Enhanced detection of acrylamide using a versatile solid-state upconversion sensor through spectral and visual analysis.

Acrylamide (AM) generally forms in high-temperature processes and has been classified as a potential carcinogen. In this study, we put forward a maneuverable solid-state luminescence sensor using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as the matrix coupled with upconversion nanoparticles as the indicator. The core-shell upconversion nanoparticles emitting cyan light were uniformly encapsulated in PDMS. Then it was further modified with complementary DNA of AM aptamer. The nanocrystalline fluorescein isothiocyanate isomer (FITC), coupled with AM aptamer, was attached to the surface of PDMS. FITC effectively quenched the upconversion luminescence through fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). The introduction of AM resulted in preferentially bound to aptamer caused the separation of the quencher and the donor, and led to luminescence recovery. The developed sensor was applied for both spectral and visual monitoring, demonstrating a detection limit (LOD) of 1.00 nM and 1.07 nM, respectively. Importantly, in the actual foodstuffs detection, there is no obvious difference between the results of this study and the standard method, which indicates the developed method has good accuracy. Therefore, this solid-state sensor has the potential for on-site detection using a smartphone device and an Android application.

Impact of core strength training on young darts throwers / Impacto do treino de força no core em jovens praticantes de arremesso de dardos / Impacto del entrenamiento de fuerza en jóvenes practicantes de lanzamiento de dardos

ABSTRACT Introduction Recent research on core strength training of young athletes is vague and inconclusive. The lack of complete understanding about the relevance of core training programs still keeps some coaches wary in their training practice. Objective Explore the impact of core strength training on young athletes' physical fitness and sports ability. Methods Young athletes on the javelin throwing team underwent a bi-weekly core strengthening protocol for 16 weeks. Biomechanical changes were acquired by biomechanical kinematic analysis, and index data were worked out statistically. Results Core strength training developed the latissimus dorsi, external oblique muscles, erector spine, and hip extensor muscles of athletes and improved stability in spine motion (P<0.05). Conclusion Core strength training significantly affects developing specific skills in darts-throwing athletes. The training has been shown to increase athletes' interest in the sport. Evidence level II; Therapeutic Studies - Investigating the results.

RESUMO Introdução Pesquisas recentes sobre o treino de força no core de jovens atletas são vagas e inconclusivas. A ausência da total compreensão sobre a relevância dos programas de treinamento no core ainda mantém alguns treinadores receosos na prática de seu treino. Objetivo Explorar o impacto do treino de força no core sobre a aptidão física e a capacidade esportiva de jovens atletas. Métodos Jovens atletas da equipe de arremesso de dardos passaram por um protocolo de fortalecimento do core, bissemanal por 16 semanas. As alterações biomecânicas foram adquiridas por análise cinemática biomecânica e os dados indexadores foram trabalhados estatisticamente. Resultados O treinamento da força central desenvolveu o latíssimo do dorso, os músculos oblíquos externos, os espinhais eretos e os músculos extensores do quadril dos atletas, além de aprimorar a estabilidade no movimento da coluna vertebral (P<0,05). Conclusão O treino de força do core tem um efeito significativo sobre o desenvolvimento de habilidades específicas nos atletas de arremesso de dardos. O treino demonstrou aumentar o interesse dos atletas pela prática esportiva. Nível de evidência II; Estudos terapêuticos - Investigação de resultados.

RESUMEN Introducción Las investigaciones recientes sobre el entrenamiento de la fuerza en el core de los jóvenes atletas son vagas y no concluyentes. La falta de comprensión total sobre la relevancia de los programas de entrenamiento básico todavía mantiene a algunos entrenadores recelosos en su práctica de entrenamiento. Objetivo Explorar el impacto del entrenamiento de la fuerza del core en la aptitud física y la capacidad deportiva de jóvenes atletas. Métodos Los jóvenes atletas del equipo de lanzamiento de dardos se sometieron a un protocolo quincenal de fortalecimiento del core durante 16 semanas. Los cambios biomecánicos se adquirieron mediante un análisis cinemático biomecánico y los datos del índice se elaboraron estadísticamente. Resultados El entrenamiento de la fuerza del core desarrolló el dorsal ancho, los músculos oblicuos externos, los erectores de la columna y los músculos extensores de la cadera de los atletas, y también mejoró la estabilidad en el movimiento de la columna (P<0,05). Conclusión El entrenamiento de la fuerza del core tiene un efecto significativo en el desarrollo de habilidades específicas en los atletas que lanzan dardos. Se ha demostrado que el entrenamiento aumenta el interés de los atletas por la práctica deportiva. Nivel de evidencia II; Estudios terapéuticos - Investigación de resultados.

High-intensity physical ability training of teenager basketball players / Treino de alta intensidade do preparo físico de jogadores de basquete adolescentes / Entrenamiento de alta intensidad de la preparación física de jugadores de baloncesto adolescentes

ABSTRACT Introduction: The antagonism of basketball is very prominent during the game. Athletes with good physical fitness will have great advantages in basketball games. Objective: To study the influence of physical exercise on the physical fitness of young athletes. Methods: This article uses mathematical statistics to investigate and analyze the physical training status of young basketball players. Results: After studying various training methods, we found that impedance training can improve the physical fitness of young athletes. Basketball physical training includes strength, speed, endurance, sensitivity, etc. Conclusion: Young basketball players need to adopt a variety of training methods. Group sports can effectively improve the physical fitness of young basketball players and increase the winning probability of the team in the game. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment results.

RESUMO Introdução: O antagonismo é muito presente em partidas de basquete. Atletas em boas condições físicas terão grande vantagem nessas partidas. Objetivos: Estudar a influência da atividade física no preparo físico de jovens atletas. Métodos: Esse artigo utiliza estatísticas matemáticas para investigar e analisar o estado do treinamento físico de jovens jogadores de basquete. Resultados: Após o estudo de vários métodos de treinamento, descobrimos que o treino de impedância pode aprimorar o preparo físico de jovens atletas. O treino físico do basquete inclui força, velocidade, resistência, sensibilidade, etc. Conclusão: Jogadores de basquete jovens precisam adotar diversos métodos de treinamento. Esportes de grupo podem, efetivamente, aprimorar o preparo físico de jovens jogadores de basquete, aumentando as chances de vitória de seus times nas partidas. Nível de evidência II; Estudos terapêuticos - investigação do resultado de tratamentos.

RESUMEN Introducción: El antagonismo está muy presente en partidos de baloncesto. Atletas en buenas condiciones físicas tendrán una gran ventaja en estos partidos. Objetivos: Estudiar la influencia de la actividad física en la preparación física de jóvenes atletas. Métodos: Este artículo utiliza estadísticas matemáticas para investigar y analizar el estado del entrenamiento físico de jóvenes jugadores de baloncesto. Resultados: Después del estudio de varios métodos de entrenamiento, descubrimos que el entrenamiento de impedancia puede mejorar la preparación física de jóvenes atletas. El entrenamiento físico del baloncesto incluye fuerza, velocidad, resistencia, sensibilidad, etc. Conclusión: Jugadores de baloncesto jóvenes necesitan adoptar diversos métodos de entrenamiento. Deportes de grupo pueden, efectivamente, mejorar la preparación física de jóvenes jugadores de baloncesto, aumentando las oportunidades de victoria de sus equipos en los partidos. Nivel de evidencia II; Estudios terapéuticos - investigación del resultado de tratamientos.

Novel effects of sphingosylphosphorylcholine on the apoptosis of breast cancer via autophagy/AKT/p38 and JNK signaling.

Sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC), an important lipid mediator in blood, inhibits the proliferation and migration of various cancer cells. However, its effect as a cell-specific sphingolipid in breast cancer cells is still unknown. Here, we showed that SPC promoted autophagy and apoptosis in triple-negative breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. Autophagy worked as a negative regulator of apoptosis-induced by SPC. Mechanistically, SPC mediated apoptosis via activating c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Meanwhile, p38MAPK (p38) and protein kinase B (PKB or AKT) signaling pathways were also activated to inhibit apoptosis, suggesting that SPC could evoke multiple signaling pathways to modulate cell apoptosis. In addition, the crosstalk between autophagy, p38, AKT and JNK is that autophagy, p38, and AKT attenuated the JNK. AKT and p38 were in the downstream of autophagy, which is autophagy/AKT/p38 signaling evoked by SPC to antagonize JNK signaling and subsequent apoptosis. Although the pathways that antagonize apoptosis were evoked, the cells eventually reached apoptosis by SPC. Therefore, the combination with pharmacological autophagy inhibitors would be a more effective therapeutic strategy for eliminating breast cancer cells by SPC.

Aspirin alleviates cardiac fibrosis in mice by inhibiting autophagy.

Aspirin (ASA) is a cardioprotective drug with anti-cardiac fibrosis action in vivo. This study was aimed to clarify the anti-cardiac fibrosis action of ASA and the underlying mechanisms. Two heart injury models (injection of isoproterenol and ligation of the left anterior descending branch) were used in mice to induce cardiac fibrosis. The animals were treated with ASA (10 mg·kg-1·d-1, ig) for 21 and 14 d, respectively. ASA administration significantly improved cardiac function, and ameliorated heart damage and fibrosis in the mice. The mechanisms underlying ASA's anti-fibrotic effect were further analyzed in neonatal cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) exposed to hypoxia in vitro. ASA (0.5-5 mmol/L) dose-dependently inhibited the proliferation and Akt phosphorylation in the CFs. In addition, ASA significantly inhibited CF apoptosis, and decreased the levels of apoptosis markers (cleaved caspase 3 and Parp1), which might serve as a side effect of anti-fibrotic effect of ASA. Furthermore, ASA dose-dependently inhibited the autophagy in the CFs, as evidenced by the reduced levels of autophagy marker LC3-II. The autophagy inhibitor Pepstatin A (PepA) promoted the inhibitory effect of ASA on CF proliferation, whereas the autophagy inducer rapamycin rescued ASA-caused inhibition of CF proliferation, suggesting an autophagy-dependent anti-proliferative effect of ASA. Both p38 inhibitor SB203580 and ROS scavenger N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) significantly decreased Akt phosphorylation in CFs in the basal and hypoxic situations, but they both significantly increased LC3-II levels in the CFs. Our results suggest that an autophagy- and p38/ROS-dependent pathway mediates the anti-cardiac fibrosis effect of ASA in CFs. As PepA and SB203580 did not affect ASA-caused inhibition of CF apoptosis, the drug combination will enhance ASA's therapeutic effects.