Smart facemask for wireless CO2 monitoring Escobedo, P.; Fernández-Ramos, M. D.; López-Ruiz, N. ...
Nature communications,
01/2022, Volume:
13, Issue:
1
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Abstract
The use of facemasks by the general population is recommended worldwide to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Despite the evidence in favour of facemasks to reduce community transmission, ...there is also agreement on the potential adverse effects of their prolonged usage, mainly caused by CO
2
rebreathing. Herein we report the development of a sensing platform for gaseous CO
2
real-time determination inside FFP2 facemasks. The system consists of an opto-chemical sensor combined with a flexible, battery-less, near-field-enabled tag with resolution and limit of detection of 103 and 140 ppm respectively, and sensor lifetime of 8 h, which is comparable with recommended FFP2 facemask usage times. We include a custom smartphone application for wireless powering, data processing, alert management, results displaying and sharing. Through performance tests during daily activity and exercise monitoring, we demonstrate its utility for non-invasive, wearable health assessment and its potential applicability for preclinical research and diagnostics.
We analyze the complete set of in-situ meteorological data obtained from the Viking landers in the 1970s to todays Curiosity rover to review our understanding of the modern near-surface climate of ...Mars, with focus on the dust, CO2 and H2O cycles and their impact on the radiative and thermodynamic conditions near the surface. In particular, we provide values of the highest confidence possible for atmospheric opacity, atmospheric pressure, near-surface air temperature, ground temperature, near-surface wind speed and direction, and near-surface air relative humidity and water vapor content. Then, we study the diurnal, seasonal and interannual variability of these quantities over a span of more than twenty Martian years. Finally, we propose measurements to improve our understanding of the Martian dust and H2O cycles, and discuss the potential for liquid water formation under Mars present day conditions and its implications for future Mars missions.
Background and purpose
Although the causes of multiple sclerosis (MS) remain partially unknown, environmental and genetic factors are thought to play a role in its aetiopathogenesis. Hypovitaminosis ...D, Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV‐6) infections have been described as possible MS triggers. Our aim was to analyse the possible link between 25‐hydroxyvitamin D 25(OH)D and viruses in patients with MS.
Methods
We included 482 patients with MS in a 2‐year study. Serum samples were collected to analyse 25(OH)D levels and, according to sample availability, antibody titres against EBV and HHV‐6 by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. DNA was extracted from blood in order to analyse EBV and HHV‐6 viral load by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and to genotype MS‐related single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs3135388, rs2248359 and rs12368653) when possible.
Results
The 25(OH)D levels were significantly higher in the first semester of the year than in the second. Carriers of the risk allele rs2248359‐C showed lower 25(OH)D levels than non‐carriers. For EBV, viral load was significantly higher when 25(OH)D levels were low, demonstrating an inverse correlation between 25(OH)D levels and EBV load.
Conclusions
The 25(OH)D levels could be involved in the regulation of EBV replication/reactivation in patients with MS.
The rising costs of fishmeal worldwide promote great research effort aimed to find alternative and renewable ingredients for aquafeeds. In the last years considerable attention has been paid to the ...use of algae as a potential ingredient for fish feeds. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of the microalgae Scenedesmus almeriensis incorporated to diets intended to feed sea bream (Sparus aurata) juveniles in a 45-day trial. Growth, body composition, and intestinal functionality of fish were studied. Microalgae meal was tested in triplicate at different inclusion levels (0%, 12%, 20%, 25% and 39%). At the end of the trial, individual body weight was recorded for evaluation of growth and nutrient utilization, and biological samples were obtained for proximate analysis, determination of digestive enzyme activities, intestinal histology, and microvilli morphological evaluation. Results indicated that S. almeriensis did not cause negative effects on fish growth or nutrient utilization efficiency. Growth rate and protein utilization in fish fed on a diet with 20% Scenedesmus meal tended to be higher, although not significantly different from those fed on control diet. None of the treatments caused adverse effects on body composition. Fish fed 12% S. almeriensis showed higher trypsin than animals fed on control diet. Leucine-aminopeptidase and alkaline phosphatase activities showed a quadratic response with increasing levels of Scenedesmus biomass. Ultrastructural study revealed that the dietary inclusion of algal biomass, especially at 20% level, significantly increased the absorptive capacity of intestinal mucosa in both the anterior and posterior intestinal regions. This study confirmed the usefulness of S. almeriensis to partially replace fishmeal in practical diets for gilthead sea bream juveniles.
•The use of Scenedesmus meal did not affect fish growth and nutrient utilization.•The dietary inclusion of Scenedesmus biomass did not affect muscle composition.•The level of intestinal enzyme activities was increased in Scenedesmus-fed sea bream.•Scenedesmus almeriensis biomass may be useful to enhance gut functionality in fish.•S. almeriensis can partially replace fishmeal in diets for sea bream juveniles.
Nonimmediate allergic reactions (NIR) to aminopenicillin include several entities, the most common of which are urticaria-like and maculopapular exanthemas. To evaluate a group of children who ...developed one or more episodes of skin reactions suggestive of NIR after aminopenicillin administration. The inclusion criteria required negative immediate skin tests and absence of specific IgE antibodies to different penicillins. Intradermal and patch tests were carried out with delayed readings and, if negative, a drug-provocation test including a full therapeutic course of the drug was given. Two different groups were compared: A) children with positive skin testing or a positive drug-provocation test and B) children with negative skin testing and good tolerance after a drug-provocation test. Group A was composed of 20 patients. Positive intradermal/patch tests were found in one patient and in the remaining 19, a positive response to a drug-provocation test confirmed the diagnosis. Group B (the control group) consisted of 19 patients with similar symptoms after aminopenicillin intake but good tolerance. No differences in age, dose or number of previous treatments were observed between the groups. The clinical entities were also similar in both groups. Reproducible nonimmediate skin reactions to aminopenicillins may occur in children in spite of negative skin testing. The value of this diagnostic procedure seems to be limited in this type of reaction, with drug-provocation tests (DPT) being a reasonable and safe alternative if the diagnosis has to be confirmed.
The capacity to propagate magnetic domain walls with spin-polarized currents underpins several schemes for information storage and processing using spintronic devices. A key question involves the ...internal structure of the domain walls, which governs their response to certain current-driven torques such as the spin Hall effect. Here we show that magnetic microscopy based on a single nitrogen-vacancy defect in diamond can provide a direct determination of the internal wall structure in ultrathin ferromagnetic films under ambient conditions. We find pure Bloch walls in Ta/CoFeB(1 nm)/MgO, while left-handed Néel walls are observed in Pt/Co(0.6 nm)/AlOx. The latter indicates the presence of a sizable interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction, which has strong bearing on the feasibility of exploiting novel chiral states such as skyrmions for information technologies.
Summary Background and aims Epidemiological data have shown an inverse association between the consumption of polyphenol-rich foods and the risk of cardiovascular disease or overall mortality. A ...comprehensive estimation of individual polyphenol intake in nutritional cohorts is needed to gain a better understanding of this association. The aim of this study was to estimate the quantitative intake of polyphenols and the major dietary sources in the PREDIMED (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea) cohort using individual food consumption records. Methods and results The PREDIMED study is a large, parallel-group, multicentre, randomised, controlled 5-year feeding trial aimed at assessing the effects of the Mediterranean diet on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. A total of 7200 participants, aged 55–80 years, completed a validated 1-year food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) at baseline. Polyphenol consumption was calculated by matching food consumption data from the FFQ with the recently developed Phenol-Explorer database on polyphenol content in foods. The mean total polyphenol intake was 820 ± 323 mg day−1 (443 ± 218 mg day−1 of flavonoids and 304 ± 156 mg day−1 of phenolic acids). Hydroxycinnamic acids were the phenolic group with the highest consumption and 5-caffeoylquinic acid was the most abundantly ingested individual polyphenol. The consumption of olives and olive oil was a differentiating factor in the phenolic profile of this Spanish population compared with other countries. Conclusion In Mediterranean countries, such as Spain, the main dietary source of polyphenols is coffee and fruits, but the most important differentiating factor with respect to other countries is the consumption of polyphenols from olives and olive oil. Clinical trial registry International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN of London, England) 35739639.
Summary
Background
Limited published evidence shows oral desensitization to be a potential intervention option for cow's milk protein (CMPs) allergy.
Objective
The aim of this study was to evaluate ...the safety and efficacy of oral desensitization in 2‐year‐old children with cow's milk allergy, as a treatment alternative to elimination diet.
Methods
A total of 60 children aged 24–36 months with IgE‐mediated allergy to CMPs were included in this multi‐center study and were randomized into two groups. Thirty children (group A: treatment group) began oral desensitization immediately, whereas the remaining 30 (group B: control group) were kept on a milk‐free diet and followed‐up for 1 year.
Results
After 1‐year follow‐up period, 90% of the children in group A had become completely tolerant vs. 23% of the children in group B. In group A, cow's milk skin reactivity and serum‐specific IgE to milk and casein decreased significantly from the initial assessment, whereas group B showed no significant change after 1 year of follow‐up. Twenty‐four patients (80%) developed some reaction during the treatment period: 14 children developed moderate reaction (47%) and 10 mild reaction (33%). The most common manifestations were urticaria‐angioedema, followed by cough.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance
In this study, oral desensitization was found to be effective in a significant percentage of 2‐year‐old children with cow's milk allergy. Oral desensitization appears to be efficacious as an alternative to elimination diet in the treatment of 2‐year‐old children with cow's milk allergy. The side‐effect profile appears acceptable but requires further study.
Cite this as: A. Martorell, B. De la Hoz, M. D. Ibáñez, J. Bone, M. S. Terrados, A. Michavila, A. M. Plaza, E. Alonso, J. Garde, S. Nevot, L. Echeverria, C. Santana, J. C. Cerdá, C. Escudero, I. Guallar, M. Piquer, L. Zapatero, L. Ferré, T. Bracamonte, A. Muriel, M. I. Martínez and R. Félix, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2011 (41) 1297–1304.
PDF
