Conventional echocardiography can sometimes pose a challenge to diagnosis due to sub-optimal images.Ultrasound contrast agents(UCAs)have been shown to drastically enhance imaging quality,particularly depicting the lef...Conventional echocardiography can sometimes pose a challenge to diagnosis due to sub-optimal images.Ultrasound contrast agents(UCAs)have been shown to drastically enhance imaging quality,particularly depicting the left ventricular endocardial borders.Their use during echocardiography has become a valuable tool in non-invasive diagnostics.UCAs provide higher-quality images that may ultimately reduce the length of hospital stays and improve patient care.The higher cost associated with UCAs in many situations has been an impediment to frequent use.However,when used as an initial diagnostic test,UCA during rest echocardiogram is more cost-effective than the traditional diagnostic approach,which frequently includes multiple tests and imaging studies to make an accurate diagnosis.They can be easily performed across multiple patient settings and provide optimal images that allow clinicians to make sound medical decisions.This consequently allows for better diagnostic accuracies and improvement in patient care.展开更多
BACKGROUND A major cause of mortality in the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic was acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS).Currently,moderate to severe ARDS induced by COVID-19(COVID ARDS)and other viral an...BACKGROUND A major cause of mortality in the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic was acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS).Currently,moderate to severe ARDS induced by COVID-19(COVID ARDS)and other viral and non-viral etiologies are treated by traditional ARDS protocols that recommend 12-16 hours of prone position ventilation(PPV)with neuromuscular blocking agents(NMBA)and a trial of inhaled vasodilators(IVd)if oxygenation does not improve.However,debate on the efficacy of adjuncts to PPV and low tidal volume ventilation persists and evidence about the benefits of IVd/NMBA in COVID ARDS is sparse.In our multi-center retrospective review,we evaluated the impact of PPV,IVd,and NMBA on outcomes and lung mechanics in COVID ARDS patients with moderate to severe ARDS.AIM To evaluate the impact of PPV used alone or in combination with pulmonary IVd and/or NMBA in mechanically ventilated patients with moderate to severe ARDS during the COVID-19 pandemic.METHODS A retrospective study at two tertiary academic medical centers compared outcomes between COVID ARDS patients receiving PPV and patients in the supine position.PPV patients were divided based on concurrent use of ARDS adjunct therapies resulting in four subgroups:(1)PPV alone;(2)PPV and IVd;(3)PPV and NMBA;and(4)PPV,IVd,and NMBA.Primary outcomes were hospital and intensive care unit(ICU)length of stay(LOS),mortality,and venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(VV-ECMO)status.Secondary outcomes included changes in lung mechanics at 24-hour intervals for 7 days.RESULTS Total 114 patients were included in this study.Baseline respiratory parameters and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores were significantly worse in the PPV group.ICU LOS and LOS were significantly longer for patients who were proned,but no mortality benefit or difference in VV-ECMO status was found.Among the subgroups,no difference in primary outcomes were found.In the secondary analysis,PPV was associated with a significant improvement in arterial oxygen partial pressure(PaO_(2))/fractional inspired oxygen(FiO_(2))(P/F)ratio from day 1 to day 4(P<0.05)and higher driving pressures day 5 to day 7(P<0.05).The combination of PPV and IVd together resulted in improvements in P/F ratio from day 1 to day 7 and plateau pressure on day 4 and day 6(P<0.05).PPV with NMBA was not associated with improvements in any of the secondary outcomes.The use of all three rescue therapies together resulted in improvements in lung compliance on day 2(P<0.05)but no other improvements.CONCLUSION In mechanically ventilated patients diagnosed with moderate to severe COVID ARDS,PPV and PPV with the addition of IVd produced a significant and sustained increase in P/F ratio.The combination of PPV,IVd and NMBA improved compliance however this did not reach significance.Mortality and LOS did not improve with adjunct therapies.Further research is warranted to determine the efficacy of these therapies alone and in combination in the treatment of COVID ARDS.展开更多
Given that the citrus psyllid is the primary vector of citrus Huanglongbing(HLB),there is an urgent need to control this pest to mitigate the spread of the disease.This paper reviews the current research on two predom...Given that the citrus psyllid is the primary vector of citrus Huanglongbing(HLB),there is an urgent need to control this pest to mitigate the spread of the disease.This paper reviews the current research on two predominant control strategies:chemical control and biological control agents,in managing the citrus psyllid.It emphasizes the mechanisms of action,efficacy,and application advancements of these control methods.Finally,the paper analyzes the principal challenges associated with the sustainable management of citrus psyllids and offers perspectives for future research.展开更多
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome(AIDS)is the name used to describe several potentially life-threatening infections and disorders that happen when HIV has severely compromised the immune system.The primary effect of...Acquired immune deficiency syndrome(AIDS)is the name used to describe several potentially life-threatening infections and disorders that happen when HIV has severely compromised the immune system.The primary effect of HIV is to decrease host immunity,exposing the host to external pathogens.The development of pharmaceutical drugs that directly cure the infection is crucial because of the current wide-ranging epidemic of HIV.Most therapeutic anti-HIV drugs are nucleosides.However,their high toxicity and potential for drug resistance restrict their use.Many of the most effective clinical drugs used to inhibit HIV,the activation of latent HIV,and AIDS have been obtained from natural sources.This review focuses on potential natural medicinal products for treating and managing HIV and AIDS.Notwithstanding,further clinical research studies are needed to understand the subject and its dynamics.展开更多
Energy security is the association between national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption.Access to cheaper energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies.Howeve...Energy security is the association between national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption.Access to cheaper energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies.However,the uneven distribution of energy supplies among countries has led to significant challenges.International energy relations have contributed to the globalization of the world,leading to energy security and energy vulnerability at the same time.The first article in Science Direct for energy security appeared in 1993 with authors from USA.Gradually the number of articles and their origin increases.In 2024 we observe a boom of these publications-30(not only in Science Direct)and one planned for 2025.The recent article explores these publications and sorts them by origin and content.The content is distributed in five topics:computer technologies impact,artificial intelligence applications,environmental management and energy security,economics and policy for energy security,and emerging technologies for energy security.Since the share of AI usage is relatively small the author suggests scenarios for AI agents’application in various situations concerning environmental decisions,failures,cyber-attacks,performance,and pricing.展开更多
Domain randomization is a widely adopted technique in deep reinforcement learning(DRL)to improve agent generalization by exposing policies to diverse environmental conditions.This paper investigates the impact of diff...Domain randomization is a widely adopted technique in deep reinforcement learning(DRL)to improve agent generalization by exposing policies to diverse environmental conditions.This paper investigates the impact of different reset strategies,normal,non-randomized,and randomized,on agent performance using the Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient(DDPG)and Twin Delayed DDPG(TD3)algorithms within the CarRacing-v2 environment.Two experimental setups were conducted:an extended training regime with DDPG for 1000 steps per episode across 1000 episodes,and a fast execution setup comparing DDPG and TD3 for 30 episodes with 50 steps per episode under constrained computational resources.A step-based reward scaling mechanism was applied under the randomized reset condition to promote broader state exploration.Experimental results showthat randomized resets significantly enhance learning efficiency and generalization,with DDPG demonstrating superior performance across all reset strategies.In particular,DDPG combined with randomized resets achieves the highest smoothed rewards(reaching approximately 15),best stability,and fastest convergence.These differences are statistically significant,as confirmed by t-tests:DDPG outperforms TD3 under randomized(t=−101.91,p<0.0001),normal(t=−21.59,p<0.0001),and non-randomized(t=−62.46,p<0.0001)reset conditions.The findings underscore the critical role of reset strategy and reward shaping in enhancing the robustness and adaptability of DRL agents in continuous control tasks,particularly in environments where computational efficiency and training stability are crucial.展开更多
The Internet of Everything(IoE)coupled with Proactive Artificial Intelligence(AI)-Based Learning Agents(PLAs)through a cloud processing system is an idea that connects all computing resources to the Internet,making it...The Internet of Everything(IoE)coupled with Proactive Artificial Intelligence(AI)-Based Learning Agents(PLAs)through a cloud processing system is an idea that connects all computing resources to the Internet,making it possible for these devices to communicate with one another.Technologies featured in the IoE include embedding,networking,and sensing devices.To achieve the intended results of the IoE and ease life for everyone involved,sensing devices and monitoring systems are linked together.The IoE is used in several contexts,including intelligent cars’protection,navigation,security,and fuel efficiency.The Smart Things Monitoring System(STMS)framework,which has been proposed for early occurrence identification and theft prevention,is discussed in this article.The STMS uses technologies based on the IoE and PLAs to continuously and remotely observe,control,and monitor vehicles.The STMS is familiar with the platform used by the global positioning system;as a result,the STMS can maintain a real-time record of current vehicle positions.This information is utilized to locate the vehicle in an accident or theft.The findings of the STMS system are promising for precisely identifying crashes,evaluating incident severity,and locating vehicles after collisions have occurred.Moreover,we formulate an ad hoc STMS network communication scenario to evaluate the efficacy of data communication by utilizing various network parameters,such as round-trip time(RTT),data packet transmission,data packet reception,and loss.From our experimentation,we obtained an improved communication efficiency for STMS across multiple PLAs compared to the standard greedy routing and traditional AODV approaches.Our framework facilitates adaptable solutions with communication competence by deploying Proactive PLAs in a cloud-connected smart vehicular environment.展开更多
The syntheses of Gd(OH)_(3)and Gd(OH)_(3)-based nanomaterials have been reported and these materials have been developed as excellent MRI contrast agents.Due to the close interrelation between their morphology and pro...The syntheses of Gd(OH)_(3)and Gd(OH)_(3)-based nanomaterials have been reported and these materials have been developed as excellent MRI contrast agents.Due to the close interrelation between their morphology and properties,it has resulted in the development of various particle sizes and shapes of Gd(OH)_(3)and Gd(OH)_(3)-based nanomaterials.This has led to the extension of the uses of the materials to photocatalysis,drug delivery,and CT image contrast agents.Accordingly,these applications have been compiled and discussed in depth in this review.The potential of these materials in the above applications has started to attract significant attention.Moreover,the compilation of in-vitro toxicity studies from the literature was also discussed to facilitate the biocompatibility of the developed Gd(OH)_(3)nanomaterials.However,despite the rapid progress of Gd(OH)_(3)and Gd(OH)_(3)-based nanomaterials,there are still knowledge gaps in certain areas.Therefore,this review provides insights into the recent development of Gd(OH)_(3)and Gd(OH)_(3)-based nanomaterials to aid in accelerating novel developments.展开更多
Plants have long served as a cornerstone for drug discovery,offering a vast repertoire of bioactive compounds with proven efficacy in combating oxidative stress,a pivotal driver of chronic diseases such as cancer,diab...Plants have long served as a cornerstone for drug discovery,offering a vast repertoire of bioactive compounds with proven efficacy in combating oxidative stress,a pivotal driver of chronic diseases such as cancer,diabetes,cardiovascular disorders,and neurodegenerative conditions.This review synthesizes current knowledge on plant-derived antioxidants,emphasizing their mechanisms,therapeutic potential,and quantitative efficacy validated through standardized assays.Key phytochemicals,including polyphenols,carotenoids,flavonoids,and terpenoids,neutralize reactive oxygen species(ROS)through radical scavenging,enzyme modulation,and gene regulation.For instance,lutein,a carotenoid found in leafy greens,demonstrates potent antioxidant activity with IC50 values of 1.75μg/mL against hydroxyl radicals and 2.2μg/mL in lipid peroxidation inhibition,underscoring its role in mitigating cardiovascular and ocular diseases.Similarly,quercetin,a ubiquitous flavonoid in onions and berries,exhibits remarkable ROS-scavenging capacity,with IC50 values of 0.55μg/mL,2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH)and 1.17μg/mL,2,2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)(ABTS),supporting its use in reducing inflammation and neurodegeneration.The therapeutic promise of these compounds extends to disease-specific applications.Limonoids from citrus fruits,such as limonin(IC_(50)15-31μg/mL),enhance Phase II detoxification enzymes,offering protection against chemical carcinogens.Sulforaphane,a glucosinolate derived from cruciferous vegetables,shows potent anticancer activity with an IC50 of 85.66 mg in DPPH radical scavenging,whileβ-sitosterol(IC_(50)1.43-2.42 mM)inhibits tumor proliferation and cholesterol synthesis.Synergistic interactions further amplify their efficacy:phytoestrogens like genistein(IC_(50)13.00 ppm)and terpenoids such asα-pinene(IC_(50)12.57 mg/mL)collectively enhance antiinflammatory and antimicrobial responses,illustrating the multi-targeted nature of plant-based therapies.Beyond disease prevention,these compounds address age-related decline.Ascorbic acid(vitamin C),with an IC50 of 11.81μg/mL for antioxidant activity,mitigates skin aging and accelerates wound healing,while seleniumnanoparticles(IC_(50)0.437μg/mL)bolster immune function and reduce chemotherapy-induced toxicity.Dietary fibers,exemplified by sugar beet fibers(IC_(50)52.32μg/mL for DPPH scavenging),further contribute to cardiovascular health by lowering Low-Density Lipoprotein(LDL)cholesterol.This review not only catalogs the antioxidant prowess of phytochemicals but also highlights their translational potential.Advances in nanotechnology,such as nano-formulated curcumin,have overcome bioavailability challenges,enhancing clinical applicability.By integrating quantitative metrics(e.g.,IC50,radical scavenging rates)with mechanistic insights,this work bridges the gap between traditional knowledge and modern pharmacology.展开更多
Background:In view of the ever-increasing representation of Staphylococcus spp.strains resistant to various antibiotics,the development of in vivo models for evaluation of novel antimicrobials is of utmost importance....Background:In view of the ever-increasing representation of Staphylococcus spp.strains resistant to various antibiotics,the development of in vivo models for evaluation of novel antimicrobials is of utmost importance.Methods:In this article,we describe the development of a fully immunocompetent porcine model of extensive skin and soft tissue damage suitable for testing topical anti-microbial agents that matches the real clinical situation.The model was developed in three consecutive stages with protocols for each stage amended based on the results of the previous one.Results:In the final model,10 excisions of the skin and underlying soft tissue were created in each pig under general anesthesia,with additional incisions to the fascia performed at the base of the defects and immediately inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus suspension.One pig was not inoculated and used as the negative control.Subsequently,the bandages were changed on Days 4,8,11,and 15.At these time points,a filter paper imprint technique(FPIT)was made from each wound for semi-quantitative microbiological evaluation.Tissue samples from the base of the wound together with the adjacent intact tissue of three randomly selected defects of each pig were taken for microbiological,histopathological,and molecular-biological examination.The infection with the inoculated S.aureus strains was sufficient during the whole experiment as confirmed by both FPIT and from tissue samples.The dynamics of the inflammatory markers and clinical signs of infection are also described.Conclusions:A successfully developed porcine model is suitable for in vivo testing of novel short-acting topical antimicrobial agents.展开更多
Current treatments for glioblastoma face challenges such as the blood-brain barrier and lack of targeted therapy,compounded by the aggressive nature,high invasiveness,and heterogeneity of the disease.Exosomes,a subtyp...Current treatments for glioblastoma face challenges such as the blood-brain barrier and lack of targeted therapy,compounded by the aggressive nature,high invasiveness,and heterogeneity of the disease.Exosomes,a subtype of extracellular vesicles are emerging as promising nanocarrier drug delivery systems to address these limitations.Exosomes released by all cell types can be easily obtained and modified as delivery vehicles or therapeutic agents.A systematic review was conducted to evaluate various methods for exosome isolation,characterization,engineering or modification,drug loading and delivery efficiency,including exosome biodistribution and treatment efficacy.A search of four databases for in vitro and in vivo studies(2000–,2023)identified 6165 records,of which 23 articles were found eligible and included for analyses.Most studies applied ultracentrifugation(UC)for exosomes isolation.Cancer cell lines being the most frequently used source of exosomes,followed by stem cells.The incubation approach was predominantly utilized to modify exosomes for drug loading.In vivo analysis showed that exosome biodistribution was primarily concentrated in the brain region,peaking in the first 6 h and remained moderately high.Compared to native exosomes and untreated control groups,utilizing modified native exosomes(cargo loaded)for treating glioblastoma disease models led to more pronounced suppression of tumor growth and proliferation,enhanced stimulation of immune response and apoptosis,effective restoration of drug chemosensitivity,increased anti-tumor effect and prolonged survival rates.Modified exosomes whether through incubation,sonication,transfection,freeze-thawing or their combination,improve targeted delivery and therapeutic efficacy against glioblastoma.展开更多
Biological control(biocontrol) is a safe, sustainable approach that takes advantage of natural enemies such as predators, parasitic insects or pathogens to manage pests in agroecosystems. Parasitoid wasps, a very larg...Biological control(biocontrol) is a safe, sustainable approach that takes advantage of natural enemies such as predators, parasitic insects or pathogens to manage pests in agroecosystems. Parasitoid wasps, a very large evolutionary group of hymenopteran insects, are well-known biological control agents for arthropod pests in agricultural and forest ecosystems. Here, we summarize the recent progress on the application of parasitoid wasps in biocontrol in China for the last five years. These include species diversity of parasitoid wasps, identification of dominant parasitoid wasps associated with insect pests and biocontrol practices(three types of biological control, i.e., classical, augmentative and conservation biological control) in several Chinese agroecosystems. We then treat different mass-rearing and release technologies and the commercialization of several parasitoid wasp species. We also summarize other work that may have a potential use in biocontrol, including the effect of plant volatiles on parasitoids and recent advance in the molecular mechanisms underlying the host regulation by parasitoid wasps. Future research area and applied perspectives are also discussed, noting that advances in biocontrol technologies in Chinese agriculture informs research at the global level.展开更多
Neuroscientists have recognized the importance of astrocytes in regulating neurological function and their influence on the release of glial transmitters.Few studies,however,have focused on the effects of general anes...Neuroscientists have recognized the importance of astrocytes in regulating neurological function and their influence on the release of glial transmitters.Few studies,however,have focused on the effects of general anesthetic agents on neuroglia or astrocytes.Astrocytes can also be an important target of general anesthetic agents as they exert not only sedative,analgesic,and amnesic effects but also mediate general anesthetic-induced neurotoxicity and postoperative cognitive dysfunction.Here,we analyzed recent advances in understanding the mechanism of general anesthetic agents on astrocytes,and found that exposure to general anesthetic agents will destroy the morphology and proliferation of astrocytes,in addition to acting on the receptors on their surface,which not only affect Ca^(2+)signaling,inhibit the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and lactate from astrocytes,but are even involved in the regulation of the pro-and anti-inflammatory processes of astrocytes.These would obviously affect the communication between astrocytes as well as between astrocytes and neighboring neurons,other neuroglia,and vascular cells.In this review,we summarize how general anesthetic agents act on neurons via astrocytes,and explore potential mechanisms of action of general anesthetic agents on the nervous system.We hope that this review will provide a new direction for mitigating the neurotoxicity of general anesthetic agents.展开更多
Purpose: To investigate 1) the development in the incidence of ESBL-producing bacteria in hospitals and primary health care, 2) the contribution of primary health care to the incidence of ESBL-producing bacteria, and ...Purpose: To investigate 1) the development in the incidence of ESBL-producing bacteria in hospitals and primary health care, 2) the contribution of primary health care to the incidence of ESBL-producing bacteria, and 3) the development in resistance patterns for all Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in relation to antimicrobial consumption in hospitals and primary health care. Methods: ESBL-data were retrospectively collected from bacterial isolates from all specimens received at the Department of Clinical Microbiology from 2003 to 2011 together with the corresponding patient data. ESBL-production was detected in isolates from 1067 of 59,373 patients (1.8%) with an E. coli infection and in 263 of 8660 patients (3.0%) with a K. pneumoniae infection. Results: From 2003 to 2009, an increase in patients with an ESBL-producing isolate occurred in both hospitals and primary health care at the same time as an increased consumption of broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents was seen. Interventions to reduce prescription of cephalosporins and ciprofloxacin at the hospitals from 2010 resulted in a remarkable decrease in patients with ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae whereas a continuing increase was seen in patients with ESBL-producing E. coli both at hospitals and in primary health care. The proportion of patients with community-acquired ESBL-producing E. coli was stable with an increase of only 1.4% from 2007 to 2011. Conclusions: Reduction in prescription of broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents at the hospital level had an important impact on the incidence of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae, but not on ESBL-producing E. coli.展开更多
Nanolipid carriers and traditional emulsion containing chemical sunscreens were prepared using emulsification combined with ultrasonic technology.The nanolipid carriers showed superior performance in sunscreen encapsu...Nanolipid carriers and traditional emulsion containing chemical sunscreens were prepared using emulsification combined with ultrasonic technology.The nanolipid carriers showed superior performance in sunscreen encapsulation,slow release and skin impermeability,and provided an excellent nanolipid slow-release encapsulation system for sunscreens.As observed by transmission electron microscopy,the nanolipid carriers were spherical shape,with smooth surface and uniform distribution,and the particle sizes were mainly concentrated in the range of 230 to 250 nm without agglomeration.The nanolipid carriers significantly improved the sunscreen performance through the synergistic effect of scattering and chemical absorption,and showed better UV stability than traditional sunscreen,indicating their photoprotective function.In vitro release experiments showed that the nano-lipidic carriers exhibited better release control when loaded with octyl methoxycinnamate(OMC)and butylmethoxydibenzoylmethane(BDFM)sunscreens than traditional traditional emulsions,with the cumulative release rate of OMC in the nano-lipidic carriers decreasing by 17.17% to 30.24% within 12 hours,and that of BDFM decreasing by 26.67% to 44.67%.26.67% to 44.16%.The results of the in vitro permeation experiment further confirmed that the nanolipid carriers could effectively encapsulate the sunscreens and prevent them from penetrating the skin barrier,thus reducing the skin irritation.Compared with traditional traditional emulsion,the cumulative penetration of OMC in nanostructured lipid carriers was 2.24μg/cm^(2)in 4 hours,while the cumulative penetration was reduced by 68.05%.The cumulative penetration of BDFM in the nanostructured lipid carrier was 3.24μg/cm^(2),with a 64.04%reduction in cumulative penetration.展开更多
Anemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common, causing morbidity and mortality, and is primarily due to reduced erythropoietin (EPO) release and, to a lesser degree, shortened red cell survival. Erythropoietin Stim...Anemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common, causing morbidity and mortality, and is primarily due to reduced erythropoietin (EPO) release and, to a lesser degree, shortened red cell survival. Erythropoietin Stimulating Agents like epoetin Alfa and darbepoetin alpha are used commonly to treat this form of anemia. Recent evidence suggests increased morbidity and mortality associated with higher hemoglobin in the setting of these agents use. Whether these complications are due to higher dose of erythropoietin or its resistance (i.e. inflammation), or achieving a higher hemoglobin remains unclear. Tightening restrictions on these agents has led to increase interest in the use of non-ESA adjuvants to improve erythropoiesis. This review will highlight the most promising of these agents.展开更多
【Objectives】Si and microbial application could relieve the crop replanting problems(CRPs).We further studied the change of key microorganisms that are related to the beneficial effects,aiming at provide reference fo...【Objectives】Si and microbial application could relieve the crop replanting problems(CRPs).We further studied the change of key microorganisms that are related to the beneficial effects,aiming at provide reference for the manufacture and application of both microbial agents and Si fertilizer in food lily production.【Methods】A field experiment was conducted over a three-year period,from March 2019 to March 2022.The experimental field had been continuously cultivated with lily for 9 years.Three treatments were established:silicon fertilizer(SF),microbial agents(“Special 8^(TM)”,MF),and combined application of silicon fertilizer and microbial agents(SMF).A control group with blank soil(CK)was also included.At seedling stage of Lanzhou lilies in 2020 and 2021,the shoot and bulb dry weight,and the plant height and stem diameter of Lanzhou lilies were investigated for calculation of seedling index.In July 2020,20 plants were selected in each plot,and root zone soils were sampled at a depth of 20 cm,10 cm away from the roots,and then mixed to form a composite sample.The soil available Si and organic matter content were analyzed,and the fungal community structure and some specific microbial groups in soils were determined with high-throughput sequencing of ITS.【Results】All the three treatments significantly enhanced the lily plant growth and the seedling index,compared to CK.Besides,SF and MF treatments increased the relative abundances(RA)and diversity of fungal communities,and altered the community structures.The RA of some specific groups were found to be significantly correlated with the seedling index and/or soil available Si.Of them,the RA of the genera Fusarium,Dactylonectria,Humicola,Stilbella,and the species Humicola_grisea showed a positive correlation,while that of the genera Mortierella,Stilbella,Holtermanniella,and the species Mortierella_fatshederae showed a negative correlation with seedling index.The genera Fusarium,Stilbella,the species Humicola_grisea,and Dactylonectria_estremocensis showed a positive correlation,while the genura Stilbella,and the species Mortierella fatshederae showed a negative correlation with available Si content.In the co-occurence network of top twenty fungal genera and top sixteen bacterial genera(RA>0.2%),Holtermanniella was the only genus that interacted with the bacteria and negatively correlated with bacterial genus Blastococcus.Holtermanniella was also the most densely connected genera,followed by the genus Fusarium,Didymella and Humicola.In addition,the genus Holtermanniella was the key species connecting fungal and bacterial community in soil.Fungal functional prediction revealed that SF,MF and SMF treatments decreased plant pathogens guilds and increased the beneficial guilds Ectomycorrhizal,plant saprophyte,leaf saprophyte,and arbuscular mycorrhizal compared to CK.【Conclusions】Combined application of silicon fertilizer and microbial agents can alleviate continuous replanting problems of Lanzhou lilies through restoring the fungal community diversity,and promoting plant residue depredation,thus reducing soil born disease incidence.The beneficial genus Humicola and its one species H.grisea acts as bioconversion,and the genus Acremonium acts as plant pathogen inhibitor.展开更多
The integration of Green Artificial Intelligence(AI)technologies into educational systems offers a promising avenue to enhance operational efficiency while addressing sustainability challenges.Through a rigorous three...The integration of Green Artificial Intelligence(AI)technologies into educational systems offers a promising avenue to enhance operational efficiency while addressing sustainability challenges.Through a rigorous three-phase methodology combining literature review,AI agent development,and participatory workshop-based case analysis,this paper highlights the pivotal role of AI agents,as applications of Green AI technologies,in driving transformative outcomes within schools.By directly improving self-learning efficiency and reducing learning costs for students,enhancing management and service efficiency,reducing labor costs for schools,as well as minimizing resource dependence for both teachers and students,AI agents create a foundation for sustainable operations.These direct effects generate positive spillover effects,cascading into broader outcomes,including innovation performance,economic efficiency,and environmental sustainability,aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).By presenting a comprehensive conceptual model,this study demonstrates the pathways through which Green AI contributes to sustainable development in education and emphasizes its critical role in bridging technological innovation with sustainability.This framework provides significant theoretical insights for further empirical research while offering actionable strategies for policymakers and educators to harness Green AI for building sustainable schools with a student-centered approach.展开更多
Exploration of immunosuppressive agents for the treatment of diabetes is a burgeoning field that has captured the attention of the medical community.The innovative approach of using these agents to combat diabetes is ...Exploration of immunosuppressive agents for the treatment of diabetes is a burgeoning field that has captured the attention of the medical community.The innovative approach of using these agents to combat diabetes is driven by their diverse capabilities to regulate the immune system,which is pivotal for disease pathogenesis.The primary objective is to enhance the management of blood glucose levels,which is a critical factor in the daily life of diabetic patients.This comprehensive review delves into the therapeutic horizons opened by immunosuppressive agents,particularly their potential impact on type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus,and their utility in the transplantation process.The complex etiology of diabetes,which involves a delicate interplay of genetic,environmental,and immunological factors,presents a multifaceted target landscape for these therapies.The agents discussed in the review,including CD3 inhibitors,cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4-immunoglobulin G,Janus kinase inhibitors,anti-thymocyte globulin,tumor necrosis factor-αinhibitors,CD20 inhibitors,alefacept,and alemtuzumab,each bring a unique mechanism to the table,offering a tailored approach to immune modulation.As research progresses,emphasis is being placed on evaluating the long-term efficacy and safety of these agents to pave the way for more personalized and effective diabetes management strategies.展开更多
文摘Conventional echocardiography can sometimes pose a challenge to diagnosis due to sub-optimal images.Ultrasound contrast agents(UCAs)have been shown to drastically enhance imaging quality,particularly depicting the left ventricular endocardial borders.Their use during echocardiography has become a valuable tool in non-invasive diagnostics.UCAs provide higher-quality images that may ultimately reduce the length of hospital stays and improve patient care.The higher cost associated with UCAs in many situations has been an impediment to frequent use.However,when used as an initial diagnostic test,UCA during rest echocardiogram is more cost-effective than the traditional diagnostic approach,which frequently includes multiple tests and imaging studies to make an accurate diagnosis.They can be easily performed across multiple patient settings and provide optimal images that allow clinicians to make sound medical decisions.This consequently allows for better diagnostic accuracies and improvement in patient care.
文摘BACKGROUND A major cause of mortality in the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic was acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS).Currently,moderate to severe ARDS induced by COVID-19(COVID ARDS)and other viral and non-viral etiologies are treated by traditional ARDS protocols that recommend 12-16 hours of prone position ventilation(PPV)with neuromuscular blocking agents(NMBA)and a trial of inhaled vasodilators(IVd)if oxygenation does not improve.However,debate on the efficacy of adjuncts to PPV and low tidal volume ventilation persists and evidence about the benefits of IVd/NMBA in COVID ARDS is sparse.In our multi-center retrospective review,we evaluated the impact of PPV,IVd,and NMBA on outcomes and lung mechanics in COVID ARDS patients with moderate to severe ARDS.AIM To evaluate the impact of PPV used alone or in combination with pulmonary IVd and/or NMBA in mechanically ventilated patients with moderate to severe ARDS during the COVID-19 pandemic.METHODS A retrospective study at two tertiary academic medical centers compared outcomes between COVID ARDS patients receiving PPV and patients in the supine position.PPV patients were divided based on concurrent use of ARDS adjunct therapies resulting in four subgroups:(1)PPV alone;(2)PPV and IVd;(3)PPV and NMBA;and(4)PPV,IVd,and NMBA.Primary outcomes were hospital and intensive care unit(ICU)length of stay(LOS),mortality,and venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(VV-ECMO)status.Secondary outcomes included changes in lung mechanics at 24-hour intervals for 7 days.RESULTS Total 114 patients were included in this study.Baseline respiratory parameters and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores were significantly worse in the PPV group.ICU LOS and LOS were significantly longer for patients who were proned,but no mortality benefit or difference in VV-ECMO status was found.Among the subgroups,no difference in primary outcomes were found.In the secondary analysis,PPV was associated with a significant improvement in arterial oxygen partial pressure(PaO_(2))/fractional inspired oxygen(FiO_(2))(P/F)ratio from day 1 to day 4(P<0.05)and higher driving pressures day 5 to day 7(P<0.05).The combination of PPV and IVd together resulted in improvements in P/F ratio from day 1 to day 7 and plateau pressure on day 4 and day 6(P<0.05).PPV with NMBA was not associated with improvements in any of the secondary outcomes.The use of all three rescue therapies together resulted in improvements in lung compliance on day 2(P<0.05)but no other improvements.CONCLUSION In mechanically ventilated patients diagnosed with moderate to severe COVID ARDS,PPV and PPV with the addition of IVd produced a significant and sustained increase in P/F ratio.The combination of PPV,IVd and NMBA improved compliance however this did not reach significance.Mortality and LOS did not improve with adjunct therapies.Further research is warranted to determine the efficacy of these therapies alone and in combination in the treatment of COVID ARDS.
基金Supported by National Undergraduate Training Programs for Innovation and Entrepreneurship(202510580009)Special Project for Promoting the Coordinated Development of Urban and Rural Areas and Regions by Introducing Scientific and Technological Achievements of Guangdong Province into Counties and Towns(2025B0202010051)Project of High-quality Development in Hundred Counties,Thousands Towns and Ten Thousand Villages of Guangdong Provincial Department of Science and Technology:Key Dispatch Project for Rural Science and Technology Commissioners(KTP20240704).
文摘Given that the citrus psyllid is the primary vector of citrus Huanglongbing(HLB),there is an urgent need to control this pest to mitigate the spread of the disease.This paper reviews the current research on two predominant control strategies:chemical control and biological control agents,in managing the citrus psyllid.It emphasizes the mechanisms of action,efficacy,and application advancements of these control methods.Finally,the paper analyzes the principal challenges associated with the sustainable management of citrus psyllids and offers perspectives for future research.
基金funding this work through the Large Research Group Project under grant number RGP.02/513/45.
文摘Acquired immune deficiency syndrome(AIDS)is the name used to describe several potentially life-threatening infections and disorders that happen when HIV has severely compromised the immune system.The primary effect of HIV is to decrease host immunity,exposing the host to external pathogens.The development of pharmaceutical drugs that directly cure the infection is crucial because of the current wide-ranging epidemic of HIV.Most therapeutic anti-HIV drugs are nucleosides.However,their high toxicity and potential for drug resistance restrict their use.Many of the most effective clinical drugs used to inhibit HIV,the activation of latent HIV,and AIDS have been obtained from natural sources.This review focuses on potential natural medicinal products for treating and managing HIV and AIDS.Notwithstanding,further clinical research studies are needed to understand the subject and its dynamics.
文摘Energy security is the association between national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption.Access to cheaper energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies.However,the uneven distribution of energy supplies among countries has led to significant challenges.International energy relations have contributed to the globalization of the world,leading to energy security and energy vulnerability at the same time.The first article in Science Direct for energy security appeared in 1993 with authors from USA.Gradually the number of articles and their origin increases.In 2024 we observe a boom of these publications-30(not only in Science Direct)and one planned for 2025.The recent article explores these publications and sorts them by origin and content.The content is distributed in five topics:computer technologies impact,artificial intelligence applications,environmental management and energy security,economics and policy for energy security,and emerging technologies for energy security.Since the share of AI usage is relatively small the author suggests scenarios for AI agents’application in various situations concerning environmental decisions,failures,cyber-attacks,performance,and pricing.
基金supported by the Deputyship for Research&Innovation,Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia(Project No.MoE-IF-UJ-R2-22-04220773-1).
文摘Domain randomization is a widely adopted technique in deep reinforcement learning(DRL)to improve agent generalization by exposing policies to diverse environmental conditions.This paper investigates the impact of different reset strategies,normal,non-randomized,and randomized,on agent performance using the Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient(DDPG)and Twin Delayed DDPG(TD3)algorithms within the CarRacing-v2 environment.Two experimental setups were conducted:an extended training regime with DDPG for 1000 steps per episode across 1000 episodes,and a fast execution setup comparing DDPG and TD3 for 30 episodes with 50 steps per episode under constrained computational resources.A step-based reward scaling mechanism was applied under the randomized reset condition to promote broader state exploration.Experimental results showthat randomized resets significantly enhance learning efficiency and generalization,with DDPG demonstrating superior performance across all reset strategies.In particular,DDPG combined with randomized resets achieves the highest smoothed rewards(reaching approximately 15),best stability,and fastest convergence.These differences are statistically significant,as confirmed by t-tests:DDPG outperforms TD3 under randomized(t=−101.91,p<0.0001),normal(t=−21.59,p<0.0001),and non-randomized(t=−62.46,p<0.0001)reset conditions.The findings underscore the critical role of reset strategy and reward shaping in enhancing the robustness and adaptability of DRL agents in continuous control tasks,particularly in environments where computational efficiency and training stability are crucial.
基金funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology,Taiwan,grant number(MOST 111-2221-E167-025-MY2).
文摘The Internet of Everything(IoE)coupled with Proactive Artificial Intelligence(AI)-Based Learning Agents(PLAs)through a cloud processing system is an idea that connects all computing resources to the Internet,making it possible for these devices to communicate with one another.Technologies featured in the IoE include embedding,networking,and sensing devices.To achieve the intended results of the IoE and ease life for everyone involved,sensing devices and monitoring systems are linked together.The IoE is used in several contexts,including intelligent cars’protection,navigation,security,and fuel efficiency.The Smart Things Monitoring System(STMS)framework,which has been proposed for early occurrence identification and theft prevention,is discussed in this article.The STMS uses technologies based on the IoE and PLAs to continuously and remotely observe,control,and monitor vehicles.The STMS is familiar with the platform used by the global positioning system;as a result,the STMS can maintain a real-time record of current vehicle positions.This information is utilized to locate the vehicle in an accident or theft.The findings of the STMS system are promising for precisely identifying crashes,evaluating incident severity,and locating vehicles after collisions have occurred.Moreover,we formulate an ad hoc STMS network communication scenario to evaluate the efficacy of data communication by utilizing various network parameters,such as round-trip time(RTT),data packet transmission,data packet reception,and loss.From our experimentation,we obtained an improved communication efficiency for STMS across multiple PLAs compared to the standard greedy routing and traditional AODV approaches.Our framework facilitates adaptable solutions with communication competence by deploying Proactive PLAs in a cloud-connected smart vehicular environment.
基金the FRC grant(UBD/RSCH/1.4/FICBF(b)/2023/059)received from Universiti Brunei Darussalam,Brunei Darussalam。
文摘The syntheses of Gd(OH)_(3)and Gd(OH)_(3)-based nanomaterials have been reported and these materials have been developed as excellent MRI contrast agents.Due to the close interrelation between their morphology and properties,it has resulted in the development of various particle sizes and shapes of Gd(OH)_(3)and Gd(OH)_(3)-based nanomaterials.This has led to the extension of the uses of the materials to photocatalysis,drug delivery,and CT image contrast agents.Accordingly,these applications have been compiled and discussed in depth in this review.The potential of these materials in the above applications has started to attract significant attention.Moreover,the compilation of in-vitro toxicity studies from the literature was also discussed to facilitate the biocompatibility of the developed Gd(OH)_(3)nanomaterials.However,despite the rapid progress of Gd(OH)_(3)and Gd(OH)_(3)-based nanomaterials,there are still knowledge gaps in certain areas.Therefore,this review provides insights into the recent development of Gd(OH)_(3)and Gd(OH)_(3)-based nanomaterials to aid in accelerating novel developments.
基金funded by the project of Scientific Research Start-up Funds for Doctoral Talents of Zhaotong University-Mingzheng Duan,Grant number:202406Young Talent Project of Talent Support Program for the Development of Yunnan,Grant number:210604199008271015.
文摘Plants have long served as a cornerstone for drug discovery,offering a vast repertoire of bioactive compounds with proven efficacy in combating oxidative stress,a pivotal driver of chronic diseases such as cancer,diabetes,cardiovascular disorders,and neurodegenerative conditions.This review synthesizes current knowledge on plant-derived antioxidants,emphasizing their mechanisms,therapeutic potential,and quantitative efficacy validated through standardized assays.Key phytochemicals,including polyphenols,carotenoids,flavonoids,and terpenoids,neutralize reactive oxygen species(ROS)through radical scavenging,enzyme modulation,and gene regulation.For instance,lutein,a carotenoid found in leafy greens,demonstrates potent antioxidant activity with IC50 values of 1.75μg/mL against hydroxyl radicals and 2.2μg/mL in lipid peroxidation inhibition,underscoring its role in mitigating cardiovascular and ocular diseases.Similarly,quercetin,a ubiquitous flavonoid in onions and berries,exhibits remarkable ROS-scavenging capacity,with IC50 values of 0.55μg/mL,2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH)and 1.17μg/mL,2,2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)(ABTS),supporting its use in reducing inflammation and neurodegeneration.The therapeutic promise of these compounds extends to disease-specific applications.Limonoids from citrus fruits,such as limonin(IC_(50)15-31μg/mL),enhance Phase II detoxification enzymes,offering protection against chemical carcinogens.Sulforaphane,a glucosinolate derived from cruciferous vegetables,shows potent anticancer activity with an IC50 of 85.66 mg in DPPH radical scavenging,whileβ-sitosterol(IC_(50)1.43-2.42 mM)inhibits tumor proliferation and cholesterol synthesis.Synergistic interactions further amplify their efficacy:phytoestrogens like genistein(IC_(50)13.00 ppm)and terpenoids such asα-pinene(IC_(50)12.57 mg/mL)collectively enhance antiinflammatory and antimicrobial responses,illustrating the multi-targeted nature of plant-based therapies.Beyond disease prevention,these compounds address age-related decline.Ascorbic acid(vitamin C),with an IC50 of 11.81μg/mL for antioxidant activity,mitigates skin aging and accelerates wound healing,while seleniumnanoparticles(IC_(50)0.437μg/mL)bolster immune function and reduce chemotherapy-induced toxicity.Dietary fibers,exemplified by sugar beet fibers(IC_(50)52.32μg/mL for DPPH scavenging),further contribute to cardiovascular health by lowering Low-Density Lipoprotein(LDL)cholesterol.This review not only catalogs the antioxidant prowess of phytochemicals but also highlights their translational potential.Advances in nanotechnology,such as nano-formulated curcumin,have overcome bioavailability challenges,enhancing clinical applicability.By integrating quantitative metrics(e.g.,IC50,radical scavenging rates)with mechanistic insights,this work bridges the gap between traditional knowledge and modern pharmacology.
基金Supported by the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic,Grant/Award Number:NU22-05-00475 and NV19-05-00214。
文摘Background:In view of the ever-increasing representation of Staphylococcus spp.strains resistant to various antibiotics,the development of in vivo models for evaluation of novel antimicrobials is of utmost importance.Methods:In this article,we describe the development of a fully immunocompetent porcine model of extensive skin and soft tissue damage suitable for testing topical anti-microbial agents that matches the real clinical situation.The model was developed in three consecutive stages with protocols for each stage amended based on the results of the previous one.Results:In the final model,10 excisions of the skin and underlying soft tissue were created in each pig under general anesthesia,with additional incisions to the fascia performed at the base of the defects and immediately inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus suspension.One pig was not inoculated and used as the negative control.Subsequently,the bandages were changed on Days 4,8,11,and 15.At these time points,a filter paper imprint technique(FPIT)was made from each wound for semi-quantitative microbiological evaluation.Tissue samples from the base of the wound together with the adjacent intact tissue of three randomly selected defects of each pig were taken for microbiological,histopathological,and molecular-biological examination.The infection with the inoculated S.aureus strains was sufficient during the whole experiment as confirmed by both FPIT and from tissue samples.The dynamics of the inflammatory markers and clinical signs of infection are also described.Conclusions:A successfully developed porcine model is suitable for in vivo testing of novel short-acting topical antimicrobial agents.
基金supported by the Bridging Grant from Universiti Sains Malaysia (R501LR-RND003–0000001319–0000)funding through the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS/1/2020/TK0/USM/02/32–6171275) awarded by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia
文摘Current treatments for glioblastoma face challenges such as the blood-brain barrier and lack of targeted therapy,compounded by the aggressive nature,high invasiveness,and heterogeneity of the disease.Exosomes,a subtype of extracellular vesicles are emerging as promising nanocarrier drug delivery systems to address these limitations.Exosomes released by all cell types can be easily obtained and modified as delivery vehicles or therapeutic agents.A systematic review was conducted to evaluate various methods for exosome isolation,characterization,engineering or modification,drug loading and delivery efficiency,including exosome biodistribution and treatment efficacy.A search of four databases for in vitro and in vivo studies(2000–,2023)identified 6165 records,of which 23 articles were found eligible and included for analyses.Most studies applied ultracentrifugation(UC)for exosomes isolation.Cancer cell lines being the most frequently used source of exosomes,followed by stem cells.The incubation approach was predominantly utilized to modify exosomes for drug loading.In vivo analysis showed that exosome biodistribution was primarily concentrated in the brain region,peaking in the first 6 h and remained moderately high.Compared to native exosomes and untreated control groups,utilizing modified native exosomes(cargo loaded)for treating glioblastoma disease models led to more pronounced suppression of tumor growth and proliferation,enhanced stimulation of immune response and apoptosis,effective restoration of drug chemosensitivity,increased anti-tumor effect and prolonged survival rates.Modified exosomes whether through incubation,sonication,transfection,freeze-thawing or their combination,improve targeted delivery and therapeutic efficacy against glioblastoma.
基金supported by the Key Program(31630060)Fund for Excellent Young Scholars(31230068)General Program(31672079 and 31501700) of the National Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘Biological control(biocontrol) is a safe, sustainable approach that takes advantage of natural enemies such as predators, parasitic insects or pathogens to manage pests in agroecosystems. Parasitoid wasps, a very large evolutionary group of hymenopteran insects, are well-known biological control agents for arthropod pests in agricultural and forest ecosystems. Here, we summarize the recent progress on the application of parasitoid wasps in biocontrol in China for the last five years. These include species diversity of parasitoid wasps, identification of dominant parasitoid wasps associated with insect pests and biocontrol practices(three types of biological control, i.e., classical, augmentative and conservation biological control) in several Chinese agroecosystems. We then treat different mass-rearing and release technologies and the commercialization of several parasitoid wasp species. We also summarize other work that may have a potential use in biocontrol, including the effect of plant volatiles on parasitoids and recent advance in the molecular mechanisms underlying the host regulation by parasitoid wasps. Future research area and applied perspectives are also discussed, noting that advances in biocontrol technologies in Chinese agriculture informs research at the global level.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.82171260,81641042,81471240the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province,Nos.LZ22H090002 and 2014C33170(all to ZH)。
文摘Neuroscientists have recognized the importance of astrocytes in regulating neurological function and their influence on the release of glial transmitters.Few studies,however,have focused on the effects of general anesthetic agents on neuroglia or astrocytes.Astrocytes can also be an important target of general anesthetic agents as they exert not only sedative,analgesic,and amnesic effects but also mediate general anesthetic-induced neurotoxicity and postoperative cognitive dysfunction.Here,we analyzed recent advances in understanding the mechanism of general anesthetic agents on astrocytes,and found that exposure to general anesthetic agents will destroy the morphology and proliferation of astrocytes,in addition to acting on the receptors on their surface,which not only affect Ca^(2+)signaling,inhibit the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and lactate from astrocytes,but are even involved in the regulation of the pro-and anti-inflammatory processes of astrocytes.These would obviously affect the communication between astrocytes as well as between astrocytes and neighboring neurons,other neuroglia,and vascular cells.In this review,we summarize how general anesthetic agents act on neurons via astrocytes,and explore potential mechanisms of action of general anesthetic agents on the nervous system.We hope that this review will provide a new direction for mitigating the neurotoxicity of general anesthetic agents.
文摘Purpose: To investigate 1) the development in the incidence of ESBL-producing bacteria in hospitals and primary health care, 2) the contribution of primary health care to the incidence of ESBL-producing bacteria, and 3) the development in resistance patterns for all Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in relation to antimicrobial consumption in hospitals and primary health care. Methods: ESBL-data were retrospectively collected from bacterial isolates from all specimens received at the Department of Clinical Microbiology from 2003 to 2011 together with the corresponding patient data. ESBL-production was detected in isolates from 1067 of 59,373 patients (1.8%) with an E. coli infection and in 263 of 8660 patients (3.0%) with a K. pneumoniae infection. Results: From 2003 to 2009, an increase in patients with an ESBL-producing isolate occurred in both hospitals and primary health care at the same time as an increased consumption of broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents was seen. Interventions to reduce prescription of cephalosporins and ciprofloxacin at the hospitals from 2010 resulted in a remarkable decrease in patients with ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae whereas a continuing increase was seen in patients with ESBL-producing E. coli both at hospitals and in primary health care. The proportion of patients with community-acquired ESBL-producing E. coli was stable with an increase of only 1.4% from 2007 to 2011. Conclusions: Reduction in prescription of broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents at the hospital level had an important impact on the incidence of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae, but not on ESBL-producing E. coli.
文摘Nanolipid carriers and traditional emulsion containing chemical sunscreens were prepared using emulsification combined with ultrasonic technology.The nanolipid carriers showed superior performance in sunscreen encapsulation,slow release and skin impermeability,and provided an excellent nanolipid slow-release encapsulation system for sunscreens.As observed by transmission electron microscopy,the nanolipid carriers were spherical shape,with smooth surface and uniform distribution,and the particle sizes were mainly concentrated in the range of 230 to 250 nm without agglomeration.The nanolipid carriers significantly improved the sunscreen performance through the synergistic effect of scattering and chemical absorption,and showed better UV stability than traditional sunscreen,indicating their photoprotective function.In vitro release experiments showed that the nano-lipidic carriers exhibited better release control when loaded with octyl methoxycinnamate(OMC)and butylmethoxydibenzoylmethane(BDFM)sunscreens than traditional traditional emulsions,with the cumulative release rate of OMC in the nano-lipidic carriers decreasing by 17.17% to 30.24% within 12 hours,and that of BDFM decreasing by 26.67% to 44.67%.26.67% to 44.16%.The results of the in vitro permeation experiment further confirmed that the nanolipid carriers could effectively encapsulate the sunscreens and prevent them from penetrating the skin barrier,thus reducing the skin irritation.Compared with traditional traditional emulsion,the cumulative penetration of OMC in nanostructured lipid carriers was 2.24μg/cm^(2)in 4 hours,while the cumulative penetration was reduced by 68.05%.The cumulative penetration of BDFM in the nanostructured lipid carrier was 3.24μg/cm^(2),with a 64.04%reduction in cumulative penetration.
文摘Anemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common, causing morbidity and mortality, and is primarily due to reduced erythropoietin (EPO) release and, to a lesser degree, shortened red cell survival. Erythropoietin Stimulating Agents like epoetin Alfa and darbepoetin alpha are used commonly to treat this form of anemia. Recent evidence suggests increased morbidity and mortality associated with higher hemoglobin in the setting of these agents use. Whether these complications are due to higher dose of erythropoietin or its resistance (i.e. inflammation), or achieving a higher hemoglobin remains unclear. Tightening restrictions on these agents has led to increase interest in the use of non-ESA adjuvants to improve erythropoiesis. This review will highlight the most promising of these agents.
基金Key Research project of Gansu Province of China(22YF7NA108)National Natural Science Foundation of China(31860549)+1 种基金Industry Supporting Project from Education Department of Gansu Province(2023CYZC-49)Major Science and Technology project of Gansu province(24ZDNA006)。
文摘【Objectives】Si and microbial application could relieve the crop replanting problems(CRPs).We further studied the change of key microorganisms that are related to the beneficial effects,aiming at provide reference for the manufacture and application of both microbial agents and Si fertilizer in food lily production.【Methods】A field experiment was conducted over a three-year period,from March 2019 to March 2022.The experimental field had been continuously cultivated with lily for 9 years.Three treatments were established:silicon fertilizer(SF),microbial agents(“Special 8^(TM)”,MF),and combined application of silicon fertilizer and microbial agents(SMF).A control group with blank soil(CK)was also included.At seedling stage of Lanzhou lilies in 2020 and 2021,the shoot and bulb dry weight,and the plant height and stem diameter of Lanzhou lilies were investigated for calculation of seedling index.In July 2020,20 plants were selected in each plot,and root zone soils were sampled at a depth of 20 cm,10 cm away from the roots,and then mixed to form a composite sample.The soil available Si and organic matter content were analyzed,and the fungal community structure and some specific microbial groups in soils were determined with high-throughput sequencing of ITS.【Results】All the three treatments significantly enhanced the lily plant growth and the seedling index,compared to CK.Besides,SF and MF treatments increased the relative abundances(RA)and diversity of fungal communities,and altered the community structures.The RA of some specific groups were found to be significantly correlated with the seedling index and/or soil available Si.Of them,the RA of the genera Fusarium,Dactylonectria,Humicola,Stilbella,and the species Humicola_grisea showed a positive correlation,while that of the genera Mortierella,Stilbella,Holtermanniella,and the species Mortierella_fatshederae showed a negative correlation with seedling index.The genera Fusarium,Stilbella,the species Humicola_grisea,and Dactylonectria_estremocensis showed a positive correlation,while the genura Stilbella,and the species Mortierella fatshederae showed a negative correlation with available Si content.In the co-occurence network of top twenty fungal genera and top sixteen bacterial genera(RA>0.2%),Holtermanniella was the only genus that interacted with the bacteria and negatively correlated with bacterial genus Blastococcus.Holtermanniella was also the most densely connected genera,followed by the genus Fusarium,Didymella and Humicola.In addition,the genus Holtermanniella was the key species connecting fungal and bacterial community in soil.Fungal functional prediction revealed that SF,MF and SMF treatments decreased plant pathogens guilds and increased the beneficial guilds Ectomycorrhizal,plant saprophyte,leaf saprophyte,and arbuscular mycorrhizal compared to CK.【Conclusions】Combined application of silicon fertilizer and microbial agents can alleviate continuous replanting problems of Lanzhou lilies through restoring the fungal community diversity,and promoting plant residue depredation,thus reducing soil born disease incidence.The beneficial genus Humicola and its one species H.grisea acts as bioconversion,and the genus Acremonium acts as plant pathogen inhibitor.
基金2024 Academic Research of Zhejiang Technical Institute of Economics:“Spillover Effects of Multimodal AI Agents on Green School Development”(Project No.:X2024038)2024-2025 Research and Creative Project,Department of Culture and Tourism:“The Application of Digital Information Technology in Safety Early Warning and Supervision of Cultural Relics in Zhejiang,China”(Project No.:2024KYY045)2024 General Research Project of Zhejiang Provincial Department of Education:“Empirical Research on Low-Carbon Economy Driving the Development of New Quality Productivity:A Case Study of Zhejiang Province”(Project No.:Y202456145)。
文摘The integration of Green Artificial Intelligence(AI)technologies into educational systems offers a promising avenue to enhance operational efficiency while addressing sustainability challenges.Through a rigorous three-phase methodology combining literature review,AI agent development,and participatory workshop-based case analysis,this paper highlights the pivotal role of AI agents,as applications of Green AI technologies,in driving transformative outcomes within schools.By directly improving self-learning efficiency and reducing learning costs for students,enhancing management and service efficiency,reducing labor costs for schools,as well as minimizing resource dependence for both teachers and students,AI agents create a foundation for sustainable operations.These direct effects generate positive spillover effects,cascading into broader outcomes,including innovation performance,economic efficiency,and environmental sustainability,aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).By presenting a comprehensive conceptual model,this study demonstrates the pathways through which Green AI contributes to sustainable development in education and emphasizes its critical role in bridging technological innovation with sustainability.This framework provides significant theoretical insights for further empirical research while offering actionable strategies for policymakers and educators to harness Green AI for building sustainable schools with a student-centered approach.
基金Supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.82273986Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province,No.LYY22H310014.
文摘Exploration of immunosuppressive agents for the treatment of diabetes is a burgeoning field that has captured the attention of the medical community.The innovative approach of using these agents to combat diabetes is driven by their diverse capabilities to regulate the immune system,which is pivotal for disease pathogenesis.The primary objective is to enhance the management of blood glucose levels,which is a critical factor in the daily life of diabetic patients.This comprehensive review delves into the therapeutic horizons opened by immunosuppressive agents,particularly their potential impact on type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus,and their utility in the transplantation process.The complex etiology of diabetes,which involves a delicate interplay of genetic,environmental,and immunological factors,presents a multifaceted target landscape for these therapies.The agents discussed in the review,including CD3 inhibitors,cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4-immunoglobulin G,Janus kinase inhibitors,anti-thymocyte globulin,tumor necrosis factor-αinhibitors,CD20 inhibitors,alefacept,and alemtuzumab,each bring a unique mechanism to the table,offering a tailored approach to immune modulation.As research progresses,emphasis is being placed on evaluating the long-term efficacy and safety of these agents to pave the way for more personalized and effective diabetes management strategies.
