The global burden, trends, and inequalities of individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities attributable to iodine deficiency from 1990 to 2019 and its prediction up to 2030.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the global burden of disease for developmental and intellectual disabilities caused by iodine deficiency from 1990 to 2019. Methods: Using data from the global burden of disease (GBD) 2019, we conducted a cross-country inequity analysis to examine the worldwide burden of developmental and intellectual disabilities caused by the issue of iodine deficiency from 1990 to 2019. Absolute and relative inequality were assessed by the slope index of inequality and the concentration index, respectively. After summarising the latest evidence, we also projected the age-standardized prevalence and years lived with disability (YLD) rates up to 2030 using the BAPC and INLA packages in R statistical software. Results: In 2019, the global age-standardized prevalence and YLD rates for developmental and intellectual disabilities due to iodine deficiency were 22.54 per 100,000 population (95% UI 14.47 to 29.23) and 4.12 per 100,000 population (95% UI 2.25 to 6.4), respectively. From 1990 to 2019, the age-standardized prevalence and YLD rates of developmental and intellectual disabilities due to iodine deficiency decreased significantly. Geographic distribution showed that areas with lower socio-demographic indices (SDI) were the most affected. The correlation between higher SDI and lower prevalence highlights the role of economic and social factors in the prevalence of the disease. Cross-national inequity analysis shows that disparities persist despite improvements in health inequalities. In addition, projections suggest that the disease burden may decline until 2030. Conclusion: This research underscores the necessity for targeted interventions, such as enhancing iodine supplementation and nutritional education, especially in areas with lower SDI. We aim to provide a foundation for policymakers further to research effective preventative and potential alternative treatment strategies.

Converting fruit peels into biodegradable, recyclable and antimicrobial eco-friendly bioplastics for perishable fruit preservation.

The development of biodegradable antimicrobial bioplastics for food packaging holds great promise for solving the pollution and safety problems caused by petrochemical plastics and spoiled food. Herein, a natural active-bioplastic synthesized from citrus peel biomass is presented for perishable fruit preservation. These plastics are characterized by the nanoscale entanglement and recombinant hydrogen bonding between the endogenous pectin, polyphenols and cellulose micro/nanofibrils. They have attractive flexibility, tensile strength, gas barrier properties and antimicrobial activities, and can effectively extend the shelf life of perishable fruits such as banana and mango when used as food packaging. Cytotoxicity, degradability tests and life-cycle assessment show that these plastics had excellent nontoxicity and can be safely degraded or easily recycled. This work demonstrates a sustainable strategy for converting peel waste into eco-friendly bioplastics, providing a unique and novel insight into radically reducing the pollution and life-health threats posed by petrochemical plastics and spoiled food.

Tumor-Agnostic Therapy-The Final Step Forward in the Cure for Human Neoplasms?

Cancer accounted for 10 million deaths in 2020, nearly one in every six deaths annually. Despite advancements, the contemporary clinical management of human neoplasms faces a number of challenges. Surgical removal of tumor tissues is often not possible technically, while radiation and chemotherapy pose the risk of damaging healthy cells, tissues, and organs, presenting complex clinical challenges. These require a paradigm shift in developing new therapeutic modalities moving towards a more personalized and targeted approach. The tumor-agnostic philosophy, one of these new modalities, focuses on characteristic molecular signatures of transformed cells independently of their traditional histopathological classification. These include commonly occurring DNA aberrations in cancer cells, shared metabolic features of their homeostasis or immune evasion measures of the tumor tissues. The first dedicated, FDA-approved tumor-agnostic agent's profound progression-free survival of 78% in mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancer paved the way for the accelerated FDA approvals of novel tumor-agnostic therapeutic compounds. Here, we review the historical background, current status, and future perspectives of this new era of clinical oncology.

Left ventricular posterior wall hypertrophy leads to poor prognosis of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy in children - a cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: The modified Morrow operation for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) in children has a favorable outcome, but some children still have a poor prognosis after the procedure. In this study, we aimed to investigate the application of cardiac computed tomography (CCT) to construct a three-dimensional(3D) model of the left ventricle (LV) and analyze the association between hypertrophy in different parts of the LV and poor prognosis. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 57 children with HOCM from April 2015 to October 2022, among whom 16 underwent preoperative CCT examination. All children underwent the modified Morrow surgery in our center. We defined heart failure (HF), malignant ventricular arrhythmia, and recurrent left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) as adverse events. We performed a retrospective Cox analysis and conducted genetic testing. A 3D model of the LV was built through the standard 17-segment method and analyzing the high-risk factors. RESULTS: 17 (29.8%) had adverse events during follow-up. Multivariate Cox analysis revealed that genetic mutation (HR:5.634, 95%CI:1.663-19.086, P=0.005), Noonan syndrome (HR:3.770, 95%CI:1.245-11.419, P=0.019), preoperational systolic anterior motion (SAM)(HR:4.596, 95%CI:1.532-13.792, P=0.007)and mid-ventricular obstruction (HR:4.763, 95%CI:1.538-14.754, P=0.007) were high-risk factors, suggesting that the degree of hypertrophy in the left ventricle is associated with poor prognosis. By analyzing the CCT with 3D model, children with poor prognosis have more hypertrophy in basal-inferior (P=0.014), mid-inferoseptal(P=0.044), mid-inferior(P=0.017). It suggests that a more hypertrophied posterior left ventricular wall portends a worse prognosis. CONCLUSION: Even after modified Morrow surgery, the prognostic impact of genetic mutation remains significant. Moreover, the degree of hypertrophy of the posterior wall in the LV was also related to the postoperative prognosis through CCT combined with 3D technology. It provides surgeons guiding to evaluate the overall prognosis and the treatment plan before surgery.

pH/GSH dual-responsive nanoparticle for auto-amplified tumor therapy of breast cancer.

Breast cancer remains a malignancy that poses a serious threat to human health worldwide. Chemotherapy is one of the most widely effective cancer treatments in clinical practice, but it has some drawbacks such as poor targeting, high toxicity, numerous side effects, and susceptibility to drug resistance. For auto-amplified tumor therapy, a nanoparticle designated GDTF is prepared by wrapping gambogic acid (GA)-loaded dendritic porous silica nanoparticles (DPSNs) with a tannic acid (TA)-Fe(III) coating layer. GDTF possesses the properties of near-infrared (NIR)-enhanced and pH/glutathione (GSH) dual-responsive drug release, photothermal conversion, GSH depletion and hydroxyl radical (·OH) production. When GDTF is exposed to NIR laser irradiation, it can effectively inhibit cell proliferation and tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo with limited toxicity. This may be due to the synergistic effect of enhanced tumor accumulation, and elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, GSH depletion, and TrxR activity reduction. This study highlights the enormous potential of auto-amplified tumor therapy.

Association between blood cell ratios and coronary heart disease: A 10-year nationwide study (NHANES 2009-2018).

Blood cell ratios are a standard clinical index for the assessment of inflammation. Although a large number of epidemiological investigations have shown that inflammation is a potential risk factor for the development of coronary heart disease (CHD), there is not sufficient and direct evidence to confirm the relationship between blood cell ratios and CHD. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the effect of blood cell ratios on the incidence of coronary heart disease. This 10-year national study included data from 24,924 participants. The independent variable was blood cell ratios, and the dependent variable was coronary heart diseases (yes or no). The relationship between blood cell ratios and coronary heart disease was verified using baseline characteristic analysis, multivariate logistic regression analysis, smoothed fitted curves, and subgroup analysis. This study found that in multiple logistic regression analysis showed significant positive correlation between monocyte counts × meutrophil counts/lymphocyte counts (SIRI) (OR = 1.495; 95% CI = 1.154-1.938), monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) (OR = 3.081; 95% CI = 1.476-6.433) and the incidence of CHD; lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR) (OR = 0.928;95% CI = 0.873-0.987), monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) (OR = 0.997;95% CI = 0.994-1.000) showed negative correlation with CHD. The smoothed curve fitting shows a nonlinear relationship between SIRI, LMR, PLR, and CHD, with an inverted U-shaped curve between SIRI and CHD, an L-shaped angle between LMR and CHD, and a U-shaped curve between PLR and CHD, respectively. Their inflection points are 1.462, 3.75, and 185.714, respectively. SIRI has an inverted U-shaped curve with coronary heart disease, suggesting that low levels of SIRI increase the risk of CHD; LMR with an L-shaped curve with CHD, and PLR with a U-shaped curve with CHD, suggesting that the risk of CHD can be prevented when LMR and PLR are reduced to a certain level. This has positive implications for the prevention and treatment of CHD.

Screening optimal DC-targeting peptide to enhance the immune efficacy of recombinant Lactobacillus expressing RHDV VP60.

Dendritic cells (DCs) present an ideal target for delivering immunogenic cargo due to their potent antigen-presenting capabilities. This targeting approach holds promise in vaccine development by enhancing the efficiency of antigen recognition and capture by DCs. To identify a high-affinity targeting peptide binding to rabbit DCs, rabbit monocyte-derived DCs (raMoDCs) were isolated and cultured, and a novel peptide, HS (HSLRHDYGYPGH), was identified using a phage-displayed peptide library. Alongside HS, two other DC-targeting peptides, KC1 and MY, previously validated in our laboratory, were employed to construct recombinant Lactgobacillus reuteri fusion-expressed rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) capsid protein VP60. These recombinant Lactobacillus strains were named HS-VP60/L. reuteri, KC1-VP60/L. reuteri, and MY-VP60/L. reuteri. The ability of these recombinant Lactobacillus to bind rabbit DCs was evaluated both in vivo and in vitro. Results demonstrated that the DC-targeting peptide KC1 significantly enhanced the capture efficiency of recombinant Lactobacillus by raMoDCs, promoted DC maturation, and increased cytokine secretion. Furthermore, oral administration of KC1-VP60/L. reuteri effectively induced SIgA and IgG production in rabbits, prolonged rabbit survival post-challenge, and reduced RHDV copies in organs. In summary, the DC-targeting peptide KC1 exhibited robust binding to raMoDCs, and recombinant Lactobacillus expressing KC1-VP60 protein antigens efficiently induced systemic and mucosal immune responses in rabbits, conferring protective efficacy against RHDV. This study offers valuable insights for the development of novel RHDV vaccines.

Dialdehyde cellulose films covalently crosslinked with porphyrin-based covalent organic polymers for photodynamic sterilization.

Foodborne pathogens result in a great harm to human, which is an urgent problem to be addressed. Herein, a novel cellulose-based packaging films with excellent anti-bacterial properties under visible light were prepared. A porphyrin-based covalent organic polymer (Por-COPs) was constructed, then covalently grafted onto dialdehyde cellulose (DAC). The addition of Por-COPs enhanced the mechanical, hydrophobicity, and water resistance of the DAC-based composite films. DAC/Por-COP-2.5 film exhibited outstanding properties for the photodynamic inactivation of bacteria under visible light irradiation, delivering inactivation efficiencies of 99.90 % and 99.45 % towards Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli within 20 min. The DAC/Por-COPs films efficiently generated •O2- and 1O2 under visible light, thereby causing oxidative stress to cell membranes for bacterial inactivation. The prepared composite film forms a protective barrier against bacterial contamination. Results guide the development of high performance and more sustainable packaging films for the food sector.

Genetic variations in PTPN11 lead to a recurrent Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction phenotype in childhood hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

OBJECTIVE: Left ventricular septal myotomy provides a favorable prognosis for children with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). However, some children still suffer from recurrent left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) after surgery. Poor prognosis exists for HOCM caused by PTPN11 mutation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the clinical features of recurrent obstruction in children with HOCM caused by pathogenic mutations in the PTPN11 gene. METHODS: A total of 56 children were diagnosed with HOCM underwent septal myectomies. Whole exome sequencing of 49 pediatric cardiomyopathies associated genes (including PTPN11) were performed. We performed hematoxylin-eosin(H&E), Masson, and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)staining of tissues positive for PTPN11 and those negative for PTPN11 were conducted. RESULTS: Whole exome sequencing results showed 11 PTPN11 mutation (19.6%) children. In long-term follow-up (median 37 months, maximum 9 years), children with PTPN11 mutation had 6(54.5%) recurrent LVOTO compared with other groups (P=.015), but similar survival rates(P=.514). The mean postoperative time to recurrent obstruction was 22±27 months. Children with PTPN11 mutation were 9-fold more likely to experience the risk associated with recurrent obstruction (95% CI = 1.77-45.81, P<.001). H&E, Masson and WGA staining also revealed more cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in PTPN11 mutation tissues. See Figure 4 for a graphical abstract of the study. CONCLUSION: Children with PTPN11 mutation-associated hypertrophic cardiomyopathy have a higher risk of recurrent LVOTO.

[Preparation and characterization of co-loaded indocyanine green and elemene nano-emulsion in situ gel and its effect on proliferation of breast cancer MCF-7 cells].

This study aims to prepare co-loaded indocyanine green(ICG) and elemene(ELE) nano-emulsion(NE) in situ gel(ICG-ELE-NE-gel) and evaluate its physicochemical properties and antitumor activity in vitro. ICG-ELE-NE-gel was prepared by aqueous phase titration and cold solution methods, followed by characterization of the morphology, particle size, corrosion, and photothermal conversion characteristics. The human breast cancer MCF-7 cells were taken as the model, combined with 808 nm laser irradia-tion. Cell inhibition rate test and cell uptake test were performed. ICG-ELE-NE was spherical and uniform in size. The average particle size and Zeta potential were(85.61±0.35) nm and(-21.4±0.6) mV, respectively. The encapsulation efficiency and drug loading rate were 98.51%±0.39% and 10.96%±0.24%, respectively. ICG-ELE-NE-gel had a good photothermal conversion effect and good photothermal stability. The dissolution of ICG-ELE-NE-gel had both temperature and pH-responsive characteristics. Compared with free ELE, ICG-ELE-NE-gel combined with near-infrared light irradiation significantly enhanced the inhibitory effect on MCF-7 cells and could be uptaken in large amounts by MCF-7 cells. ICG-ELE-NE-gel was successfully prepared, and its antitumor activity was enhanced after 808 nm laser irradiation.

Critical role of G3BP1 in bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 (BPIV3)-inhibition of stress granules formation and viral replication.

Background: It remains unclear whether BPIV3 infection leads to stress granules formation and whether G3BP1 plays a role in this process and in viral replication. This study aims to clarify the association between BPIV3 and stress granules, explore the effect of G3BP1 on BPIV3 replication, and provide significant insights into the mechanisms by which BPIV3 evades the host's antiviral immunity to support its own survival. Methods: Here, we use Immunofluorescence staining to observe the effect of BPIV3 infection on the assembly of stress granules. Meanwhile, the expression changes of eIF2α and G3BP1 were determined. Overexpression or siRNA silencing of intracellular G3BP1 levels was examined for its regulatory control of BPIV3 replication. Results: We identify that the BPIV3 infection elicited phosphorylation of the eIF2α protein. However, it did not induce the assembly of stress granules; rather, it inhibited the formation of stress granules and downregulated the expression of G3BP1. G3BP1 overexpression facilitated the formation of stress granules within cells and hindered viral replication, while G3BP1 knockdown enhanced BPIV3 expression. Conclusion: This study suggest that G3BP1 plays a crucial role in BPIV3 suppressing stress granule formation and viral replication.

Enzymatic Preparation, In-Depth Molecular Analysis, and In Vitro Digestion Simulation of Palmitoleic Acid (ω-7)-Enriched Fish Oil Triacylglycerols.

In this study, an enzymatic reaction was developed for synthesizing pure triacylglycerols (TAG) with a high content of palmitoleic acid (POA) using fish byproduct oil. The characteristics of synthesized structural TAGs rich in POA (POA-TAG) were analyzed in detail through ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography Q Exactive orbitrap mass spectrometry. Optimal conditions were thoroughly investigated and determined for reaction systems, including the use of Lipozyme TL IM and Novozym 435, 15 wt % lipase loading, substrate mass ratio of 1:3, and water content of 2.5 and 0.5 wt %, respectively, resulting in yields of 67.50 and 67.45% for POA-TAG, respectively. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that TAG 16:1/16:1/20:4, TAG 16:1/16:1/16:1, TAG 16:1/16:1/18:1, and TAG 16:0/16:1/18:1 were the main variables in Lipozyme TL IM and Novozym 435 enzyme-catalyzed products under different water content conditions. Finally, the fate of POA-TAG across the gastrointestinal tract was simulated using an in vitro digestion model. The results showed that the maximum release of free fatty acids and apparent rate constants were 71.44% and 0.0347 s-1, respectively, for POA-TAG lipids, and the physical and structural characteristics during digestion depended on their microenvironments. These findings provide a theoretical basis for studying the rational design of POA-structural lipids and exploring the nutritional and functional benefits of POA products.

Correction: Teng et al. Efficacy Assessment of Phage Therapy in Treating Staphylococcus aureus-Induced Mastitis in Mice. Viruses 2022, 14, 620.

In the original publication [...].

Rapid and sensitive lateral flow biosensor for the detection of GII human norovirus based on immunofluorescent nanomagnetic microspheres.

Human norovirus (HuNoV) is the most predominant viral agents of acute gastroenteritis. Point-of-care testing (POCT) based on lateral flow immunochromatography (LIFC) has become an important tool for rapid diagnosis of HuNoVs. However, low sensitivity and lack of quantitation are the bottlenecks of traditional LIFC. Thus, we established a rapid and accurate technique that combined immunomagnetic enrichment (IM) with LFIC to identify GII HuNoVs in fecal specimens. Before preparing immunofluorescent nanomagnetic microspheres and achieving the effect of HuNoV enrichment in IM and fluorescent signal in LFIC, amino-functionalized magnetic beads (MBs) and carboxylated quantum dots (QDs) were coupled at a mass ratio of 4:10. Anti-HuNoV monoclonal antibody was then conjugated with QDs-MB. The limit of detection was 1.56 × 104 copies/mL, and the quantitative detection range was 1.56 × 104 copies/mL-1 × 106 copies/mL under optimal circumstances. The common HuNoV genotypes GII.2, GII.3, GII.4, and GII.17 can be detected, there was no cross-reaction with various enteric viruses, including rotavirus, astrovirus, enterovirus, and sapovirus. A comparison between IM-LFIC and RT-qPCR for the detection of 87 fecal specimens showed a high level of agreement (kappa = 0.799). This suggested that the method is rapid and sensitive, making it a promising option for point-of-care testing in the future.

Baseline immune status and the effectiveness of response to enteral nutrition among ICU patients with COVID-19: An observational, retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare how immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients responded differently to enteral nutrition (EN) support in intensive care units (ICUs) during the COVID-19 pandemic, including serum nutritional biomarkers, inflammatory biomarkers, gastrointestinal (GI) intolerance symptoms, and clinical outcomes. METHODS: An observational, retrospective study was conducted in the ICUs of a teaching hospital in southwest China. We recruited a convenience sample of 154 patients between December 2022 and February 2023. We defined immunocompromise as primary immunodeficiency diseases, active malignancy, receiving cancer chemotherapy, HIV infection, solid organ transplantation, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, receiving corticosteroid therapy with a target dose, receiving biological immune modulators, or receiving disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs or other immunosuppressive drugs. We conducted a Mann-Whitney U test, χ2 test, or generalized estimation equation model to explore the differences between immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients. RESULTS: Among the 154 study participants, 41 (27%) were defined as immunocompromised. The immunocompromised patients were younger than the immunocompetent patients. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups with respect to serum nutritional biomarkers, inflammatory biomarkers, incidence of GI intolerance symptoms, and in-hospital mortality. However, the immunocompromised patients exhibited a longer hospitalization duration than the immunocompetent patients. CONCLUSION: We found that the immunocompromised patients spent more time in the hospital. These findings may help us to standardize the participants before EN interventional studies better and better individualize EN supports based on patients' immunity status.

Assessing immunogenicity of CRISPR-NCas9 engineered strain against porcine epidemic diarrhea virus.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) caused by porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), is an acute and highly infectious disease, resulting in substantial economic losses in the pig industry. Given that PEDV primarily infects the mucosal surfaces of the intestinal tract, it is crucial to improve the mucosal immunity to prevent viral invasion. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) oral vaccines offer unique advantages and potential applications in combatting mucosal infectious diseases, making them an ideal approach for controlling PED outbreaks. However, traditional LAB oral vaccines use plasmids for exogenous protein expression and antibiotic genes as selection markers. Antibiotic genes can be diffused through transposition, transfer, or homologous recombination, resulting in the generation of drug-resistant strains. To overcome these issues, genome-editing technology has been developed to achieve gene expression in LAB genomes. In this study, we used the CRISPR-NCas9 system to integrate the PEDV S1 gene into the genome of alanine racemase-deficient Lactobacillus paracasei △Alr HLJ-27 (L. paracasei △Alr HLJ-27) at the thymidylate synthase (thyA) site, generating a strain, S1/△Alr HLJ-27. We conducted immunization assays in mice and piglets to evaluate the level of immune response and evaluated its protective effect against PEDV through challenge tests in piglets. Oral administration of the strain S1/△Alr HLJ-27 in mice and piglets elicited mucosal, humoral, and cellular immune responses. The strain also exhibited a certain level of resistance against PEDV infection in piglets. These results demonstrate the potential of S1/△Alr HLJ-27 as an oral vaccine candidate for PEDV control. KEY POINTS: • A strain S1/△Alr HLJ-27 was constructed as the candidate for an oral vaccine. • Immunogenicity response and challenge test was carried out to analyze the ability of the strain. • The strain S1/△Alr HLJ-27 could provide protection for piglets to a certain extent.

The HSP90-MYC-CDK9 network drives therapeutic resistance in mantle cell lymphoma.

Brexucabtagene autoleucel CAR-T therapy is highly efficacious in overcoming resistance to Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKi) in mantle cell lymphoma. However, many patients relapse post CAR-T therapy with dismal outcomes. To dissect the underlying mechanisms of sequential resistance to BTKi and CAR-T therapy, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing analysis for 66 samples from 25 patients treated with BTKi and/or CAR-T therapy and conducted in-depth bioinformatics™ analysis. Our analysis revealed that MYC activity progressively increased with sequential resistance. HSP90AB1 (Heat shock protein 90 alpha family class B member 1), a MYC target, was identified as early driver of CAR-T resistance. CDK9 (Cyclin-dependent kinase 9), another MYC target, was significantly upregulated in Dual-R samples. Both HSP90AB1 and CDK9 expression were correlated with MYC activity levels. Pharmaceutical co-targeting of HSP90 and CDK9 synergistically diminished MYC activity, leading to potent anti-MCL activity. Collectively, our study revealed that HSP90-MYC-CDK9 network is the primary driving force of therapeutic resistance.

Distribution and release of PFAS from AFFF-impacted asphalt: How does it compare to concrete?

Aqueous film forming foam (AFFF)-impacted asphalt and concrete may serve as potential secondary sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the environment through surficial leaching. We aimed to understand the vertical distribution and surficial release of PFAS from AFFF-impacted asphalt and concrete cores collected from various locations (∼10-70 m distance between samples). Among the PFAS analyzed, 6:2 FTS was observed as having the highest concentration in the surface layer (0 - 0.5 cm) of concrete (225 µg kg-1) and in the runoff from the concrete (2600 ng L-1). PFOS was detected at the highest concentration in the surface layer (0 - 0.5 cm) of asphalt (47 µg kg-1) and associated runoff (780 ng L-1). The total mass of PFAS released during three rainfall simulations accounts for a fraction of the total mass in the surface layer (0 - 0.5 cm), ranging from 0.10 - 9.8% and 0.078 - 2.4% for asphalt and concrete cores, respectively. Asphalt exhibited a higher release rate than concrete, demonstrated by the higher total release coefficient of PFAS (4 - 16 m-2) compared to that of concrete cores (1 - 5 m-2). These results suggested that, similar to concrete, AFFF-impacted asphalt may be a secondary source of PFAS to the environment.

A systematic review and meta-analysis indicates a high risk of human noroviruses contamination in vegetable worldwide, with GI being the predominant genogroup.

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are the most predominant viral agents of acute gastroenteritis. Vegetables are important vehicles of HuNoVs transmission. This study aimed to assess the HuNoVs prevalence in vegetables. We searched the Web of Science, Excerpta Medica Database, PubMed, and Cochrane databases until June 1, 2023. A total of 27 studies were included for the meta-analysis. Statistical analysis was conducted using Stata 14.0 software. This analysis showed that the pooled HuNoVs prevalence in vegetables was 7 % (95 % confidence interval (CI): 3-13) worldwide. The continent with largest number of studies was Europe, and the highest number of samples was lettuce. As revealed by the results of the subgroup meta-analysis, the prevalence of GI genogroup was the highest (3 %, 95 % CI: 1-7). A higher prevalence was seen in vegetables from farms (18 %, 95 % CI: 5-37), while only 4 % (95 % CI: 1-8) in retail. The HuNoVs prevalence of ready-to-eat vegetables and non-ready-to-eat vegetables was 2 % (95 % CI: 0-8) and 9 % (95 % CI: 3-16), respectively. The prevalence by quantitative real time RT-PCR was 8 % (95 % CI: 3-15) compared to 3 % (95 % CI: 0-13) by conventional RT-PCR. Furthermore, the HuNoVs prevalence in vegetables was 6 % (95 % CI: 1-14) in ISO pretreatment method and 8 % (95 % CI: 1-19) in non-ISO method, respectively. This study is helpful in comprehensively understanding the prevalence of HuNoVs contamination in vegetables worldwide.