Deep Eutectic Solvent + Water System in Carbon Dioxide Absorption.

In the present work, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were synthesized in a one-step process by heating the hydrogen bond acceptors (HBAs) tetrabutylammonium bromide and tetrabutylphosphonium bromide, along with two hydrogen bond donors (HBDs) ethanolamine and N-methyldiethanolamine, which were mixed in certain molar ratios. This mixture was then mixed with water to form a DES + water system. The densities of the prepared DES + water systems were successfully measured using the U-tube oscillation method under atmospheric pressure over a temperature range of 293.15-363.15 K. The CO2 trapping capacity of the DES + water systems was investigated using the isovolumetric saturation technique at pressures ranging from 0.1 MPa to 1 MPa and temperatures ranging from 303.15 K to 323.15 K. A semi-empirical model was employed to fit the experimental CO2 solubility data, and the deviations between the experimental and fitted values were calculated. At a temperature of 303.15 K and a pressure of 100 kPa, the CO2 solubilities in the DES + water systems of TBAB and MEA, with molar ratios of 1:8, 1:9, and 1:10, were measured to be 0.1430 g/g, 0.1479 g/g, and 0.1540 g/g, respectively. Finally, it was concluded that the DES + water systems had a superior CO2 capture capacity compared to the 30% aqueous monoethanolamine solution commonly used in industry, indicating the potential of DES + water systems for CO2 capture.

Dimeric Drug Polymeric Micelles with Acid-Active Tumor Targeting and FRET-indicated Drug Release.

Trans-activating transcriptional activator (TAT), a cell-penetrating peptide, has been extensively used for facilitating cellular uptake and nuclear targeting of drug delivery systems. However, the positively charged TAT peptide usually strongly interacts with serum components and undergoes substantial phagocytosis by the reticuloendothelial system, causing a short blood circulation in vivo. In this work, an acid-active tumor targeting nanoplatform DA-TAT-PECL was developed to effectively inhibit the nonspecific interactions of TAT in the bloodstream. 2,3-dimethylmaleic anhydride (DA) was first used to convert the TAT's amines to carboxylic acid, the resulting DA-TAT was further conjugated to poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PEG-PCL, PECL) to get DA-TAT-PECL. After self-assembly into polymeric micelles, they were capable of circulating in the physiological condition for a long time and promoting cell penetration upon accumulation at the tumor site and de-shielding the DA group. Moreover, camptothecin (CPT) was used as the anticancer drug and modified into a dimer (CPT)2-ss-Mal, in which two CPT molecules were connected by a reduction-labile maleimide thioether bond. The Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) signal between CPT and maleimide thioether bond was monitored to visualize the drug release process and effective targeted delivery of antitumor drugs was demonstrated. This pH/reduction dual-responsive micelle system provides a new platform for high fidelity cancer therapy.

Shared decision-making implementation status among dermatologists engaging in medical esthetics: a cross-sectional study in China.

Objective: Shared decision-making (SDM) is a collaborative process in which patients and healthcare providers jointly make a medical decision. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the implementation status of shared decision-making among dermatologists engaging in medical esthetics in China and to identify factors associated with the good practice of SDM among them. Methods: From January to June 2023, a total of 1,287 dermatologists engaging in medical esthetics in China were recruited and completed the online interviews about their implementation of SDM based on the Shared Decision-Making Questionnaire for Doctors (SDM-Q-Doc). Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) to explore factors associated with the higher SDM score achievement among dermatologists with medical esthetic practice. Results: The median value of the total SDM score was 39, and 48% (621/1278) of dermatologists with medical esthetic practice achieved at least 40 out of 45 scores. Logistic regression indicated that dermatologists aged 40-49 or ≥ 50 years and those engaging in medical esthetic practice for ≥5 years were more likely to achieve at least 40 out of 45 scores compared to dermatologists aged <30 years with less than 5 years of medical esthetic practice. The ORs were 1.82 (95% CI: 1.13-3.12), 1.94 (95% CI: 1.13-3.61), and 1.76 (95% CI: 1.34-2.31), respectively. Conclusion: The SDM implementation level among Chinese dermatologists engaging in medical esthetics is high, especially for those who are older age and have more years of practice. Hence, it is highly recommended to promote and enhance SDM practice among younger dermatologists engaging in medical esthetics with less working experience.

Efficiency and Stability of Transarterial Chemoembolization Combined With or Without Lenvatinib for Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS:  At present, there are relatively few reports on the treatment consisting of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with lenvatinib, and there is no unified conclusion on the curative effect. The objective of this research was to assess the efficacy and safety of combining TACE with lenvatinib for the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS:  This study was a retrospective analysis of the patient's medical records. In this study, 249 patients (uHCC) in our hospital from 2020 to 2021 were divided into 2 groups, including the TACE-alone group (198 patients received TACE alone) and the TACE-LEN group (51 patients were treated with TACE combined with lenvatinib). According to the propensity score matching method, there were TACE-LEN group (51 patients) and TACE-alone group (51 patients). With the help of surgical experts, the overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and tumor response (according to mRECIST) of the 2 groups were sorted and recorded, and then analyzed. Survival curves were established, the prognostic factors of OS and PFS were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses, and the independent prognostic factors were recorded. The adverse reactions of patients after treatment were recorded. RESULTS:  The 1-year and 2-year OS rates were 50.98% and 19.48% for the TACE-LEN group, 27.45% and 8.55% for the TACE-alone group (P = .042), respectively. The PFS of patients in the TACE-LEN group was also longer (1-year PFS rate: 25.49% vs. 11.76%, 2-year PFS rate: 19.17% vs. 5.88%; P = .0069). The disease control rate (68.63% vs. 49.10%, P = .044) of the TACE-LEN group was significantly higher. In the subgroup analysis, the OS of the TACE-LEN group was better than TACE-alone group in patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C (1-year OS rate: 44.44% vs. 17.14%, 2-year OS rate: 8.67% vs. 0%; P = .009). Factor analysis concluded that serum alkaline phosphatase and treatment protocol (TACE-LEN vs. TACE) were independent influencing factors of OS. The most common treatment-related AEs included decreased albumin (n = 28, 54.9%), hypertension (n = 23, 45.1%), elevated aspartate transaminase (n = 21, 41.2%) and elevated total bilirubin (n = 18, 35.2%) in TACE-LEN group. CONCLUSION:  Compared with TACE monotherapy, TACE combined with lenvatinib effectively prolonged the OS time with a controllable safety profile for patients with uHCC.

Fast and deep phosphoproteome analysis with the Orbitrap Astral mass spectrometer.

Owing to its roles in cellular signal transduction, protein phosphorylation plays critical roles in myriad cell processes. That said, detecting and quantifying protein phosphorylation has remained a challenge. We describe the use of a novel mass spectrometer (Orbitrap Astral) coupled with data-independent acquisition (DIA) to achieve rapid and deep analysis of human and mouse phosphoproteomes. With this method, we map approximately 30,000 unique human phosphorylation sites within a half-hour of data collection. The technology is benchmarked to other state-of-the-art MS platforms using both synthetic peptide standards and with EGF-stimulated HeLa cells. We apply this approach to generate a phosphoproteome multi-tissue atlas of the mouse. Altogether, we detect 81,120 unique phosphorylation sites within 12 hours of measurement. With this unique dataset, we examine the sequence, structural, and kinase specificity context of protein phosphorylation. Finally, we highlight the discovery potential of this resource with multiple examples of phosphorylation events relevant to mitochondrial and brain biology.

Experimental Study on the Transport Properties of 12 Novel Deep Eutectic Solvents.

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are complex substances composed of two or three components, wherein hydrogen bond donors and acceptors engage in intricate interactions within a hydrogen bond network. They have attracted extensive attention from researchers due to their easy synthesis, cost-effectiveness, broad liquid range, good stability, and for being green and non-toxic. However, studies on the physical properties of DESs are still scarce and many theories are not perfect enough, which limits the application of DESs in engineering practice. In this study, twelve DESs were synthesized by using choline chloride and betaine as HBAs, and ethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol 600, o-cresol, glycerol, and lactic acid as HBDs. The variation rules of their thermal conductivity and viscosity with temperature at atmospheric pressure were systematically investigated. The experimental results showed that the thermal conductivity of the 1:4 choline chloride/glycerol solvent was the largest at 294 K, reaching 0.2456 W·m-1·K-1, which could satisfy the demand for high efficiency heat transfer by heat-transferring workpieces. The temperature-viscosity relationship of the DESs was fitted using the Arrhenius model, and the maximum average absolute deviation was 6.77%.

Tetrahydrocurcumin Attenuates Polymyxin B Sulfate-Induced HK-2 Cells Apoptosis by Inhibiting Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Mediated PERK/eIF2α/ATF4/CHOP Signaling Pathway Axis.

The clinical application of polymyxin B (PMB) is limited by its nephrotoxic effects, making the reduction of PMB-induced nephrotoxicity has become a pressing concern for clinicians. Tetrahydrocurcumin (THC), known for its beneficial characteristics in biological functions, presents an attractive option for intervention therapy to mitigate PMB-induced nephrotoxicity. However, the underlying mechanism of how THC mitigates PMB-induced nephrotoxicity is still poorly understood. Here, we first evaluated the potential of THC intervention therapy to mitigate PMB-induced nephrotoxicity in an in vitro model of PMB-induced cell injury. Moreover, we demonstrated that THC effectively protected HK-2 cells from PMB-induced apoptosis by using cell counting kit-8 and flow cytometry assay. THC could also suppress PMB-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress via PERK/eIF2α/ATF4/CHOP pathway. In addition, using PERK inhibitor GSK2606414 to inhibit ER stress also alleviated PMB-induced apoptosis. Taken together, these findings provide novel insights that THC possesses the ability to alleviate PMB-induced nephrotoxicity by inhibiting the ER stress-mediated PERK/eIF2α/ATF4/CHOP axis, which sheds light on the benefits of THC as an intervention strategy to reduce PMB-induced nephrotoxicity, thus providing a potential avenue for improved clinical outcomes in patients receiving PMB treatment.

The Influence of Academic Affairs on PIF.

OBJECTIVES: Referencing literature and professional experiences of multiple academic affairs deans in Doctor of Pharmacy degree granting programs, this commentary examines ways offices of academic affairs (OAA) play an integral part in the professional identity formation (PIF) of students, faculty, preceptors, and staff. Overlapping roles of academic affairs and other program and university offices are examined with a focus on approaches that impact student PIF. FINDINGS: While size, organizational structure, and roles or responsibilities can vary among OAA within pharmacy education, five focus areas are identified as opportunities where most, if not all, OAA can positively impact PIF for students. These five areas include 1) curriculum design, delivery, and operations, 2) leadership, 3) professional development, 4) student support and progression, and 5) accreditation. SUMMARY: OAA can help to shape PIF within pharmacy education in a variety of ways. Identifying and reflecting upon the five focus areas described in this paper may help individuals within OAA units recognize where PIF efforts may be developed, refined, or assessed within their program. By intentionally layering PIF strategies across these five focus areas, OAA personnel and those from other units within and outside of the university system may thoughtfully work together to develop graduates who have increased self-awareness, confidence, and ability to lead within the profession of pharmacy.

LVPocket: integrated 3D global-local information to protein binding pockets prediction with transfer learning of protein structure classification.

BACKGROUND: Previous deep learning methods for predicting protein binding pockets mainly employed 3D convolution, yet an abundance of convolution operations may lead the model to excessively prioritize local information, thus overlooking global information. Moreover, it is essential for us to account for the influence of diverse protein folding structural classes. Because proteins classified differently structurally exhibit varying biological functions, whereas those within the same structural class share similar functional attributes. RESULTS: We proposed LVPocket, a novel method that synergistically captures both local and global information of protein structure through the integration of Transformer encoders, which help the model achieve better performance in binding pockets prediction. And then we tailored prediction models for data of four distinct structural classes of proteins using the transfer learning. The four fine-tuned models were trained on the baseline LVPocket model which was trained on the sc-PDB dataset. LVPocket exhibits superior performance on three independent datasets compared to current state-of-the-art methods. Additionally, the fine-tuned model outperforms the baseline model in terms of performance. SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTION: We present a novel model structure for predicting protein binding pockets that provides a solution for relying on extensive convolutional computation while neglecting global information about protein structures. Furthermore, we tackle the impact of different protein folding structures on binding pocket prediction tasks through the application of transfer learning methods.

Prevalence Study of Trichomonas gallinae in Domestic Pigeons in Northeastern Beijing and Experimental Model of Trichomoniasis in White King Squabs Measuring In Situ Apoptosis and Immune Factors in Crop and Esophagus.

Trichomonas gallinae (T. gallinae) is a flagellated protozoan and the causative agent of trichomoniasis, or canker, in birds. In the current study, the prevalence of T. gallinae was firstly investigated in five breeds. According to the results of the prevalence study, White King pigeons were selected as the experimental animals. A total of 135 White King squabs at one day of age were randomly divided into two groups and raised in separate isolators. The challenged group (N = 100) was challenged intranasally with 5 × 106 parasites/mL of the T. gallinae strain, and the control group (N = 35) was intranasally administered medium of equivalent volume. At 1, 2, 3 and 5 days post infection (DPIs), the crops and esophagi were collected for RNA extraction and formaldehyde fixation. The results showed that prevalence of T. gallinae in the five breeds ranged from 27.13% (White Carneau) to 43.14% (White King). After the challenge, mild microscopic lesions were observed in both tissues. Apoptosis rates were higher in the challenged group than in the control group at 2 and 5 DPIs in the crop and at 1, 2 and 7 DPIs in the esophagus. For both tissues, relative expression of IL-1ß increased dramatically at the beginning and decreased at 5 DPIs, and TGF-ß increased stably in the challenged group.

miR-483-5p-Containing exosomes treatment ameliorated deep vein thrombosis­induced inflammatory response.

Peripheral vascular condition, known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), is a common ailment that may lead to deadly pulmonary embolism. Inflammation is closely connected to venous thrombosis, which results in blood stasis, leading to ischemia and hypoxia, as indicated by research. The objective of this research was to investigate the mechanism by which exosomes derived from adipose stem cells (ADSCs) prevent deep vein thrombosis. Our data showed that Exo-483 effectively reduced the thrombus weight in DVT rats by intravenous injection. Exo-483 decreased the expression of tissue factor (TF) protein, the influx of inflammatory cells into the thrombosed vein wall, and the levels of cytokines in the serum. Furthermore, Exo-483 suppressed the expression of Mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1) and decreased the expression of NLRP3 inflammasomes. In an oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) cell model, the tube-forming and migratory abilities of primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and EA.hy926 cells were suppressed by Exo-483 pretreatment.Exo-483 is also linked to regulating Dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) production downstream of MAPK1.By decreasing the mitochondrial localization and phosphorylation at the S616 site of DRP1, it diminishes the expression of NLRP3 inflammasomes. Moreover, according to Bioinformatics analysis, miR-483-5p was anticipated to target MAPK1. The research conducted by our team revealed that the miR-483-5p exosome derived from ADSCs exhibited anti-inflammatory properties through the modulation of downstream DRP1-NLRP3 expression by targeting MAPK1.The findings of this research propose that miR-483-5p may be regarded as an innovative treatment target for DVT.

Selection of functional sperm by using hyaluronic acid modified magnetic microbeads and an electromagnetic manipulation system.

In recent years, the incidence of infertility has increased year by year. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is one of the effective strategies to treat infertility. In the process of ART, commonly used methods for sperm separation have shortcomings and there is still room for improvement. In this study, a functional sperm selection strategy was established based on hyaluronic acid (HA) modified magnetic microbeads (MBs) and a supporting two-dimensional electromagnetic manipulation device system. Due to the modification of HA on the surface of MBs, the HA-MBs have the ability to target and bind to specific receptors on the sperm membrane to form a sperm-MB complex. A disulfide linker was introduced to connect HA and MBs. After modifying HA and connecting it with the disulfide linker, the sperm of sperm-MBs can be released under the combined effect of hyaluronidase and reduced GSH with the disulfide bond broken and HA degraded. A two-dimensional electromagnetic manipulation system was introduced to generate a magnetic field and control the directional movement of the sperm-MB complex under the guidance of an inverted microscope. The free MBs can also be removed after the sperm is released. Furthermore, the mouse sperm selected through this strategy can achieve normal insemination via ICSI and the obtained blastocysts have normal morphology and developmental milestones. This strategy has potential to be developed into an automated screening solution for the screening of functional sperm for assisted reproductive technology.

Relationships between minerals' intake and blood homocysteine levels based on three machine learning methods: a large cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Blood homocysteine (Hcy) level has become a sensitive indicator in predicting the development of cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown an association between individual mineral intake and blood Hcy levels. The effect of mixed minerals' intake on blood Hcy levels is unknown. METHODS: Data were obtained from the baseline survey data of the Shanghai Suburban Adult Cohort and Biobank(SSACB) in 2016. A total of 38273 participants aged 20-74 years met our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to calculate the intake of 10 minerals (calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, iron, zinc, selenium, phosphorus, copper and manganese). Measuring the concentration of Hcy in the morning fasting blood sample. Traditional regression models were used to assess the relationship between individual minerals' intake and blood Hcy levels. Three machine learning models (WQS, Qg-comp, and BKMR) were used to the relationship between mixed minerals' intake and blood Hcy levels, distinguishing the individual effects of each mineral and determining their respective weights in the joint effect. RESULTS: Traditional regression model showed that higher intake of calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, and manganese was associated with lower blood Hcy levels. Both Qg-comp and BKMR results consistently indicate that higher intake of mixed minerals is associated with lower blood Hcy levels. Calcium exhibits the highest weight in the joint effect in the WQS model. In Qg-comp, iron has the highest positive weight, while manganese has the highest negative weight. The BKMR results of the subsample after 10,000 iterations showed that except for sodium, all nine minerals had the high weights in the joint effect on the effect of blood Hcy levels. CONCLUSION: Overall, higher mixed mineral's intake was associated with lower blood Hcy levels, and each mineral contributed differently to the joint effect. Future studies are available to further explore the mechanisms underlying this association, and the potential impact of mixed minerals' intake on other health indicators needs to be further investigated. These efforts will help provide additional insights to deepen our understanding of mixed minerals and their potential role in health maintenance.

Novel ferrofluid based on hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents for separation and analysis of trace estrogens in environmental water and urine samples.

A novel ferrofluid prepared from a hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (DES) and Fe3O4@graphite composite materials was introduced as a green microextraction medium for the separation and enrichment of trace estrogens in real samples. It was found that the ferrofluid greatly improved the capacity and selectivity of target analytes, benefiting from the enrichment of both DES and Fe3O4@graphite composite materials. Using a combination of high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) and vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction (VALLME), a new method was established for simultaneous rapid processing and accurate determination of three estrogens (estradiol [E2], estriol [E3], and ethinyl estradiol [EE2]) in environmental water and urine samples. Key parameters affecting the extraction efficiency were optimized using a single-factor approach and response surface methodology. Under optimal conditions, this method yielded a low limit of detection (1.01 ng L-1, 3.03 ng L-1, and 25.0 ng L-1 for EE2, E2, and E3, respectively), wide linear range (3-200,000 ng L-1), high enrichment factors (9.81-47.2), and satisfactory recovery (73.8-129.0%). Compared with traditional analytical techniques, this method avoids the use of volatile toxic organic extraction solvents and cumbersome phase separation operations.

Enhancing immunogenicity and antiviral protection of inactivated porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus vaccine in piglets.

OBJECTIVE: Porcine interferon-γ (poIFN-γ) and porcine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (poGM-CSF) are multifunctional cytokines that exhibit robust antiviral activity against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). In this study, the immunoadjuvant effects of recombinant poIFN-γ-poGM-CSF fusion protein in inactivated PRRSV vaccine administered to piglets were assessed. ANIMALS: Twenty-eight 4-week-old specific pathogen-free piglets. METHODS: The experimental piglets were divided into control, highly pathologic PRRSV, PRRSV killed virus vaccine (KV), poIFN-γ-poGM-CSF, KV + 1.0 mg poIFN-γ-poGM-CSF, KV + 2.0 mg poIFN-γ-poGM-CSF, and KV + 4.0 mg poIFN-γ-poGM-CSF groups. A recombinant poIFN-γ-linker-poGM-CSF fusion gene was constructed via splicing by overlap extension PCR and prepared using an Escherichia coli expression system, after which its adjuvant activity in the context of PRRSV KV administration was assessed. RESULTS: This analysis revealed the successful construction of the poIFN-γ-linker-poGM-CSF fusion gene via splicing by overlap extension PCR, with recombinant poIFN-γ-linker-poGM-CSF successfully being prepared in E coli with a plasmid vector for expressing thioredoxin fusion proteins with an enterokinase site. Importantly, the coadministration of poIFN-γ-linker-poGM-CSF and PRRSV KV significantly increased neutralizing antibody titers, accelerated viral clearance, reduced clinical symptoms, and prevented highly pathogenic PRRSV infection. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The recombinant poIFN-γ-poGM-CSF fusion protein is a promising candidate adjuvant for use in the context of swine immunization and viral challenge.

A fungal hyphae-derived biomass carbon for magnetic solid-phase extraction of the organochlorine pesticides in water samples, tea beverages, and Chinese traditional medicines before gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry determination.

A magnetic biochar nanomaterial derived from fungal hyphae was introduced into the sample preparation field. The magnetic fungal hyphae-derived biomass carbon (MFHBC) could be produced by a controllable hydrothermal method. In order to obtain the best sorbent for magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE), the reaction conditions containing temperature, time and the consumption of fungal hyphae were investigated. A series of MFHBC materials were characterized by vibrating sample magnetometers, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. A material with a satisfactory saturation magnetization (21.58 emu g-1) and largest surface area (88.06 m2 g-1) was selected as the sorbent to extract ten typical organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). The extraction conditions were optimized as 20 mL of sample solution with 70 mg of sorbent and 2.0 g of NaCl oscillated at 50 °C for 5.0 min. And the optimum desorption was performed by oscillating sorbent in 1.0 mL acetonitrile for 5.0 min. Then, the MFHBC-based MSPE-GC-MS/MS methods were established for different samples including water samples, tea beverages, and Chinese traditional medicines. The linearities were 10-2500 ng L-1 or 100-25,000 ng kg-1, and the limits of detection were 0.3-13.9 ng L-1 for water sample, 0.1-9.7 ng L-1 for tea beverage samples, 0.1-21.4 ng L-1 for Shenqi Fuzheng injection samples, and 7.2-278.3 ng kg-1 for Astragali Radix decoction pieces. Except for satisfactory repeatability (RSDs ≤13.8%) in intra-day and inter-day tests (n = 3), the reproducibility (RSDs ≤13.5%, n = 3) of MFHBC was acceptable. The methods were applied in the determination of OCPs from above real samples, with the recoveries of 80.5-117.2% and the RSDs (n = 3) <8.9%. The methods were suitable in the sensitive determination of OCPs from simple to complex matrix samples.

Prevalence and factors associated with job burnout among nurses in China: A cross-sectional study.

AIM: Many people see nursing as a high-pressure, high-risk profession. Therefore, job burnout among nursing staff has become an important topic of study and has received widespread attention worldwide. This research intended to evaluate the frequency of and variables related with work burnout among nurses in public hospitals in China. DESIGN: Using a multistage random sample procedure, a cross-sectional survey was carried out in the eastern, central and western areas of China. METHODS: The Maslach Inventory-Human Service Survey and demographic information made up the two sections of the questionnaire. Of the 5250 questionnaires sent, 4865 were deemed legitimate, yielding an effective response rate of 92.67%. A linear regression analysis was performed to investigate the variables linked to nursing work burnout. RESULTS: Among the 4865 nurses, women accounted for 97.4% of the survey respondents, most of whom were aged 26-35 years. Results showed that the total scores of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) and reduced personal accomplishment (PA) were 20.02 ± 12.04, 4.78 ± 5.54 and 34.42 ± 10.32 respectively. 50.7% of subjects obtained high or moderated scores on EE, 32.8% of subjects obtained high or moderated scores on DP and 80.4% of subjects obtained low or moderated scores on PA. Age, department, position, post-establishment, work shift type in recent months, overtime times in recent months and night shift frequency in recent months were negatively correlated with EE, and child status, monthly income, working days per week and sleep quality in recent 1 month were positively correlated with it (F = 141.827, P < 0.01, R2 = 0.243). Age, gender, department, post-establishment, overtime hours in recent months and night shift frequency in recent months were negatively correlated with DP, and child status and sleep quality in the last 1 month were positively correlated with it (F = 78.794, p < 0.01, R2 = 0.115). Child status, years of nursing work and sleep quality in the last 1 month were negatively correlated with PA, whereas age, position, work shift type in recent months and night shift frequency in recent months were positively correlated with it (F = 67.981, p < 0.01, R2 = 0.089).

New-Style Logic Operation and Neuromorphic Computing Enabled by Optoelectronic Artificial Synapses in an MXene/Y:HfO2 Ferroelectric Memristor.

Today's computing systems, to meet the enormous demands of information processing, have driven the development of brain-inspired neuromorphic systems. However, there are relatively few optoelectronic devices in most brain-inspired neuromorphic systems that can simultaneously regulate the conductivity through both optical and electrical signals. In this work, the Au/MXene/Y:HfO2/FTO ferroelectric memristor as an optoelectronic artificial synaptic device exhibited both digital and analog resistance switching (RS) behaviors under different voltages with a good switching ratio (>103). Under optoelectronic conditions, optimal weight update parameters and an enhanced algorithm achieved 97.1% recognition accuracy in convolutional neural networks. A new logic gate circuit specifically designed for optoelectronic inputs was established. Furthermore, the device integrates the impact of relative humidity to develop an innovative three-person voting mechanism with a veto power. These results provide a feasible approach for integrating optoelectronic artificial synapses with logic-based computing devices.

Monitoring Poly(methyl methacrylate) and Polyvinyl Dichloride Micro/Nanoplastics in Water by Direct Solid-Phase Microextraction Coupled to Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.

A simple, sustainable, and sensitive monitoring approach of micro/nanoplastics (MNPs) in aqueous samples is crucial since it helps in assessing the extent of contamination and understanding the potential risks associated with their presence without causing additional stress to the environment. In this study, a novel strategy for qualitative and quantitative determination of MNPs in water by direct solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was proposed for the first time. Spherical poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and irregularly shaped polyvinyl dichloride (PVDC) were used to evaluate the feasibility and performance of the proposed method. The results demonstrated that both PMMA and PVDC MNPs were efficiently extracted by the homemade SPME coating of nitrogen-doped porous carbons (N-SPCs) and exhibited sufficient thermal decomposition in the GC-MS injection port. Excellent extraction performances of N-SPCs coating for MNPs are attributed to hydrophobic cross-linking, electrostatic forcing, hydrogen bonding, and pore trapping. Methyl methacrylate was identified as the marker for PMMA, while 1,3-dichlorobenzene and 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene were the indicators for PVDC. Under the optimal extraction and decomposition conditions, the proposed method exhibited ultrahigh sensitivity, with a limit of detection of 0.0041 µg/L for PMMA and 0.0054 µg/L for PVDC. Notably, a programmed temperature strategy for the GC-MS injector was developed to discriminate and eliminate the potential interferences of intrinsic indicator compounds. Owing to the integration of sampling, extraction, injection, and decomposition into one step by SPME, the proposed method demonstrates exceptional sensitivity, eliminating the necessity for complex sample pretreatment procedures and the use of organic solvents. Finally, the proposed method was successfully applied in the determination of PMMA and PVDC MNPs in real aqueous samples.