes included: healthcare usage (number of clinical appointments); and functional ability, pain intensity, and grip and pinch strength 2 and 4 weeks after randomisation. Results Compared with the control group, the experimental group: returned to work sooner (MD –18 days, 95% CI –33 to –3); required fewer physiotherapy sessions (MD –7.4, 95% CI –13.1 to –1.6), rehabilitation consultations (MD –1.9, 95% CI –3.6 to 0.3) and plastic surgery consultations (MD –3.6, 95% CI –6.3 to –0.9); and had better short-term recovery of functional ability and pinch strength. Conclusion In people with bone and soft-tissue injuries of the wrist, hand and/or fingers, prescribing a feedback-guided home exercise program using a tablet-based application instead of a conventional program on paper hastened return to work and improved the short-term recovery of functional ability and pinch strength, while reducing the number of required hea

During the early stages of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, EASL and ESCMID published a position paper to provide guidance for physicians involved in the care of patients with chronic liver disease. While some healthcare systems are returning to a more normal routine, many countries and healthcare systems have been, or still are, overwhelmed by the pandemic, which is significantly impacting on the care of these patients. In addition, many studies have been published focusing on how COVID-19 may affect the liver and how pre-existing liver diseases might influence the clinical course of COVID-19. While many aspects remain poorly understood, it has become increasingly evident that pre-existing liver diseases and liver injury during the disease course must be kept in mind when caring for patients with COVID-19. This review should serve as an update on the previous position paper, summarising the evidence for liver disease involvement during COVID-19 and providing recommendations on how to return to routine care wherever possible.

The fluorescence-based detection of biological complexes on solid substrates is widely used in microarrays and lateral flow tests. Here, we investigate thiol-ene micropillar scaffold sheets (“synthetic paper”) as the solid substrate in such assays. Compared to state-of-the-art glass and nitrocellulose substrates, assays on synthetic paper provide a stronger fluorescence signal, similar or better reproducibility, lower limit of detection (LOD), and the possibility of working with lower immunoreagent concentrations. Using synthetic paper, we detected the antibiotic enrofloxacin in whole milk with a LOD of 1.64 nM, which is on par or better than the values obtained with other common tests, and much lower than the maximum level allowed by European Union regulations. The significance of these results lays in that they indicate that synthetically-derived microstructured substrate materials have the potential to improve the performance of diagnostic assays.

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. Telomerase activity has been demonstrated in a wide variety of most solid tumors and considered as a well-known cancer biomarker. The commonly utilized method for its detection is polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP). However, the TRAP technique suffers from false-negative results caused by the failure of PCR step. Moreover, it requires advanced equipment with a tedious and time-consuming procedure. Herein, we presented a portable nitrocellulose paper-based nanobiosensing platform for ultrafast and equipment-free detection of telomerase activity based on a simple colorimetric assay that enabled naked-eye visualization of the color change in response to enzyme activity. In this platform, hybridization was initially performed between telomere complementary oligonucleotide immobilized on gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and telomerase elongated biotinylated probe. Thereafter, the assembly was attached on activated paper strip via avidin-biotin interaction. The signal amplification was carried out by enlargement of the attached GNPs on the paper strip, forming tightly compact rod-shaped submicron structures of gold representing a visual color formation. Thanks to significant sensitivity enhancement, the color change was occurred for down to 6 cells, which can be easily observed by the naked eye. Due to the desired aspects of the developed assay including PCR-free, low cost, simple, and high sensitivity, it can be used for evaluation of telomerase activity in cell extracts for future clinical applications. Furthermore, this design has the ability to be easily integrated into lab-on-chip devices for point-of-care telomerase sensing.