The DRACO Door: Design, Test, and Integration of the Mechanism on the DART Spacecraft

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission is NASA's first planetary defense mission to demonstrate the viability of kinetically impacting an asteroid and deflecting its trajectory. The DART spacecraft successfully launched on November 24, 2021 from the Vandenberg Space Force Base and successfully made impact on Dimorphos, the smaller asteroid in the Didymos system, on September 26, 2022. The DART spacecraft has one instrument called Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO). DRACO is an imaging telescope that, in conjunction with the SMART Navigation algorithm, autonomously guided the DART spacecraft to the asteroid. Because DRACO is a mission critical and light sensitive instrument, the DRACO Door mechanism was designed as the protective cover. The door functions to shield DRACO from stray light during launch, to deploy in space once when commanded, and to stay 180 degrees open for the duration of the mission. The DRACO Door went through several iterations during the design phase with decisions on various components such as Frangibolts ®, torsion springs, hardstops, and latches. After fabrication and assembly, the door went through a rigorous environmental testing plan, which included deployment testing, vibration testing, and thermal vacuum testing. After successful qualification of the mechanism, the door was installed and integrated into the DART spacecraft. It should be noted that during the fabrication of the mechanism piece-parts, the COVID-19 pandemic began, and the effects of the pandemic were seen in the challenges faced during the DRACO door assembly and testing. Under the constraints of the pandemic, the DART spacecraft was successfully built, tested, and launched, and the DRACO door was successfully deployed on December 7, 2021. The door has continued to function as intended. This paper will discuss the design choices behind the door components, the environmental qualification test program, and the installation of the door onto the DART spacecraft. In addition, this paper will discuss the lessons learned and the challenges of fabricating and testing the flight hardware. © 2023 IEEE.

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy based analysis of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding to ACE2 receptor

The SARS-CoV-2 virus is still a challenge because of its diversity and mutations. The binding interactions of the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor and the spike protein are relevant for the SARS-CoV-2 virus to enter the cell. Consequently, it is important and helpful to analyze binding activities and the changes in the structure of the ACE2 receptor and the spike protein. Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy is able to analyze small concentrations of the proteins without contact, non-invasively and label-free. In this work, we present a SERS based approach in the visible wavelength range to analyze and study the binding interactions of the ACE2 receptor and the spike protein. SERS measurements of the ACE2 receptor, the spike protein and the ACE2-spike complex were performed. Additionally, an inhibitor was used to prevent the spike protein from binding to ACE2 and to compare the results. The analysis of the measured SERS spectra reveals structural differences and changes due to binding activities. Thus, we show that the performed SERS based approach can help for rapid and non-invasive analysis of binding interactions of the ACE2-spike complex and also of protein binding in general. © 2023 SPIE.

CRYSTAL: A novel and effective method to remove clouds in daily nighttime light images by synergizing spatiotemporal information

Satellite nighttime light (NTL) images offer a valuable depiction of the rapidly changing world by revealing the presence of artificial illumination. Thus, daily NTL images are increasingly applied to monitor human dynamics and environmental events. However, data gaps caused by cloud contamination and low-quality observations inevitably impair the effectiveness of such applications. Although a temporal gap-filling method is employed in recent Black Marble NTL products to produce seamless images, the filled images are unsuitable for quantitative analysis. Therefore, we developed an effective method, named as Cloud Removing bY Synergizing spatio-TemporAL information (CRYSTAL), to generate cloud-free NTL images with satisfactorily accurate pixel brightness and spatial continuity. Simulation experiments show that CRYSTAL can produce more accurate results than the temporal gap-filling method in fifteen cities worldwide, with an average RMSE reduction of 33.69%. Images generated by CRYSTAL restore temporal variances in NTL and are thus suitable for multi-temporal quantitative analysis. CRYSTAL can reconstruct daily NTL time series by filling gaps using available partially clear images. Experiments in two cities demonstrated that the reconstructed time series had 31.85% more valid values than the original time series and effectively revealed urban dynamics during the early stages of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. In summary, CRYSTAL is a novel and effective gap-filling method for the restoration of invalid NTL observations and has the potential to generate high-quality NTL data for use in future applications.

The Impact of the Sars-Cov-2 Pandemic (COVID-19) on the Incidence of Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Patients Using a Federated Network of Real-World Evidence in US and Germany

Objectives: COVID-19 had an impact on health care, including diagnostics. Early diagnosis of MM is a critical factor for prognosis. We examined the impact of COVID-19 on incidence of NDMM patients and on characteristics in NDMM patients in US and in Germany. Method(s): 44,164 NDMM patients were identified in TriNetX federated network across 55 healthcare organizations in US between January 2018 and December 2021. A bivariate analysis examined changes in patient characteristics in two cohorts before (Cohort 1;n=25513) and after (Cohort 2;n=18.651) the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. 4172 NDMM patients were identified in the German database in a sample of across >100 healthcare organizations in the same time period. Similarly, bivariate analysis examined changes in patient characteristics before (Cohort 1;n=2252) and after (Cohort 2;n=1920) the start of pandemic. Result(s): Analysis of US data showed a significant decrease in incidence of NDMM. Bivariate analysis revealed that NDMM patients in Cohort 2 have a significantly higher risk profile compared with patients in Cohort 1, higher incidence of renal failure (13.5% v. 15.43%), heart failure (10.3% v 11.26%), bone lesions (12.6% v. 13.05%) and anemia (26.8% v. 29.75%). The German data indicated an increased risk profile in Cohort 2, with higher reporting of renal impairment (12.3% v. 15.5%) and cardiac impairment (8.3% v. 10.9%). The higher risk profile was reflected in a significant increase of all SLiM-CRAB criteria, notably hypercalcemia (24.1 % v. 36.9%), bone marrow plasma cell infiltration (28.1% v. 36.8%) and free light chain involvement (27.3% v. 41.3%). Conclusion(s): The results provide real-world evidence of a change in risk profile for patients with NDMM during COVID-19. This higher risk profile is observed in both the US and Germany, and may negatively impact outcomes such as progression-free and five-year overall survival.Copyright © 2023

Design for an Intelligent Waste Classifying System: A Case Study of Plastic Bottles

The use of plastic bottles has become a significant environmental concern, and recycling them has become a priority. Small and medium-sized recycling companies must collect and categorize large volumes of plastic bottles and sell them to larger recycling firms, a process that is time-consuming, costly, and labor-intensive. This manual sorting process can pose health risks, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and can affect worker productivity. To address these issues, this study proposes the development of an automated conveyor belt system that can rapidly and accurately separate plastic bottles by type. The system utilizes an opaque and transparent plastic bottle separation platform, which saves time, cost, and manpower. This system design provides recycling SMEs with a competitive advantage by serving as a practical application model and a prototype with an easy-to-use concept. Key tools employed in this research include product design development (PDD), Kansei engineering, manufacturing process design, controlling system, and fault tree analysis (FTA). The light sensors are critical components in the separation process, detecting the opacity or transparency of the bottles' surfaces. The proposed prototype's reliability will be assessed by FTA, which considers all potential failures. This study contributes to the body of knowledge surrounding the integration of conveyor systems and provides valuable information for businesses seeking to optimize their sorting processes. The guidelines developed in this study can serve as a starting point for further research on the integration of conveyors in waste sorting plants. © 2013 IEEE.

Minimal Change Disease Secondary to Either COVID-19 Infection or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccination

Introduction/Objective Kidney injury has now become one of the known complications following COVID-19 infection and vaccination. Only few cases of minimal change disease following administration of COVID-19 vaccination and infection have been reported. This study was to highlight incidence of minimal change disease following COVID-19 infection or vaccination. Methods/Case Report Case 1:15 year-old female with past medical history of asthma and hypercholesterolemia presented for evaluation of periorbital edema, nephrotic-range proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, elevated serum creatinine, elevated blood pressures, and hematuria after COVID-19 infection. Renal biopsy after 1 week of infection showed unremarkable glomeruli and negative immunofluorescent stains in glomeruli, and 20-30% fusion of foot processes. The biopsy was consistent with a minimal change disease with features of natural remission (her nephrotic-range proteinuria resolved soon after). Case 2: 18 year-old female with no significant past medical history presented with a chief complaint of generalized swelling, which started around the same time she received her 1st dose of Pfizer COVID vaccine (the 2nd dose 2 months later). She had a nephrotic range proteinuria and hypoalbuminemia, but normal level of serum creatinine. A renal biopsy after 4 months of vaccination showed unremarkable glomeruli by light microscopy, negative immunofluorescent study, but diffuse effacement of foot processes involving more than 80% of the examined loops by electron microscopy. This biopsy findings were consistent with a minimal change disease. Both patients did not receive any treatment before the renal biopsies. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) NA Conclusion Minimal change disease can be a rare complication following COVID-19 infection or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination, raising a question if there are similar antigens induced by the infection or by the vaccination that trigger the minimal change disease. Further studies are needed to determine the incidence and pathophysiology of minimal change disease either post COVID-19 vaccines or following COVID-19 infections.

PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS OF COVID-19 WITH TIXAGEVIMAB AND CILGAVIMAB IN RHEUMATOLOGIC PATIENTS TREATED WITH RITUXIMAB: DATA FROM A SINGLE-CENTRE COHORT

BackgroundRheumatologic patients treated with Rituximab (RTX) are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 and death. The B-cell depletive treatment significantly affects B cell functions involved in anti-SARS-CoV-2 response, leading to relevant impacts on the clinical and serological course of infection, long-term immunity, and vaccine responses. In light of these observations, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) of COVID-19 with Tixagevimab and Cilgavimab (TGM/CGM) was recently approved in Italy for all patients treated with RTX in the previous year, independently of their serological status against SARS-CoV-2.ObjectivesWe aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TGM/CGM in a single-centre cohort of rheumatologic patients treated with RTX.MethodsFrom October 2022, all patients who had been treated with RTX in the previous 12 months and who underwent clinical assessment at our rheumatologic tertiary centre were screened for eligibility to PrEP of COVID-19 with TGM/CGM. According to the indications of the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA), we excluded subjects with major cardiovascular risk factors and/or coagulation abnormalities;those who reported a previous allergic reaction to any anti-COVID19 vaccine were referred to an allergologist for an evaluation before TGM/CGM administration. Patients who agreed to be treated with TGM/CGM signed an informed consent. Clinical and demographic features were collected at baseline, and follow-up phone assessment was performed the day after and 1 month after TGM/CGM administration, to assess treatment tolerability and new COVID-19- related events. A descriptive analysis was performed.ResultsFrom 1 October 2022 to 31 December 2022, 90 subjects were screened for eligibility to TGM/CGM. Among them, 11 were excluded for contraindications due to comorbidities and 55 refused TGM/CGM administration. Among patients who agreed to receive PrEP of COVID-19, 21 received TGM/CGM before 31 December 2022 and 3 were scheduled for January2023. Patients treated with TGM/CGM had a mean age of 54 years (standard deviation: 17) and 19 (90.5%) were female;9 were affected by rheumatoid arthritis and 12 by other rheumatologic diseases (3 systemic lupus erythematosus, 2 systemic sclerosis, 1 Sjögren syndrome, 1 juvenile idiopathic arthritis, 3 anti-synthetase syndrome, 2 vasculitides). Most of them had completed the vaccination schedule against COVID-19 (19, 90.5%) and 9 (42.8%) reported an infectious event by SARS-CoV-2 in the previous year. One month after TGM/CGM administration, no patient reported adverse events related to TGM/CGM nor COVID-19 related symptoms.ConclusionPrEP of COVID-19 with TGM/CGM was well tolerated in our population of rheumatologic patients treated with RTX in the previous year and no COVID-19 related symptoms were observed in the month of follow-up after TGM/CGM administration. Future observations may provide further data on long-term efficacy of TGM/CGM in preventing COVID-19.REFERENCES:NIL.Acknowledgements:NIL.Disclosure of InterestsMaria Manara Speakers bureau: Novartis, Angelini, Consultant of: Lilly, MSD, Manuel Sette: None declared, Laura Giudice: None declared, Martina Biggioggero: None declared, Nicoletta Del Papa Speakers bureau: Janssen, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Actelion, Ennio Giulio Favalli Speakers bureau: AbbVie, BMS, Celltrion, Galapagos, Janssen, Lilly, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie, BMS, Celltrion, Galapagos, Janssen, Lilly, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB, Maria Gerosa: None declared, Francesca Ingegnoli: None declared, Roberto Caporali Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Amgen, BMS, Celltrion, Fresenius, Galapagos, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie, Fresenius, Galapagos, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB.

Can We Detect Urban‐Scale CO2 Emission Changes Within Medium‐Sized Cities?

The COVID‐19 pandemic resulted in a widespread lockdown during the spring of 2020. Measurements collected on a light rail system in the Salt Lake Valley (SLV), combined with observations from the Utah Urban Carbon Dioxide Network observed a notable decrease in urban CO2 concentrations during the spring of 2020 relative to previous years. These decreases coincided with a ∼30% reduction in average traffic volume. CO2 measurements across the SLV were used within a Bayesian inverse model to spatially allocate anthropogenic emission reductions for the first COVID‐19 lockdown. The inverse model was first used to constrain anthropogenic emissions for the previous year (2019) to provide the best possible estimate of emissions for 2020, before accounting for emission reductions observed during the COVID‐19 lockdown. The posterior emissions for 2019 were then used as the prior emission estimate for the 2020 COVID‐19 lockdown analysis. Results from the inverse analysis suggest that the SLV observed a 20% decrease in afternoon CO2 emissions from March to April 2020 (−90.5 tC hr−1). The largest reductions in CO2 emissions were centered over the northern part of the valley (downtown Salt Lake City), near major roadways, and potentially at industrial point sources. These results demonstrate that CO2 monitoring networks can track reductions in CO2 emissions even in medium‐sized cities like Salt Lake City.Alternate :Plain Language SummaryHigh‐density measurements of CO2 were combined with a statistical model to estimate emission reductions across Salt Lake City during the COVID‐19 lockdown. Reduced traffic throughout the COVID‐19 lockdown was likely the primary driver behind lower CO2 emissions in Salt Lake City. There was also evidence that industrial‐based emission sources may of had an observable decrease in CO2 emissions during the lockdown. Finally, this analysis suggests that high‐density CO2 monitoring networks could be used to track progress toward decarbonization in the future.

Near-infrared photobiomodulation therapy for rehabilitation of patients with long COVID

About 80% of the patients recovering from COVID-19 have inflammation symptoms, like brain fog, myopathy, myalgia, muscle weariness, headache, mental tiredness, asthenia, adynamia, dizziness, tinnitus, hearing loss, telogenic effluvium and mood disturbances. Here, we demonstrate how transcranial and systemic photobiomodulation using near-infrared LEDs emitting 850 nm wavelength light enhanced cognition and reduced pain. Participants were separated into transcranial photobiomodulation with near-infrared LEDs (850 nm, 10W, 10 minutes), photobiomodulation with a punctual cutaneous application (850nm, 10W, 10-40 minutes), and both treatments. All patients underwent 10-day treatments at least. © 2023 SPIE.

Blue Light and Eye Damage: A Review on the Impact of Digital Device Emissions

The pandemic and lockdown caused by COVID-19 accelerated digitalization. Personal digital devices, emitting high-energy light, namely in the blue wavelength, have raised concerns about possible harmful effects on users' eyes. Scientific research history has shown a relationship between exposure to blue light and changes in ocular structures. The main goal of this review is to examine frequent and prolonged exposure to blue radiation from computers, tablets and smartphones and its consequences on vision and ocular structures. Bibliographic research was carried out on changes induced by blue light in ocular structures, the cornea, the crystalline lens and the retina based on the following scientific databases: BioOne Complete™;Google Scholar™;Paperity™;PubMed™;and ScienceOpen™. The most significant studies on blue light and ocular damage were selected and reviewed. The most relevant bibliographic data were analyzed and summarized and some gaps in the theme of blue light from digital devices were identified. The experimental need to acquire additional new data is suggested. The hypothesis that continued use of digital devices enriched with blue light may interfere with the biological tissues of the cornea, crystalline lens, or retina is not clarified in the available scientific evidence. Therefore, additional studies are needed to answer this problem. © 2023 by the authors.

Night-time Human Mobility during Pandemic in the Philippines as Observed by VIIRS Satellite

Recent research has analyzed and studied the growing literature on human mobility during quarantine periods using various methodology and techniques. There are several ways to use light pollution to assess mobility. The data from the VIIRS satellite can be used to quantify light pollution and human mobility in the Philippines during quarantine. The data utilized in this study came from NASA's EOSDIS Worldview website. The number of cases and pixels count increases from early April 2020 to late August 2020. However, the cases increased from February to April 2021. This could be attributed to the active human mobility seen between December 2020 and January 2021. Human interactions have been intense since August 2020, causing an increase in COVID cases that peaked between March and April 2021, before dropping in May 2021. Following the conclusion of this study, light pollution VIIRS satellite pictures can be used to identify possible COVID- 19 cases. There are many more factors and variables to consider when writing a comprehensive paper. With the relaxed quarantine time has been achieved beyond June 2021, additional dates may be explored since there may be a direct relationship between light pollution and COVID-19 instances. © 2022 IEEE.

Clinical Uses of Cuffless Blood Pressure Monitoring Devices Using Photoplethysmography as a Promising Ambulatory Telemonitoring Tool: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction: As check-ups in healthcare facilities are much arduous during the pandemic including blood pressure (BP) control, an alternative is urgently needed to replace the use of disturbing cuff-based office and ambulatory BP monitoring (BPM) devices. With the advancement of telemedicine, real-time checking and reporting of blood pressure may be potentially achieved using photoplethysmography (PPG) technology in cuffless devices. Therefore, this study evaluated the accuracy of these devices compared to the cuff-based BPM devices. Method(s): This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted based on the PRISMA 2020 guideline through multiple databases using Rayyan according to the prearranged inclusion and exclusion criteria, yielding six clinical studies to be included in the final review and analysis. Result(s): Overall fixed-effect meta-analysis of all studies (total of 319 subjects) presented small differences between cuffless and cuff-based devices, showing promising accuracy according to the current medical instrumentation guideline both in measuring systolic BP (SMD: 0.23 mmHg [95% CI: 0.07-0.39], p = 0.004;I2= 0%, p = 0.55) and diastolic BP (SMD: 0.27 mmHg [95% CI: 0.11-0.43], p = 0.0007;I2= 39%, p = 0.14). Discussion(s): PPG itself is a noninvasive technology, consisting of an infrared-emitting light source and a photodetector to measure the blood-reflected light intensity. Despite its ease in equipment, it measures BP accurately without being influenced by various positions and activities. Moreover, the data can be accessed real-time by both users and healthcare providers. Conclusion(s): In summary, cuffless PPG BPM devices have the potential in becoming a telemonitoring device for ambulatory patients for its accuracy. Its presence may be the answer to current restriction towards healthcare access during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, in order to further confirm our findings, more clinical studies with various settings are encouraged to be held.

Towards A Systematic Literature Review for Evaluating Smart Home Environments using light bulb sensors

As more homes become digitally connected the use of assistive technologies to support the operation in the home environment especially when one thinks of the elderly and the sick, our research shows that there is a gap in the literature with respect to the measure of the effectiveness of the use of these assistive technologies to support the home as a smart home. We conduct quantitative usability experiments supported by a conceptual human interaction framework to assess this effectiveness. We conduct as proof of concept these experiments with the use of a Google mini automated assistant and an internet ready light bulb sensor , to determine the responsiveness to the human voice, at different location proximities around the home, and the correctness to these responses to qualify the effectiveness argument. In this study the authors use their primary residence amidst the COVID19 pandemic to demonstrate the type of concerns. Our explicit contributions in this study are (i) A systematic review of the literature in this area (ii) the design of the smart home network environment with the google mini assistant and light ulb sensor that supports the human voice interactions (iii) Identify a suitable conceptual human interaction framework to support the use of the smart devices connected within the home users environment to support our experiments (iv) Provide critical case evaluation of the measure of effectiveness of the usability experiments supported by this conceptual framework. © 2023 IEEE.

Complementary and Integrative Medicine and Eating Disorders in Youth: Traditional Yoga, Virtual Reality, Light Therapy, Neurofeedback, Acupuncture, Energy Psychology Techniques, Art Therapies, and Spirituality.

Eating disorders (EDs) are a non-heterogeneous group of illnesses with significant physical and mental comorbidity and mortality associated with maladaptive coping. With the exception of lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) for binge eating disorder, no medications have been effective for the core symptoms of ED. ED requires a multimodal approach. Complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) can be helpful as an adjunct. The most promising CIM interventions are traditional yoga, virtual reality, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, Music Therapy, and biofeedback/neurofeedback.

Free Light Chains κ and λ as New Biomarkers of Selected Diseases.

Diagnostic and prognostic markers are necessary to help in patient diagnosis and the prediction of future clinical events or disease progression. As promising biomarkers of selected diseases, the free light chains (FLCs) κ and λ were considered. Measurements of FLCs are currently used in routine diagnostics of, for example, multiple myeloma, and the usefulness of FLCs as biomarkers of monoclonal gammopathies is well understood. Therefore, this review focuses on the studies concerning FLCs as new potential biomarkers of other disorders in which an inflammatory background has been observed. We performed a bibliometric review of studies indexed in MEDLINE to assess the clinical significance of FLCs. Altered levels of FLCs were observed both in diseases strongly connected with inflammation such as viral infections, tick-borne diseases or rheumatic disorders, and disorders that are moderately associated with immune system reactions, e.g., multiple sclerosis, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders and cancers. Increased concentrations of FLCs appear to be a useful prognostic marker in patients with multiple sclerosis or tick-borne encephalitis. Intensive synthesis of FLCs may also reflect the production of specific antibodies against pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, abnormal FLC concentrations might predict the development of diabetic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes. Markedly elevated levels are also associated with increased risk of hospitalization and death in patients with cardiovascular disorders. Additionally, FLCs have been found to be increased in rheumatic diseases and have been related to disease activity. Furthermore, it has been suggested that inhibition of FLCs would reduce the progression of tumorigenesis in breast cancer or colitis-associated colon carcinogenesis. In conclusion, abnormal levels of κ and λ FLCs, as well as the ratio of κ:λ, are usually the result of disturbances in the synthesis of immunoglobulins as an effect of overactive inflammatory reactions. Therefore, it seems that κ and λ FLCs may be significant diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of selected diseases. Moreover, the inhibition of FLCs appears to be a promising therapeutical target for the treatment of various disorders where inflammation plays an important role in the development or progression of the disease.

Plastic Waste-Derived Carbon Dots: Insights of Recycling Valuable Materials Towards Environmental Sustainability.

Carbon dots (CDs) or carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have emerged as rising stars in the carbon family due to their diverse applications in various fields. CDs are spherical particles with a well-distributed size of less than 10 nm. Functional CDs are promising nanomaterials with low toxicity, low cost, and enormous applications in the field of bioimaging, optoelectronics, photocatalysis, and sensing. Plastic is non-biodegradable and hazardous to the environment, however extremely durable and used in abundance. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of plastic waste, particularly masks, goggles, face shields, and shoe cover, has increased tremendously. It needs to be recycled in a productive way as plastic wastes take hundreds or thousands of years to degrade naturally. The conversion of plastic waste into magnificent CDs has been reported as one of the key alternatives for environmental sustainability and socio-economic benefits. In this review, synthetic routes for the conversion of plastic wastes into CDs utilizing hydrothermal, solvothermal, pyrolysis, flash joule heating, and characterization of these CDs using different techniques, such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscope, have been discussed. Furthermore, potential applications of these plastic-derived CDs in sensing, catalysis, agronomics, and LED lights are summarized herein.

UV radiation sensitivity of bacteriophage PhiX174- A potential surrogate for SARS-CoV-2 in terms of radiation inactivation

To minimize health risks, surrogates are often employed to reduce experiments with pathogenic microorganisms and the associated health risk. Due to structural similarities between the enveloped RNA -viruses SARS-CoV-2 and Phi6, the latter has been established as a nonpathogenic coronavirus surrogate for many applications. However, large discrepancies in the UV log-reduction doses between SARS-CoV-2 and Phi6 necessitate the search for a better surrogate for UV inactivation applications. A literature study provided the bacteriophage PhiX174 as a potentially more suitable nonpathogenic coronavirus surrogate candidate. In irradiation experiments, the sensitivity of PhiX174 was investigated upon exposure to UV radiation of wavelengths 222 nm (Far-UVC), 254 nm (UVC), 302 nm (broad-band UVB), 311 nm (narrow-band UVB) and 366 nm (UVA) using a plaque assay. The determined log-reduction doses for PhiX174 were 1.3 mJ/cm2 @ 222 nm, 5 mJ/cm2 @ 254 nm, 17.9 mJ/cm2 @ 302 nm, 625 mJ/cm2 @ 311 nm and 42.5 J/cm2 @ 366 nm. The comparison of these results with published log-reduction doses of SARS-CoV-2 in the same spectral region, led to the conclusion that the bacteriophage PhiX174 exhibits larger log-reduction doses than SARS-CoV-2, nevertheless, it is a better UV-surrogate at 222 nm (Far-UVC), 254 nm (UVC) and 302 nm (UVB) than the often applied Phi6.

Recent progress in online detection methods of bioaerosols

The aerosol transmission of coronavirus disease in 2019, along with the spread of other respiratory diseases, caused significant loss of life and property;it impressed upon us the importance of real-time bioaerosol detection. The complexity, diversity, and large spatiotemporal variability of bioaerosols and their external/internal mixing with abiotic components pose challenges for effective online bioaerosol monitoring. Traditional methods focus on directly capturing bioaerosols before subsequent time-consuming laboratory analysis such as culture-based methods, preventing the high-resolution time-based characteristics necessary for an online approach. Through a comprehensive literature assessment, this review highlights and discusses the most commonly used real-time bioaerosol monitoring techniques and the associated commercially available monitors. Methods applied in online bioaerosol monitoring, including adenosine triphosphate bioluminescence, laser/light-induced fluorescence spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and bioaerosol mass spectrometry are summarized. The working principles, characteristics, sensitivities, and efficiencies of these real-time detection methods are compared to understand their responses to known particle types and to contrast their differences. Approaches developed to analyze the substantial data sets obtained by these instruments and to overcome the limitations of current real-time bioaerosol monitoring technologies are also introduced. Finally, an outlook is proposed for future instrumentation indicating a need for highly revolutionized bioaerosol detection technologies.

What a difference a year makes: Objective rest/activity patterns, circadian phase markers, and sleep quality before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic led to numerous changes in sleep duration, quality, and timing. The goal of this study was to examine objective and self-reported changes in sleep and circadian timing before and during the pandemic. METHODS: Data were utilized from an ongoing longitudinal study of sleep and circadian timing with assessments at baseline and 1-year follow-up. Participants had baseline assessment between 2019 and March 2020 (before pandemic) and 12-month follow-up between September 2020 and March 2021 (during pandemic). Participants completed 7 days of wrist actigraphy, self-report questionnaires, and laboratory-collected circadian phase assessment (dim light melatonin onset). RESULTS: Actigraphy and questionnaire data were available for 18 participants (11 women and 7 men, Mean = 38.8 years, SD = 11.8). Dim light melatonin onset was available for 11 participants. Participants demonstrated statistically significant decreases in sleep efficiency (Mean = -4.11%, SD = 3.22, P = .001), worse scores on Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System sleep disturbance scale (Mean increase = 4.48, SD = 6.87, P = .017), and sleep end time delay (Mean = 22.4 mins, SD = 44.4 mins, P = .046). Chronotype was significantly correlated with change in dim light melatonin onset (r = 0.649, P = .031). This suggests that a later chronotype is associated with a greater delay in dim light melatonin onset. There were also non-significant increases in total sleep time (Mean = 12.4 mins, SD = 44.4 mins, P = .255), later dim light melatonin onset (Mean = 25.2 mins, SD = 1.15 hrs, P = .295), and earlier sleep start time (Mean = 11.4 mins, SD = 48 mins, P = .322). CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrate objective and self-reported changes to sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future studies should look at whether some individuals will require intervention to phase advance sleep when returning to previous routines such as returning to office and school settings.

Synthesis Strategy of Tetrapyrrolic Photosensitizers for Their Practical Application in Photodynamic Therapy

This review presents a wide range of tetrapyrrole photosensitizers used for photodynamic therapy (PDT), antimicrobial photodynamic therapy, photoinactivation of pathogens. Methods of synthesis and design of new photosensitizers with greater selectivity of accumulation in tumor tissue and increased photoinduced antitumor activity are considered. The issues of studying the properties of new photosensitizers, their photoactivity, the ability to generate singlet oxygen, and the possibility of using targeted photodynamic therapy in clinical practice are discussed. The review examines the work on PDT by national and foreign researchers.