Preparation and Formation Mechanism Study of Antibiofilm Coating Based on Phase Transition of Glutenin.

The surface of food processing equipment is easily affected by biofilm-forming bacteria, leading to cross-contamination and food safety hazards. The critical issue is how to endow the surface of contact materials with antibacterial and antibiofilm abilities. A sustainable, stable, and antibiofilm coating was prepared by phase transition of glutenin. The disulfide bonds in glutenin were reduced by tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine, triggering the phase transition of glutenin. Hydrophobic interactions and intermolecular disulfide bonds may be the primary forces. Furthermore, the phase-transited products formed a nanoscale coating on the surface of stainless steel and glass under their own adhesion force and gravity. The coating exhibited good stability in harsh environments. More importantly, after 3 h of direct contact, the colony of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus decreased by one logarithm. The amount of biofilm was observed to be significantly decreased through optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. This article provides a foundational module for developing novel coatings.

Experiences of patients, parents, and healthcare professionals in the process of transitioning from hospital to community after inpatient pediatric rehabilitation among children with special health care needs.

PURPOSE: Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) may experience disruptions in education due to extended hospitalizations. The purpose of this study was to describe how CSHCN experience educational supports during inpatient rehabilitation and identify the ongoing challenges when planning to return to school. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Semi-structured focus groups were conducted with parents (n = 12), former patients (n = 20), and rehabilitation professionals (n = 8). RESULTS: Through qualitative thematic analysis based on descriptive phenomenology, we developed three themes: 1) Inpatient educational support such as instruction and schoolwork helped reduce the learning loss during hospitalization. However, these supports were sometimes complicated by lags in school approvals and challenges in coordination between systems. 2) Transition planning involved establishing necessary services to support CSHCN's educational and healthcare needs at school re-entry. However, families reported limited information and guidance as key barriers. 3) Dynamic courses of school re-entry required continued support after discharge. The participants recommended that reassessment and adjustment of transition plans were often necessary to account for evolving developmental and educational needs but were not always received. CONCLUSIONS: There is an ongoing need to improve communication between clinicians and educators, information for families, and long-term follow-up on the changing educational needs for CSHCN after rehabilitation.

School re-entry after extended hospitalization is challenging for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) due to school disruption, social disconnection, and change in functional abilities.The hospital-to-school transition processes include inpatient educational programs during hospitalization, pre-discharge transition planning, and the subsequent implementation and adjustment of transition plans to facilitate individualized school re-entry.Key areas in need of improving school re-entry include coordination between the hospital and school about rehabilitation and educational goals and information provided to families about transition processes, particularly for newly acquired health conditions.A common need expressed by parents and CSHCN is to simplify and accelerate the process to establish services that support children's educational and healthcare needs.

Deciphering the interactions between altertoxins and glutenin based on molecular dynamic simulation: inspiration from detection.

BACKGROUND: Mycotoxin contamination of food has been gaining increasing attention. Hidden mycotoxins that interact with biological macromolecules in food could make the detection of mycotoxins less accurate, potentially leading to the underestimation of the total exposure risk. Interactions of the mycotoxins alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) with high-molecular glutenin were explored in this study. RESULTS: The recovery rates of AOH and AME (1, 2, and 10 µg kg-1) in three types of grains (rice, corn, and wheat) were relatively low. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations indicated that AOH and AME bound to glutenin spontaneously. Hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking were the primary interaction forces at the binding sites. Alternariol with one additional hydroxyl group exhibited stronger binding affinity to glutenin than AME when analyzing average local ionization energy. The average interaction energy between AOH and glutenin was -80.68 KJ mol-1, whereas that of AME was -67.11 KJ mol-1. CONCLUSION: This study revealed the mechanisms of the interactions between AOH (or AME) and high-molecular glutenin using MD and molecular docking. This could be useful in the development of effective methods to detect pollution levels. These results could also play an important role in the evaluation of the toxicological properties of bound altertoxins. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Desensitization Strategies for Donor-Specific Antibodies in HLA-Mismatched Stem Cell Transplantation Recipients: What We Know and What We Do Not Know.

In human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-mismatched allogeneic stem cell transplantation settings, donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSAs) can independently lead to graft failure, including both primary graft rejection and primary poor graft function. Although several strategies, such as plasma exchange, intravenous immunoglobulin, rituximab, and bortezomib, have been used for DSA desensitization, the effectiveness of desensitization and transplantation outcomes in some patients remain unsatisfactory. In this review, we summarized recent research on the prevalence of anti-HLA antibodies and the underlying mechanism of DSAs in the pathogenesis of graft failure. We mainly focused on desensitization strategies for DSAs, especially novel methods that are being investigated in the preclinical stage and those with promising outcomes after preliminary clinical application.

Predicting sports performance of elite female football players through smart wearable measurement platform.

Recent development of information technology and wearable devices has led to the analysis of multidimensional sports information and the enhancement of athletes' sports performance convenient and potentially more efficient. In this study, we present a novel data platform tailored for capturing athletes' cognitive, physiological, and body composition data. This platform incorporates diverse visualization modes, enabling athletes and coaches to access data seamlessly. Fourteen elite female football players (average age=20.6±1.3years; 3 forwards, 5 midfielders, 4 defenders, and 2 goalkeepers) were recruited from National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan, as the primary observational group, and 12 female university students without regular sport/exercise habits (average age=21.6±1.3years) were recruited as control group. Through multidimensional data analysis, we identified significant differences in limb muscle mass and several cognitive function scores (e.g., reaction times of attention and working memory) between elite female football varsity team and general female university students. Furthermore, 1-month heart rate data obtained from wearable devices revealed a significant negative correlation between average heart rate median and cognitive function scores. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of this platform as an efficient multidimensional data collection and analysis platform. Therefore, valuable insights between cognitive functions, physiological signals and body composition can be obtained via this multidimensional platform for facilitating sports performance.

Association between physical activity, body composition, and cognitive performance among female office workers.

Regular physical activity can potentially prevent cognitive decline. While most studies focused on the general decline of the elderly and child and adolescent population, aging is a gradual process and cognitive decline can commence in middle age. Other than the middle-aged working population, gender-specific nuances are another overlooked area regarding the relationship between physical activity and cognitive performance. Therefore, this study examines the associations and benefits of maintaining regular physical activity habits with cognitive function and body composition in middle-aged female office workers. The results show that middle-aged females exhibited age-related declines in working memory, while no significant age-related changes are observed in reaction time and executive function. However, the regular exercise group demonstrates the ability to maintain their cognitive performance across age, unlike the sedentary group, who experiences declines in reaction time and executive function with age. Our findings highlight the significant impact of age on specific cognitive functions in middle-aged females and the positive influence of regular exercise on cognitive performance. Furthermore, this study demonstrates the potential of "the Brain Gym" App for efficient cognitive function assessment. The findings underscore the importance of regular exercise for cognitive well-being in middle-aged females and provide valuable insights into the relationship between body composition and cognitive function.

Interaction behavior, mechanisms and hazardous changes of microplastics on single and binary component pesticide in the environment and food: Diethofencarb and pyrimethanil.

In order to investigate the adsorption behavior and mechanism of microplastics (MPs) on multiple coexisting pesticides in practical systems, as well as their hazardous changes upon binding, diethofencarb and pyrimethanil were selected to be studied with four MPs. The adsorption rate of both pesticides would be faster in the binary-component case, conforming to pseudo-second-order kinetics, with adsorption sites and chemical adsorption dominating. And the more hydrophobic the pesticide, the faster the adsorption rate and the higher the adsorption capacity. Diethofencarb belonged to monolayer adsorption, whereas pyrimethanil belonged to monomolecular combined with multilayer adsorption, depending on the size of pesticides. And the adsorption process was both competitive and synergistic when pesticides coexist. In addition, the adsorption process was a spontaneous heat absorption process. Electrostatic forces have little effect on adsorption, while the adsorption capacity can be altered by the adsorption sites and hydrophobicity of MPs. The salting-out effect also facilitated the adsorption process. As for changes in hazard, the bioluminescence of A. fischeri wasn't significantly inhibited, lacking of acute environmental toxicity. However, in vitro digestion experiments demonstrated a significant increase in bioavailability of diethofencarb and pyrimethanil in combination with MPs. These findings suggest the stronger adsorption behaviors and higher loading capacities between pesticides and MPs could lead more serious hazards to the human body, which deserves further attention.

[Next-Generation Intelligent Care Opportunities].

Nursing information systems are becoming increasingly prevalent in our medical institutions. However, changes in the social environment and imbalances between the demands of caregivers and care recipients mean that current nursing information systems are inadequate in terms of quality and operational needs. This article was written to provide insights into opportunities to leverage technology to further promote care quality by applying a "data, information, knowledge, and wisdom" system development structure to develop intelligent technology products that equitably meet the needs of patients, caregivers, and nursing processes. Applied in clinical settings, these products should help satisfy patient needs and facilitate nursing work.

Bioinspired Tumor Calcification-Guided Early Diagnosis and Eradication of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Tumor calcification is found to be associated with the benign prognostic, and which shows considerable promise as a somewhat predictive index of the tumor response clinically. However, calcification is still a missing area in clinical cancer treatment. A specific strategy is proposed for inducing tumor calcification through the synergy of calcium peroxide (CaO2)-based microspheres and transcatheter arterial embolization for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The persistent calcium stress in situ specifically leads to powerful tumor calcioptosis, resulting in diffuse calcification and a high-density shadow on computed tomography that enables clear localization of the in vivo tumor site and partial delineation of tumor margins in an orthotopic HCC rabbit model. This osmotic calcification can facilitate tumor clinical diagnosis, which is of great significance in differentiating tumor response during early follow-up periods. Proteome and phosphoproteome analysis identify that calreticulin (CALR) is a crucial target protein involved in tumor calcioptosis. Further fluorescence molecular imaging analysis also indicates that CALR can be used as a prodromal marker of calcification to predict tumor response at an earlier stage in different preclinical rodent models. These findings suggest that upregulated CALR in association with tumor calcification, which may be broadly useful for quick visualization of tumor response.

Rapid magnetization and removal of microplastics from environment and food based on magnetic metal-organic framework Fe3O4@SiO2@MIL-53(Al).

Microplastics (MPs) are now not only emerging as pollutants in the environment, but their current state of contamination in food is also a cause for concern. It is necessary to focus how to control, reduce, and even remove MPs. In this study, a magnetic metal-organic framework (MOF) material, Fe3O4@SiO2@MIL-53(Al), was synthesized and applied to simulate the magnetization and removal of four types of MPs. Fe3O4@SiO2@MIL-53(Al) was characterized by various means to demonstrate its successful synthesis as a core-shell nanomaterial. The conditions of the method were optimized by examining the effect of time, the mass ratio of material to MPs, temperature, and pH on the removal effect. The removal rates of four MPs were 54.10-94.17%, and the maximum adsorption capacities of Fe3O4@SiO2@MIL-53(Al) that can be adsorbed were 10511.45-44390.24 mg g-1. Notably, the material can effectively magnetize and remove MPs from liquid food containing alcohol with highest efficiency of 97.10 ± 1.21%. Potential adsorption mechanisms were analyzed using kinetic, isothermal, and thermodynamic models, and electrostatic attraction and hydrogen bonding were found to play a dominant role in the adsorption process. In addition, not only can Fe3O4@SiO2@MIL-53(Al) be reused up to five times to maintain high removal rates, but it can also be used in food systems. Therefore, Fe3O4@SiO2@MIL-53(Al) not only has the advantages of ease of use and stability, but also can efficiently and quickly magnetize and remove many common MPs in more complex matrices such as food.

Development and adaptation of a strength-based job interview training tool for transition age youth on the autism spectrum using community engaged methods.

Introduction: Kessler Foundation Strength Identification and Expression (KF-STRIDE) is a strength-based job interview training tool developed for young adults on the autism spectrum. The intervention is based on a positive psychology framework to increase knowledge of character strengths, and how to relate them to a future employer. The current study sought to evaluate the acceptability, usability and feasibility of KF-STRIDE, as well as to guide adaptations to improve the tool's ability to meet the needs of those on the spectrum. Methods: Mixed methods (post-intervention surveys, and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders) were used to inform the evaluation and consequent adaptations of KF-STRIDE. Results: The major findings of the study were that KF-STRIDE was found to be largely acceptable and usable. Importantly, however, our qualitative analysis revealed modifications that could help to better suit the needs of young adults on the spectrum, which included the incorporation of additional skills (i.e. etiquette, practicing hygiene) and more opportunities to practice job interviewing. Thus, we altered the implementation of the intervention to be web-based to improve accessibility. We incorporated the presence of an animated character to deliver the content, to eliminate the need for a highly trained interventionist. Discussion: KF-STRIDE was modified to increase access by incorporating feedback from the autism community. Future directions include assessing the efficacy of KF-STRIDE in young adults on the spectrum to identify whether employment outcomes are improved after using the tool.

Interventions for Developing Positive Mental Health in Autistic Individuals (2013-2021).

Systematic Review Briefs provide a summary of the findings from systematic reviews developed in conjunction with the American Occupational Therapy Association's Evidence-Based Practice Program. Each systematic review brief summarizes the evidence on a theme related to a systematic review topic. This systematic review brief presents findings to support or improve positive mental health for autistic1 individuals.

Interventions That Foster Self-Determination in Autistic Individuals (2013-2021).

Systematic Review Briefs provide a summary of the findings from systematic reviews developed in conjunction with the American Occupational Therapy Association's (AOTA's) Evidence-Based Practice Program. Each Systematic Review Brief summarizes the evidence on a theme related to a systematic review topic. This Systematic Review Brief presents findings from a systematic review that examined interventions to support and improve self-determination for autistic1 individuals.

"A different environment for success:" a mixed-methods exploration of social participation outcomes among adolescents on the autism spectrum in an inclusive, interest-based school club.

Background: Adolescents on the autism spectrum often experience challenges participating socially in inclusive education. The majority of school-based social supports focuses on social skills training, although research shows that students on the spectrum prefer activity-based social groups over social instructions. Thus, activity-based school clubs incorporating student interests may support social participation. Method: This mixed-methods study explored the preliminary social participation outcomes of adolescents on the spectrum in an inclusive Maker Club at three public schools. The quantitative phase examined longitudinal social behavior rates throughout the school club among students (n = 12). The qualitative phase interviewed six teachers in three schools (n = 6) to explore teacher perceptions of student social outcomes compared to general classrooms and program outcomes associated with the programs. Results: Mixed-effects modeling revealed increased social response rates and social reciprocity over time in both students on the spectrum and non-autistic peers without any group differences. Teachers reported that students on the spectrum engaged more socially than in general classrooms and attributed the positive outcomes to activities encouraging shared interests and the flexible social environment. Conclusions: Inclusive school clubs incorporating shared interests and joint activities among students may socially support students on the spectrum in inclusive education.

Transfer Timing and the Length of Medication Weaning for Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Many infants with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) from prenatal exposure to opioids require transfer to a pediatric inpatient unit for medication weaning. The purpose of this study is to assess the difference in the duration of medication weaning between infants transferred by day of life (DOL) 14 versus later (DOL 15 and after) to a tertiary care setting for pharmacological and nonpharmacological management of NOWS. METHODS: This single-site retrospective cohort study uses medical chart data from infants with NOWS transferred to specialized care between May 2016 and June 2021 (n = 87). The primary outcome is length of medication weaning, calculated as the number of days between transfer from the NICU to a tertiary care setting and the cessation of pharmacotherapy. RESULTS: The majority of the infants in this sample are transferred from acute to tertiary care after DOL 15 (62% versus 38% by DOL 14). The predicted number of days to wean is 14.2 among those infants transferred by DOL 14, whereas the duration of weaning is 6.6 days longer among the later transfer group (20.8 days), adjusting for key covariates. The duration of weaning is also prolonged among infants with greater NOWS symptom severity and with prenatal exposure to psychotropic medications. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed treatment prolongs NOWS symptoms and increases the burden on the health care system. Earlier referral from NICUs to pediatric inpatient units with environmental supports could reduce prolonged medication exposure and length of hospitalization for infants diagnosed with NOWS.

The impact of modified polystyrene on lysozyme fibrillation studied by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS).

Nanoplastics could modulate the fibrillation of amyloid proteins. However, many chemical functional groups are adsorbed to change the interfacial chemistry of nanoplastics in the real world. Herein, this study aimed to investigate the effects of polystyrene (PS), carboxyl modified PS (PS-COOH), and amino modified PS (PS-NH2) on the fibrillation of hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL). Due to the differences in the interfacial chemistry, concentration was considered an essential factor. PS-NH2 (10 µg/mL) could promote the fibrillation of HEWL similar to PS (50 µg/mL) and PS-COOH (50 µg/mL). Moreover, promoting the primary nucleation step of amyloid fibril formation was the primary reason. The differences in spatial conformation of HEWL were characterized by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Strikingly, a particular signal of SERS of HEWL incubated with PS-NH2 at 1610 cm-1 was found due to the interaction between amino group of PS-NH2 and tryptophan (or tyrosine) of HEWL. Therefore, a new perspective was provided to understand the regulation of interfacial chemistry of nanoplastics on the fibrillation of amyloid proteins. Additionally, this study suggested that SERS could be a powerful method to investigate the interactions between proteins and nanoparticles.

Integrated Nanorod-Mediated PD-L1 Downregulation in Combination with Oxidative-Stress Immunogene Therapy against Cancer.

It is an engaging program for tumor treatment that rationalizes the specific microenvironments, activation of suppressed immune system (immune resistance/escape reversion), and synergistic target therapy. Herein, a biomimetic nanoplatform that combines oxidative stress with genetic immunotherapy to strengthen the therapeutic efficacy is developed. Ru-TePt nanorods, small interfering RNA (PD-L1 siRNA), and biomimetic cellular membrane vesicles with the targeting ability to design a multifunctional Ru-TePt@siRNA-MVs system are rationally integrated. Notably, the Fenton-like activity significantly enhances Ru-TePt nanorods sonosensitization, thus provoking stronger oxidative stress to kill cells directly. Meanwhile, immunogenic cell death is triggered to secrete numerous cytokines and activate T cells. The effective catalase characteristics of Ru-TePt enable the in situ oxygen-producing pump to improve tumor oxygen level and coordinately strengthen the therapeutic effect of SDT followed. More importantly, anti-PD-L1-siRNA mediated immune checkpoint silence of the PD-L1 gene creates an environment conducive to activating cytotoxic T lymphocytes, synergistic with boosted reactive oxygen species-triggered antitumor immune response. The experimental results in vitro and in vivo reveal that the Ru-TePt@siRNA-MVs nanosystems can effectively activate the oxidative stress-triggered immune response and inhibit PD-1/PD-L1 axis-mediated immune resistance. Consequently, this orchestrated treatment paradigm provides valuable insights for developing potential oxidative stress and genetic immunotherapy.

The Efficacy and Safety of Oral Irrigator on the Control of Dental Plaque and Gingivitis: A Randomized, Single-Blind, Parallel-Group Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral irrigator (OI) in controlling dental plaque and gingivitis. METHODS: Ninety participants diagnosed with gingivitis were randomly assigned to two groups, given a toothbrush combined with OI (WaterPik®) (test) or a toothbrush alone (control). The Turesky-Modified Quigley-Hein Plaque Index (T-QH), Modified Gingival Index (MGI), Bleeding Index (BI), and percentage of sites with bleeding on probing (BOP%) were evaluated at baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks. The full analysis set (FAS) and per-protocol set (PPS) were analyzed. Adverse events were recorded through electronic diaries and examinations. RESULTS: Of the 90 participants, the efficacy was assessed in the following numbers (FAS/PPS): test (45/33) and control (43/38). Compared with the control, MGI, BI, and BOP% were significantly lower in the test group after 4 weeks (4 weeks: p = 0.017, p = 0.001, and p = 0.001, respectively; 8 weeks and 12 weeks: p < 0.001 for all, FAS); T-QH was significantly lower after 8 weeks (8 weeks: p = 0.033; 12 weeks: p = 0.006, FAS). Transient gingival bleeding may be associated with OI. Self-reported pain and dentin hypersensitivity symptoms were similar between groups. CONCLUSIONS: As adjuncts to toothbrushing, OI demonstrated significantly better efficacy in controlling dental plaque and gingival inflammation with no substantial safety hazards.

Exchange rate spillover, carry trades, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although it is widely accepted that exchange rates are connected, what drives these connections remains an unsettled question. We examine the interconnections and spillovers of G10 currencies over the period from January 1, 2018 to June 17, 2021. We find that the Euro and Australian dollar serve as risk transmitters whereas the Japanese yen operates as a risk recipient. During the COVID-19 pandemic period, countries with higher infection cases experience currency depreciation and transmit more currency risk to others. In response to this crisis, the Fed adopted the large-scale asset purchase program that weakened the USD and increased the demand for high-yield currencies through the portfolio rebalancing channel. The appreciation of high-yield currencies further attracts carry trades and enhances their risk transmission to low-yield currencies. Furthermore, we provide evidence to show that the COVID-19 infection cases, the Fed's policy, and carry trades are crucial determinants of exchange rate spillovers.

A Self-Assembly ICG Nanoparticle Potentiating Targeted Photothermal and Photodynamic Therapy in NSCLC.

In nonsmall cell lung cancers (NSCLC), near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging using indocyanine green (ICG) has proven to be an efficient approach for locating pulmonary nodules and pulmonary sentinel lymph nodes. However, due to a lack of tumor selectivity, ICG's use as a photosensitizer for photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) is restricted. In the current study, we aimed to develop a type of high-performance NIR nanoparticle formulated with ICG to enhance its targeted efficacy and tumor specificity on NSCLC. An ICG-osimertinib nanoparticle (ICG-Osi) was self-assembled through π-π stacking, with a size of 276 nm and a surface charge of -7.4 mV. The NIR visibility and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) targetability of the ICG-Osi was confirmed by its binding efficiency to EGFR-expressing NSCLC cells in vitro and in vivo, regardless of EGFR mutation status. The targeted effect was further confirmed in mouse xenograft models and showed an extended tumor retention time (>96 h). We demonstrated a significantly enhanced hyperthermia effect and a retained reactive oxygen species (ROS) generating ability of ICG-Osi, resulting in a 2-fold higher cell death rate than ICG alone. The ICG-Osi down-regulated GPX4 and p62 expression while up-regulating caspase-3 and beclin1 expression in NSCLC cells, indicating a complex network of cell death-related proteins. Considering the merits of simple assembly, EGFR binding efficacy, improved hyperthermia effect, and efficient cancer cell suppression, the ICG-Osi exhibits great potential for clinical application in EGFR-expressing NSCLC therapy.