Land available for energy production is limited in cities owing to high population density. To reach the net zero goal, cities contributing 70% of overall greenhouse gas emissions need to ...dramatically reduce emissions and increase self-sufficiency in energy production. Environmental infrastructures such as sewage treatment and incineration plants can be used as energy production facilities in cities. This study attempted to examine the effect of using environmental infrastructure such as energy production facilities to contribute toward the carbon neutrality goal through urban energy systems. In particular, since the facilities are suitable for hydrogen supply in cities, the analysis was conducted focusing on the possibility of hydrogen production. First, the current status of energy supply and demand, and additional energy production potential in sewage treatment and incineration plants in Seoul, were analyzed. Then, the role of these environmental infrastructures toward energy self-sufficiency in the urban system was examined. This study confirmed that the facilities can contribute to the city’s energy self-sufficiency and the achievement of its net-zero goal.
Advance directives (ADs) can support autonomy in making healthcare decisions and minimize unnecessary discomfort during the treatment process at the end of life (EOL). This study aimed to investigate ...the factors that influence AD documentation among community-dwelling older adults. We used data from the National Survey of Older Koreans which was conducted nationwide in 2020. Data from participants aged 65 years or older were extracted using stratified multistage cluster sampling and the survey was conducted through one-on-one interviews. A total of 9920 older adults were included in this study: 421 respondents (4.7%) claimed that they had prepared for AD. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that being 75 years or older, having higher educational attainment, higher income, having any chronic disease(s), being screened for dementia in the past, being against futile life-sustaining treatment, taking a lecture on death and being registered for organ donation were positively associated with AD. Furthermore, when health was rated as average, it was associated with reduced odds of AD documentation compared when health was rated as good. These results suggest that more targeted efforts are required to promote EOL discussions among older adults.
All metazoan guts are subjected to immunologically unique conditions in which an efficient antimicrobial system operates to eliminate pathogens while tolerating symbiotic commensal microbiota. ...However, the molecular mechanisms controlling this process are only partially understood. Here, we show that bacterial-derived uracil acts as a ligand for dual oxidase (DUOX)-dependent reactive oxygen species generation in Drosophila gut and that the uracil production in bacteria causes inflammation in the gut. The acute and controlled uracil-induced immune response is required for efficient elimination of bacteria, intestinal cell repair, and host survival during infection of nonresident species. Among resident gut microbiota, uracil production is absent in symbionts, allowing harmonious colonization without DUOX activation, whereas uracil release from opportunistic pathobionts provokes chronic inflammation. These results reveal that bacteria with distinct abilities to activate uracil-induced gut inflammation, in terms of intensity and duration, act as critical factors that determine homeostasis or pathogenesis in gut-microbe interactions.
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•Gut epithelia mount innate immunity by sensing bacterial-derived uracil•Uracil induces DUOX-dependent intestinal ROS generation•Uracil from allochthonous pathogenic bacteria induces homeostatic inflammation•Long-term uracil release from colitogenic pathobionts causes chronic inflammation
Different gut bacteria have distinct abilities to activate uracil-induced gut inflammation, in terms of intensity and duration, determining homeostasis or pathogenesis in gut-microbe interactions.
Ras homolog enriched in brain (Rheb1 and Rheb2), small GTPases, play a crucial role in regulating neuronal activity and have gained attention for their implications in cancer development, ...particularly in breast cancer. This study delves into the intricate connection between the multifaceted functions of Rheb1 in neurons and cancer, with a specific focus on the mTOR pathway. It aims to elucidate Rheb1's involvement in pivotal cellular processes such as proliferation, apoptosis resistance, migration, invasion, metastasis, and inflammatory responses while acknowledging that Rheb2 has not been extensively studied. Despite the recognized associations, a comprehensive understanding of the intricate interplay between Rheb1 and Rheb2 and their roles in both nerve and cancer remains elusive. This review consolidates current knowledge regarding the impact of Rheb1 on cancer hallmarks and explores the potential of Rheb1 as a therapeutic target in cancer treatment. It emphasizes the necessity for a deeper comprehension of the molecular mechanisms underlying Rheb1-mediated oncogenic processes, underscoring the existing gaps in our understanding. Additionally, the review highlights the exploration of Rheb1 inhibitors as a promising avenue for cancer therapy. By shedding light on the complicated roles between Rheb1/Rheb2 and cancer, this study provides valuable insights to the scientific community. These insights are instrumental in guiding the identification of novel targets and advancing the development of effective therapeutic strategies for treating cancer.
Fourteen empirical studies on academic burnout were synthesized and reviewed with a meta‐analytic approach based on the framework of job demand, control, support model. It was found that demand, ...control, and support were associated with academic burnout. The three dimensions of burnout were negatively related to demand and positively related to control and support. In terms of types of demand, which were classified into psychological and physical demands, moderating effects were observed on the three burnout dimensions, with a larger correlation coefficient of psychological demands. As for social support, moderating effects were observed only with exhaustion. Implications for research and interventions as well as limitations are stated.
Highlights
1.
Students who reported higher scores in burnout symptoms reported higher demand in their schoolwork.
2.Both control and support were negatively associated with all the three dimensions of burnout.
3.The moderating effects of the different types of demand were significant with all three dimensions of burnout.
4.The moderating effects of different types of social support were only confirmed in the relationship with exhaustion.
Accessible Summary
What is known on the subject?
Only 8.6% Asian Americans (AAs) report seeking mental health services compared to nearly 18% of the general population.
There is a stigma against ...seeking mental health services among AAs.
Mental illness is thought to be caused by a lack of harmony of emotions or evil spirits leading to delay in treatment among AAs.
What the paper adds to existing knowledge?
Asian students are hesitant to use mental health services because they are balancing their desire to be part of the two cultures.
Concepts used to define culture were found to have overlapping aspects of how researchers operationally define them, and few studies examined a combination of these concepts as a means of examining interactions between the concepts.
AA emerging adults feel pressure through personal stigma from elders to ‘save face’ by keeping their problems to themselves or within the family to maintain a positive reputation for the family.
What are the implications for practice?
The overlap of conceptual definitions to understand cultural beliefs and values affecting measurement have complicated the interpretation of the research.
Future research should include a multidimensional operationalization of culture that includes acculturation, ethnic identity, personal stigma and their effect on mental health help‐seeking attitudes.
Differences between South Asian and East Asian philosophical and cultural perspectives could influence access to mental health services; therefore, future studies should consider sampling that would allow for comparison of the groups.
Understanding the factors that influence mental health help‐seeking behaviours can determine intervention strategies to improve AA emerging adult mental health.
Introduction
Only 8.6% of Asian Americans (AA) sought mental health services compared to 18% of United States population. AA college students report higher levels of mental health concerns compared to White students.
Aim
The purpose of this systematic review was to identify the factors that influence AA students' mental health help‐seeking behaviours.
Method
Employing a data‐based convergent synthesis design. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used to assess the quality of the sample. Inclusion criteria were peer‐reviewed studies published in English, focused on AA college students' mental health seeking attitudes in United States.
Results
The final sample was forty‐four studies. Four themes emerged: acculturation, ethnic identity, racism and stigma. There were discrepant findings regarding how acculturation affects mental health help‐seeking attitudes. Several studies included more than one theme in their analyses. The different concepts included across studies make it difficult to compare the findings.
Discussion
There is some overlap between acculturation and ethnic identity that could affect the analysis in studies where both concepts are included. Personal stigma negatively influences mental health help‐seeking attitudes.
Implications for Practice
Defining culture to include acculturation, ethnic identity, personal stigma can help in understanding their effect on mental health help‐seeking attitudes.
Fluorescence imaging is an indispensable tool in modern biological research, allowing simple and inexpensive color‐coded visualizations of real‐time events in living cells and animals, as well as of ...fixed states of ex vivo specimens. The accuracy of fluorescence imaging in living systems is, however, impeded by autofluorescence, light scattering, and limited penetration depth of light. Nevertheless, the clinical use of fluorescence imaging is expected to grow along with advances in imaging equipment, and will increasingly demand high‐accuracy probes to avoid false‐positive results in disease detection. To this end, a water‐soluble and relatively safe diarylethene (DAE)‐based reversible near‐infrared (NIR) fluorescence photoswitch for living systems is prepared here. Furthermore, to facilitate excellent switching performance, the photoirradiation results obtained is compared using three different visible light sources to turn on NIR fluorescence through cycloreversion of DAE. While photoswitching using 589 nm light leads to slightly higher cell viability, fluorescence quenching efficiency and fatigue resistance are higher when 532 nm light with low photobleaching is used in both aqueous solution and living systems. The authors anticipate that their reversible NIR fluorescence photoswitch mediated by DAE can be beneficial for fluorescence imaging in aqueous media requiring accurate detection, such as in the autofluorescence‐rich living environment.
A diarylethene‐based reversible near‐infrared fluorescence photoswitch is made to develop a high‐accuracy optical probe for in vivo imaging. The extension of effective switching numbers by minimizing the fluorophore photobleaching through modulation of the visible light irradiation wavelength for diarylethene cycloreversion is demonstrated using this water‐soluble and relatively safe photoswitch in living zebrafish.
A balanced intake of macronutrients-protein, carbohydrate and fat-is essential for the well-being of organisms. An adequate calorific intake but with insufficient protein consumption can lead to ...several ailments, including kwashiorkor
. Taste receptors (T1R1-T1R3)
can detect amino acids in the environment, and cellular sensors (Gcn2 and Tor)
monitor the levels of amino acids in the cell. When deprived of dietary protein, animals select a food source that contains a greater proportion of protein or essential amino acids (EAAs)
. This suggests that food selection is geared towards achieving the target amount of a particular macronutrient with assistance of the EAA-specific hunger-driven response, which is poorly understood. Here we show in Drosophila that a microbiome-gut-brain axis detects a deficit of EAAs and stimulates a compensatory appetite for EAAs. We found that the neuropeptide CNMamide (CNMa)
was highly induced in enterocytes of the anterior midgut during protein deprivation. Silencing of the CNMa-CNMa receptor axis blocked the EAA-specific hunger-driven response in deprived flies. Furthermore, gnotobiotic flies bearing an EAA-producing symbiotic microbiome exhibited a reduced appetite for EAAs. By contrast, gnotobiotic flies with a mutant microbiome that did not produce leucine or other EAAs showed higher expression of CNMa and a greater compensatory appetite for EAAs. We propose that gut enterocytes sense the levels of diet- and microbiome-derived EAAs and communicate the EAA-deprived condition to the brain through CNMa.
Aims
Nocturnal acid breakthrough has been considered an unmet need of proton‐pump inhibitors. Tegoprazan, a novel potassium‐competitive acid blocker, is expected to show improved properties for this ...unmet need. This study was aimed to compare night‐time acid suppression by tegoprazan with that by vonoprazan or esomeprazole, and to explore the effect of CYP2C19 phenotypes on acid‐suppressive effects.
Methods
A randomized, open‐label, 3‐period, 6‐sequence crossover study was conducted. A single oral dose of tegoprazan 50 mg, vonoprazan 20 mg or esomeprazole 40 mg was administered at night in each period. Continuous intragastric pH was monitored at baseline and after each dosing.
Results
Sixteen healthy subjects (6 CYP2C19 extensive metabolizers, 5 intermediate metabolizers, 5 poor metabolizers) completed the study. After a single dose of tegoprazan, intragastric pH increased more rapidly to over 4 at approximately 1 hour compared to the other treatments, and elevated intragastric pH was maintained stably at night. Tegoprazan exhibited night‐time acid suppression for slightly but not significantly longer than vonoprazan, and greater than esomeprazole; % time at pH ≥ 4 at night was 66.0%, 60.5% and 36.1% for tegoprazan, vonoprazan and esomeprazole, respectively. Night‐time acid suppression by tegoprazan and vonoprazan was not dependent on CYP2C19 phenotypes, while that by esomeprazole tended to be influenced by CYP2C19 phenotypes.
Conclusion
Tegoprazan produced more rapid, potent and well sustained night‐time acid suppression vs. vonoprazan or esomeprazole when administered at night. Furthermore, tegoprazan showed no CYP2C19 phenotype dependency in acid suppression. It suggests the potential of tegoprazan, especially in preventing nocturnal acid breakthrough.
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