Uptake Data Research Articles

28 Vaccination experiences for children with special needs - An examination of the impact of behaviours on vaccine uptake

Abstract Background While vaccines have been one of the most effective medical interventions to reduce the morbidity and mortality of many communicable illnesses, many factors have led to suboptimal immunization rates amongst paediatric patients. One of which that has not been explored widely in research literature is the impact of maladaptive behaviours on annual immunization rates. Behaviours such as aggression, agitation and flight are common amongst children with a neurodevelopmental diagnosis such as autism spectrum disorder, global developmental delay, and intellectual delay. When children are young, physical restraints by parents are often the method used to aid in the administration of the vaccine. However, as they age physical restraints is often regarded as inappropriate. Objectives The purpose of this study is to determine the extent in which disruptive behaviours (aggression, agitation and flight) affect annual vaccination rates for children with a neurodevelopmental diagnosis above the age of 6 years where physical restraining for vaccinations is no longer deemed appropriate or safe. Design/Methods Families with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Intellectual Disorder (ID), and/or Global Developmental Delay (GDD) aged 6-17 years, seen through outpatient clinics at the Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre of McMaster Children’s hospital in Hamilton between November 2022 – April 2023 were invited to participate in this cross sectional survey. The study aimed to capture both quantitative data on vaccine uptake and qualitative data on how vaccination experiences could be improved for children with neurodiversity. Results A total of 109 participants completed the survey. Among them, forty-three (39%) participants had a diagnosis of ASD and sixty-six (51.2%) had a diagnosis of global developmental delay or intellectual disability. Forty-six (45.6%) and 82 (76%) did not receive the Covid-19 and the influenza vaccination respectively. Of the children that did not receive the CoVid-19 vaccine, fourteen (30%) of the families had brought their child to be vaccinated, but the health care team could not administer the vaccine due to their child’s behaviours and twenty-one (37%) of the families anticipated that the vaccination would be a difficult experience because of their child’s behaviours and did not bring their child to get vaccinated. Of the children that did not receive the influenza vaccine, fifteen (18%) families had brought their child to be vaccinated, but the health care team could not administer the vaccine due to the child’s behaviours and 42 (50%) families anticipated that the vaccination would be a difficult experience because of their child’s behaviours and did not bring their child to get vaccinated. The main themes that emerged from the studies on ways to improve the vaccination experience for families include administering the vaccine in a low sensory environment, decreasing wait time, and ensuring clinic staff have experience in caring for children with special needs. Conclusion Children with special needs are a vulnerable population warranting concerted effort to ensure equitable access to immunizations. Interventions such as clinics specifically designed for children with neurodiversity should be implemented with the hope to further improve immunization rates within this population.

An Evaluation of Metal Binding Constants to Cell Surface Receptors in Freshwater Organisms, and Their Application in Biotic Ligand Models to Predict Metal Toxicity

Biotic ligand models (BLMs) predict the toxicity of metals in aquatic environments by accounting for metal interactions with cell surface receptors (biotic ligands) in organisms, including water chemistry (metal speciation) and competing cations. Metal binding constants (log KMBL values), which indicate the affinity of metals for cell surface receptors, are fundamental to BLMs, but have only been reported for a few commonly investigated metals and freshwater species. This review evaluated literature toxicity and uptake data for seven key metals (cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), uranium (U), and zinc (Zn)) and four key competing cations (protons (H), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sodium (Na)), to derive average metal binding constants for freshwater organisms/taxa. These constants will improve current BLMs for Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn, and aid in developing new BLMs for Co and U. The derived metal binding constants accurately predicted metal toxicity for a wide range of freshwater organisms (75–88% of data were within a factor of two and 88–98% of data were within a factor of three of the ideal 1:1 agreement line), when considering metal speciation, competing cations and the fraction of cell receptors ((fC)M50%) occupied by the metal at the median (50%) effect concentration (EC50). For many organisms, toxicity occurs when 50% of cell surface receptors are occupied by the metal, though this threshold can vary. Some organisms exhibit toxicity with less than 50% receptor occupancy, while others with protective mechanisms show reduced toxicity, even with similar log KMBL values. For Cu, U, and Pb, the toxic effect of the metal hydroxide (as MOH+) must be considered in addition to the free metal ion (M2+), as these metals hydrolyse in circumneutral freshwaters (pH 5.5 to 8.5), contributing to toxicity.

Discovery of a highly specific radiolabeled antibody targeting B-cell maturation antigen: Applications in PET imaging of multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of monoclonal plasma cells (PC) in the bone marrow (BM). B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) is predominantly expressed in malignant plasma cells, and associated with the proliferation, survival, and progression of various myeloma cells. Given these important roles, BCMA emerges as an ideal target antigen for MM therapy. However, effective stratification of patients who may benefit from targeted BCMA therapy and real-time monitoring the therapeutic efficacy poses significant clinical challenge. This study aims to develop a BCMA targeted diagnostic modality, and preliminarily explore its potential value in the radio-immunotherapy of MM. Using zirconium-89 (89Zr, t1/2 = 78.4 h) for labeling the BCMA-specific antibody, the BCMA-targeting PET tracer [89Zr]Zr-DFO-BCMAh230430 was prepared. The EC50 values of BCMAh230430 and DFO-BCMAh230430 were determined by ELISA assay. BCMA expression was assessed in four different tumor cell lines (MM.1S, RPMI 8226, BxPC-3, and KYSE520) through Western blot and flow cytometry. In vitro binding affinity was determined by cell uptake studies of [89Zr]Zr-DFO-BCMAh230430 in these tumor cell lines. For in vivo evaluation, PET imaging and ex vivo biodistribution studies were conducted in tumor-bearing mice to evaluate imaging performance and systemic distribution of [89Zr]Zr-DFO-BCMAh230430. Immunochemistry analysis was performed to detect BCMA expression in tumor tissues, confirming the specificity of our probe. Furthermore, we explored the anti-tumor efficacy of Lutetium-177 labeled BCMA antibody, [177Lu]Lu-DTPA-BCMAh230430, in tumor bearing-mice to validate its radioimmunotherapy potential. The radiolabeling of [89Zr]Zr-DFO-BCMAh230430 and [177Lu]Lu-DTPA-BCMAh230430 showed satisfactory radiocharacteristics, with a radiochemical purity exceeding 99%. ELISA assay results revealed closely aligned EC50 values for BCMAh230430 and DFO-BCMAh230430, which are 57 pM and 67 pM, respectively. Western blot and flow cytometry analyses confirmed the highest BCMA expression level. Cell uptake data indicated that MM.1S cells hada total cellular uptake (the sum of internalization and surface binding) of 38.3% ± 1.53% for [89Zr]Zr-DFO-BCMAh230430 at 12 h. PET imaging of [89Zr]Zr-DFO-BCMAh230430 displayed radioactive uptake of 7.71 ± 0.67%ID/g in MM.1S tumors and 4.13 ± 1.21%ID/g in KYSE520 tumors at 168 h post-injection (n = 4) (P < 0.05), consistent with ex vivo biodistribution studies. Immunohistochemical analysis of tumor tissues confirmed higher BCMA expression in MM.1S tumors xenograft compared to KYSE520 tumors. Notably, [177Lu]Lu-DTPA-BCMAh230430 showed some anti-tumor efficacy, evidenced by slowed tumor growth. Furthermore, no significant difference in body weight was observed in MM.1S tumor-bearing mice over 14 days of administration with or without [177Lu]Lu-DTPA-BCMAh230430. Our study has successfully validated the essential role of [89Zr]Zr-DFO-BCMAh230430 in non-invasively monitoring BCMA status in MM tumors, showing favorable tumor uptake and specific binding affinity to MM tumors. Furthermore, our research revealed, as a proof-of-concept, the effectiveness of [177Lu]Lu-DTPA-BCMAh230430 in radioimmunotherapy for MM tumors. In conclusion, we present a novel BCMA antibody-based radiotheranostic modality that holds promise for achieving efficient and precise MM diagnostic and therapy.

When to vaccinate for seasonal influenza? Check the peak forecast.

Seasonal influenza infects 5-20% of people every year in the United States, resulting in hospitalizations, deaths, and adverse economic impacts. To mitigate these impacts, influenza vaccines are developed and distributed annually; however, growing evidence suggests that vaccine effectiveness (VE) wanes over the course of a flu season. Delaying influenza vaccination for older adults has attracted attention as a potential public health strategy. However, given the uncertainties in seasonal peak, vaccine effectiveness, and waning rates, postponing vaccination could also lead to increased morbidity, motivating an evaluation of a range of potential scenarios. We systematically investigated a broad range of vaccination start times for five age groups under six combinations of initial effectiveness and waning rates, based on influenza cases and vaccine uptake data from 10 influenza seasons. We defined the most favorable vaccination schedule as the one that resulted in the greatest reduction in disease burden. In scenarios with fast waning, all age groups benefit from delaying vaccination regardless of initial VE and peak timing. In scenarios with slower waning, results are mixed. For the ≥65 group, high initial VE and slow waning suggests that in early-peaking seasons, early vaccination most effectively reduces disease burden, while in late-peaking seasons delaying vaccination is most effective. For the ≥65 group in medium and low initial VE, and slow waning scenarios, delaying vaccination appears to prevent the greatest number of cases, regardless of whether the season peaks early or late. The most favorable vaccination schedule is sensitive to changes in initial VE, waning rate, and peak timing. Given estimates of these quantities from statistical and immunological models and observations, our methods can inform vaccination recommendations in order to most effectively reduce the annual disease burden caused by seasonal influenza. Specifically, accurate peak timing forecasts for the upcoming season have the potential to guide decisions on when to vaccinate.

The impact of Germany’s human papillomavirus immunization program on HPV-related anogenital diseases: a retrospective analysis of claims data from statutory health insurances

PurposeHuman papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection, responsible for multiple HPV-related diseases, including almost all cervical cancers. The highly effective HPV vaccination has been recommended under the German HPV national immunization program (NIP) since 2007 and is reimbursed by health insurances. Vaccination uptake rates, however, remain suboptimal and data on the real-world impact of HPV vaccination in Germany are lacking. This study aims to demonstrate the population-level impact of Germany’s NIP on HPV-related anogenital diseases among young women.MethodsRetrospective claims data analysis using a classic impact study design comparing disease prevalence among 28- to 33-year-old women before and after introduction of the HPV-immunization program in Germany. Claims data representing approximately two thirds of German health insurances were used. HPV-related disease outcomes included cervical cancer and high grade precancers (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2+), anogenital warts, as well as vulvar, vaginal, and anal precancer/cancer.ResultsSignificant declines were seen for CIN2+, anogenital warts, and vaginal precancer/cancer. Prevalence of CIN2+ declined 51.1% from 0.92% (95% CI = 0.78%, 1.08%) to 0.45% (95% CI = 0.38%, 0.53%). There was a 38.6% decline in anogenital warts prevalence from 0.44% (95% CI = 0.36%, 0.54%) to 0.27% (95% CI = 0.22%, 0.32%) and 75.0% decline in vaginal precancer/cancer prevalence from 0.04% (95% CI = 0.02%, 0.07%) to 0.01% (95% CI = 0.00%, 0.02%).ConclusionThe German HPV-immunization program has led to significant declines in female anogenital disease among young women in Germany, highlighting the importance of the vaccination. Moreover, the data suggest that increasing vaccination coverage in Germany could further strengthen the public-health impact of its HPV-immunization program.

What drives solar energy adoption in developing countries? Evidence from household surveys across countries

This study investigates household solar energy uptake in developing countries by combining household surveys for 11 countries with area-level data. We use data from World Bank surveys for countries in Africa, Asia, and Central America. Our probit regressions use up to 36,653 household observations and cover actual uptake rather than intentions. The main result shows that households further from capital cities are less likely to have solar home systems. Furthermore, there are strong links between assets and solar uptake across solar types such as solar home systems, solar lighting systems, and solar lanterns. This is an important finding given the small number of prior studies that use actual uptake data for developing countries and the mixed results from prior literature. We do not find evidence that households in sunnier areas are more likely to have solar home systems across countries. This study motivates policymakers to consider greater support for households far from capital cities, in sunnier regions, and with low levels of assets.

Quantitative assessment of cardiac 123iodo-metaiodobenzylguanidine SPECT/CT in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy: Novel insight in disease monitoring

BackgroundThe heart-to-mediastinum ratio (H/M-Ratio) of 123iodo-metaiodobenzylguanidine (123I-MIBG) represents state-of-the-art assessment for sympathetic dysfunction in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). This study aims to evaluate quantitative reconstruction of 123I-MIBG uptake and to demonstrate its correlation with echocardiographic parameters. MethodsCardiac innervation was assessed in 23 patients diagnosed with definite ARVC or borderline ARVC and 12 patients with other cardiac disease presenting arrhythmia, using quantitative 123I-MIBG Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography/Computed Tomography (SPECT/CT) imaging. Tracer uptake was evaluated in the left (LV) and right ventricle (RV) based on a CT scan after quantitative image reconstruction. The relationship between tracer uptake and echocardiographic parameter data was examined. ResultsAbsolute quantification of 123I-MIBG uptake in the LV and RV is feasible and correlates accurately with the gold standard H/M Ratio. When comparing sensitivity and specificity, the area under the curve (AUC) favors standardized uptake value (SUV) of the RV over the right-ventricle-to-mediastinum-ratio (RV/M-Ratio) for diagnosing ARVC. A reduced RV-SUV in patients with definite ARVC is associated with reduced RV function. RV polar maps revealed globally reduced 123I-MIBG uptake without segment-specific reduction in the RV. ConclusionsQuantitative 123I-MIBG SPECT in ARCV patients offers robust potential for clinical reporting and demonstrates a significant correlation with RV function. Segmental RV analysis needs to be evaluated in larger samples. In summary, cardiac 123I-MIBG imaging using SUV could facilitate image-guided therapy in patients diagnosed with ARVC.

Are pharmaceutical residues in crops a threat to human health?

ABSTRACT The application of biosolids, manure, and slurry onto agricultural soils and the growing use of treated wastewater in agriculture result in the introduction of human and veterinary pharmaceuticals to the environment. Once in the soil environment, pharmaceuticals may be taken up by crops, resulting in consequent human exposure to pharmaceutical residues. The potential side effects of pharmaceuticals administered in human medicine are widely documented; however, far less is known regarding the risks that arise from incidental dietary exposure. The aim of this study was to evaluate human exposure to pharmaceutical residues in crops and assess the associated risk to health for a range of pharmaceuticals frequently detected in soils. Estimated concentrations of carbamazepine, oxytetracycline, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, and tetracycline in soil were used in conjunction with plant uptake and crop consumption data to estimate daily exposures to each compound. Exposure concentrations were compared to Acceptable Daily Intakes (ADIs) to determine the level of risk. Generally, exposure concentrations were lower than ADIs. The exceptions were carbamazepine, and trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole under conservative, worst-case scenarios, where a potential risk to human health was predicted. Future research therefore needs to prioritize investigation into the health effects following exposure to these compounds from consumption of contaminated crops.

Remarkable enhancement in radio-cesium uptake from acidic feeds into an extraction chromatography resin containing a calix[4]arene-mono-crown-6 ligand

An extraction chromatography resin, prepared by the impregnation of bis-octyloxy-calix[4]arene-mono-crown-6 (BOCMC)onto an acrylic ester based polymeric support material, gave excellent uptake data for the removal of radio-cesium (Cs-137) from nitric acid feed solutions. The weight distribution coefficient (Kd) value of >300 obtained during the present study at 3 M HNO3 was the highest reported so far while using a calix-crown-6 based extraction chromatographic resin material. Analogous resin reported previously has yielded a Kd value <100 at comparable feed conditions. The sorbed metal ions could be efficiently desorbed with de-ionized water. Kinetic modeling of the uptake data indicated that both the film and the intra-particle diffusion mechanism are simultaneously operating in the sorption of Cs+ion onto the BOCMC resin. The metal ion sorption data were fitted to the sorption isotherm models and did not conform to the chemisorptions of physisorption models and indicated a pi-pi interaction between the benzene rings of the calix-crown-6 ligand and the Cs+ ion. The reusability of the resins was quite satisfactory after 5 cycles and the radiation stability of the resin material was very good upto an absorbed dose of 500 kGy. The results of column studies were quite encouraging with 15 mL (9 bed volumes) as the breakthrough volume while the elution was complete in about 12 bed volumes of de-ionized water.

Predicting Healthy Start Scheme Uptake using Deprivation and Food Insecurity Measures.

Introduction &amp; BackgroundThe level of food insecurity in England is widening, with low-income families requiring more support to reduce income inequalities. The government have introduced policies to address these issues with targeted subsidies on healthy food on programs such as the Healthy Start Scheme. Despite this, national uptake of the Healthy Start Scheme remains lower than the government target. Objectives &amp; ApproachOur study aims to predict uptake and take up discrepancies at a local authority level and understand the measures contributing to the prediction using anonymised supermarket loyalty card data records for over 4 million customers, deprivation and food insecurity measures. We used a machine-learning approach utilising transactional data, ONS Index of Deprivation datasets, neighbourhood statistics, and NHS Healthy Start Scheme uptake data. Regression prediction models were used to evaluate and predict the outcomes, whilst feature importance tools were used to evaluate the variables weighing within the model. Relevance to Digital FootprintsThis study leverages transaction data from a UK retailer to understand lifestyle factors at a local authority level and assesses their usefulness in predicting the scheme’s uptake. Loyalty card transactional data can provide valuable insight into purchase behaviour linked to health and nutrition. ResultsThe Linear and Ridge Regression models performed better than other prediction models. Analysis of measures revealed that whilst deprivation and population-related measures had a high contribution to the prediction model, findings from transactional data measures provided valuable insight into shopping behavioural characteristics that contribute to the model performance. Results suggested that areas with higher spending on fruits and vegetables and high-calorie food were associated with higher uptake prediction in test data but the converse for high spend on fish. Conclusions &amp; ImplicationsOur study indicates that shopping data measures such as spend on fruits and vegetables, high-calorie food, fish and products bought can be utilised for prediction models for uptake and take-up discrepancy of the Healthy Start Scheme. This study highlights the complexity of understanding factors influencing public policy effectiveness and the need for tailored approaches in diverse urban contexts.

Particle uptake in cancer cells can predict malignancy and drug resistance using machine learning.

Tumor heterogeneity is a primary factor that contributes to treatment failure. Predictive tools, capable of classifying cancer cells based on their functions, may substantially enhance therapy and extend patient life span. The connection between cell biomechanics and cancer cell functions is used here to classify cells through mechanical measurements, via particle uptake. Machine learning (ML) was used to classify cells based on single-cell patterns of uptake of particles with diverse sizes. Three pairs of human cancer cell subpopulations, varied in their level of drug resistance or malignancy, were studied. Cells were allowed to interact with fluorescently labeled polystyrene particles ranging in size from 0.04 to 3.36 μm and analyzed for their uptake patterns using flow cytometry. ML algorithms accurately classified cancer cell subtypes with accuracy rates exceeding 95%. The uptake data were especially advantageous for morphologically similar cell subpopulations. Moreover, the uptake data were found to serve as a form of "normalization" that could reduce variation in repeated experiments.

Low COVID-19 vaccine uptake in people living with HIV and those with hypertension and diabetes without HIV at Mbarara and Masaka regional referral hospitals: A cross-sectional survey.

Chronic diseases such as HIV, hypertension, and diabetes increase the risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and death. Thus, COVID-19 vaccine uptake data among these priority populations are needed to inform immunization programs. We assessed COVID-19 vaccine uptake among people living with HIV (PLWH) and those with hypertension/diabetes without HIV (PWoH) in Southwestern and Southcentral Uganda and determined factors influencing vaccination. We conducted a cross-sectional study from January to April 2023. We enrolled a random sample of participants aged 18 years and older seeking HIV, hypertension, or diabetes care at two regional referral hospitals (RRHs) in Mbarara and Masaka in Uganda. Using vaccination records abstraction and interviewer-administered questionnaires, we collected data on COVID-19 vaccine uptake, sociodemographic data, and reasons for non-uptake in unvaccinated persons. We compared COVID-19 vaccination uptake between PLWH and PWoH and applied modified Poisson regression to determine sociodemographic factors associated with vaccine uptake. The reasons for non-vaccine uptake were presented as percentages. Of the 1,376 enrolled participants, 65.6% were fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccination coverage was 65% among PWLH versus 67% among PWoH. Higher education attainment and older age were associated with COVID vaccination. Participants with secondary education and those aged ≥50 years achieved >70% coverage. Fear of side effects was the most cited reason (67%) for non-vaccination among 330 unvaccinated participants, followed by vaccine mistrust (24.5%). People with chronic diseases in Southwestern Uganda had slightly lower than 70% COVID-19 vaccine coverage as recommended by WHO. Higher educational attainment and older age were linked to increased vaccine uptake. However, mistrust and fear of vaccine side effects were the main reasons for non-vaccination. To increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake, programs must reach those with lower educational attainment and younger age groups, and address the fear of vaccine side effects and mistrust among persons with underlying diseases in Uganda.

Experimental evaluation of Adsorption Heat for Water vapour/Silica gel pair for chiller application

Isosteric adsorption heat is crucial in assessing adsorption cycle performance. Typically, adsorption heat is indirectly estimated from the isotherm equation fitted to the experimental uptake data. This indirect method is susceptible to the accuracy and choice of isotherm equation. Consistency of this indirect method with actual adsorption heat measurements is rarely examined. Present work addresses this research gap by simultaneously measuring adsorption uptake and heat. This is achieved by incorporating heat flux sensors within an existing constant volume variable pressure (CVVP) setup. The measurements are carried out for water vapour/RD-silica gel pair with temperature and pressure ranging from 298 to 363 K and 0.15 kPa to 6.3 kPa respectively. Two popular isotherms viz. Dubinin–Astakhov (D–A) and Tóth isotherm equation are used to estimate the indirect adsorption heat. Both isotherm equations show a good fit with the experimental uptake (< 5% deviation). Interestingly, indirect adsorption heat estimated using Tóth isotherm fails to predict (∼15% deviation) the uptake dependent adsorption heat trend shown by calorimetric data, whereas D–A isotherm agrees well (<5% deviation). Therefore, the present work forms fundamental basis for identifying suitable isotherm equation, which is consistent with experimental adsorption uptake as well as heat data. Subsequently, a comparison of theoretical coefficient of performance (COP) for water vapour/RD-silica gel adsorption chiller is undertaken, based on indirect adsorption heat values available in the literature. The comparison reveals that COP prediction is sensitive to adsorption heat. This further emphasizes the necessity for experimentally measuring adsorption heat.

Exercise Intensity Assessment of Care Farming Activities in Adults

We aimed to determine the energy expenditure, oxygen uptake, and exercise intensity of 10 care farming activities performed by adults. The study had a crossover experimental design. Participants performed 10 care farming activities for 5 minutes, including four plant- and three animal-mediated activities, and three other activities. Each participant wore a portable telemetric calorimeter during the activities, and oxygen uptake, heart rate, and exercise intensity were measured. Twenty-one adults (aged 31.5 ± 10.2 years) participated in our study. Energy expenditure, oxygen uptake, and exercise intensity differed significantly for each activity. The 10 care farming activities were regarded as light- to moderate-intensity activities. The exercise intensity, energy expenditure, and oxygen uptake for organizing a garden plot were significantly higher than those for other care farming activities. Cooking using harvests, interacting with dogs, and feeding rabbits had the lowest exercise intensity, energy expenditure, and oxygen uptake. Other activities, such as transplanting plants, harvesting, creating art, maintaining a garden, walking with a dog, and cleaning the farm, had moderate exercise intensity, energy expenditure, and oxygen uptake. Energy expenditure, oxygen uptake, and exercise intensity data could be useful when developing a care farming program suitable for the physical condition of participants in care farming interventions.

Water Condensation in the Nanoscale Pores of Pt/C Catalyst Particles and Its Impact on Catalyst Utilization: A Simulation Based on a Reconstructed Structure from Nanoimaging.

In polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, carbon-supported platinum (Pt/C) catalyst particles require sufficient water condensation within the nanoscale pores to effectively utilize the interior Pt catalysts. Since experimental visualizations with nanoscale precision of this phenomenon are not yet possible, we utilized a Pt/C catalyst particle reconstructed from segmented nanoimaging of a catalyst powder, which served as the computational domain for lattice density functional theory (LDFT) simulation of water condensation. Paired with experimental water uptake data, LDFT successfully simulated high-resolution water condensation, capturing both thin-film and capillary water condensation phenomena. Using a simple proton movement method within the water network, we reproduced the Pt utilization data from a CO stripping experiment. Our findings highlight that at low relative humidity (RH), Pt utilization is influenced by thin water film formations, mainly dictated by the wettability properties of surfaces within primary pores and the Pt/C catalyst particle's exterior. Conversely, at high RH, Pt utilization is attributed to capillary water condensation in medium-to-large sized pores. This approach contributes a qualitative and quantitative discussion on hypotheses regarding the mechanism of Pt utilization, supporting recent studies (e.g., Girod, R.; Nat. Catal. 2023, 6, (5), 383-391).

Using the Dynamic Well-Stirred Model to Extrapolate Hepatic Clearance of Organic Anion-Transporting Polypeptide Transporter Substrates without Assuming Albumin-Mediated Hepatic Drug Uptake.

Extrapolating in vivo hepatic clearance from in vitro uptake data is a known challenge, especially for organic anion-transporting polypeptide transporter (OATP) substrates, and the well-stirred model (WSM) commonly yields systematic underpredictions for those anionic drugs, hypothetically due to "albumin-mediated hepatic drug uptake". In the present study, we demonstrate that the WSM incorporating the dynamic free fraction (f D), a measure of drug protein binding affinity, performs reasonably well in predicting hepatic clearance of OATP substrates. For a selection of anionic drugs, including atorvastatin, fluvastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin, pitavastatin, cerivastatin, and repaglinide, this dynamic well-stirred model (dWSM) correctly predicts hepatic plasma clearance within 2-fold error for six out of seven OATP substrates examined. The geometric mean of clearance ratios between the predicted and the observed values falls in the range of 1.21-1.38. As expected, the WSM with unbound fraction (f u) systematically underpredicts hepatic clearance with greater than 2-fold error for five out of seven drugs, and the geometric mean of clearance ratios between the predicted and the observed values is in the range of 0.20-0.29. The results suggest that, despite its simplicity, the dWSM operates well for transporter-mediated uptake clearance, and that clearance under-prediction of OATP substrates may not necessarily be associated with the chemical class of the anionic drugs, nor is it a result of albumin-mediated hepatic drug uptake as currently hypothesized. Instead, the superior prediction power of the dWSM confirms the utility of the dynamic free fraction in clearance prediction and the importance of drug plasma binding kinetics in hepatic uptake clearance. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The traditional well-stirred model (WSM) consistently underpredicts organin anion-transporting polypeptide transporter (OATP)-mediated hepatic uptake clearance, hypothetically due to the albumin-mediated hepatic drug uptake. In this manuscript, we apply the dynamic WSM to extrapolate hepatic clearance of the OATP substrates, and our results show significant improvements in clearance prediction without assuming albumin-mediated hepatic drug uptake.

Efektivitas Serapan Jagung Lokal Oleh Pabrik Pakan di Indonesia

The uptake of local corn by feed factories nationally in corn production and demand between regions is uneven, which creates corn shortages, so information services are needed for business actors. This research aims to analyze the effectiveness of local corn uptake by feed factories nationally using descriptive qualitative methods. The results of the research show that the local corn uptake information service in the Sijagung application from the five dimensions of Campbell's service effectiveness, namely service success, target success, satisfaction with service, level of input and output and achievement of overall goals is considered less effective because there is no updated data information, does not provide information projection data as corn absorption data required by feed factories nationally. To achieve the effectiveness of corn uptake information services by feed factories through the Sijagung application, it needs to be strengthened with a service integration dimension used to measure the extent to which the presentation of local corn uptake data nationally can be integrated with harvest condition data so that it can display projection data for Business Actors in making decisions to carry out purchase.

Neurotensin (8-13) and Neuromedin N Neuropeptides Radiolabelling with Copper-64 Produced on Solid or Liquid Targets.

On the verge of a theranostic approach to personalised medicine, copper-64 is one of the emerging radioisotopes in nuclear medicine due to its exploitable nuclear and biochemical characteristics. The increased demand for copper-64 for preclinical and clinical studies has prompted the development of production routes. This research aims to compare the (p,n) reaction on nickel-64 solid versus liquid targets and evaluate the effectiveness of [64Cu]CuCl2 solutions prepared by the two routes. As new treatments for neurotensin receptor-overexpressing tumours have developed, copper-64 was used to radiolabel Neurotensin (8-13) and Neuromedin N. High-quality [64Cu]CuCl2 solutions were prepared using ACSI TR-19 and IBA Cyclone Kiube cyclotrons. The radiochemical purity after post-irradiation processing reached 99% (LT) and 99.99% (ST), respectively. The irradiation of a solid target with 11.8 MeV protons and 150 μAh led to 704 ± 84 MBq/μA (17.6 ± 2.1 GBq/batch at EOB). At the end of the purification process (1 h, 90.90% activity yield), the solution for peptide radiolabelling had a radioactive concentration of 1340.4 ± 70.1 MBq/mL (n.d.c.). The irradiation of a liquid target with 16.9 MeV protons and 230 μAh resulted in 3.7 ± 0.2 GBq/batch at EOB, which corresponds to an experimental production yield of 6.89 GBq.cm3/(g.µA)sat. Benefiting from a shorter purification process (40 min), the activity yielded 90.87%, while the radioactive concentration of the radiolabelling solution was lower (492 MBq/mL, n.d.c.). The [64Cu]CuCl2 solutions were successfully used for the radiolabelling of DOTA-NT(8-13) and DOTA-NN neuropeptides, resulting in a high RCP (>99%) and high molar activity (27.2 and 26.4 GBq/μmol for LT route compared to 45 and 52 GBq/μmol for ST route, respectively). The strong interaction between the [64Cu]Cu-DOTA-NT(8-13) and the colon cancerous cell lines HT29 and HCT116 proved that the specificity for NTR had not been altered, as shown by the uptake and retention data.

Biotic Ligand Modeling for the Effect of Major Cations on the Uptake of Cadmium in Folsomia candida Exposed in a Sand-Solution Medium.

Biotic ligand modeling (BLM) approaches are already applied to predict the bioavailability and possible risk of metals in surface water, but need further development for soils. The present study investigated the effect of major cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, and H+) on cadmium bioaccumulation in the springtail Folsomia candida. To avoid the complexity of real soils and enable control of elemental speciation in the exposure medium, the animals were exposed to different cadmium concentrations in an inert quartz sand-solution medium. Accumulation of cadmium in the animals was measured after 7 days exposure at different cation concentrations. Among the cations, only Ca2+ significantly affected the uptake of cadmium in the springtails. Mg2+ also had higher effects compared with other selected cations. Using a BLM approach, the uptake of cadmium in the animals predicted by taking into account both Ca2+ and Mg2+ activities correlated well with the measured values (R2 = 0.68). The final estimated conditional binding constants for cadmium (log KCd-BL), Ca (log KCa-BL), and Mg (log KMg-BL) of 1.06, 2.14, and 1.23 L/mol, respectively, were in agreement with previously reported values. The match between predicted and measured uptake data confirms the applicability and usefulness of the BLM for predicting the bioavailability of cadmium to springtails and opens the way for its application in soil. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1090-1096. © 2024 SETAC.

Shaping of MIL-53-Al and MIL-101 MOF for CO2/CH4, CO2/N2 and CH4/N2 separation

Metal-organic frameworks (MOF) are promising materials for gas storage and separation. The formulation and shaping of MOFs in mechanically stable bead forms is an essential requirement for their practical application as an adsorbent for gas and liquid mixture separations. In this work, MIL-53-Al and MIL-101 MOF beads are synthesized using sodium alginate as a binder, and calcium chloride as a gelling agent. The synthesized MIL-53-Al and MIL-101 MOF beads are characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), BET surface area, porosity analysis from N2 uptake data at 77 K, FTIR, TGA, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The isothermal equilibrium adsorption uptake of CH4 and N2 gases is measured up to 10 bar pressure while the CO2 equilibrium uptake is measured up to 1 bar at 298 and 313 K respectively. The isotherm data of all adsorbates are fitted in Dual Site Langmuir (DSL) isotherm equations. The adsorption selectivity for CH4/N2, CO2/CH4, and CO2/N2 binary systems are predicted using the Ideal Adsorbed Solution Theory (IAST) method. The dynamic column breakthrough experiments are carried out on MIL-53-Al beads for CH4/N2 (30:70 and 50:50 v/v), CO2/CH4 (45:55 v/v) and CO2/N2 (15: 85 v/v) feed mixtures. The IAST selectivity and breakthrough time obtained under the same superficial velocity, pressure, and temperature conditions follow the order CO2/N2 > CO2 /CH4 > CH4/N2. The MIL-53-Al beads show higher CH4/N2, CO2/CH4, and CO2/N2 selectivity for the targeted mixtures than MIL-101 beads.