A cooperative learning intervention for improving a simulation-based paediatric nursing course: A quasi-experimental study.

AIM: This study aimed to examine if a cooperative intervention improved outcomes for a simulation-based paediatric nursing course. BACKGROUND: Fostering cooperative learning can enhance student engagement and improve learning. Simulation-based courses provide nursing students an opportunity to practice and hone nursing skills when hands-on experiences are limited. Providing instruction in cooperative learning could improve course outcomes. DESIGN: A quasi-experimental study with pre-test/post-test assessments. METHODS: Third-year nursing students enrolled in an 18-week paediatric simulation-based nursing course were purposively recruited (N = 110). One class (n = 55) received a researcher-developed cooperative learning program, which encouraged student support during class activities and simulations. The second class (control) received usual class instruction and simulations. The efficacy of the intervention was assessed by comparing mean scores at class enrolment (pre-test) and completion (post-test) for self-perceived problem-solving attitude, cooperative learning experience and knowledge of paediatric nursing. Paired t-tests compared pre-test with post-test scores for the two groups. ANCOVA examined differences in mean scores between groups. Correlations between differences in mean pre-test and post-test subscale scores for problem-solving attitude and cooperative learning experience were also examined. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in age or gender between groups. Mean post-test scores on the final exam were significantly higher for students who received the intervention (85.26, 95 % CI 84.19, 86.33) compared with controls (83.61, 95 % CI 82.52, 84.69; F = 4.63, p = 0.034). There were no significant differences in total scores for problem-solving attitude or cooperative learning experience or between groups. For the intervention group, two problem solving subscales were correlated with two cooperative learning subscales: problem solving confidence with learning motivation, respectively (r = 0.302, p = 0.025) and personal control with classroom learning, respectively (r = 0.389, p = 0.003). For the control group, approach-avoidance problem solving was negatively correlated with cooperative learning efficacy (r = -0.343, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the control group, nursing students who received the cooperative learning intervention had higher scores for knowledge of paediatric nursing, as well as learning motivation and attitude and problem-solving confidence, suggesting that the researcher-designed intervention facilitated simulation-based learning as well as confidence in problem-solving. Nurse educators could easily integrate the intervention into simulation-based paediatric nursing courses to enhance students' problem-solving abilities.

Nerve growth factor gene polymorphisms may be associated with heroin dependence in women but do not mediate specific personality traits.

Heroin dependence (HD) is a complex disease with a substantial genetic contribution and is associated with traits of impulsivity and specific personality traits. The neurotrophic factor nerve growth factor (NGF) may mediate the reward processes in HD. This study aims to investigate whether NGF gene polymorphisms are associated with the co-occurrence of HD and impulsivity/specific personality traits in HD patients. To minimize the potential confounding effects of population stratification, we selected a homogeneous Han Chinese population and recruited 1364 participants (831 HD patients and 533 healthy controls). In addition, 163 female HD patients completed the Chinese version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 11 (BIS-11), and 440 HD patients completed the Chinese version of the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) for subsequent analysis. We identified three polymorphisms with altered allele and genotype frequency in HD patients versus controls (p = 0.035 for rs2254527; p = 0.005 for rs6678788; p = 0.006 for rs7523654), especially in the female subgroup. Four associations identified via haplotype analysis were significant in the female subgroup (p = 0.003 for T-T-A haplotype and p = 0.002 for C-C-A haplotype in block 1; p = 0.011 for T-T haplotype and p = 0.009 for C-T haplotypes in block 2), but not in the male subgroup. Male HD patients had higher novelty-seeking (NS) scores, and female HD patients had higher harm avoidance (HA) scores. However, there was no significant association between the selected NGF polymorphisms and BIS or TPQ scores in HD patients. NGF variants may contribute to the risk of HD development in females but do not mediate the relationship between impulsivity and specific personality traits in the female population.

An Objective Injury Threshold for the Maximum Principal Strain Criterion for Brain Tissue in the Finite Element Head Model and Its Application.

Although the finite element head model (FEHM) has been widely utilized to analyze injury locations and patterns in traumatic brain injury, significant controversy persists regarding the selection of a mechanical injury variable and its corresponding threshold. This paper aims to determine an objective injury threshold for maximum principal strain (MPS) through a novel data-driven method, and to validate and apply it. We extract the peak responses from all elements across 100 head impact simulations to form a dataset, and then determine the objective injury threshold by analyzing the relationship between the combined injury degree and the threshold according to the stationary value principle. Using an occipital impact case from a clinical report as an example, we evaluate the accuracy of the injury prediction based on the new threshold. The results show that the injury area predicted by finite element analysis closely matches the main injury area observed in CT images, without the issue of over- or underestimating the injury due to an unreasonable threshold. Furthermore, by applying this threshold to the finite element analysis of designed occipital impacts, we observe, for the first time, supra-tentorium cerebelli injury, which is related to visual memory impairment. This discovery may indicate the biomechanical mechanism of visual memory impairment after occipital impacts reported in clinical cases.

Effects of integration interdisciplinary learning on student learning outcomes and healthcare-giving competence: a mixed methods study.

BACKGROUND: Interdisciplinary collaboration is known to foster professional innovation and enhance student learning across different domains. However, the research on the effectiveness of integration of interdisciplinary learning in pediatric nursing education is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effectiveness of integrating game-based learning, an interdisciplinary approach to teaching, into pediatric nursing education's play courses. METHODS: We used a mixed methods study with pre-test/post-test quantitative analyses and a descriptive qualitative analysis of students' reflection journals. Data were collected between August 2019 and July 2020 to gauge course effectiveness. Quantitative data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed using a t-test, correlation, and regression analysis. Qualitative data using students' reflective journals were collected and analyzed using content analysis. One hundred and three second-year nursing students enrolled in a four-year nursing program. Nursing students attended classes in university classrooms and served learning in a kindergarten or hospital in Northern Taiwan. RESULTS: The subscales of Students' Learning Outcome in knowledge, abilities, and attitudes showed significantly higher mean post-test scores compared to pre-test scores: 26.15 (SD = 3.35) vs. 16.82 (SD = 4.49), p < .001; 18.03 (SD = 2.13) vs. 11.43 (SD = 2.95), p < .001; and 12.90 (SD = 2.12) vs. 8.72 (SD = 2.52), p < .001. Furthermore, scores on the Service-Learning Abilities Scale indicated a significant increase in communication, problem-solving, knowledge application, and cross-cultural competence. Integrating instruction to improve problem-solving skills and knowledge application predicts student learning outcomes. Qualitative findings revealed nursing students' reflections on integrating different learning areas, communication, problem-solving, and practical knowledge skills. CONCLUSIONS: Integration of interdisciplinary learning effectively stimulates learning among nursing students and enhances their knowledge, abilities, and attitudes toward therapeutic play, benefiting children's health. Our findings demonstrate that integration of interdisciplinary learning significantly enhances nursing students' healthcare-giving competence, particularly in communication, problem-solving, knowledge application, and cross-cultural competence as measured by the Service-Learning Scale. Integrating social service with integration of interdisciplinary learning exposes nursing students to diverse challenges and needs, thereby enhancing their communication skills, knowledge application, and problem-solving abilities. Nursing students can blend knowledge and skills through integrated learning, which is crucial for nursing career preparation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: N/A. It was a survey on educational activities.

Nanoparticles prepared with biotin-esterified debranched starch as an oral carrier to improve the stability and antioxidant activity of resveratrol.

In this study, biotin esterified debranched starch (Bio-DBS) nanoparticles with different molecular weights were prepared to improve the stability and antioxidant activity of resveratrol. The molecular weights of branched starch (DBS3, DBS9 and DBSp) determined by high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) were 3306, 3696, and 4688, respectively. Biotin was covalently coupled to DBS through the esterification reaction as a new material to prepare nanoparticles. The morphology, particle size, and loading capacity of Bio-DBS nanoparticles were all related to the molecular weights of DBS. The 1H NMR results indicated that there was a hydrogen bonding interaction between Bio-DBS and resveratrol, which contributed to the photochemical and antioxidant activity of resveratrol in the nanoparticles. The highest encapsulation efficiency (78.9 %) and loading capacity (15.78 %) of resveratrol were observed in Bio-DBS3 nanoparticles. Additionally, the cell viability was over 80 % when the concentration of Bio-DBS3 reached to 200 µg/mL. The Bio-DBS nanoparticles significantly improved the thermal stability, photostability, and antioxidant properties of resveratrol. Therefore, the Bio-DBS nanoparticles prepared in this study can be used as a promising carrier to improve the stability and antioxidant activity of resveratrol and may have potential applications in oral delivery.

Genome-Wide Association Analysis Identifies LILRB2 Gene for Pathological Myopia.

Pathological myopia (PM) is one of the leading causes of blindness, especially in Asia. To identify the genetic risk factors of PM, a two-stage genome-wide association study (GWAS) and replication analysis in East Asian populations is conducted. The analysis identified LILRB2 in 19q13.42 as a new candidate locus for PM. The increased protein expression of LILRB2/Pirb (mouse orthologous protein) in PM patients and myopia mouse models is validated. It is further revealed that the increase in LILRB2/Pirb promoted fatty acid synthesis and lipid accumulation, leading to the destruction of choroidal function and the development of PM. This study revealed the association between LILRB2 and PM, uncovering the molecular mechanism of lipid metabolism disorders leading to the pathogenesis of PM due to LILRB2 upregulation.

The occurrence, role, and management strategies for phytic acid in foods.

Phytic acid, a naturally occurring compound predominantly found in cereals and legumes, is the focus of this review. This review investigates its distribution across various food sources, elucidating its dual roles in foods. It also provides new insights into the change in phytic acid level during food storage and the evolving trends in phytic acid management. Although phytic acid can function as a potent color stabilizer, flavor enhancer, and preservative, its antinutritional effects in foods restrict its applications. In terms of management strategies, numerous treatments for degrading phytic acid have been reported, each with varying degradation efficacies and distinct mechanisms of action. These treatments encompass traditional methods, biological approaches, and emerging technologies. Traditional processing techniques such as soaking, milling, dehulling, heating, and germination appear to effectively reduce phytic acid levels in processed foods. Additionally, fermentation and phytase hydrolysis demonstrated significant potential for managing phytic acid in food processing. In the future, genetic modification, due to its high efficiency and minimal environmental impact, should be prioritized to downregulate the biosynthesis of phytic acid. The review also delves into the biosynthesis and metabolism of phytic acid and elaborates on the mitigation mechanism of phytic acid using biotechnology. The challenges in the application of phytic acid in the food industry were also discussed. This study contributes to a better understanding of the roles phytic acid plays in food and the sustainability and safety of the food industry.

Detecting Pb2+ in aqueous environment and live cells by amphiphilic pillar[5]arene-assembled supramolecular sensor based on host-guest charge transfer mechanism.

Water-soluble fluorescent chemosensors for lead ion are highly desirable in environmental detection and bioimagery. Based on a water-soluble pillar[5]arene WP5 and imidazolium terminal functionalized 2,2'-bibenzimidazole derivative BIHB, we report a host-guest charge transfer assembly BIHB-2WP5 for sensitive and selective detection of Pb2+ in pure aqueous media. As a result of its high electron-rich cavity, WP5 can bind electron-deficiency guest BIHB with various host/guest stoichiometry to easily tune the microtopography of assembly from nanoparticle to nanocube. In view of the good biocompatibility and sensitivity, the supramolecular assembly BIHB-2WP5 was used as a fluorescent probe for the detection of Pb2+ in living cells and a smartphone Pb2+ detection device was constructed for the in situ test.

Versatile Activated Carbon Fibers Derived from the Cotton Fibers Used as CO2 Solid-State Adsorbents and Electrode Materials.

Activated carbon has an excellent porous structure and is considered a promising adsorbent and electrode material. In this study, activated carbon fibers (ACFs) with abundant microporous structures, derived from natural cotton fibers, were successfully synthesized at a certain temperature in an Ar atmosphere and then activated with KOH. The obtained ACFs were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), elemental analysis, nitrogen and carbon dioxide adsorption-desorption analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and N2 adsorption-desorption measurement. The obtained ACFs showed high porous qualities and had a surface area from 673 to 1597 m2/g and a pore volume from 0.33 to 0.79 cm3/g. The CO2 capture capacities of prepared ACFs were measured and the maximum capture capacity for CO2 up to 6.9 mmol/g or 4.6 mmol/g could be achieved at 0 °C or 25 °C and 1 standard atmospheric pressure (1 atm). Furthermore, the electrochemical capacitive properties of as-prepared ACFs in KOH aqueous electrolyte were also studied. It is important to note that the pore volume of the pores below 0.90 nm plays key roles to determine both the CO2 capture ability and the electrochemical capacitance. This study provides guidance for designing porous carbon materials with high CO2 capture capacity or excellent capacitance performance.

Phospholipase-mediated phosphate recycling during plant leaf senescence.

BACKGROUND: Phosphorus is a macronutrient necessary for plant growth and development and its availability and efficient use affect crop yields. Leaves are the largest tissue that uses phosphorus in plants, and membrane phospholipids are the main source of cellular phosphorus usage. RESULTS: Here we identify a key process for plant cellular phosphorus recycling mediated by membrane phospholipid hydrolysis during leaf senescence. Our results indicate that over 90% of lipid phosphorus, accounting for more than one-third of total cellular phosphorus, is recycled from senescent leaves before falling off the plants. Nonspecific phospholipase C4 (NPC4) and phospholipase Dζ2 (PLDζ2) are highly induced during leaf senescence, and knockouts of PLDζ2 and NPC4 decrease the loss of membrane phospholipids and delay leaf senescence. Conversely, overexpression of PLDζ2 and NPC4 accelerates the loss of phospholipids and leaf senescence, promoting phosphorus remobilization from senescent leaves to young tissues and plant growth. We also show that this phosphorus recycling process in senescent leaves mediated by membrane phospholipid hydrolysis is conserved in plants. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that PLDζ2- and NPC4-mediated membrane phospholipid hydrolysis promotes phosphorus remobilization from senescent leaves to growing tissues and that the phospholipid hydrolysis-mediated phosphorus recycling improves phosphorus use efficiency in plants.

De novo design of a nanoregulator for the dynamic restoration of ovarian tissue in cryopreservation and transplantation.

The cryopreservation and transplantation of ovarian tissue underscore its paramount importance in safeguarding reproductive capacity and ameliorating reproductive disorders. However, challenges persist in ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation (OTC-T), including the risk of tissue damage and dysfunction. Consequently, there has been a compelling exploration into the realm of nanoregulators to refine and enhance these procedures. This review embarks on a meticulous examination of the intricate anatomical structure of the ovary and its microenvironment, thereby establishing a robust groundwork for the development of nanomodulators. It systematically categorizes nanoregulators and delves deeply into their functions and mechanisms, meticulously tailored for optimizing ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation. Furthermore, the review imparts valuable insights into the practical applications and obstacles encountered in clinical settings associated with OTC-T. Moreover, the review advocates for the utilization of microbially derived nanomodulators as a potent therapeutic intervention in ovarian tissue cryopreservation. The progression of these approaches holds the promise of seamlessly integrating nanoregulators into OTC-T practices, thereby heralding a new era of expansive applications and auspicious prospects in this pivotal domain.

Quantitative assessment of brain injury and concussion induced by an unintentional soccer ball impact.

BACKGROUND: Accidental impact on a player's head by a powerful soccer ball may lead to brain injuries and concussions during games. It is crucial to assess these injuries promptly and accurately on the field. However, it is challenging for referees, coaches, and even players themselves to accurately recognize potential injuries and concussions following such impacts. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a list of minimum ball velocity thresholds that can result in concussions at different impact locations on the head. Additionally, it is important to identify the affected brain regions responsible for impairments in brain function and potential clinical symptoms. METHODS: By using a full human finite element model, dynamic responses and brain injuries caused by unintentional soccer ball impacts on six distinct head locations (forehead, tempus, crown, occiput, face, and jaw) at varying ball velocities (10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, and 60 m/s) were simulated and investigated. Intracranial pressure, Von-Mises stress, and first principal strain were analyzed, the ball velocity thresholds resulting in concussions at different impact locations were evaluated, and the damage evolution patterns in the brain tissue were analyzed. RESULTS: The impact on the occiput is most susceptible to induce brain injuries compared to all other impact locations. For a conservative assessment, the risk of concussion is present once the soccer ball reaches 17.2 m/s in a frontal impact, 16.6 m/s in a parietal impact, 14.0 m/s in an occipital impact, 17.8 m/s in a temporal impact, 18.5 m/s in a facial impact or 19.2 m/s in a mandibular impact. The brain exhibits the most significant dynamic responses during the initial 10-20 ms, and the damaged regions are primarily concentrated in the medial temporal lobe and the corpus callosum, potentially causing impairments in brain functions. CONCLUSIONS: This work offers a framework for quantitatively assessing brain injuries and concussions induced by an unintentional soccer ball impact. Determining the ball velocity thresholds at various impact locations provides a benchmark for evaluating the risks of concussion. The examination of brain tissue damage evolution introduces a novel approach to linking biomechanical responses with possible clinical symptoms.

Combining bioinformatics and multiomics strategies to investigate the key microbiota and active components of Liupao tea ameliorating hyperlipidemia.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Hyperlipidemia as a major health issue has attracted much public attention. As a geographical indication product of China, Liupao tea (LPT) is a typical representative of traditional Chinese dark tea that has shown good potential in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism. LPT has important medicinal value in hyperlipidemia prevention. However, the active ingredients and metabolic mechanisms by which LPT alleviates hyperlipidemia remain unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to systematically investigate the metabolic mechanisms and active ingredients of LPT extract in alleviating hyperlipidemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Firstly, we developed a mouse model of hyperlipidemia to study the pharmacodynamics of LPT. Subsequently, network pharmacology and molecular docking were performed to predict the potential key active ingredients and core targets of LPT against hyperlipidemia. LC-MS/MS was used to validate the identity of key active ingredients in LPT with chemical standards. Finally, the effect and metabolic mechanisms of LPT extract in alleviating hyperlipidemia were investigated by integrating metabolomic, lipidomic, and gut microbiome analyses. RESULTS: Results showed that LPT extract effectively improved hyperlipidemia by suppressing weight gain, remedying dysregulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, and reducing hepatic damage. Network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking suggested that four potential active ingredients and seven potential core targets were closely associated with roles for hyperlipidemia treatment. Ellagic acid, catechin, and naringenin were considered to be the key active ingredients of LPT alleviating hyperlipidemia. Additionally, LPT extract modulated the mRNA expression levels of Fxr, Cyp7a1, Cyp8b1, and Cyp27a1 associated with bile acid (BA) metabolism, mitigated the disturbances of BA and glycerophospholipid (GP) metabolism in hyperlipidemia mice. Combining fecal microbiota transplantation and correlation analysis, LPT extract effectively improved species diversity and abundance of gut microbiota, particularly the BA and GP metabolism-related gut microbiota, in the hyperlipidemia mice. CONCLUSIONS: LPT extract ameliorated hyperlipidemia by modulating GP and BA metabolism by regulating Lactobacillus and Dubosiella, thereby alleviating hyperlipidemia. Three active ingredients of LPT served as the key factors in exerting an improvement on hyperlipidemia. These findings provide new insights into the active ingredients and metabolic mechanisms of LPT in improving hyperlipidemia, suggesting that LPT can be used to prevent and therapeutic hyperlipidemia.

Enhancing functionality and bioactivity of walnut protein through limited enzyme digestion.

BACKGROUND: Walnut protein (WP) is recognized as a valuable plant protein. However, the poor solubility and functional properties limit its application in the food industry. It is a great requirement to improve the physicochemical properties of WP. RESULTS: Following a 90 min restricted enzymatic hydrolysis period, the solubility of WP significantly increased from 3.24% to 54.54%, with the majority of WP hydrolysates (WPHs) possessing a molecular weight exceeding 50 kDa. Circular dichroism spectra showed that post-hydrolysis, the structure of the protein became more flexible, while the hydrolysis time did not significantly alter the protein's secondary structure. After hydrolysis, WP's surface hydrophobicity significantly increased from 2279 to 6100. Furthermore, WPHs exhibited a strong capacity for icariin loading and micelle formation with critical micelle concentration values of 0.71, 0.99 and 1.09 mg mL-1, respectively. Moreover, similar immuno-enhancement activities were observed in WPHs. After exposure to WPHs, the pinocytosis of RAW264.7 macrophages was significantly improved. WPH treatment also increased the production of nitric oxide, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in macrophages. Up-regulation of mRNA expressions of IL-6, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and TNF-α was observed in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: The enhancement of functionality and bioactivity in WP can be achieved through the application of limited enzyme digestion with trypsin. This process effectively augments the nutritional value and utility of the protein, making it a valuable component in various dietary applications. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Safety, immunogenicity and protective effect of sequential vaccination with inactivated and recombinant protein COVID-19 vaccine in the elderly: a prospective longitudinal study.

The safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in the elderly, a high-risk group for severe COVID-19 infection, have not been fully understood. To clarify these issues, this prospective study followed up 157 elderly and 73 young participants for 16 months and compared the safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of two doses of the inactivated vaccine BBIBP-CorV followed by a booster dose of the recombinant protein vaccine ZF2001. The results showed that this vaccination protocol was safe and tolerable in the elderly. After administering two doses of the BBIBP-CorV, the positivity rates and titers of neutralizing and anti-RBD antibodies in the elderly were significantly lower than those in the young individuals. After the ZF2001 booster dose, the antibody-positive rates in the elderly were comparable to those in the young; however, the antibody titers remained lower. Gender, age, and underlying diseases were independently associated with vaccine immunogenicity in elderly individuals. The pseudovirus neutralization assay showed that, compared with those after receiving two doses of BBIBP-CorV priming, some participants obtained immunological protection against BA.5 and BF.7 after receiving the ZF2001 booster. Breakthrough infection symptoms last longer in the infected elderly and pre-infection antibody titers were negatively associated with the severity of post-infection symptoms. The antibody levels in the elderly increased significantly after breakthrough infection but were still lower than those in the young. Our data suggest that multiple booster vaccinations at short intervals to maintain high antibody levels may be an effective strategy for protecting the elderly against COVID-19.

An efficient method for rapid screening of triterpenoid saponins in three Glycyrrhiza species using rapid resolution liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry combined with mass defect filtering.

Triterpenoid saponins, a major bioactive component of liquorice, possess high hydrophilicity and often co-occur with other impurities of similar polarity. Additionally, subtle structural differences of some triterpenoid saponins bring challenges to comprehensive characterisation. In this study, triterpenoid saponins of three Glycyrrhiza species were systematically analysed using rapid resolution liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (RRLC-Q-TOF-MS) coupled with mass defect filtering (MDF). Firstly, comprehensive date acquisition was achieved using RRLC-Q-TOF-MS. Secondly, a polygonal MDF method was established by summarizing known and speculated substituents and modifications based on the core structure to rapidly screen potential triterpenoid saponins. Thirdly, based on the fragmentation patterns of reference compounds, an identification strategy for characterisation of triterpenoid saponins was proposed. The strategy divided triterpenoid saponins into three distinct classes. By this strategy, 98 triterpenoid saponins including 10 potential new ones were tentatively characterised. Finally, triterpenoid saponins of three Glycyrrhiza species were further analysed using principle component analysis (PCA) and orthogonality partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). Among these, 18 compounds with variable importance in projections (VIP) > 1.0 and P values < 0.05 were selected to distinguish three Glycyrrhiza species. Overall, our study provided a reference for quality control and rational use of the three species.

EGCG alleviates heat-stress-induced fat deposition by targeting HSP70 through activation of AMPK-SIRT1-PGC-1α in porcine subcutaneous preadipocytes.

Obesity has emerged as a prominent global health concern, with heat stress posing a significant challenge to both human health and animal well-being. Despite a growing interest in environmental determinants of obesity, very few studies have examined the associations between heat stress-related environmental factors and adiposity. Consequently, there exists a clear need to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the obesogenic effects of heat stress and to formulate preventive strategies. This study focused on culturing porcine subcutaneous preadipocytes at 41.5 ℃ to induce heat stress, revealing that this stressor triggered apoptosis and fat deposition. Analysis demonstrated an upregulation in the expression of HSP70, BAX, adipogenesis-related genes (PPARγ, AP2, CEBPα and FAS), the p-AMPK/AMPK ratio and SIRT1, PGC-1α in the heat stress group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Conversely, the expression of lipid lysis-related genes (ATGL, HSL and LPL) and Bcl-2 decreased in the heat stress group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, subsequent activator and/or inhibitor experiments validated that heat stress modulated HSP70 and AMPK signalling pathways to enhance lipogenesis and inhibit lipolysis in porcine subcutaneous preadipocytes. Importantly, this study reveals, for the first time, that EGCG mitigates heat-stress-induced fat deposition by targeting HSP70 through the activation of AMPK-SIRT1-PGC-1α in porcine subcutaneous preadipocytes. These findings elucidate the molecular mechanisms contributing to heat stress-induced obesity and provide a foundation for the potential clinical utilisation of EGCG as a preventive measure against both heat stress and obesity.

New Methods in Digital Wood Anatomy: The Use of Pixel-Contrast Densitometry with Example of Angiosperm Shrubs in Southern Siberia.

This methodological study describes the adaptation of a new method in digital wood anatomy, pixel-contrast densitometry, for angiosperm species. The new method was tested on eight species of shrubs and small trees in Southern Siberia, whose wood structure varies from ring-porous to diffuse-porous, with different spatial organizations of vessels. A two-step transformation of wood cross-section photographs by smoothing and Otsu's classification algorithm was proposed to separate images into cell wall areas and empty spaces within (lumen) and between cells. Good synchronicity between measurements within the ring allowed us to create profiles of wood porosity (proportion of empty spaces) describing the growth ring structure and capturing inter-annual differences between rings. For longer-lived species, 14-32-year series from at least ten specimens were measured. Their analysis revealed that maximum (for all wood types), mean, and minimum porosity (for diffuse-porous wood) in the ring have common external signals, mostly independent of ring width, i.e., they can be used as ecological indicators. Further research directions include a comparison of this method with other approaches in densitometry, clarification of sample processing, and the extraction of ecologically meaningful data from wood structures.

Artificial Intelligence-Guided Gut-Microenvironment-Triggered Imaging Sensor Reveals Potential Indicators of Parkinson's Disease.

The gut-brain axis has recently emerged as a crucial link in the development and progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). Dysregulation of the gut microbiota has been implicated in the pathogenesis of this disease, sparking growing interest in the quest for non-invasive biomarkers derived from the gut for early PD diagnosis. Herein, an artificial intelligence-guided gut-microenvironment-triggered imaging sensor (Eu-MOF@Au-Aptmer) to achieve non-invasive, accurate screening for various stages of PD is presented. The sensor works by analyzing α-Syn in the gut using deep learning algorithms. By monitoring changes in α-Syn, the sensor can predict the onset of PD with high accuracy. This work has the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of PD by allowing for early intervention and personalized treatment plans. Moreover, it exemplifies the promising prospects of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced sensors in the monitoring and prediction of a broad spectrum of diseases and health conditions.

Casein/butyrylated dextrin nanoparticles and chitosan stabilized bilayer emulsions as fat substitutes in sponge cakes.

This study aimed to evaluate the potential of the bilayer emulsions stabilized with casein/butyrylated dextrin nanoparticles and chitosan as fat substitutes in preparing low-calorie sponge cakes. Among the different cake groups, the substitution of bilayer emulsions at 60% exhibited comparable baking properties, appearance, texture characteristics and stable secondary structure to fat. The specific volume and height were increased by 36.94% and 22%, respectively, while the cake showed higher lightness (L*) in the cores and softer hardness in the crumb. In addition, the moisture content of cakes was increased while the water activity remained unchanged. These results showed that casein/butyrylated dextrin bilayer emulsion was a potential fat substitute for cake products at the ratio of 60% with the desirable characteristics.