Effects of glyphosate herbicide ingestion on kidney function in rats on a balanced diet / Efeitos da ingestão do herbicida glifosato na função renal de ratos em uma dieta balanceada

Abstract Introduction: Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide worldwide and in Brazil. There is currently increasing concern about the effects of glyphosate on human health. The Brazilian Institute for Consumer Protection showed data on the presence of glyphosate in some of Brazil's most consumed ultra-processed products. Currently, regulations on the upper limit for these residues in ultra-processed foods have yet to be established by the National Health Surveillance, and ultra-processed food consumption is independently associated with an increased risk of incident chronic kidney disease. Methods: Since an unbalanced diet can interfere with kidney function, this study aims to investigate the effect of daily intake of 5 mg/kg bw glyphosate in conjunction with a balanced diet and the possible impact on renal function in rats. Kidney function, kidney weight, markers of renal injury, and oxidative stress were evaluated. Results: There was a decrease in kidney weight. The main histopathological alterations in renal tissues were vacuolation in the initial stage and upregulation of the kidney injury marker KIM-1. Renal injury is associated with increased production of reactive oxygen species in mitochondria. Conclusion: This study showed changes in the kidney of rats exposed to a balanced diet with glyphosate, suggesting a potential risk to human kidney. Presumably, ultra-processed food that contain glyphosate can potentiate this risk. The relevance of these results lies in drawing attention to the need to regulate glyphosate concentration in ultra-processed foods in the future.

RESUMO Introdução: O glifosato é o herbicida mais utilizado no mundo e no Brasil. Atualmente, há uma preocupação crescente com os efeitos do glifosato na saúde humana. O Instituto Brasileiro de Defesa do Consumidor apresentou dados sobre a presença de glifosato em alguns dos produtos ultraprocessados mais consumidos no Brasil. Atualmente, as regulamentações sobre o limite máximo desses resíduos em alimentos ultraprocessados ainda não foram estabelecidas pela Vigilância Sanitária Nacional, e o consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados está indepen­dentemente associado a um risco maior de doença renal crônica incidente. Métodos: Como uma dieta desbalanceada pode interferir na função renal, este estudo tem como objetivo investigar o efeito da ingestão diária de 5 mg/kg pc de glifosato em conjunto com uma dieta equilibrada e o possível impacto na função renal em ratos. Foram avaliados função renal, peso dos rins, marcadores de lesão renal e estresse oxidativo. Resultados: Houve redução no peso dos rins. As principais alterações histopatológicas nos tecidos renais foram vacuolização no estágio inicial e regulação positiva do marcador de lesão renal KIM-1. A lesão renal está associada à produção aumentada de espécies reativas de oxigênio nas mitocôndrias. Conclusão: Esse estudo mostrou alterações nos rins de ratos expostos a uma dieta balanceada com glifosato, sugerindo um risco potencial ao rim humano. Presumivelmente, alimentos ultraprocessados que contenham glifosato podem potencializar esse risco. A relevância desses resultados está no fato de chamar a atenção para a necessidade de regulamentar a concentração de glifosato em alimentos ultraprocessados no futuro.

Voice Disorder, Job Stress, and COVID-19 in Teachers: Impacts in Times of Pandemic

Introduction: The conditions of teachers' work during the COVID-19 pandemic affected teachers' lives regarding voice disorder and stress, even in emergency remote classroom situation. Objective: To analyze the relationship between the presence of voice disorder, job stress, and COVID-19 in teachers when in emergency remote classroom teaching situation at the time of the pandemic. Method: This is a primary, exploratory, observational cross-sectional study with the use of survey forwarded online during the period of emergency classes after the arrival of COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. The teachers answered the sociodemographic questions about the presence of COVID-19 and the following instruments: Condition of Vocal Production-Teacher [Condição de Produção Vocal - Professor (CPV-P)], Screening Index for Voice Disorder (SIVD), and Job Stress Scale (JSS). Results: Of the 118 teachers analyzed, 94.1% were female; the average age was 44 years. The SIVD recorded the presence of voice disorder in 66.9% of the participants. Regarding the JSS, which are the findings related to stress at work in the demand domain, the teachers showed high levels, a fact which presupposes the existence of pressure of psychological nature to perform their work. Conclusion: The teachers self-reported the presence of voice disorder even in remote class situation, on the occasion of COVID-19, which were more common in older teachers. When comparing the presence of voice disorders, coronavirus symptoms, and stress domains in relation to demand, control, and social support, there was no significance. It is hoped that this study will help to reflect on the need to improve teachers' working conditions, strengthening work-related voice disorder actions and guiding actions for vocal care and well-being.

Introducción: Las condiciones de trabajo de los profesores durante la pandemia de COVID-19 afectaron sus vidas en lo que respecta al trastorno de la voz y el estrés, incluso en situaciones de emergencia en aulas remotas. Objetivo: Analizar la relación entre la presencia de trastorno de la voz, estrés laboral y COVID-19 en profesores cuando se encontraban en situación de emergencia de enseñanza en aulas remotas en la época de la pandemia. Método: Se trata de un estudio primario, exploratorio, observacional de tipo transversal, con el uso de encuesta remitida online durante el periodo de clases de emergencia tras la llegada de la pandemia de COVID-19 en Brasil. Los profesores respondieron a las preguntas sociodemográficas sobre la presencia de COVID-19 y a los siguientes instrumentos: Condición de Producción Vocal-Profesor (CPV-P), Índice de Detección de los Trastornos de la Voz (SIVD) y Escala de Estrés Laboral (JSS). Resultados: De los 118 profesores analizados, el 94,1% eran mujeres; la mediana de edad era de 44 años. El (SIVD) registró la presencia de trastorno de la voz en el 66,9% de los participantes. En cuanto a la JSS, que son los hallazgos relacionados con el estrés laboral en el dominio de la demanda, los profesores mostraron niveles elevados, hecho que presupone la existencia de presiones de naturaleza psicológica para realizar su trabajo. Conclusión: Los profesores autoinformaron de la presencia de trastornos de la voz incluso en situación de clase a distancia, con ocasión del COVID-19, que fueron más frecuentes en los profesores de más edad. Al comparar la presencia de trastornos de la voz, los síntomas del coronavirus y los dominios de estrés en relación con la demanda, el control y el apoyo social, no hubo resultados significativos. Se espera que este estudio ayude a reflexionar sobre la necesidad de mejorar las condiciones de trabajo de los docentes, fortaleciendo las acciones de Trastorno de la voz relacionado con el trabajo (WRVD) y orientando acciones para el cuidado y bienestar vocal.

Ajuste fino de un modelo de producción vocal para estimar el estrés de impacto utilizando un método metaheurístico

Introducción: En modelos de producción vocal que emplean estructuras de resorte-masa-amortiguador, la precisión en la determinación de coeficientes de amortiguamiento que se asemejen a las características fisiológicas de las cuerdas vocales es crucial, teniendo en cuenta posibles variaciones en la representación de la viscoelasticidad. Objetivo: Este estudio tiene como objetivo realizar un ajuste paramétrico de un modelo de producción vocal basado en un sistema de resorte-masa-amortiguador que incorpora interacción con la presión subglótica, con el fin de modelar de manera precisa las fuerzas de colisión ejercidas por las cuerdas vocales durante la fonación. Método: Se utilizó un algoritmo de búsqueda metaheurística para la síntesis paramétrica. El algoritmo se aplicó a los coeficientes de elasticidad c1 y c2, así como a los coeficientes de amortiguamiento ε1 y ε2, que se correlacionan directamente con las matrices de masa del modelo. Esto facilita el ajuste de la composición de las cuerdas para lograr un comportamiento fisiológico deseado. Resultados: El comportamiento del sistema vocal para cada ciclo de simulación se comparó con un estándar predefinido en condiciones normales. El algoritmo determinó el punto final de la simulación evaluando las discrepancias entre características clave de las señales obtenidas y las deseadas. Conclusión: El ajuste paramétrico permitió la aproximación del comportamiento fisiológico de la producción vocal, proporcionando estimaciones de las fuerzas de impacto experimentadas por las cuerdas vocales durante la fonación.

Introduction: In vocal production models employing spring-mass-damper frameworks, precision in determining damping coefficients that align with physiological vocal fold characteristics is crucial, accounting for potential variations in the representation of viscosity-elasticity properties. Objective: This study aims to conduct a parametric fitting of a vocal production model based on a mass-spring-damper system incorporating subglottic pressure interaction, with the purpose of accurately modeling the collision forces exerted by vocal folds during phonation. Method: A metaheuristic search algorithm was employed for parametric synthesis. The algorithm was applied to elasticity coefficients c1 and c2, as well as damping coefficients ε1 and ε2, which directly correlate with the mass matrices of the model. This facilitates the adjustment of fold composition to achieve desired physiological behavior. Results: The vocal system's behavior for each simulation cycle was compared to a predefined standard under normal conditions. The algorithm determined the simulation endpoint by evaluating discrepancies between key features of the obtained signals and the desired ones. Conclusion: Parametric fitting enabled the approximation of physiological vocal production behavior, providing estimates of the impact forces experienced by vocal folds during phonation.

The antioxidant activity and metabolomic analysis of the supernatant of Streptococcus alactolyticus strain FGM.

Strain-specific probiotics can present antioxidant activity and reduce damage caused by oxidation. Streptococcus alactolyticus strain FGM (S. alactolyticus strain FGM) isolated from the chicken cecum shows potential probiotic properties which have been previously demonstrated. However, the antioxidant properties of S. alactolyticus strain FGM remain unknown. In this view, cell-free supernatant (CFS), intact cells (IC) and intracellular extracts (CFE) of strain FGM and 3 strains of Lactobacillus (LAB) were prepared, and their scavenging capacities against DPPH, hydroxyl radicals and linoleic acid peroxidation inhibitory were compared in this study. The effects of strain FGM cell-free supernatant (FCFS) on NO production, activity of SOD and GSH-Px in RAW264.7 cells and LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells were analyzed. The metabolites in the supernatant were quantitated by N300 Quantitative Metabolome. It was shown that the physicochemical characteristics of CFS to scavenge DPPH, hydroxyl radicals, and linoleic acid peroxidation inhibitory were significantly stronger than that of IC and CFE in the strain FGM (P < 0.05), respectively 87.12% ± 1.62, 45.03% ± 1.27, 15.63% ± 1.34. FCFS had a promotional effect on RAW264.7 cells, and significantly elevated SOD and GSH-Px activities in RAW264.7 cells. 25 µL FCFS significantly promoted the proliferation of RAW264.7 cells induced by LPS, increased the activities of SOD and GSH-PX, and decreased the release of NO. Furthermore, among the differential metabolites of FCFS quantified by N300, 12 metabolites were significantly up-regulated, including lactic acid, indole lactic acid, linoleic acid, pyruvic acid etc., many of which are known with antioxidant properties. In conclusion, FCFS had good antioxidant properties and activity, which can be attributed to metabolites produced from strain FGM fermentation. It was further confirmed that S. alactolyticus strain FGM and its postbiotic have potential probiotic properties and bright application prospects in livestock and poultry breeding.

Enhanced resistance to heat and fungal infection in transgenic Trichoderma via over-expressing the HSP70 gene.

Heat stress is one of the major abiotic stresses affecting the growth, sporulation, colonization and survival of Trichoderma viride. This study aimed to gain a better insight into the underlying mechanism governing the heat stress response of T. viride Tv-1511. We analysed the transcriptomic changes of Tv-1511 under normal and heat stress conditions using RNA sequencing. We observed that Tv-1511 regulates the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites through a complex network of signalling pathways. Additionally, it significantly activates the anti-oxidant defence system, heat shock proteins and stress-response-related transcription factors in response to heat stress. TvHSP70 was identified as a key gene, and transgenic Tv-1511 overexpressing TvHSP70 (TvHSP70-OE) was generated. We conducted an integrated morphological, physiological and molecular analyses of the TvHSP70-OE and wild-type strains. We observed that TvHSP70 over-expression significantly triggered the growth, anti-oxidant capacity, anti-fungal activity and growth-promoting ability of Tv-1511. Regarding anti-oxidant capacity, TvHSP70 primarily up-regulated genes involved in enzymatic and non-enzymatic anti-oxidant systems. In terms of anti-fungal activity, TvHSP70 primarily activated genes involved in the synthesis of enediyne, anti-fungal and aminoglycoside antibiotics. This study provides a comparative analysis of the functional significance and molecular mechanisms of HSP70 in Trichoderma. These findings provide a valuable foundation for further analyses.

Cold-stress induced metabolomic and transcriptomic changes in leaves of three mango varieties with different cold tolerance.

BACKGROUND: Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is grown in Hainan, Guangdong, Yunnan, Sichuan, and Fujian provinces and Guanxi autonomous region of China. However, trees growing in these areas suffer severe cold stress during winter, which affects the yield. To this regard, data on global metabolome and transcriptome profiles of leaves are limited. Here, we used combined metabolome and transcriptome analyses of leaves of three mango cultivars with different cold stress tolerance, i.e. Jinhuang (J)-tolerant, Tainung (T) and Guiremang No. 82 (G)-susceptible, after 24 (LF), 48 (MF) and 72 (HF) hours of cold. RESULTS: A total of 1,323 metabolites belonging to 12 compound classes were detected. Of these, amino acids and derivatives, nucleotides and derivatives, and lipids accumulated in higher quantities after cold stress exposure in the three cultivars. Notably, Jinhuang leaves showed increasing accumulation trends of flavonoids, terpenoids, lignans and coumarins, and alkaloids with exposure time. Among the phytohormones, jasmonic acid and abscisic acid levels decreased, while N6-isopentenyladenine increased with cold stress time. Transcriptome analysis led to the identification of 22,526 differentially expressed genes. Many genes enriched in photosynthesis, antenna proteins, flavonoid, terpenoid (di- and sesquiterpenoids) and alkaloid biosynthesis pathways were upregulated in Jihuang leaves. Moreover, expression changes related to phytohormones, MAPK (including calcium and H2O2), and the ICE-CBF-COR signalling cascade indicate involvement of these pathways in cold stress responses. CONCLUSION: Cold stress tolerance in mango leaves is associated with regulation of primary and secondary metabolite biosynthesis pathways. Jasmonic acid, abscisic acid, and cytokinins are potential regulators of cold stress responses in mango leaves.

Stress, interpersonal and inter-role conflicts, and psychological health conditions among nurses: vicious and virtuous circles within and beyond the wards.

BACKGROUND: The increasing costs of nurses' occupational-stress, conflicts, and violence within healthcare services have raised international interest. Yet, research/interventions should consider that perceived stress and conflicts- but also potential resources- within the wards can crossover the healthcare settings, impacting nurses' private lives and viceversa, potentially creating vicious circles exacerbating stress, conflicts/violence or, conversely, virtuous circles of psychological/relational wellbeing. Based on the Demands-Resources-and-Individual-Effects (DRIVE) Nurses Model, and responding to the need to go in-depth into this complex dynamic, this study aims to explore potential vicious circles featured by the negative effects of the interplay (main/mediating effects) between perceived stressors in nursing linked to interpersonal conflicts (Conflicts-with-Physicians, Peers, Supervisors, Patients/their families), work-family inter-role conflicts (Work-Family/Family-Work-Conflicts), and work-related stress (Effort-Reward-Imbalance) on nurses' psychological/relational health (Anxiety, Depression, Somatization, Interpersonal-Sensitivity, Hostility). The potential moderating role of work-resources (Job-Control, Social-Support, Job-Satisfaction) in breaking vicious circles/promoting virtuous circles was also explored. METHOD: The STROBE Checklist was used to report this cross-sectional multi-centre study. Overall, 265 nurses completed self-report questionnaires. Main/mediating/moderating hypotheses were tested by using Correlational-Analyses and Hayes-PROCESS-tool. RESULTS: Data confirmed the hypothesized detrimental vicious circles (main/mediating effects), impairing nurses' psychological health conditions at individual level (Anxiety, Depression, Somatization), but also at relational level (Hostility and Interpersonal-Sensitivity). The moderating role of all work resources was fully supported. CONCLUSION: Findings could be used to implement interventions/practices to effectively prevent the maintenance/exacerbation of vicious circles and promote psychological/relational wellbeing in healthcare settings and beyond.

Deoxynivalenol Inhibits Progenitor Leydig Cell Development by Stimulating Mitochondrial Fission in Rats.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a common food contaminant that can impair male reproductive function. This study investigated the effects and mechanisms of DON exposure on progenitor Leydig cell (PLC) development in prepubertal male rats. Rats were orally administrated DON (0-4 mg/kg) from postnatal days 21-28. DON increased PLC proliferation but inhibited PLC maturation and function, including reducing testosterone levels and downregulating biomarkers like HSD11B1 and INSL3 at ≥2 mg/kg. DON also stimulated mitochondrial fission via upregulating DRP1 and FIS1 protein levels and increased oxidative stress by reducing antioxidant capacity (including NRF2, SOD1, SOD2, and CAT) in PLCs in vivo. In vitro, DON (2-4 µM) inhibited PLC androgen biosynthesis, increased reactive oxygen species production and protein levels of DRP1, FIS1, MFF, and pAMPK, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and MFN1 protein levels, and caused mitochondrial fragmentation. The mitochondrial fission inhibitor mdivi-1 attenuated DON-induced impairments in PLCs. DON inhibited PLC steroidogenesis, increased oxidative stress, perturbed mitochondrial homeostasis, and impaired maturation. In conclusion, DON disrupts PLC development in prepubertal rats by stimulating mitochondrial fission.

Perception of Good Death and Level of Perceived Stress in Relatives of Palliative Care Patients.

This study aimed to examine the perception of a good death and the level of perceived stress in relatives of palliative care patients. Relatives of 110 patients hospitalized in a palliative care center constituted the research sample. A personal information form, the "Good Death Scale," and the "Perceived Stress Scale" were used for data collection. The patients' relatives defined good death as being with family members and living this process without suffering. The mean total Good Death Scale score of the relatives of palliative care patients was 54.86 ± 7.78, and their mean total Perceived Stress Scale score was 31.11 ± 10.10. These findings showed that patients' relatives had high perceptions of good death and that their stress levels were above average. To expand the scope of nursing care, it is important to know how patients' relatives are affected by this process. It is recommended that more studies be conducted on this subject.

Analysis of the summer thermal comfort indices in Istanbul.

Thermal indices and thermal comfort maps have great importance in developing health-minded climate action strategies and livable urban layouts. Especially in cities where vulnerability to heatwaves is high, it is necessary to detect the most appropriate indicators for the regional characteristics and action planning with respect to thermal comfort. The aim of the study is to examine thermal indices as indicators of regional climate characteristics by relating to meteorological parameters and spatial features. Atmospheric variables including air temperature, wind speed, cloud cover, and relative humidity data were obtained from 30 meteorological stations located in districts having different climatic features. Heat stress levels for apparent temperature (AT), heat index (HI), wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT), physiological equivalent temperature (PET), universal thermal climate index (UTCI), and perceived temperature (PT) indices were calculated and associated with meteorological parameters. Thermal comfort maps have been created with the daily mean and maximum values of all indices. As a result, the meteorological parameters with the strongest correlation with all thermal indices are air temperature (Ta) with r = 0.89 ± 0.01 and mean radiant temperature (Tmrt) with r = 0.75 ± 0.16. The differences in thermal stress levels over the city have been distinctively observed in the ATmax, PETmax, and PTmax maps, which are generated by the daily maximum values of the indices. Çatalca, where forests cover large areas compared to highly urbanized districts, has the lowest heat stress defined by all indices.

Dysregulation of miR-146a is associated with exacerbated inflammation, oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress in the progression of diabetic foot ulcer.

Recent evidence has implicated the role of microRNA-146a (miR-146a) in regulating inflammatory responses. In the present study, we investigated the role of miRNA-146a in the progression of diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients (T2DM) and studied its correlation with stress mediators such as Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) and oxidative stress. Ninety subjects were enrolled and evenly distributed among three groups: Controls (n = 30), T2DM without complications (n = 30) and T2DM with foot ulcers (n = 30). Subsequently, each group was further subdivided based on the University of Texas classification. Peripheral blood was collected from all the study subjects, while tissue biopsies were taken only from DFU patients. Total RNA from both PBMCs and wound tissues were isolated using miRNA isolation kit and qPCR was performed to check the expression of miR-146a, ER stress and oxidative stress markers. Our findings revealed a significant decrease in miR-146a expression among T2DM patients with Grade 2 and Grade 3 DFUs compared with those with Grade 0 and Grade 1 DFUs. Notably, inflammatory genes regulated by miR-146a, including TRAF6, IRAK-1 and ADAM, were all upregulated in T2DM patients with Grade 2 and Grade 3 DFUs. Moreover, reduced miR-146a levels were correlated with increased markers of ER stress and oxidative stress in Grade 2 and Grade 3 DFU patients. Furthermore, our in vitro experiment using mouse 3T3 fibroblasts demonstrated a downregulation of miR-146a following induction of hyperglycaemia, ER stress and oxidative stress in these cells. These findings suggest a potential link between diminished miR-146a expression and heightened oxidative and ER stress in T2DM patients with more severe grades of DFUs. Our results imply that targeting miR-146a may hold therapeutic promise for managing disease progression in DFU patients, as it could help alleviate oxidative and ER stress associated with diabetic complications.

Momentary Factors and Study Characteristics Associated With Participant Burden and Protocol Adherence: Ecological Momentary Assessment.

BACKGROUND: Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) has become a popular mobile health study design to understand the lived experiences of dynamic environments. The numerous study design choices available to EMA researchers, however, may quickly increase participant burden and could affect overall adherence, which could limit the usability of the collected data. OBJECTIVE: This study quantifies what study design, participant attributes, and momentary factors may affect self-reported burden and adherence. METHODS: The EMA from the Phase 1 Family Matters Study (n=150 adult Black, Hmong, Latino or Latina, Native American, Somali, and White caregivers; n=1392 observation days) was examined to understand how participant self-reported survey burden was related to both design and momentary antecedents of adherence. The daily burden was measured by the question "Overall, how difficult was it for you to fill out the surveys today?" on a 5-item Likert scale (0=not at all and 4=extremely). Daily protocol adherence was defined as completing at least 2 signal-contingent surveys, 1 event-contingent survey, and 1 end-of-day survey each. Stress and mood were measured earlier in the day, sociodemographic and psychosocial characteristics were reported using a comprehensive cross-sectional survey, and EMA timestamps for weekends and weekdays were used to parameterize time-series models to evaluate prospective correlates of end-of-day study burden. RESULTS: The burden was low at 1.2 (SD 1.14) indicating "a little" burden on average. Participants with elevated previous 30-day chronic stress levels (mean burden difference: 0.8; P=.04), 1 in 5 more immigrant households (P=.02), and the language primarily spoken in the home (P=.04; 3 in 20 more non-English-speaking households) were found to be population attributes of elevated moderate-high burden. Current and 1-day lagged nonadherence were correlated with elevated 0.39 and 0.36 burdens, respectively (P=.001), and the association decayed by the second day (ß=0.08; P=.47). Unit increases in momentary antecedents, including daily depressed mood (P=.002) and across-day change in stress (P=.008), were positively associated with 0.15 and 0.07 higher end-of-day burdens after controlling for current-day adherence. CONCLUSIONS: The 8-day EMA implementation appeared to capture momentary sources of stress and depressed mood without substantial burden to a racially or ethnically diverse and immigrant or refugee sample of parents. Attention to sociodemographic attributes (eg, EMA in the primary language of the caregiver) was important for minimizing participant burden and improving data quality. Momentary stress and depressed mood were strong determinants of participant-experienced EMA burden and may affect adherence to mobile health study protocols. There were no strong indicators of EMA design attributes that created a persistent burden for caregivers. EMA stands to be an important observational design to address dynamic public health challenges related to human-environment interactions when the design is carefully tailored to the study population and to study research objectives.

Global analysis of the adverse effects of micro- and nanoplastics on intestinal health and microbiota of fish.

The wide occurrence of micro- and nanoplastics (MPs/NPs) within aquatic ecosystems has raised increasing concerns regarding their potential effects on aquatic organisms. However, the effects of MPs/NPs on intestinal health and microbiota of fish remain controversial, and there is a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding how the impact of MPs/NPs is influenced by MPs/NPs characteristics and experimental designs. Here, we conducted a global analysis to synthesize the effects of MPs/NPs on 47 variables associated with fish intestinal health and microbiota from 118 studies. We found that MPs/NPs generally exerted obvious adverse effects on intestinal histological structure, permeability, digestive function, immune and oxidative-antioxidative systems. By contrast, MPs/NPs showed slight effects on intestinal microbial variables. Further, we observed that the responses of intestinal variables to MPs/NPs were significantly regulated by MPs/NPs characteristics and experimental designs. For instance, polyvinyl chloride plastics showed higher toxicity to fish gut than polyethylene and polystyrene did. Additionally, larval fish appeared to be more sensitive to MPs/NPs than juvenile fish. Collectively, this study highlights the potential impacts of MPs/NPs on intestinal health and microbiota of fish, and underscores the determinant role of MPs/NPs characteristics and experimental designs in MPs/NPs toxicity.

Cortical parenchyma wall width regulates root metabolic cost and maize performance under suboptimal water availability.

We describe how increased root cortical parenchyma wall width (CPW) can improve tolerance to drought stress in maize by reducing the metabolic costs of soil exploration. Significant variation (1.0 to 5.0 µm) for CPW was observed in maize germplasm. The functional-structural model RootSlice predicts that increasing CPW from 2 to 4 µm is associated with ca. 15% reduction in root cortical cytoplasmic volume, respiration rate, and nitrogen content. Analysis of genotypes with contrasting CPW grown with and without water stress in the field confirms that increased CPW is correlated with ca. 32 to 42% decrease in root respiration. Under water stress in the field, increased CPW is correlated with 125% increased stomatal conductance, 325% increased leaf CO2 assimilation rate, 73 to 78% increased shoot biomass, and 92 to 108% increased yield. CPW was correlated with leaf mesophyll midrib parenchyma wall width, indicating pleiotropy. GWAS analysis identified candidate genes underlying CPW. OpenSimRoot modeling predicts that a reduction in root respiration due to increased CPW would also benefit maize growth under suboptimal nitrogen, which requires empirical testing. We propose CPW as a new phene that has utility under edaphic stress meriting further investigation.

Combat and operational stress programs and interventions: A scoping review using a tiered prevention framework.

Beginning in 1999, Department of Defense policy directed the military services to develop Combat and Operational Stress Control (COSC) programs to address prevention, early identification, and management of the negative effects of combat and operational stress. The aim of this study is to provide a narrative review of COSC programs and organize them into a prevention framework to clarify gaps and future directions. A systematic search was conducted to identify studies between 2001 and 2020 in peer-reviewed articles or government-sponsored reports describing an evaluation of COSC programs. The target population of these programs was US service members who had participated in an intervention designed to address combat or operational stress in a deployed, operational, or field setting. These programs then were rated for level of evidence and categorized using a tiered prevention model. This search identified 36 published evaluations of 19 COSC programs and interventions from. Most programs were described as effective in addressing target outcomes, with behavioral health outcomes reported for 13 of the 19 identified programs; the remaining six focused on knowledge base and behavior changes. Delivery of these prevention programs also ranged from peer-based implementation to formal treatment, including programs at all prevention levels. COSC interventions show promise for helping service members manage stress, with more than half of the programs showing evidence from studies using randomized designs. Future iterations of COSC program evaluations should explore the development of a joint curriculum using existing content in a tiered prevention framework.

Associations of humor, morale, and unit cohesion on posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms.

Military personnel experience many stressors during deployments that can lead to symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, not all military personnel who are exposed to deployment stressors develop PTSD symptoms. Recent research has explored factors that contribute to military personnel resilience, a multifaceted and multidetermined construct, as a means to mitigate and prevent PTSD symptoms. Much of this research has focused on the effects of individual-level factors (e.g., use of coping strategies like humor, the morale of individual unit members), with some research focusing on unit-level factors (e.g., the cohesiveness of a unit). However, there is little research exploring how these factors relate to each other in mitigating or reducing PTSD symptoms. In this study, we examined the association between deployment stressors, perceived unit cohesion, morale, humor, and PTSD symptoms in a sample of 20,901 active-duty military personnel using structural equation modeling. Results indicated that perceived unit cohesion, humor, and morale were positively associated with each other and negatively associated with PTSD symptoms over and above the effect of deployment stressors. These findings highlight the influence of resilience factors on PTSD symptoms beyond their substantial overlap and have implications for future research as well as the potential development of interventions for military personnel.

The association between psychological reactions, resilience, and work engagement among Palestinian critical care nurses in West Bank.

AIM: This study aimed to assess the association between psychological reactions (e.g., stress, anxiety, and depression), resilience, and work engagement among Palestinian critical care nurses in the West Bank and examine the correlation of psychological reactions and resilience with work engagement. BACKGROUND: Work engagement is associated with psychological reactions and resilience, particularly among critical care nurses. There is a lack of studies on work engagement and these factors in Palestine. METHODS: A cross-sectional, descriptive correlational design was adopted. A convenience sample consisting of 273 critical care nurses from private and governmental hospitals was recruited to participate. Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-25 (CDRS-25), Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-9 (UWES-9), and demographic data were used to collect data during the period from March 20 to May 20, 2023. RESULTS: Findings demonstrated that 53.9% of the nurses reported mild-to-moderate levels of depression, 49.8% reported moderate-to-severe levels of anxiety, and 49.1% reported moderate-to-severe levels of stress. Additionally, 57.5% and 52.7% of them had low resilience and work engagement, respectively. Moreover, work engagement negatively correlated with depression (r = -0.796, P < 0.01), anxiety (r = -0.654, P < 0.01), and stress (r = -0.796, P < 0.01), while positively correlated with resilience (r = 0.42, P < 0.01) and gender (r = 0.121, P < 0.05). Depression, anxiety, stress, resilience, and gender were the main predictors of work engagement. DISCUSSION: The majority of the nurses suffered from depression, anxiety, and stress. Additionally, more than half of the participants had low resilience and work engagement. Moreover, increased depression, anxiety, and stress were correlated with decreased work engagement, while high resilience and gender as being female positively correlated with high work engagement. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY: Policymakers and hospital administrators should develop interventions to improve critical care nurses' resilience and minimize psychological reactions, which have a significant influence on work engagement. Future studies should be conducted to examine the effectiveness of these interventions.

Curcumin nanogel and its efficacy against oxidative stress and inflammation in rat models of ischemic stroke.

Aim: The study was designed to develop and analyze curcumin nanoparticles. Methods: Curcumin nanoparticles were formulated and evaluated. Their efficacy in protecting against brain damage was investigated in a rat model of ischemic stroke, considering motor function, muscle strength and antioxidant enzyme activity. Results: Curcumin nanoparticles displayed a zeta potential of -55 ± 13.5 mV and an average particle size of 51.40 ± 21.70 nm. In ischemic stroke rat models, curcumin nanoparticle treatment significantly improved motor functions, and muscle strength and increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes like glutathione peroxidase, glutathione, glutathione S-transferase, superoxide dismutase and catalase, reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. Conclusion: Curcumin nanoparticles showed significant neuroprotective effects in ischemic stroke models.

Phenylbutyric acid inhibits hypoxia-induced trophoblast apoptosis and autophagy in preeclampsia via the PERK/ATF-4/CHOP pathway.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a common pregnancy complication with a high mortality rate. Abnormally activated endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) is believed to be responsible for the destruction of key placental cells-trophoblasts. Phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA), an ERS inhibitor, is involved in regulating the development of ERS-related diseases. At present, how 4-PBA affects trophoblasts and its mechanisms is still unclear. In this study, PE cell models were established by stimulating HTR-8/SVneo cells with hypoxia. To verify the underlying mechanisms of 4-PBA on PE, CCT020312, an activator of PERK, was also used. The results showed that 4-PBA restored hypoxia-induced trophoblast viability, inhibited HIF-1α protein expression, inflammation, and PERK/ATF-4/CHOP pathway. Hoechst 33342 staining and flow cytometry results confirmed that 4-PBA decreased hypoxia-induced apoptosis in trophoblasts. The results of the JC-1 analysis and apoptosis initiation enzyme activity assay also demonstrated that 4-PBA inhibited apoptosis related to the mitochondrial pathway. Furthermore, by detecting autophagy in trophoblasts, an increased number of autophagic vesicles, damaged mitochondria, enhanced dansylcadaverine fluorescence, enhanced levels of autophagy proteins Beclin-1, LC3II, and decreased p62 were seen in hypoxia-stimulated cells. These changes were reversed by 4-PBA. Furthermore, it was observed that CCT020312 reversed the effects of 4-PBA on the viability, apoptosis, and autophagosome number of hypoxia-induced trophoblasts. In summary, 4-PBA reduces autophagy and apoptosis via the PERK/ATF-4/CHOP pathway and mitochondrial pathway, thereby restoring the viability of hypoxic trophoblasts. These findings provide a solid evidence base for the use of 4-PBA in PE treatment and guide a new direction for improving the outcomes of patients with PE.