RESUMEN
Background: Radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD) is a serious complication of thoracic tumor radiotherapy that substantially affects the quality of life of cancer patients. Oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in the occurrence and progression of RIHD, which prompted our investigation of an innovative approach for treating RIHD using antioxidant therapy. Methods: We used 8-week-old male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats as experimental animals and H9C2 cells as experimental cells. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) was used as an antioxidant to treat H9C2 cells after X-ray irradiation in this study. In the present study, the extent of cardiomyocyte damage caused by X-ray exposure was determined, alterations in oxidation/antioxidation levels were assessed, and changes in the expression of genes related to mitochondria were examined. The degree of myocardial tissue and cell injury was also determined. Dihydroethidium (DHE) staining, reactive oxygen species (ROS) assays, and glutathione (GSH) and manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) assays were used to assess cell oxidation/antioxidation. Flow cytometry was used to determine the mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening. High-throughput transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were used to elucidate the expression of mitochondria-related genes in myocardial tissue induced by X-ray exposure. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to verify the expression of differentially expressed genes. Results: X-ray irradiation damaged myocardial tissue and cells, resulting in an imbalance of oxidative and antioxidant substances and mitochondrial damage. NAC treatment increased cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) levels (P=0.02) and decreased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release (P=0.02) in cardiomyocytes. It also reduced the level of ROS (P=0.002) and increased the levels of GSH (P=0.04) and Mn-SOD (P=0.01). The mitochondrial membrane potential was restored (P<0.001), and mPTP opening was inhibited (P<0.001). Transcriptome sequencing and subsequent validation analyses revealed a decrease in the expression of mitochondria-related genes in myocardial tissue induced by X-ray exposure, but antioxidant therapy did not reverse the related DNA damage. Conclusions: Antioxidants mitigated radiation-induced myocardial damage to a certain degree, but these agents did not reverse the associated DNA damage. These findings provide a new direction for future investigations by our research group, including exploring the treatment of RIHD-related DNA damage.
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With the global warming crisis looming, the question of how to advance green total factor productivity (GTFP) has become an important concern confronting many developing countries. Although existing studies have demonstrated that total human capital can improve GTFP, the research has neglected to consider the influence of local higher education expenditure (LHEE), and no research has examined how LHEE spatially affect GTFP. Therefore, based on spatial economics theory, this study explores the spatial autocorrelation of LHEE and GTFP in China's 30 provinces from 2004 to 2021, employing a spatial Durbin model to analyze the spillover effect and influence mechanism of LHEE on GTFP. The results reveal that LHEE and GTFP exhibit positive global spatial autocorrelation. LHEE primarily improves GTFP and its subcomponents through spillover effects. The positive spillover effects in the three regions of China are significantly higher than the direct effects, whereas the direct effects in the eastern and central regions are positive but insignificant. Furthermore, LHEE promotes GTFP by advancing green technological innovation. The findings provide valuable insights to help policymakers address sustainable development goal 4 and develop synergistic regional GTFP growth policies to establish sustainable societies worldwide.
RESUMEN
Intercultural competence (IC) is believed to enhance new graduates' entrepreneurial capabilities and employability in this 21st century. This quantitative study investigates learners' perceived levels of IC, regarding its four components: knowledge, attitudes, skills, and awareness [1,2]. An online survey comprising 40 items adapted from Baroudi's questionnaire [3] based on Byram's conceptual framework of IC [1,2] was administered to learners at a recently established state university in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. 148 eligible respondents were recruited on a volunteer basis. SPSS was used to analyze collected data. Results show learners' high perceived level of IC. Learners' intercultural attitudes component was found to be at the highest perceived level. In addition, knowledge and skills equally stood at the lowest level of learners' perceived IC. Learners' gender and academic field did not affect their perceived IC levels. However, participants' academic major showed to have a significant impact on learners' intercultural awareness. The findings inform stakeholders about the appropriateness of currently-implemented curricula for intercultural education and raise their awareness of the possible gap between learners' perceived levels of IC and their actual IC. The study also contributes insights into the literature on the relationship between learners' IC and entrepreneurial capabilities and employability. Finally, suggestions for future studies on IC are included.