Nest site selection and fidelity of European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) population of Babat Valley (Gödöllo, Hungary).

BACKGROUND: The conservation of aquatic and semiaquatic turtles requires knowledge of the area and vegetation structure of habitat used for nesting, and nesting migration route. We aimed to survey the effects of habitat features to the nest site selection, nesting success, and test the possibility of nest site fidelity. Our study was carried out at 10 different nesting areas, with special emphasis on data from returning females in a pond system in Hungary between 2014 and 2017. RESULTS: Most nesting attempts were found in closed sand steppes, uncharacteristic dry and semi-dry grasslands habitat patches. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed that increased sandy soil cover, sunlight and slope were important variables in nest site choice. The increasing PCA first axis score significantly increased the chance of an emergence. The degradation of open steppe vegetation, occurrence of weeds, invasive and disturbance tolerant species have a negative effect on the selection of nest sites. We observed that 96.55% of nests were located within 20 m south of a pine forest at preferred nest site at pond 5, which provided the right incubation temperature through partial shading. The returning females nested significantly closer to the northern pine forest than the single clutch females. Most probably the returning females already has the necessary experience to select the right nesting site. The individually marked females did not choose new nesting areas during the monitored years which suggests nesting area fidelity, but we did not find nest site fidelity. CONCLUSION: The maintenance of mosaic habitat structure, slowing down the succession process at the nesting area should be basic priorities in European pond turtle conservation programs. We suggested a spatial and temporal scheduling of land management and agricultural work to the local farmers. If the actual nest site is in an agricultural area, all work should be avoided throughout the year. Agricultural machinery should avoid the migration routes of adult turtles and emerged hatchlings during the concerned period. Under strong predation pressure, predator control should be carried out, and use nest protection.

Persistent species relationships characterize migrating bird communities across stopover sites and seasons.

Global migrations of diverse animal species often converge along the same routes, bringing together seasonal assemblages of animals that may compete, prey on each other, and share information or pathogens. These interspecific interactions, when energetic demands are high and the time to complete journeys is short, may influence survival, migratory success, stopover ecology, and migratory routes. Numerous accounts suggest that interspecific co-migrations are globally distributed in aerial, aquatic, and terrestrial systems, although the study of migration to date has rarely investigated species interactions among migrating animals. Here, we test the hypothesis that migrating animals are communities engaged in networks of ecological interactions. We leverage over half a million records of 50 bird species from five bird banding sites collected over 8 to 23 y to test for species associations using social network analyses. We find strong support for persistent species relationships across sites and between spring and fall migration. These relationships may be ecologically meaningful: They are often stronger among phylogenetically related species with similar foraging behaviors and nonbreeding ranges even after accounting for the nonsocial contributions to associations, including overlap in migration timing and habitat use. While interspecific interactions could result in costly competition or beneficial information exchange, we find that relationships are largely positive, suggesting limited competitive exclusion at the scale of a banding station during migratory stopovers. Our findings support an understanding of animal migrations that consist of networked communities rather than random assemblages of independently migrating species, encouraging future studies of the nature and consequences of co-migrant interactions.

Simultaneous 2D Projection and 3D Topographic Imaging of Gas-Dependent Dynamics of Catalytic Nanoparticles.

Catalyst deactivation through pathways such as sintering of nanoparticles and degradation of the support is a critical factor when designing high-performance catalysts. Here, structural changes of supported nanoparticle catalysts are investigated in controlled gas environments (O2, H2O, and H2) at different temperatures by imaging simultaneously the nanoparticle structures in 2D projection and the 3D surface-sensitive topography. Platinum nanoparticles on carbon support as a model system are imaged in an environmental transmission electron microscope (ETEM), with concurrent acquisition of high-angle annular dark field scanning TEM (HAADF-STEM) and secondary electron (SE) images. Particle migration and coalescence occurs and shows gas-dependent kinetics, with nanoparticles moving across and through the support during and after coalescence. The temperature required for motion is lower in O2 than in H2O and H2, explained through the nature of the gas/nanoparticle interactions. In O2 and H2, the carbon support degrades by trench formation along migration pathways, and the particles move continuously, indicating a chemical reaction between gas and support. In H2O gas, motion is more discontinuous and oriented particle attachment occurs, as expected from theoretical predictions. These results suggest that multimodal imaging in ETEM that combines HAADF-STEM and SE data provides comprehensive information regarding catalyst dynamics and degradation mechanisms.

Multilayer Film Comprising Polybutylene Adipate Terephthalate and Cellulose Nanocrystals with High Barrier and Compostable Properties.

In the present study, a multilayer, high-barrier, thin blown film based on a polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) blend with polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), and composed of four layers including a cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) barrier layer and an electrospun poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) hot-tack layer, was characterized in terms of the surface roughness, surface tension, migration, mechanical and peel performance, barrier properties, and disintegration rate. The results showed that the film exhibited a smooth surface. The overall migration tests showed that the material is suitable to be used as a food contact layer. The addition of the CNC interlayer had a significant effect on the mechanical properties of the system, drastically reducing the elongation at break and, thus, the flexibility of the material. The film containing CNCs and electrospun PHBV hot-tack interlayers exhibited firm but not strong adhesion. However, the multilayer was a good barrier to water vapor (2.4 ± 0.1 × 10-12 kg·m-2·s-1·Pa-1), and especially to oxygen (0.5 ± 0.3 × 10-15 m3·m-2·s-1·Pa-1), the permeance of which was reduced by up to 90% when the CNC layer was added. The multilayer system disintegrated completely in 60 days. All in all, the multilayer system developed resulted in a fully compostable structure with significant potential for use in high-barrier food packaging applications.

Enzymatic activity of HIV-1 protease defines migration of tumor cells in vitro and enhances their metastatic activity in vivo.

Overexpression of aspartic proteases, as cathepsin D, is an independent marker of poor prognosis in breast cancer, correlated with the incidence of clinical metastasis. We aimed to find if HIV-1 aspartic protease (PR) can play a similar role. Murine adenocarcinoma 4T1luc2 cells were transduced with lentivirus encoding inactivated drug-resistant PR, generating subclones PR20.1 and PR20.2. Subclones were assessed for production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) factors, and in vitro migratory activity in the presence or absence of antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine and protease inhibitors. Tumorigenic activity was evaluated by implanting cells into BALB/c mice and following tumor growth by calipering and bioluminescence imaging in vivo, and metastases, by organ imaging ex vivo. Both subclones expressed PR mRNA, and PR20.2, also the protein detected by Western blotting. PR did not induce production of ROS, and had no direct effect on cell migration rate, however, treatment with inhibitors of drug-resistant PR suppressed the migratory activity of both subclones. Furthermore, expression of N-cadherin and Vimentin in PR20.2 cells and their migration were enhanced by antioxidant treatment. Sensitivity of in vitro migration to protease inhibitors and to antioxidant, known to restore PR activity, related the effects to the enzymatic activity of PR. In vivo, PR20.2 cells demonstrated higher tumorigenic and metastatic activity than PR20.1 or parental cells. Thus, HIV-1 protease expressed in breast cancer cells determines their migration in vitro and metastatic activity in vivo. This effect may aggravate clinical course of cancers in people living with HIV-1.

Safety of long-term esophageal stent use for multiple indications.

Background: Long-term (>30 days) esophageal stenting is controversial. Previous studies have documented complications associated with long-term esophageal stent use. This study's objective was to investigate complications associated with long-term esophageal stent use. Methods: A retrospective review of stenting done by thoracic surgery for any reason between 2010-2020 was completed. Patients were included if they had at least 30 days of follow-up after their initial stent placement. Outcomes included stent dwell time, patient outcomes, procedural and stent-related complications. Results: Fifty-six patients, with 25 having ≥2 stents placed were included; overall, 90 stents were placed. The median length of initial esophageal stent dwell time was 59 [interquartile range (IQR), 21-119] days. Stent migration was the most common complication and occurred more with benign indications (P=0.12). As the length of dwell time increased, prevalence of any complication decreased. Complication rates between short-term (<30 days) and long-term stents were not significantly different (P=0.39). No instances of esophageal perforation or aortoesophageal fistulas related to stents were identified. There was one instance of post-esophagectomy tracheoesophageal fistula which was managed successfully with prolonged stenting. Conclusions: Over a 10-year period, there were no instances of stent erosion into the aorta or esophageal perforation, and the most frequent stent-related complication was stent migration. Long-term esophageal stenting did not result in increased rates of stent related complications in our cohort. This case series demonstrates that long-term stents may be safely used for many different indications. Randomized controlled studies may be needed to validate these findings.

High expression of COPZ2 is associated with poor prognosis and cancer progression in glioma.

Background: Coatomer protein complex zeta 2 (COPZ2) is a member of heptameric coatomer protein complex I and has been reported to be involved in various tumors. However, COPZ2's potential involvement in glioma remains to be explored. Methods: The COPZ2 expression and related clinical data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). TIMER2.0 and the Ualcan database were utilized to assess the COPZ2 expression in various tumors. Univariable, multivariate Cox regression, Kaplan-Meier methods, nomogram analysis, and ROC curve analysis were carried out to assess the relationship of COPZ2 and other prognostic factors with glioma. The LinkedOmics database was used to predict the potential biological mechanism of COPZ2 in glioma. We also conducted in vitro experiments to evaluate the functional role and mechanism of COPZ2 in glioma cell lines. Results: We found that COPZ2 was highly expressed in glioma and it was associated with age and WHO grades. Kaplan-Meier survival curves, Cox analysis, nomogram analysis, and ROC curve showed that COPZ2 was a disadvantageous factor in poor glioma prognosis. The functions of COPZ2 and co-expression genes were significantly associated with neutrophil-mediated immunity, granulocyte activation, and response to interferon-gamma. In addition, COPZ2 knockdown significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of glioblastoma cells. Mechanistically, COPZ2 suppressed tumor development by participating in the regulation of the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that the elevation of COPZ2 was associated with the prognosis and progression of glioma, and it might be a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for glioma.

The drivers of migration of Ghanaian radiographers to high-income countries.

Background: The brain drain of Ghanaian radiographers is a growing concern for the Ghana Health Service and patient care in the country. Unfortunately, this is affecting the quality of radiology services in Ghana. This study investigated the determinants of radiographers' brain drain from Ghana and identified potential mitigating factors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire which was administered online to Ghanaian radiographers. The questionnaire gathered data on push and pull factors that influenced brain drain. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 29. Results: A total of 128 radiographers participated in the study. The findings indicated that 92.2 % of Ghanaian radiographers expressed intentions to work abroad. The estimated means and standard deviations on a five-point Likert Scale demonstrated that poor salary (4.47 ± 0.1) and poor working conditions (4.17 ± 1.1) were the main push factors, while improved living conditions (4.62 ± 0.9) and better health infrastructure (4.55 ± 0.9) were the influential pull/attractive factors. Although there are variations in participants' demographics, comparative analyses of push and pull factors indicated that respondents did not significantly differ in their migration decisions intentions (p < 0.05). To mitigate brain drain, respondents emphasised the need for better salaries (97.7 %) and comprehensive health insurance for radiographers and their families (92.2 %) among other factors. Conclusion: This study highlights the multifaceted factors that drive Ghanaian radiographers abroad and their consequences on the healthcare system. A comprehensive strategy encompassing financial incentives, career development, improved working conditions, and personal satisfaction was identified as a mitigating approach to addressing these challenges. Implementation of these recommendations by policymakers is necessary to create an environment that retains and empowers radiographers and ultimately enhances patient care and healthcare advancement in Ghana.

MiR-1271-5p promotes the growth and migration of neuroblastoma cells by regulating ACY-1.

Background: Aminoacylase 1 (ACY-1) has been found to be a tumor suppressor gene in neuroblastoma (NB). This study aimed to identify and verify the microRNAs (miRNAs) that may regulate ACY-1 through database prediction analysis, and verify the mutual regulatory effect of miRNA and ACY-1 in NB through cell experiments. Methods: The miRNAs that might bind ACY-1 were predicted and selected by TargetScan, miRTarBase and four other databases, the expression of the predicted miRNAs and ACY-1 was detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in four groups of clinical samples, and the differentially expressed miRNAs were screened. Then, luciferase vector was constructed according to the ACY-1 gene sequence to detect whether ACY-1 binds to the selected miRNA. Then, miR-1271-5p expression was silenced to detect miR-1271-5p function in the growth and migration of NB. Finally, ACY-1 and miR-1271-5p were silenced to change ACY-1 expression, and ACY-1 function in NB and the regulatory role of miR-1271-5p were explored. Results: ACY-1 was downregulated in NB, miR-1271-5p was upregulated in NB, and miR-1271-5p could be targeted to ACY-1. Silencing miR-1271-5p expression can reduce cell viability and inhibit tumor progression. After interfering with ACY-1 expression in cells, cell viability was enhanced, apoptosis was significantly decreased, and migration and invasion were enhanced. After partially restoring ACY-1 expression, the effect of si-ACY-1 on cells was weakened. In SK-N-SH and SH-SY-5Y cells, the miR-1271-5p inhibitor restored ACY-1 expression and improved ACY-1 function. Conclusions: MiR-1271-5p can promote the growth and migration of tumor cells by inhibiting ACY-1 expression in NB.

The role of ß2-AR/PI3K/AKT pathway in the proliferation, migration and invasion of THLE-2 cells induced by nicotine.

Nicotine, the primary constituent of tobacco, is one of the important factors that induce the occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The ß2-adrenergic receptor (ß2-AR) is implicated in the growth and advancement of tumors. However, the role of ß2-AR and its mediated cascades in nicotine-induced HCC remains unclear. This present study aims to observe the effects of nicotine on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of immortalized human liver epithelial (THLE-2) cells, as well as to explore the underlying mechanisms of action. The results of cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay showed that 0.3125µM nicotine had the ability to promote the proliferation of THLE-2 cells with a significant time-dependent manner. Therefore, THLE-2 cells were mainly selected for chronic treatment with 0.3125µM nicotine in the later stage to cause transformation. After 30 passages of THLE-2 cells with 0.3125µM nicotine treatment, chronic exposure to nicotine significantly enhanced the proliferation, metastasis, and invasion of cells. Besides, it also upregulated the intracellular levels of ß2-AR, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), AKT, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and Cyclin D1, as well as downregulated the expression of p53. More importantly, the ß2-AR/PI3K/AKT pathway was found to mediate the expression of MMP-2, Cyclin D1, and p53 in THLE-2 cells, playing a crucial role in their proliferation, migration, and invasion after continuous exposure to nicotine. Simply put, it demonstrated the role of ß2-AR/PI3K/AKT pathway in the transformation of THLE-2 cells induced by nicotine. This study could provide valuable insights into the relationship between nicotine and HCC. Additionally, it lays the groundwork for investigating potential anticancer treatments for liver cancer linked to tobacco consumption.

Psychotherapy use among migrants: a register-based longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Migrants use less mental health services compared with non-migrant populations, but there is very little information on the use of long-term psychotherapy among migrants. Finnish register data allow for studying the whole migrant population in Finland and collecting data on all publicly supported rehabilitative psychotherapy. METHODS: This study is based on a sample of migrants (n=185 605) and Finnish-born controls (n=185 605). Participants who had received reimbursements for rehabilitative psychotherapy during 2007-2020 were identified from a register maintained by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland. Cox regression analysis was used to study the effect of migrant status on the time until the start of therapy. Multinomial logistic regression was used to study the association between migrant status and the number of psychotherapy sessions. RESULTS: Finnish-born participants received psychotherapy more often (n=7258) than migrants (n=1516). The adjusted HR for initiating psychotherapy among migrants compared with Finnish-born individuals was 0.27 (95% CI 0.25 to 0.28). Migrants from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia and recently arrived migrants were least likely to receive psychotherapy. Migrants were more likely to receive short treatment periods than Finnish-born controls. CONCLUSION: Lower use of rehabilitative psychotherapy among migrant population in Finland is not likely to reflect lower need for treatment. More efforts are needed to promote equal access to psychotherapy.

A-Kinase-Anchoring-Protein Subtypes Differentially Regulate GPCR Signaling and Function in Human Airway Smooth Muscle.

A-kinase-anchoring proteins (AKAPs) act as scaffold proteins that anchor the regulatory subunits of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) to coordinate and compartmentalize signaling elements and signals downstream of Gs-coupled G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). The beta-2-adrenoceptor (ß2AR), as well as the Gs-coupled EP2 and EP4 receptor subtypes of the E-prostanoid (EP) receptor subfamily, are effective regulators of multiple airway smooth muscle (ASM) cell functions whose dysregulation contributes of asthma pathobiology. Here, we identify specific roles of the AKAPs Ezrin and Gravin, in differentially regulating PKA substrates downstream of the ß2AR, EP2 receptor (EP2R) and EP4 receptor (EP4R). Knockdown of Ezrin, Gravin, or both in primary human ASM cells caused differential phosphorylation of the PKA substrates vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) and heat shock protein 20 (HSP20). Ezrin knockdown, as well as combined Ezrin + Gravin knockdown significantly reduced the induction of phospho-VASP and phospho-HSP20 by ß2AR, EP2R, and EP4R agonists. Gravin knockdown inhibited the induction of phospho-HSP20 by ß2AR, EP2R, and EP4R agonists. Knockdown of Ezrin, Gravin, or both also attenuated histamine-induced phosphorylation of MLC20. Moreover, knockdown of Ezrin, Gravin or both suppressed the inhibitory effects of Gs-coupled receptor agonists on cell migration in ASM cells. These findings demonstrate the role of AKAPs in regulating Gs-coupled GPCR signaling and function in ASM, and suggest the therapeutic utility of targeting specific AKAP family members in the management of asthma.

Active spread of ß-thalassemia beyond the thalassemia belt: A study on a Russian population.

ß-Thalassemia is a disease traditionally associated with thalassemia belt countries. Nonetheless, as global migration intensifies, ß-thalassemia-causing variants spread far from their origin. We investigated this process to detect some patterns underlying its course. We analyzed ß-thalassemia-causing variants and the origin of 676 unrelated participants in Moscow, the largest city of Russia, far away from the thalassemia belt. Our analyses revealed that modern Russia has one of the broadest spectra of thalassemia-causing variants: 46 different variants, including two novel ß0 variants. Only a small proportion of the reported pathogenic variants likely originated in the resident subpopulation. Almost half of the variants that supposedly had emerged outside the Russian borders have already been assimilated by (were found in) the resident subpopulation. The primary modern source of immigration transferring thalassemia to a nonthalassemic part of Russia is the Caucasus region. We also found traces of ancient migration flows from non-Caucasus countries. Our data indicate that ß-thalassemia-causing variants are actively spilling over into resident populations of countries outside thalassemia belt regions. Therefore, viewing thalassemia as a disease exclusive to specific ethnic groups creates a mind trap that can complicate the diagnosis.

Group-Based Intervention Models in Treating Refugee Mental Health in High-Income Countries: A Systematic Review.

Refugees within the post-migration context experience higher rates of mental health symptoms due to a variety of pre- and post-migration factors. However, there is a lack of research in understanding best practices in culturally grounded interventions aimed at improving well-being outcomes. Recent research shows group interventions are a potential pathway to mental health treatment for refugees. This systematic review aimed to (1) assess best practices among group-based interventions within the refugee context, (2) provide literature-informed guidance on best practices within group-based interventions for this population, and (3) examine the impact of group-based interventions on the mental health outcomes of adult refugees in the post-migration context in high-income countries. A systematic literature search was conducted using Academic Search Complete, Social Work Abstracts, and PsycINFO. A total of 2,243 studies were identified, with 19 meeting the inclusion criteria to be from a peer-reviewed journal article; be published from 2003 to 2023; be written in English; have a study population of refugees in the post-resettlement context in a high-income country; include a group-based intervention model; and be quantitative or mixed methods. Results demonstrated that group-based interventions improve mental health symptoms, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. Studies varied on their use of culturally grounded mechanisms in developing and implementing interventions. Future research is needed to understand the longitudinal impacts of group-based interventions on mental health and better support current practices to facilitate access to intervention implementation.

Experimental study on reservoir particle migration induced by the injection-production process of underground gas storage.

Multi cycle injection and production of underground gas storage (UGS) promote continuous changes in reservoir characteristics, to clarify the impact of different injection and production characteristics on the reservoir, taking carbonate rock fracture-pore type gas storage reservoirs as the research object, established a set of experimental methods based on production characteristics, quantitative analysis of reservoir damage caused by particle migration caused by increasing, decreasing, fluctuating, and reverse changes in production pressure difference. And the following research results are obtained. First, established experimental methods based on production characteristics, the production method includes increasing, decreasing, fluctuating, and reverse changes, realized experimental evaluation of simulating actual production full features. Second, there is a critical pressure difference in the migration of reservoir particles, the fluctuation of production pressure difference induce further migration of particles, resulting in natural unblocking or new blockage. Third, the change in the direction of production pressure difference can cause large particle sizes break into small particle sizes and migrate out of the pore throat, thus the permeability of the reservoir can be improved to a certain extent. It is concluded that controlling a certain production pressure difference during the injection and production process of UGS, not only meets production needs, but also alleviate the damage of injection production to reservoir permeability to a certain extent.

SIRT5 suppresses the trophoblast cell proliferation, invasion, and migration to promote preeclampsia via desuccinylating HOXB3.

PURPOSE: Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific syndrome with increasing maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Succinylation, a post-translational modification event, has been found in various diseases. However, the role of succinylation in PE has not been explored. This study aimed to investigate the effect of succinylation on PE and the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Thirty-two PE patients and 32 normal pregnancy volunteers were recruited. Human extravasated trophoblast cells (HTR-8/SVneo) were used in in vitro study. RT-qPCR was performed to detect the expression of succinylation-related mRNAs. The cell proliferation, invasion, and migration were assessed using cell counting kit-8, ethynyldeoxyuridine, transwell, and wound healing assays. Co-immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase reporter assays were performed to analyze the interaction between sirtuin (SIRT)5 and homeobox box 3 (HOXB3). RESULTS: SIRT5 was increased in the placental tissues of PE patients. SIRT5 inhibition increased cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in HTR-8/SVneo cells. Mechanistic investigations indicated that HOXB3 was a downstream regulatory target of SIRT5-mediated desuccinylation. Rescue experiments further verified that silencing of HOXB3 inhibited cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. Additionally, HOXB3 deficiency reversed the activation of the Notch and ß-catenin signaling pathway induced by SIRT5 inhibition. CONCLUSION: SIRT5 inhibited the trophoblast cell proliferation, invasion, and migration to promote PE through suppressing Notch and ß-catenin signaling pathway activation via desuccinylating HOXB3.

Migration, transformation of arsenic, and pollution controlling strategies in paddy soil-rice system: A comprehensive review.

Arsenic pollution in paddy fields has become a public concern by seriously threatening rice growth, food security and human health. In this review, we delve into the biogeochemical behaviors of arsenic in paddy soil-rice system, systemically revealing the complexity of its migration and transformation processes, including the release of arsenic from soil to porewater, uptake and translocation of arsenic by rice plants, as well as transformation of arsenic species mediated by microorganism. Especially, microbial processes like reduction, oxidation and methylation of arsenic, and the coupling of arsenic with carbon, iron, sulfur, nitrogen cycling through microbes and related mechanisms were highlighted. Environmental factors like pH, redox potential, organic matter, minerals, nutrient elements, microorganisms and periphyton significantly influence these processes through different pathways, which are discussed in this review. Furthermore, the current progress in remediation strategies, including agricultural interventions, passivation, phytoremediation and microbial remediation is explored, and their potential and limitations are analyzed to address the gaps. This review offers comprehensive perspectives on the complicated behaviors of arsenic and influence factors in paddy soil-rice system, and provides a scientific basis for developing effective arsenic pollution control strategies.

Novel heterologously expressed protein, AjPSPLP-3, derived from Apostichopus japonicus exhibits cell proliferation and migration activities.

Developing more effective bioactive ingredients of natural origin is imperative for promoting wound healing. Sea cucumbers have long enjoyed a good reputation as both food delicacies and traditional medicines. In this study, we heterogeneously expressed a Apostichopus japonicus derived novel protein AjPSPLP-3, which exhibits a theoretical molecular weight of 13.034 kDa, through fusion with maltose binding protein (MBP). AjPSPLP-3 contains a strict CXXCXC motif, nine extremely conserved cysteine residues and two highly conserved cysteine residues. The predicted structure of AjPSPLP-3 consists of random coil and nine ß-sheets, Cys30-Cys67, Cys38-Cys58, Cys53-Cys90, Cys56-Cys66, and Cys81-Cys102 participating in the formation of five pairs of disulfide bonds. In vitro experiments conducted on HaCaT cells proved that AjPSPLP-3 and MBP-fused AjPSPLP-3 significantly contribute to HaCaT cells proliferation and migration without exhibiting hemolytic activity on murine erythrocytes. Specifically, treatment with 10 µmol/L MBP-fused AjPSPLP-3 protein increased the viability of HaCaT cells by 12.28 % (p < 0.001), while treatment with 10 µmol/L AjPSPLP-3 protein increased viability of HaCaT cells by 6.01 % (p < 0.01). Furthermore, wound closure of MBP-fused AjPSPLP-3 and AjPSPLP-3 were 22.51 % (p < 0.01) and 7.32 % (p < 0.05) higher than that of the control groups in HaCaT cells following 24 h of incubation.

Maternal birthplace and experiences of perinatal healthcare in Belgium: Evidence from a cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: Patient experience is an important part of perinatal care quality. Migrant women in high-income countries often report more negative experiences than non-migrants, but evidence in Europe is patchy. In this study, we compared the experiences of two migrant populations with non-migrants, taking into account socioeconomic characteristics. METHODS: We surveyed mothers born in Belgium, North-Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa (n = 877) using an adapted version of the Migrant-Friendly Maternity Care Questionnaire. Two patient experience scores were created using multiple correspondence analyses: a) information and communication with healthcare professionals and overall satisfaction with pregnancy care, and b) patient-centred aspects and satisfaction with delivery care. Through descriptive analyses and multivariable logistic regressions we estimated the associations of maternal characteristics with each score. RESULTS: Overall, positive experiences were reported in terms of communication (83 %) and patient-centred care (86 %). North African immigrants with low language proficiency had higher odds of negative communication experience (especially problems understanding information) (ORa: 2.30, 95 %CI 1.17-4.50), regardless of socioeconomic position. Among women with language barriers, 88 % were never offered a professional interpreter, relying on family members for translation. Patient-centred care was not associated with maternal birth region but was rated more negatively by older mothers, those with longer residence in Belgium, and higher majority-language proficiency. CONCLUSION: In Belgium, perinatal care experiences were generally positive, although communication with immigrants was suboptimal. Language barriers, single motherhood, and unstable housing increased communication issues. Our findings underline the necessity to improve information-exchange with immigrants and socioeconomically vulnerable women.