A Review on Small Molecule Based Fluorescence Chemosensors for Bioimaging Applications.

This review provides a thorough examination of small molecule-based fluorescence chemosensors tailored for bioimaging applications, showcasing their unique ability to visualize biological processes with exceptional sensitivity and selectivity. It explores recent advancements, methodologies, and applications in this domain, focusing on various designs rooted in anthracene, benzothiazole, naphthalene, quinoline, and Schiff base. Structural modifications and molecular engineering strategies are emphasized for enhancing sensor performance, including heightened sensitivity, selectivity, and biocompatibility. Additionally, the review offers valuable insights into the ongoing development and utilization of these chemosensors, addressing current challenges and charting future directions in this rapidly evolving field.

The Lived Experience of Persons with Spinal Cord Injuries Engaging in Remote Work: A South African Perspective.

In South Africa, traumatic SCI cases are disproportionately high in comparison to other countries. Low retention and maintenance of work for persons with SCIs are further exasperated by structural barriers and societal stigma. Persons with SCIs have the ability to contribute to the labour market, and doing so could lead to the improvement of their quality of life and socioeconomic status. Addressing engagement in work as a meaningful occupation for persons with SCIs is essential to mitigate occupational risk factor and uphold occupational justice. Currently, there is a paucity of literature on remote work practices for persons with SCIs. This study seeks to add to this body of knowledge to increase occupational therapists' awareness of the possibility of remote work to facilitate the inclusion of persons with SCIs in the open labour market. This phenomenological study explored the facilitators and barriers of engaging in remote work in the open labour market for paid employment, as experienced by persons with SCI within the Gauteng metropole, South Africa. Data was collected via semistructured interviews from four participants and analysed thematically. Four themes were generated from the data: (1) intrinsic facilitators of remote work, (2) extrinsic facilitators of remote work, (3) intrinsic barriers to remote work, and (4) extrinsic barriers to remote work. Remote work can be utilised to include persons with SCIs in their chosen occupation of work and is a holistic and client-centred approach. Remote work should not be seen as the sole method of inclusion but can also be used in conjunction with traditional office work to accommodate persons with SCIs in the workplace.

Drug Delivery Application of Functional Nanomaterials Synthesized Using Natural Sources.

Nanomaterials (NMs) synthesized from natural sources have been attracting greater attention, due to their intrinsic advantages including biocompatibility, stimuli-responsive property, nontoxicity, cost-effectiveness, and non-immunogenic characteristics in the biological environment. Among various biomedical applications, a breakthrough has been achieved in the development of drug delivery systems (DDS). Biocompatibility is necessary for treating a disease safely without any adverse effects. Some components in DDS respond to the physiological environment, such as pH, temperature, and functional group at the target, which facilitates targeted drug release. NM-based DDS is being applied for treating cancer, arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, and dermal and ophthalmic diseases. Metal nanomaterials and carbon quantum dots are synthesized and stabilized using functional molecules extracted from natural sources. Polymers, mucilage and gums, exosomes, and molecules with biological activities are directly derived from natural sources. In DDS, these functional components have been used as drug carriers, imaging agents, targeting moieties, and super disintegrants. Plant extracts, biowaste, biomass, and microorganisms have been used as the natural source for obtaining these NMs. This review highlights the natural sources, synthesis, and application of metallic materials, polymeric materials, carbon dots, mucilage and gums, and exosomes in DDS. Aside from that, challenges and future perspectives on using natural resources for DDS are also discussed.

An overview of wireless structural health monitoring for civil structures.

Wireless monitoring has emerged in recent years as a promising technology that could greatly impact the field of structural monitoring and infrastructure asset management. This paper is a summary of research efforts that have resulted in the design of numerous wireless sensing unit prototypes explicitly intended for implementation in civil structures. Wireless sensing units integrate wireless communications and mobile computing with sensors to deliver a relatively inexpensive sensor platform. A key design feature of wireless sensing units is the collocation of computational power and sensors; the tight integration of computing with a wireless sensing unit provides sensors with the opportunity to self-interrogate measurement data. In particular, there is strong interest in using wireless sensing units to build structural health monitoring systems that interrogate structural data for signs of damage. After the hardware and the software designs of wireless sensing units are completed, the Alamosa Canyon Bridge in New Mexico is utilized to validate their accuracy and reliability. To improve the ability of low-cost wireless sensing units to detect the onset of structural damage, the wireless sensing unit paradigm is extended to include the capability to command actuators and active sensors.