Effect of saponins in Panax notoginseng (Burkill) F. H. Chen on the steroid hormone levels in the chronic unpredictable mild stress model of depression in rats.

Recent research has indicated that Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) extracted from the radix of Panax notoginseng (Burkill) F. H. Chen exert antidepressant effects. This study aimed to assess the antidepressive effects of ginsenoside Rg1 and PNS in a depression model induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). Over a period of three weeks, rats were administered ginsenoside Rg1 at a dose of 30 mg/kg and PNS at dosages ranging from 100 to 200 mg/kg body weight per day. To assess how ginsenoside Rg1 and PNS influence depression-like behaviours in rats, various assessments were conducted, including coat state evaluation, forced swim test, and elevated plus maze test. The levels of cortisol and testosterone in serum samples were analysed using the liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) method. LC-ESI-MS/MS method provides precise and accurate results. The lower limit of quantification values for cortisol and testosterone were determined as 100 and 2 pg/mL, respectively. Our data demonstrated that both ginsenoside Rg1 and PNS significantly reversed depression-like behaviour in rats by improving coat condition, reducing immobility time in the forced swim test, and increasing time spent in the open arms of the elevated plus maze test. Furthermore, ginsenoside Rg1 and PNS exhibited a regulatory effect on cortisol and testosterone levels in plasma. These findings suggest that ginsenoside Rg1 and PNS may be potential antidepressants in clinical treatment.

Effects of Bacillus subtilis supplementation on reproductive parameters during late gestation in multiparous sows.

Background and Aim: Probiotics are used at different stages of gestation to promote reproductive performance in sows. This study investigated the effect of Bacillus subtilis QST 713 supplementation during late gestation in multiparous sows on different reproductive parameters. Materials and Methods: On day 85 of gestation, 115 multiparous healthy Landrace Yorkshire sows were randomly assigned to two groups with equal parity numbers. The control group (58 sows) was fed with basal diets, and the probiotic group (57 sows) was fed with basal diets +1010 colony-forming unit (CFU) B. subtilis QST 713 from day 85 to parturition. Back fat thickness on days 85 and 110, number of total born, number of born alive, stillbirth and mummy rates, individual birth weight, litter birth weight, within-litter variation of piglet birth weight, and postpartum vaginal discharge duration were recorded and compared between the two groups. Results: The number of total born, number born alive, back fat thickness of sows before farrowing, litter weight, within-litter variation of piglet birth weight, and postpartum vaginal discharge duration were similar in both groups (p > 0.05). Dietary supplementation with B. subtilis QST 713 decreased the stillbirth rate (3.96 vs. 6.39%, p = 0.046) and born dead rate (5.12 vs. 8.57%, p = 0.035) and increased the birth weight of piglets (1552.78 vs. 1506.15 g, p = 0.049). Conclusion: Daily supplementation with 1010 CFU of B. subtilis QST 713 during late gestation in multiparous sows could increase reproductive performance by increasing birth weight and decreasing stillbirth rate.

Demand for mental health support services among health professionals in Vietnam: Lesson from COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to measure the preferences for mental health support among health professionals, their willingness to support the mental health of colleagues and associated factors. METHOD: A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed from August to October 2022 within five hospitals located in Hanoi, Vietnam. A total of 244 health professionals participated in the study. Data on socio-economic status, health and COVID-19-related characteristics, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21); and preferences for mental health support services were collected by using a structured self-reported questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression models were utilized to identify associated factors with the demand for mental support services. RESULTS: 13.9%, 17.1% and 8.6% reported having at least mild depression, anxiety and stress, respectively. There 13.9% did not seek any mental health support during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most common support included talking with friends (52.9%), family (50.8%), colleagues (47.6%) and using social networks/Internet (43.5%). There 31.1% had been aware of mental health services, but only 18.0% used this service at least once. Regarding preferences, 47.3% had a demand for mental support services, and the most preferred service was providing coping skills (25.9%), followed by skills to support others against mental problems (22.2%). Major sources of support included psychiatrists (34.4%), colleagues (29.1%) and family (27.9%). The main preferred channels for support included telephone/mobile phone (35.7%) and Internet (20.9%). Only 12.3% were willing to provide mental support for colleagues during the pandemic. Age, education, perceived mental health status, ever seeking any mental service, and DASS-21 depression score were associated with demand for mental support services. CONCLUSION: This study found a lack of awareness of mental health services for health professionals, as well as moderate levels of demand for this service in this population. Raising awareness and developing tailored mental health support services are important to enhancing the mental well-being of health professionals in Vietnam to prepare for the next pandemic.

Thermoluminescence properties and new insights on the UV-vis absorption features of colorless quartz after γ-ray irradiation.

In this paper, we present the results of research on the thermoluminescence (TL) and optical absorption (OA) properties of colorless natural quartz (including natural quartz samples, sodium ion (Na+) rich samples (by diffusion), and alkali metal (M+) ion poor samples (by sweep)). In detail, the relationship between the TL glow peaks and the emission wavelength was determined. The dynamics parameters (E T, s, τ) have been computed for all TL peaks on the glow curve. The recombination mechanism electron-hole with the participation of the region energy has been determined for all electron traps in the temperature range of 50-430 °C through thermally stimulated conductivity measurement (TSC). Nonlinearity and approaching signal saturation are observed at doses above 22 Gy for the electron trap at 110 °C, above 45 Gy for the electron trap at 238 °C, and 80 Gy for the electron traps at 325 °C and 375 °C. The role of irradiation and heat treatment in the formation of absorption centers as well as the relationship of these centers to electronic traps have been also investigated in detail. The role of M+ ions and hydrogen ions (H+) for the absorption bands in the UV-vis region has been discussed. The results of the combination of the TL measurement and monochromatic light absorption according to temperature show that the TL process occurs concurrently with the reduction of the absorbent center produced in the irradiation process.

The influence of attributes on community preferences regarding antibiotic treatment: evidence from a discrete choice model.

Antibiotic resistance (AR) rates in Vietnam are among the highest in Asia, and recent infections due to multi-drug resistance in the country have caused thousands of deaths each year. This study investigated a Vietnamese community's preferences for antibiotic treatment and its knowledge and attitudes regarding antibiotics. A discrete choice experiment-based survey was developed and administered to the population of interest. The respondents were given sociodemographic-, knowledge- and attitude-related items and 17 pairs of choice tasks. Two hypothetical options were included in each choice task. Latent class analysis was conducted to determine the differences among the respondents' preferences. Among 1,014 respondents, 805 (79.4%) gave valid questionnaires. A three-latent-class model with four covariates (age, healthcare-related education or career, occupation, and attitude classifications) was used in the analysis. All five attributes significantly influenced the respondents' decisions. The majority, including young employed respondents with non-healthcare-related work or education, found treatment failure more important. Older respondents who had healthcare-related education/careers and/or appropriate antibiotic use- and antibiotics resistance-related attitudes, regarded contribution to antibiotic resistance as an important attribute in selecting antibiotic treatments. Unemployed individuals with correct knowledge identified the cost of antibiotic treatment as the most essential decision-making factor. Findings suggest minimal antibiotic impact on resistance; only 7.83% view it as amajor concern. The respondents exhibited substantial preference heterogeneity, and the general Vietnamese public had poor knowledge of and attitudes toward antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance. This study emphasizes the need for individual responsibility for antibiotic resistance and appropriate antibiotic use.

Job satisfaction of health workers at a Vietnamese University Hospital and its predicted factors: A cross-sectional study.

Background and Aims: Job satisfaction of healthcare workers from conventional and university hospitals (or teaching hospitals) might be different due to several factors, for example medical staff required to carry out multiple clinical and teaching tasks simultaneously. Our study aimed to determine how the job satisfaction among healthcare workers in university hospitals is different from those in conventional hospitals. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted by using the validated and contextualized job satisfaction tool for the Vietnamese context to survey 216 healthcare workers at a university hospital in Vietnam from January to March 2020 with online Google forms. Results: The results indicated low overall job satisfaction (43.1%) in our study university hospital with the score cutoff of 80%. However, healthcare workers still reported high job satisfaction rates in certain aspects, such as personal empathy (70.8%), discipline, and reward (67.6%), co-worker collaboration (65.3%), training and promotion (63%), workplace environment (57.4%), and salary and allowance (44.9%). Subgroup analysis revealed statistically significant differences in job satisfaction (p < 0.01) related to age (31 to 40-year-old), and job position with ORs 3.9, and 8.6 respectively. Conclusion: University hospitals need to improve the healthcare workers' job satisfaction. It is recommended that special human resource strategies should be developed focusing on keeping satisfying older healthcare staff by recognizing their contributions and providing appropriate benefits based on their positions in the hospital.

Increased Virtual Visits to Physicians During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Estimated Impact on Physician Compensation: The Case of Lung and Colorectal Cancers, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases, and Heart Failure in Alberta, Canada.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic started in Alberta in March 2020 and significantly increased telehealth service use and provision reducing the risk of virus transmission. We examined the change in the number and proportion of virtual visits by physician specialty and condition (chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases [COPD], heart failure [HF], colorectal and lung cancers), as well as associated changes in physician compensation. Methods: A population-based design was used to analyze all processed physician claims comparing the number and proportion of virtual visits and associated physician billings relative to in-person between pre- (2019/2020) and intra-pandemic (2020/2021). Physician compensations were the claim amounts paid by the health insurance. Results: Pre-pandemic (intra-), there were 8,981 (8,897) lung cancer, 9,245 (9,029) colorectal, 37,558 (36,292) HF, and 68,270 (52,308) COPD patients. Each patient had totally 2.3-4.7 (of which 0.4-0.6% were virtual) general practitioner (GP) visits and 0.9-2.3 (0.2-0.7% were virtual) specialist visits per year pre-pandemic. The average number and proportion of per-patient virtual visits to GPs and specialists grew significantly pre- to intra-pandemic by 2,138-4,567%, and 2,201-7,104%, respectively. Given the lower fees of virtual compared with in-person visits, the reduction in physician compensation associated with the increased use of virtual care was estimated at $3.85 million, with $2.44 million attributed to specialist and $1.41 million to GP. Discussion: Utilization of telehealth increased significantly, while the physician billings per patient and physician compensation declined early in the pandemic in Alberta for the four chronic diseases considered. This study forms the basis for future study in understanding the impact of virtual care, now part of the fabric of health care delivery, on quality of care and patient safety, overall health service utilization (such as diagnostic imaging and other investigations), as well as economic impacts to patients, health care systems, and society.

Celecoxib and sulindac sulfide elicit anticancer effects on PIK3CA-mutated head and neck cancer cells through endoplasmic reticulum stress, reactive oxygen species, and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Gain-of-function mutation in the phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K) catalytic subunit alpha gene (PIK3CA) is a significant factor in head and neck cancer (HNC). Patients with HNC harboring PIK3CA mutations receive therapeutic benefits from the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects remain unknown. Here, we examined the Detroit562 and FaDu cell lines as HNC models with and without a hyperactive PIK3CA mutation (H1047R), respectively, regarding their possible distinct responses to the NSAIDs celecoxib and sulindac sulfide (SUS). Detroit562 cells exhibited relatively high PI3K/Akt pathway-dependent cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, associated with cell proliferation. Celecoxib treatment restricted cell proliferation and upregulated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related markers, including GRP78, C/EBP-homologous protein, activating transcription factor 4, death receptor 5, and reactive oxygen species (ROS). These effects were much stronger in Detroit562 cells than in FaDu cells and were largely COX-2-independent. SUS treatment yielded similar results. Salubrinal (an ER stress inhibitor) and N-acetyl-L-cysteine (a ROS scavenger) prevented NSAID-induced ROS generation and ER stress, respectively, indicating crosstalk between ER and oxidative stress. In addition, celecoxib and/or SUS elevated cleaved caspase-3 levels, Bcl-2-associated X protein/Bcl-2-interacting mediator of cell death expression, and mitochondrial damage, which was more pronounced in Detroit562 than in FaDu cells. Salubrinal and N-acetyl-L-cysteine attenuated celecoxib-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. Collectively, our results suggest that celecoxib and SUS efficiently suppress activating PIK3CA mutation-harboring HNC progression by inducing ER and oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to apoptotic cell death, further supporting NSAID treatment as a useful strategy for oncogenic PIK3CA-mutated HNC therapy.

Integrating machine learning models with cross-validation and bootstrapping for evaluating groundwater quality in Kanchanaburi province, Thailand.

Exploring the potential of new models for mapping groundwater quality presents a major challenge in water resource management, particularly in Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand, where groundwater faces contamination risks. This study aimed to explore the applicability of random forest (RF) and artificial neural networks (ANN) models to predict groundwater quality. Particularly, these two models were integrated into cross-validation (CV) and bootstrapping (B) techniques to build predictive models, including RF-CV, RF-B, ANN-CV, and ANN-B. Entropy groundwater quality index (EWQI) was converted to normalized EWQI which was then classified into five levels from very poor to very good. A total of twelve physicochemical parameters from 180 groundwater wells, including potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, sulfate, bicarbonate, nitrate, pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, and total hardness, were investigated to decipher groundwater quality in the eastern part of Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand. Our results indicated that groundwater quality in the study area was primarily polluted by calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate and that the RF-CV model (RMSE = 0.06, R2 = 0.87, MAE = 0.04) outperformed the RF-B (RMSE = 0.07, R2 = 0.80, MAE = 0.04), ANN-CV (RMSE = 0.09, R2 = 0.70, MAE = 0.06), and ANN-B (RMSE = 0.10, R2 = 0.67, MAE = 0.06). Our findings highlight the superiority of the RF models over the ANN models based on the CV and B techniques. In addition, the role of groundwater parameters to the normalized EWQI in various machine learning models was found. The groundwater quality map created by the RF-CV model can be applied to orient groundwater use.

Chemical constituents from the leaves of Sindora siamensis var. maritima and their antimicrobial and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities.

Two new glycosides, sindosides A-B (1-2), along with 11 previously identified metabolites (3-13), were isolated from an ethanolic extract of the leaves of Sindora siamensis var. maritima. The structures of the purified phytochemicals were elucidated by interpreting their spectroscopic data (IR, NMR, and HRMS). The absolute configuration of compound 1 was established by experimental and calculated ECD spectra. The antimicrobial results revealed that compound 8 selectively inhibited C. albicans fungal with a MIC value of 64 µg/mL, whereas 11 presented a weak inhibition toward E. faecalis, S. aureus, and B. cereus bacterial strains with the same MIC value of 128 µg/mL. Interestingly, compounds 1, 2, 8, 9, and 11 showed α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC50 values ranging from 14.42 ± 0.21 to 30.62 ± 0.18 µM, which were more active than the positive control (acarbose, with an IC50 value of 46.78 ± 1.37 µM). Enzyme kinetic analysis revealed that compounds 1, 2, and 11 behaved as uncompetitive inhibitors with Ki values of 8.60 ± 1.04, 5.16 ± 0.73, and 7.17 ± 0.98 µM, respectively.

Treated versus self-reported prevalence of chronic pain and costs of patients' health services utilization: a population-based study of health administrative databases.

Objectives: To compare treated to self-reported prevalence of chronic pain (CP) and to estimate health services utilization (HSU) costs of patients treated for CP in Alberta, Canada. Methods: Patients treated for CP were identified by the physician billing codes of health services for CP from the practitioner claims database in fiscal year 2021/22. The treated prevalence of CP (number of these patients divided by the population) was compared to the self-reported prevalence of CP previously estimated (doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0272638). Costs of patients' HSU included costs for general practitioner (GP), specialist, inpatient, emergency department, outpatient clinic services, and prescription drugs. Results: The treated prevalence of CP was 6.0% (4.4% among males and 7.8% among females) which was 30% to 41% of the self-reported prevalence. The highest treated prevalence (7.2%) was found in the age group of 18-64 years, followed by age groups of >64 years (7.0%) and <18 years (2.1%). The average cost per patient per year was $5096 ($5878 for males and $4652 for females), of which hospitalizations accounted for 65.0%, outpatient clinic visits 16.4%, ED visits 9.5%, prescription drugs 4.7%, GP visits 3.9%, and specialist visits 0.4%. The total cost of patients with CP for the health system was $1.37 billion (∼7% of total health expenditure), of which males accounted for 41.7% and females for 58.3%. Discussion: Our findings suggest that the economic burden of CP is considerable and that many people with self-reported CP do not use the public healthcare services. This can be multifactorial, including lack of availability and accessibility of publicly funded services, people's lack of awareness of available services, lower utilization due to COVID-19 pandemic, and reliance on self-management, private services, and alternative treatments. Further studies are warranted to inform future policies and health system initiatives aiming to reduce the burden of CP and improve lives of people living with it.

Sulfonyl thiourea derivatives from 2-aminodiarylpyrimidines: In vitro and in silico evaluation as potential carbonic anhydrase I, II, IX, and XII inhibitors.

A series of synthesized sulfonyl thiourea derivatives (7a-o) of substituted 2-amino-4,6-diarylpyrimidines (4a-o) exhibited the remarkable inhibitory activity against some the human carbonic anhydrases (hCAs), including hCA I, II, IX, and XII isoforms. The inhibitory efficacy of synthesized sulfonyl thiourea derivatives were experimentally validated by in vitro enzymatic assays. 7a (KI = 46.14 nM), 7j (KI = 48.92 nM), and 7m (KI = 62.59 nM) (for isoform hCA I); 7f (KI = 42.72 nM), 7i (KI = 40.98 nM), and 7j (KI = 33.40 nM) (for isoform hCA II); 7j (KI = 228.5 nM), 7m (KI = 195.4 nM), and 7n (KI = 210.1 nM) (for isoform hCA IX); 7l (KI = 116.9 nM), 7m (KI = 118.8 nM), and 7n (KI = 147.2 nM) (for isoform hCA XII) in comparison with KI values of 452.1, 327.3, 437.2, and 338.9 nM, respectively, of the standard drug AAZ. These compounds also had significantly more potent inhibitory action against cytosolic isoform hCA I and tumor-associated isoforms hCA IX and hCA XII. Furthermore, the potential inhibitory compounds were subjected to in silico screening for molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. The results of in vitro and in silico studies revealed that compounds 7a, 7j, and 7m were the most promising derivatives in this series due to their significant effects on studied hCA I, II, IX, and XII isoforms, respectively. The results showed that the sulfonyl thiourea moiety was accommodated deeply in the active site and interacted with the zinc ion in the receptors.

Diagnostic Strategy for Suspected Unilateral Absence of the Pulmonary Artery.

Background: Unilateral absence of the pulmonary artery (UAPA) is a very rare congenital anomaly. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the diagnostic strategy applied to seven patients with UAPA who were examined and subsequently treated at the National Lung Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam. METHODS: All seven patients, including three pediatric cases (1, 2, and 14 years old) and four adult cases (21, 26, 44, and 53 years old), had a history of recurrent pneumonia, and the clinical symptoms on admission included cough, progressive dyspnea, chest pain, and fatigue. The patients were initially examined clinically, followed by hematological testing, blood biochemistry testing, and chest X-ray radiology. The results suggested UAPA, so echocardiography and contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography (CT) were performed as soon as practical. RESULTS: The echocardiographic and CT imaging findings confirmed the suspected diagnosis of UAPA in all seven patients, which was accompanied by congenital heart disease in three patients. Three of the seven patients had mild and medium pulmonary hypertension. All seven patients were treated with drugs, which led to improvement in symptoms. CONCLUSION: Frontal chest X-ray provided the initial signs suggesting a diagnosis of UAPA. Subsequent echocardiography and contrast-enhanced chest CT were effective diagnostic tools for fast and accurate confirmation of UAPA.

Age-time-specific transmission of hand-foot-and-mouth disease enterovirus serotypes in Vietnam: A catalytic model with maternal immunity.

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is highly prevalent in the Asia Pacific region, particularly in Vietnam. To develop effective interventions and efficient vaccination programs, we inferred the age-time-specific transmission patterns of HFMD serotypes enterovirus A71 (EV-A71), coxsackievirus A6 (CV-A6), coxsackievirus A10 (CV-A10), coxsackievirus A16 (CV-A16) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from a case data collected during 2013-2018 and a serological survey data collected in 2015 and 2017. We proposed a catalytic model framework with good adaptability to incorporate maternal immunity using various mathematical functions. Our results indicate the high-level transmission of CV-A6 and CV-A10 which is not obvious in the case data, due to the variation of disease severity across serotypes. Our results provide statistical evidence supporting the strong association between severe illness and CV-A6 and EV-A71 infections. The HFMD dynamic pattern presents a cyclical pattern with large outbreaks followed by a decline in subsequent years. Additionally, we identify the age group with highest risk of infection as 1-2 years and emphasise the risk of future outbreaks as over 50% of children aged 6-7 years were estimated to be susceptible to CV-A16 and EV-A71. Our study highlights the importance of multivalent vaccines and active surveillance for different serotypes, supports early vaccination prior to 1 year old, and points out the potential utility for vaccinating children older than 5 years old in Vietnam.

Study on the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of nerve function in myasthenia gravis patients in Vietnam.

Background: In Vietnam, there is limited research on the role of nerve conduction in myasthenia gravis and its association with clinical features. Objective: This study aims to describe the electrophysiological features in patients with myasthenia gravis. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted from September 2019 to December 2021. The study included 33 myasthenia gravis patients who sought medical consultation or received inpatient treatment during this period. The Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America classifies myasthenia gravis into five groups: I, IIa, IIb, IIIa, IIIb, IVa, IVb, and V. Notably, Group I involves pure ocular weakness, whereas Group a primarily impacts limb and axial muscles, and Group b mainly affects bulbar and respiratory muscles. Results: The study revealed that motor and sensory nerve conduction in the upper and lower limbs were within normal limits for the patient group under evaluation. Repetitive nerve stimulation testing at a frequency of 3 Hz showed positive results in 66.7% of myasthenia gravis patients. Myasthenia gravis patients displayed distinct clinical symptoms, with ptosis being the most common (87.9%). Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America classification indicated the highest proportion in subgroup IIa (24.2%), with myasthenia gravis predominating in limb and axial muscles (Group a) observed in 51.5% of cases. Needle electromyography showed no abnormalities in myasthenia gravis patients. There was an association between acetylcholine receptor antibody titers and the results of the 3 Hz repetitive nerve stimulation test in myasthenia gravis patients, with a significance of p = 0.002. Conclusion: Nerve conduction studies should be performed in patients with suspected neuromuscular disorders to aid in differential diagnosis and definitive diagnosis of myasthenia gravis.

Fine-tuning DETR: Toward holistic process in plastic waste sorting system.

Every year human discharges about 350 million tons of plastic waste into the environment and can be projected to triple in 2060 without any attempts to change situation. From 1970 to 2019, an estimation of 130 million tons of plastic waste was accumulated into the rivers, lakes and sea, while only 27 % is recycled and utilized. Moreover, waste treatment plants in most places around the world are using out-of-date technology, may pose a threat to the health of the workers. Therefore, it is essential to modernize these systems for protecting human health. This paper proposes fine-tuning DETR, which applies Artificial Intelligent in plastic waste sorting system. Consequently, this study analyzed the applicability of fine-tuning DETR in the domain of plastic waste categorization and its potential drawbacks. For fair experiment and evaluation, model candidates were trained and evaluated on an industrial plastic waste dataset. The fine-tuning DETR outperformed other candidates in the context of critical indicators, from accuracy (25.1 mAP), processing speed (28 FPS) to computational cost (GFLOPs 86). Furthermore, fine-tuning DETR possesses the capability of autonomous operation without requiring human intervention, distinguishing this candidate from other prevalent algorithms. Our research demonstrates that, fine-tuning DETR specifically and Transformer-based algorithms in general, are entirely suitable and hold significant potential for large-scale application in holistic plastic waste sorting systems.

Tailoring hierarchical structures in cellulose carbon aerogels from sugarcane bagasse using different crosslinking agents for enhancing electrochemical desalination capability.

Sugarcane bagasse is one of the most common Vietnamese agricultural waste, which possesses a large percentage of cellulose, making it an abundant and environmentally friendly source for the fabrication of cellulose carbon aerogel. Herein, waste sugarcane bagasse was used to synthesize cellulose aerogel using different crosslinking agents such as urea, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and sodium alginate (SA). The 3D porous network of cellulose aerogels was constructed by intermolecular hydrogen bonding, which was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and nitrogen adsorption/desorption. Among the three cellulose aerogel samples, cellulose - SA aerogel (SB-CA-SA) has low density of 0.04 g m-3 and high porosity of 97.38%, leading to high surface area of 497.9 m2 g-1 with 55.67% micropores of activated carbon aerogel (SB-ACCA-SA). The salt adsorption capacity was high (17.87 mg g-1), which can be further enhanced to 31.40 mg g-1 with the addition of CNT. Moreover, the desalination process using the SB-ACCA-SA-CNT electrode was stable even after 50 cycles. The results show the great combination of cellulose from waste sugarcane bagasse with sodium alginate and carbon nanotubes in the fabrication of carbon materials as the CDI-utilized electrodes with high desalination capability and good durability.

Calcitriol modulates epidermal tight junction barrier function in human keratinocytes.

BACKGROUND: The aberrant expression of tight junction (TJ) proteins play an important role in several diseases with impaired skin barriers, including atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and chronic wounds. The evidence provided thus far suggests an important role of calcitriol in skin homeostasis. However, it is not known whether calcitriol improves the impaired skin barrier. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of calcitriol on TJ barrier function in human primary keratinocytes. METHODS: Normal human primary keratinocytes were stimulated with calcitriol, and the expression of TJ-related proteins was measured by real-time PCR and Western blotting. Immunofluorescence was used to examine the intercellular distribution of TJ-related proteins. TJ barrier function was assessed by the transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) assay. RESULTS: We demonstrated that calcitriol increased the expression levels of TJ-related proteins, including claudin-4, claudin-7, occludin, and zonula occludens (ZO)- 1. Calcitriol enhanced the distribution of TJ-related proteins at cellcell borders and induced the phosphorylation of pathways involved in the regulation of TJ barrier function, such as atypical protein kinase C (aPKC), Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), and protein kinase B (Akt), as evidenced by the effects of specific inhibitors on the above pathways. Indeed, we confirmed that calcitriol enhanced TER in keratinocyte monolayers. CONCLUSION: These findings showed that calcitriol could modify the expression of keratinocyte TJ proteins, contributing to the maintenance of homeostatic barrier function.