Search Results (47)

Long COVID, defined by the National Academies of Sciences as an infection-associated chronic condition persisting at least three months following SARS-CoV-2 infection, presents a growing public health challenge. Despite national prevalence estimates of 11 to 15 percent among U.S. adults who have had COVID-19, the general population estimates of approximately 5 to 7 percent population-level symptom burden in diverse metropolitan areas remain insufficiently characterized. A cross-sectional survey was administered to adults residing in Houston and Harris County. Participants self-reported infection history, persistent symptoms lasting at least 90 days, health status, access to care, and functional impacts. Descriptive statistics summarize infected and affected, symptom frequency, and functional limitations. Of 264 eligible respondents who tested positive for COVID and rated the worst symptoms, 92 (34.85 percent) met the operational definition of Long COVID, representing an estimated sample-based prevalence of 16.91 percent across all 544 survey respondents. Given the use of convenience sampling, this figure should be interpreted as descriptive of this sample rather than as a generalized population-level estimate. Fatigue was the most reported persistent symptom (69.32 percent), followed by brain fog (62.5 percent), shortness of breath (48.84 percent), headache or migraine (43.02 percent), and joint or muscle pain (41.38 percent). Cognitive and functional symptoms predominate over respiratory symptoms. These findings demonstrate a substantial burden of persistent, multisystem symptoms in a sample of community-dwelling urban adults, highlighting the need for longitudinal research and targeted public health strategies to address long-term consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection in diverse metropolitan settings. Full article

The nineteenth century witnessed a significant transnational movement of European musicians and their pedagogical traditions across continents. Among the figures who contributed to this process, the Belgian flutist and composer Mathieu-André Reichert (1830–1880) occupies a distinctive position—trained in the Franco-Belgian tradition, he emigrated to Brazil, where he introduced the Boehm-system flute and produced pedagogical materials that continue to be used in flute education across a range of national traditions. This study examines Reichert’s method, 7 Exercices Journaliers pour la Flûte, Op. 5, from dual perspectives: a structural–pedagogical analysis of the seven exercises and a cultural–historical contextualization of the method’s transnational circulation. Designed as a qualitative research study, this work employed document analysis as the data collection tool and thematic analysis as the method for data analysis and interpretation. The B. Schott’s Söhne (Mainz) edition of the method was examined as the primary source; secondary data was obtained from articles, theses, books, and digital sources. Each exercise was examined in terms of structural characteristics—including meter, metronome speed, melodic patterns, and harmonic structure—and the technical demands and potential pedagogical applications associated with articulation, tongue–finger coordination, lip flexibility, and breath control. The findings reveal that the method possesses a distinctive structural organization that systematically cycles through all keys, employs a different melodic pattern in each exercise, and consistently embeds technical demands within harmonic and melodic contexts. Beyond its pedagogical content, the study traces the method’s cultural trajectory—from its composition in nineteenth-century Brazil through its adoption by French school luminaries, such as Marcel Moyse, Michel Debost, and Trevor Wye, to its current use in music education programs across diverse cultural contexts, including Türkiye. The convergence of structural–pedagogical and cultural–historical analysis suggests that the method’s continued relevance across diverse teaching traditions reflects not only its coherent structural design but also broader processes of cultural transfer, the mobility of musicians and their pedagogical ideas, and the formation of transnational pedagogical networks in instrumental music education. Full article

The demand for a versatile and portable point-of-use (POU) sensor platform has surged due to the pandemic, especially in countries with limited medical laboratory facilities. We recently unveiled a portable, non-planar, interdigitated, flow-through, porous electrode platform that automatically measures electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) signals from various biomarkers. However, the packed powder exhibited a loss of performance over time due to displacement, leaching, and poor stability. Herein, we modified the packing strategy by synthesizing the sensing material within the channel, thereby improving adhesion, structural integrity, and stability. Leveraging the exceptional thermal stability, mechanical strength, and chemical resistance of polyimide (PI), we developed a novel fabrication approach that combines liquid-phase inversion and breath-figure techniques to create a porous PI manifold with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) under varying humidity conditions. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis revealed that lower relative humidity (RH) conditions yield larger but less uniformly distributed pores, leading to increased channel pressure. The manifold demonstrated exceptional stability under rigorous flow conditions, withstanding a high flow rate of 30 µL/min while maintaining consistent pressure-EIS responses. The device produced a measurable proof-of-concept impedance response following exposure to a femtomolar concentration of complementary target ssDNA in 1× PBS within 15 min. A formal limit of detection was not determined in the present study. We developed a mechanically stable sensor design with improved durability under repeated flow conditions by systematically optimizing synthesis conditions and manifold configuration. This innovative fabrication strategy demonstrates the importance of packing methodology in sensor design and paves the way for robust, scalable, and efficient diagnostic solutions in resource-limited settings. Full article

Against the backdrop of China’s dual-carbon strategy and the development of green transportation, systematic research on direct pavement carbon absorption and sequestration remains limited. Traditional epoxy resin coatings, owing to their dense structure, poor air permeability, and single functionality, fail to meet the requirements for pavement carbon absorption. To address this issue, an ordered, honeycomb-like, porous epoxy carbon-absorbing coating was prepared using bisphenol A epoxy resin as the matrix and diethylenetriamine as the curing agent through the breath-figure method. The pore-formation mechanism and the process regulation principles of the coating were systematically elucidated. Key preparation parameters (ambient humidity, dispersion concentration, and spray dosage) were regulated, and multiple microscopic characterization methods, including SEM, FTIR, and TG, were adopted to comprehensively explore the influences of preparation parameters on the coating’s microstructure, chemical composition, and thermal stability. Experimental results indicate that under optimized process conditions, a honeycomb-like porous coating with uniform pore size and regular arrangement can be fabricated. The fabrication procedure features simple operation, favorable controllability, and low cost. The breath-figure method was successfully applied to the preparation of a porous epoxy carbon-absorbing coating, achieving controllable regulation of the porous structure and thereby effectively overcoming the limitations imposed by the dense nature of traditional epoxy coatings. Consequently, this work provides new technical concepts and data support for the development and application of low-carbon functional coatings for pavements. Full article

A prism-coupled surface plasmon resonance (SPR) platform was assessed for detecting dilute acetone in liquid samples representative of condensed exhaled breath. The study combines transfer-matrix Fresnel calculations with wavelength-interrogated experiments performed with a PMMA prism and a nominal 50 nm Au layer. The numerical analysis was used to examine the resonance position, line broadening, minimum reflectance, sensitivity, and figure of merit as a function of optical and material parameters. Experimentally, aqueous acetone solutions spanning 1.8–90 ppm were analyzed. The resonance band shifted systematically toward longer wavelengths as the acetone content increased, and reproducible spectral changes were obtained for concentrations down to approximately 9 ppm using the present optical setup. From the measured spectral slope and baseline fluctuations, the statistical limit of detection was estimated to be close to 1 ppm, whereas the practical limit was governed mainly by spectrometer resolution and low-concentration signal separation. These results establish a reproducible reference for non-functionalized Au/PMMA SPR sensing of acetone in condensed breath-like aqueous media. Full article

Indoor air quality (IAQ) research remains divided across three separate streams: sensor-based monitoring, CFD simulation, and occupant-centered evaluation. This separation limits how readily technical measurements translate into actionable building guidance. To assess this divide, a systematic review and critical synthesis of 192 peer-reviewed studies was conducted, with each study categorized by which domain or domains it addressed. This categorization shows that fewer than 8% integrate all three—a figure derived directly from the classification rather than asserted independently of it. Accuracy itself proves uneven: under specific operational and environmental conditions reported in the literature, low-cost particulate sensors have been found to underestimate PM_2.5 by as much as 50%, and wall-mounted placements often misrepresent breathing-zone exposure. These limitations carry into simulation, where the k–ω SST model persists as the practical standard despite Large Eddy Simulation’s superior accuracy at two orders of magnitude greater computational cost. Building these findings, the review proposes a Tripartite IAQ Assessment Framework (TIAF) synchronizing sensor protocols, simulation outputs, and occupant surveys, addressing a regulatory tendency to privilege instrument metrics over lived experience. Implications extend to IAQ-responsive digital twins and post-pandemic governance, resolving the “stuffy-but-clean” paradox through validated, cross-domain integration. Full article

(1) Background: The development of biodegradable polymers with enhanced functionality is critical for advancing sustainable packaging technologies. This study addresses the challenge of simultaneously improving the structural rigidity and functional performance of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) materials. (2) Methods: Cellulose nanowhisker (CNW) and TiO₂ nanoparticle (Nano-TiO₂) reinforced PLA porous composite films were fabricated via a nanoparticle-assisted breath figure method. The effects of these hybrid nanoparticles on the morphology, thermal stability, and structure of the resulting composites were systematically investigated. (3) Results: The incorporation of CNWs and Nano-TiO₂ played a dual role: they acted as Pickering-like stabilizers at the water/polymer interface, preventing droplet coalescence and facilitating the formation of a well-defined honeycomb-like porous structure. They also significantly enhanced the relative crystallinity of the PLA matrix from 20.26% to 36.31%, owing to the heterogeneous nucleation effect. Consequently, the mechanical properties were significantly enhanced, with the maximum tensile strength and Young’s modulus increasing by 123.3% and 21.9%, respectively. Furthermore, the composite films exhibited excellent UV-shielding performance, achieving an SR UV-B of 97.6%. (4) Conclusions: The synergistic reinforcement of CNWs and Nano-TiO₂ effectively endows PLA composites with superior mechanical properties and functional protection. These findings establish the CNWs-Nano-TiO₂/PLA composite film as a promising candidate for high-performance smart packaging applications. Full article

Medieval liturgical exegesis presents a striking interpretative paradox: Advent, the opening season of the liturgical year, falls within the autumn–winter period and yet is frequently understood as a tempus renovationis, a time of renewal analogous to spring. This study argues that such an association is not merely a poetic metaphor, but the result of a liturgical and theological reconfiguration of time grounded in the adventus Domini. Focusing especially on the liturgical commentaries of Prepositinus of Cremona and related exegetical traditions, the article examines how the symbolic code of spring, widely attested in medieval cultural and poetic sources, is assumed and transformed within the liturgical sphere. It then considers chant as one of the principal media through which this renewed temporal condition becomes perceptible in ecclesial practice. Particular attention is given to the introit Ad te levavi, read as the sung threshold of the liturgical year, in which prophetic promise, ecclesial response, renewed breath, and ascensional movement converge. The analysis is finally extended to manuscript culture, where enlarged initials, figural programs, and the notated shaping of the incipit contribute to the visual and aural articulation of the same theological logic. The study concludes that the “spring” of Advent is best understood not as a merely seasonal analogy, but as a coordinated symbolic and liturgical phenomenon articulated across exegesis, chant, and manuscript mediation. Full article

The Xingqi (行气, breath circulation) pattern bronze mirrors of the Song Dynasty (960–1279 CE) represent a distinctive category of Daoist material culture in southern China. Despite their unique iconography, systematic research on their functions and religious significance has been lacking. This study examines sixteen Xingqi pattern bronze mirrors through iconographic analysis and textual research, integrating evidence from surviving Daoist scriptures and ritual manuals. Two primary types are identified: the “Tortoise-Swallowing and Crane-Breathing Style” and the “Sun and Moon Observing Style”. The former depicts practitioners imitating the breathing techniques of tortoises and cranes, while the latter shows figures gazing upward to ingest the essences of the sun and moon. Both motifs continue earlier health preservation traditions from the Pre-Qin (221–207 BCE) through Han dynasties, adapted within the Northern and Southern Song context. These mirrors were specifically used by Daoists along the middle Yangtze River for inner alchemy cultivation, particularly in visualized Cunsi (存思, contemplation practices). They were predominantly passed down through generations rather than buried, explaining their scarcity in archaeological contexts. These artifacts illuminate how Song Daoism translated abstract philosophical concepts into tangible, operable practices through material imagery. They provide new physical evidence for understanding historical Daoist cultivation methods and the materialization of religious experience. Full article

This work investigates the use of two photoactive polymers, functionalized with quantum dots (QDs) (ZnS and CdTe/ZnS), to develop optical sensing hydrogel films through their interactions. It examines their responses to light stimulation for potential biological applications. The optical and morphological properties of the films were studied, revealing photoactive surfaces. The photoactive copolymers were synthesized based on poly(maleic anhydride-alt-2-methyl-2-butene), P(MAn-alt-2MB), and poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene), P(MAn-alt-OD), by attaching the photochromic agent, 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3,3-dimethylindoline-6-nitrobenzo pyran (SP). Subsequently, QD nanoparticles (ZnS or CdTe/ZnS NPs) were incorporated into the polymer solutions in the presence of a crosslinker agent, and were then spin-coated onto glass substrates under suitable conditions to produce porous-patterned films. These films were created using a one-step bio-inspired process called the breath figure (BF) method. SEM images of QD-containing samples show a photoactive porous surface resulting from a synergistic interaction between the components. The reversibility of these macroscopic properties results from photoinduced transformations at the molecular level. The light-emitting properties of the films were characterized by blue and violet fluorescence under UV light. Advances in film-forming techniques enable the creation of functional structures with important applications, such as microstructured hydrogel films for biological uses. Full article

This article, Queering Militarism in Israeli Photography, examines Adi Nes’s Soldiers series, a body of work that interrogates the intersections of queerness, militarism, and nationalism within Israeli society. By employing a distinctive “military circus” aesthetic, Nes challenges the rigid heteronormative and hyper-masculine archetypes embedded in Israeli military identity. His staged photographs depict soldiers in circus-inspired performative poses, blending military discipline with elements of the carnivalesque to subvert conventional representations of military masculinity. This approach creates spaces where queerness, vulnerability, and fluid identity defy the rigid confines of nationalist narratives. Using queer studies frameworks, performance theory, and postcolonial critique, this article analyzes Nes’s depiction of soldiers as both military subjects and circus performers, examining how these representations disrupt the “naturalness” of gender, power, and identity within the Israeli national ethos. Through a close reading of key images—such as the fire-breathing soldier, the acrobat on a tightrope, and the strongman figure—this article argues that Nes critiques homonationalism and exposes the co-optation of LGBTQ+ identities into militaristic frameworks. His images juxtapose exaggerated masculinity with homoerotic and introspective vulnerability, positioning the queer body as both a participant in and a subverter of the national narrative. Drawing on contemporary queer theory—including José Esteban Muñoz’s concept of “disidentification”, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick’s theories of queer shame and performativity, and perspectives on temporality, failure, and counterpublics following Elizabeth Freeman, Jack Halberstam, Michael Warner, and Sara Ahmed—this article frames queerness as an active site of resistance and creative transformation within the Israeli military complex. The analysis reveals how Nes’s work disrupts Zionist masculinities and traditional militaristic structures through a hybrid aesthetic of military and circus life. By reimagining Israeli identity as an inclusive, multi-dimensional construct, Nes expands queer possibilities beyond heteronormative confines and homonationalist alignments. This merging of critical queer perspectives—from the destabilizing of discipline and shame to the public visibility of non-normative bodies—posits that queer identities can permeate and reshape state power itself, challenging not only the norms of militaristic nationalism but also the boundaries of Israeli selfhood. Full article

Background: Ischemic heart disease (IHD) impacts the quality of life and is the most frequently reported cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Aims: To assess the changes in the exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in patients with vs. without ischemic heart disease (IHD) confirmed by stress computed tomography myocardial perfusion (CTP) imaging. Objectives: IHD early diagnosis and management remain underestimated due to the poor diagnostic and therapeutic strategies including the primary prevention methods. Materials and Methods: A single center observational study included 80 participants. The participants were aged ≥ 40 years and given an informed written consent to participate in the study and publish any associated figures. Both groups, G1 (n = 31) with and G2 (n = 49) without post stress-induced myocardial perfusion defect, passed cardiologist consultation, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure and pulse rate measurements, echocardiography, real time breathing at rest into PTR-TOF-MS-1000, cardio-ankle vascular index, bicycle ergometry, and immediately after performing bicycle ergometry repeating the breathing analysis into the PTR-TOF-MS-1000, and after three minutes from the end of the second breath, repeat the breath into the PTR-TOF-MS-1000, then performing CTP. LASSO regression with nested cross-validation was used to find the association between the exhaled VOCs and existence of myocardial perfusion defect. Statistical processing performed with R programming language v4.2 and Python v.3.10 [^R], STATISTICA program v.12, and IBM SPSS v.28. Results: The VOCs specificity 77.6% [95% confidence interval (CI); 0.666; 0.889], sensitivity 83.9% [95% CI; 0.692; 0.964], and diagnostic accuracy; area under the curve (AUC) 83.8% [95% CI; 0.73655857; 0.91493173]. Whereas the AUC of the bicycle ergometry 50.7% [95% CI; 0.388; 0.625], specificity 53.1% [95% CI; 0.392; 0.673], and sensitivity 48.4% [95% CI; 0.306; 0.657]. Conclusions: The VOCs analysis appear to discriminate individuals with vs. without IHD using machine learning models. Other: The exhaled breath analysis reflects the myocardiocytes metabolomic signature and related intercellular homeostasis changes and regulation perturbances. Exhaled breath analysis poses a promise result to improve the diagnostic accuracy of the physical stress tests using machine learning models. Full article

Developing efficient anti-microbials for thoroughly addressing Salmonella contamination is essential for the improvement of food safety. Phage-built materials have shown great potential for biocontrol in environments. Due to challenges in delivery and stability, their widespread use has remained unattainable. Here, we have developed a honeycomb film template-based method for the high-throughput preparation of phage microgels. The honeycomb film template can be simply fabricated in a humid chamber based on a well-established breath figure method. The bacteriophage microgels can be further manufactured by dropping a pre-gelation solution containing bacteriophages into a honeycomb film template. This method can produce over 210,000 phage microgels in every square centimeter template with each microgel containing 1.04 × 10⁷ phages. They can kill 99.90% of the contaminated S. typhimurium 14,028 on chicken samples. This simple, heat-free, and solvent-free method can maintain the strong anti-bacterial efficiency of phages, which can expand the wide application of phage-built microgels for food decontamination. Full article

Kidney diseases are a group of conditions related to the functioning of kidneys, which are in turn unable to properly filter waste and excessive fluids from the blood, resulting in the presence of dangerous levels of electrolytes, fluids, and waste substances in the human body, possibly leading to significant health effects. At the same time, the toxins amassing in the organism can lead to significant changes in breath composition, resulting in halitosis with peculiar features like the popular ammonia breath. Starting from this evidence, scientists have started to work on systems that can detect the presence of kidney diseases using a minimally invasive approach, minimizing the burden to the individuals, albeit providing clinicians with useful information about the disease’s presence or its main related features. The electronic nose (e-nose) is one of such tools, and its applications in this specific domain represent the core of the present review, performed on articles published in the last 20 years on humans to stay updated with the latest technological advancements, and conducted under the PRISMA guidelines. This review focuses not only on the chemical and physical principles of detection of such compounds (mainly ammonia), but also on the most popular data processing approaches adopted by the research community (mainly those relying on Machine Learning), to draw exhaustive conclusions about the state of the art and to figure out possible cues for future developments in the field. Full article

Illicit drug use is common among attendees of electronic dance music (EDM) festivals, but is often significantly underreported by participants. The current study aimed to compare the prevalence and over- and under-reporting of illicit drug use among attendees at EDM festivals in two European countries with distinct drug laws and cultures. Self-reported data regarding recent drug use were collected through interviews. Participants’ blood alcohol concentrations were measured using a breathalyzer. Recent illicit drug use was assessed through sampling microparticles in the breath and consequent off-site analysis through liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectroscopy. Illicit drug use was higher in Belgium than in Sweden as indicated by self-reports (56.8 vs. 4.3%) and drug testing (37.2 vs. 12.5%). Underreporting was higher in Sweden than in Belgium; in Sweden, only 2.6% reported taking an illicit drug other than cannabis, whereas 11.6% tested positive, while the corresponding figures in Belgium were 36.5% and 36.9%. In both countries, results from self-reporting and drug testing for specific drugs matched poorly at the individual level, indicating unwitting consumption of substances. This study indicates that the drug use prevalence and the likelihood of disclosure may differ between countries or cultures, which should be considered when choosing methods to investigate drug use prevalence. Full article