The relationship between neighborhood social capital and health from a biopsychosocial perspective: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The Social Determinants of Health (SDH) influence the health of people throughout their lives, and can be positive, protective or risk factors for the population and, in turn, biological, psychological, or social. The social environment conditions the health status of the neighborhood, population, and social group, which can be a health asset due to its strong psychosocial and socio-cultural influence. Social capital is a community asset of the healthy neighborhood that must be known in order to promote community health. OBJECTIVES: The objective is to determine the relationship between social capital and neighborhood biopsychosocial health. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted based on PRISMA: PubMed, Wos, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane databases. The search was conducted from January to March 2023. Three authors independently extracted data using a structured form. RESULTS: Out of 527 records, 17 results passed the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The positive and statistically significant relationship between neighborhood social capital (NSC) and the physical and mental health of neighbors is confirmed, that is, the higher the NSC, the more exercise, better oral health in children and physical health in pregnant women, lower tobacco consumption and lower prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus. At the psychological level, greater NSC leads to better mental health, mental well-being, life satisfaction, quality of life, self-perceived health, higher cognitive function, and less depression. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, social capital is an important SDH and health asset that influences neighborhood biopsychosocial health and should be known and researched for health promotion in community settings. More evidence is needed to support the results obtained.

Manufacturing process transfer to a 30 kg/h continuous direct compression line with real-time composition monitoring.

Transferring an existing marketed pharmaceutical product from batch to continuous manufacturing (CM) without changes in regulatory registration is a challenging task in the pharmaceutical industry. Continuous manufacturing can provide an increased production rate and better equipment utilisation while retaining key quality attributes of the final product. Continuous manufacturing necessitates the monitoring of critical quality attributes in real time by appropriate process analytical tools such as near infra-red (NIR) probes. The present work reports a successful transfer of an existing drug product from batch to continuous manufacturing process without changing the formulation. A key step was continuous powder blending, whose design and operating parameters including weir type, agitation rate, dynamic hold-up and residence time were systematically investigated with respect to process repeatability. A NIR-based multivariate data model for in-line composition monitoring has been developed and validated against an existing quality control method for measuring tablet content uniformity. A continuous manufacturing long-run with a throughput of 30 kg/h (approx. 128,000 tablets per hour), uninterrupted for 320 min, has been performed to test and validate the multivariate data model as well as the batch to continuous process transfer. The final disintegration and dissolution properties of tablets manufactured by the continuous process were found to be equivalent to those manufactured by the original batch process.

Characteristics Associated with Relationship-Centred and Task-Focused Mealtime Practices in Older Adult Care Settings.

Purpose: To assess care home and staff characteristics associated with task-focused (TF) and relationship-centred care (RCC) mealtime practices prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: Staff working in Canadian and American care homes were invited to complete a 23-item online survey assessing their perceptions of mealtime care, with one item assessing 26 potential care practices from the Mealtime Relational Care Checklist (relationship-centred = 15; task-focused = 11) reported to occur in the home prior to the pandemic. Multivariate linear regression evaluated staff and care home characteristics associated with mealtime practices.Results: Six hundred and eighty-six respondents completed all questions used in this analysis. Mean TF and RCC mealtime practices were 4.89 ± 1.99 and 9.69 ± 2.96, respectively. Staff age was associated with TF and RCC practices with those 40-55 years reporting fewer TF and those 18-39 years reporting fewer RCC practices. Those providing direct care were more likely to report TF practices. Dissatisfaction with mealtimes was associated with more TF and fewer RCC practices. Homes that were not making changes to promote RCC pre-pandemic had more TF and fewer RCC practices. Newer care homes were associated with more RCC, while small homes (≤49 beds) had more TF practices.Conclusions: Mealtime practices are associated with staff and home factors. These factors should be considered in efforts to improve RCC practices in Canadian homes.

Mucoadhesive polymers: Design of S-protected thiolated cyclodextrin-based hydrogels.

AIM: This study aims to design chemically crosslinked thiolated cyclodextrin-based hydrogels and to evaluate their mucoadhesive properties via mucosal residence time studies on porcine small intestinal mucosa and on porcine buccal mucosa. METHODS: Free thiol groups of heptakis(6-deoxy-6-thio)-ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD-SH) were S-protected with 2-mercaptoethanesulfonic acid (MESNA) followed by crosslinking with citric acid. Cytotoxicity was assessed by hemolysis as well as resazurin assay. Hydrogels were characterized by their rheological and mucoadhesive properties. Ritonavir was employed as model drug for in vitro release studies from these hydrogels. RESULTS: The structure of S-protected ß-CD-SH was confirmed by IR and 1H NMR spectroscopy. Degree of thiolation was 390 ± 7 µmol/g. Hydrogels based on native ß-CD showed hemolysis of 12.5 ± 2.5 % and 13.6 ± 2.7 % within 1 and 3 h, whereas hemolysis of just 3.5 ± 2.8 % and 3.9 ± 3.0 % was observed for the S-protected thiolated CD hydrogels, respectively. Both native and S-protected thiolated hydrogels showed minor cytotoxicity on Caco-2 cells. Rheological investigations of S-protected thiolated ß-CD-based hydrogel (16.2 % m/v) showed an up to 13-fold increase in viscosity in contrast to the corresponding native ß-CD-based hydrogel. Mucosal residence time studies showed that thiolated ß-CD-based hydrogel is removed to a 16.6- and 2.4-fold lower extent from porcine small intestinal mucosa and porcine buccal mucosa in comparision to the native ß-CD-based hydrogel, respectively. Furthermore, a sustained release of ritonavir from S-protected thiolated ß-CD-based hydrogels was observed. CONCLUSION: Because of their comparatively high mucoadhesive and release-controlling properties, S-protected thiolated ß-CD-based hydrogels might be promising systems for mucosal drug delivery.

Possible Risk Factors and Their Potential Associations with Combined Heavy Metal Exposures in Pregnant Women in the Republic of Suriname.

Background: The exposure of pregnant women to multiple environmental pollutants may be more disadvantageous to birth outcomes when compared to single-compound contaminations. Objective: This study investigated the mixed exposures to mercury, manganese, or lead in 380 pregnant Surinamese women. The factors that might be associated with the heavy metal exposures and the relative risk of the potential factors to cause the mixed exposures were explored. The influencing factors of exposures to mixed contaminants assessed were living in Suriname's rural regions, several parts of which are contaminated with heavy metals emitted from artisanal and small-scale gold mining and agricultural activities; the consumption of potentially contaminated foods; advanced maternal age; as well as a relatively low formal educational level and monthly household income. Methods: Descriptive statistics were used to calculate frequency distributions and χ2-contingency analyses to calculate associations and relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Findings: Blood levels of two or three of the heavy metals above public health limits were observed in 36% of the women. These women were more often residing in the rural regions, primarily consumed potentially contaminated food items, were 35 years or older, were lower educated, and more often had a lower household income. However, only living in the rural regions (RR = 1.48; 95% CI 1.23-1.77) and a low household income (RR = 1.38; 95% CI 1.15-1.66) significantly increased the risk of exposure exceeding levels of concern to two or three of the heavy metals (by 48% and 38%, respectively). Conclusion: More comprehensive pharmacological, ecological, and epidemiological studies about exposures to mixed heavy metal contaminations in pregnant women are warranted.

Exploring the Impact of Length of Residence and Food Insecurity on Weight Status Among Canadian Immigrants.

PURPOSE: While the individual impacts of long-term residence and food insecurity on overweight/obesity are well-documented, their combined effect on immigrants' weight status is less understood. This study examines the interaction between length of residence and food insecurity in predicting overweight/obesity among immigrants and investigates whether this relationship is gender-specific. DESIGN: A national cross-sectional survey. SETTING: The 2017-2018 Canadian Community Health Survey. SUBJECTS: Immigrants aged 18 and older (N = 13 680). MEASURES: All focal variables were self-reported. ANALYSIS: Logistic regression models were employed. RESULTS: Long-term immigrants were more likely to report overweight/obesity than their short-term counterparts (OR = 1.39; P < .001). Moreover, immigrants from food-insecure households were at a higher risk of reporting overweight/obesity (OR = 1.27; P < .05) compared to those from food-secure households. The analysis further revealed that food insecurity exacerbated the detrimental association between length of residence and overweight/obesity in men (OR = 2.63; P < .01) but not in women (OR = .66; P > .05). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that long-term immigrant men may be especially susceptible to the compounded chronic stressors of extended residence and food insecurity. Health professionals and policymakers should advocate for psychosocial resources to help mitigate these adverse effects and support the well-being of immigrant populations.

The Clinical Investigation on Varicocele and Sperm Quality in the Tibet an Plateau of China: A Prospectively Planned Retrospective Cohort Study.

Varicoceles are a common cause of male infertility, affecting up to 35% of men undergoing fertility evaluations. This study aims to investigate the potential influence of altitude and residence time on the occurrence of varicoceles, as well as on sperm quality and sterility in plateau areas. A total of 168 patients with varicocele were enrolled in the study, and the study population was divided into groups based on their direct exposure to different high altitudes due to their living locations. The internal diameter in Quiet breath (Dr), internal diameter in Valsalva maneuver (Dv), reflux peak value, and reflux time are gradually increased accompanied with altitude elevation and residence time extension. The number of cases above 4,500 m also increased with the severity of varicocele, and the altitude of clinical types was higher than that of subclinical types of varicocele. Especially above 4,500 m, the Dv, Dr, reflux peak value, and reflux time all increased with the severity of varicocele. The severity of varicocele was positively correlated with the residence time in plateau area. Patients with residence time of more than 1 year had higher values of Dr, Dv, differentiation time, reflux peak value, and reflux time than those with residence time of less than 1 year. Compared to 3,650 m, patients with varicocele in 4,500 m also have worse semen quality. Both altitude and residence time are strongly positively related to the severity and incidence rate of varicocele in plateau areas.

Statistical data pre-treatment for residence time distribution studies in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Residence time distribution (RTD) method has been widely used in the pharmaceutical manufacturing for understanding powder dynamics within unit operations and continuous integrated manufacturing lines. The dynamics thus captured is then used to develop predictive models for unit operations and important RTD-based applications ensuring product quality assurance. Despite thorough efforts in tracer selection, data acquisition, and calibration model development to obtain tracer concentration profiles for RTD studies, there can exist significant noise in these profiles. This noise can make it challenging to identify the underlying signal and get a representative RTD of the system under study. Such concerns have previously indicated the importance of noise handling for RTD measurements in literature. However, the literature does not provide sufficient information on noise handling or data treatment strategies for RTD studies. To this end, we investigate the impact of varying levels of noise using different tracers on measurement of RTD profile and its applications. We quantify the impact of different denoising methods (time and frequency averaging methods). Through this investigation, we see that Savitsky Golay filtering turns out to a good method for denoising RTD profiles despite varying noise levels. The investigation is performed such that the key features of the RTD profile (which are important for RTD based applications) are preserved. Subsequently, we also investigate the impact of denoising on RTD-based applications such as out-of-specification (OOS) analysis and RTD modeling. The results show that the degree of noise levels considered in this work do not significantly impact the RTD-based applications.

A new substrate equalization method for optimizing the influent conditions and fluid flow patterns of a multifed upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor with mature anammox granules.

To improve nitrogen removal efficiency (NRE) and achieve homogenous distribution of anammox sludge and substrate, a new substrate equalization theory and a cumulative overload index was proposed for multifed upflow anaerobic sludge bed (MUASB) reactors with mature anammox granules. The performance and flow patterns of MUASB reactors were investigated under various influent conditions. The results showed that the nitrogen removal performance and stability of MUASB reactors could be optimized by minimizing the cumulative load. The NRE gradually increased from 83.3 ± 2.2 %, 86.8 ± 4.2 % to 89.3 ± 4.1 % and 89.7 ± 1.6 % in feeding flow tests and feeding port tests, respectively. Furthermore, the flow patterns were compared based on residence time distribution and computational fluid dynamics, indicating that a better equilibrium distribution of microorganisms and substrates could be achieved in the MUASB reactors under the lowest cumulative load. Therefore, substrate equalization theory can be used to optimize the nitrogen removal performance of MUASB reactors with low-carbon footprints.

The impact of urban integration on the intention of settlement and residence among migrants: The empirical evidence from China.

Promoting urban integration is the key to improving the efficiency of labor allocation in developing countries and promoting coordinated regional development. Using the data of the migrants' observation sample in 2012-2017 released by China Migrants Dynamic Survey, this paper draws on theories related to urban integration and labor migration to study the urban integration status, intention of settlement and residence in China's agricultural household labor force in depth, as well as the correlation between the two. The study finds a significant decline in the intention of settlement and a gradual increase in the intention of residence among the migrants. The empirical regressions suggest that good urban integration, especially psychological integration, mainly contributes to their intention of settlement and residence, while the intention of residence is also more influenced by the social and economic integration dimensions. The mediating effect tests reveal that income level and housing stability are key pathways to economic integration, public medical participation and accessibility to medical services are key pathways to health integration, social status and local attachment are key pathways to social integration, and identity affiliation and psychological assimilation are key pathways to psychological integration. Future urbanization in developing countries requires not only further reform of the household registration system but also government, business, and social organizations at all levels to reduce the difficulties of urban integration in economic, health, social, and psychological aspects, enhance the degree of urban integration of the migrants, increase the intention of the migrants to settle and stay in different places and avoid the "migratory bird" migration of labor between regions. The "migratory bird" migration between regions is avoided.

Marine Bioluminescence: Simulation of Dynamics within a Pump-Through Bathyphotometer.

Bioluminescence is light produced by organisms through chemical reactions. In most cases, bioluminescent organisms produce light in response to mechanical stimulation, including from shear around objects moving in the water. Many phytoplankton and zooplankton are capable of producing bioluminescence, which is commonly measured as bioluminescence potential, defined as mechanically stimulated light measured inside of a chambered pump-through bathyphotometer. We have developed a numerical model of a pump-through bathyphotometer and simulated flow using Lagrangian particles as an approximation for bioluminescent marine plankton taxa. The results indicate that all particles remain in the detection chamber for a residence time of at least 0.25 s. This suggests that the total first flash of bioluminescent autotrophic and heterotrophic dinoflagellates will be measured based on the existing literature regarding their flash duration. We have found low sensitivity of particle residence time to variations in particle size, density, or measurement depth. In addition, the results show that a high percentage of organisms may experience stimulation well before the detection chamber, or even multiple stimulations within the detection chamber. The results of this work serve to inform the processing of current bioluminescent potential data and assist in the development of future instruments.

Distribution of residence time in rotary-drum composting and implications for hygienization.

Rotary drums enable rapid composting compared to static systems. Residence times (RT) of 3-5 days are commonly applied to fulfill sanitary requirements and ensure the initial stabilization of organic matter. Practically, RT distribution (RTD) implies that a portion of the feed is discharged earlier than the mean RT, which may not guarantee safe application of the end product. This study assessed RTD and other physical-chemical and biological parameters of cattle manure and green waste composted in an EcodrumTM rotary drum (∼10 m3). Two types of tracers were used: pieces of plastic tubing and lumps of raw material in which plant seeds were buried, which were packed in nylon socks. A transient-state during which less than 50 % of the drum volume was occupied was distinguished from a steady-state stage, during which the drum operated with its optimal loading of about two-thirds of its volume. Starting temperatures inside the drum were close to ambient when the drum was mostly empty and then increased up to 60-65 °C as the occupied volume approached 50 %. The two types of tracers seemed to provide complementary measurements; under steady-state conditions, actual RTs were 60 % of the mean RT for 10 % of the feed material. The viability of plant seeds which were included in tracers was somewhat dependent on the specific RT. Under transient-state conditions, even shorter RTs (relative to the mean RT) are expected, coupled with non-thermophilic conditions, reducing the likelihood of adequate destruction of pathogens.

Differences in nutritional status and level of physical activity among adolescents living in urban and rural areas of Montenegro - national study.

BACKGROUND: Nutritional status and physical activity are important factors for adolescent health. These factors may vary by the place of residence. This study aims to assess the nutritional status and physical activity levels, as well as their variations by the place of residence. METHODS: The sample consisted of 1503 adolescents (46.3% male; 53.7% female), with a mean age of 15.7 ± 0.7 years. Nutritional status was assessed using Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR), and Body Fat Percentage (BF). Physical activity levels were assessed using the PAQ-C questionnaire. Differences in nutritional status among adolescents living in urban and rural areas were analyzed using Chi-square test (p ≤ 0.05), while differences in physical activity levels were analyzed using an independent samples t-test (p ≤ 0.05). RESULTS: In terms of BMI, 14.7% of males were overweight and 10.1% were obese, while 12% of female adolescents were overweight and 3.1% were obese. There were no differences in nutritional status among adolescents living in urban and rural areas (BMI, WHtR, BF). Male adolescents in rural areas had significantly higher physical activity levels compared to urban areas (p = 0.032). They showed higher activity scores during a spare time (p = 0.002), physical education classes (p = 0.002), little breaks (p = 0.007), and lunchtime (p = 0.034). Female adolescents showed significance only in spare time activity (p = 0.020). CONCLUSION: The differences in nutritional status among adolescents living in urban and rural areas were not found. However, male adolescents living in urban areas showed lower physical activity levels than their rural counterparts. Strategies should be implemented to promote physical activity among adolescents in urban areas, and attention should be given to the further urbanization process to create improved conditions for engaging in physical activity.

Role of UDP-N-acetylmuramic acid in the regulation of MurA activity revealed by molecular dynamics simulations.

The peptidoglycan biosynthesis pathway plays a vital role in bacterial cells, and facilitates peptidoglycan layer formation, a fundamental structural component of the bacterial cell wall. The enzymes in this pathway are candidates for antibiotic development, as most do not have mammalian homologues. The UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UNAG) enolpyruvyl transferase enzyme (MurA) in the peptidoglycan pathway cytoplasmic step is responsible for the phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)-UNAG catalytic reaction, forming UNAG enolpyruvate and inorganic phosphate. Reportedly, UDP-N-acetylmuramic acid (UNAM) binds tightly to MurA forming a dormant UNAM-PEP-MurA complex and acting as a MurA feedback inhibitor. MurA inhibitors are complex, owing to competitive binding interactions with PEP, UNAM, and UNAG at the MurA active site. We used computational methods to explore UNAM and UNAG binding. UNAM showed stronger hydrogen-bond interactions with the Arg120 and Arg91 residues, which help to stabilize the closed conformation of MurA, than UNAG. Binding free energy calculations using end-point computational methods showed that UNAM has a higher binding affinity than UNAG, when PEP is attached to Cys115. The unbinding process, simulated using τ-random acceleration molecular dynamics, showed that UNAM has a longer relative residence time than UNAG, which is related to several complex dissociation pathways, each with multiple intermediate metastable states. This prevents the loop from opening and exposing the Arg120 residue to accommodate UNAG and potential new ligands. Moreover, we demonstrate the importance of Cys115-linked PEP in closed-state loop stabilization. We provide a basis for evaluating novel UNAM analogues as potential MurA inhibitors. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: MurA is a critical enzyme involved in bacterial cell wall biosynthesis and is involved in antibiotic resistance development. UNAM can remain in the target protein's active site for an extended time compared to its natural substrate, UNAG. The prolonged interaction of this highly stable complex known as the 'dormant complex' comprises UNAM-PEP-MurA and offers insights into antibiotic development, providing potential options against drug-resistant bacteria and advancing our understanding of microbial biology.

Hydrogeochemical and environmental isotope study of Topusko thermal waters, Croatia.

Thermal waters in Topusko (Croatia), with temperatures of up to 65 °C, have been used for heating, health, and recreational tourism for the past fifty years. Hydrogeochemical monitoring can provide insights into deeper geological processes and indicate system changes from baseline levels. It helps to identify potential anthropogenic impacts, as well as natural changes. Hydrogeochemical, geothermometrical, and environmental isotope studies of thermal waters in Topusko were conducted to improve the existing conceptual model of the Topusko hydrothermal system (THS), providing a baseline for continuous monitoring of the thermal resource. 2-year thermal springs and precipitation monitoring took place from March 2021 until March 2023. Major anions and cations, stable and radioactive isotopes (i.e. 18O, 2H, SO42-, 3H and 14C) and geothermometers were used to assess the origin of thermal waters in Topusko and their interaction with thermal aquifer. The results indicate the meteoric origin of thermal water, which was recharged in colder climatic conditions around the late Pleistocene-Early Holocene. Thermal water was last in contact with the atmosphere before approximately 9.5 kyr. Ca-HCO3 hydrochemical facies suggests carbonate dissolution as the dominant process driving the solute content. Geothermometrical results indicate an equilibrium temperature in the reservoir of 90 °C.

Epidemiology of congenital polydactyly and syndactyly in Hunan Province, China.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence and epidemiology of congenital polydactyly and syndactyly in Hunan Province, China, 2016-2020. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Birth Defects Surveillance System in Hunan Province, China, 2016-2020. Prevalence of birth defects (polydactyly or syndactyly) is the number of cases per 1000 births (unit: ‰). Prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by the log-binomial method. Chi-square trend tests (χ2trend) were used to determine trends in prevalence by year. Crude odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to examine the association of each demographic characteristic with polydactyly and syndactyly. RESULTS: Our study included 847,755 births, and 14,459 birth defects were identified, including 1,888 polydactyly and 626 syndactyly cases, accounting for 13.06% and 4.33% of birth defects, respectively. The prevalences of total birth defects, polydactyly, and syndactyly were 17.06‰ (95%CI: 16.78-17.33), 2.23‰ (95%CI: 2.13-2.33), and 0.74‰ (95%CI: 0.68-0.80), respectively. Most polydactyly (96.77%) and syndactyly (95.69%) were diagnosed postnatally (within 7 days). From 2016 to 2020, the prevalences of polydactyly were 1.94‰, 2.07‰, 2.20‰, 2.54‰, and 2.48‰, respectively, showing an upward trend (χ2trend = 19.48, P < 0.01); The prevalences of syndactyly were 0.62‰, 0.66‰, 0.77‰, 0.81‰, and 0.89‰, respectively, showing an upward trend (χ2trend = 10.81, P = 0.03). Hand polydactyly (2.26‰ vs. 1.33‰, OR = 1.69, 95%CI: 1.52-1.87) and hand syndactyly (0.43‰ vs. 0.28‰, OR = 1.42, 95%CI: 1.14-1.76) were more common in males than females. Polydactyly (2.67‰ vs. 1.93‰, OR = 1.38, 95%CI: 1.26-1.51) and syndactyly (0.91‰ vs. 0.62‰, OR = 1.47, 95%CI: 1.26-1.72) were more common in urban areas than in rural areas. Compared to maternal age 25-29, hand polydactyly was more common in maternal age < 20 (2.48‰ vs. 1.74‰, OR = 1.43, 95%CI: 1.01-2.02) or ≥ 35 (2.25‰ vs. 1.74‰, OR = 1.30, 95%CI: 1.12-1.50). CONCLUSION: In summary, we have described the prevalence and epidemiology of polydactyly and syndactyly from hospital-based surveillance in Hunan Province, China, 2016-2020. Our findings make some original contributions to the field, which may be valuable for future research.

Experimental investigation on the effect of blending bituminous coal with pinus sawdust on combustion performance parameters.

Combustion of bituminous coal and pinus sawdust blends was investigated experimentally within a drop tube furnace (DTF) with the aim of determining particle residence times and temperatures during the process. Evaluation of these parameters gives useful information to engineers who want to optimise the co-combustion process of coal and biomass blends. The DTF experimental approach was used to investigate fuel blends with a pinus sawdust mass substitution of 0, 10, 20, and 30% at different furnace temperatures of 1273, 1473 and 1673 K. Results showed that during stage 1 of the experimental setup which mimics devolatilisation, particle residence time at a distance of 520 mm from the injection point decreased from 0.8 to 0.7 s as blending by pinus sawdust increased from 0 to 30 %. During stage 2 of the experimental setup which mimics char combustion, particle residence time at a distance of 1320 mm from the injection point decreased from 3.9 to 2.0 s as blending by pinus sawdust increased from 0 to 30 %. The blending ratios under investigation demonstrated similar profiles of particle temperature at different furnace positions though further analysis showed that the highly blended samples required less time to attain high temperatures. By extension, since fuel blends with higher percentages of pinus sawdust were able to attain higher temperatures at shorter residence time, combustion intensity was deduced to increase with the blending ratio whilst stability decreased. As such, caution should be taken with materials used for furnace and burner design as high-temperature zones move backwards towards the injection point as blending increases.

Rurality is associated with lower likelihood of dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitor use for treatment intensification.

Background: Antihyperglycemic drug utilization studies are conducted frequently and describe the uptake of new drug therapies across may jurisdictions. An increasingly important, yet often absent, aspect of these studies is the impact of rurality on drug utilization. Objectives: The objective of this study was to explore the association between place of residence (rural, urban, metropolitan) and the use of dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) for first treatment intensification of type 2 diabetes. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted from April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2019 of new metformin users. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the association between place of residence (using postal codes) and likelihood of DPP-4i dispensing. Results: After adjusting for confounders, analysis revealed that rural-dwellers are less likely to have a DPP-4i dispensed, compared with metropolitan-dwellers (aOR:0.64; 95%CI:0.61-0.67) and over-time, the uptake in rural areas was slower. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that rurality can have an impact on drug therapy decisions at first treatment intensification, with respect to the utilization of new therapies.

Cancer immunity by tissue-resident type 1 innate lymphoid cells and killer innate-like T cells.

Cancer progression can be restrained by tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in a process termed cancer immunosurveillance. Based on how lymphocytes are activated and recruited to the tumor tissue, cancer immunity is either pre-wired, in which innate lymphocytes and innate-like T cells are directly recruited to and activated in tumors following their differentiation in primary lymphoid organs; or priming-dependent, in which conventional adaptive T cells are first primed by cognate antigens in secondary lymphoid organs before homing to and reactivated in tumors. While priming-dependent cancer immunity has been a focus of cancer immunology research for decades, in part due to historical preconception of cancer theory and tumor model choice as well as clinical success of conventional adaptive T cell-directed therapeutic programs, recent studies have revealed that pre-wired cancer immunity mediated by tissue-resident type 1 innate lymphoid cells (ILC1s) and killer innate-like T cells (ILTCKs) is an integral component of the cancer immunosurveillance process. Herein we review the distinct ontogenies and cancer-sensing mechanisms of ILC1s and ILTCKs in murine genetic cancer models as well as the conspicuously conserved responses in human malignancies. How ILC1s and ILTCKs may be targeted to broaden the scope of cancer immunotherapy beyond conventional adaptive T cells is also discussed.

Suboptimal child healthcare practices and the development of multiple infectious diseases in children aged 24-59 months.

Background: Infections continue to be a major cause of death among children under the age of five worldwide. This study aimed to identify the factors associated with the development of multiple infectious diseases in children aged 24-59 months in Indonesia. Methods: Data from the 2018 Basic Health Research conducted by the Ministry of Health, Republic of Indonesia, were used. Information from 39,948 children aged 24-59 months was analyzed. The outcome variable was the development of multiple infectious diseases, that is, acute respiratory infections, pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis, diarrhea, and hepatitis, in the month before the survey. Factors significantly associated with multiple types of infectious diseases were examined using logistic regression. Results: The study found that 76.6% of children aged 24 to 59 months in Indonesia had at least one type of infectious disease. The likelihood of developing multiple types of infectious diseases increased in children whose parents did not practice appropriate handwashing with soap and running water [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.16, p < 0.001], those who received supplemental food (aOR = 1.38, p < 0.001), those with poor nutritional status (aOR = 1.12, p < 0.001), and those living in urban areas (aOR = 1.07, p = 0.045). Conclusion: Improving caregivers' awareness of adequate child healthcare practices, in addition to nutrition-sensitive and specific interventions to improve children's nutritional status, is required to prevent children from contracting multiple types of infectious diseases.