Background and objective Heatstroke (HS) is a life-threatening condition resulting from thermal injury within the body, and it is associated with a significantly high mortality rate. This study aimed ...to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) among the general community population toward heatstroke. Methods The web-based cross-sectional study was conducted between September 2023 and October 2023 at the Emergency Department of Dongyang People's Hospital. A self-designed questionnaire was developed to collect demographic information of the general community population and to assess their knowledge, attitudes and practices toward heatstroke. Results A total of 1,356 valid questionnaires were collected. Among the participants, 875 (64.53%) were female, and 496 (36.58%) had regular exercise. The mean knowledge, attitudes and practices scores were 12.73 ± 1.42 (possible range: 0–14), 33.74 ± 2.91 (possible range: 8–40) and 34.65 ± 5.30 (possible range: 8–40), respectively. The structural equation model demonstrated that education had direct effects on knowledge (β = 0.017, p < 0.001), attitudes (β = 0.123, p < 0.001), and practices (β = −0.094, p < 0.001). Moreover, knowledge had direct effects on attitudes (β = 1.920, p < 0.001), and attitudes had direct effects on practices (β = 0.642, p < 0.001). Conclusion The findings revealed that the general community population have sufficient knowledge, active attitudes and proactive practices toward the heatstroke. However, there is still room for improvement and it is necessary to develop and implement educational initiatives and interventions designed to further enhance their KAP toward heatstroke.
Modern software oriented symmetric ciphers have become a key feature in utilizing word-oriented cryptographic primitives. Using the output sequence, in the order of its generation, of a word-oriented ...crypto- graphic primitive in the same way as traditional bit-oriented primitives, we can expose the intrinsic weakness of these primitives, especially for word-oriented linear feedback shift registers, T-functions, and so on. Two new methods for using word-oriented cryptographic primitives are presented in this paper, that is, the extracted state method and cascading extracted coordinate method. Using a T-function as an example, we research the different cryptographic properties of the output sequences of the original method and the two proposed methods, focusing mainly on period, linear complexity, and k-error linear complexity. Our conclusions show that the proposed methods could enhance at low cost the cryptographic properties of the output sequence. As a result, since the new methods are simple and easy to implement, they could be used to design new word-oriented cryptographic primitives.
A facile and universal aptamer-based label-free approach for selective and sensitive fluorescence detection of proteins and small biomolecules by using the SYBR Green I (SGI) dye is developed. This ...robust versatile biosensing strategy relies on fluorescence turn-off changes of SGI, resulting from target-induced structure switching of aptamers. Upon binding with the targets, the aptamers dissociate from the respective cDNA/aptamer duplexes, leading to the release of the dsDNA-intercalated SGI into solution and the quenching of the corresponding fluorescence intensities. Such target-induced conformational changes and release of aptamers from the DNA duplexes essentially lead to the change in the fluorescence signal of the SGI and thus constitute the mechanism of our aptamer-based label-free fluorescence biosensor for specific target analyses. Under optimized conditions, our method exhibits high sensitivity and selectivity for the quantification of ATP and thrombin with low detection limits (23.4 nM and 1.1 nM, respectively). Compared with previous reported methods for aptamer-based detection of ATP and thrombin, this label-free approach is selective, simple, convenient and cost-efficient without any chemical labeling of the probe or the target. Therefore, the present strategy could be easily applicable to biosensors that target a wide range of biomolecules.
In this work, we described the development of a new label-free, simple and sensitive fluorescent ATP sensing platform based on exonuclease III (Exo III)-catalyzed target recycling (ECTR) ...amplification and SYBR Green I indicator. The hairpin aptamer probes underwent conformational structure switching and re-configuration in the presence of ATP, which led to catalytic cleavage of the re-configured aptamers by Exo III to release ATP and to initiate the ECTR process. Such ECTR process resulted in the digestion of a significant number of the hairpin aptamer probes, leading to much less intercalation of SYBR Green I to the hairpin stems and drastic suppression of the fluorescence emission for sensitive ATP detection down to the low nanomolar level. Due to the highly specific affinity bindings between aptamers and ATP, the developed method exhibited excellent selectivity toward ATP against other analogous molecules. Besides, our ATP sensing approach used un-modified aptamer probes and could be performed in a “mix-and-detect” fashion in homogenous solutions. All these distinct advantages of the developed method thus made it hold great potential for the development of simple and robust sensing strategies for the detection of other small molecules.
•Un-modified hairpin aptamer probes and SYBR Green I dye are employed to achieve label-free fluorescent detection of ATP.•The presence of ATP leads to re-configuration of the hairpin aptamer probes.•Exonuclease III cleaves the re-configured hairpin aptamer probes to release the target ATP and initiate target recycling amplification.•The proposed method offers selective and sensitive detection of ATP down to the low nanomolar level.
Most hypertensive clients are elderly, whose health-related quality of life (HRQL) may be associated with self-perceptions of aging (older individuals' beliefs about their own aging). Meanwhile, ...culture and health disparities between rural and urban populations are substantial. Whether there are differences in self-perceptions of aging, HRQL, and their association among elderly hypertensive clients in urban and rural areas remains unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate and compare self-perceptions of aging and HRQL and their association among urban and rural older Chinese hypertensive clients.
A cross-sectional investigation was conducted in 15 urban community clinics and 22 village clinics from Suzhou, China. Older hypertensive adults were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire addressing socio-demographic and clinical information, HRQL and self-perceptions of aging.
There were 492 urban participants and 537 rural participants included in the analyses. The physical (40.0 ± 12.1 vs. 30.9 ± 8.9, P < 0.001) and mental (51.5 ± 8.3 vs. 46.0 ± 7.8, P < 0.001) HRQL scores of urban participants were all higher than those of rural ones. Urban participants' scores on dimensions of "timeline cyclical", "consequences negative", and "control negative" of self-perceptions of aging questionnaire (APQ) were lower than those of rural participants (P < 0.001, respectively), while the scores on dimensions of "consequences positive" and "control positive" were higher (P < 0.001, respectively). Adjusted multivariate linear regression showed that participants who had worse self-perceptions of aging had poorer HRQL. Some APQ dimensions associated with urban or rural hypertensive elders' HRQL were different.
Older hypertensive clients in rural areas have poorer self-perceptions of aging and HRQL than those in urban areas. Health care professionals should pay more attention to HRQL and self-perceptions of aging of older hypertensive clients in rural areas.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The Dongsha waters of the South China Sea are the location of thick Mesozoic deposits and many mud volcanoes that suggest hydrocarbon accumulation. Knowledge of the mechanism, fluid source and ...evolution of these mud volcanoes, however, remains inadequate. Ferromanganese nodules have been sampled from several deep-water mud volcanoes in waters around Southeast Dongsha island and provide a unique opportunity to study the fluid origin and evolution of the mud volcanoes in the area. In this contribution, the petrology, geochemistry and C–O isotopes of fluid inclusions in the nodules have been analyzed. The ferromanganese nodules are composed of distinct black Fe–Mn crust layers and light-yellow nucleus that contain quartz that hosts fluid inclusions. The outermost layers mainly consist of iron manganese minerals with high Mn/Fe ratios (0.9∼1.57), whereas the nucleus are dominated by siliceous debris. Positive Ce anomalies (δCe: 1.45∼2.13) and negative Y anomalies in growth layers indicate an anoxic environment, which is conducive to hydromanganite precipitation. In contrast, negative Ce anomalies (δCe: 0.27∼0.96) and positive Y anomalies in the nucleus suggest oxidized conditions. The absence of obvious Eu anomalies may be related to low-temperature hydrothermal conditions. The nucleus is enriched in δ13C (−2.59∼1.09‰) and weakly depleted in δ18O (−4.94∼0.89‰), whereas the growth layers are strongly depleted both in δ13C (−16.94∼–12.57‰) and δ18O (−23.05∼–17.48‰). These values indicate that carbon in the nucleus is mainly inorganic carbon from volcanism, whereas the carbon in the growth layers is related to the leakage of deep old hydrocarbon. The fluid inclusions in the quartz from the nucleus show records of at least two periods of CO2-rich hydrothermal activity and an origin from deep Mesozoic strata before release by mud volcanism. Given the widespread mud volcanism, the quartz from the nucleus may come from debris carried by mud volcano eruptions; the quartz also experienced diagenesis related with micro-organisms. The growth layers are considered to be hydrogenic and affected by the leakage of mature thermogenic hydrocarbons from deep old strata. These findings provide insights into deep mature hydrocarbon sources and thermogenic activity and improve understanding of mud volcanism and deep oil and gas resources in the southeastern Dongsha waters.
•The ferromanganese nodules have been discovered in eruption vent of mud volcanoes developed in northern margin of South China Sea.•The edge crusts of the ferromanganese nodules enriched in Fe2+ and Mn2+ reflecting anaerobic oxidation environment is hydrogenic.•The nucleus of the ferromanganese nodules enriched quartz with multi-stage CO2-rich hot fluid inclusions may carried by mud volcano eruption.•Strongly depleted δ13C and δ18O in crusts of the ferromanganese nodules related to the mature hydrocarbon rich fluid ventingof mud volcanoes.
Pingchong Jiangni recipe (PJR) is often used in the treatment of endometriosis (EM). This formula has been clinically validated by the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine Key ...Specialties Collaborative Group for its therapeutic efficacy. Recently, our research team also confirmed that PJR has a shrinking effect on ovarian chocolate cysts. Additionally, PJR was also found to have a shrinking effect on EM lesions; however, the mechanism by which this effect occurs remains unclear.
To explore the mechanisms by which PJR relieves pain in patients with EM.
A rat model of EM was established by autologous transplantation. PJR (3.78 g/kg, 7.56 g/kg, and 15.12 g/kg) was orally administered for 21 days. The rat grimace scale (RGS) score and paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) were measured at a fixed time during the experiment. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed to observe histopathological changes in EM rats after administration, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to evaluate the plasma expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and nerve growth factor (NGF), and immunohistochemistry and western blotting to identify differences in the expression of pain-related factors in EM rats.
The medium-dose group of PJR (7.56 g/kg) had the best effect on relieving pain in EM rats by reducing RGS, increasing PWT, reducing the ectopic endometrium, improving the cellular structure of the lesion, and reducing TNF-α and NGF levels. However, PJR significantly decreased the expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), phosphorylated TRPV1 (p-TRPV1), protein kinase C (PKC), and NGF.
The mechanism by which PJR relieves EM pain may be through the downregulation of NGF, PKC, and TRPV1 expression.
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•PJR improves pain symptoms in EM rats.•PJR reduced the lesion volume and relieved inflammation in EM rats.•PJR down-regulates the expression of NGF, PKC and TRPV1 and relieves pain in patients with EM.
Objectives
Posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) is a challenging complication after resection to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and it is associated with high mortality. Preoperative ...prediction of PHLF may improve patient subsequent and reduce such mortality. This study examined whether a functional liver imaging score (FLIS) based on preoperative gadoxetic acid–enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could predict PHLF.
Materials and methods
The study included 502 patients who underwent preoperative gadoxetic acid–enhanced MRI, followed by HCC resection. Significant preoperative predictors of PHLF were identified using logistic regression analysis. The ability of FLIS to predict PHLF was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves, and its predictive power was compared to that of the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, albumin–bilirubin (ALBI) score, and indocyanine green 15-min retention rate (ICG-R15).
Results
In multivariate analysis, PHLF was independently associated with FLIS (OR 0.452, 95% CI 0.361 to 0.568,
p
< 0.001) and major resection (OR 1.898, 95% CI 1.057 to 3.408,
p
= 0.032). FLIS was associated with a higher area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.752) than the MELD score (0.557), ALBI score (0.609), or ICG-R15 (0.605) (all
p
< 0.05). Patients with FLIS ≤ 4 who underwent major resection were at 9.4-fold higher risk of PHLF than patients with lower FLIS who underwent minor resection.
Conclusion
FLIS is an independent predictor of PHLF, and it may perform better than the MELD score, ALBI score, and ICG-R15 clearance. We propose treating elevated FLIS and major resection as risk factors for PHLF.
Key Points
•
A functional liver imaging score can independently predict posthepatectomy liver failure in patients with HCC.
•
The score may predict such failure better than MELD and ALBI scores and ICG-R15.
•
Patients with scores ≤ 4 who undergo major hepatic resection may be at nearly tenfold higher risk of posthepatectomy liver failure.
The impact of conservation tillage on the composition, stability, and origin (plant- or microbial-derived) of soil organic matter (SOM) within soil profiles remains unclear. In this study, we ...characterized the impact of different tillage practices on the molecular composition and status of SOM. These tillage practices included conventional tillage (CT) and conservation tillage such as rotary tillage (RT) and no-tillage (NT). Our investigation spanned a two-decade period within a temperate agroecosystem. Soil samples were collected down to a 30 cm profile, and four biomarkers, namely free lipids, lignin phenols, neutral sugars, and amino sugars, in conjunction with 13C NMR techniques were used to quantify SOM characteristics. The results revealed that conservation tillage (especially NT) led to improvements in both the quantity and composition of SOM when compared to CT in the topsoil (0–5 cm), but not in deeper layers (5–30 cm). More precisely, the NT topsoil, as opposed to CT, exhibited enhancements in two categories: (1) an increase in plant-derived compounds such as long-chain lipids (≥ C20) and steroids by 51%, lignin phenols by 106%, and plant-derived neutral sugars by 61%, and (2) an augmentation in microbial-derived biomolecules, which includes microbial-derived neutral sugars by 49% and microbial necromass carbon (MNC) by 94%. Furthermore, NT, relative to CT, increased the contribution of MNC to soil organic carbon in topsoil (up to 64%, mainly fungal necromass). This highlighted the predominant role of microbial-derived biomolecules in SOM formation. Similarly, RT treatments enhanced the microbial-derived neutral sugars by 18%, plant-derived neutral sugars by 14%, and lignin phenols by 43% relative to CT in the topsoil. Collectively, our study suggests that NT practice could be considered an effective strategy for enhancing SOM accumulation and persistence by fostering the accrual of plant- and microbial-derived biomolecules in the topsoil.
•No-tillage and rotary tillage modified SOM composition in the soil profile (i.e., 0–30 cm).•No-tillage boosted plant-derived and total free lipids in the 0–5 cm layer.•No-tillage and rotary tillage increased total neutral sugars in the 0–5 cm layer.•No-tillage and rotary tillage increased lignin phenols in the 0–5 cm layer.•No-tillage sequestered microbial- and plant-derived biomolecules in the 0–5 cm layer.
Objectives
Workplace violence (WPV) against healthcare workers (HCWs) is a global issue. Our research aimed to elucidate the status and associated factors of WPV among front-line/non-front-line HCWs ...during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Design
This cross-sectional study was conducted among HCWs in Hangzhou City through multistage sampling from December 2020 to January 2021.
Participants
This study included 14 909 valid samples (N=3748 front-line HCWs and N=11 161 non-front-line HCWs).
Primary and secondary outcome measures
We assessed the WPV status by Chinese version of WPV questionnaire. Binary logistic regression model was established to examine the associated factors of front-line/non-front-line HCWs experiencing WPV.
Results
The total WPV prevalence equalled 37.25% for front-line HCWs and 27.73% for non-front-line HCWs. Among front-line HCWs, females were less likely to experience WPV (OR 0.837, 95% CI 0.710 to 0.988), while individuals who were undergraduate (OR 1.251, 95% CI 1.061 to 1.541) and had higher professional title (intermediate: OR 1.475, 95% CI 1.227 to 1.772; advanced: OR 1.693, 95% CI 1.294 to 2.216) were more likely to suffer from WPV; for non-front-line HCWs, individuals who aged over 50 years old (OR 0.721, 95% CI 0.563 to 0.969), had worked between 10 and 19 years (OR 0.847, 95% CI 0.749 to 0.958) and worked in the non-graded hospital (OR 0.714, 95% CI 0.614 to 0.832) had less chance to experience WPV, while individuals who had higher educational level (undergraduate: OR 1.323, 95% CI 1.179 to 1.484; ≥graduate: OR 1.519, 95% CI 1.217 to 1.895), were nurse (OR 1.142, 95% CI 1.031 to 1.265), and had higher professional title (intermediate: OR 1.458, 95% CI 1.297 to 638; advanced: OR 1.928, 95% CI 1.607 to 2.313) were more inclined to suffer from WPV (p all<0.05).
Conclusions
This study indicates that the prevalence of WPV among front-line HCWs is significantly higher than among non-front-line HCWs. Policy-makers should prioritise COVID-19 front-line HCWs, especially those with high educational levels and professional titles.
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