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Journal of Nanobiotechnology Jun 2024The whole-cell inorganic-biohybrid systems show special functions and wide potential in biomedical application owing to the exceptional interactions between microbes and...
The whole-cell inorganic-biohybrid systems show special functions and wide potential in biomedical application owing to the exceptional interactions between microbes and inorganic materials. However, the hybrid systems are still in stage of proof of concept. Here, we report a whole-cell inorganic-biohybrid system composed of Spirulina platensis and gold nanoclusters (SP-Au), which can enhance the cancer radiotherapy through multiple pathways, including cascade photocatalysis. Such systems can first produce oxygen under light irradiation, then convert some of the oxygen to superoxide anion (•O), and further oxidize the glutathione (GSH) in tumor cells. With the combination of hypoxic regulation, •O production, GSH oxidation, and the radiotherapy sensitization of gold nanoclusters, the final radiation is effectively enhanced, which show the best antitumor efficacy than other groups in both 4T1 and A549 tumor models. Moreover, in vivo distribution experiments show that the SP-Au can accumulate in the tumor and be rapidly metabolized through biodegradation, further indicating its application potential as a new multiway enhanced radiotherapy sensitizer.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Gold; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Glutathione; Metal Nanoparticles; Spirulina; A549 Cells; Cell Line, Tumor; Neoplasms; Female; Photosynthesis; Superoxides; Radiation-Sensitizing Agents
PubMed: 38943158
DOI: 10.1186/s12951-024-02654-7 -
BMC Oral Health Jun 2024Fluoride is the main factor in reducing the prevalence of caries worldwide. However, there is insufficient knowledge about whether people in different age groups are...
INTRODUCTION
Fluoride is the main factor in reducing the prevalence of caries worldwide. However, there is insufficient knowledge about whether people in different age groups are aware of the benefits of fluoride toothpaste, as well as about people's daily oral care habits and whether they use fluoride. The purpose of this research is to investigate the knowledge and performance of Iranian students regarding the use of toothpaste containing fluoride.
METHOD
This study was conducted on the first- and second-year high school students of Kerman city. Questionnaires containing personal questions, general questions, and questions related to students' knowledge and performance regarding the use of fluoride toothpaste were provided to them and then they were asked to complete and submit it. The results obtained from the survey were analyzed by T-test, Mann-Whitney test, and Chi-Square test in SPSS Version 24. The significance level in data analysis was P < 0.05.
RESULTS
In this research, 681 forms including 252 boys and 429 girls were examined. The average age of the participants was 14.1 ± 0.4. 91.2% declared that they use toothpaste and 77.8% of them used toothpaste containing fluoride. 521 people stated that the price of toothpaste is important in using the type of toothpaste. 621 people used regular toothbrush and 609 people evaluated their oral health as good. 621 of the participants stated that toothpaste makes the mouth healthy. The average knowledge score was 16.7 ± 2.1 out of 24, which indicates the average knowledge of students in this field.
CONCLUSION
This study showed that students' knowledge and performance about using fluoride-containing toothpaste is average. There was no significant relationship between performance and knowledge with age and gender. There was also a positive correlation between knowledge and performance indicating that increasing knowledge leads to an increase in behavioral changes. Also, there was a positive correlation between knowledge and performance, and a correlation coefficient of 0.731 was obtained between knowledge and performance. It shows that increasing knowledge leads to increasing behavioral changes.
Topics: Humans; Toothpastes; Iran; Female; Male; Adolescent; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Fluorides; Cariostatic Agents; Surveys and Questionnaires; Students; Toothbrushing
PubMed: 38943104
DOI: 10.1186/s12903-024-04513-1 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024Salinity has become a major environmental concern for agricultural lands, leading to decreased crop yields. Hence, plant biology experts aim to genetically improve...
Salinity has become a major environmental concern for agricultural lands, leading to decreased crop yields. Hence, plant biology experts aim to genetically improve barley's adaptation to salinity stress by deeply studying the effects of salt stress and the responses of barley to this stress. In this context, our study aims to explore the variation in physiological and biochemical responses of five Tunisian spring barley genotypes to salt stress during the heading phase. Two salinity treatments were induced by using 100 mM NaCl (T1) and 250 mM NaCl (T2) in the irrigation water. Significant phenotypic variations were detected among the genotypes in response to salt stress. Plants exposed to 250 mM of NaCl showed an important decline in all studied physiological parameters namely, gas exchange, ions concentration and relative water content RWC. The observed decreases in concentrations ranged from, approximately, 6.64% to 40.76% for K, 5.91% to 43.67% for Na, 14.12% to 52.38% for Ca, and 15.22% to 38.48% for Mg across the different genotypes and salt stress levels. However, under salinity conditions, proline and soluble sugars increased for all genotypes with an average increase of 1.6 times in proline concentrations and 1.4 times in soluble sugars concentration. Furthermore, MDA levels rose also for all genotypes, with the biggest rise in Lemsi genotype (114.27% of increase compared to control). Ardhaoui and Rihane showed higher photosynthetic activity compared to the other genotypes across all treatments. The stepwise regression approach identified potassium content, K/Na ratio, relative water content, stomatal conductance and SPAD measurement as predominant traits for thousand kernel weight (R2 = 84.06), suggesting their significant role in alleviating salt stress in barley. Overall, at heading stage, salt accumulation in irrigated soils with saline water significantly influences the growth of barley by influencing gas exchange parameters, mineral composition and water content, in a genotype-dependent manner. These results will serve on elucidating the genetic mechanisms underlying these variations to facilitate targeted improvements in barley's tolerance to salt stress.
Topics: Hordeum; Salt Stress; Water; Minerals; Genotype; Salinity; Sodium Chloride
PubMed: 38942909
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65967-5 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024Preterm born (PTB) infants are at risk for injuries related to oxidative stress. We investigated the association between antioxidant and neurodevelopmental gene...
Preterm born (PTB) infants are at risk for injuries related to oxidative stress. We investigated the association between antioxidant and neurodevelopmental gene polymorphisms and oxidative stress parameters in PTB male young adults and their term-born counterparts at rest and during exercise. Healthy young PTB (N = 22) and full-term (N = 15) males underwent graded exercise tests in normobaric normoxic (FO = 0.21) and hypoxic (FO = 0.13) conditions. CAT rs1001179 was associated with decrease in nitrites in the whole group and in PTB individuals (P = 0.017 and P = 0.043, respectively). GPX1 rs1050450 was associated with decrease in ferric reducing antioxidant power in the whole group and in full-term individuals (P = 0.017 and P = 0.021, respectively). HIF1A rs11549465 was associated with decrease in nitrotyrosine and increase in malondialdehyde (P = 0.022 and P = 0.018, respectively). NOTCH4 rs367398 was associated with increase in advanced oxidation protein products and nitrites (P = 0.002 and P = 0.004, respectively) in hypoxia. In normoxia, NOTCH4 rs367398 was associated with increase in malondialdehyde in the whole group (P = 0.043). BDNF rs6265 was associated with decreased nitrites/nitrates in the whole group and in PTB individuals (P = 0.009 and P = 0.043, respectively). Polymorphisms in investigated genes and PTB might influence oxidative stress response after exercise in normoxic or hypoxic conditions far beyond the neonatal period in young male adults.
Topics: Humans; Oxidative Stress; Male; Hypoxia; Antioxidants; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Young Adult; Infant, Newborn; Glutathione Peroxidase GPX1; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; Catalase; Adult; Glutathione Peroxidase; Infant, Premature; Nitrites; Malondialdehyde; Tyrosine; Premature Birth
PubMed: 38942829
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65647-4 -
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science Jun 2024Cationic surfactants have a wide range of applications, often associated with their affinity for a range of solid surfaces and their anti-microbial properties....
HYPOTHESIS
Cationic surfactants have a wide range of applications, often associated with their affinity for a range of solid surfaces and their anti-microbial properties. Manipulating their adsorption and self-assembly properties is key to most applications, and this is commonly achieved through surfactant mixtures or manipulating their headgroup or alkyl chain structure. Achieving this through adjustments to their headgroup structure is less common in cationic surfactants than in anionic surfactants. Ethoxylation provides the ability to adjust the hydrophilic / hydrophobic balance, as extensively demonstrated in a range of anionic surfactants.
EXPERIMENTS
This same approach has been applied here to a range of ethoxylated cationic surfactants in the form of the quaternary ammonium salts, and their tertiary nonionic equivalents before quaternisation. Their adsorption and self-assembly properties are investigated using predominantly the neutron scattering techniques of neutron reflectivity, NR, and small angle neutron scattering, SANS.
FINDINGS
The trends in the adsorption at the air-water interface and the self-assembly in aqueous solution demonstrate how the hydrophilic / hydrophobic balance can be adjusted by varying the degree of ethoxylation and the alkyl chain length, and illustrate the degree of interdependence of the different structural changes. The variation in the adsorption and the micelle structure shows how the surfactant conformation / packing changes as the degree of ethoxylation and alkyl chain length increases and how the introduction of charge induces further changes.
PubMed: 38941934
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.06.174 -
Journal of Hazardous Materials Jun 2024Water pollution from industrial or household waste, containing dyes from the textile industry, poses a significant environmental challenge requiring immediate attention....
Water pollution from industrial or household waste, containing dyes from the textile industry, poses a significant environmental challenge requiring immediate attention. In this study, we have developed a crosslinked-smart-polymer film based on 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate copolymerized with other hydrophilic and hydrophobic commercial monomers, and its efficacy in removing 21 different textile dyes was assessed. The smart polymer effectively interacts with and adsorbs dyes, inducing a noticeable colour change. UV-Vis spectroscopy analysis confirmed a removal efficiency exceeding 90 % for anionic dyes, with external diffusion identified as the primary influencing factor on process kinetics, consistent with both pseudo-first-order kinetics and the Crank-Dual model. Isothermal studies revealed distinct adsorption behaviors, with indigo carmine adhering to a Freundlich isotherm while others conformed to the Langmuir model. Permeation and fluorescence analyses corroborated isotherm observations, verifying surface adsorption. Significantly, our proof-of-concept demonstrated the resilience of the smart-film to common fabric softeners and detergents without compromising adsorption capacity. Additionally, the material exhibited reusability (for at least 5 cycles), durability, and good thermal and mechanical properties, with T and T values of 265 °C and 342 °C, respectively, a Tg of 168 °C, and a water swelling percentage of 54.3 %, thus confirming its stability and suitability for industrial application. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: Dyes released during laundry processes should be classified as "hazardous materials" owing to their significant toxicity towards aquatic organisms, with the potential to disrupt ecosystems and harm aquatic biodiversity. This paper discusses the development of a novel acrylic material in film form, engineered to extract toxic anionic dyes. This study directly contributes to mitigating the environmental impact associated with the fashion industry and the domestic use of textiles. It can be implemented on both an industrial and personal scale, thereby encouraging more sustainable practices and promoting collaborative citizen science efforts towards.
PubMed: 38941828
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135006 -
Science Advances Jun 2024Oral medication for ulcerative colitis (UC) is often hindered by challenges such as inadequate accumulation, limited penetration of mucus barriers, and the intricate...
Oral medication for ulcerative colitis (UC) is often hindered by challenges such as inadequate accumulation, limited penetration of mucus barriers, and the intricate task of mitigating excessive ROS and inflammatory cytokines. Here, we present a strategy involving sodium alginate microspheres (SAMs) incorporating M2 macrophage membrane (M2M)-coated Janus nanomotors (denominated as Motor@M2M) for targeted treatment of UC. SAM provides a protective barrier, ensuring that Motor@M2M withstands the harsh gastric milieu and exhibits controlled release. M2M enhances the targeting precision of nanomotors to inflammatory tissues and acts as a decoy for the neutralization of inflammatory cytokines. Catalytic decomposition of HO by MnO in the oxidative microenvironment generates O bubbles, propelling Motor@M2M across the mucus barrier into inflamed colon tissues. Upon oral administration, Motor@M2M@SAM notably ameliorated UC severity, including inflammation mitigation, ROS scavenging, macrophage reprogramming, and restoration of the intestinal barrier and microbiota. Consequently, our investigation introduces a promising oral microsphere formulation of macrophage-biomimetic nanorobots, providing a promising approach for UC treatment.
Topics: Colitis, Ulcerative; Microspheres; Macrophages; Animals; Administration, Oral; Mice; Alginates; Humans; Disease Models, Animal; Reactive Oxygen Species; Nanoparticles; Drug Delivery Systems; Hydrogen Peroxide
PubMed: 38941458
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ado6798 -
Journal of Global Health Jun 2024Diarrhoeal disease disproportionately affects children <5 years in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The pathogens responsible for diarrhoea are commonly... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Lifestraw Family water filters in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis to define longer-term public health impact against childhood diarrhoea and inform scale-up.
BACKGROUND
Diarrhoeal disease disproportionately affects children <5 years in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The pathogens responsible for diarrhoea are commonly transmitted through faecally-contaminated drinking water. Lifestraw Family point-of-use water filters have been the subject of intervention studies for over a decade and were the first filters evaluated by the World Health Organization in its water treatment evaluation scheme to provide comprehensive protection against many diarrhoea-causing pathogens. This systematic review aimed to: 1) report on aspects related to physical environment and implementation and 2) conduct an updated meta-analysis on Lifestraw Family filter effectiveness against childhood diarrhoea based on studies with ≥12 months of follow-up.
METHODS
We conducted a literature search in November 2022 using MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, and CINAHL databases. Inclusion criteria were: 1) RCTs, cluster-RCTs, quasi-experimental, or matched cohort studies on 2) Lifestraw Family 1.0 or 2.0 filters 3) conducted in LMICs 4) that evaluated filter effectiveness against diarrhoea in children <5 and 5) analysed ≥12 months of follow-up data on clinical effectiveness against diarrhoea and were 6) published from 2010 with 7) full-text availability in English. A modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess risk of bias. Relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted and analysed using a random-effects meta-analysis.
RESULTS
We included 6 studies in LMICs involving 4740 children <5. Of the four clinically-effective interventions, common characteristics were access to improved water sources (75%), the 2.0 version of the filter or the 1.0 version with additional water storage (100%), use of behaviour change theory, community engagement, and health messaging (75%), local filter repair-and-replace mechanisms (75%), and specially-trained local interventionists (100%). The meta-analysis showed a 30% reduction in diarrhoea risk in the intervention group (RR = 0.69; 95% CI = 0.52-0.91, P = 0.01).
CONCLUSIONS
Lifestraw Family water filters can be effective interventions to reduce diarrhoea in vulnerable paediatric populations for at least one year, though certain aspects related to physical environment and implementation may increase their public health impact. The findings of this study suggest considerations for scale-up that can be applied in settings in need of longer-term interim solutions until universal access to safe drinking water is achieved.
Topics: Humans; Diarrhea; Developing Countries; Water Purification; Public Health; Filtration; Child, Preschool; Drinking Water; Infant
PubMed: 38939952
DOI: 10.7189/jogh.14.04018 -
Exploration (Beijing, China) Jun 2024COVID-19 is currently pandemic and the detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants in wastewater is causing widespread concern. Herein, cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is proposed as...
COVID-19 is currently pandemic and the detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants in wastewater is causing widespread concern. Herein, cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is proposed as a novel wastewater disinfection technology that effectively inactivates SARS-CoV-2 transcription- and replication-competent virus-like particles, coronavirus GX_P2V, pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 variants, and porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus in a large volume of water within 180 s (inhibition rate > 99%). Further, CAP disinfection did not adversely affect the viability of various human cell lines. It is identified that CAP produced peroxynitrite (ONOO), ozone (O), superoxide anion radicals (O ), and hydrogen peroxide (HO) as the major active substances for coronavirus disinfection. Investigation of the mechanism showed that active substances not only reacted with the coronavirus spike protein and affected its infectivity, but also destroyed the nucleocapsid protein and genome, thus affecting virus replication. This method provides an efficient and environmentally friendly strategy for the elimination of SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses from wastewater.
PubMed: 38939868
DOI: 10.1002/EXP.20230012 -
Chemical Science Jun 2024Alkali metal alkoxides play a pivotal role in nucleophilic alkoxylation reactions, offering pathways for the synthesis of ethers, including the increasingly sought-after...
Alkali metal alkoxides play a pivotal role in nucleophilic alkoxylation reactions, offering pathways for the synthesis of ethers, including the increasingly sought-after trifluoromethyl ethers. However, the synthesis of long-chain perfluoroalkyl ethers remains a substantial challenge in this field. Through the innovative use of triglyme to encapsulate potassium ions, we enhanced the stability of short-lived, longer-chain perfluoroalkoxy anions, thereby facilitating efficient nucleophilic perfluoroalkoxylation reactions. This method provides a new precedent for the halo-perfluoroalkoxylation of -difluoroalkenes and offers a versatile tool for the design of perfluoroalkyl ethers, including those containing complex moieties of heterocycles and drug molecules. We also demonstrated the utility of the resulting halo-perfluoroalkoxyl adducts through various chemical transformations to valuable diverse perfluoroalkyl ethers.
PubMed: 38939153
DOI: 10.1039/d4sc02084g