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Microbiological Research Jun 2024Radiation injury to the intestine is one of the most common complications in patients undergoing abdominal or pelvic cavity radiotherapy. In this study, we investigated...
Radiation injury to the intestine is one of the most common complications in patients undergoing abdominal or pelvic cavity radiotherapy. In this study, we investigated the potential protective effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) on radiation-induced intestinal injury and its underlying mechanisms. Mice were assigned to a control group, a 10 Gy total abdominal irradiation (TAI) group, or a group pretreated with 10 CFU LGG for three days before TAI. Small intestine and gut microbiota were analyzed 3.5 days post-exposure. LGG intervention improved intestinal structure, reduced jejunal DNA damage, and inhibited the inflammatory cGAS/STING pathway. Furthermore, LGG reduced M1 proinflammatory macrophage and CD8+ T cell infiltration, restoring the balance between Th17 and Treg cells in the inflamed jejunum. LGG also partially restored the gut microbiota. These findings suggest the possible therapeutic radioprotective effect of probiotics LGG in alleviating radiation-induced intestinal injury by maintaining immune homeostasis and reshaping gut microbiota.
PubMed: 38941923
DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2024.127821 -
Annals of Agricultural and... Jun 2024Ultraviolet light in the UV-C band is known as germicidal radiation and was widely used for both sterilization of the equipment and creation of a sterile environment....
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE
Ultraviolet light in the UV-C band is known as germicidal radiation and was widely used for both sterilization of the equipment and creation of a sterile environment. The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of inactivation of microorganisms deposited on surfaces with various textures by UV-C radiation disinfection devices.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Five microorganisms (3 bacteria, virus, and fungus) deposited on metal, plastic, and glass surfaces with smooth and rough textures were irradiated with UV-C light emitted by low-pressure mercury lamp and ultraviolet emitting diodes (LEDs), from a distance of 0.5 m, 1 m, and 1.5 m to check their survivability after 20-minute exposure.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
Both tested UV-C sources were effective in inactivation of microorganisms; however, LED emitter was more efficient in this respect than the mercury lamp. The survival rate of microorganisms depended on the UV-C dose, conditioned by the distance from UV-C source being the highest at 0.5 m and the lowest at 1.5 m. For the tested microorganisms, the highest survival rate after UV-C irradiation was usually visible on glass and plastic surfaces. This observation should be considered in all environments where the type of material (from which the elements of technical equipment are manufactured and may be contaminated by specific activities) is important for maintaining the proper level of hygiene and avoiding the unwanted and uncontrolled spread of microbiological pollution.
Topics: Ultraviolet Rays; Disinfection; Fungi; Bacteria; Viruses; Surface Properties; Microbial Viability; Plastics; Glass
PubMed: 38940114
DOI: 10.26444/aaem/189695 -
Cureus May 2024Background and objective Exposure to sunlight's ultraviolet (UV) radiation poses various health risks, including sunburn, skin damage, and heightened skin cancer risk....
Background and objective Exposure to sunlight's ultraviolet (UV) radiation poses various health risks, including sunburn, skin damage, and heightened skin cancer risk. Sunblock usage has surged due to widespread advertising campaigns. Individuals spending time outdoors should employ protective measures like wearing hats, applying sunblock with a high sun protection factor (SPF), covering exposed skin, and seeking shade to mitigate UV exposure's harmful effects. This study's objective is to assess participants' experiences and satisfaction with SPF 100 sunscreen in actual use conditions. Methodology This study employed a prospective, single-center design involving 100 participants aged 18 to 70 years. Eligible individuals had Fitzpatrick skin types I-III and were engaged in outdoor activities, excluding those with certain medical conditions or medication use. Each participant received sunscreen tubes (Solero SPF 100, Helix Pharma Pvt. Ltd., Karachi, Pakistan), and clinical evaluations were conducted on the day before and after and day 22 visits, with sunblock application and UV-induced erythema assessments performed. Results Our study enrolled participants with a mean age of 25.6 ± 7.1 years, ranging from 15 to 55 years, with females comprising 84% (84) of the sample. Results revealed widespread satisfaction and acceptance of SPF 100 sunscreen, without any reported adverse reactions. A significant majority expressed their willingness to purchase and recommend the sunscreen to others. Furthermore, the majority of healthcare providers expressed satisfaction with prescribing this sunscreen. Conclusions In conclusion, SPF 100 sunscreen demonstrated excellent tolerability and acceptability among participants, suggesting its potential utility in both personal sun protection routines and clinical settings.
PubMed: 38939303
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.61212 -
JACC. Advances Mar 2024Augmented reality (AR) guidance holds potential to improve transcatheter interventions by enabling visualization of and interaction with patient-specific 3-dimensional...
BACKGROUND
Augmented reality (AR) guidance holds potential to improve transcatheter interventions by enabling visualization of and interaction with patient-specific 3-dimensional virtual content. Positioning of cerebral embolic protection devices (CEP) during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) increases patient exposure to radiation and iodinated contrast, and increases procedure time. AR may enhance procedural guidance and facilitate a safer intervention.
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to develop and test a novel AR guidance system with a custom user interface that displays virtual, patient-specific 3-dimensional anatomic models, and assess its intraprocedural impact during CEP placement in TAVR.
METHODS
Patients undergoing CEP during TAVR were prospectively enrolled and assigned to either AR guidance or control groups. Primary endpoints were contrast volume used prior to filter placement, times to filter placement, and fluoroscopy time. Postprocedure questionnaires were administered to assess intraprocedural physician experience with AR guidance.
RESULTS
A total of 24 patients presenting for TAVR were enrolled in the study (12 with AR guidance and 12 controls). AR guidance eliminated the need for aortic arch angiograms prior to device placement thus reducing contrast volume (0 mL vs 15 mL, < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in the time required for filter placement or fluoroscopy time. Postprocedure questionnaires indicated that AR guidance increased confidence in wiring of the aortic arch and facilitated easier device placement.
CONCLUSIONS
We developed a novel AR guidance system that eliminated the need for additional intraprocedural angiograms prior to device placement without any significant difference in time to intervention and offered a subjective improvement in performance of the intervention.
PubMed: 38938839
DOI: 10.1016/j.jacadv.2024.100839 -
Journal of Biophotonics Jun 2024The skin surface lipids (SSLs) film, composed of sebum and keratinocyte membrane lipids, is crucial to the barrier function of the stratum corneum (SC). The first part...
The skin surface lipids (SSLs) film, composed of sebum and keratinocyte membrane lipids, is crucial to the barrier function of the stratum corneum (SC). The first part of this study investigated the impact of solar radiation on the SC based on a novel hydration and dehydration approach using Raman spectroscopy. The SSLs were found to absorb solar light, and thus participate to the protection of the skin surface. However, the protective function of the SSLs may be limited and is dependent to the heterogenous distribution of SSLs over the body surface. To ensure comprehensive protection, synergistic measures such as the application of solar filters are necessary. In this second part of the study, we have evaluated the limits of the protection capacity of SSLs and explored the protective action of a solar filters on both SSLs composition and the water hydration and dehydration kinetics in the SC.
PubMed: 38937980
DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202400107 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024Aiming to extend the scope of utilizing glass in radiation shielding, this work investigates the radiation interaction response of a borate-based glass system. Four...
Aiming to extend the scope of utilizing glass in radiation shielding, this work investigates the radiation interaction response of a borate-based glass system. Four borate-glass samples of different substituting concentrations of calcium oxide ( )BO: NaO AlO BaO: CaO were prepared. To assess the shielding performance of the prepared glass samples, a high-purity germanium detector and different radioactive sources (different energies) were used. Via the narrow beam method, the linear attenuation coefficients (LACs) were experimentally measured. So, the transmission factor (TF), the half-value layer (HVL), the tenth value layer (TVL), the mean free path (MFP), and the radiation protection efficiency (RPE) were calculated for all prepared samples. It was observed that the increase of the concentration of calcium oxide in the proposed borate-based glass samples leads to improve their performance in shielding against radiation. At low energy, the RPE of the samples is almost 100%. However, it was observed that as energy of the radiation source increases, the shielding performance of the samples will decrease. High energy dependence was found when calculating TF, HVL, TVL, and MFP. They were increased with the increase of the energy of the incident photons. At 0.662 MeV, the TF values are equal to 79.26, 79.00, 79.72, and 78.43% for BNABC-1, BNABC-2, BNABC-3, and BNABC-4 in the same oder, respectively. The application of the proposed composition of borate-based glass as a transparent shield against low-energy ionizing radiation was highlighted.
PubMed: 38937501
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63329-9 -
In Vivo (Athens, Greece) 2024The small intestine is one of the organs most vulnerable to ionizing radiation (IR) damage. However, methods to protect against IR-induced intestinal injury are limited....
BACKGROUND/AIM
The small intestine is one of the organs most vulnerable to ionizing radiation (IR) damage. However, methods to protect against IR-induced intestinal injury are limited. CBLB502, a Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) agonist from Salmonella flagellin, exerts radioprotective effects on various tissues and organs. However, the molecular mechanisms by which CBLB502 protects against IR-induced intestinal injury remain unclear. Thus, this study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying IR-induced intestinal injury and the protective effects of CBLB502 against this condition in mice.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Mice were administered 0.2 mg/kg CBLB502 before IR at different doses for different time points, and then the survival rate, body weight, hemogram, and histopathology of the mice were analyzed.
RESULTS
CBLB502 reduced IR-induced intestinal injury. RNA-seq analysis revealed that different doses and durations of IR induced different regulatory patterns. CBLB502 protected against intestinal injury mainly after IR by reversing the expression of IR-induced genes and regulating immune processes and metabolic pathways.
CONCLUSION
This study preliminarily describes the regulatory mechanism of IR-induced intestinal injury and the potential molecular protective mechanism of CBLB502, providing a basis for identifying the functional genes and molecular mechanisms that mediate protection against IR-induced injury.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Radiation-Protective Agents; Toll-Like Receptor 5; Male; Radiation, Ionizing; Toll-Like Receptors; Radiation Injuries; Intestines; Disease Models, Animal; Toll-Like Receptor Agonists; Peptides
PubMed: 38936936
DOI: 10.21873/invivo.13613 -
Advanced Healthcare Materials Jun 2024Tumor vaccines stand at the vanguard of tumor immunotherapy, demonstrating significant potential and promise in recent years. While tumor vaccines have achieved... (Review)
Review
Tumor vaccines stand at the vanguard of tumor immunotherapy, demonstrating significant potential and promise in recent years. While tumor vaccines have achieved breakthroughs in the treatment of cancer, they still encounter numerous challenges, including improving the immunogenicity of vaccines and expanding the scope of vaccine application. As natural immune activators, bacterial components offer inherent advantages in tumor vaccines. Bacterial membrane components, with their safer profile, easy extraction, purification, and engineering, along with their diverse array of immune components, activate the immune system and improve tumor vaccine efficacy. This review systematically summarizes the mechanism of action and therapeutic effects of bacterial membrane and its derivatives (including bacterial membrane vesicles and hybrid membrane biomaterials) in tumor vaccines. Subsequently, we delve into the preparation and advantages of tumor vaccines based on bacterial membranes and hybrid membrane biomaterials. Following this, the immune effects of tumor vaccines based on bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are elucidated, and their mechanisms are explained. Moreover, their advantages in tumor combination therapy are analyzed. Lastly, the challenges and trends in this field are discussed. Our comprehensive analysis aims to offer a more informed reference and scientific foundation for the design and implementation of bacterial membrane-based tumor vaccines. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
PubMed: 38935934
DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202401615 -
Plant Biology (Stuttgart, Germany) Jun 2024The flower perianth has various, non-mutually exclusive functions, such as visual signalling to pollinators and protecting the reproductive organs from the elements and...
The flower perianth has various, non-mutually exclusive functions, such as visual signalling to pollinators and protecting the reproductive organs from the elements and from florivores, but how different perianth structures and their different sides play a role in these functions is unclear. Intriguingly, in many species there is a clear colour difference between the different sides of the perianth, with colour patterns or pigmentation present on only one side. Any adaptive benefit from such colour asymmetry is unclear, as is how the asymmetry evolved. In this viewpoint paper, we address the phenomenon of flowers with differently coloured inner and outer perianth sides, focusing on petals of erect flowers. Guided by existing literature and our own observations, we delineate three non-mutually exclusive evolutionary hypotheses that may explain the factors underlying differently coloured perianth sides. The pollen-protection hypothesis predicts that the outer side of petals contributes to protect pollen against UV radiation, especially during the bud stage. The herbivore-avoidance hypothesis predicts that the outer side of petals reduces the flower's visibility to herbivores. The signalling-to-pollinators hypothesis predicts that flower colours evolve to increase conspicuousness to pollinators. The pollen-protection hypothesis, the herbivore-avoidance hypothesis, and the signalling-to-pollinators hypothesis generate largely but not entirely overlapping predictions about the colour of the inner and outer side of the petals. Field and laboratory research is necessary to disentangle the main drivers and adaptive significance of inner-outer petal side colour asymmetry.
PubMed: 38935692
DOI: 10.1111/plb.13680 -
Photochemical & Photobiological... Jun 2024Sunscreens are used for the protection of human skin against the harmful effects of solar UV radiation. Due to the low thickness of sunscreen films typically applied to...
Sunscreens are used for the protection of human skin against the harmful effects of solar UV radiation. Due to the low thickness of sunscreen films typically applied to the skin, it can be challenging to achieve the strong absorbance needed for good UV-protection, and most efficient sunscreen compositions are desirable. The presence of scattering particles can increase the efficacy of dissolved UV-absorbers in the oil or water phases of the formulation. As many sunscreens contain UV-absorbing particles, it is of interest how much the scattering effect of such materials contribute to the protection of the respective sunscreen. The currently available software programs for simulating sunscreen performance are based on a Beer-Lambert law approach and do not take into account such scattering effects of particles. However, Monte Carlo simulations of the UV-light transport through sunscreen films are capable to take scattering from particles into consideration. Using Monte Carlo simulations, this work shows that the efficacy of absorbance is indeed increased in the presence of scattering particles. However, this is of limited significance when the particles are UV-absorbers themselves.
PubMed: 38935210
DOI: 10.1007/s43630-024-00605-7