Residents of low income neighborhoods disproportionately experience poor health, and many have unmet social needs. Clinical trials have shown the efficacy of Community Health Worker (CHW) programs in improving outcomes for a variety of health conditions. An important next step is developing and evaluating financially sustainable CHW program models in real-life settings. This program evaluation examines health care utilization among participants in a geographically targeted program led by salaried CHWs from three Medicaid health plans. Beneficiaries who reside in the Cody Rouge neighborhood of Detroit and had more than 3 Emergency Department (ED) visits or at least 1 ambulatory care-sensitive hospitalization in the prior 12 months are eligible for the program. Health plan CHWs assigned to the program reach out to eligible beneficiaries to provide an assessment; link them to resources; and provide follow-up. At 12-month follow up, claims data on ED visits, ambulatory care-sensitive hospitalizations, primary care visits, and related costs will be compared between beneficiaries who participated and eligible beneficiaries randomized to receive usual outreach. We hypothesize that patients enrolled in the CHW intervention will experience a reduction in acute care usage resulting in cost savings compared to those receiving usual health plan outreach. This study is among the first to evaluate the impact on health care utilization of augmented services delivered by health plan CHWs for high-utilizing health plan members as part of a health plan-community-academic partnership. This study will provide important information on CHW program sustainability and provide insights into effective implementation of such programs.

Lead (Pb) pollution arising from industrial and mining activities has led to widespread environmental toxicity, particularly in South Africa. Humans exposed to Pb are reported to suffer from detrimental health impacts that can lead to fatalities. As such, there is an urgent need to remediate Pb from the environment. In this study, we propose the use of a Pb-specific recombinant fusion metalloprotein, rPbrD surface-cross-linked onto calcium alginate nanoparticles (CANPs) for the biosorption of Pb(II) from aqueous solution. The prepared biosorbents were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering. Their ability to biosorb soluble Pb(II) was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy and their adsorption mechanism was described according to the Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin-Radushkevich adsorption isotherms. The rate of Pb uptake for bare CANPs and rPbrD-CANPs at a concentration of 100 mg/L metal was 3.34 and 8.82 mg/g, respectively, within 30 min. The adsorption data for the bare CANPs best fit the Langmuir isotherm, whereas the adsorption data for rPbrD-CANPs best fitted the Freundlich isotherm. Based on the sorption intensity (n) and the separation factor (R L), both biosorbents represent a favorable adsorption system. These findings suggest that the proposed nanobiosorbent is a promising candidate for the recovery of Pb ions present in high concentrations such as acid mine drainage or industrial effluent.

Three-dimensionally printed solid but highly porous polyamide-12 (PA12) plate-like filters were used as selective adsorbents for capturing tetrachloroaurate from acidic solutions and leachates to prepare PA12-Au composite catalysts. The polyamide-adsorbed tetrachloroaurate can be readily reduced to gold nanoparticles by using sodium borohydride, ascorbic acid, hydrogen peroxide, UV light, or by heating. All reduction methods led to polyamide-anchored nanoparticles with an even size distribution and high dispersion. The particle sizes were somewhat dependent on the reduction method, but the average diameters were typically about 20 nm. Particle sizes were determined by using a combination of single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, helium ion microscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction. Dispersion of the particles was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Due to the high adsorption selectivity of polyamide-12 toward tetrachloroaurate, the three-dimensional-printed filters were first used as selective gold scavengers for the acidic leachate of electronicwaste (WEEE). The supported nanoparticles were then generated directly on the filter via a simple reduction step. These objects were used as catalysts for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol. The described method provides a direct route from waste to catalysts. The selective laser sintering method can be used to customize the flow properties of the catalytically active filter object, which allows the optimization of the porous catalytic object to meet the requirements of catalytic processes.

Being a unique, simple, and inexpensive approach, continuous development on the fluorescence-based technologies remains active in fluorescent anticounterfeiting. A number of polymeric, nano-, carbon dot, and rare-earth oxide materials were preferably explored for such applications, but the complex synthesis, purity, and high cost are the major concerns to make these materials accessible for commercial applications. To address these difficulties, we herein report simple mono-carbazole-linked anthranyl π-conjugates that are synthesized in a gram scale via an inexpensive and convenient route. These unsymmetrically substituted new π-conjugates are found to be promising blue-shifted aggregation-induced emission-active fluorogens (AIEgens) having a distinct color on varying substituents with electron-rich (-NEt2) and electron-poor (-CN) functionalities. The direct link of a single carbazole unit with an anthracenyl π-conjugate possibly enforces the achievement of a highly twisted molecular structure, accountable for the AIE characteristics. The π-conjugate with -NEt2 substituents is established to be highly sensitive under protonation-deprotonation stimuli by a sharp and rapid fluorescence color change [yellow (Φf = 37%) to green (Φf = 39.4%)] in the solid state (no fluorescence on/off). Upon the exposure of the base vapors (deprotonation), the original emission color (yellow) comes back. Such reversible and also repeatable acidchromism is demonstrated to be perfectly suitable for anticounterfeiting applications by marking the AIEgen on the paper that shows the bright image of the AIEgen under the UV torch (365 nm). Almost equal efficiencies by fabricating on different surfaces such as polythene paper and a fresh leaf are observed. While these spots can be duplicated with typical yellow fluorescent dyes, our AIEgen can easily be differentiated with the acid key. The emission color change of this AIEgen from yellow to green under acid stimuli is distinctly defined compared to other dyes and vividly recognized by naked eyes. Thus, one can combat the counterfeiters with the acid key. The reversible color-changing behavior on the paper remains intact even after six consecutive days of exposure to sunlight, and the AIEgen is thermally stable up to 445 °C. Further, this compound is also utilized as ink (10 μM 1,4-dioxane solution) where a pigeon feather is used as a quill pen. The mechanistic insights behind these facts have also been proposed and validated wherever possible.

Efficient synthesis of valuable platform chemicals from renewable feedstock is a challenging, yet essential strategy for developing technologies that are both economical and sustainable. In the present study, we investigated the synthesis of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) in a two-step catalytic process starting from sucrose as largely available biomass feedstock. In the first step, 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF) was synthesized by hydrolysis and dehydration of sucrose using sulfuric acid in a continuous reactor in 34% yield. In a second step, the resulting reaction solution was directly oxidized to FDCA without further purification over a Au/ZrO2 catalyst with 84% yield (87% selectivity, batch process), corresponding to 29% overall yield with respect to sucrose. This two-step process could afford the production of pure FDCA after the respective extraction/crystallization despite the impure intermediate HMF solution. To demonstrate the direct application of the biomass-derived FDCA as monomer, the isolated product was used for Ugi-multicomponent polymerizations, establishing a new application possibility for FDCA. In the future, this efficient two-step process strategy toward FDCA should be extended to further renewable feedstock.

We have investigated the production of benzyl alcohols and bioaromatics via the reductive lignin depolymerization process over Fe/H-style ultrastable Y (HUSY), Ni/HUSY, and Ni-Fe/HUSY catalysts using HCOOK/ETOH in air. Synergy effect between HCOOK and the catalysts improved the depolymerization process, resulting in a higher bio-oil recovery. HCOOK does not act solely as an in situ hydrogen source; it also interacts with lignin to enable its initial depolymerization via a base-catalyzed mechanism to low-molecular-weight fragments, and in tandem with the catalyst, the hydrogenolysis rate of the depolymerized lignin monomers was enhanced. Fe/HUSY displayed an excellent activity for the catalytic reductive step in contrast to Ni/HUSY and Ni-Fe/HUSY by facilitating methoxy group removal via hydrogenolysis, thereby contributing to the yield and stabilization of the low-molecular-weight aromatics [diethyl ether (DEE)-soluble products]. Fe/HUSY gave the highest DEE product yield of >99 wt % and a total benzyl alcohol yield of 16 wt % with a total selectivity of 47 wt % (60 wt % for aromatic alcohols). Fe/HUSY was reused for the lignin depolymerization reaction without much loss of its initial activity, giving 13 wt % yield of benzyl alcohols with a selectivity of 58 wt % (77 wt % for aromatic alcohols).

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a human pathogen with high morbidity. The HCV NS3/4A protease is essential for viral replication and is one of the top three drug targets. Several drugs targeting the protease have been developed, but drug-resistant mutant strains emerged. Here, we screened a library and synthesized a novel class of small molecules based on a tryptophan derivative scaffold identified as HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitors that are active against both wild type and mutant form of the protease. Only the compounds with predicted binding poses not affected by the most frequent mutations in the active site were selected for experimental validation. The antiviral activities were evaluated by replicon and enzymatic assays. Twenty-two compounds were found to inhibit HCV with EC50 values ranging between 0.64 and 63 μM with compound 22 being the most active. In protease assays, 22 had a comparable inhibition profile for the common mutant HCV GT1b D168A and the wild-type enzyme. However, in the same assay, the potency of the approved drug, simeprevir, decreased 5.7-fold for the mutant enzyme relative to the wild type. The top three inhibitors were also tested against four human serine proteases and were shown to be specific to the viral protease. The fluorescence-based cell viability assay demonstrated a sufficient therapeutic range for the top three candidates.

Chlamydia Trachomatis is one of the most common pathogens transmitted through the genital tract in humans that leads to urogenital infection.

Preterm labor (PTL) is a serious emergency wherein robust management is imperative for achieving improved outcome.

The development of executive function is linked to maturation of prefrontal cortex (PFC) in childhood. Childhood obesity has been associated with changes in brain structure, particularly in PFC, as well as deficits in executive functions. We aimed to determine whether differences in cortical structure mediate the relationship between executive function and childhood obesity. We analyzed MR-derived measures of cortical thickness for 2700 children between the ages of 9 and 11 years, recruited as part of the NIH Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. We related our findings to measures of executive function and body mass index (BMI). In our analysis, increased BMI was associated with significantly reduced mean cortical thickness, as well as specific bilateral reduced cortical thickness in prefrontal cortical regions. This relationship remained after accounting for age, sex, race, parental education, household income, birth-weight, and in-scanner motion. Increased BMI was also associated with lower executive function. Reduced thickness in the rostral medial and superior frontal cortex, the inferior frontal gyrus, and the lateral orbitofrontal cortex partially accounted for reductions in executive function. These results suggest that childhood obesity is associated with compromised executive function. This relationship may be partly explained by BMI-associated reduced cortical thickness in the PFC.

Enteral feeding by tube in chronic kidney disease (CKD) before 2 years of age improves growth. Whether it is effective after this age is unknown. We assessed whether height and weight SDS changed after tube feeding was started in children with CKD above 2 years of age.

Using Doppler to improve detection of intrapartum fetal heart rate (FHR) abnormalities coupled with appropriate, timely intrapartum care in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) can save lives.

Globally, many jurisdictions are legalizing or decriminalizing cannabis, creating a potential public health issue that would benefit from experimental evidence to inform policy, government regulations, and user practices. Tobacco smoke exposure science has created a body of knowledge that demonstrates the conclusive negative impacts on respiratory health; similar knowledge remains to be established for cannabis. To address this unmet need, we performed in vitro functional and transcriptomic experiments with a human airway epithelial cell line (Calu-3) exposed to cannabis smoke, with tobacco smoke as a positive control. Demonstrating the validity of our in vitro model, tobacco smoke induced gene expression profiles that were significantly correlated with gene expression profiles from published tobacco exposure datasets from bronchial brushings and primary human airway epithelial cell cultures. Applying our model to cannabis smoke, we demonstrate that cannabis smoke induced functional and transcriptional responses that overlapped with tobacco smoke. Ontology and pathway analysis revealed that cannabis smoke induced DNA replication and oxidative stress responses. Functionally, cannabis smoke impaired epithelial cell barrier function, antiviral responses, and increased inflammatory mediator production. Our study reveals striking similarities between cannabis and tobacco smoke exposure on impairing barrier function, suppressing antiviral pathways, potentiating of pro-inflammatory mediators, and inducing oncogenic and oxidative stress gene expression signatures. Collectively our data suggest that cannabis smoke exposure is not innocuous and may possess many of the deleterious properties of tobacco smoke, warranting additional studies to support public policy, government regulations, and user practices.

The Hafnia genus is an opportunistic pathogen that has been implicated in both nosocomial and community-acquired infections. Although Hafnia is fairly often isolated from clinical material, its taxonomy has remained an unsolved riddle, and the involvement and importance of Hafnia in human disease is also uncertain. Here, we used comparative genomic analysis to define the taxonomy of Hafnia, identify species-specific genes that may be the result of ecological and pathogenic specialization, and reveal virulence-related genetic profiles that may contribute to pathogenesis.

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the most important food legume for direct human consumption around the world, as it represents a valuable source of components with nutritional and health benefits.

Long non coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are RNA molecules longer than 200 nucleotides that are not translated into proteins, but regulate the transcription of genes involved in different cellular processes, including cancer. Epidemiological analyses have demonstrated that parous women have a decreased risk of developing breast cancer in postmenopausal years if they went through a full term pregnancy in their early twenties. We here provide evidence of the role of BC200 in breast cancer and, potentially, in pregnancy's preventive effect in reducing the lifetime risk of developing breast cancer.

We recently conducted a serosurvey of newly arrived workers in Taiwan from four Southeast Asian countries which revealed that 1% of the migrant workers had laboratory-confirmed recent Zika virus (ZIKV) infection. Taiwan, where Aedes mosquitoes are prevalent, has a close relationship with Southeast Asian countries. Up to now, 21 imported cases of ZIKV infection have been reported in Taiwan, but there has been no confirmed indigenous case. The aim of this serosurvey was to assess whether there was unrecognized ZIKV infections in Taiwan.

Disaster citizen science, or the use of scientific principles and methods by "non-professional" scientists or volunteers, may be a promising way to enhance public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) and build community resilience. However, little research has focused on understanding this emerging field and its implications for PHEP. To address research gaps, this paper: (1) assesses the state of disaster citizen science by developing an inventory of disaster citizen science projects; (2) identifies different models of disaster citizen science; and (3) assesses their relevance for PHEP.

Socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with stroke incidence and mortality. Distribution of stroke risk factors is changing worldwide; evidence on these trends is crucial to the allocation of resources for prevention strategies to tackle major modifiable risk factors with the highest impact on stroke burden.

Patients with incurable cancer have to deal with a wide range of symptoms due to their disease and treatment, influencing their quality of life. Nowadays, patients are expected to adopt an active role in managing their own health and healthcare. Oncokompas is an eHealth self-management application developed to support patients in finding optimal palliative care, tailored to their quality of life and personal preferences. A randomized controlled trial will be carried out to determine the efficacy and cost-utility of Oncokompas compared to care as usual.