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BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer (CC) causes more than 311,000 deaths annually worldwide. The integration of human papillomavirus (HPV) is a crucial genetic event that contributes to cervical carcinogenesis. Despite HPV DNA integration is known to disrupt the genomic architecture of both the host and viral genomes in CC, the complexity of this process remains largely unexplored. RESULTS: In this study, we conducted whole-genome sequencing (WGS) at 55-65X coverage utilizing the PacBio long-read sequencing platform in SiHa and HeLa cells, followed by comprehensive analyses of the sequence data to elucidate the complexity of HPV integration. Firstly, our results demonstrated that PacBio long-read sequencing effectively identifies HPV integration breakpoints with comparable accuracy to targeted-capture Next-generation sequencing (NGS) methods. Secondly, we constructed detailed models of complex integrated genome structures that included both the HPV genome and nearby regions of the human genome by utilizing PacBio long-read WGS. Thirdly, our sequencing results revealed the occurrence of a wide variety of genome-wide structural variations (SVs) in SiHa and HeLa cells. Additionally, our analysis further revealed a potential correlation between changes in gene expression levels and SVs on chromosome 13 in the genome of SiHa cells. CONCLUSIONS: Using PacBio long-read sequencing, we have successfully constructed complex models illustrating HPV integrated genome structures in SiHa and HeLa cells. This accomplishment serves as a compelling demonstration of the valuable capabilities of long-read sequencing in detecting and characterizing HPV genomic integration structures within human cells. Furthermore, these findings offer critical insights into the complex process of HPV16 and HPV18 integration and their potential contribution to the development of cervical cancer.
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Infecciones por Papillomavirus , Neoplasias del Cuello Uterino , Femenino , Humanos , Neoplasias del Cuello Uterino/genética , Células HeLa , Infecciones por Papillomavirus/genética , ADN , Genómica , Integración Viral/genéticaRESUMEN
Aluminum-ion batteries (AIBs), as electrochemical energy storage technologies, are advantageous because of their high theoretical specific capacity, lightweightness, zero pollution, safety, inexpensiveness, and abundant resources, which make them recent research hot spots. However, their electrolyte issues significantly limit their commercialization. The electrolyte choices for AIBs are significantly limited, and most of the available choices do not facilitate the three-electron-transfer reaction of Al3+/Al. Thus, this review presents an overview of recent advances in electrolytes, as well as modification strategies for AIBs, to clarify the limitations of existing AIB electrolytes and offer guidance for improving their performances. Furthermore, the advantages as well as limitations and possible solutions for each electrolyte are discussed, after which the future of AIB electrolytes is envisioned.
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OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study examined the socio-ecological factors influencing fundamental motor skills (FMS) in Chinese school-aged children. METHODS: A total of 1012 parent-child pairs were randomly sampled between March-1st and April-15th, 2022. Based on the socio-ecological model of Children's FMS, three levels of factors: individual-level (e.g., demographic, physical, psychological, and behavioral characteristics of children), family-level (e.g., caregiver demographics, parental support, and socioeconomic status), and environmental factors (e.g., availability of physical activity equipment) were assessed using self-reported scales (e.g., the Self-perception Profile for Children, the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale, and the 12-item Psychological Well-Being Scale for Children) and objective measures (e.g., ActiGraph GT3X, the Chinese National Student Physical Fitness Standard, and the Test of Gross Motor Development-Third Edition). Multi-level regression models were employed using SPSS. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that children's age, sex, physical fitness, parental support, and the quality of home and community physical activity environments consistently influenced all three types of FMS, including locomotor, ball, and composite skills. Additionally, seven individual-level factors (children's age, sex, body mass index, light physical activity, sleep duration, perceived motor competence, and physical fitness) were associated with different types of FMS. CONCLUSIONS: The findings underscore the multidimensional and complex nature of FMS development, with individual-level factors playing a particularly significant role. Future research should adopt rigorous longitudinal designs, comprehensive assessment tools covering various FMS skills, and objective measurement of parents' movement behaviors to better understand the strength and direction of the relationship between socio-ecological factors and children's FMS.
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Ejercicio Físico , Destreza Motora , Humanos , Niño , Estudios Transversales , Aptitud Física , ChinaRESUMEN
Applying biochar to soil has been recognized as a promising practice of climate-smart agriculture, with considerable potential in enhancing soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. Previous studies showed that biochar-induced increases in SOC stock varied substantially among experiments, while the explanatory factors responsible for such variability are still not well assessed. Here, we conducted an integrative meta-analysis of the magnitude and efficiency of biochar-induced change in SOC stock, using a database including 476 field measurements at 101 sites across the globe. Biochar amendment increased SOC stock by 6.13 ± 1.62 (95% confidence interval, CI) and 7.01 ± 1.11 (95% CI) Mg C ha-1, respectively, compared to their unfertilized (R0) and mineral nitrogen (N) fertilized (Rn) references. Of which approx. 52% (R0) and 50% (Rn) were contributed directly by biochar-C input. Corresponding biochar carbon efficiencies in R0 and Rn datasets were estimated as 58.20 ± 10.37% and 65.58 ± 9.26% (95% CI), respectively. The change magnitude of SOC stock increased significantly (p < 0.01) with the increasing amount of biochar-C input, while carbon efficiency of biochar showed an opposite trend. Biochar amendment sequestered larger amounts of SOC with higher efficiency in acidic and loamy soils than in alkaline and sandy soils. Biochar amendments with higher C/N ratio caused higher SOC increase than those with lower C/N ratio. Random forest (RF) algorithm showed that accumulative biochar-C input, soil pH, and biochar C/N ratio were the three most-important factors regulating the SOC stock responses. Overall, these results suggest that applying high C/N ratio biochar in acidic soils is a recommendable agricultural practice from the perspective of enhancing organic carbon.
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Carbono , Suelo , Carbón Orgánico , Agricultura/métodos , Secuestro de CarbonoRESUMEN
Constructing a photocatalytic membrane and photo-Fenton reaction coupling system is a novel strategy to enhance the photocatalytic activity of the membrane and eliminate the problem of membrane contamination. Herein, a g-C3N4/Bi2MoO6/PVDF photocatalytic membrane was prepared using a tannic acid-assisted in-situ deposition method. The membrane was characterized by three advantages of photocatalytic, self-cleaning, and antibacterial properties. Under the photo-Fenton-like conditions, the membrane had superior photodegradation efficiency of 90.7% for tetracycline, one of the main antibiotic contaminants in the China's aquatic system. Moreover, the membrane had excellent photo-Fenton self-cleaning ability, its flux recovery rate was up to 96%-98% after the self-cleaning process. Photoluminescence spectra, diffuse UV-visible spectrum, transient photocurrent responses, and electrochemical AC impedance spectrum results show that the heterojunction structure formed by g-C3N4 and Bi2MoO6 could improve the separation efficiency of photogenerated electrons-hole pairs. Electron spin resonance spectroscopy confirmed the photo-electrons facilitated the formation of hydroxyl radical (·OH) in the existence of H2O2, which enhanced tetracycline degradation. Moreover, the superior photo-Fenton self-cleaning performance, which mainly relied on the active free radicals produced by the photo-Fenton-like membrane to remove dirt on the membrane surface or in the membrane pore channel. Our results may shed new light on the development of promising photocatalytic membrane systems by coupling with photo-Fenton-like processes, and facilitate their applications for wastewater treatment.
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Antibacterianos , Bismuto , Aguas Residuales , Aguas Residuales/química , Antibacterianos/química , Bismuto/química , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/química , Peróxido de Hidrógeno/química , Polivinilos/química , Hierro/química , Fotólisis , Membranas Artificiales , Tetraciclina/química , Catálisis , Polímeros de Fluorocarbono , MolibdenoRESUMEN
DNA damage induced by endogenous/exogenous factors may cause various diseases, and the genomic DNA damage has become an important biomarker for clinical diagnosis and risk assessment, but it remains a great challenge to accurately quantify both clustered and isolated damage because of their random locations, large diversity, and low abundance. Herein, we demonstrate the development of bioluminescent sensors for label-free, template-free, separation-free, and sequence-independent detection of both clustered and isolated damage in genomic DNA based on the base-excision repair (BER) pathway and terminal transferase (TdT)-initiated template-free isothermal cyclic amplification. The damaged bases are cleaved by DNA glycosylase to generate a new 3'-OH terminus, and subsequently, TdT catalyzes the repeated incorporation of dTTPs into the 3'-OH terminus to produce poly-T structures which can hybridize with the signal probe to form a poly-T sequence/signal probe duplex. Under the lambda exonuclease hydrolysis, a large number of adenosine monophosphate (AMP) molecules are produced to generate a high bioluminescence signal through the cyclic interconversion of AMP-adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-AMP in the presence of luciferin and firefly luciferase. Moreover, the introduction of APE1-induced cyclic cleavage signal amplification can greatly improve the detection sensitivity. The proposed strategy can detect both clustered and isolated damage in genomic DNA with extremely high sensitivity and excellent specificity, and it can even distinguish 0.001% DNA damage in the mixture. Importantly, it can detect the cellular DNA damage with a detection limit of 0.011 ng and further extend to measure various DNA damage with the integration of appropriate DNA repair enzymes.
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ADN Glicosilasas , Luciferasas de Luciérnaga , ADN Nucleotidilexotransferasa/metabolismo , ADN/genética , ADN/metabolismo , ADN Glicosilasas/metabolismo , Enzimas Reparadoras del ADN , Adenosina Trifosfato , Adenosina Monofosfato , Genómica , Exonucleasas , Daño del ADNRESUMEN
Many elements of a modern lifestyle influence the gut microbiota but few studies have explored the effect of physical health level. This study was aimed to explore the relationship between diet, physical health and gut microbiota in Chinese college students. A total of 69 college students were recruited, including 27 college athletes (AS group) and 42 healthy controls (HC group). Fecal samples were collected for 16S rRNA sequencing. According to National Standards for Students' Physical Health (2014 revision), physical fitness measurements, dietary intake and health-related data were collected via questionnaires. â According to the physical fitness scores, the physical fitness level of AS group was significantly higher than that of HC group (P < 0.05), there were no significant differences between the two groups in the frequency of intake of food. The frequency and duration of physical activity in the AS group were higher than those in the HC group (P < 0.05); â¡The proportion and relative abundances of microorganism composition is varying at two groups: on the phylum level, AS group had mainly increased Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and reduced Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria; on the genus level, AS group had mainly increased Faecalibacterium, Bifidobacterium and reduced Bacteroides; â¢The associations with the 10 most abundant bacterial genera and physical fitness, dietary factors were investigated. Changes in the gut microbiota abundance can be sometimes reflective of a physical health status. Loss of the balance of gut microbial populations will lead to flora disorders and diseases. Therefore, further studies are needed to reveal the mechanisms behind the gut microbiota in its potential role.
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Microbioma Gastrointestinal , Bacterias/genética , China , Dieta , Heces/microbiología , Microbioma Gastrointestinal/genética , Humanos , ARN Ribosómico 16S/genética , EstudiantesRESUMEN
The anti-cancer effect of dehydrocostus lactone (DHL) derived from Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipech against laryngeal carcinoma was assessed. The cytotoxic activity of DHL against laryngeal carcinoma is still obscure. Therefore, our study investigated the role of DHL in the growth inhibition of laryngeal carcinoma in vitro and in vivo, and the molecular mechanism of DHL-induced apoptosis in cancer cells of the larynx. The results showed that DHL inhibits the viability, migration and proliferation of Hep-2 and TU212 cells with little toxic effects on human normal larynx epithelial HBE cell line. Flow cytometry analysis (FAC) analysis and staining assay (Hoechst 33258) indicated that DHL stimulated Hep-2 and TU212 cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Mechanistically, DHL is capable of inhibiting Hep-2 and TU212 cell viability via promoting p53 and P21 function, meanwhile DHL dose-dependently induces Hep-2 and TU212 cells apoptosis via activating mitochondrial apoptosis by inhibiting PI3K/Akt/Bad pathway and stimulating endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis pathway. In vivo, DHL inhibited the growth of the Hep-2 nude mouse xenograft model and observed no significant signs of toxicity in the organs of nude mice. In vivo experiments further confirmed the anti-cancer effect of DHL on laryngeal carcinoma cells in vitro, and DHL-treated nude mice can reduce the volume of tumours. Together, our study indicated that DHL has the potential to inhibit human laryngeal carcinoma via activating mitochondrial apoptosis pathway by inhibiting PI3K/Akt/Bad signalling pathway and stimulating endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis pathway, providing a strategy for the treatment of human laryngeal carcinoma.
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Apoptosis/efectos de los fármacos , Estrés del Retículo Endoplásmico/efectos de los fármacos , Lactonas/farmacología , Neoplasias Laríngeas/metabolismo , Neoplasias Laríngeas/patología , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinasas/metabolismo , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas c-akt/metabolismo , Sesquiterpenos/farmacología , Proteína Letal Asociada a bcl/metabolismo , Animales , Línea Celular Tumoral , Movimiento Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Femenino , Humanos , Lactonas/química , Ratones Endogámicos BALB C , Ratones Desnudos , Modelos Biológicos , Sesquiterpenos/química , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacosRESUMEN
Activity of some endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) has been proven to be important for development of early mammalian embryo. However, abnormal activation of ERVs can also cause genetic diseases due to their ability to retrotranspose, so the regulatory mechanism to limit transcription of ERVs needs to be clarified. Endogenous small interfering RNA (endo-siRNA) has been reported to protect cells against transposable elements (TEs). Here, we determined the role of ERVs long terminal repeat sequences (LTRs) derived endo-siRNAs (LTR-siRNAs) on inhibition of the activity of ERVs during early embryonic development in pig. Seven most highly expressed LTR-siRNAs were identified in porcine zygote by high-throughput small RNA sequencing. We verified that the biogenesis of the LTR-siRNAs was DICER-dependent and they were generated from double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) formed by sense and antisense transcripts of LTRs. And, the expression of sense and antisense of LTRs might be due to the loss of DNA methylation at some LTR loci. Furthermore, we showed that the LTR-siRNAs could regulate early embryonic development by repression of LTRs expression at a post-transcriptional level. So, we propose here, during early embryonic development when epigenetic reprogramming occurs, the endo-siRNA pathway acts as a sophisticated balance of regulatory mechanism for ERV activity.
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Desarrollo Embrionario/fisiología , Retrovirus Endógenos/fisiología , ARN Interferente Pequeño/fisiología , Porcinos/embriología , Animales , Regulación del Desarrollo de la Expresión Génica , Interferencia de ARN , Ribonucleasa III , Secuencias Repetidas Terminales/genética , Cigoto/crecimiento & desarrollo , Cigoto/fisiologíaRESUMEN
Both microRNAs (miRNAs) and endogenous small interfering RNAs (endo-siRNAs) play key regulatory roles in gene expression. Some studies have demonstrated that the function of miRNA is suppressed in mouse oocytes, suggesting that endo-siRNA, not miRNA, is essential for female meiosis. This finding has yet to be confirmed in other species. In this study, by knockdown of DICER1, DROSHA and its cofactor DiGeorge syndrome critical region 8 (DGCR8) in porcine oocytes, we found that the proportion of oocytes with DICER1 deficiency that developed to meiosis II (MII) stage was significantly lower than oocytes with DROSHA and DGCR8 deficiency (39.23 versus 68.71 and 71.25% respectively; P<0.05). Oocytes lacking DROSHA and DGCR8 formed a barrel-shaped metaphase I spindle, with chromosomes tightly aligned at the metaphase plate whereas most oocytes (87%) lacking DICER1 showed spindle abnormalities during oocyte in vitro maturation. Furthermore, DICER1 deficiency also resulted in oocyte apoptosis. These results indicate that endo-siRNAs are essential for oocyte maturation in pigs.
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Apoptosis/fisiología , Técnicas de Maduración In Vitro de los Oocitos/veterinaria , Oocitos/metabolismo , Oogénesis/fisiología , ARN Interferente Pequeño/metabolismo , Animales , ARN Helicasas DEAD-box/genética , ARN Helicasas DEAD-box/metabolismo , Femenino , Meiosis/fisiología , ARN Interferente Pequeño/genética , Proteínas de Unión al ARN/genética , Proteínas de Unión al ARN/metabolismo , Ribonucleasa III/genética , Ribonucleasa III/metabolismo , PorcinosRESUMEN
Hypertension is associated with at least 7.6 million annual deaths worldwide. While pharmacotherapy may provide good control for blood pressure, it sometimes induces adverse effects. Meanwhile, acupuncture has been used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, and stroke, but its mechanisms of actions remain poorly understood. The efficacy of acupuncture depends on multiple constituent elements including acupoints, manipulation skills, and implementation programs, which are termed as acupuncture prescription. This review summarized the previous information of experimental use of acupuncture on animals including species, hypertension models, acupoints selection, acupoint location, stimulation protocols, and evaluation of effectiveness to provide useful guidance for researchers when performing acupuncture in animal experiments.
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Terapia por Acupuntura , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Hipertensión/terapia , Puntos de Acupuntura , Animales , Gatos , Cricetinae , Perros , Humanos , Conejos , RatasRESUMEN
This study investigated genome-wide gene expressions and the cardioprotective effects of electro-acupuncture pretreatment at the PC6 Neiguan acupoint on myocardial ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury. Male SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham operation (SO), I/R, electro-acupuncture at the PC6 Neiguan acupoint pretreatment (EA) and electro-acupuncture at non-acupoint pretreatment (NA). Compared with the I/R group, the survival rate of the EA group was significantly increased, the arrhythmia score, infarction area, serum concentrations of CK, LDH and CK-Mb and plasma level of cTnT were significantly decreased. RNA-seq results showed that 725 genes were up-regulated and 861 genes were down-regulated under I/R conditions compared to the SO group; both EA and NA reversed some of these gene expression levels (592 in EA and 238 in NA group). KEGG pathway analysis indicated that these genes were involved in multiple pathways, including ECM, MAPK signaling, apoptosis, cytokine and leukocyte pathways. In addition, some pathways were uniquely regulated by EA, but not NA pretreatment, such as oxidative stress, cardiac muscle contraction, gap junction, vascular smooth muscle contraction, hypertrophic, NOD-like receptor, and P53 and B-cell receptor pathways. This study was first to reveal the gene expression signatures of acute myocardial I/R injury and electro-acupuncture pretreatment in rats.
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Terapia por Acupuntura , Expresión Génica , Daño por Reperfusión Miocárdica/genética , Daño por Reperfusión Miocárdica/terapia , Terapia por Acupuntura/métodos , Animales , Análisis por Conglomerados , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Electrocardiografía , Perfilación de la Expresión Génica , Regulación de la Expresión Génica , Estudio de Asociación del Genoma Completo , Masculino , Daño por Reperfusión Miocárdica/metabolismo , Daño por Reperfusión Miocárdica/mortalidad , Daño por Reperfusión Miocárdica/prevención & control , Ratas , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Transducción de SeñalRESUMEN
The ubiquitous presence of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) in soil has raised concerns regarding their potential effects on terrestrial plants. The coexistence and interactions between MNPs and heavy metals altering their phytotoxicity deserves further investigation. In this study, we explored the impacts of various concentrations of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) and cadmium (Cd) alone or in combination on the growth and development of Arabidopsis thaliana. Additionally, we examined the effects of combined stress on the uptake and translocation of Cd within Arabidopsis thaliana. Our findings revealed several key insights: PS-NPs exhibited the capability to internalize in the maturation zone of Arabidopsis roots; the presence of Cd changed the particle size and zeta potential of PS-NPs; the presence of PS-NPs heightened Cd accumulation in the underground parts of Arabidopsis seedlings, leading to a stronger oxidative stress response in these regions; the composite stress exerted a more pronounced effect on the growth and development of Arabidopsis compared to individual stresses. Interestingly, while higher PS-NPs concentrations hindered Cd migration from roots to leaves, they also acted as carriers for Cd uptake in Arabidopsis roots. These findings shed light on the combined impacts of MNPs and heavy metals on plant physiology, offering theoretical insights to guide risk assessment strategies for MNPs and heavy metals in terrestrial ecosystems.
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Arabidopsis , Cadmio , Raíces de Plantas , Poliestirenos , Contaminantes del Suelo , Arabidopsis/metabolismo , Arabidopsis/efectos de los fármacos , Cadmio/toxicidad , Cadmio/metabolismo , Poliestirenos/toxicidad , Contaminantes del Suelo/toxicidad , Contaminantes del Suelo/metabolismo , Raíces de Plantas/metabolismo , Raíces de Plantas/efectos de los fármacos , Microplásticos/toxicidad , Nanopartículas/toxicidad , Estrés Oxidativo/efectos de los fármacosRESUMEN
Background: Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMPO) is the most familiar type of osteoporosis, a silent bone disease. Casticin, a natural flavonoid constituent, improves osteoporosis in animal model. Nevertheless, the potential mechanism remains to be further explored. Methods: A model of PMPO was established in rats treated with ovariectomy (OVX) and RAW 264.7 cells induced with receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL). The effect and potential mechanism of casticin on PMPO were addressed by pathological staining, measurement of bone mineral density (BMD), three-point bending test, serum biochemical detection, filamentous-actin (F-actin) ring staining, TRAcP staining, reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blot and examination of oxidative stress indicators. Results: The casticin treatment increased the femoral trabecular area, bone maturity, BMD, elastic modulus, maximum load, the level of calcium and estrogen with the reduced concentrations of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in OVX rats. An enhancement in the F-actin ring formation, TRAcP staining and the relative mRNA expression of NFATc1 and TRAP was observed in RANKL-induced RAW 264.7 cells, which was declined by the treatment of casticin. Moreover, the casticin treatment reversed the reduced the relative protein expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 and the concentrations of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, and the increased content of malondialdehyde both in vivo and in vitro. Conclusion: Casticin improved bone density, bone biomechanics, the level of calcium and estrogen, the release of pro-inflammatory factor and oxidative stress to alleviate osteoporosis, which was associated with the upregulation of Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.
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BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis has influenced millions of people, especially postmenopausal women, which has become a big burden to the whole world. Although the diverse roles of casticin (CAS) on different diseases were identified, whether it was implicated with osteoporosis was unknown. METHODS: A rat model of osteoporosis was established through dexamethasone (DEX) treatment and a cell model reflecting the osteogenic and osteoclast induction was constructed in bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). The calcification at the late stage of induction was measured via Alizarin Red S staining. Western blot was applied to evaluate the levels of proteins. RESULTS: Hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed that the number of bone trabecular in DEX-induced osteoporosis rats was decreased, while increased doses of CAS treatment elevated the number of bone trabecular. CAS treatment alleviated DEX-induced osteoporosis in rats. Moreover, we found that CAS inhibited the nuclear factor-κB/mitogen-activated protein kinase (NF-κB/MAPK) pathway. In addition, CAS promoted osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs and reduced osteoclastogenesis of bone marrow monocytes. Finally, CAS was observed to retard the receptor activator of NFκ-B ligand-induced NF-κB/MAPK pathway. CONCLUSION: CAS promoted osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs and improved osteoporosis in rats by regulating the NF-κB/MAPK pathway. This might shed a light into using CAS as a drug treating osteoporosis in the future.
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Células Madre Mesenquimatosas , Osteoporosis , Ratas , Femenino , Animales , Osteogénesis , FN-kappa B/metabolismo , Proteínas Quinasas Activadas por Mitógenos/metabolismo , Diferenciación Celular , Osteoporosis/inducido químicamente , Osteoporosis/tratamiento farmacológico , Células CultivadasRESUMEN
Collecting energy from the ambient environment through green and sustainable methods is highly expected to alleviate pollution and energy problems worldwide. Here, we report a facile and flexible hydrovoltaic generator capable of utilizing natural water evaporation for sustainable electricity production. The generator was fabricated by coating nano-Al2O3 on a twistable polyethylene terephthalate film. An open circuit voltage of 1.7 V was obtained on a piece of centimeter-sized hydrovoltaic generator under ambient conditions. The supercapacitor charged by the hydrovoltaic device can power a mini-motor efficiently. Moreover, by expanding the size or connecting it in series/parallel, the energy output of the generator can be further improved. Finally, the influence factors and the mechanism for power generation were primarily investigated. Electrical energy is produced by the migration of water through charged capillary channels. The environmental conditions, the properties of the solution and the morphology of the film have important effects on the electrical performance. This study is anticipated to offer enlightenment into designing novel hydrovoltaic devices, providing diverse energy sources for various self-powered devices and systems.
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Probiotics play an important role against infectious pathogens via their effects on the epithelium, the production of antimicrobial compounds, and competitive exclusion. Administration of probiotic supplements may reduce the risk of infectious diseases and the use of antibiotics, hence contributing to a reduction or a delay of the development of multi-resistant bacteria. Infection is a constant concern for people who experience recurrent infections, and antibiotic treatment usually fails due to antibiotic resistance. Therefore, an infection can lead to severe illness and hospitalization if left untreated. A growing number of studies have demonstrated promising results for a variety of probiotic strains used to prevent or treat acute and recurrent infectious diseases, but additional standardized clinical research is needed.
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Enfermedades Transmisibles , Probióticos , Antibacterianos/uso terapéutico , Bacterias , Suplementos Dietéticos , Humanos , Probióticos/uso terapéuticoRESUMEN
Healthcare workers at the frontline are facing a substantial risk of respiratory tract infection during the COVID-19 outbreak due to an extremely stressful work schedule and public health event. A well-established first-line defense on oropharyngeal microbiome could be a promising strategy to protect individuals from respiratory tract infections including COVID-19. The most thoroughly studied oropharyngeal probiotic product which creates a stable upper respiratory tract microbiota capable of preventing upper respiratory tract infections was chosen to evaluate the safety and efficacy on reducing episodes of upper respiratory tract infections for COVID-19 healthcare workers. To our knowledge to date, this is the very first study describing the beneficial effects of oropharyngeal probiotic been administered by healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this randomized controlled trial, we provided the probiotics to frontline medical staff who work in the hospitals in Wuhan and had been in close contact with hospitalized COVID-19 patients for prophylactic use on a daily basis. Our finding suggests that oropharyngeal probiotic administration significantly reduced the incidence of respiratory tract infections by 64.8%, reduced the time experiencing respiratory tract infections and oral ulcer symptoms by 78%, shortened the days absent from work by 95.5%, and reduced the time under medication where there is no record of antibiotic and anti-viral drug intake in the probiotic group. Furthermore, medical staff treated with Bactoblis experienced sustained protection from respiratory tract infections since the 10th day of oropharyngeal probiotic administration resulting in an extremely low incidence rate of respiratory tract infections.
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As a global manufacturing centre, China is transitioning from a 'Made in China' to 'Create in China' perspective. An ever-increasing number of companies are developing new competitive advantages and improving their innovation levels by acquiring external knowledge. Yet, studies rarely discuss the influence of various sources of knowledge on process and product innovation performance in China's manufacturing enterprises. Based on the Pavitt industry classification, we use a bivariate Probit model to investigate the influence of external knowledge sources on innovation performance, and test it by using Enterprise Survey data for China, published by the World Bank in 2013. Our empirical analysis indicates that external sources of knowledge, with the exception of suppliers, have a significantly positive influence on process and product innovation performance. Specifically, in the process of technological innovation, peers have a positive effect on enterprise process improvement, especially in the science-based sector. In product innovation, close technical cooperation with users accelerates the commercial manifestation of products, especially in the specialized supplier sector.
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Invenciones , Conocimiento , Investigación Empírica , Industria Manufacturera , Modelos Teóricos , Análisis de RegresiónRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of coagulation indicators D-dimer (DD), prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT), and fibrinogen (Fg) in predicting the severity and prognosis of COVID-19. METHODS: A total of 115 patients with confirmed COVID-19, who were admitted to Tianyou Hospital of Wuhan University of Science and Technology between January 18, 2020, and March 5, 2020, were included. The dynamic changes of DD, PT, APTT, and Fg were tested, and the correlation with CT imaging, clinical classifications, and prognosis was studied. RESULTS: Coagulation disorder occurred at the early stage of COVID-19 infection, with 50 (43.5%) patients having DD increased and 74 (64.3%) patients having Fg increased. The levels of DD and Fg were correlated with clinical classification. Among 23 patients who deceased, 18 had DD increased at the first lab test, 22 had DD increased at the second and third lab tests, and 18 had prolonged PT at the third test. The results from ROC analyses for mortality risk showed that the AUCs of DD were 0.742, 0.818, and 0.851 in three times of test, respectively; PT was 0.643, 0.824, and 0.937. In addition, with the progression of the disease, the change of CT imaging was closely related to the increase of the DD value (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Coagulation dysfunction is more likely to occur in severe and critically ill patients. DD and PT could be used as the significant indicators in predicting the mortality of COVID-19.