Evolution of the SPX gene family and its role in the response mechanism to low phosphorus stress in self-rooted apple stock.

BACKGROUND: Phosphorus plays a key role in plant adaptation to adversity and plays a positive role in the yield and quality formation of apples. Genes of the SPX domain-containing family are widely involved in the regulation of phosphorus signalling networks. However, the mechanisms controlling phosphorus deficiency are not completely understood in self-rooted apple stock. RESULTS: In this study, 26 members of the apple SPX gene family were identified by genome-wide analysis, and further divided into four subfamilies (SPX, SPX-MFS, SPX-EXS, and SPX-RING) based on their structural features. The chromosome distribution and gene duplications of MdSPXs were also examined. The promoter regions of MdSPXs were enriched for multiple biotic/abiotic stresses, hormone responses and typical P1BS-related elements. Analysis of the expression levels of 26 MdSPXs showed that some members were remarkably induced when subjected to low phosphate (Pi) stress, and in particular MdSPX2, MdSPX3, and MdPHO1.5 exhibited an intense response to low Pi stress. MdSPX2 and MdSPX3 showed significantly divergent expression levels in low Pi sensitive and insensitive apple species. Protein interaction networks were predicted for 26 MdSPX proteins. The interaction of MdPHR1 with MdSPX2, MdSPX3, MdSPX4, and MdSPX6 was demonstrated by yeast two-hybrid assay, suggesting that these proteins might be involved in the Pi-signaling pathway by interacting with MdPHR1. CONCLUSION: This research improved the understanding of the apple SPX gene family and contribute to future biological studies of MdSPX genes in self-rooted apple stock.

Mining key genes associated with phosphorus deficiency through genome-wide identification and characterization of cucumber SPX family genes.

BACKGROUND: Proteins harboring the SPX domain are crucial for the regulation of phosphate (Pi) homeostasis in plants. This study aimed to identify and analyze the entire SPX gene family within the cucumber genome. RESULTS: The cucumber genome encompassed 16 SPX domain-containing genes, which were distributed across six chromosomes and categorized into four distinct subfamilies: SPX, SPX-MFS, SPX-EXS and SPX-RING, based on their structure characteristics. Additionally, gene duplications and synteny analysis were conducted for CsSPXs, revealing that their promoter regions were enriched with a variety of hormone-responsive, biotic/abiotic stress and typical P1BS-related elements. Tissue expression profiling of CsSPX genes revealed that certain members were specifically expressed in particular organs, suggesting essential roles in cucumber growth and development. Under low Pi stress, CsSPX1 and CsSPX2 exhibited a particularly strong response to Pi starvation. It was observed that the cucumber cultivar Xintaimici displayed greater tolerance to low Pi compared to black-spined cucumber under low Pi stress conditions. Protein interaction networks for the 16 CsSPX proteins were predicted, and yeast two-hybrid assay revealed that CsPHR1 interacted with CsSPX2, CsSPX3, CsSPX4 and CsSPX5, implying their involvement in the Pi signaling pathway in conjunction with CsPHR1. CONCLUSION: This research lays the foundation for further exploration of the function of the CsSPX genes in response to low Pi stress and for elucidating the underlying mechanism.

A Functional "Key" Amplified Piezoelectric Effect Modulates ROS Storm with an Open Source for Multimodal Synergistic Cancer Therapy.

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) is a non-invasive strategy for generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and is promising for cancer treatment. However, increasing ROS in tumor therapy remains challenging. Therefore, exogenous excitation and inhibition of electron-hole pair recombination are attractive for modulating ROS storms in tumors. Herein, a Ce-doped BiFeO3 (CBFO) piezoelectric sonosensitizer to modulate ROS generation and realize a synergistic mechanism of CDT/sonodynamic therapy and piezodynamic therapy (PzDT) is proposed. The mixed Fe2+ and Ce3+ can implement a circular Fenton/Fenton-like reaction in the tumor microenvironment. Abundant ·OH can be generated by ultrasound (US) stimulation to enhance CDT efficacy. As a typical piezoelectric sonosensitizer, CBFO can produce O2 - owing to the enhanced polarization by the US, resulting in the motion of charge carriers. In addition, CBFO can produce a piezoresponse irradiated upon US, which accelerates the migration rate of electrons/holes in opposite directions and results in energy band bending, further achieving toxic ROS production and realizing PzDT. Density functional theory calculations confirmed that Ce doping shortens the diffusion of electrons and improves the conductivity and catalytic activity of CBFO. This distinct US-enhanced strategy emphasizes the effects of doping engineering and piezoelectric-optimized therapy and shows great potential for the treatment of malignant tumors.

Sum and difference frequency generation in a valley-photonic-crystal-like topological system.

Nonlinear sum frequency generation (SFG) and difference frequency generation (DFG) are fundamental methods to obtain new light sources for various applications. However, most of the on-chip SFG and DFG are based on conventional resonators, lacking robustness against fabrication defects. Here, we demonstrate topologically protected SFG and DFG in a second-order topological photonic system. The mechanism is based on the nonlinear interaction between three high-Q corner modes inside dual topological band gaps. The frequency matching condition for SFG and DFG is precisely satisfied by designing a valley-photonic-crystal-like topological system, which provides more freedoms to tune the corner modes. The topological SFG and DFG are achieved with high conversion efficiency, and the underlying topological physics is revealed. This work opens up avenues toward topologically protected nonlinear frequency conversion, and can find applications in the fields of on-chip single-photon detections and optical quantum memories with robustness against defects.

The involvement of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 in regulating immune response by NF-κB at pre-molt stage of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis).

Molting is a crucial biological process of crustaceans. Crustaceans go through three separate stages throughout their molting process, including pre-molt, post-molt and inter-molt. However, the exact mechanism of immunological modulation during molting remains unclear. Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) has been extensively documented to participate in immune defense. In the present study, a TRAF6 gene with two TRAF-type zinc finger domains was identified from Eriocheir sinensis (designed as EsTRAF6), and its role in regulating immune response during molting process was explored. The mRNA expression level of EsTRAF6 at pre-molt stage was higher than that at post-molt stage and inter-molt stage. After Aeromonas hydrophila stimulation, the expression levels of EsTRAF6, EsRelish and anti-lipopolysaccharide factors (ALFs) genes exhibited a considerable increase at three molting stages. Subsequently, the expression patterns of EsTRAF6 and EsRelish in response to the treatment with 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) were examined. The mRNA expression of EsTRAF6 and EsRelish were significantly increased at 12 h after 20E injection. Additionally, the protein expression level of TRAF6 was also up-regulated in 20E group compared to control group. Furthermore, the role of EsTRAF6 in regulating the anti- ALFs expression at pre-molt stage post A. hydrophila stimulation was investigated. Following the inhibition of the EsTRAF6 transcript using RNAi or the injection of inhibitor (TMBPS), there was a notable decrease of the EsALF1, EsALF2 and EsALF3 transcripts. Moreover, a significant reduction in the phosphorylation level of NF-κB at pre-molt stage was observed after A. hydrophila stimulation in TRAF6-inhibited crabs. Collectively, our results suggest that EsTRAF6 could be induced by 20E and promoted the EsALFs expression by activating NF-κB at pre-molt stage, which provides a novel insight into the research of immune regulatory mechanism during the process of molting of crustaceans.

Inhibition of GBP5 activates autophagy to alleviate inflammatory response in LPS-induced lung injury in mice.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary emphysema is a condition that causes damage to the lung tissue over time. GBP5, as part of the guanylate-binding protein family, is dysregulated in mouse pulmonary emphysema. However, the role of GBP5 in lung inflammation in ARDS remains unveiled. METHODS: To investigate whether GBP5 regulates lung inflammation and autophagy regulation, the study employed a mouse ARDS model and MLE-12 cell culture. Vector transfection was performed for the genetic manipulation of GBP5. Then, RT-qPCR, WB and IHC staining were conducted to assess its transcriptional and expression levels. Histological features of the lung tissue were observed through HE staining. Moreover, ELISA was conducted to evaluate the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, autophagy was assessed by immunofluorescent staining, and MPO activity was determined using a commercial kit. RESULTS: Our study revealed that GBP5 expression was altered in mouse ARDS and LPS-induced MLE-12 cell models. Moreover, the suppression of GBP5 reduced lung inflammation induced by LPS in mice. Conversely, overexpression of GBP5 diminished the inhibitory impact of LPS on ARDS during autophagy, leading to increased inflammation. In the cell line of MLE-12, GBP5 exacerbates LPS-induced inflammation by blocking autophagy. CONCLUSION: The study suggests that GBP5 facilitates lung inflammation and autophagy regulation. Thus, GBP5 could be a potential therapeutic approach for improving ARDS treatment outcomes, but further research is required to validate these findings.

Characterization and functional evidence for Orf2 of Streptomyces sp. 139 as a novel dipeptidase E.

Aspartyl dipeptidase (dipeptidase E) can hydrolyze Asp-X dipeptides (where X is any amino acid), and the enzyme plays a key role in the degradation of peptides as nutrient sources. Dipeptidase E remains uncharacterized in Streptomyces. Orf2 from Streptomyces sp. 139 is located in the exopolysaccharide biosynthesis gene cluster, which may be a novel dipeptidase E with "S134-H170-D198" catalytic triad by sequence and structure comparison. Herein, recombinant Orf2 was expressed in E. coli and characterized dipeptidase E activity using the Asp-ρNA substrate. The optimal pH and temperature for Orf2 are 7.5 and 40 ℃; Vmax and Km of Orf2 are 0.0787 mM·min-1 and 1.709 mM, respectively. Orf2 exhibits significant degradation activities to Asp-Gly-Gly, Asp-Leu, Asp-His, and isoAsp-Leu and minimal activities to Asp-Pro and Asp-Ala. Orf2 contains a Ser-His-Asp catalytic triad characterized by point mutation. In addition, the Asp147 residue of Orf2 is also proven to be critical for the enzyme's activity through molecular docking and point mutation. Transcriptome analysis reveals the upregulation of genes associated with ribosomes, amino acid biosynthesis, and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis in the orf2 mutant strain. Compared with the orf2 mutant strain and WT, the yield of crude polysaccharide does not change significantly. However, crude polysaccharides from the orf2 mutant strain exhibit a wider range of molecular weight distribution. The results indicate that the Orf2 links nutrient stress to secondary metabolism as a novel dipeptidase E. KEY POINTS: • A novel dipeptidase E with a Ser-His-Asp catalytic triad was characterized from Streptomyces sp. 139. • Orf2 was involved in peptide metabolism both in vitro and in vivo. • Orf2 linked nutrient stress to mycelia formation and secondary metabolism in Streptomyces.

Clinical features of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children without fever.

BACKGROUND: Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) is one of the most common causes of community-acquired pneumonia in children. Most children have fever. In 2021, we found that the proportion of children without fever increased. The aim of this study is to summarize the differences in the clinical characteristics of children with MP pneumonia who are febrile or not, and to raise awareness of children who are not febrile. METHOD: Demographic information of the children was collected on admission. Clinical manifestations during the course of the disease and the first laboratory, imaging, and pulmonary function tests before discharge were recorded and compared. RESULTS: From August to December, a total of 542 people were included in the study. We found that older children were more likely to have fever. Inflammatory indicators including procalcitonin (P = 0.030), C-reaction protein (P < 0.001), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (P < 0.001), ferritin (P = 0.040) and the rate of atelectasis (P = 0.049) of febrile children were higher in febrile children. However, the elevated lactate dehydrogenase and pulmonary function impairment (P all > 0.05), especially the small airway function impairment, are no lower in afebrile children than in febrile children. CONCLUSION: The fever rate is lower in younger children, but wheezing is more common. In afebrile children, the impairment of organ and lung function was no less than in febrile children. Therefore, attention should also be paid to children who are not febrile.

An Advanced Tool Wear Forecasting Technique with Uncertainty Quantification Using Bayesian Inference and Support Vector Regression.

Tool wear prediction is of great significance in industrial production. Current tool wear prediction methods mainly rely on the indirect estimation of machine learning, which focuses more on estimating the current tool wear state and lacks effective quantification of random uncertainty factors. To overcome these shortcomings, this paper proposes a novel method for predicting cutting tool wear. In the offline phase, the multiple degradation features were modeled using the Brownian motion stochastic process and a SVR model was trained for mapping the features and the tool wear values. In the online phase, the Bayesian inference was used to update the random parameters of the feature degradation model, and the future trend of the features was estimated using simulation samples. The estimation results were input into the SVR model to achieve in-advance prediction of the cutting tool wear in the form of distribution densities. An experimental tool wear dataset was used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results demonstrate that the method shows superiority in prediction accuracy and stability.

Advances in Therapeutics to Alleviate Cognitive Decline and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease.

Dementia exists as a 'progressive clinical syndrome of deteriorating mental function significant enough to interfere with activities of daily living', with the most prevalent type of dementia being Alzheimer's disease (AD), accounting for about 80% of diagnosed cases. AD is associated with an increased risk of comorbidity with other clinical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) including, agitation, anxiety, and depression as well as increased mortality in late life. For example, up to 70% of patients diagnosed with AD are affected by anxiety. As aging is the major risk factor for AD, this represents a huge global burden in ageing populations. Over the last 10 years, significant efforts have been made to recognize the complexity of AD and understand the aetiology and pathophysiology of the disease as well as biomarkers for early detection. Yet, earlier treatment options, including acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and glutamate receptor regulators, have been limited as they work by targeting the symptoms, with only the more recent FDA-approved drugs being designed to target amyloid-ß protein with the aim of slowing down the progression of the disease. However, these drugs may only help temporarily, cannot stop or reverse the disease, and do not act by reducing NPS associated with AD. The first-line treatment options for the management of NPS are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors/selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs/SNRIs) targeting the monoaminergic system; however, they are not rational drug choices for the management of anxiety disorders since the GABAergic system has a prominent role in their development. Considering the overall treatment failures and side effects of currently available medication, there is an unmet clinical need for rationally designed therapies for anxiety disorders associated with AD. In this review, we summarize the current status of the therapy of AD and aim to highlight novel angles for future drug therapy in our ongoing efforts to alleviate the cognitive deficits and NPS associated with this devastating disease.

Penifuranone A: A Novel Alkaloid from the Mangrove Endophytic Fungus Penicillium crustosum SCNU-F0006.

One previously undescribed alkaloid, named penifuranone A (1), and three known compounds (2-4) were isolated from the mangrove endophytic fungus Penicillium crustosum SCNU-F0006. The structure of the new alkaloid (1) was elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic data analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Four natural isolates and one new synthetic derivative of penifuranone A, compound 1a, were screened for their antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. Bioassays revealed that penifuranone A (1) exhibited strong anti-inflammatory activity in vitro by inhibiting nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide-activated RAW264.7 cells with an IC50 value of 42.2 µM. The docking study revealed that compound 1 exhibited an ideal fit within the active site of the murine inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), establishing characteristic hydrogen bonds.

Professional values education for undergraduate nursing students: developing a framework based on the professional values growth theory.

BACKGROUND: Education has been recognised as necessary in forming and internalising professional values. The system and instructors' content in existing educational institutions focus on developing students' knowledge, skills and practices. Still, the development of values has yet to achieve significant effects, leading to a crisis in students' professional identity. AIMS: To construct a professional values growth theory for undergraduate nursing students and develop a corresponding education framework. METHODS: Through the review, some databases(PubMed、CINAHL、Web of Science、Wiley and Google Scholars)were searched using a systematic search strategy to collect relevant literature on professional values education. Based on the nursing professional values growth theory (Li and Li, Nursing Ethics In press, 2022), a theory of professional values growth of nursing undergraduates was developed using the method of theory derivation. Two rounds of expert meetings were conducted to review and revise an education framework of professional values of nursing undergraduates derived from that theory. FINDINGS: A total of 10 studies were included. The contents of two themes were analysed: theories and models and the current status of the professional values development of nursing students. The resulting professional values growth theory for undergraduate nursing students consists of five parts: key aspects, decisive opportunities, drivers, embodiment (humanistic sentiments, moral emotions), and outcomes. A total of five experts in the relevant fields were invited to this study. After two rounds of expert meetings, an education framework for undergraduate nursing students was finally developed, which consists of four parts: education objectives, education process and content, environment and conditions, and evaluation. CONCLUSION: The education framework developed in this study has practical implications for the development of professional values of undergraduate nursing students, providing educational strategies and methods for the growth and internalisation of professional values of undergraduate nursing students.

The growth of nursing professional values - A grounded theory.

BACKGROUND: The formation of nursing professional values is crucial to the development of the nursing profession, but it is influenced by various factors. The process of shaping nursing professional values in different growth contexts has been overlooked. In order to establish professional values in the context of Chinese nursing, it is necessary to investigate the evolution of nursing professional values throughout history. PURPOSE: To develop a theory of professional values growth from a nursing context. Design: This study adopted a grounded theory approach from Strauss and Corbin. PARTICIPANTS: From November 2021 to March 2022, a total of 33 participants were included. METHODS: Data were collected using a semi-structured interview over telephone or online or face to face and were analysed using open, axial, and selective coding, with the help of MAXQDA 2020. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: The research was approved by the Ethics Committee of the China Medical University. All participants signed the informed consent and agreed to be interviewed before the study. FINDINGS: The study has developed a theoretical construct of nursing professional values growth that consists of five dimensions: key aspects, decisive opportunities, drivers, embodiment, and shaping outcomes. And key aspects include four subcategories (the initial stage, the consciousness stage, the core stage, and the action stage). Decisive opportunities come from organisations and individuals. Drivers consist of social culture and self-trait, and embodiment covers two subcategories (humanism and ethical emotions). The last dimension is shaping outcomes, which consists of three subcategories (maintaining the original intention, professionalism, and instilling professional values). DISCUSSION: The theory demonstrates the individual development process of nursing professional values in different interactive contexts, the context of its interaction with social and personal values is revealed, and the dynamics and mechanisms of the formation of personal psychological qualities in professional values from a nursing context are discovered. CONCLUSIONS: This theory reveals the mechanisms that shape nursing professional values and can provide guidance for the growth of nursing students' professional values.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes in Cardioprotection: A Novel Application to Prevent Myocardial Injury.

Perioperative myocardial injury is a common complication caused by major surgery. Many pharmacological and nonpharmacological studies have investigated perioperative cardioprotection. However, the methods are insufficient to meet the increasing clinical needs for cardioprotection. The application of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes (MSC-Exos) is a novel cell-free therapeutic strategy and has significantly benefitted patients suffering from various diseases. In this review, we comprehensively analyzed the application of MSC-Exos to prevent myocardial infarction/injury by regulating inflammatory reactions, inhibiting cardiomyocyte apoptosis and autophagy, promoting angiogenesis, and mediating cardiac remodeling. Finally, we assessed the therapeutic effects and the challenges associated with the application of MSC-Exos from a clinical perspective.

Association between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes: a cohort study.

Background: Chronic inflammation is implicated in the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR). The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a marker of systemic inflammation that has been linked to cardiovascular and diabetic kidney diseases. However, the link between NLR and DR remains unclear. As such, this study investigated the association between NLR and DR in Chinese patients. Method: A total of 857 adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) without DR at baseline between 2018 and 2021, from a single center in Ningbo, China, were included. Baseline clinical data, including age, sex, T2DM duration, hypertension, smoking, drinking, glycated hemoglobin level, lipid profile, renal function, and NLR, were recorded and analyzed. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to assess the association between NLR and the risk for incident DR. Results: During a median follow-up of 3.0 years, 140 patients developed DR. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for incident DR across ascending NLR quartiles (≤1.46 [reference], 1.47-1.90, 1.91-2.45 and > 2.45) were 1.000, 1.327 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.754-2.334), 1.555 (95% CI 0.913-2.648) and 2.217 (95% CI 1.348-3.649), respectively. For each 1-standard deviation increase in NLR, the risk for DR increased by 29.2% (HR 1.292 [95% CI 1.112-1.501) after adjusting for confounding factors. Conclusion: Results revealed that a higher NLR at baseline was associated with an increased risk for incident DR. NLR has the potential to be an inexpensive, reliable, and valuable clinical measure that merits further exploration in future studies.

Exercise couples mitochondrial function with skeletal muscle fiber type via ROS-mediated epigenetic modification.

Skeletal muscle is a heterogeneous tissue composed of different types of muscle fibers, demonstrating substantial plasticity. Physiological or pathological stimuli can induce transitions in muscle fiber types. However, the precise regulatory mechanisms behind these transitions remains unclear. This paper reviews the classification and characteristics of muscle fibers, along with the classical mechanisms of muscle fiber type transitions. Additionally, the role of exercise-induced muscle fiber type transitions in disease intervention is reviewed. Epigenetic pathways mediate cellular adaptations and thus represent potential targets for regulating muscle fiber type transitions. This paper focuses on the mechanisms by which epigenetic modifications couple mitochondrial function and contraction characteristics. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are critical signaling regulators for the health-promoting effects of exercise. Finally, we discuss the role of exercise-induced ROS in regulating epigenetic modifications and the transition of muscle fiber types.

Operative treatment of pulmonary primitive neuroectodermal tumor: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), a member of the Ewing sarcoma family of tumors, is a rare malignancy that is associated with a grim prognosis. To date, fewer than 30 cases of pulmonary PNET have been reported. In this case report, we present the clinical details of a 12-year-old girl with pulmonary PNET who underwent surgical treatment. We also conducted an analysis and summary of other relevant studies and the surgical outcomes. CASE PRESENTATION: In May 2018, a 12-year-old girl was admitted with symptoms of cough and blood-tinged phlegm. A computed tomography scan revealed a large mass, measuring 12.9 cm × 8.1 cm, in the right middle and lower lungs. A percutaneous lung biopsy confirmed poorly differentiated tumor cells with a nested growth pattern. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated positive expression of CD99, CD56, Vimentin, and Synaptophysin. The patient was diagnosed with pulmonary PNET. Following three cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, a substantial reduction in tumor volume was observed. Subsequently, the patient underwent a surgical procedure involving pneumonectomy and partial resection of the left atrium with the assistance of cardiopulmonary bypass. The patient was discharged 37 days after surgery. During a three-year follow-up period, she exhibited no signs of tumor recurrence and has successfully returned to school. CONCLUSIONS: This case highlights the successful management of an advanced PNET with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, pneumonectomy, and partial resection of the left atrium employing cardiopulmonary bypass. The patient remained disease-free after three years. Our analysis of surgically treated cases indicates that neoadjuvant chemotherapy can contribute to improved prognoses for PNET patients. It is crucial to emphasize that complete surgical excision remains the cornerstone of treatment, underscoring the importance of surgeons considering radical surgical approaches whenever feasible for patients with pulmonary PNETs.

Development and validity of an intermediate conceptual measurement (ICM) -based measurement tool for the nursing professional values of undergraduate students.

BACKGROUND: Nursing professional values are the foundation of nursing practice. There has been no research to develop an instrument to measure professional values in nursing based on intermediate conceptual measurement theory. OBJECTIVES: To develop an ICM-based measurement tool for the nursing professional values of undergraduate students. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: The Nursing Professional Values-Intermediate Conceptual Measurement (NPV-ICM) was developed using the steps of Cunningham's process to generate questionnaire items. The tool was devised in three stages: identifying the intermediate concepts, developing stories reflecting the intermediate concepts and setting up options for action and justification in the stories and setting up scoring criteria for the measurement tool. The tool was tested through internal consistency reliability, content validity and calibration correlation validity. RESULTS: This study resulted in five nursing professional values situational stories containing five themes (care, altruism, responsibility, respect and justice) respectively. Each situational story contained a varying number of action options and justification options, totalling 72 Richter 5 level options and 20 ranked items. Reliability and validity were found to be good, with a total Cronbach's α of 0.93 and Cronbach's α of 0.75-0.80 for each situational story and calibrated correlational validity was found to correlate significantly between the total Nursing Professional Values Scale Revised (NPVS-R) scores and the NPV-ICM. CONCLUSIONS: The NPV-ICM created in this study possesses high reliability and validity. It alters the values perception research, moving from abstract conceptual measurements to measurements of particular values actions and justifications for participation in activities. And the study presents preliminary evidence supporting the reliability of the NVP-ICM as a measure of professional values.

Novel anammox granules formation from conventional activated sludge for municipal wastewater treatment through flocs management.

The direct integration of anammox process into municipal wastewater treatment has caused widespread concern, but the lack of anammox seeds limited its real application. This study successfully cultivated anammox granules (322.0 µm) from conventional activated sludge treating municipal wastewater. Through ultra-low floc sludge retention times of 8d, nitrifiers on flocs were eliminated and partial nitrification was realized. Furthermore, highly bacteria-enriched granules were initially formed, with Nitrosomonas and Ca. Competibacter 4-fold higher than that of flocs. Specific staining results revealed the microbial interaction with Ca. Brocadia, considering that Ca. Competibacter and Nitrosomonas correspondingly identified in the inner and outer layers of granules. The percentage of Ca. Brocadia present on the granules increased substantially from 0.0 % to 3.0 %, accompanied by a nitrogen removal rate of 0.3 kg·m-3·d-1. Our findings revealed a valuable reference for the anammox bacteria in-situ enrichment under mainstream conditions, which provides theoretical guidance for anammox-based processes practical application.

Colorimetric and SERS dual-mode detection of GSH in human serum based on AuNPs@Cu-porphyrin MOF nanozyme.

BACKGROUND: Rapid and accurate detection of glutathione content in human blood plays an important role in real-time tracking of related diseases. Currently, surface-enhanced Raman scattering/spectroscopy (SERS) combined with nanozyme material has been proven to have excellent properties in the detection applications compared to many other methods because of it combines the advantages of trace detection capability of SERS and efficient catalytic activity of nanozymes. However, there are still existing problems in real sample detection, and to achieve quantitative detection is still challenging. RESULTS: In this study, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized in situ on the surface of two-dimensional Cu-porphyrin metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets to produce the AuNPs@Cu-porphyrin MOF nanozyme, which exhibited both oxidase-like activity and SERS detection ability. On one hand, the intrinsic oxidase-like activity of the nanozyme could be inhibited due to the chelation of glutathione (GSH) and Cu, which thus led to the visual color change of the solution. On the other hand, the abundant Raman "hot spots" at the nanogap generated by Au NPs and the internal standard (IS) signal provided by Cu-meso-tetra (4-carboxyphenyl) porphine (Cu-TCPP) MOF improved the sensitivity and quantitative accuracy of detection. SIGNIFICANCE AND NOVELTY: A dual-mode signal output sensor based on the nanozyme was thus established, which could be used in the trace detection of GSH. Such a dual-mode sensor possesses excellent detection performance, with the advantage of both wide detection range from 1 to 300 µM in the colorimetric detection mode and high sensitivity with LOD of 5 nM in the SERS detection mode, and can be applied to GSH detection in actual serum samples with reliable results.