A primary battery for efficient cadmium contamination remediation and electricity generation.

In this work, two kinds of primary batteries, both of which included a Zn anode, C rod cathode, copper wire and electrolyte composed of Cd2+-contaminated water or soil, were constructed in the first attempt to both remove Cd2+ and generate electricity. Unlike traditional technologies such as electrokinetic remediation with high energy consumption, this technology could realize Cd2+ migration to aggregation and solidification and generate energy at the same time through simultaneous galvanic reactions. The passive surface of Zn and C was proven via electrochemical measurements to be porous to maintain the relatively active galvanic reactions for continuous Cd2+ precipitation. Cd2+ RE (removal efficiency) and electricity generation were investigated under different conditions, based on which two empirical models were established to predict them successfully. In soil, KCl was added to desorb Cd2+ from soil colloids to promote Cd2+ removal. These systems were also proven to remove Cd2+ efficiently when their effects on plants, zebrafish, and the soil bacterial community were tested. LEDs could be lit for days by utilizing the electricity produced herein. This work provides a novel, green, and low-cost route to remediate Cd2+ contamination and generate electricity simultaneously, which is of extensive practical significance in the environmental and energy fields.

Photo-induced protonation assisted nano primary battery for highly efficient immobilization of diverse heavy metal ions.

Highly-stable heavy metal ions (HMIs) appear long-term damage, while the existing remediation strategies struggle to effectively remove a variety of oppositely charged HMIs without releasing toxic substances. Here we construct an iron-copper primary battery-based nanocomposite, with photo-induced protonation effect, for effectively consolidating broad-spectrum HMIs. In FCPBN, Fe/Cu cell acts as the reaction impetus, and functional graphene oxide modified by carboxyl and UV-induced protonated 2-nitrobenzaldehyde serves as an auxiliary platform. Due to the groups and built-in electric fields under UV stimuli, FCPBN exhibits excellent affinity for ions, with a maximum adsorption rate constant of 974.26 g∙mg-1∙min-1 and facilitated electrons transfer, assisting to reduce 9 HMIs including Cr2O72-, AsO2-, Cd2+ in water from 0.03 to 3.89 ppb. The cost-efficiency, stability and collectability of the FCPBN during remediation, and the beneficial effects on polluted soil and the beings further demonstrate the splendid remediation performance without secondary pollution. This work is expected to remove multi-HMIs thoroughly and sustainably, which tackles an environmental application challenge.

Spherical Assembly of Halloysite Clay Nanotubes as a General Reservoir of Hydrophobic Pesticides for pH-Responsive Management of Pests and Weeds.

The development of smart systems for pesticidal delivery presents a significant advancement in enhancing the utilization efficiency of pesticides and mitigating environmental risks. Here an acid-responsive pesticidal delivery system using microspheres formed by the self-assembly of halloysite clay nanotubes (HNTs) is proposed. Insecticide avermectin (AVM) and herbicide prometryn (PMT) are used as two models of hydrophobic pesticide and encapsulated within the porous microspheres, followed by a coating of tannic acid/iron (TA/FeIII) complex films to generate two controlled-release pesticides, named as HCEAT and HCEPT, resulting in the loading capacity of AVM and PMT being 113.3 and 120.3 mg g-1, respectively. Both HCEAT and HCEPT exhibit responsiveness to weak acid, achieving 24 h-release ratios of 85.8% and 80.5% at a pH of 5.5. The experiment and simulation results indicate that the coordination interaction between EDTA2- and Ca2+ facilitates the spherical aggregation of HNTs. Furthermore, these novel pesticide formulations demonstrate better resistance against ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, higher foliar affinity, and less leaching effect, with negligible impact of the carrier material on plants and terrestrial organisms. This work presents a promising approach toward the development of efficient and eco-friendly pesticide formulations, greatly contributing to the sustainable advancement of agriculture.

Global prevalence of anxiety and depression among medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: As future physicians, medical students have experienced tremendous pressure during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which is associated with a high risk of depression and anxiety. We aimed to investigate an overview of the prevalence of anxiety and depression among medical students in various countries during the global COVID-19 pandemic, and discuss associated stressors. METHODS: We systematically searched CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, and Web of Science for relevant articles from December 1, 2019 to March 15, 2023. We performed meta-analysis using a random-effects model with REML method to calculate the pooled prevalence of anxiety and depression. Begg's and Egger's tests were used to identify the potential risk of publication bias. Meta-regression was used to explore potential sources of heterogeneity. RESULTS: We identified 130 studies reporting anxiety and depression among 132,068 medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eight screening tools were identified for anxiety and six for depression. The pooled prevalence of mental health outcomes for anxiety and depression was 45% (95% confidence interval [CI], 40%-49%) and 48% (95% CI, 43%-52%), respectively. The pooled prevalence of mental health outcomes for moderate and severe anxiety and moderate and severe depression was 28% (95% CI, 24%-32%) and 30% (95% CI, 26%-35%), respectively. There was high heterogeneity between studies, with I2 ranging from 99.58%-99.66%. Continent and survey date were included in the meta-regression model. The results of meta-regression revealed that medical students in Asia had a lower prevalence of anxiety, and depression than those in other regions. The survey date (from February to June, 2020) showed a significantly positive correlation with the prevalence of anxiety and depression. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated the global prevalence of anxiety and depression among medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data highlight that medical students worldwide are at high risk of experiencing anxiety and depression. The reported stressors can be categorized into personal, academic, environmental and cultural, and pandemic factors. Schools and institutions should ensure optimal alternative learning environments for uninterrupted provision of medical education. The appropriate authorities should prioritize the provision of adequate protection for medical students and establish policies to promote new methods of training and education during a disaster, such as via distance learning.

MSLN induced EMT, cancer stem cell traits and chemotherapy resistance of pancreatic cancer cells.

Chemoresistance is one of the main reasons for poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer. The effects of mesothelin (MSLN) on chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer are still unclear. We aim to investigate potential roles of MSLN in chemoresistance and its relationship with proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stemness of pancreatic cancer cells. Human pancreatic cancer cell lines ASPC-1 and Mia PaCa-2 with high and low expression of MSLN, respectively, were selected. The ASPC-1 with MSLN knockout (KO) and Mia PaCa-2 of MSLN overexpression (OE) were generated. The effects of MSLN on cell phenotypes, expression of EMT-related markers, clone formation, tumor sphere formation, and pathologic role of MSLN in tumorigenesis were detected. Sensitivity of tumor cells to gemcitabine was evaluated. The results showed that adhesion, proliferation, migration and invasion were decreased significantly in ASPC-1 with MSLN KO, whereas increased significantly in Mia PaCa-2 with MSLN OE. The size and the number of clones and tumor spheres were decreased in ASPC-1 with MSLN KO, and increased in Mia PaCa-2 with MSLN OE. In xenograft model, tumor volume was decreased (tumor grew slower) in MSLN KO group compared to control group, while increased in MSLN OE group. Mia PaCa-2 with MSLN OE had a higher IC50 of gemcitabine, while ASPC-1 with MSLN KO had a lower IC50. We concluded that MSLN could induce chemoresistance by enhancing migration, invasion, EMT and cancer stem cell traits of pancreatic cancer cells. Targeting MSLN could represent a promising therapeutic strategy for reversing EMT and chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer cells.

Assessment of Heart Rate Monitoring During Exercise With Smart Wristbands and a Heart Rhythm Patch: Validation and Comparison Study.

BACKGROUND: The integration of wearable devices into fitness routines, particularly in military settings, necessitates a rigorous assessment of their accuracy. This study evaluates the precision of heart rate measurements by locally manufactured wristbands, increasingly used in military academies, to inform future device selection for military training activities. OBJECTIVE: This research aims to assess the reliability of heart rate monitoring in chest straps versus wearable wristbands. METHODS: Data on heart rate and acceleration were collected using the Q-Band Q-69 smart wristband (Mobile Action Technology Inc) and compared against the Zephyr Bioharness standard measuring device. The Lin concordance correlation coefficient, Pearson product moment correlation coefficient, and intraclass correlation coefficient were used for reliability analysis. RESULTS: Participants from a Northern Taiwanese medical school were enrolled (January 1-June 31, 2021). The Q-Band Q-69 demonstrated that the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of women was observed to be 13.35 (SD 13.47). Comparatively, men exhibited a lower MAPE of 8.54 (SD 10.49). The walking state MAPE was 7.79 for women and 10.65 for men. The wristband's accuracy generally remained below 10% MAPE in other activities. Pearson product moment correlation coefficient analysis indicated gender-based performance differences, with overall coefficients of 0.625 for women and 0.808 for men, varying across walking, running, and cooldown phases. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights significant gender and activity-dependent variations in the accuracy of the MobileAction Q-Band Q-69 smart wristband. Reduced accuracy was notably observed during running. Occasional extreme errors point to the necessity of caution in relying on such devices for exercise monitoring. The findings emphasize the limitations and potential inaccuracies of wearable technology, especially in high-intensity physical activities.

Four Assessment Tools for Predicting Mortality and Adverse Events in Surgical Patients With Sepsis and Septic Shock: A Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND: The mortality rate for sepsis and septic shock in surgical patients is approximately 36%, which is higher than that of other medical patients. Predisposition, infection/injury, response, and organ dysfunction (PIRO) is currently the most widely used tool for assessing patients with surgical sepsis. However, it is not a standardized assessment tool for surgical patients in general. PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to (a) create a modified PIRO (mPIRO) that adds a count of platelets and does not include a body temperature reading; (b) test the sensitivity and specificity of the mPIRO for predicting mortality and adverse events among patients with surgical sepsis; and (c) compare the predictive accuracy of the mPIRO, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), quick SOFA, and PIRO tools. METHODS: A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted. Two thousand fifty-five patient medical records were reviewed, with 103 identified as meeting the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Compared with the other tools, mPIRO ≥ 4 achieved better sensitivity (90.5%) in predicting mortality and high sensitivity (72%) and specificity (80%) in predicting adverse events. mPIRO was the most accurate predictor of mortality (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] = 0.83) among the tools considered. SOFA and mPIRO were the first and second most accurate predictor of adverse events, respectively, with respective AUC values of 0.86 and 0.82. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: mPIRO, which employs an easy-to-use scoring system, is a valid assessment tool with good sensitivity and AUC for predicting both mortality and adverse events in patients with surgical sepsis. We recommend using mPIRO ≥ 3 as an indicator of potential adverse events.

Ecofriendly polysaccharide-based alginate/pluronic F127 semi-IPN hydrogel with magnetic collectability for precise release of pesticides and sustained pest control.

Controlled-release systems are crucial for efficient pesticide utilization and environmental protection in agricultural production. The utilization of polysaccharide-based materials derived from biopolymers as carriers for controlling pesticide release holds significant potential. In this work, a reversible near infrared-responsive polysaccharide-based hydrogel (RNPH) was fabricated by employing a semi-interpenetrating polymer network (alginate-FeIII/pluronic F127) as a carrier to encapsulate Fe3O4@polydopamine (FP) and emamectin benzoate (EB)-loaded hollow mesoporous silica. The incorporation of FP into the RNPH introduced a photothermal effect, enabling the precise release of EB through reversible shrinkage of the hydrogel upon NIR irradiation. Additionally, the presence of magnetic Fe3O4 in the system facilitated the rapid removal of remaining RNPH from the environment using a magnet, reducing EB residue. Importantly, RNPH exhibited exceptional controlled-release performance and could be reused for at least 4 cycles. Furthermore, the anti-photolysis ability of EB protected by RNPH was enhanced by 4.8 times compared to EB alone. Moreover, RNPH significantly improved the adhesion of EB to foliar surfaces, thereby reducing the loss of EB while ensuring crop safety. Therefore, the polysaccharide-based hydrogel holds promise as a versatile carrier for the precise release of EB, offering valuable applications in enhancing pesticide bioavailability and promoting environmental safety.

Transcranial stimulation of alpha oscillations modulates brain state dynamics in sustained attention.

The brain operates an advanced complex system to support mental activities. Cognition is thought to emerge from dynamic states of the complex brain system, which are organized spatially through large-scale neural networks and temporally via neural synchrony. However, specific mechanisms underlying these processes remain obscure. Applying high-definition alpha-frequency transcranial alternating-current stimulation (HD α-tACS) in a continuous performance task (CPT) during functional resonance imaging (fMRI), we causally elucidate these major organizational architectures in a key cognitive operation-sustained attention. We demonstrated that α-tACS enhanced both electroencephalogram (EEG) alpha power and sustained attention, in a correlated fashion. Akin to temporal fluctuations inherent in sustained attention, our hidden Markov modeling (HMM) of fMRI timeseries uncovered several recurrent, dynamic brain states, which were organized through a few major neural networks and regulated by the alpha oscillation. Specifically, during sustain attention, α-tACS regulated the temporal dynamics of the brain states by suppressing a Task-Negative state (characterized by activation of the default mode network/DMN) and Distraction state (with activation of the ventral attention and visual networks). These findings thus linked dynamic states of major neural networks and alpha oscillations, providing important insights into systems-level mechanisms of attention. They also highlight the efficacy of non-invasive oscillatory neuromodulation in probing the functioning of the complex brain system and encourage future clinical applications to improve neural systems health and cognitive performance.

Parental Educational Intervention to Facilitate Informed Consent for Pediatric Procedural Sedation in the Emergency Department: A Parallel-Group Randomized Controlled Trial.

Obtaining valid parental informed consent for pediatric procedures in the emergency department (ED) is challenging. We compared a video-assisted informed consent intervention with conventional discussion to inform parents about pediatric procedural sedation in the ED. We conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial using a convenience sample including the parents of children in the ED in whom procedural sedation for facial laceration was recommended. The video group watched an informational video. Conventional group participants received information from physicians during conventional discussion. The primary outcome was knowledge improvement of the video intervention compared with conventional discussion. The secondary outcome was parental satisfaction. Video and conventional groups comprised 32 and 30 participants, respectively. Mean knowledge scores of parents after intervention [±standard deviation] were higher in the video group (91.67 ± 12.70) than in the conventional group (73.33 ± 19.86). Knowledge score differences were significantly bigger in the video group (coefficient: 18.931, 95% confidence interval: 11.146-26.716). Video group participants reported greater satisfaction than conventional group participants. Parents' comprehension of and satisfaction with the informed consent process for pediatric procedural sedation may be improved with the use of an educational video. Standardized approaches should be developed by healthcare institutions to better educate parents, facilitate treatment decisions, and boost satisfaction in the ED.

Synthesis of Iron-Based Carbon Microspheres with Tobacco Waste Liquid and Waste Iron Residue for Cd(II) Removal from Water and Soil.

Herein, a novel magnetic iron-based carbon microsphere was prepared by cohydrothermal treatment of tobacco waste liquid (TWL) and waste iron residue (WIR) to form WIR@TWL. After that, WIR@TWL was coated with sodium polyacrylate (S.P.) to fabricate WIR@TWL@SP, whose removal efficiency for bivalent cadmium (Cd(II)) was studied in water and soil. As a result, WIR@TWL@SP possessed a high Cd(II) removal efficiency, which could reach 98.5% within 2 h. The adsorption process was consistent with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model because of the higher value of adjusted R2 (0.99). The thermodynamic data showed that the adsorption process was spontaneous (ΔG° < 0) and exothermic (ΔH° = 32.42 KJ·mol-1 > 0). Cd(II) removal mechanisms also include cation exchange, electrostatic attraction, hydrogen-bond interaction, and cation-π interaction. Notably, pot experiments demonstrated that WIR@TWL@SP could effectively reduce Cd absorption by plants in water and soil. Thus, this study offers an effective method for remediating Cd(II)-contaminated water and soil and may have a practical application value.

Picomolar thrombin detection by orchestration of triple signal amplification strategy with hierarchically porous Ti3C2Tx MXene electrode material-catalytic hairpin assembly reaction-metallic nanoprobes.

Signal amplification strategies are essential to boost the sensitivity of detecting targeted ions or molecules with important biological functions, while few studies take advantage of signal amplification strategies more than two. As a "proof-of-concept" demonstration, we present the ultrasensitive electrochemical aptasensor for picomolar thrombin detection by synchronous coordination of triple signal amplification strategy. The porous MXene framework (PMXF) with secondary pores is constructed as carrier to increase electrons transfer channels, and thionine (as redox indicator) labelled Au nanorod (AuNR) and hollow Cu-Pt alloy (HCuPtA) are synthesized as the electrical signal amplifiers to enhance the response signals. In the presence of picomolar-level thrombin, catalytic hairpin assembly reactions of DNA are triggered to bridge thionine labelled AuNR or HCuPtA nanoprobes on the PMXF with controllablly scondary pore structures. Under the optimal conditionals, the sandwich-typed aptasensor based on PMXF-5/AuNR shows a more low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.67 pM with a linear range from 2 pM to 10 nM, while PMXF-5/HcuPtA exhibits a more wide linear range from 50 pM to 50 nM with a LOD of 16.67 pM for thormbin. This sensing platform can be customized to analyze other biological or environmental substances at an ultrahigh level by rationally designing DNA sequences of target-binding aptamer.

Effect of the Nintendo Ring Fit Adventure Exergame on Running Completion Time and Psychological Factors Among University Students Engaging in Distance Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 outbreak has not only changed the lifestyles of people globally but has also resulted in other challenges, such as the requirement of self-isolation and distance learning. Moreover, people are unable to venture out to exercise, leading to reduced movement, and therefore, the demand for exercise at home has increased. OBJECTIVE: We intended to investigate the relationships between a Nintendo Ring Fit Adventure (RFA) intervention and improvements in running time, cardiac force index (CFI), sleep quality (Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score), and mood disorders (5-item Brief Symptom Rating Scale score). METHODS: This was a randomized prospective study and included 80 students who were required to complete a 1600-meter outdoor run before and after the intervention, the completion times of which were recorded in seconds. They were also required to fill out a lifestyle questionnaire. During the study, 40 participants (16 males and 24 females, with an average age of 23.75 years) were assigned to the RFA group and were required to exercise for 30 minutes 3 times per week (in the adventure mode) over 4 weeks. The exercise intensity was set according to the instructions given by the virtual coach during the first game. The remaining 40 participants (30 males and 10 females, with an average age of 22.65 years) were assigned to the control group and maintained their regular habits during the study period. RESULTS: The study was completed by 80 participants aged 20 to 36 years (mean 23.20, SD 2.96 years). The results showed that the running time in the RFA group was significantly reduced. After 4 weeks of physical training, it took females in the RFA group 19.79 seconds (P=.03) and males 22.56 seconds (P=.03) less than the baseline to complete the 1600-meter run. In contrast, there were no significant differences in the performance of the control group in the run before and after the fourth week of intervention. In terms of mood disorders, the average score of the RFA group increased from 1.81 to 3.31 for males (difference=1.50, P=.04) and from 3.17 to 4.54 for females (difference=1.38, P=.06). In addition, no significant differences between the RFA and control groups were observed for the CFI peak acceleration (CFIPA)_walk, CFIPA_run, or sleep quality. CONCLUSIONS: RFA could either maintain or improve an individual's physical fitness, thereby providing a good solution for people involved in distance learning or those who have not exercised for an extended period. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05227040; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05227040.

Chitosan-based organic/inorganic composite engineered for UV light-controlled smart pH-responsive pesticide through in situ photo-induced generation of acid.

BACKGROUND: Confined by the volatile property, pesticides are overused and lost significantly during and after spraying, weakening the ecological microbalance among different species of lives. Acid-responsive pesticide is a type of smartly engineered pesticides that contribute to the improvement of utilization efficiency of pesticidal active ingredients in acid-controlled manner, whilst the implementation of acidic solutions may disturb the balance of microenvironment surrounding targeted plants or cause secondary pollution, underscoring the input of acid in a more precise strategy. RESULTS: Chitosan was chemically modified with a photoacid generator (2-nitrobenzaldehyde) serving as a light-maneuvered acid self-supplier, based on which a smart pesticide was formulated by the integration of attapulgite and organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos. Under the irradiation of UV light (365 nm), the modified chitosan would undergo a photolytic reaction to generate an acid and pristine chitosan, which seized the labile protons and facilitated the release of chlorpyrifos based on its inherent pH-responsive flexibility. According to the pesticide release performance, the release rate of chlorpyrifos under UV light (27.2 mW/cm2 ) reached 78%, significantly higher than those under sunlight (22%, 4.2 mW/cm2 ) and in the dark (20%) within the same time, consistent with the pH reduction to 5.3 under UV light and no obvious pH change for the two other situations, exhibiting an attractive UV light-controlled, acid-propelled release behavior. CONCLUSION: Compared to direct acid spray approach, the proposed in situ photo-induced generation of acid locally on the spots of applied pesticide circumvents the problem of acid contamination to nontargets, demonstrating higher efficiency and biocompatibility for the controlled delivery of acid-responsive pesticides and pest management. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

K-Rod: An Innovative Method of Personalized Rib Splinting for Expeditious Management of Flail Chest in Acute Care Settings.

Flail chest is a severe type of multiple rib fracture that can cause ventilation problems and respiratory complications. Historically, flail chest has been mainly managed through pain control and ventilatory support as needed. Operative fixation has recently become popular for the condition, and some studies have revealed its potentially positive effects on the outcomes of patients with flail chest. However, for those for whom surgery is unsuitable, few treatment options, other than simply providing analgesia, are available. Herein, we introduce our innovative method of applying personalized rib splinting for quick management of flail chest, which is easy, tailor-made, and has significant effects on pain reduction.

Fabrication of magnetic-responsive controlled-release herbicide by a palygorskite-based nanocomposite.

In this work, a type of magnetic-responsive controlled-release herbicide (MCRH) was developed using a nanocomposite including palygorskite (Pal), ferroferric oxide (Fe3O4), glyphosate (Gly), and amino silicon oil (ASO). In this system, Pal with the structure of micro/nanonetworks can bind a large quantity of Gly and Fe3O4. The movement of Fe3O4 particles can be driven by a magnetic field to ensure the controlled release of pesticides. Gly, which is a type of nonselective herbicide, is widely used for weed control. In addition, ASO was selected as the coating agent to prevent Gly from rapidly releasing. In this work, the effects of the magnetic field, temperature, and coexisting ions on the release ratio of pesticides were investigated, and the results suggest that MCRH could effectively improve the utilization efficiency (UE) of Gly. In addition, zebrafish experiments indicate that MCRH has better biosafety than Gly.

Infrared-Light-Responsive Controlled-Release Pesticide Using Hollow Carbon Microspheres@Polyethylene Glycol/α-Cyclodextrin Gel.

Controlled release of pesticides by light regulation is one of the most viable strategies recently developed for the highly efficient utilization of agrochemicals. Herein, we report an infrared-light-responsive pesticide delivery system for the controlled release of imidacloprid (IMI) by preparation of functional hollow carbon microspheres (HCMs). After IMI loading and surface functionalization with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and α-cyclodextrin (α-CD), IMI was sequestered in the pesticide system (denoted as HCMs/IMI/PEG/α-CD) as a result of the formation of a PEG/α-CD gel network. Upon the irradiation of infrared light, HCMs with high photothermal conversion efficiency (42.8%) raised the local temperature effectively, leading to the collapse of the gel network and the release of IMI. In comparison to the amount of pesticide release (29%) under sunlight, it could reach 77% driven by infrared light, which was an intriguing improvement. Consequently, HCMs/IMI/PEG/α-CD under infrared light showed significantly higher pest control efficacy on corn borers by 125% than itself alone. This work provides a promising method to intentionally regulate pesticide release and enhance utilization efficiency.

A Technology Acceptance Model for Deploying Masks to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic in Taiwan (My Health Bank): Web-Based Cross-sectional Survey Study.

BACKGROUND: The successful completion of medical practices often relies on information collection and analysis. Government agencies and medical institutions have encouraged people to use medical information technology (MIT) to manage their conditions and promote personal health. In 2014, Taiwan established the first electronic personal health record (PHR) platform, My Health Bank (MHB), which allows people to access and manage their PHRs at any time. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Taiwan has used MIT to effectively prevent the spread of COVID-19 and undertaken various prevention measures before the onset of the outbreak. Using MHB to purchase masks in an efficient and orderly way and thoroughly implementing personal protection efforts is highly important to contain disease spread. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to understand people's intention to use the electronic PHR platform MHB and to investigate the factors affecting their intention to use this platform. METHODS: From March 31 to April 9, 2014, in a promotion via email and Facebook, participants were asked to fill out a structured questionnaire after watching an introductory video about MHB on YouTube. The questionnaire included seven dimensions: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, health literacy, privacy and security, computer self-efficacy, attitude toward use, and behavioral intention to use. Each question was measured on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from "strongly disagree" (1 point) to "strongly agree" (5 points). Descriptive statistics and structural equation analysis were performed using SPSS 21 and AMOS 21 software. RESULTS: A total of 350 valid questionnaire responses were collected (female: 219/350, 62.6%; age: 21-30 years: 238/350, 68.0%; university-level education: 228/350, 65.1%; occupation as student: 195/350, 56.6%; average monthly income

Fabrication of Fe3O4/ZIF-8 nanocomposite for simultaneous removal of copper and arsenic from water/soil/swine urine.

In this study, a magnetic nanocomposite (denoted as FZ) was fabricated using Fe3O4and zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8), based on a coprecipitation method. FZ could efficiently remove Cu2+(Cu(II)) and AsO2- (As(III)) ions simultaneously from water, soil, and swine urine samples through hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. The Cu(II) and As(III) removal efficiencies of the optimal FZ sample increased gradually with time and reached 99.1% and 98.4%, respectively, in 180 min. The maximum adsorption capacities of FZ4 for Cu(II) and As(III) were determined to be 33.48 mg/g and 21.12 mg/g, respectively. Additionally, the FZ with a high saturation magnetization (49.8 emu/g) was easily recovered from aqueous solutions and soil samples. Furthermore, zebrafish experiments indicated that FZ possessed a high biosafety. Thus, this study introduces a promising method for treating water, soil, and swine urine samples contaminated with Cu(II) and As(III), and verifies that FZ is suitable for practical application.

Simultaneously removal of Cr(VI) and Cd(II) from water using a flower-like primary battery nanosystem.

In this study, a new flower-like primary battery nanosystem termed "Zn/CCP/ZIF-8" was prepared by depositing conductive carbon paint (CCP) and zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) on a zinc plate (Zn). Therein, CCP had good conductivity performance and adhesiveness, ZIF-8 and Zn/CCP/ZIF-8 possessed BET specific surface areas of 1909.5 and 1265.4 m2/g respectively. The results showed that the Zn/CCP/ZIF-8 nanosystem could effectively simultaneously adsorb hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) and bivalent cadmium (Cd(II)) from water. The system could promote the transfer of electrons from Zn to Cr(VI) and Cd(II) which were effectively reduced to trivalent chromium (Cr(III)) and cadmium (Cd), respectively. The resultant Zn/CCP/ZIF-8/Cr/Cd composite was then easily separated from water. The adsorption isotherm, kinetics, and thermodynamics of the prepared Zn/CCP/ZIF-8 for Cr(VI) and Cd(II) were investigated. An electrochemistry performance test proved that the Zn/CCP/ZIF-8 system was a primary battery. Notably, the Zn/CCP/ZIF-8 system substantially reduced the amounts of Cr(VI) and Cd(II) absorbed by zebrafish and water spinach, thus increasing food safety. The results of a rat test indicated that the Zn/CCP/ZIF-8 system possessed a high biosafety. This study provides a promising, eco-friendly, and facile method for the simultaneously treatment of Cr(VI) and Cd(II) contamination of water.