RESUMEN
PURPOSE: To create a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of ocular anterior segment for primary angle closure diseases (PACD) and assess the aqueous humour (AH) dynamics in different angle closure ranges (ACRs). METHODS: The ocular anterior segment geometry was obtained from an optical coherence tomography image by SOLIDWORKS. Three different angle opening distance at 750 µm from the scleral spur (AOD750) values were established to mimic three widths of anterior chamber angle. The AH dynamics were modelled using the Navier-Stokes equation. The 3D CFD model of the ocular anterior segment was created in COMSOL Multiphysics. The major outcome was the maximum flow velocity (MFV) and pressure in the ocular anterior segment. An in vitro simulation model was used to validate the computational results of the pressure and ACRs. RESULTS: The MFV and pressure both showed a non-linear association with ACR in the CFD models of PACD. The MFV and pressure started to elevate when ACR was larger than 180°, and increased dramatically when the ACR was larger than 270°. The in vitro experiment of the pressure changes was consistent with the CFD model. No significant differences of the MFV and pressure among the three AOD750 models. CONCLUSIONS: The association among the ACR, MFV and pressure is an ascending curve in PACD, and ACR of 180° and 270° are two critical turning points. Our results are consistent with clinical phenomenon and may be used to provide better guidances for the clinical management of PACD in different stages.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Bacillus inaquosorum strains is widely recognized for their plant-growth-promoting and biocontrol capabilities, yet their roles in protease production remain unclear. The present study aimed to comprehensively assess the protease-producing performance of B. inaquosorum strain E1-8, at the same time as exploring the novel application of agricultural Bacillus proteases in the preparation of protein hydrolysates for fresh-cut fruits preservation. RESULTS: First, genomic sequencing revealed the diversity of E1-8 proteases, indicating 15 putative extracellular proteases. Subsequently, the fermentation conditions for E1-8 protease production were optimized, with sweet potato powder and soybean meal identified as the most suitable carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, resulting in a maximum protease activity of 321.48 U mL-1. Upon culturing the strain under these optimized conditions, only an S8 family serine protease and an M48 family metalloprotease were revealed by secretomic analysis and protease inhibitor assays. Additionally, the optimal protease conditions for generating protein hydrolysates from soy, pea, fish and porcine proteins were determined. The molecular weight of the hydrolysates primarily ranged from 2000 to 180 Da, with a total of 17 amino acids identified. The application of these hydrolysates demonstrated a 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (i.e. DPPH) scavenging activity ranging from 58.64% to 84.12%, significantly reducing of the melting peaks and the freezing points. Furthermore, the browning index of apple slices stored at 4 °C decreased by 14.81% to 22.15% on the second day, and similar effects were observed in fresh-cut banana stored at 4 °C for 7 days. CONCLUSION: The protein hydrolysates obtained exhibit remarkable antioxidant, antifreeze and anti-browning properties for fresh-cut fruits. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
RESUMEN
Damaged skin is susceptible to invasion by harmful microorganisms, especially Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, which can delay healing. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a natural compound known for effectively promoting wound healing and its potent anti-inflammatory effects. However, its application is limited due to its susceptibility to oxidation and isomerization, which alter its structure. The use of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) can effectively tackle these issues. This study introduces an oxygen (O2) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) self-supplying ZIF-8 nanoplatform designed to enhance the bioavailability of EGCG, combining photodynamic therapy (PDT) and chemodynamic therapy (CDT) to improve antibacterial properties and ultimately accelerate wound healing. For this purpose, EGCG and indocyanine green (ICG), a photosensitizer, were successively integrated into a ZIF-8, and coated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) to enhance biocompatibility. The outer layer of this construct was further modified with manganese dioxide (MnO2) to promote CDT and calcium peroxide (CaO2) to supply H2O2 and O2, resulting in the final nanoplatform EGCG-ICG@ZIF-8/BSA-MnO2/CaO2 (EIZBMC). In in vitro experiments under 808 nm laser, EIZBMC exhibited synergistic antibacterial effects through PDT and CDT. This combination effectively released reactive oxygen species (ROS), which mediated oxidative stress to inhibit the bacteria. Subsequently, in a murine model of wound infection, EIZBMC not only exerted antibacterial effects through PDT and CDT but also alleviated the inflammatory condition and promoted the regeneration of collagen fibers, which led to accelerated wound healing. Overall, this research presents a promising approach to enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of EGCG by leveraging the synergistic antibacterial effects of PDT and CDT. This multifunctional nanoplatform maximizes EGCG's anti-inflammatory properties, offering a potent solution for promoting infected wound healing.
RESUMEN
Emergent superconductivity at the LaAlO3/KTaO3 interfaces exhibits a mysterious dependence on the KTaO3 crystallographic orientations. Here by soft X-ray angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we directly resolve the electronic structure of the LaAlO3/KTaO3 interfacial superconductors and the non-superconducting counterpart. We find that the mobile electrons that contribute to the interfacial superconductivity show strong k⥠dispersion. Comparing the superconducting and non-superconducting interfaces, the quasi-three-dimensional electron gas with over 5.5 nm spatial distribution ubiquitously exists and shows similar orbital occupations. The signature of electron-phonon coupling is observed and intriguingly dependent on the interfacial orientations. Remarkably, the stronger electron-phonon coupling signature correlates with the higher superconducting transition temperature. Our observations help scrutinize the theories on the orientation-dependent superconductivity and offer a plausible and straightforward explanation. The interfacial orientation effect that can modify the electron-phonon coupling strength over several nanometers sheds light on the applications of oxide interfaces in general.
RESUMEN
The black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is an important agricultural pest. Phoxim is an organophosphate insecticide that has been widely used to control A. ipsilon. The extensive application of phoxim has resulted in a reduction in phoxim susceptibility in A. ipsilon. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying phoxim tolerance in A. ipsilon remain unclear. In this work, we report the involvement of AiGSTz1, a zeta class glutathione S-transferase, in phoxim tolerance in A. ipsilon. Exposure to a sublethal concentration (LC50) of phoxim dramatically upregulated the transcription level of the AiGSTz1 gene in A. ipsilon larvae, and this upregulation might be caused by phoxim-induced oxidative stress. The recombinant AiGSTz1 protein expressed in Escherichia coli was able to metabolize phoxim. Furthermore, AiGSTz1 displayed antioxidant activity to protect against oxidative stress. Knockdown of AiGSTz1 by RNA interference significantly increased the mortality rate of A. ipsilon larvae in response to phoxim. In addition, the transcription factor AiCncC can bind to the cap 'n' collar isoform C: muscle aponeurosis fibromatosis (CncC:Maf) binding site in the putative promoter of the AiGSTz1 gene. Silencing of AiCncC resulted in a dramatic downregulation of AiGSTz1. These results indicated that AiGSTz1 is involved in phoxim tolerance and is potentially regulated by AiCncC. These findings provide valuable insights into the defense mechanisms used by A. ipsilon against phoxim.
Asunto(s)
Glutatión Transferasa , Proteínas de Insectos , Insecticidas , Mariposas Nocturnas , Compuestos Organotiofosforados , Factores de Transcripción , Animales , Glutatión Transferasa/metabolismo , Glutatión Transferasa/genética , Compuestos Organotiofosforados/farmacología , Compuestos Organotiofosforados/toxicidad , Insecticidas/farmacología , Insecticidas/toxicidad , Factores de Transcripción/metabolismo , Factores de Transcripción/genética , Mariposas Nocturnas/efectos de los fármacos , Mariposas Nocturnas/genética , Proteínas de Insectos/metabolismo , Proteínas de Insectos/genética , Larva/efectos de los fármacos , Resistencia a los Insecticidas/genética , Estrés Oxidativo/efectos de los fármacosRESUMEN
Mouse models are crucial for neuroscience research, yet discrepancies arise between macro- and meso-scales due to sample preparation altering brain morphology. The absence of an accessible toolbox for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data processing presents a challenge for assessing morphological changes in the mouse brain. To address this, we developed the MBV-Pipe (Mouse Brain Volumetric Statistics-Pipeline) toolbox, integrating the methods of Diffeomorphic Anatomical Registration Through Exponentiated Lie Algebra (DARTEL)-Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) to evaluate brain tissue volume and white matter integrity. To validate the reliability of MBV-Pipe, brain MRI data from seven mice at three time points (in vivo, post-perfusion, and post-fixation) were acquired using a 9.4T ultra-high MRI system. Employing the MBV-Pipe toolbox, we discerned substantial volumetric changes in the mouse brain following perfusion relative to the in vivo condition, with the fixation process inducing only negligible variations. Importantly, the white matter integrity was found to be largely stable throughout the sample preparation procedures. The MBV-Pipe source code is publicly available and includes a user-friendly GUI for facilitating quality control and experimental protocol optimization, which holds promise for advancing mouse brain research in the future.
RESUMEN
The Ficus genus, having radiated from the tropics and subtropics to the temperate zone worldwide, is the largest genus among woody plants, comprising over 800 species. Evolution of the Ficus species results in genetic diversity, global radiation and geographical differentiations, suggesting adaption to diverse environments and coping with stresses. Apart from familiar physiological changes, such as stomatal closure and alteration in plant hormone levels, the Ficus species exhibit a unique mechanism in response to abiotic stress, such as regulation of leaf temperature and retention of drought memory. The stress-resistance genes harbored by Ficus result in effective responses to abiotic stress. Understanding the stress-resistance mechanisms in Ficus provides insights into the genetic breeding toward stress-tolerant crop cultivars. Following upon these issues, we comprehensively reviewed recent progress concerning the Ficus genes and relevant mechanisms that play important roles in the abiotic stress responses. These highlight prospectively important application potentials of the stress-resistance genes in Ficus.
Asunto(s)
Adaptación Fisiológica , Ficus , Estrés Fisiológico , Ficus/genética , Ficus/fisiología , Estrés Fisiológico/genética , Adaptación Fisiológica/genética , Fenotipo , Regulación de la Expresión Génica de las Plantas , SequíasRESUMEN
To survive in challenging environments, animals must develop a system to assess food quality and adjust their feeding behavior accordingly. However, the mechanisms that regulate this chronic physiological food evaluation system, which monitors specific nutrients from ingested food and influences food-response behavior, are still not fully understood. Here, we established a low-quality food evaluation assay system and found that heat-killed E. coli (HK-E. coli), a low-sugar food, triggers cellular UPRER and immune response. This encourages animals to avoid low-quality food. The physiological system for evaluating low-quality food depends on the UPRER (IRE-1/XBP-1) - Innate immunity (PMK-1/p38 MAPK) axis, particularly its neuronal function, which subsequently regulates feeding behaviors. Moreover, animals can adapt to a low-quality food environment through sugar supplementation, which inhibits the UPRER -PMK-1 regulated stress response by increasing vitamin C biosynthesis. This study reveals the role of the cellular stress response pathway as physiological food evaluation system for assessing nutritional deficiencies in food, thereby enhancing survival in natural environments.
We quickly learn to steer clear of eating the moldy apple, the foul-smelling piece of chicken or the leftovers that taste a little 'off'. This survival instinct is shared across most animal species even those with extremely simple and limited visual or taste systems, like the tiny worm Caenorhabditis elegans. Indeed, assessing the safety and quality of available food items can also rely on cells activating built-in cascades of molecular reactions. However, it remains unclear how these 'cellular stress response programs' actually help guide feeding behaviors. To better understand this process, Liu et al. conducted a series of experiments using C. elegans worms exposed to heat-killed bacteria, which are devoid of many nutrients essential for growth. After initially consuming these bacteria, the worms quickly started to avoid feeding on this type of low-quality food. This suggests that mechanisms occurring after ingestion allowed the worms to adjust their feeding choices. Further work showed that the consumption of heat-killed bacteria triggered two essential stress response pathways, known as the unfolded protein response and the innate immune response. The activation of these pathways was essential for the animals to be able to change their behavior and avoid the heat-killed bacteria. These biochemical pathways were particularly active in the worms' nerve cells, highlighting the importance of these cells in sensing and reacting to food. Finally, Liu et al. also found that adding sugars like lactose and sucrose to the low-quality food could prevent the activation of the stress response pathways. This result suggests that specific nutrients play a central role in how these worms decide what to eat. These findings shed light on the complex systems that ensure organisms consume the nutritious food they need to survive. Understanding these processes in worms can provide insights into the broader biological mechanisms that help animals avoid harmful food.
Asunto(s)
Escherichia coli , Animales , Escherichia coli/inmunología , Escherichia coli/fisiología , Conducta Alimentaria , Calidad de los Alimentos , Inmunidad Innata , Caenorhabditis elegansRESUMEN
Visualization designers (e.g., journalists or data analysts) often rely on examples to explore the space of possible designs, yet we have little insight into how examples shape data visualization design outcomes. While the effects of examples have been studied in other disciplines, such as web design or engineering, the results are not readily applicable to visualization due to inconsistencies in findings and challenges unique to visualization design. Towards bridging this gap, we conduct an exploratory experiment involving 32 data visualization designers focusing on the influence of five factors (timing, quantity, diversity, data topic similarity, and data schema similarity) on objectively measurable design outcomes (e.g., numbers of designs and idea transfers). Our quantitative analysis shows that when examples are introduced after initial brainstorming, designers curate examples with topics less similar to the dataset they are working on and produce more designs with a high variation in visualization components. Also, designers copy more ideas from examples with higher data schema similarities. Our qualitative analysis of participants' thought processes provides insights into why designers incorporate examples into their designs, revealing potential factors that have not been previously investigated. Finally, we discuss how our results inform how designers may use examples during design ideation as well as future research on quantifying designs and supporting example-based visualization design. All supplemental materials are available in our OSF repo.
RESUMEN
'Hangju' is a variety of Chrysanthemum × morifolium Ramat. with both edible and medicinal value, cultivated as a traditional Chinese medicine for four centuries. The cultivation of 'Hangju' is currently at risk due to waterlogging, yet there is a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding its response to waterlogging stress. This study compared the waterlogging-tolerant 'Hangju' variety Enhanced Waterlogging Tolerance (EWT) with the waterlogging-sensitive variety CK ('zaoxiaoyangju'). EWT exhibited a more developed aeration tissue structure and demonstrated rapid growth regarding the adventitious roots following waterlogging. The time-course transcriptome analysis indicated that EWT could swiftly adjust the expression of the genes involved in the energy metabolism signaling pathways to acclimate to the waterlogged environment. Through WGCNA analysis, we identified Integrase-Type DNA-Binding Protein (CmTINY2) as a key factor in regulating the waterlogging tolerance in EWT. CmTINY2, a transcription factor belonging to the ethylene-responsive factor (ERF) subfamily III, operated within the nucleus and activated downstream gene expression. Its role in enhancing the waterlogging tolerance might be linked to the control of the stomatal aperture via the Ethylene-Responsive Element (ERE) gene. In summary, our research elucidated that the waterlogging tolerance displayed by EWT is a result of a combination of the morphological structure and molecular regulatory mechanisms. Furthermore, the study of the functions of CmTINY2 from ERF subfamily III also broadened our knowledge of the role of the ERF genes in the waterlogging signaling pathways.
Asunto(s)
Chrysanthemum , Regulación de la Expresión Génica de las Plantas , Proteínas de Plantas , Transcriptoma , Proteínas de Plantas/genética , Proteínas de Plantas/metabolismo , Chrysanthemum/genética , Chrysanthemum/metabolismo , Perfilación de la Expresión Génica , Estrés Fisiológico , Factores de Transcripción/metabolismo , Factores de Transcripción/genética , Raíces de Plantas/metabolismo , Raíces de Plantas/genética , Agua/metabolismoRESUMEN
Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) primarily involves osteogenic differentiation in human aortic valve interstitial cells (hVICs). Schisandrol B (SolB), a natural bioactive constituent, has known therapeutic effects on inflammatory and fibrotic disorders. However, its impact on valve calcification has not been reported. We investigated the effect of SolB on osteogenic differentiation of hVICs. Transcriptome sequencing was used to analyze potential molecular pathways affected by SolB treatment. The study also included an in vivo murine model using aortic valve wire injury surgery to observe SolB's effect on valve calcification. SolB inhibited the osteogenic differentiation of hVICs, reversing the increase in calcified nodule formation and osteogenic proteins. In the murine model, SolB significantly decreased the peak velocity of the aortic valve post-injury and reduced valve fibrosis and calcification. Transcriptome sequencing identified the p53 signaling pathway as a key molecular target of SolB, demonstrating its role as a molecular glue in the mouse double minute 2 (MDM2)-p53 interaction, thereby promoting p53 ubiquitination and degradation, which further inhibited p53-related inflammatory and senescence response. These results highlighted therapeutic potential of SolB for CAVD via inhibiting p53 signaling pathway and revealed a new molecular mechanism of SolB which provided a new insight of theraputic mechanism for CAVD.
Asunto(s)
Estenosis de la Válvula Aórtica , Válvula Aórtica , Calcinosis , Ciclooctanos , Lignanos , Proteína p53 Supresora de Tumor , Animales , Humanos , Masculino , Ratones , Válvula Aórtica/patología , Válvula Aórtica/efectos de los fármacos , Válvula Aórtica/metabolismo , Estenosis de la Válvula Aórtica/tratamiento farmacológico , Estenosis de la Válvula Aórtica/patología , Calcinosis/tratamiento farmacológico , Calcinosis/patología , Calcinosis/metabolismo , Diferenciación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Células Cultivadas , Senescencia Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Ciclooctanos/farmacología , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Inflamación/tratamiento farmacológico , Inflamación/patología , Inflamación/metabolismo , Lignanos/farmacología , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Osteogénesis/efectos de los fármacos , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas c-mdm2/metabolismo , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacos , Proteína p53 Supresora de Tumor/metabolismoRESUMEN
Purpose: Mitochondrial damage may lead to uncontrolled oxidative stress and massive apoptosis, and thus plays a pivotal role in the pathological processes of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, it is difficult for the drugs such as puerarin (PUE) to reach the mitochondrial lesion due to lack of targeting ability, which seriously affects the expected efficacy of drug therapy for myocardial I/R injury. Methods: We prepared triphenylphosphonium (TPP) cations and ischemic myocardium-targeting peptide (IMTP) co-modified puerarin-loaded liposomes (PUE@T/I-L), which effectively deliver the drug to mitochondria and improve the effectiveness of PUE in reducing myocardial I/R injury. Results: In vitro test results showed that PUE@T/I-L had sustained release and excellent hemocompatibility. Fluorescence test results showed that TPP cations and IMTP double-modified liposomes (T/I-L) enhanced the intracellular uptake, escaped lysosomal capture and promoted drug targeting into the mitochondria. Notably, PUE@T/I-L inhibited the opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore, reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels, thereby decreasing the percentage of Hoechst-positive cells and improving the survival of hypoxia-reoxygenated (H/R)-injured H9c2 cells. In a mouse myocardial I/R injury model, PUE@T/I-L showed a significant myocardial protective effect against myocardial I/R injury by protecting mitochondrial integrity, reducing myocardial apoptosis and decreasing infarct size. Conclusion: This drug delivery system exhibited excellent mitochondrial targeting and reduction of myocardial apoptosis, which endowed it with good potential extension value in the precise treatment of myocardial I/R injury.
Asunto(s)
Isoflavonas , Liposomas , Daño por Reperfusión Miocárdica , Compuestos Organofosforados , Animales , Liposomas/química , Daño por Reperfusión Miocárdica/tratamiento farmacológico , Isoflavonas/química , Isoflavonas/farmacología , Isoflavonas/administración & dosificación , Isoflavonas/farmacocinética , Compuestos Organofosforados/química , Compuestos Organofosforados/farmacología , Compuestos Organofosforados/administración & dosificación , Compuestos Organofosforados/farmacocinética , Masculino , Ratones , Apoptosis/efectos de los fármacos , Especies Reactivas de Oxígeno/metabolismo , Cationes/química , Miocardio/patología , Miocardio/metabolismo , Estrés Oxidativo/efectos de los fármacos , Péptidos/química , Péptidos/farmacología , Péptidos/administración & dosificación , Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos/métodosRESUMEN
Stress granules (SGs) are considered to be the nonmembrane discrete assemblies present in the cytoplasm to cope with various environmental stress. SGs can promote the progression and drug resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, it is important to explore the mechanism of SG formation to reduce drug resistance in HCC. In this study, we demonstrate that p110α is required for SGs assembly. Mechanistically, the Arg-Gly (RG) motif of p110α is required for SG competence and regulates the recruitment of SG components. The methylation of p110α mediated by protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) interferes with the recruitment of p110α to SG components, thereby inhibiting the promotion of p110α to SGs. On this basis, we generated metal-polyphenol-network-coated R612F nanoparticles (MPN-R612F), which can efficiently enter HCC cells and maintain the hypermethylation state of p110α, thereby inhibiting the assembly of SGs and ultimately reducing the resistance of HCC cells to sorafenib. The combination of MPN-R612F nanoparticles and sorafenib can kill HCC cells more effectively and play a stronger anti-tumor effect. This study provides a new perspective for targeting SGs in the treatment of HCC.
RESUMEN
The rapid development of fluorescence probe technology has promoted in-depth research in fields such as environment and life medicine. Traditional single channel fluorescent probes can achieve highly sensitive detection of targets, but they appear powerless in complex environments. In addition, in today's deteriorating resource environment, implementing multi target detection with one probe can effectively save preparation resources, which is in line with the development direction of fluorescent probes. To achieve this goal, designing and preparing multi-site probes is undoubtedly the first choice, but the complexity of their preparation is daunting. Herein, we propose the concept of cascade detection for the first time. After the probe completes the first target detection, the complex between the probe and the first target is achieved based on the characteristics of the first target to achieve subsequent target detection. Based on this, a metal-organic framework was used as a basic skeleton and the concept of serial reactions was applied. First, copper ions were detected through coordination. Then, the specificity of copper for sulfur-containing amino acids was utilized to detect the three types of amino acids, and the practical applications of the three probes were studied separately.
RESUMEN
Hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) are characterized by a vast spectrum of somatic copy number alterations (CNAs); however, their functional relevance is largely unknown. By performing a genome-wide survey on prognosis-associated focal CNAs in 814 HCC patients by an integrative computational framework based on transcriptomic data, genomic amplification is identified at 8q24.13 as a promising candidate. Further evidence is provided that the 8q24.13 amplification-driven overexpression of Rab GTPase activating protein TBC1D31 exacerbates HCC growth and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo through activating Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling. Mechanistically, TBC1D31 acts as a Rab GTPase activating protein to catalyze GTP hydrolysis for Rab22A and then reduces the Rab22A-mediated endolysosomal trafficking and degradation of EGFR. Notably, overexpression of TBC1D31 markedly increases the resistance of HCC cells to lenvatinib, whereas inhibition of the TBC1D31-EGFR axis can reverse this resistance phenotype. This study highlights that TBC1D31 at 8q24.13 is a new critical oncogene, uncovers a novel mechanism of EGFR activation in HCC, and proposes the potential strategies for treating HCC patients with TBC1D31 amplification or overexpression.
RESUMEN
Both insufficient and excessive iodine intake can lead to thyroid-related disorders. Although China has made progress in eliminating iodine deficiency over the past few decades, the incidence of thyroid cancer is increasing. Currently, there is a lack of relevant research on the tradeoff between the benefits and risks of salt iodization in China. In this study, we developed a method that combines the total probability algorithm and disease burden to evaluate the appropriate amount of salt iodization. Following the principle of minimizing the comprehensive disease burden and using the metabolic model of human iodine nutrition. Based on the average national iodine level in water, the optimal iodine content in Chinese salt is determined to be 17 mg/kg. However, iodine content in water is not evenly distributed in China. Approximately 3.23% of administrative villages have water iodine concentrations exceeding 80 ug/L, eliminating the need for iodine fortification in salt. Approximately 83.51% of administrative villages need to continue implementing the salt iodization policy, with the optimal iodine content in salt ranging from 15 to 18 mg/kg. In 13.16% of administrative villages, the iodine content in salt is determined based on the local water iodine concentration, ranging from 0 to 15 mg/kg. Our study cracks open a window of insight suggesting that the optimal iodine content for salt is lower than the existing benchmark dictated by the prevailing policy in China. Hence, there is an urgent need to refine and advance the iodine supplementation strategy in salt to pave the way for precision medicine and health-centric iodine supplementation strategies.
RESUMEN
PURPOSE: To analyze the key factors influencing the psychological resilience of intensive care unit (ICU) nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic and put forward suggestions promoting resilience based on key improvement factors and clinical experience. METHODS: Data were collected from 35 ICU nurses in a hospital in Zhejiang Province, China, through a questionnaire survey conducted between January and February 2023. The Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method was then used to construct and visualize the relationship structure between the factors. The DEMATEL-based Analytical Network Process (DANP) was applied to determine the influential weights of all factors. Finally, the key improvement factors were identified using importance-performance analysis (IPA). RESULTS: Based on the cause-effect impact network diagram (CEIND), it was concluded that (C 11), (C 22), and (C 32) are the key factors that promote the improvement of psychological resilience among ICU nurses. Additionally, these factors were the key factors that influence psychological resilience. The confidence levels of these results and the gap were 99.6% and 0.4%, respectively, which exceed the threshold value of 95%, indicating good stability. Finally, for the case hospitals, (C 13) was identified as the key improvement factor. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital administrators should support ICU nurses in enhancing their psychological resilience during major epidemics by: (i) Providing training on comprehensive protective measures and nursing skills; (ii) Effectively managing the human resources of nurses in the hospital to reduce their workload; (iii) Increasing social and organizational support for nurses to alleviate anxiety caused by large-scale public health events and improve their psychological resilience.
RESUMEN
Indoor UV damage is a serious problem that is often ignored. Common glasses cannot filter UV rays well and have fragility and environmental issues. UV-shielding transparent wood (TW) holds promise, yet striking the right balance between blocking UV rays and allowing sufficient visible-light transmission poses a challenge. The pronounced capillary force, fueled by persistent moisture and extractives in wood, alongside the existence of multiphase interfaces, collectively hinder the uniform penetration of polymers and the effective dispersion of nanomaterials within the wood skeleton. Here, we incorporate high-pressure supercritical CO2 fluid-assisted impregnation (HSCFI) into fabricating UV-shielding TW. The supercritical CO2 pretreatment efficiently eliminates moisture and refines wood structure by extracting polar substances, resulting in a prominent 52.4% increase in average water permeability. Subsequently, this HSCFI method facilitates the infiltration of methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomer and Ce-ZnO nanorods (NRDs) into the refined anhydrous wood, leveraging the excellent solvency of supercritical CO2 for MMA. The impregnation rate of PMMA undergoes a substantial increase from 34.5 to 59.1%. With the robust UV-blocking capability of Ce-ZnO NRDs, thanks to dual-valence Ce doping widening the ZnO energy gap via the Burstein-Moss effect and their unique photoactive microstructure featuring a solid prism with a sharp hexahedral pyramidal tip, along with intrinsic physical scattering/reflection actions, Ce-ZnO NRDs@TW achieves an impressive 99.6% UVA radiation blockage (the highest for TW) and maintains high visible-light transmission (83.2%). Furthermore, Ce-ZnO NRDs@TW presents favorable energy-saving, sound absorption, and antifungal abilities, making it a promising candidate for future green buildings.
RESUMEN
Zn2+ plays a vital role in regulating various life processes, such as gene expression, cell signaling, and brain function. In this study, a near-infrared fluorescent probe AXS was synthesized to detect Zn2+ with good fluorescence specificity, high selectivity, and high sensitivity; the detection limit of Zn2+ was 6.924 × 10-11 M. The mechanism of Zn2+ recognition by the AXS probe was investigated by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance titrations, UV-visible spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Test paper experiments showed that the AXS probe could detect Zn2+ in real samples. In addition, quantitative and qualitative detection of Zn2+ in common foodstuffs was achieved. For portable Zn2+ detection, a smartphone detection platform was also developed based on the AXS probe. Importantly, the AXS probe showed good bioimaging capabilities in Caenorhabditis elegans and mice.