Review of Core-shell structure zeolite-based catalysts for NOx emission control.

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) from diesel engine exhaust, is one of the major sources of environmental pollution. Currently, selective catalytic reduction with ammonia (NH3-SCR) is considered to be the most effective protocol for reducing NOx emissions. Nowadays, zeolite-based NH3-SCR catalysts have been industrialized and widespread used in this field. Nevertheless, with the increasingly stringent environmental regulations and implementation of the requirement of "zero emission" of diesel engine exhaust, it is extremely urgent to prepare catalysts with superior NH3-SCR activity and exceptional resistance to poisons (SO2, alkali metals, hydrocarbons, etc.). Core-shell structure zeolite-based catalysts (CSCs) have shown great promise in NH3-SCR of NOx in recent years by virtue of its relatively higher low-temperature activity, broader operation temperature window and outstanding resistance to poisons. This review mainly focuses on the recent progress of CSCs for NH3-SCR of NOx with three extensively investigated SSZ-13, ZSM-5, Beta zeolites as cores. The reaction mechanisms of resistance to sulfur poisoning, alkali metal poisoning, hydrocarbon poisoning, and hydrothermal aging are summarized. Moreover, the important role of interfacial effect between core and shell in the reaction of NH3-SCR was clarified. Finally, the future development and application outlook of CSCs are prospected.

Construction of a novel Au@Os mediated TMB-H2O2 platform with dual-signal output for rapid and accurate detection of ziram in food.

The 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine-H2O2 (TMB-H2O2) platform has gained widespread use for rapid detection of various analytes in foods. However, the existing TMB-H2O2 platforms suffer from limited accuracy, as their signal output is confined to the visible region, which is prone to interference from various food colorants in real samples. To address this challenge, a novel Au@Os-mediated TMB-H2O2 platform is developed for both rapid and accurate detection of analytes in foods. The prepared Au@Os NPs exhibit remarkable peroxidase-like activity, making the platform display dual absorption peaks in visible and near-infrared (NIR) regions, respectively. This Au@Os-mediated TMB-H2O2 platform exhibited three linear ranges across different concentrations of ziram from 1-100, 150-600, and 800-2000 nM with limit of detection (LOD) 7.9 nM and limit of quantification (LOQ) 24.15 nM respectively. Further, the Au@Os-mediated TMB-H2O2 platform was also used for rapid and accurate detection of ziram in real food samples like apple, tomato, and black tea.

Absorption mechanism of SO3 on various alkaline absorbents in the presence of SO2.

Sulfur trioxide (SO3) as a condensable particle matter has a significant influence on atmospheric visibility, which easily arouses formation of haze. It is imperative to control the SO3 emission from the industrial flue gas. Three commonly used basic absorbents, including Ca(OH)2, MgO and NaHCO3 were selected to explore the effects of temperature, SO2 concentration on the SO3 absorption, and the reaction mechanism of SO3 absorption was further illustrated. The suitable reaction temperature for various absorbents were proposed, Ca(OH)2 at the high temperatures above 500°C, MgO at the low temperatures below 320°C, and NaHCO3 at the temperature range of 320-500°C. The competitive absorption between SO2 and SO3 was found that the addition of SO2 reduced the SO3 absorption on Ca(OH)2 and NaHCO3, while had no effect on MgO. The order of the absorption selectivity of SO3 follows MgO, NaHCO3 and Ca(OH)2 under the given conditions in this work. The absorption process of SO3 on NaHCO3 follows the shrinking core model, thus the absorption reaction continues until NaHCO3 was exhausted with the utilization rate of nearly 100%. The absorption process of SO3 on Ca(OH)2 and MgO follows the grain model, and the dense product layer hinders the further absorption reaction, resulting in low utilization of about 50% for Ca(OH)2 and MgO. The research provides a favorable support for the selection of alkaline absorbent for SO3 removal in application.

Removal and monitoring of residual nucleic acids from core streptavidin inclusion bodies for increased refolding yield.

Commercial production of recombinant streptavidin (SAV) using soluble expression route is cost-prohibitive, resulting from its inherent toxicity toward commercially available Escherichia coli hosts (such as BL21) and low productivity of existing manufacturing processes. Quality challenges can also result from binding of streptavidin in the host cells. One way to overcome these challenges is to allow formation of inclusion bodies (IBs). Nevertheless, carried-over cellular contaminants during IBs preparation can hinder protein refolding and application of SAV in nucleic acid-based applications. Hence, removing associated contaminants in recombinant IBs is imperative for maximum product outcomes. In this study, the IBs isolation method from our group was improved to remove residual DNA found in refolded core SAV (cSAV). The improvements were attained by incorporating quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions (qPCR) for residual DNA monitoring. We attained 99 % cellular DNA removal from cSAV IBs via additional wash and sonication steps, and the addition of benzonase nuclease during lysis. A 10 % increment of cSAV refolding yield (72 %) and 83 % reduction of residual DNA from refolding of 1 mg cSAV IBs were observed under extensive sonication. Refolding of cSAV was not affected and its activity was not compromised. The optimized process reported here highlights the importance of obtaining cSAV IBs with minimal contaminants prior to refolding to increase product yield, and the usefulness of the qPCR method to monitor nucleic acid removed from each step of the process.

Comparison of high-risk characteristics of non-culprit plaques in relation to plaque severity in acute coronary syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have high event rates related to non-culprit (NC) lesions, therefore plaque composition of these lesions is of great interest. Although marginal atherosclerotic lesions were studied extensively, more significant lesions might have more high-risk characteristics. AIM: To compare differences in high-risk lesion characteristics between significant versus non-stenotic NC plaques in ACS and the discrepancies with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) patients. METHODS: Non-culprit vessels of 26 ACS patients with 26 angiographically significant lesions and 37 patients (17 ACS and 20 CCS) with 48 non-stenotic lesions were investigated with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Overall, 74 segments of 30 mm length were analyzed in 1 mm intervals. External elastic lamina (EEM), plaque burden (PB), minimal luminal area (MLA), percent atheroma volume (PAV) and lipid core burden index maximum 4 mm (maxLCBI4mm) were determined for each segment. RESULTS: Cardiovascular risk factors were similar in all groups. PB was higher and MLA smaller in significant non-culprit ACS lesions vs non-stenotic lesions: PB 73.5% (IQR 68.7-78.5) vs 59.2 (IQR 49.6-71.5), p = 0.003, MLA 3.0 mm2 (IQR 2.3-3.9) vs 4.0 mm2 (IQR 2.8-4.7). MaxLCBI4mm was similar 308.1 (±155.4) vs 287.8 (±165.7), p = 0.67. Among non-stenotic plaques, MaxLCBI4mm was comparable between ACS and CCS patients, 275.7 (±151.5) in CCS patients vs 287.8 (±165.7) in ACS patients, p = 0.79. CONCLUSION: Although visually significant non-culprit lesions had a higher plaque burden compared to non-stenotic lesions, a significant relation between MaxLCBI4mm and hemodynamic significance of the plaques couldn't be established.

Sodium alginate hydrogels co-encapsulated with cell free fat extract-loaded core-shell nanofibers and menstrual blood stem cells derived exosomes for acceleration of articular cartilage regeneration.

This study presents a novel scaffold system comprising sodium alginate hydrogels (SAh) co-encapsulated with cell-free fat extract (CEFFE)-loaded core-shell nanofibers (NFs) and menstrual blood stem cell-derived exosomes (EXOs). The scaffold integrates the regenerative potential of EXOs and CFFFE, offering a multifaceted strategy for promoting articular cartilage repair. Coaxially electrospun core-shell NFs exhibited successful encapsulation of CEFFE and seamless integration into the SAh matrix. Structural modifications induced by the incorporation of CEFFE-NFs enhanced hydrogel porosity, mechanical strength, and degradation kinetics, facilitating cell adhesion, proliferation, and tissue ingrowth. The release kinetics of growth factors from the composite scaffold demonstrated sustained and controlled release profiles, essential for optimal tissue regeneration. In vitro studies revealed high cell viability, enhanced chondrocyte proliferation, and migration in the presence of EXOs/CEFFE-NFs@SAh composite scaffolds. Additionally, in vivo experiments demonstrated significant cartilage regeneration, with the composite scaffold outperforming controls in promoting hyaline cartilage formation and defect bridging. Overall, this study underscores the potential of EXOs and CEFFE-NFs integrated into SAh matrices for enhancing chondrocyte viability, proliferation, migration, and ultimately, articular cartilage regeneration. Future research directions may focus on elucidating underlying mechanisms and conducting long-term in vivo studies to validate clinical applicability and scalability.

Spontaneous Orientation Polarization of Anisotropic Equivalent Dipoles Harnessed by Entropy Engineering for Ultra-Thin Electromagnetic Wave Absorber.

The synthesis of carbon supporter/nanoscale high-entropy alloys (HEAs) electromagnetic response composites by carbothermal shock method has been identified as an advanced strategy for the collaborative competition engineering of conductive/dielectric genes. Electron migration modes within HEAs as manipulated by the electronegativity, valence electron configurations and molar proportions of constituent elements determine the steady state and efficiency of equivalent dipoles. Herein, enlightened by skin-like effect, a reformative carbothermal shock method using carbonized cellulose paper (CCP) as carbon supporter is used to preserve the oxygen-containing functional groups (O·) of carbonized cellulose fibers (CCF). Nucleation of HEAs and construction of emblematic shell-core CCF/HEAs heterointerfaces are inextricably linked to carbon metabolism induced by O·. Meanwhile, the electron migration mode of switchable electron-rich sites promotes the orientation polarization of anisotropic equivalent dipoles. By virtue of the reinforcement strategy, CCP/HEAs composite prepared by 35% molar ratio of Mn element (CCP/HEAs-Mn2.15) achieves efficient electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption of - 51.35 dB at an ultra-thin thickness of 1.03 mm. The mechanisms of the resulting dielectric properties of HEAs-based EMW absorbing materials are elucidated by combining theoretical calculations with experimental characterizations, which provide theoretical bases and feasible strategies for the simulation and practical application of electromagnetic functional devices (e.g., ultra-wideband bandpass filter).

The Correlation between Unilateral Hip Bridge Endurance and Lumbar Multifidi Sonologic Characteristics in Physically Active Allied Healthcare Professionals at St. Luke's Medical Center - Quezon City: A Cross-sectional Study.

Background and Objective: Low back pain is one of the most common work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Healthcare workers are prone to low back pain because of the nature of their profession. Low back pain may be related to lumbar multifidi atrophy or instability and poor core stability. Core stability can be assessed using the unilateral hip bridge endurance test. This cross-sectional study aims to determine the correlation between unilateral hip bridge endurance (UHBE) and sonologic characteristics of the bilateral L4-L5 lumbar multifidus muscles of physically active allied healthcare professionals. Methods: Forty (40) physically active healthcare professionals (mean age = 31.3 ± 6.39 years, mean height = 161.17 ± 8.45 cm, mean weight = 61.88 ± 13.58 kg, mean BMI = 23.61 ± 3.68 kg/m2) were recruited via purposive sampling. The participants answered online versions of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) and Oswestry Disability Index. They subsequently underwent the UHBE test and ultrasound assessment of the L4-L5 multifidi. Multiplied anteroposterior (AP) and lateral linear (L) measurements were used to estimate L4-L5 multifidi size. The Pearson test was used to test for correlation between the primary outcomes of the study. Results: There was no statistically significant correlation between Lumbar Multifidi CSA and UHBE Scores (r = -0.172, p > 0.05), and between Lumbar Multifidi CSA% Difference and UHBE Scores (r = -0.140, p > 0.05). However, results showed a very weak negative correlation between the Lumbar Multifidi CSA% Difference and UHBE Scores. Conclusion: There is no definite evidence showing a correlation between core stability tests such as the unilateral hip bridge test scores and sonologic characteristics of the lumbar multifidi. However, lumbar multifidi symmetry may have a role with core stability. The correlation between core stability tests and lumbar multifidus morphology should be further investigated.

Benefits of core stability exercise and relaxation technique for primary dysmenorrhea in an unmarried girl: A case report.

Primary dysmenorrhea denotes the onset of recurrent lower abdominal pain and uterine contractions throughout the bleeding phase of menstruation in the absence of any underlying pelvic pathology. Core stability exercise is considered a beneficial exercise program for managing several health problems. Various relaxation techniques can be used in womanhood with primary dysmenorrhea for relief of pain and improving their quality of life (QOL). The aim of this study was to learn and understand the benefits of core stabilization exercise along with relaxation techniques for primary dysmenorrhea in an unmarried girl. This single-case study was planned to analyze the effect of core stability exercise along with relaxation techniques in the management of primary dysmenorrhea symptoms. Relaxation exercises along with core stability exercises were given to subjectswith primary dysmenorrhea for 20 sessions of 30 minutes spanned for 5 weeks, four sessions a week. Along with the demographic profile, pre- and post -intervention value of pain in the visual analog scale (VAS) and Working Ability, Location, Intensity, Days of Pain, Dysmenorrhea (WaLIDD) score was obtained, recorded, and analyzed. This single-case study results showed significant improvement in the outcome of pain in the VAS and WaLIDD score after the intervention of core stability exercise along with relaxation exercise for the primary dysmenorrhea patients. Pre- and post-intervention of core stability exercise along with Mitchell's relaxation exercises, measurements of VAS, and dysmenorrhea severity in WaLIDD scores revealed an effective reduction in pain and severity using core stability training and relaxation training in an unmarried girl diagnosed with primary dysmenorrhea.

Effects of finitude salience and value orientation on the feeling of being moved.

Stories sometimes move us; this study examined the factors that strengthen the perception of core values based on the core value goodness hypothesis of being moved. Focusing on the infinity of core values, we hypothesised that the reaffirmation of the finite nature of human beings would emphasise core values. This study examined the factors that promote being moved: finitude salience and value orientation. The participants responded to a family value scale. Subsequently, a descrambling task to manipulate finitude salience was used. The participants composed sentences such as "Everything that exists in this world is finite" and primed finitude. Subsequently, they watched a video on the theme of family love and rated their feelings. From the results, we found that (a) the participants oriented towards the value themed in the video (i.e., love) were more strongly moved by it; and (b) when finitude was salient, people oriented towards the themed value in the video were moved more strongly by it than those who were not. This suggests that the feeling of being moved occurs when we recognise an infinite core value, in contrast to our finite existence.

Pseudoaneurysm formation following core needle biopsy in a patient diagnosed with breast cancer: A case report.

Core needle biopsy is a common diagnostic procedure in breast cancer patients, but it can occasionally lead to serious complications. We report a rare case of pseudoaneurysm formation following a core needle biopsy in a 54-year-old female patient diagnosed with breast cancer. Despite the routine nature of the procedure, the patient developed a palpable mass at the biopsy site, which prompted further diagnostic imaging and interventions. The pseudoaneurysm was effectively treated using a percutaneous approach with ultrasound-guided thrombin injection, demonstrating a minimally invasive solution that promptly addressed the complication without the need for surgical intervention. This case highlights the critical importance of detecting complications early in the biopsy process, as they have significant implications for disease staging and treatment initiation. It also underscores the importance of being prepared for immediate intervention in case of biopsy-related complications like pseudoaneurysms, to prevent severe consequences.

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy unmasks high-risk atherosclerotic features in human coronary artery disease.

Coronary plaque rupture remains the prominent mechanism of myocardial infarction. Accurate identification of rupture-prone plaque may improve clinical management. This study assessed the discriminatory performance of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in human cardiac explants to detect high-risk atherosclerotic features that portend rupture risk. In this single-center, prospective study, n = 26 cardiac explants were collected for EIS interrogation of the three major coronary arteries. Vessels in which advancement of the EIS catheter without iatrogenic plaque disruption was rendered impossible were not assessed. N = 61 vessels underwent EIS measurement and histological analyses. Plaques were dichotomized according to previously established high rupture-risk parameter thresholds. Diagnostic performance was determined via receiver operating characteristic areas-under-the-curve (AUC). Necrotic cores were identified in n = 19 vessels (median area 1.53 mm2) with a median fibrous cap thickness of 62 µm. Impedance was significantly greater in plaques with necrotic core area ≥1.75 mm2 versus <1.75 mm2 (19.8 ± 4.4 kΩ vs. 7.2 ± 1.0 kΩ, p = .019), fibrous cap thickness ≤65 µm versus >65 µm (19.1 ± 3.5 kΩ vs. 6.5 ± 0.9 kΩ, p = .004), and ≥20 macrophages per 0.3 mm-diameter high-power field (HPF) versus <20 macrophages per HPF (19.8 ± 4.1 kΩ vs. 10.2 ± 0.9 kΩ, p = .002). Impedance identified necrotic core area ≥1.75 mm2, fibrous cap thickness ≤65 µm, and ≥20 macrophages per HPF with AUCs of 0.889 (95% CI: 0.716-1.000) (p = .013), 0.852 (0.646-1.000) (p = .025), and 0.835 (0.577-1.000) (p = .028), respectively. Further, phase delay discriminated severe stenosis (≥70%) with an AUC of 0.767 (0.573-0.962) (p = .035). EIS discriminates high-risk atherosclerotic features that portend plaque rupture in human coronary artery disease and may serve as a complementary modality for angiography-guided atherosclerosis evaluation.

Construction of learning objectives and content for emergency triage nurses in tertiary general hospitals: A Delphi study.

AIM: To construct learning objectives and educational content for emergency triage nurses based on core competencies. BACKGROUND: The core competencies of emergency triage nurses has an impact on the quality of medical services and patient treatment outcomes. However, research on learning objectives and educational content aimed at cultivating the core competencies of emergency triage nurses is limited. DESIGN: A Delphi study. METHODS: To develop a draft of the teaching objectives and content for emergency triage nurses based on core competencies, a literature review, semistructured interviews and expert group meetings were conducted. Then, 24 experts were invited to provide feedback on the draft and suggest revisions through two rounds of Delphi consultation. RESULTS: Consensus was reached on six core competencies, 30 learning objectives and 43 educational contents. The response rate for the two rounds of expert questionnaires was 100 %, with 79.2 % and 54.2 % of the experts providing feedback in the first and second rounds, respectively. The judgement coefficient (Ca) was 0.910, the familiarity coefficient (Cs) was 0.917 and the authority coefficient (Cr) was 0.914. The Kendall's W coefficients for the two rounds of expert inquiry were 0.321 and 0.334, indicating a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Constructing learning objectives and educational content for emergency triage nurses based on core competencies is scientific and reliable and can provide a reference for the training and management of emergency triage nurses.

Effects of TBL teaching on nursing students' knowledge, practical skills and core ability: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: This study aims to investigate the comparative effects of the team-based learning methodology against conventional teaching practices on the educational outcomes of nursing students. BACKGROUND: The team-based learning instructional strategy represents a significant pedagogical innovation in nursing education. This approach initiates with foundational knowledge, uses predetermined questions for guidance and adopts both intra-group and inter-group dialogues as mechanisms of learning. It accentuates the creativity and pragmatism of students, thereby enhancing their communicative and collaborative competencies. Although this methodology has garnered recognition among nursing education practitioners in recent years, consensus on its pedagogical efficacy remains elusive. DESIGN: The investigation was structured as a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: In August 2024, a comprehensive search was executed across several databases, including PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, OVID, Scoups and CNKI, to identify studies that satisfied predetermined criteria for inclusion and exclusion. The process entailed screening studies against the criteria, extracting pertinent data and assessing the quality of the studies prior to performing a meta-analysis. The review protocol of this study was prospectively registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (CRD42024513238). RESULTS: From an initial pool of 3191 articles, 29 were selected for meta-analysis following a meticulous screening process. Findings indicated that the team-based learning methodology significantly outperformed traditional teaching approaches in enhancing nursing students' final examination scores and practical skills. Moreover, it was observed to bolster self-directed learning and critical thinking capabilities among students. Nonetheless, the impact of team-based learning on improving problem-solving skills and communication skills warrants additional verification. CONCLUSION: The investigation concludes that the team-based learning approach is efficacious in enriching nursing students' theoretical and practical proficiencies, alongside promoting self-directed learning and critical thinking. However, given the constrained number and quality of the studies included, these findings necessitate corroboration through further high-caliber research.

A Comparison of Commonly Utilized Diagnostic Biopsy Techniques for Pediatric Patients With Cancer: A Systematic Review by the APSA Cancer Committee.

BACKGROUND: Historically, surgical biopsy (SB) for diagnosis of pediatric solid tumors was considered necessary to provide adequate tissue for histologic and molecular analysis. Less invasive biopsy techniques such as image-guided core needle biopsy (CNB), have shown comparable accuracy with decreased morbidity in some adult studies. However, data regarding the safety and efficacy of CNB in pediatric tumors is limited. This study's aim was to assess the overall rate of successful diagnosis and safety of CNB compared to SB in children with malignancies. METHODS: A PRISMA compliant systematic review was performed in MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase and CINAHL Plus database searches from 2010 to 2023. Studies were included with relevance to the following clinical question: For children with concern for malignancy requiring biopsy for diagnosis, how does CNB compare to open or laparoscopic/thoracoscopic SB in terms of safety and diagnostic efficacy? Data for patients ≤21 years requiring biopsy for diagnosis of liver tumors, neuroblastoma (NB), soft tissue sarcoma (STS), and lymphoma were included. RESULTS: Twenty-seven studies including 2477 patients met inclusion criteria, with 2065 undergoing CNB and 412 SB. Of the 2477 patients, 820 patients had NB, 307 liver tumors, 96 STS, 151 lymphoma, and 1103 patients were from studies that included multiple diagnoses. The average complication rate for CNB was 2.9% compared to 21.4% for SB (p < 0.001). Bleeding was the most common complication in both groups, but significantly higher after SB (22.1% vs 2.3%) (p < 0.001). CNB was diagnostic in 90.8% of patients compared to 98.8% who underwent SB (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Rates of successful diagnosis were greater than 90% for both CNB and SB, though significantly higher for SB. Conversely, complication rates were close to ten times higher after SB compared to CNB. Given its relatively lower risk profile, CNB can be a safe and useful diagnostic tool for children with solid malignancies. Research focused on enhancing CNB's diagnostic accuracy while maintaining low morbidity should be further explored. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Treatment study, Level III.

Baseline evaluation of the World Health Organization (WHO) infection prevention and control (IPC) core components in Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs).

BACKGROUND: Comprehensive infection prevention and control (IPC) programmes are proven to reduce the spread of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). However, published assessments of IPC programmes against the World Health Organization (WHO) IPC Core Components in Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) at the national and acute healthcare facility level are currently unavailable. METHODS: From January 2022 to April 2023, a multi-country, cross-sectional study was conducted in PICTs. The self reporting survey was based on the WHO Infection Prevention Assessment Framework (IPCAF) that supports implementing the minimum requirements of the WHO eight core components of IPC programmes at both the national and facility level. The results were presented as a 'traffic light' (present, in progress, not present) matrix. Each PICT's overall status in achieving IPC core components was summarised using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Fifteen PICTs participated in this study. Ten (67%) PICTs had national IPC programmes, supported mainly by IPC focal points (87%, n = 13), updated national IPC guidelines (80%, n = 12), IPC monitoring and feedback mechanisms (80%, n = 12), and waste management plans (87%, n = 13). Significant gaps were identified in education and training (20%, n = 3). Despite being a defined component in 67% (n = 10) of national IPC programmes, HAI surveillance and monitoring was the lowest scoring core component (13%, n = 2). National and facility level IPC guidelines had been adapted and implemented in 67% (n = 10) PICTs; however, only 40% (n = 6) of PICTs had a dedicated IPC budget, 40% (n = 6) had multimodal strategies for IPC, and 33% (n = 5) had daily environmental cleaning records. CONCLUSIONS: Identifying IPC strengths, gaps, and challenges across PICTs will inform future IPC programme priorities and contribute to regional efforts in strengthening IPC capacity. This will promote global public health through the prevention of HAIs and AMR.

Supporting Young Children's Physical Development through Tailored Motor Competency Interventions within a School Setting.

Background/Objectives: This study investigated how tailored motor competency (MC) interventions within a bespoke Scheme of Work (SOW) can support young children's physical development (PD) by enhancing fine motor skills (FMS) and gross motor skills (GMS). The objective was to enable children to meet curriculum developmental physical milestones. Methods: The longitudinal case study design was conducted over 19 weeks across three academic terms and focused on 25 children (12 boys and 13 girls aged between 5 and 6 years old). Interventions within the SOW were evaluated at six points to assess effectiveness and to make adjustments. Data collection included observations on FMS and GMS development. Results: Statistically significant improvements were observed in FMS and GMS after implementing the MC interventions. Notable improvements included hopping, running, climbing, kicking, catching, and using scissors (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The study underscores the importance of holistic approaches to PD, highlighting the need for early intervention and the crucial role of educators. The findings advocate for strategically planned MC interventions and practitioner observations to achieve longitudinal improvements in PD. The study recommends nationwide implementation to enhance PD outcomes, preparing children for lifelong and life-wide MC.

Pleiotropic Gene HMGA2 Regulates Myoblast Proliferation and Affects Body Size of Sheep.

Uncovering genes associated with muscle growth and body size will benefit the molecular breeding of meat Hu sheep. HMGA2 has proven to be an important gene in mouse muscle growth and is associated with the body size of various species. However, its roles in sheep are still limited. Using sheep myoblast as a cell model, the overexpression of HMGA2 significantly promoted sheep myoblast proliferation, while interference with HMGA2 expression inhibited proliferation, indicated by qPCR, EdU, and CCK-8 assays. Furthermore, the dual-luciferase reporter system indicated that the region NC_056056.1: 154134300-154134882 (-618 to -1200 bp upstream of the HMGA2 transcription start site) was one of the habitats of the HMGA2 core promoter, given the observation that this fragment led to a ~3-fold increase in luciferase activity. Interestingly, SNP rs428001129 (NC_056056.1:g.154134315 C>A) was detected in this fragment by Sanger sequencing of the PCR product of pooled DNA from 458 crossbred sheep. This SNP was found to affect the promoter activity and was significantly associated with chest width at birth and two months old, as well as chest depth at two and six months old. The data obtained in this study demonstrated the phenotypic regulatory role of the HMGA2 gene in sheep production traits and the potential of rs428001129 in marker-assisted selection for sheep breeding in terms of chest width and chest depth.

Optimized Machine Learning Models for Predicting Core Body Temperature in Dairy Cows: Enhancing Accuracy and Interpretability for Practical Livestock Management.

Heat stress poses a significant challenge to livestock farming, particularly affecting the health and productivity of high-yield dairy cows. This study develops a machine learning framework aimed at predicting the core body temperature (CBT) of dairy cows to enable more effective heat stress management and enhance animal welfare. The dataset includes 3005 records of physiological data from real-world production environments, encompassing environmental parameters, individual animal characteristics, and infrared temperature measurements. Employed machine learning algorithms include elastic net (EN), artificial neural networks (ANN), random forests (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM), and CatBoost, alongside several optimization algorithms such as Bayesian optimization (BO) and grey wolf optimizer (GWO) to refine model performance through hyperparameter tuning. Comparative analysis of various feature sets reveals that the feature set incorporating the average infrared temperature of the trunk (IRTave_TK) excels in CBT prediction, achieving a coefficient of determination (R2) value of 0.516, mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.239 °C, and root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.302 °C. Further analysis shows that the GWO-XGBoost model surpasses others in predictive accuracy with an R2 value of 0.540, RMSE as low as 0.294 °C, and MAE of just 0.232 °C, and leads in computational efficiency with an optimization time of merely 2.41 s-approximately 4500 times faster than the highest accuracy model. Through SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) analysis, IRTave_TK, time zone (TZ), days in lactation (DOL), and body posture (BP) are identified as the four most critical factors in predicting CBT, and the interaction effects of IRTave_TK with other features such as body posture and time periods are unveiled. This study provides technological support for livestock management, facilitating the development and optimization of predictive models to implement timely and effective interventions, thereby maintaining the health and productivity of dairy cows.

Melatonin Augments the Expression of Core Transcription Factors in Aged and Alzheimer's Patient Skin Fibroblasts.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. Altered neurogenesis and the appearance of AD pathological hallmarks are fundamental to this disease. SRY-Box transcription factor 2 (Sox2), octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4), and Nanog are a set of core transcription factors that play a very decisive role in the preservation of pluripotency and the self-renewal capacity of embryonic and adult stem cells. These factors are critically involved in AD pathogenesis, senescence, and aging. Skin fibroblasts are emblematic of cellular damage in patients. We, therefore, in the present study, analyzed the basal expression of these factors in young, aged, and AD fibroblasts. AD fibroblasts displayed an altered expression of these factors, differing from aged and young fibroblasts. Since melatonin is well acknowledged for its anti-aging, anti-senescence and anti-AD therapeutic benefits, we further investigated the effects of melatonin treatment on the expression of these factors in fibroblasts, along with precise validation of the observed data in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Our findings reveal that melatonin administration augmented the expression levels of Sox2, Oct4, and Nanog significantly in both cells. Altogether, our study presents the neuroprotective potential and efficacy of melatonin, which might have significant therapeutic benefits for aging and AD patients.