Methyl Mercaptan is a sulfur-based chemical found as a co-product in produced natural gas and causes corrosion in pipelines, storage tanks, catalysts, and solid adsorption beds. To improve the quality of methane produced, researchers studied the use of metal oxides and aluminum silicates as catalysts for removing mercaptan. However, there are restricted limitations on the efficiency of metal oxides or aluminum silicates as adsorbents for this particular application. Therefore, this study investigated the performance of these materials in a fixed-bed reactor with simulated natural gas streams under various operating conditions. The testing procedure includes a detailed assessment of the adsorbent/catalysts by several techniques, such as Braeuer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (EDS), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. The result revealed that metal oxides such as copper, manganese, and zinc performed well in methyl mercaptan elimination. The addition of manganese, copper, and zinc oxides to the aluminum silicate surface resulted in a sulfur capacity of 1226 mg S/g of catalyst. These findings provide critical insights for the development of catalysts that combine metal oxides to increase adsorption while reducing the production of byproducts like dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) during methyl mercaptan removal.

Breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP) is a temporary exacerbation of pain that "breaks through" a phase of adequate pain control by an opioid-based therapy. The non-predictable BTcP (NP-BTcP) is a subtype of BTcP that occurs in the absence of any specific activity. Since NP-BTcP has an important clinical impact, this analysis is aimed at characterizing the NP-BTcP phenomenon through a multidimensional statistical technique. This is a secondary analysis based on the Italian Oncologic Pain multiSetting - Multicentric Survey (IOPS-MS) . A correlation analysis was performed to characterize NP-BTcP profile about its intensity, number of episodes per day, and type. The Multidimensional Correspondence Analysis (MCA) determined the identification of 4 groups (Phenotypes). A univariate analysis was performed to assess differences between the 4 Phenotypes and selected covariates. The four phenotypes represent the hierarchical classification according to the status of NP-BTcP: from the best (Phenotype 1) to the worst (Phenotype 4). The univariate analysis found a significant association between the onset time >10 min in the Phenotype 1 (37.3%) vs. the onset ≤ 10 min in Phenotype 4 (74.2%) (p<0.001). The Phenotype 1 was characterized by gastrointestinal type of cancer (26.4%) respect to Phenotype 4 where the most frequent cancer affected the lung (28.8%) (p<0.001). Phenotype 4 was mainly managed with rapid onset opioids, while in Phenotype 1 many patients were treated with oral, subcutaneous, or intravenous morphine (56.4% and 44.4%, respectively; p=0.008). The ability to characterize NP-BTcP can offer enormous benefits for the management of this serious aspect of cancer pain. This strategy can provide many indications for identifying the diagnostic and therapeutic gaps on NP-BTcP management.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating mental health disorder that causes significant dysfunction in individuals. Currently, there are many approved Pharmacotherapy and Psychotherapy treatment options for PTSD, but unfortunately, half of the patients do not respond to traditional therapies. In this article, we reviewed clinical trials and research on 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) assisted Psychotherapy in PTSD patients, its pharmacokinetics and current treatment guidelines for PTSD. Based on the results of the efficacy of MDMA assisted Psychotherapy from six phases II Randomized controlled trials. MDMA-assisted Psychotherapy for PTSD has received the “Breakthrough Therapy” designation from the FDA. MDMA can potentially reduce PTSD symptoms even in treatment-resistant cases by increasing certain neurohormones, i.e. dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine and oxytocin. It also modulates activities in the brain regions involved in fear and anxiety. Future research is needed to show whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and whether its use can be integrated into available treatment options for PTSD.

This study examines a case involving a 7-year-old child who developed dengue symptoms following Qdenga vaccination. Despite initial negative diagnostic results, molecular analysis confirmed an infection with DENV4. Next-generation sequencing detected viral RNA from both DENV2 and DENV4 serotypes, which were identified as vaccine-derived strains using specific primers. Phylogenetic analysis further confirmed that these sequences belonged to the Qdenga vaccine rather than circulating wild-type viruses. This case underscores the critical need for precise diagnostic interpretation in vaccinated individuals to avoid misdiagnosis and to strengthen public health surveillance. A comprehensive understanding of vaccine-induced viremia is essential for refining dengue surveillance, improving diagnostic accuracy, and informing public health strategies in endemic regions.

The high transmissibility, rapid evolution, and immune escape of SARS-CoV-2 variants can influence the course of infection and, in turn, morbidity and mortality in COVID-19, posing a challenge in controlling transmission rates and contributing to the emergence and spread of new variants. The factors that shape viral genetic variation are consequently essential for understanding the evolution and transmission of SARS-CoV-2, especially in vaccinated individuals where immune response plays a role in the progression and spread of this disease. This study assessed. In this context, we evaluated the impact of immunity induced by the CoronaVac vaccine (Butantan/Sinovac) on intra-host genetic diversity, analyzing 118 whole-genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2 from unvaccinated and vaccinated patients infected with the Gamma variant. Vaccination with CoronaVac favors negative selection at the intra-host level in different genomic regions and prevent greater genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2, which may help reduce the emergence of new mutations, reinforcing the importance of vaccination in reducing virus transmission.

The present work analyses the behaviour of an activated carbon fabricated from almond shell for the removal of cationic dyes (methylene blue and malachite green) by adsorption from aqueous solutions. The carbonized precursor was activated with KOH at a 1:1 (w/w) ratio with the objective of increasing both surface area and pore volume. Both non-activated and activated carbon were characterized in different aspects of interest in dye adsorption studies (surface structure, point of zero charge, surface area, pore size distribution). The effect of dye initial concentration and adsorbent dosage upon dye removal efficiency and carbon adsorption capacity has been studied. Adsorption kinetics was analysed under different experimental conditions and different models were essayed to determine the adsorption mechanism. Dye adsorption in the adsorbent surface could be considered the rate-limiting step. Adsorption equilibrium isotherms have also been obtained, and Langmuir and Freundlich equations showed the best fitting to the experimental data. Moreover, Adsorption kinetic and equilibrium data have been used to simulate breakthrough curves in a packed-bed column using different conditions (bed length, liquid flowrate, dye initial concentration). Simulation results showed that almond shell activated carbon is a suitable adsorbent for methylene blue and malachite green removal from wastewater.

Objective: Spontaneous infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) after mRNA vaccination causes a marked increase in antibody titer because of the combined effect of vaccine and infection (“hybrid immunity”). In this study, we discuss the significance of the mRNA vaccine booster inoculation that has been repeatedly performed in Japan.Methods: We describe the temporal trends of antibody titers in cases in which antibody titers were markedly increased by hybrid immunization.Results: The antibody titer increased with hybrid immunization and tended to decrease with time. However, several cases maintained high antibody titers for approximately one year after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 diagnosis), even without booster vaccination.Conclusions: Most Japanese patients naturally infected with COVID-19 were infected after mRNA vaccination, and many maintained high antibody titers due to hybrid immunity. The significance of additional vaccination in hybrid-immunized cases is highly questionable regarding cost-effectiveness and risk-benefit.

Breakthrough invasive fungal infections (bIFI) cause significant morbidity and mortality. Their diagnosis can be challenging due to reduced sensitivity of conventional culture techniques, serologic tests, and PCR-based assays in patients on antifungal therapy, and their diagnosis can be delayed contributing to poor patient outcomes. In this review, we provide consensus recommendations on behalf of the European Confederation for Medical Mycology (ECMM) for the diagnosis of bIFI caused by invasive yeasts, molds, and endemic mycoses, to guide diagnostic efforts in patients receiving antifungals and support the design of future clinical trials in the field of clinical mycology. The cornerstone of lab-based diagnosis of breakthrough infections for yeast and endemic mycoses remain conventional culture, to accurately identify the causative pathogen and allow for antifungal susceptibility testing. The impact of non-culture-based methods are not well-studied for the definite diagnosis of breakthrough invasive yeast infections. Non-culture-based methods have an important role for the diagnosis of breakthrough invasive mold infections, in particular invasive aspergillosis, and a combination of testing involving conventional culture, antigen-based assays, and PCR-based assays should be considered. Multiple diagnostic modalities, including histopathology, culture, antibody and/or antigen tests and occasionally PCR-based assays may be required to diagnose breakthrough endemic mycoses. A need exists for diagnostic tests that are effective, simple, cheap, and rapid to enable the diagnosis of bIFI in patients taking antifungals.

Biomass is a widely distributed and renewable source of carbon. The main objective of this work is to produce an activated carbon from coconut shells with suitable characteristics to separate CO2 from biogas. The textural characterization of the adsorbent has been determined. Pure component adsorption isotherms of CO2 and CH4 at 30, 50 and 70 °C have been measured. Moreover, the performance of the produced activated carbon, as potential adsorbent for CO2 capture from a CO2/CH4 gas mixture has been evaluated under dynamic conditions in a purpose-built fixed-bed setup.

Background: Vaccination is one of the most effective life-saving medical interventions, and the introduction of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines was intended to prevent the serious implications of COVID-19. The objectives of the study were: i) to observe the humoral immune response to BNT162b2 vaccine and SARS-CoV-2 infection (mainly breakthrough infections), ii) to demonstrate the persistence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies over time in relation to the number of received vaccine doses and the course of infection, and iii) to determine adverse effects after primary vaccine doses. Methods: To assess the humoral response, IgG and IgA anti-S1 antibodies were quantified by ELISA assays. In total, the tests were carried out seven times in almost two years. Results: We demonstrated strong immunogenicity (compared to levels before primary vaccination, 150- and 20-fold increases in IgG and IgA, respectively) of the BNT162b2 vaccine. Over time, we observed a systematic decline in antibody levels, which may have contributed to breakthrough infections. Although they caused seroconversion similar to the booster, antibody levels in such patients fell more rapidly than after re-vaccination. On the other hand, in individuals who did not receive booster(s) and who did not present breakthrough infection, anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies returned to pre-vaccination levels after 20 months. The most commonly recognized adverse effects were injection site redness and swelling. Conclusion: Vaccination is highly effective in preventing the most severe outcomes of COVID-19 and should be performed regardless of prior infection. Booster doses significantly enhance anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels and, in contrast to those obtained by breakthrough infection, they remain longer.

More than 3 years have passed since the emergence of COVID-19. On May 8, 2023, COVID-19 in Japan was downgraded to Category 5 by the Infectious Disease Control Law. In Japan, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, cases of infection and deaths from severe disease were few compared with those of Western countries. However, in the medical field, screening for COVID-19 was given top priority, resulting in confusion and proving disadvantageous for many patients, also the overreaction to COVID-19 as the most important issue in society can be attributed largely to statements by infectious disease experts. In addition, the mRNA vaccine emerged in 2021, and most of the population was vaccinated up to two times within a short period of less than 1 year because infectious disease experts strongly promoted vaccination. After 2022, when vaccination progressed, and the Omicron strain, which is an attenuated strain, became the mainstay of the SARS-CoV-2, the number of severe cases of COVID-19 decreased significantly; however, the number of infected people increased dramatically instead. A significant portion of the population is thought to have hybrid immunity due to vaccination plus natural infection and maintains high antibody titers. Henceforth, additional vaccination should be given preferentially to those who will benefit most from it. Conversely, measures against COVID-19 caused serious damage to the economy and society. Policies that not only address countermeasures against infection, but also those that encompass the economy and society as a whole are necessary.

New Jersey was among the first states impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with one of the highest overall death rates in the nation. Nevertheless, relatively few reports have been published focusing specifically on New Jersey. Here we report on molecular, clinical, and epidemiologic observations from the largest healthcare network in the state, in a cohort of vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. We conducted molecular surveillance of SARS-CoV-2-positive nasopharyngeal swabs collected in nine hospitals from December 2020 through June 2022, using both whole genome sequencing (WGS) and a real-time RT-PCR screening assay targeting spike protein mutations found in variants of concern (VOC) within our region. De-identified clinical data were obtained retrospectively, including demographics, COVID-19 vaccination status, ICU admission, ventilator support, mortality, and medical history. Statistical analyses were performed to identify associations between SARS-CoV-2 variants, vaccination status, clinical outcomes, and medical risk factors. A total of 5,007 SARS-CoV-2-positive nasopharyngeal swabs were successfully screened and/or sequenced. Variant screening identified three predominant VOC, including Alpha (n =714), Delta (n =1,877), and Omicron (n =1,802). Omicron isolates were further sub-typed as BA.1 (n =899), BA.2 (n =853), and BA.4/BA.5 (n =50); the remaining 614 isolates were classified as “Other”. Approximately 31.5% (1,577/5,007) of the samples were associated with vaccine breakthrough infections, which increased in frequency following the emergence of Delta and Omicron. Severe clinical outcomes included ICU admission (336/5007 = 6.7%), ventilator support (236/5007 = 4.7%), and mortality (430/5007 = 8.6%), with increasing age being the most significant contributor to each (p <0.001). Unvaccinated individuals accounted for 79.7% (268/336) of ICU admissions, 78.3% (185/236) of ventilator cases, and 74.4% (320/430) of deaths. Highly significant (p <0.001) increases in mortality were observed in individuals with cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cancer, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, but not with obesity, thyroid disease, or respiratory disease. Significant differences (p <0.001) in clinical outcomes were also noted between SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Delta, Omicron BA.1, and Omicron BA.2. Vaccination was associated with significantly improved clinical outcomes in our study, despite an increase in breakthrough infections associated with waning immunity, greater antigenic variability, or both. Underlying comorbidities contributed significantly to mortality in both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, with increasing risk based on the total number of comorbidities. Real-time RT-PCR-based screening facilitated timely identification of predominant variants using a minimal number of spike protein mutations, with faster turnaround time and reduced cost compared to WGS. Continued evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants will likely require ongoing surveillance for new VOCs, with real-time assessment of clinical impact.

SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections, associated with waning immunity, increase systemic antibody levels. In this study, we analyzed the impact of the infection timing on the magnitude of the systemic humoral response and whether breakthrough infections also boost antibody levels in the salivary compartment. We observed that the combination of infection plus vaccination, regardless of infection timing, produced a sharp increase of systemic antibodies, being higher in subjects infected after third doses. Moreover, despite high systemic antibody levels, breakthrough infections after dose 3 occurred and boosted antibody levels in the salivary compartment. These results lead to rethink the current vaccination strategies against COVID-19 and the use of salivary anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies for disease surveillance and vaccination follow-up.

Objectives: To explore the effect of breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP) treatment on quality of sleep and other aspects of the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with cancer pain. Methods: In an observational, multicenter, cohort study, cancer patients from palliative care units, oncology departments, and pain clinics and affected by BTcP were included. Enrolled patients were assessed at the four visits: T0 (baseline), T7, T14, and T28. Well-controlled chronic background pain during the whole study period was mandatory. BTcP was treated through transmucosal fentanyl. Three questionnaires were used to measure the HRQoL: EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS). Results: In 154 patients, the HRQoL showed a significant improvement for all physical and emotional characteristics in the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL, except for nausea and vomiting (Linear p-value = 0.1) and dyspnoea (Linear p-value =0.05). The ESAS and PSQI questionnaires confirmed these positive results (p<0.0001 and p=0.002, respectively). Conclusions: This prospective investigation by an Italian expert group, has confirmed that careful management of BTcP induces a paramount improvement on the HRQoL. Because in cancer patients there is a high prevalence of BTcP and this severe acute pain has deleterious consequences, this information can have an important clinical significance

This study aimed to delineate the longitudinal antibody responses to the Pfizer- BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (BNT162b2) within the Ugandan subset of the Sub-Saharan African (SSA) demographic, filling a significant gap in global datasets. We enrolled 48 participants, collecting 320 specimens over 12 months after vaccination. A validated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to quantify SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG, IgM, and IgA concentrations (ng/ml) and optical densities (ODs). Statistical analyses included box plots, diverging bar graphs, and the Wilcoxon test with Bonferroni correction. We showed a robust SIgG response within 14 days of the primary vaccine dose, consistent with global data. Remarkably, we observed no significant surge in S-IgG levels following the booster, contrasting trends other global populations. The S-IgM response was transient, and predominantly established thresholds, reflecting its typical early emergence and subsequent decline. S-IgA increased initially but declined six months post-vaccination, in line with the temporal dynamics of mucosal immunity. Eleven breakthrough infections occurred; however, all were asymptomatic, indicating a protective effect from the vaccination regardless of the participants' initial S-IgG serostatus. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine elicited strong S-IgG responses in the SSA demographic. However, antibody dynamics distinctly differed from global data highlight the significance of region-specific research and the necessity for customized vaccination strategies.

This proposal was prepared in the very first weeks of 2020 because of the outbreak of COVID-19. There are good reasons to suppose that rotavirus vaccine can be used as protection tool to effectively and safely fight and mitigate SARS-CoV-2 infection and the impact caused by COVID- 19 in adult humans, due to the development of cross and trained immunity following rotavirus vaccination. Up-to-date, some rotavirus vaccines are available and approved, two of them have a large experience in results and safety. Little experience has been achieved in the use of rotavirus vaccine in adults. However, it can be expected that it would be safe and effective in adults and in the elderly as well. This proposal explains the background of this hypothesis based on lungs and intestine relationships.

Breakthrough COVID-19 (occurring in fully vaccinated people) has been described. Data on its characteristics among immune mediated rheumatic disesases (IMRD) patients are scarce. This study describes breakthrough COVID-19 among IMRD patients participating of SAFER-study, a Brazilian multicentric cohort evaluating safety, effectiveness and immunogenicity of SARS-Cov-2 vaccines in autoimmune diseases. Descriptive analysis and a binary logistic regression model, to evaluate predictors of COVID-19-related hospitalization, were performed. P-value < 0.05 was significant. The included 160 patients were predominantly females (83.1%), with mean (SD) age 40.23 (13.19) years. Patients received 2 (19%), 3 (70%) or 4 (11%) vaccine doses. The initial two-dose series was mainly with ChAdOx1 (Oxford/AstraZeneca) (58%) or BBIBP-CorV (Sinopharm-Beijing) (34%). The first booster (n=150) was with BNT162b2 (BioNtech/Fosun Pharma/Pfizer) (63%) or ChAdOx1 (29%). The second booster (n=112) was with BNT162b2 (40%) or ChAdOx1 (26%). COVID-19 hospitalization rate was 17.5%. IMRD moderate/high activity (OR: 5.84, CI: 1.9-18.5, p=0.002) and treatment with corticosteroids (OR: 2.94, CI: 1.02-8.49, p=0.0043) associated with higher odds of hospitalization, while the increasing number of vaccine doses was protective (OR: 0.37, CI: 0.15-0.9, p=0.032). These findings, along with previous reassuring results about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines, argue in favour of booster vaccination in IMRD patients.

This proposal was prepared in the very first weeks of 2020 because of the outbreak of COVID-19.There is good reason to suppose that rotavirus vaccine can be used as protection tool to effectively and safely fight and mitigate SARS-CoV-2 infection and the impact caused by COVID-19 in adult humans, due to the development of cross and trained immunity following rotavirus vaccination. Up-to-date, some rotavirus vaccines are available and approved, two of them have a large experience in results and safety. Little experience has been achieved in the use of rotavirus vaccine in adults. However, it can be expected that it would be safe and effective in adults and in the elderly as well. This proposal explains the background.

The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has raised concerns surrounding immunological protection against the virus, particularly for people with inborn errors of immunity (IEI). While COVID-19 vaccination induces robust antibody, memory B-cell, and T-cell responses in healthy individuals, how well vaccination protects people with IEI against infection and severe disease remains unclear – especially in the context of new viral variants and vaccine formulations – leading to anxiety, ongoing self-isolation, and repeated vaccination with limited evidence of increased efficacy. Whilst most people with IEI generate some level of cellular and/or humoral immunity to COVID-19 vaccination, the level of protection and durability of the response are unclear. Alongside vaccination, antibody-based therapeutics are aimed at limiting infection and severe disease in this cohort. Immunoglobulin replacement therapy (IgRT) provides passive immunity in antibody-deficient individuals. However, to successfully prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection, a sufficient number of neutralizing antibodies must be present in product. While antibodies against circulating variants are eventually present in IgRT products (both from natural infection and vaccination of the donors), evidence of their capacity to recognize new variants is limited. Furthermore, while antibody-based pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis can be effective, they are susceptible to decreased efficacy in the context of variant evolution. This review provides an in-depth overview of current knowledge about COVID-19 vaccine efficacy in IEIs, the efficacy of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody products, and knowledge and technological advances required for continued protection of people with IEI.

The study evaluated the immune response to the Janssen Ad26.COV2.S COVID-19 vaccine in a Ugandan cohort, focusing on spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) protein-directed antibodies. The aim was to assess the longevity and robustness of the elicited antibodies, aligning with breakthrough infections and prior exposure to SARS-CoV-2. The study involved 319 specimens collected over 12 months from 60 vaccinees aged 18 to 64. Binding antibodies were quantified using a validated ELISA method to measure SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG, IgM, and IgA levels against the S and N proteins. The results showed that baseline seropositivity for S-IgG was high at 67%, increasing to 98% by day 14 and consistently stayed above 95% for up to 12 months. However, S-IgM responses remained suboptimal. An increased S-IgA serpositivity rate doubled from 40% at baseline to 86% just two weeks following the initial vaccine dose, indicating sustained and robust mucosal immunity. An increase in N-IgG levels at nine months post-vaccination suggested breakthrough infections in eight cases. Baseline cross-reactivity influenced spike-directed antibody responses, with those with pre-existing S-IgG antibodies showing higher responses. The vaccine demonstrated robust and long-lasting immune responses, with significant implications for regions where administering follow-up doses is challenging.