Search

To study the effect of various extractants on the structure of peat humic acid, peat humic acid was extracted using [NH.sub.3]*[H.sub.2]O, [Na.sub.2][CO.sub.3], [NaHCO.sub.3], and [Na.sub.2][SO.sub.3] via alkali-extraction and acid-precipitation methods. The extracted peat humic acid was characterized using ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and fluorescence (FL) spectroscopy. The results showed that the extractants had negligible effects on the content of peat humic acids. [Na.sub.2][CO.sub.3] was found to be the most effective extractant for isolating humic acids from peat, with the highest content of 66.20% and a yield of 32.67%. Moreover, among the extractants used, [NH.sub.3]*[H.sub.2]O resulted in humic acids with the highest aromaticity, and [Na.sub.2][SO.sub.3] yielded humic acids with higher number of hydroxyl groups. [NaHCO.sub.3] yielded humic acids with the most aliphatic ether and lowest aromaticity. [Na.sub.2][CO.sub.3] was the best extractant for isolating humic acids from peat, having the highest content, lowest degree of aromatic polymerization, and highest number of carboxylic acids., Plant organisms gradually form peat through the slow de com position of anaerobic microorganisms under excessive water and insufficient air environments (1). Peat originates from mosses and woody and herbaceous [...]

Research Findings: This study investigated children's feelings about school and their adaptation to primary school after leaving kindergarten. Altogether, 28,334 Chinese children (ages 6-8 years) were sampled and surveyed online. The descriptive statistic, latent class analysis (LCA) approach, and logistic regression analysis indicated that: (1) children generally had positive feelings toward school, especially about teacher-student relationships. However, the self-perception of academic abilities was less positive; (2) children's social adaptation had the highest scores, followed by life and physical adaptation, and then academic adaptation; (3) there were significant differences between children from only child and non-only child families both in school feelings and adaptation; (4) three latent classes of children's school adaptation emerged: the Well-Adapted Children were girls, only children in eastern China; the Moderately-Adapted Children were boys, non-only children in central China; the Poorly-Adapted Children were boys, non-only children in western China; and (5) children's school feelings significantly predicted their class membership for adaptation. Practice or Policy: These findings suggest that we need to focus more on children's feelings and academic school adjustment issues. Targeted support is needed for children at risk of school adaptation to help them transition smoothly to primary school.

Dual-functional nanomaterial electrodes have the capability to satisfy the requirements for both sweat analysis and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), thereby enabling the integration of electrochemical sensing and hydrogen production. In this study, ZIF-67 cubes are synthesized on nickel foam (NF), while TiO2 is obtained through an annealing process. Subsequently, the ZIF-67@TiO2/MoS2 nanocomposite is fabricated on nickel foam via a hydrothermal method. This composite material exhibits exceptional photocatalytic properties and is also suitable for the detection of glucose in sweat. The glucose detection range spans from 10 nM to 10 mM with a sensitivity of 7.24 μA mM−1 cm−2 for a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 and a detection limit of 0.43 μM. Moreover, when utilized as a hydrogen evolution electrode, this material demonstrates a current density of 10 mA cm-2 at an overpotential of 118 mV, with a Tafel slope of 73 mV/dec. The synthesis process is both straightforward and economical. This research introduces a novel concept for the design of multifunctional chemical sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meat from sheep offers an abundance of essential amino acids and trace elements essential for optimal human health and a delectable culinary delight. Because it has fewer calories and a lower cholesterol content than other meats, this succulent meat is not only delicious but also a nutritious choice. Globally, discriminating consumers have expressed profound appreciation for its irresistible flavor and nutritious composition. High-quality sheep breeds and lamb quality are in the spotlight as the market for sheep meat grows. Nevertheless, the demand for rapid growth and the use of antibiotics and other drugs have led to a shortage of high-quality mutton on the market. In the face of this emergency phenomenon, people add organic matter to the growth of mutton to improve the quality of mutton. This paper discusses the comprehensive evaluation methods of meat quality; summarizes the relationship between the nutritional components of meat and diet; discusses the genetic factors affecting meat quality attributes; feed nutrition, feeding methods, mutton storage methods, and related measures to improve the quality of mutton; and provides information on the current status of mutton and the challenges of ensuring high-quality meat supply in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most significant public health threats in recent history and has impacted the lives of almost everyone worldwide. Epigenetic mechanisms contribute to many aspects of the SARS-CoV-2 replication cycle, including expression levels of viral receptor ACE2, expression of cytokine genes as part of the host immune response, and the implication of various histone modifications in several aspects of COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 proteins physically associate with many different host proteins over the course of infection, and notably there are several interactions between viral proteins and epigenetic enzymes such as HDACs and bromodomain-containing proteins as shown by correlation-based studies. The many contributions of epigenetic mechanisms to the viral life cycle and the host immune response to infection have resulted in epigenetic factors being identified as emerging biomarkers for COVID-19, and project epigenetic modifiers as promising therapeutic targets to combat COVID-19. This review article highlights the major epigenetic pathways at play during COVID-19 disease and discusses ongoing clinical trials that will hopefully contribute to slowing the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Key words: epigenetics, COVID-19, ACE2, DNA methylation, histone modifications, clinical trials. La pandemie de la COVID-19 constitue l'une des plus importantes menaces a la sante publique de l'histoire recente et a touche les vies de presque tous a l'echelle planetaire. Des mecanismes epigenetiques contribuent a plusieurs aspects du cycle de replication du SRAS-CoV-2, incluant le niveau d'expression du recepteur viral ACE2, l'expression des genes codant pour les cytokines qui participent a la reponse immuni-tairedel'hote, et l'implication de plusieurs modifications des histones touchant de nombreux aspects de la COVID-19. Les proteines du SRAS-CoV-2 se lient physiquement avec plusieurs proteines de l'hote au cours de l'infection et, notamment, des etudes de correlation ont revele de nombreuses interactions entre des proteines virales et des enzymes epigenetiques telles que les HDAC et des proteines a bromodomaine. Les nombreuses contributions des mecanismes epigenetiques dans le cycle vital du virus et dans la reponse immunitaire de l'hote ont fait en sorte que les facteurs epigenetiques sont vus comme etant des biomarqueurs emergents pour la COVID-19 et laissent entrevoir que des modificateurs epigenetiques pourraient constituer des cibles therapeutiques interes-santes pour combattre la COVID-19. Cet article de synthese met en lumiere les principaux sentiers epigenetiques qui jouent un role dans la maladie de la COVID-19 et les auteurs discutent des essais cliniques en cours qui con-tribueront possiblement a ralentir la propagation du SRAS-CoV-2. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: epigenetique, COVID-19, ACE2, methylation de l'ADN, modifications des histones, essais cliniques., Introduction Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation and post-translational modifications of histone tails, contribute to the regulation of almost all biological processes, and are also involved in many different human [...]

Z-number that proposed by Zadeh is an effective tool to describe the information with uncertainty in decision-making problems. However, most of the researches on Z-numbers employed linguistic cardinalities with uniformly distributed scales. In fact, unbalance situation is much common in terms of the psychology of experts. In this paper, we propose a new computational method based on Probabilistic Linguistic Z-number with Unbalanced semantics(UPLZ), which can represent the linguistic evaluations of experts precisely combined with individual risk appetite. A new score function of UPLZs is provided based on hesitant degree and linguistic scale function to reduce the computational complexity. Afterward, a linear programming is constructed to determine weights of criteria by considering cross entropy maximization. The robust decision result can be obtained by applying MULTIMOORA method since it is specific with peculiarities of three subordinate models. Finally, a case study concerning medicine selection for the patients with mild symptoms of the COVID-19 is provided to illustrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method. The advantages of it are highlighted by sensitivity analysis and comparative analysis with two outstanding multi-criteria decision-making methods.

Background: Posterior circulation Acute Stroke Prognosis Early Computed Tomography Scores (pc-ASPECTS) is a rapid method of measuring early ischemic changes. However, there was no agreement study about pc-ASPECTS. Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the agreement on pc-ASPECTS based on non-contrast CT (NCCT) and CT angiography (CTA) source images in patients with acute basilar artery occlusion (BAO). Methods: We prospectively enrolled consecutive patients with acute BAO from January 2022 to August 2022 at the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China. The NCCT and CTA were scored independently by 15 raters during 2 different reading sessions at least 3 weeks apart. The pc-ASPECTS based on NCCT and CTA were analyzed on the full scale or were dichotomized (0–6 vs. 7–10, 0–7 vs. 8–10, and 0–8 vs. 9–10). The level of agreement was measured using Fleiss κ statistics. Results: The median (IQR) CT-based pc-ASPECTS was 8 (6.75–9). The interrater agreement for CT-based pc-ASPECTS (κ = 0.133 [0.132–0.133]) and CTA-based pc-ASPECTS (κ = 0.204 [0.203–0.204]) was slight for all raters. Dichotomizations obtaining the highest concordance for the CT-based pc-ASPECTS (0–6 vs. 7–10) and the CTA-based pc-ASPECTS (0–8 vs. 9–10) failed to increase the interrater agreement to a substantial level (κ = 0.350 [0.348–0.351] and 0.396 [0.395–0.398], respectively). Intrarater agreement for global CT-based pc-ASPECTS was less than substantial for the 14/15 raters and reached the level of substantial for the 3/15 raters with dichotomization. Conclusions: Agreement between clinicians assessing CT-based and CTA-based pc-ASPECTS cannot be sufficient to make reproducible clinical decisions and assessments. The dichotomization failed to improve interrater and intrarater agreement to the level of substantial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory intestinal disorder, and its complex etiology makes prevention and treatment challenging. Research on new drugs and treatment strategies is currently a focal point. Phenolic acids are widely present in plant-based diets and have demonstrated the potential to alleviate colitis due to their powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In this review, we provide an overview of the structures and main dietary sources of phenolic acids, encompassing benzoic acid and cinnamic acid. Additionally, we explore the potential of phenolic acids as a nutritional therapy for preventing and treating IBD. In animal and cell experiments, phenolic acids effectively alleviate IBD induced by drug exposure or genetic defects. The mechanisms include improving intestinal mucosal barrier function, reducing oxidative stress, inhibiting excessive activation of the immune response, and regulating the balance of the intestinal microbiota. Our observation points towards the need for additional basic and clinical investigations on phenolic acids and their derivatives as potential novel therapeutic agents for IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is extremely malignant and rapidly progresses. The overall response rate of PDAC to current treatment methods is still unsatisfactory. Thus, identifying novel targets and clarifying the underlying mechanisms associated with PDAC progression may potentially offer additional treatment strategies. AHNAK2 is aberrantly expressed in a variety of tumors and exerts pro-tumorigenic effects. However, the biological role of AHNAK2 in PDAC remains poorly understood. Methods: The expression of AHNAK2 in PDAC and paired non-tumor tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Lentivirus knockdown was performed to investigate the impact of AHNAK2 on the biological function of pancreatic cancer cells. The subcutaneous cell-derived xenograft (CDX) model and the KPC spontaneous mouse model with AHNAK2 silencing were used to observe the effects of AHNAK2 on tumor growth and prognosis. The expression of c-MET at protein level in response to HGF treatment was assessed using western blot. Results: Our results demonstrated that AHNAK2 was highly expressed in PDAC clinical samples and associated with poor prognosis. Knockdown of AHNAK2 significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. AHNAK2 knockdown or knockout resulted in tumor growth suppression and prolonged survival in mice with PDAC. In addition, AHNAK2 and c-MET expression levels showed a significant positive correlation at the post-transcriptional level. Mechanistically, AHNAK2 promoted tumor progression by preventing c-MET degradation and persistently activating the HGF/c-MET signaling pathway. Conclusion: Overall, our study revealed that AHNAK2 plays an important role in PDAC progression by modulating the c-MET signaling pathway, and targeting AHNAK2 may be an effective therapeutic strategy for PDAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]