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A novel platform of a polydiacetylene combined with rhodamine B (PDA-Rho) colorimetric chemosensor array was prepared from a diacetylene monomer and rhodamine B derivative. Rhodamine B derivative as the ion-recognition element was embedded in the polydiacetylene matrix. To fabricate chemosensor, diacetylene monomer connected rhodamine B derivatives (DA-Rho) was coated onto a filter paper surface via drop-casting technique and transformed to polydiacetylene by polymerisation through ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. From the result, PDA-Rhoen exhibited high sensitivity and selectivity for Au3+ and could be monitored directly by naked eyes providing a fast, portable and easy-to-use as a molecular device in the real system. The DFT calculation results showed a stable complex between PDA-Rho and Au3+. We believe that, this method offers a sensitive and accurate process for Au3+ ion detection in real environmental and biological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synsepalum dulcificum exhibits high edible and medicinal value; however, there have been no reports on the exploration of its endophyte resources. Here, we conducted analyses encompassing plant metabolomics, microbial diversity, and the biological activities of endophytic metabolites in S. dulcificum. Highthroughput sequencing identified 4,913 endophytic fungal amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) and 1,703 endophytic bacterial ASVs from the roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits of S. dulcificum. Fungi were classified into 5 phyla, 24 classes, 75 orders, 170 families, and 313 genera, while bacteria belonged to 21 phyla, 47 classes, 93 orders, 145 families, and 232 genera. Furthermore, there were significant differences in the composition and content of metabolites in different tissues of S. dulcificum. Spearman’s correlation analysis of the differential metabolites and endophytes revealed that the community composition of the endophytes correlated with plant-rich metabolites. The internal transcribed spacer sequences of 105 isolates were determined, and phylogenetic analyses revealed that these fungi were distributed into three phyla (Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mucoromycota) and 20 genera. Moreover, 16S rDNA sequencing of 46 bacteria revealed they were distributed in 16 genera in three phyla: Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Firmicutes. The antimicrobial activities (filter paper method) and antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS assays) of crude extracts obtained from 68 fungal and 20 bacterial strains cultured in different media were evaluated. Additionally, the a-glucosidase inhibitory activity of the fungal extracts was examined. The results showed that 88.6% of the strains exhibited antimicrobial activity, 55.7% exhibited antioxidant activity, and 85% of the fungi exhibited a-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The research suggested that the endophytes of S. dulcificum are highly diverse and have the potential to produce bioactive metabolites, providing abundant species resources for developing antibiotics, antioxidants and hypoglycemic drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of native as well as acid/alkali pre-treated paddy straw was investigated as inducer substrate for Aspergillus terreus mediated cellulase and xylanase production. The cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin contents of native straw were found to be 25.94%, 17.64% and 15.82%, respectively. However, in the acid/alkali treated straw, cellulose content substantially increased to 48.09%, whereas hemicellulose and lignin contents were reported to be particularly low (11.72%, 5.08%, respectively). The FTIR spectra of native and pre-treated paddy straw further supported the variation in their chemical constituents. A. terreus repertoires were cultivated on native and treated paddy straw under solid state fermentation (SSF) and liquid fermentation (LF) conditions. The LF cultures showed higher cellulase and xylanase activities (Filter Paper cellulase: 45.33 U/L, Carboxymethyl cellulase: 104.75 U/L, β-glucosidase 80.44 U/L, Avicelase: 22.72 U/L and Xylanase: 623.69 U/L) than the respective SSF cultures. Significantly high activities of exoglucanases and endoglucanases were obtained when native straw was used as the growth substrate. The scanning electron micrographs of native and treated straw exhibited disintegration after being subjected to biological treatments, confirming the hyphal adhered growth and production of hydrolysing secretomes by the fungus. Cultivation of A. terreus on native paddy straw in LF culture system resulted in better enzyme production, and holds promise for further optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, solid-surface fluorescence spectra of Rhodamine B (RhB) and fluorescein (FLU), two extensively used fluorophores, were studied and their concentrations were semi-quantitatively determined using the three-dimensional excitation–emission matrix (3D-EEM) data. In order to measure the solid fluorescence spectra, a trace amount of fluorophores was physically adsorbed on a piece of filter paper as a fluorescent paper, and the fluorescence spectra were recorded from the surface of the fluorescent paper instead of the inner parts of the solution. The spectral measurement was performed utilizing a routine spectrofluorimeter designed to measure the fluorescence of solution only by placing the fluorescent paper in a simple handmade holder at an adjusted incident angle of radiation. The results revealed a significant increase in the fluorescence intensity of the fluorescent paper strip compared to the solution phase. Moreover, in the RhB–FLU paper strip the forster resonance energy transfer was observed between FLU and RhB, similar to the observed phenomenon in the solution phase. For quantifying fluorophores, the EEM data were successfully resolved by applying multivariate partial least squares and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) modeling, and the results were compared with the univariate method. This study may provide a general guideline in further developing the solid fluorescence measurement of concentrated solutions or solid samples that have fluorescence measurement limitations such as high self-absorption and highly scattered spectra by using a conventional spectrofluorimeter, and also of biological samples where a trace amount of the analyte is available and high sensitivity is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Like many cockroaches, Argentinian wood roaches, Blaptica dubia, prefer darker shelters over lighter shelters. In three experiments, we asked whether chemical cues from other roaches might influence shelter choice, a process known as conspecific or heterospecific cueing, depending on whether the cues come from an individual of the same or a different species, respectively. Methods: Each experiment involved trials with focal B. dubia cockroaches in testing arenas containing plastic shelters of varying levels of darkness, with filter paper under each shelter acting as a carrier for chemical cues. In Experiment 1, we tested female and male B. dubia cockroaches with two shelters matched for darkness but differing in cues (conspecific vs. none). The shelter with no cue contained a blank filter paper as a control. In Experiment 2 (conspecific cueing) and Experiment 3 (heterospecific cueing), we tested B. dubia cockroach choices for lighter or darker shelters with filter papers containing chemical cues of other roaches or no chemical cues. For the conspecific cueing study of Experiment 2, we used chemical cues from other B. dubia cockroaches. In contrast, for the heterospecific cueing study of Experiment 3, we used chemical cues from a different species, the death's head cockroach, Blaberus craniifer. Results: In Experiment 1, B. dubia cockroaches overwhelmingly preferred shelters with conspecific chemical cues over darkness-matched shelters without cues. In Experiments 2 and 3, they strongly preferred darker shelters, especially when chemical cues were present. Additionally, they were more likely to be under the lighter shelter when chemical cues were present there. These results reveal that the public information B. dubia cockroaches gain from chemical cues--including those from other species--can drive shelter choices in this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Pulp & Paper is the property of China Pulp & Paper Magazines Publisher and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Ecologists have worked to ascribe function to the variation found in plant populations, communities and ecosystems across environments for at least the past century. The vast body of research in functional ecology has drastically improved understanding of how individuals respond to their environment, communities are assembled and ecosystems function. However, with limited exceptions, few studies have quantified differences in plant function during the earliest stages of the plant life cycle, and fewer have tested how this early variability shapes populations, communities and ecosystems.Drawing from the literature and our collective experience, we describe the current state of knowledge in seedling functional ecology and provide examples of how this subdiscipline can enrich our fundamental understanding of plant function across levels of organisation. To inspire progressive work in this area, we also outline key considerations involved in seedling functional research (who, what, when, where and how to measure seedling traits) and identify remaining challenges and gaps in understanding around methodological approaches.Within this conceptual synthesis, we highlight three critical areas in seedling ecology for future research to target. First, given wide variation in the definition of a 'seedling', we provide a standard definition based on seed reserve dependence while emphasising the need to measure ontogenetic variation more clearly both within and following the seedling stage. Second, studies demonstrate that seedlings can be studied in multiple media (e.g. soil, agar, filter paper) and conditions (e.g. field, greenhouse, laboratory). We recommend that researchers select methods based on explicit goals, yet follow standard guidelines to reduce methodological noise across studies. Third, research is critically needed to assess the implications of different methodologies on trait measurement and compatibility across studies.By highlighting the importance of seedling functional ecology and suggesting pathways to address key challenges, we aim to inspire future research that generates useful and comparable data on seedling functional ecology. This work is critical to explain variation within and among populations, communities and ecosystems and integrate this most vulnerable stage of plant life into ecological frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We successfully developed an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method for making Ag noble nanoparticles on cheap, commercial filter paper consisting of three-dimensional porous glass fibers and investigated the evolution of Ag nanostructures with some key process parameters. By tuning Ag particle sizes and controlling the cycle numbers of ALD deposited Ag films, we were able to obtain high-density isolated Ag nanoparticles with average sizes in 3–9 nm without the formation of agglomerates and continuous Ag films. We proved the presence of strong localized surface plasmon resonance peaks near a target wavelength of 632 nm. We further proved the presence of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signals on the Ag coated filter paper substrates using pyridine as the test analyte. Our results demonstrate that ALD is a very promising technique for a rational design of SERS substrates and, thus, has great potential for the fabrication of large-area, low-cost SERS substrates for future commercial applications, as compared to other existing techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arab Journal of Plant Protection is the property of Arab Society for Plant Protection and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

To achieve integrated resource utilization of graphite tailings to improve their water-holding capacity, river silt and cow dung powder were added to graphite tailings as organic matter improvers. Improver ratios were designed using 4 g cow dung powder and 20, 30, and 50 g river silt. Soil–water characterization tests were performed using a combined tensiometer and filter paper method based on optimum density measurements. Analysis of the influence of river silt dosing on the soil–water characteristic curves of improved graphite tailing specimens was performed with data fitting using the Van Genuchten model. Here, we investigated the effect of river silt dosing on the internal pore structure and water-holding capacity of modified graphite tailing samples and verified the applicability of the model to graphite tailings. Our results demonstrate that the organic matter improver incorporated into graphite tailings can improve the internal structural compactness of graphite tailings, improving the water holding capacity. With an increase in river silt dosage, the saturated water content is larger, and the residual water content increases and then decreases. When river silt dosage is 30 g, the residual water content is the highest at a value of 3.32%. The van Genuchten model was highly accurate for assessing the graphite tailings. With an increase in river silt doping, the internal pore space first decreased and then increased, and the internal structure gradually became compact and loosened. The internal structure was in the optimal state in the experimental study when the dosage of cow dung powder was 4 g and the dosage of river silt was 30 g. The water holding capacity was optimal at this time. The results of this study provide a theoretical foundation for graphite-tailing-based mine reclamation and play a guiding role in exploring the value of the hydraulic characteristic index parameters when applying graphite tailings engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By focusing our attention on nitrogen components in plants, which are important for cultivation management in data-driven agriculture, we developed a simple, rapid, non-chemical and simultaneous quantification method for proteinic and nitrate nitrogen in a leaf model based on near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic information obtained using a compact Fourier Transform NIR (FT-NIR) spectrometer. The NIR spectra of wet leaf models impregnated with a protein–nitric acid mixed solution and a dry leaf model obtained by drying filter paper were acquired. For spectral acquisition, a compact MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) FT-NIR spectrometer equipped with a diffuse reflectance probe accessory was used. Partial least square regression analysis was performed using the spectral information of the extracted absorption bands based on the determination coefficients between the spectral absorption intensities and the contents of the two-dimensional spectral analysis between NIR and mid-infrared spectral information. Proteinic nitrogen content in the dry leaf model was well predicted using the MEMS FT-NIR spectroscopic method. Additionally, nitrate nitrogen in the dry leaf model was also determined by the provided method, but the necessity of adding the data for a wider range of nitric acid concentrations was experimentally indicated for the prediction of nitrate nitrogen content in the wet leaf model. Consequently, these results experimentally suggest the possibility of the application of the compact MEMS FT-NIR for obtaining the bioinformation of crops at agricultural on-sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring an appropriate immobilization approach to enhance catalytic activity and reusability of cellulase is of great importance to reduce the price of enzymes and promote the industrialization of cellulose-derived biochemicals. In this study, Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were functionalized with meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid to introduce carboxyl groups on the surface (DMNPs). Then, melamine–glutaraldehyde dendrimer-like polymers were grafted on DMNPs to increase protein binding sites for the immobilization of processive endoglucanase EG5C-1. Moreover, this dendrimer-like structure was beneficial to protect the conformation of EG5C-1 and facilitate the interaction between substrate and active center. The loading capacity of the functionalized copolymers (MG-DMNPs) for EG5C-1 was about 195 mg/g, where more than 90% of the activity was recovered. Immobilized EG5C-1 exhibited improved thermal stability and increased tolerability over a broad pH range compared with the free one. Additionally, MG-DMNP/EG5C-1 biocomposite maintained approximately 80% of its initial hydrolysis productivity after five cycles of usage using filter paper as the substrate. Our results provided a promising approach for the functionalization of MNPs, enabling the immobilization of cellulases with a high loading capacity and excellent activity recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to explore the nutritional value of sea buckthorn by-products and the antibacterial effects of their extracts on Escherichia coli. The experiment employed the sodium nitrite-aluminum nitrate method to determine flavonoid content, while alcohol extraction and water extraction methods were used to extract active substances from sea buckthorn by-products. The antibacterial effects of sea buckthorn by-product extracts on Escherichia coli were investigated by the filter paper method, perforation method, and broth dilution method. The results showed that the dry matter (DM) content of sea buckthorn by-products was 97.98%, ash content was 3.41%, crude protein (CP) content was 12.87%, and crude fat (EE) content was 22.48%. With the increase of sea buckthorn by-product addition, gas production showed a decreasing trend. Among alcohol extraction and water extraction methods, the constant broth dilution method exhibited the best antibacterial effect. In the alcohol extraction method, the filter paper method showed good antibacterial effect with an inhibition zone of 14.6 mm. In the water extraction method, the filter paper method did not exhibit a significant inhibition zone, and the perforation method was not significant in both alcohol extraction and water extraction methods. The study suggests that sea buckthorn by-products have rich nutritional value, and alcohol extraction is more effective in inhibiting Escherichia coli compared to water extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with kidney disease require frequent blood tests to monitor their kidney function, which is particularly difficult for young children and the elderly. For these people, the standard method is to evaluate serum creatinine or cystatin C or drug levels through venous sampling, but more recently, evaluation using dried blood spots has been used. This narrative review reports information from the literature on the use of dried blood spots to quantify the main markers used to detect kidney diseases. The ScienceDirect and PubMed databases were searched using the keywords: "dried blood on filter paper," "markers of renal function," "renal function," "creatinine," "cystatin C," "urea," "iohexol," and "iotalamate." Studies using animal samples were excluded, and only relevant articles in English or Spanish were considered. Creatinine was the most assessed biomarker in studies using dried blood spots to monitor kidney function, showing good performance in samples whose hematocrit levels were within normal reference values. According to the included studies, dried blood spots are a practical monitoring alternative for kidney disease. Validation parameters, such as sample and card type, volume, storage, internal patterns, and the effects of hematocrit are crucial to improving the reliability of these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulosic-based materials such as hemp fabric and paper have combined characteristics of renewability, biodegradability, flexibility, and recyclability. However, regular products are not suitable for use in unconventional applications due to inherent limitations, and accordingly, enabling new capabilities is a necessity. To this end, the conversion of regular hemp fabric and paper into high-strength products with hydrophobic function via surface engineering was explored. The fluorinated waterborne polyurethane (FWPU) emulsions were first synthesized as functional coatings by in-situ polymerization. The structure and properties of the FWPU emulsion and film were characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM, TG, and XPS. The results showed that the grafting of perfluorooctanol imparts WPU film excellent hydrophobicity, and the water contact angle increases from 71.2° to 105.9°. After the FWPU coating, the water contact angles of the hemp fabric and paper increase from 0° to 117.1° and 112.8°, respectively. Quite encouragingly, the coating generation of waterborne polyurethane-derived functional additives led to the increase of mechanical strength by more than 23% and 82%, in the case of qualitative filter paper and hemp fabric. Meanwhile, the folding strength of filter paper is increased by 132 times. Overall, this functionalized waterborne polyurethane coating would direct paper and hemp fabric toward diversified applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large-scale development of flexible electrode is urgently needed for water electrosplitting. Herein, the common and low-cost filter paper (FP) is utilized as the substrate to adjust the flexible property of the catalytic electrode. Through an electroless plating method, the NiFeP alloys were deposited onto the filter paper, which acted as the flexible and self-supported electrode for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The resultant NiFeP@FPs require low overpotentials of 158 mV for HER and 282 mV for OER to deliver a current density of 10 mA cm−2, and exhibit a good stability of 30 h in 1 M KOH. The synergistic effect of Fe–Ni sites regulates electron structure and boosts the catalytic activity. Benefited from good hydrophilicity and interlaced fiber structure of filter paper, electrolyte penetration and electron transfer in the sample are promoted. The assembled two-electrode electrolyzer only requires 1.814 V to achieve 100 mA cm−2 for overall water splitting and shows excellent stability. This work provides a new strategy for the development of flexible and efficient electrodes for water splitting, which advances the development of wearable electronic devices. [Display omitted] • The flexible filter paper-based electrode was successfully synthesized. • The good hydrophilicity and porous structure facilitated electrolyte permeation. • The sample required low overpotentials of 158 mV for HER and 282 mV for OER. • The two-electrode electrolyzer provided 100 mA cm−2 at a low voltage of 1.814 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the synthesis and catalytic properties of Donor-Acceptor Stenhouse Adducts (DASAs). DASAs are triene substances that can be prepared using specific reagents and conditions. The study explores the use of Lewis acids as catalysts for transforming DASAs into their ring isomers, and suggests potential applications as photosensors and Lewis acid sensors. The document provides detailed experimental procedures and results for the synthesis and characterization of various compounds, as well as a general procedure for the one-pot cyclization of DASAs. [Extracted from the article]

Aims: Information on breastfeeding and safety of biologics in infants is lacking due to difficulties in case collection. We evaluated methods for determining the concentration of biologics in breast milk using a dry filter method that can simplify the collection, storage and transport of breast milk. Methods: To generate dried filter paper (DFP) samples, approximately 30 μL of breast milk was placed onto a Whatman 903 card and punched out. After extraction, the supernatant was measured using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Three concentrations of each drug were prepared in liquid breast milk (LBM) and DFP samples to determine their stability up to 28 days after storage at 2–8°C or −20°C for LBM and 25 ± 5°C for DFP. LBM and DFP samples were also provided by nursing mothers using biologics during lactation, and drug concentrations in both samples were compared. The agreement between the two measurement methods was confirmed by Bland–Altman analysis. Results: Breast milk was provided by 12 mothers who used biologics (tocilizumab, abatacept, etanercept, golimumab, sarilumab and belimumab). The coefficients of variation for within‐run and between‐run precision for the six drugs were within 15% for both LBM and DFP, and accuracy was within 90%–110% of the quality controls. After 28 days, concentrations remained at more than 90%. The difference between the values obtained by each method was within the acceptable range of error (−12.1 to +16.6 ng/mL). Conclusions: A method for determining the concentration of biologics using DFP is expected to help improve pharmacotherapy for lactating women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tephritid fruit flies are responsible for many losses in the fruit market due to direct damage to fruits and their quarantine restrictions. Augmentative parasitoid releases are an effective method of biological control that is complementary to the sterile insect technique (SIT) currently used for the management of many tephritid species. However, mass-produced parasitoids must exhibit high-quality attributes that are crucial for the reduction of pest populations. Females must be able to disperse and locate host larvae following kairomones. Nevertheless, there is currently no standardised, fast-processing method to assess the quality of searching parasitoids. Since parasitoid effectiveness is linked to flight ability, we developed a test with a larval-odour device that aimed to measure the quality of female parasitoids via their ability to locate host larvae by their odour. As an odour source, we applied a used or clean artificial host diet on a 3 × 2 cm piece of filter paper. We diluted the diets in ethanol at 1/1, 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 (% mass/vol) to obtain an odour gradient. Female wasps landed and attempted to oviposit more frequently on devices treated with used diet than on those treated with clean diet. We suggest that this test can be implemented as a simple and fast method to evaluate the searching behaviour of mass-reared parasitoids of fruit fly larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flame spread behavior over a filter paper in opposed flow was investigated on the ISS/Kibo, and the results were compared with the flammability map predicted in advance by scale analysis for a two-dimensional flame. The on-orbit experiments were conducted in the solid combustion experimental module (SCEM) as the first combustion test of the FLARE project by JAXA. A filter paper with a length of 130 mm, a width of 40 mm or 20 mm, and a thickness of 0.12 mm was used as the specimen. The opposed flow velocity and the oxygen concentration were varied from 0 cm/s to 25 cm/s, and from 13.5% to 34%, respectively. The ambient pressure is 101.3 kPa. The predicted limiting curve reasonably agreed with the minimum limiting oxygen concentration observed. On the other hand, in extremely slow flows, very robust flames were observed beyond the limiting curve. When the condition reached the limit of two-dimensional flame, the flame front changed from a linear shape to a spherical shape (flamelet) to shorten the preheat zone length, reducing the radiative heat loss to survive. In these cases, the flamelet was sustained for a long time (> 100 s), and a large amount of decomposed gas was released at the periphery of the pyrolysis zone generating a combustible vapor cloud around the spherical flame font. The presence of a long-life robust flamelet and the accumulation of such combustible mist can be fire hazards in microgravity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study was conducted at the different villages of the Arajiline block of Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh, India during November, 2022-June, 2023 to evaluate the variability of soil properties and nutrient indexof soils. The random sampling technique was used to collect 40 soil samples at different locations with the help of GPS at 0-15 cm depth. The collected soil samples were air-dried in shade at room temperature, passed through a 2 mm filter paper, and analyzed for different physico-chemical properties. The result revealed that the TS (range 8.2-81.3%), VFS (range 4.2-35.5%), Silt (range 10.1-54.2%), Clay (range 7.7-38.8%), BD (range 1.08-1.45 g cm-3), PD (range 2.04-2.33), Porosity (range 30.24-51.56%) pH (range 6.4-7.8), EC (range 0.1-0.3 dS m-1), OC (0.2-0.6%), and available N, P, K, S, Ca, and Mg varied from 130.12-260.30 kg ha-1, 14.2-23.2 kg ha-1, 145.0-240.0 kg ha-1, 7.5-17.6 kg ha-1, 3.8-8.2 cmol(P+)/kg, and 2.1-4.1 cmol(P+)/kg, respectively. The findings indicated that the studied soils were slightly acidic to moderately acidic and free from salinity hazards; 70% of the soil samples were low in organic carbon, 30% were medium in organic carbon, and 100% of the soil samples were low in available N and medium in available P, K, and S. 100% of soil samples were found to be sufficient in exchangeable Ca and Mg. The findings of this research could help in crop nutrient management, fertilizer recommendation, and decision-making for increasing agricultural production and farmer profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term excessive uptake of fluoride through potable water will cause adverse effects on human health. Therefore, it is of great significance to detect and remove excessive fluoride in potable water. Here, we reported a multi-functional Zr-based coordination polymer namely CP-1, which could realize the visual detection and effectively selective adsorption of fluoride. The investigation of fluoride adsorption manifested that the maximum fluoride adsorption capacity of CP-1 could reach 48.78 mg g−1 and selective adsorption capacity kept stable in a wide range of pH. By fluorometric approaches, the detection of limit of F− could achieve 1.55 × 10–6 mol L−1 based on CP-1. Moreover, the fluorescence test paper fabricated by in situ growth of CP-1 onto the surface of filter paper was proved to realize the visual detection of fluoride. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel 1,8-naphthalimide fluorescent probe (BNAS) containing 2-thiopheneethylamine moiety was designed and synthesized for analyzing the composition of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF)/deionized water (H2O) mixtures. With the increase of DMF content, the fluorescence of the system was enhanced from dark to bright yellow-green. Taking 15% (volume) DMF content as the dividing point, the fluorescence intensity of the system at 535 nm showed two good linear relationships with the DMF content 1–15% and 15–99%, based on which the composition of the DMF/H2O mixtures with a volume ratio of 1/99–99/1 could be quickly and efficiently analyzed with high selectivity and sensitivity. BNAS can be applied in real sample assay and further be loaded onto filter paper to make a portable sensor. The mechanism of BNAS response to DMF/H2O composition was also explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this study is to design and manufacture a water treatment filter using a metal–organic framework to remove pollutants from aqueous solutions with high efficiency. A uniform layer of the metal–organic framework was placed on cellulose filter paper. Cellulose filter paper is biodegradable and economical and its surface can be easily modifiable due to its high hydroxyl groups. HKUST-1, a kind of MOF with a porous and adjustable structure as well as having many active sites was selected for modification of cellulose filter paper for increasing the removal efficiency. The important point of this research is using a very easy method to synthesize the filter in a short time and at room temperature. Synthesized HKUST-1@Filter paper was characterized by SEM, FTIR, and XRD analysis. This filter was used to remove meloxicam from the aqueous solution with a removal percentage of more than 87%. To study the stability and reusability of the synthesized filter, an organic solvent was used for desorption, and it was found that the filter remains stable and had high efficiency to remove contaminants several times after desorption. Langmuir and Freundlich's isotherms were used to investigate the adsorption mechanism. With the equilibrium adsorption isotherm, it was found that the absorption of meloxicam followed the Langmuir model, and the maximum adsorption capacity was 2500 mg g−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to understand microplastic (MP) ingestion by five fish species with different feeding habits namely, Schizothorax richardsonii and Crossocheilus latius (herbivore),Cyprinus carpio (omnivore), Tor chelenoid (herbi-omnivore), and Botia horii (carnivore). The fishes were sampled from River Alaknanda (one of the headwaters of River Ganga) patch at Srinagar, Garhwal, Uttarakhand. The fish gut samples were digested with 30% hydrogen peroxide and vacuum filtered through glass microfiber filter. Each filter paper was observed microscopically to count MPs, and then, selected MPs were chemically characterized using Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). The results revealed that all the species were contaminated with MPs and the rate of MP ingestion varied with feeding habits. The herbi-omnivore fish, Tor chelenoid, was observed to have the highest MP ingestion. Among the analyzed particles, fibers (66%) were the dominant type of MPs. The MPs were chemically characterized as High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polypropylene (PP), and Polyester. This study contributes as a reference for the forthcoming researches, as it is the pioneer work on the ingestion of MP by fishes of a Himalayan River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2015, U.K. newborn screening (NBS) laboratory guidelines were introduced to standardize dried blood spot (DBS) specimen quality acceptance and specify a minimum acceptable DBS diameter of ≥7 mm. The UK ‘acceptable’ avoidable repeat rate (AVRR) is ≤2%. To assess inter-laboratory variability in specimen acceptance/rejection, two sets of colored scanned images (n = 40/set) of both good and poor-quality DBS specimens were distributed to all 16 U.K. NBS laboratories for evaluation as part of an external quality assurance (EQA) assessment. The mean (range) number of specimens rejected in the first EQA distribution was 7 (1–16) and in the second EQA distribution was 7 (0–16), demonstrating that adherence to the 2015 guidelines was highly variable. A new minimum standard for DBS size of ≥8 mm (to enable a minimum of six sub-punches from two DBS) was discussed. NBS laboratories undertook a prospective audit and demonstrated that using ≥8 mm as the minimum acceptable DBS diameter would increase the AVRR from 2.1% (range 0.55% to 5.5%) to 7.8% (range 0.55% to 22.7%). A significant inverse association between the number of specimens rejected in the DBS EQA distributions and the predicted AVVR (using ≥8 mm minimum standard) was observed (r = −0.734, p = 0.003). Before implementing more stringent standards, the impact of a standard operating procedure (SOP) designed to enable a standardized approach of visual assessment and using the existing ≥7 mm diameter (to enable a minimum of four sub-punches from two DBS) as the minimum standard was assessed in a retrospective audit. Implementation of the SOP and using the ≥7 mm DBS diameter would increase the AVRR from 2.3% (range 0.63% to 5.3%) to 6.5% (range 4.3% to 20.9%). The results demonstrate that there is inconsistency in applying the acceptance/rejection criteria, and that a low AVVR is not an indication of good-quality specimens being received into laboratories. Further work is underway to introduce and maintain standards without increasing the AVRR to unacceptable levels.

As a significant biomarker during the apoptosis process, cytochrome c (Cyt c) is considered as a critical component in the inherent apoptotic pathway, but the simple and portable detection still remains challengeable. In this work, a portable and visual sensing platform for Cyt c was developed based upon the fluorescence quenching of graphene quantum dots (GQDs), which could be finished within a few seconds. Herein, the absorption spectrum of Cyt c matched the emission spectrum of GQDs well, which could cause the fluorescence quenching of GQDs via the inner filter effect (IFE) in the range of 1–50 μg/mL with the limit of detection as low as 0.1 μg/mL. Furthermore, the intracellular Cyt c was imaged to observe the apoptosis process of cancer cells induced by staurosporine. To achieve the portable and visual detection of Cyt c, GQDs were deposited on the filter paper to form the solid platform, which displayed a gradual fluorescence quenching when different concentrations of Cyt c were present. Compared to the conventional methods, the proposed assay is low-cost, fast, portable, and visual, which will be useful for the investigation of mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptotic cell death.

Monitoring wildlife health in remote and vast regions of the Arctic can be difficult and expensive, but community-based monitoring programs can help alleviate these issues. Reliable bio-monitoring tools, compatible with sample types collected from remote regions, are needed to determine indicators of population health, such as reproductive rates. We sought to establish methods to diagnose pregnancy in muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) using samples that are commonly collected in harvester-based sampling programs: blood on filter paper and feces. We first evaluated three pregnancy tests, pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAG) on filter paper blood samples and fecal progesterone and estrogen metabolites (FPM and FEM), using 12 captive female muskoxen of known pregnancy status. Pregnancy diagnostics using PAG were highly sensitive (100 %) and specific (100 %), with a diagnostic threshold of 19.4 percent positivity (%P) relative to the positive control of the test kit. FPM and FEM diagnostic accuracy differed by hormone and time period. FPM was most accurate in mid-gestation and FEM most accurate in late gestation (sensitivities and specificities of 100 %), but both were overall less accurate than the PAG test during gestation. PAG %P followed a biphasic pattern during gestation, FPM peaked in mid-gestation, and FEM peaked in late-gestation. Following the captive trial, we applied these tests to fecal samples and blood on filter paper samples from 159 adult female muskoxen that were submitted by harvesters through community-based monitoring programs in the Canadian Arctic. The observed patterns of PAG, FPM, and FEM in wild muskoxen throughout gestation were similar to captive muskoxen, though with lower levels of the respective biomarker, requiring different diagnostic thresholds for each test. This work with captive and wild muskoxen provides guidelines for pregnancy diagnostics in muskoxen throughout gestation using samples that can be easily collected by harvesters, allowing for improved monitoring of difficult to access populations through community-based approaches.

In the current strategy, a highly sensitive and fast one-step colorimetric assay for trace determination of Cu2+ in water is presented. The planned assay was based upon the use of varnish polish-modified filter paper printed with 2-[5-(2-hydroxy-5-sulfophenyl)-3-phenyl-1-formazyl] benzoic acid monosodium salt, commercially named zincon. Under optimal conditions, the designed assay readily recognised the formation of blue–purple-coloured Cu–ZI chelate in less than 10 min. The proposed probe was able to detect Cu2+ in the concentration range from 0.04 to 10 μg/mL (6.34 × 10−1 to 1.59 × 103µM), with low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.01 μg/mL (1.59 × 10−1 µM). The LOD was 10-fold lower than the allowable level for Cu2+ in drinking water set by WHO legislation. The assay was applied for Cu2+determination in water with acceptable recoveries (89.6–102.1%) and precision (<3%). Therefore, the proposed sensing assay might be considered as a potential rapid and low-cost candidate for total determination and speciation of Cu2+in water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed germination in Melocactus and other cactus species is hampered by dormancy. However, most studies failed to achieve high seed-germination rates, suggesting a complex mechanism of dormancy in Cactaceae. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate whether factors such as light and phytoregulators overcome the dormancy in the seeds of the friar's crown cactus (Melocactus zehntneri). Two consecutive experimental sets were designed: one with seed germination under filter paper conditions and different wavelengths and Photosynthetically Photon Flux Densities (PPFDs); and one in vitro experiment using a culture medium to evaluate the influence of different phytoregulators, such as gibberellic acid (GA3), benzylaminopurine (BAP) and ethephon (ET), both in the germination of seeds of M. zehntneri. Seeds of M. zehntneri are positive photoblastic. Red light and gradual increases in PPFD resulted in the highest germination rates (60.8–61.7%) and germination speed index (4.4–4.5). In vitro seeding in culture media increased the germination percentage to 76% in control without phytoregulators. Ethephon showed a major effect in releasing the germination of dormant seeds of M. zehntneri, totaling 98% of seeds germinated under in vitro conditions, while GA3 and BAP showed minor or no effect on germination. The present study resulted in an efficient in vitro technique for germination and a better understanding of cacti seed dormancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of electron-deficient viologen ligands with electron-rich POMs is a typical acceptor–donor system that has recently received much attention. Under solvothermal and hydrothermal conditions, by introducing three symmetric viologen ligands into POM-based hybrid materials, we successfully constructed four POMs–viologen inorganic–organic hybrid compounds, namely (1,3-bcbpy)2·(δ-Mo8O26) (1) (1,3-bcbpy·2Cl = 1,1′-bis(3-carboxybenzyl)-4,4′-bipyridine dichloride), {CoII(1,4-bcbpy)2(H2O)2[H2(β-Mo8O26)]}·2H2O·2CH2O (2), (1,4-bcbpy)2·(δ-Mo8O26)·2H2O (3) (1,4-bcbpy·2Cl = 1,1′-bis(4-carboxybenzyl)-4,4′-bipyridine dichloride, CH2O = formaldehyde), and {CuII(1,1-pmbby)2(H2O)[H2(β-Mo8O26)2]}·5H2O·C2H7N (4) (1,1-pmbby·2Cl = 1,1′-[1,4-phenylbis(methylene)]bis-(4,4′-bipyridine)dichloride, C2H7N = dimethylamine). These four compounds exhibit different fascinating structures, especially compound 4 is a typical metal–organic framework. Compounds 1–4 exhibit good discoloration behaviors under various external stimuli. For example, compounds 1–4 showed a positive response to the irradiation from a 300 W Xe lamp. When a positive voltage was applied to the ECD based on compounds 1–4, 1/2/3/4-ECD underwent a significant color conversion. What's more, compound 4 also showed obvious discoloration results after heating. In a word, 1–4 are multifunctional discoloration materials under different external stimuli. In addition, the coated filter paper prepared based on compound 3 can be used as a new printing material medium and can be successfully applied in erasable inkless printing and dual anti-counterfeiting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mudstone soils (MS) are widely distributed in southern Taiwan and have an inherent proclivity to geological damages and failures. However, the use of traditional and non-traditional techniques to treat MS remains a challenge and is an area relatively unexplored due to the soils' distinct and sophisticated features. This study examined the hydromechanical performance of reconstituted MS treated with colloidal nanosilica (CN), fiber (f), and combinations thereof (CN-f) via a series of laboratory tests, including the unconfined compressive strength tests, 3D volumetric shrinkage tests, free swell tests, 1D consolidation tests, and filter paper tests. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were also used to inspect the geochemical composition and microstructure of the untreated and treated MS. Results suggest that CN-f treatment can significantly improve the peak and postpeak strengths and ductility of MS while achieving satisfactory improvements in swelling control, shrinkage limits, and volumetric strains. Following treatment with 15% CN and 1% f for 28 days, the MS showed an optimal 527% improvement in Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and satisfactory residual strain. Finally, the FTIR and SEM images revealed enhanced interlocking between the MS particles and the formation of marginal C–S–H and viscous gels, supporting the improved performance in MS. This study provides comprehensive analyses that offer insights into the synergistic effects of CN-f on the hydromechanical performance of MS. The findings will be valuable to engineers exploring innovative and ecofriendly alternatives for treating MS with a robust design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although membrane separation technology has been widely used in the treatment of oily wastewater, the complexity and high cost of the membrane preparation, as well as its poor stability, limit its further development. In this study, via the vacuum-assisted suction filtration method, polydopamine (PDA)-coated TiO2 nanoparticles were tightly attached and embedded on both sides of laboratory filter paper (FP). The resultant FP possessed the typical wettability of high hydrophilicity in the air with the water contact angle (WCA) of 28°, superoleophilicity with the oil contact angle (OCA) close to 0°, underwater superoleophobicity with the underwater OCA greater than 150°, and superhydrophobicity under the water with the underoil WCA over 150° for five kinds of organic solvents (carbon tetrachloride, toluene, n-hexane, n-octane, and iso-octane). The separation efficiency of immiscible oil/water, oil-in-water, and water-in-oil emulsions using the modified FP is higher than 99%. After 17 cycles of emulsion separation, a high separation efficiency of 99% was still maintained for the FP, along with good chemical and mechanical stability. In addition, successful separation and purification were also realized for the oil-in-water emulsion that contained the methylene blue (MB) dye, along with the complete degradation of MB in an aqueous solution under UV irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring energy balance and energy metabolism can provide crucial information for understanding the ecological and behavioral drivers of an animal's energetic and physiological condition. Both urinary C‐peptide (uCP) of insulin and urinary total triiodothyronine (uTT3) have been validated as noninvasive biomarkers of energy balance and metabolic activity in haplorrhine primates. This study attempts to validate uCP and uTT3 measures in strepsirrhines, a phylogenetically distinct primate clade, using the ruffed lemur (genus Varecia) as a model. We experimentally manipulated the diet of captive black‐and‐white (Varecia variegata) and red (Varecia rubra) ruffed lemurs at Duke Lemur Center across a 4‐week period. We collected urine samples from subjects (n = 5) each day during 1 week of control diet, 2 weeks of calorie‐restricted diet and 1 week of refeeding, designed to temporarily reduce energy balance and metabolism. We also tested the outcome of filter paper as a storage method by comparing to controls (frozen at −20°C) to assess its suitability for studies of wild populations. We successfully measured uCP and uTT3 levels in frozen urine samples using commercial enzyme immunoassay kits and found that both biomarkers were excreted at lower concentrations (C‐peptide: 1.35 ng/mL, 54% reduction; TT3: 1.5 ng/mL, 37.5% reduction) during calorie‐restricted periods compared to normal diet periods. Filter paper recovery for uCP was 19%, though values were significantly positively correlated with frozen control samples. uTT3 could not be recovered at measurable concentrations using filter paper. These methods enable noninvasive measurement of energetic conditions in wild strepsirrhines and subsequent assessment of relationships between energy balance and numerous socioecological drivers in primate populations. HIGHLIGHTS: Both C‐peptide (CP) and total triiodothyronine (TT3) are measurable in lemur urine using commercial enzyme immunoassays.Concentrations of both metabolites decrease when animals are subjected to caloric restriction.Both metabolites can be measured when stored at −20°C, whereas filter paper is a viable storage option only for CP and not triiodothyronine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2014, the Hazelwood mine fire burned for 45 days. Local communities were impacted by smoke and ash, and there were reports of raised carbon monoxide levels. Local news and social media reported residents experiencing numerous physical symptoms of smoke inhalation, including bleeding noses, coughing, wheezing and chest tightness. Paper masks to filter particulate matter were made available to residents to wear outside. The dust and ash constantly seeped into homes and offices, which required cleaning daily and sometimes multiple times during the day. Smoke was free to move across physical and bodily boundaries while those most vulnerable were hampered by lack of movement: pregnant women, the elderly and children were advised to leave the area. However, this suggestion to 'simply' move ignored the context of a community disproportionately impacted through years of economic decline and societal change. This paper explores the unequal mobilities of smoke and people that arose as a result of this event and draws on concepts of mobility justice (Sheller 2018) and emergency mobilities (Adey 2016) to reflect on the political dimensions of uneven mobility in times of crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorides are emitted in both gaseous and particle forms in the industrial sector. However, studies usually only report total fluoride content. Therefore, the study aimed to assess the particulate, gaseous fluoride and correlate it with the respirable dust particles in Single Super Phosphate (SSP), Granular Single Super Phosphate (GSSP), and administration divisions of the industry. Respirable dust particles, particulate fluoride, and hydrogen fluoride in the work environment were collected on a filter cassette containing an MCE filter paper (0.8 micron 37-mm) and Na2CO3 impregnated backup pad, respectively, using a personal sampler. The fluoride samples were analyzed using Ion Selective Electrode (ISE) and expressed as milligrams per meter cube (mg.m-3). The respirable dust, particulate, and gaseous fluoride content were found to have statistically significant differences (p<0.001) between the divisions (SSP, GSSP, and administration) in the static monitoring, whereas, in the case of personal monitoring, no significant differences were observed. Average airborne respirable, particulate, and gaseous fluoride levels in static monitoring were 1.37, 1.03, 0.20 mg.m-3, 0.018, 0.008, 0.001 mg.m-3, and 0.808, 0.403, 0.026 ppm in SSP, GSSP and administration respectively, whereas in personal monitoring the average respirable, particulate and gaseous fluoride concentrations were 1.18, 0.85, 0.30 mg.m-3, 0.0013, 0.007, 0.002 mg.m-3 and 0.356, 0.258, 0.011 ppm in SSP, GSSP and administration respectively. The present study observed that the levels of fluoride decreased with an increase in distance from SSP, followed by GSSP and administration. It indicates that the fluoride exposure was inversely proportional to the distance of the source. This study outcome will help to design a policy and intervention to mitigate fluoride exposure among workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics in domestic wastewater are detrimental to living organisms and appear in a variety of sizes, colors, and shapes. The purpose of this study is to examine the distribution of microplastics in domestic wastewater, as well as the possibility for microplastic removal in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). The sampling method used is SNI 6989.59:2008 concerning Wastewater Sampling Methods that Apply in Indonesia. To remove organic compounds in the sample, 0.05 M Fe (II) and 30% H2O2 solution were added by the digestion process at 75 ℃ for 30 minutes and cooled. Samples were filtered using Whattman GF/C filter paper with the help of a vacuum pump and dried. To identify the concentration, shape, size, color of microplastics, visual analysis was used with the help of a microscope using the zig-zag technique. The concentration of microplastics in domestic wastewater in Gampong Garot is 30.17 ± 0.75 particles/100 mL sample. The most commonly found microplastic size is 1,001-5,000 μm, while the dominant color is transparent. The forms of microplastic found in the samples were fiber, fragments and microbeads with a percentage of 65.20%, 23.16% and 11.64%, respectively. These microplastics come from local community activities such as washing clothes, bathing, washing dishes, and other activities. So, it is necessary to treat domestic wastewater using WWTP. Not only does it remove organic matter and nutrients, WWTP also has the potential of microplastics removal around 7-99% depending on the processing unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detection of ash content in coal slime flotation tailings using deep learning can be hindered by various factors such as foam, impurities, and changing lighting conditions that disrupt the collection of tailings images. To address this challenge, we present a method for ash content detection in coal slime flotation tailings. This method utilizes chromatographic filter paper sampling and a multi-scale residual network, which we refer to as MRCN. Initially, tailings are sampled using chromatographic filter paper to obtain static tailings images, effectively isolating interference factors at the flotation site. Subsequently, the MRCN, consisting of a multi-scale residual network, is employed to extract image features and compute ash content. Within the MRCN structure, tailings images undergo convolution operations through two parallel branches that utilize convolution kernels of different sizes, enabling the extraction of image features at various scales and capturing a more comprehensive representation of the ash content information. Furthermore, a channel attention mechanism is integrated to enhance the performance of the model. The combination of the multi-scale residual structure and the channel attention mechanism within MRCN results in robust capabilities for image feature extraction and ash content detection. Comparative experiments demonstrate that this proposed approach, based on chromatographic filter paper sampling and the multi-scale residual network, exhibits significantly superior performance in the detection of ash content in coal slime flotation tailings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the addition of Tween 80, potassium hydroxide pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis were statistically optimized to maximize sugar yields from corn cob (CC). The results indicated that the sugar yields from CC could be influenced significantly by the potassium hydroxide concentration, temperature and time during pretreatment. The optimized pretreatment conditions were as follows: potassium hydroxide, 46 g·L−1; Tween 80, 3.0 g·L−1; solid dose, 200 g·L−1; temperature, 78 °C; and time, 50 min. After optimization, the lignin reduction and recoveries of cellulose and hemicellulose were 89.7%, 97.8% and 68.0%, respectively. In addition, sugar production could also be influenced by the biomass loading, enzyme loading and reaction time. A maximal glucose production (518.48 mg·gds−1, milligrams per gram of dry substrate) and xylose production (351.14 mg·gds−1), 97.2% cellulose conversion and 82.9% hemicellulose conversion from CC could be obtained when the biomass loading was 195 g·L−1 and the enzyme loading was 8.9 FPU·gds−1 (filter paper activity units per gram of dry substrate) and when the Tween 80 concentration was 3.0 g·L−1 at 50 °C for 30.4 h during hydrolysis. This is the first systematic study of combined Tween 80 pretreatment of CC by potassium hydroxide and hydrolysis of CC by cellulase preparation to increase sugar production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soil–water characteristic curve (SWCC) is a key constitutive relationship for unsaturated soil which can be unimodal or bimodal. For the fine-grained compacted subgrade soil with a bimodal pattern, the determination of SWCC is complicated and needs a wide-range suction measurement. In this paper, the bimodal SWCC of a subgrade soil derived from the compaction condition was measured and determined by incorporating pore size distribution. For this purpose, a series of laboratory tests were conducted, including the pressure plate method, filter paper method, and vapor equilibrium method, which were used to measure SWCC at the low, medium, and high suction range, respectively. The pore size distribution (PSD) data were obtained by mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) tests and used to predict SWCC. Based on the analysis of hydraulic paths and SWCC-PSD correlations, the SWCC of the subgrade soil should be determined to follow the actual hydraulic path. SWCC within a low suction range can be filled by PSD-based data to improve the fitting accuracy. Then, a graphical method is applied to predict the bimodal SWCC by combining the filter paper method, vapor equilibrium method, and PSD-based data. The prediction curves fit well with the test data for all selected compaction conditions. Furthermore, the prediction method can still provide good prediction performance in the absence of high suction section data, which is beneficial for the application of bimodal SWCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main challenges of newborn screening programs, which screen for inherited metabolic disorders, is cutting down on false positives (FPs) in order to avoid family stresses, additional analyses, and unnecessary costs. False positives are partly caused by an insubstantial number of robust biomarkers in evaluations. Another challenge is how to distinguish between diseases which share the same primary marker and for which secondary biomarkers are just as highly desirable. Focusing on pathologies that involve butyrylcarnitine (C4) elevation, such as short-chain acylCoA dehydrogenase deficiency (SCADD) and isobutyrylCoA dehydrogenase deficiency (IBDD), we investigated the acylcarnitine profile of 121 newborns with a C4 increase to discover secondary markers to achieve two goals: reduce the FP rate and discriminate between the two rare diseases. Analyses were carried out using tandem mass spectrometry with whole blood samples spotted on filter paper. Seven new biomarkers (C4/C0, C4/C5, C4/C5DC\C6OH, C4/C6, C4/C8, C4/C14:1, C4/C16:1) were identified using a non-parametric ANOVA analysis. Then, the corresponding cut-off values were found and applied to the screening program. The seven new ratios were shown to be robust (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, 0.0937 < ε2 < 0.231) in discriminating between FP and IBDD patients, FP and SCADD patients, or SCADD and IBDD patients. Our results suggest that the new ratios are optimal indicators for identifying true positives, distinguishing between two rare diseases that share the same primary biomarker, improving the predictive positive value (PPV) and reducing the false positive rate (FPR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial production and domestic discharge produce a large amount of oily wastewater, which seriously affects the stability of the ecological environment. Membrane separation technology provides another path to treating oily wastewater. And appropriate surface modifi- cation of the membrane helps to achieve high efficiency of treating oily wastewater. With green, economy and stability been more concerned. The focal research reports a completely biodegradable all cellulose composite filter paper (ACCFP) composed of I-cellulose macrofibers and IIcellulose matrix. It is a simple one-step impregnation method to adjust the surface microstructure of the pristine filter paper (PFP), and it does not involve with chemical reaction. The pre-wetted ACCFP consist of II-cellulose hydrogel and I-cellulose reinforcement in the process of oilwater separation. This layer of hydrogel is the fundamental to underwater superoleophobicity, which determines their eligibility for applications of efficient oil-water mixture or oil-in-water (oil/water) emulsion separation. The separation efficiency of oil-water mixture and oil/water emulsion exceed 95% and 99.9%, respectively. In addition, excellent mechanical properties of ACCFP in dry and wet conditions ensure its stability in service and prolong service life in applications. The focal study provides a new method for high-performance oil-water separation and it is more in line with sustainable chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinical and laboratory diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is hampered by under-ascertainment of direct microscopy. Methods: This study compared the diagnostic accuracy of qPCR on DNA extracted from filter paper to the accuracy of direct smear slide microscopy in participants presenting with a cutaneous lesion suspected of leishmaniasis to 16 rural healthcare centers in the Ecuadorian Amazon and Pacific regions, from January 2019 to June 2021. We used Bayesian latent class analysis to estimate test sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios (LR), and predictive values (PV) with their 95% credible intervals (95%CrI). The impact of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics on predictive values was assessed as a secondary objective. Results: Of 320 initially included participants, paired valid test results were available and included in the diagnostic accuracy analysis for 129 from the Amazon and 185 from the Pacific region. We estimated sensitivity of 68% (95%CrI 49% to 82%) and 73% (95%CrI 73% to 83%) for qPCR, and 51% (95%CrI 36% to 66%) and 76% (95%CrI 65% to 86%) for microscopy in the Amazon and Pacific region, respectively. In the Amazon, with an estimated disease prevalence among participants of 73%, negative PV for qPCR was 54% (95%CrI 5% to 77%) and 44% (95%CrI 4% to 65%) for microscopy. In the Pacific, (prevalence 88%) the negative PV was 34% (95%CrI 3% to 58%) and 37% (95%CrI 3% to 63%). The addition of qPCR parallel to microscopy in the Amazon increases the observed prevalence from 38% to 64% (+26 (95%CrI 19 to 34) percentage points). Conclusion: The accuracy of either qPCR on DNA extracted from filter paper or microscopy for CL diagnosis as a stand-alone test seems to be unsatisfactory and region-dependent. We recommend further studies to confirm the clinically relevant increment found in the diagnostic yield due to the addition of qPCR. Author summary: Cutaneous leishmaniasis is caused by the parasite Leishmania and is treated when a microscopy test confirms the presence of the parasite in a sample of the lesion. This test, however, is known to miss patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis. DNA diagnostic tests (like PCR) that detect the parasite's genetic material in the lesion, have been proposed to improve diagnosis. Filter paper preserves DNA at room temperature and allows samples to be transported from remote health centers to the PCR laboratory. The ability of microscopic and DNA testing to recognize leishmaniasis patients in real-life is complex to evaluate. We compared the performance of both tests using a statistical method that can evaluate both tests simultaneously without assuming that either test works perfectly. We found that PCR will be positive 68% of the time in a participant with leishmaniasis in the Amazon and 73% of the time in the Pacific region. In the Amazon, microscopy detects one out of every two cases, while it does in three out of every four cases in the Pacific. The addition of the PCR test can improve the number of participants with a diagnosis of leishmaniasis, mostly in the Amazon region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid and accurate bioburden detection has become increasingly necessary for food, health, pharmaceutical and environmental applications. To detect bioburden accurately, and in a highly sensitive manner, we have fabricated a novel microfluidic device with an integrated filter to trap the cells. Bioburden is detected on the filter paper in situ using the redox reaction of fluorescent label resorufin and a portable multichannel fluorometer is used for fluorescence measurement. The microfluidic device was fabricated in a facile, low-cost, and rapid way with microwave-induced thermally assisted bonding. To characterize the bonding quality of the microfluidic cassettes, different tests were performed, and the filter paper material and size were optimized. Primary Bacillus subtilis culture bacterial samples were filtered through the device to validate and investigate the performance parameters. Our results show that a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.037 CFU/mL can be achieved through this microfluidic device whereas the LOD in a normal microfluidic cassette in the fluorometer and the golden standard spectrophotometer are 0.378 and 0.128 CFU/mL respectively. The results depict that three to ten times LOD improvement is possible through this microfluidic cassette and more sensitive detection is possible depending on the volume filtered within a rapid 3 min. This novel microfluidic device along with the fluorometer can be used as a rapid portable tool for highly sensitive, accurate and high-throughput bacterial detection for different applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]