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Investigations into lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs) has focused primarily on the initial conversion of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) to Li2S2. However, the subsequent solid–solid reaction from Li2S2 to Li2S and the Li2S decomposition process should be equally prioritized. Creating a virtuous cycle by balancing all three chemical reaction processes is crucial for realizing practical LSBs. Herein, amorphous Ni3B in synergy with carbon nanotubes (aNi3B@CNTs) is proposed to implement the consecutive catalysis of S8(solid) → LiPSs(liquid) → Li2S(solid) →LiPSs(liquid). Systematic theoretical simulations and experimental analyses reveal that aNi3B@CNTs with an isotropic structure and abundant active sites can ensure rapid LiPSs adsorption‐catalysis as well as uniform Li2S precipitation. The uniform Li2S deposition in synergy with catalysis of aNi3B enables instant/complete oxidation of Li2S to LiPSs. The produced LiPSs are again rapidly and uniformly adsorbed for the next sulfur evolution process, thus creating a virtuous cycle for sulfur species conversion. Accordingly, the aNi3B@CNTs‐based cell presents remarkable rate capability, long‐term cycle life, and superior cyclic stability, even under high sulfur loading and extreme temperature environments. This study proposes the significance of creating a virtuous cycle for sulfur species conversion to realize practical LSBs. Virtuous cycle for consecutive electrocatalysis. Specifically, the binary sulfiphilic aNi3B with isotropic structure enables a rapid/uniform LiPSs adsorption. Meanwhile, the superior catalytic capability and ionic/electronic conductivity synergistically facilitated the fast/homogeneous Li2S precipitation. Uniform Li2S deposition helps fully oxidize it to LiPSs, which are quickly and uniformly adsorbed for the next sulfur evolution, creating a virtuous cycle for sulfur species conversion.

Non-typhoidal salmonella can cause serious, life-threatening invasive infections involving the bloodstream and other normally sterile sites. We aimed to systematically review the prevalence of complications and case-fatality ratio (CFR) of non-typhoidal salmonella invasive disease to provide contemporary global estimates and inform the development of vaccine and non-vaccine interventions. We did a global systematic review and meta-analysis of studies investigating the complications and mortality associated with non-typhoidal salmonella invasive disease. We searched Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and PubMed for peer-reviewed, primary research articles published from database inception up to June 4, 2021, with no restrictions on language, country, date, or participant demographics. Only studies reporting the proportion of complications or deaths associated with non-typhoidal salmonella invasive disease, confirmed by culture of samples taken from a normally sterile site (eg, blood or bone marrow) were included. We excluded case reports, case series, policy reports, commentaries, editorials, and conference abstracts. Data on the prevalence of complications and CFR were abstracted. The primary outcomes were to estimate the prevalence of complications and CFR of non-typhoidal salmonella invasive disease. We calculated an overall pooled CFR estimate and pooled CFR stratified by UN region, subregion, age group, and by serovar when available with a random-effects meta-analysis. A risk-of-bias assessment was done, and heterogeneity was assessed with Cochran's Q Test, I2, and τ2. This study was done in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, and is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42020202293. The systematic review returned a total of 8770 records. After duplicates were removed, 5837 titles and abstracts were screened, yielding 84 studies from 35 countries after exclusions. Of these included studies, 77 (91·7%) were hospital-based and 66 (78·6%) were located in Africa or Asia. Among 55 studies reporting non-typhoidal salmonella disease-associated complications, a total of 45 different complications were reported and 1824 complication events were identified among 6974 study participants. The most prevalent complication was septicaemia, occurring in 171 (57·2%) of 299 participants, followed by anaemia in 580 (47·3%) of 1225 participants. From 81 studies reporting the CFR of non-typhoidal salmonella invasive disease, the overall pooled CFR estimate was 14·7% (95% CI 12·2–17·3). When stratified by UN region, the pooled CFR was 17·1% (13·6–21·0) in Africa, 14·0% (9·4–19·4) in Asia, 9·9% (6·4–14·0) in Europe, and 9·6% (0·0–25·1) in the Americas. Of all 84 studies, 66 (78·6%) had an overall high risk of bias, 18 (21·4%) had a moderate risk, and none had a low risk. Substantial heterogeneity (I2>80%) was observed in most (15 [65·2%] of 23) CFR estimates. Complications were frequent among individuals with non-typhoidal salmonella invasive disease and approximately 15% of patients died. Clinicians, especially in African countries, should be aware of non-typhoidal salmonella invasive disease as a cause of severe febrile illness. Prompt diagnoses and management decisions, including empiric antimicrobial therapy, would improve patient outcomes. Additionally, investments in improving clinical microbiology facilities to identify non-typhoidal salmonella and research efforts towards vaccine development and non-vaccine prevention measures would prevent non-typhoidal salmonella invasive disease-associated illness and death. EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.

Molecular imaging with positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a well-established and important in vivo technique to evaluate fundamental biological processes and unravel the role of neurotransmitter receptors in various neuropsychiatric disorders. Specific ligands are available for PET/SPECT studies of dopamine, serotonin, and opiate receptors, but corresponding development of radiotracers for receptors of glutamate, the main excitatory neurotransmitter in mammalian brain, has lagged behind. This state of affairs has persisted despite the central importance of glutamate neurotransmission in brain physiology and in disorders such as stroke, epilepsy, schizophrenia, and neurodegenerative diseases. Recent years have seen extensive efforts to develop useful ligands for molecular imaging of subtypes of the ionotropic (N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), kainate, and AMPA/quisqualate receptors) and metabotropic glutamate receptors (types I, II, and III mGluRs). We now review the state of development of radioligands for glutamate receptor imaging, placing main emphasis on the suitability of available ligands for reliable in vivo applications. We give a brief account of the radiosynthetic approach for selected molecules. In general, with the exception of ligands for the GluN2B subunit of NMDA receptors, there has been little success in developing radiotracers for imaging ionotropic glutamate receptors; failure of ligands for the PCP/MK801 binding site in vivo doubtless relates their dependence on the open, unblocked state of the ion channel. Many AMPA and kainite receptor ligands with good binding properties in vitro have failed to give measurable specific binding in the living brain. This may reflect the challenge of developing brain-penetrating ligands for amino acid receptors, compounded by conformational differences in vivo. The situation is better with respect to mGluR imaging, particularly for the mGluR5 subtype. Several successful PET ligands serve for investigations of mGluRs in conditions such as schizophrenia, depression, substance abuse and aging. Considering the centrality and diversity of glutamatergic signaling in brain function, we have relatively few selective and sensitive tools for molecular imaging of ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors. Further radiopharmaceutical research targeting specific subtypes and subunits of the glutamate receptors may yet open up new investigational vistas with broad applications in basic and clinical research.

Flexible hybrid electronics (FHE), designed in wearable and implantable configurations, have enormous applications in advanced healthcare, rapid disease diagnostics, and persistent human-machine interfaces. Soft, contoured geometries and time-dynamic deformation of the targeted tissues require high flexibility and stretchability of the integrated bioelectronics. Recent progress in developing and engineering soft materials has provided a unique opportunity to design various types of mechanically compliant and deformable systems. Here, we summarize the required properties of soft materials and their characteristics for configuring sensing and substrate components in wearable and implantable devices and systems. Details of functionality and sensitivity of the recently developed FHE are discussed with the application areas in medicine, healthcare, and machine interactions. This review concludes with a discussion on limitations of current materials, key requirements for next generation materials, and new application areas.

Quercetin 3-O-β-D-glucuronide (Q-3-G), the glucuronide conjugate of quercetin, has been reported as having anti-inflammatory properties in the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages, as well as anticancer and antioxidant properties. Unlike quercetin, which has been extensively described to possess a wide range of pharmacological activities including skin protective effects, the pharmacological benefits and mechanisms Q-3-G in the skin remained to be elucidated. This study focused on characterizing the skin protective properties, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, of Q-3-G against UVB-induced or H2O2-induced oxidative stress, the hydration effects, and antimelanogenesis activities using human keratinocytes (HaCaT) and melanoma (B16F10) cells. Q-3-G down-regulated the expression of the pro-inflammatory gene and cytokine such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in H2O2 or UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells. We also showed that Q-3-G exhibits an antioxidant effect using free radical scavenging assays, flow cytometry, and an increased expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2- related factor 2 (Nrf2). Q-3-G reduced melanin production in α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-induced B16F10 cells. The hydration effects and mechanisms of Q-3-G were examined by evaluating the moisturizing factor-related genes, such as transglutaminase-1 (TGM-1), filaggrin (FLG), and hyaluronic acid synthase (HAS)-1. In addition, Q-3-G increased the phosphorylation of c-Jun, Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase 4 (MKK4), and TAK1, involved in the MAPKs/AP-1 pathway, and the phosphorylation of IκBα, IκB kinase (IKK)-α, Akt, and Src, involved in the NF-κB pathway. Taken together, we have demonstrated that Q-3-G exerts anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, moisturizing, and antimelanogenesis properties in human keratinocytes and melanoma cells through NF-κB and AP-1 pathways.

Pedestrian accidents involving heavy vehicles such as trucks and buses remain a critical safety issue, primarily due to structural blind spots. While existing systems like radar-based FCW and BSD have been adopted, they are not fully optimized for pedestrian detection, particularly under adverse weather conditions. This study focused on the empirical validation of a 360-degree pedestrian collision avoidance system using multichannel ultrasonic sensors specifically designed for heavy-duty vehicles. Eight sensors were strategically positioned to ensure full spatial coverage, and scenario-based field experiments were conducted under controlled rain (50 mm/h) and fog (visibility <30 m) conditions. Pedestrian detection performance was evaluated across six distance intervals (50–300 cm) using indicators such as mean absolute error (MAE), coefficient of variation (CV), and false-negative rate (FNR). The results demonstrated that the system maintained average accuracy of 97.5% even under adverse weather. Although rain affected near-range detection (FNR up to 17.5% at 100 cm), performance remained robust at mid-to-long ranges. Fog conditions led to lower variance and fewer detection failures. These empirical findings demonstrate the system’s effectiveness and robustness in real-world conditions and emphasize the importance of evaluating both distance accuracy and detection reliability in pedestrian safety applications.

Cholera is a significant health risk for low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), and the threat of outbreaks is likely to increase due to climate change. To keep up to date with the link between water quality and cholera, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to update a previous review while only focusing on water-related exposures. We searched Embase, Web of Science and PubMed for literature published between 2016 and 2022. Search terms were consistent with the previous review. Study quality was assessed using the Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies - of Exposures (ROBINS-E). Water-related exposures were categorized according to the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (JMP) and further divided by the service ladder. Odds ratios were extracted and pooled by performing random-effects meta-analysis. We identified 22 new eligible studies and analysed them in addition to the 45 studies included in the previous review. Analyses revealed higher odds of cholera when consuming sachet water (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.13 to 2.52), unimproved water (OR = 2.91, 95% CI: 1.21 to 7.02), surface water (OR = 3.40, 95% CI: 2.52 to 4.58), and untreated water (OR = 2.51, 95% CI: 2.03 to 3.10). Meanwhile, treating water (OR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.27 to 0.65) by boiling (OR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.17 to 0.84) or chlorination (OR = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.17 to 0.83), and drinking basic water (OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.27 to 0.69) showed protection. Water-related exposures were prioritized to synthesize the evidence on cholera transmission through drinking water, with sanitation and hygiene as additional risk factors. While the JMP service ladder provided a useful classification framework, context-specific differences in infrastructure and interpretation should be considered when evaluating these findings. Pooled estimates changed with updated evidence while qualitative insights on the protective or risk factors remain valid. Relatively low-cost methods like boiling or chlorinating water provide good protection comparable to providing basic water to the public.

Background Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) play a pivotal role in controlling typhoid fever, as it is primarily transmitted through oral-fecal pathways. Given our constrained resources, staying current with the most recent research is crucial. This ensures we remain informed about practical insights regarding effective typhoid fever control strategies across various WASH components. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control studies to estimate the associations of water, sanitation, and hygiene exposures with typhoid fever. Methods We updated the previous review conducted by Brockett et al. We included new findings published between June 2018 and October 2022 in Web of Science, Embase, and PubMed. We used the Risk of Bias in Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool for risk of bias (ROB) assessment. We classified WASH exposures according to the classification provided by the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (JMP) update in 2015. We conducted the meta-analyses by only including studies that did not have a critical ROB in both Bayesian and frequentist random-effects models. Results We identified 8 new studies and analyzed 27 studies in total. Our analyses showed that while the general insights on the protective (or harmful) impact of improved (or unimproved) WASH remain the same, the pooled estimates of OR differed. Pooled estimates of limited hygiene (OR = 2.26, 95% CrI: 1.38 to 3.64), untreated water (OR = 1.96, 95% CrI: 1.28 to 3.27) and surface water (OR = 2.14, 95% CrI: 1.03 to 4.06) showed 3% increase, 18% decrease, and 16% increase, respectively, from the existing estimates. On the other hand, improved WASH reduced the odds of typhoid fever with pooled estimates for improved water source (OR = 0.54, 95% CrI: 0.31 to 1.08), basic hygiene (OR = 0.6, 95% CrI: 0.38 to 0.97) and treated water (OR = 0.54, 95% CrI: 0.36 to 0.8) showing 26% decrease, 15% increase, and 8% decrease, respectively, from the existing estimates. Conclusions The updated pooled estimates of ORs for the association of WASH with typhoid fever showed clear changes from the existing estimates. Our study affirms that relatively low-cost WASH strategies such as basic hygiene or water treatment can be an effective tool to provide protection against typhoid fever in addition to other resource-intensive ways to improve WASH. Trial registration PROSPERO 2021 CRD42021271881.

Chikungunya is an arboviral disease transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes with a growing global burden linked to climate change and globalisation. We aimed to estimate chikungunya seroprevalence, force of infection (FOI), and prevalence of related chronic disability and hospital admissions in endemic and epidemic settings. In this systematic review, meta-analysis, and modelling study, we searched PubMed, Ovid, and Web of Science for articles published from database inception until Sept 26, 2022, for prospective and retrospective cross-sectional studies that addressed serological chikungunya virus infection in any geographical region, age group, and population subgroup and for longitudinal prospective and retrospective cohort studies with data on chronic chikungunya or hospital admissions in people with chikungunya. We did a systematic review of studies on chikungunya seroprevalence and fitted catalytic models to each survey to estimate location-specific FOI (ie, the rate at which susceptible individuals acquire chikungunya infection). We performed a meta-analysis to estimate the proportion of symptomatic patients with laboratory-confirmed chikungunya who had chronic chikungunya or were admitted to hospital following infection. We used a random-effects model to assess the relationship between chronic sequelae and follow-up length using linear regression. The systematic review protocol is registered online on PROSPERO, CRD42022363102. We identified 60 studies with data on seroprevalence and chronic chikungunya symptoms done across 76 locations in 38 countries, and classified 17 (22%) of 76 locations as endemic settings and 59 (78%) as epidemic settings. The global long-term median annual FOI was 0·007 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 0·003–0·010) and varied from 0·0001 (0·00004–0·0002) to 0·113 (0·07–0·20). The highest estimated median seroprevalence at age 10 years was in south Asia (8·0% [95% UI 6·5–9·6]), followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (7·8% [4·9–14·6]), whereas median seroprevalence was lowest in the Middle East (1·0% [0·5–1·9]). We estimated that 51% (95% CI 45–58) of people with laboratory-confirmed symptomatic chikungunya had chronic disability after infection and 4% (3–5) were admitted to hospital following infection. We inferred subnational heterogeneity in long-term average annual FOI and transmission dynamics and identified both endemic and epidemic settings across different countries. Brazil, Ethiopia, Malaysia, and India included both endemic and epidemic settings. Long-term average annual FOI was higher in epidemic settings than endemic settings. However, long-term cumulative incidence of chikungunya can be similar between large outbreaks in epidemic settings with a high FOI and endemic settings with a relatively low FOI. International Vaccine Institute.

A recent development in portable biosensors allows rapid, accurate, and on-site detection of biomarkers, which helps to prevent disease spread by the control of sources. Less invasive sample collection is necessary to use portable biosensors in remote environments for accurate on-site diagnostics and testing. For non- or minimally invasive sampling, easily accessible body fluids, such as saliva, sweat, blood, or urine, have been utilized. It is also imperative to find accurate biomarkers to provide better clinical intervention and treatment at the onset of disease. At the same time, these reliable biomarkers can be utilized to monitor the progress of the disease. In this review, we summarize the most recent development of portable biosensors to detect various biomarkers accurately. In addition, we discuss ongoing issues and limitations of the existing systems and methods. Lastly, we present the key requirements of portable biosensors and discuss ideas for functional enhancements.