Soil Enzymes and Antioxidants Activities of Edible Vegetables Grown in Soils Polluted by Gas Flaring.

Associated gas flaring has several consequences on the environment. This study was aimed at assessing the impact of gas flaring on soil enzymes and plant antioxidant activities from gas flare-bearing communities in Nigeria. Soil and plant samples were obtained from farmlands in Ukwa West and Izombe gas flaring sites, as well as unpolluted site from Olokoro (used as control).

Immunization Effects of a Novel α-Synuclein-Based Peptide Epitope Vaccine in Parkinson's Disease-Associated Pathology.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that affects the central nervous system, specifically the motor system. It is mainly caused by the loss of dopamine due to the accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn) protein in the striatum and substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). Previous studies have reported that immunization may be a potential preventive strategy for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Operando spectroscopic characterization of formamidinium lead iodide perovskite quantum dots for tracking electrochemical reactions.

Multidimensional ABX hybrid perovskites three-dimensionally confined dot-shaped structure demonstrate versatile potential to photoelectrochemical cells for water splitting, hydrogen generation, solar cells, and light-emitting diodes. To apply perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) to solar-driven chemistry and optoelectronic devices, understanding the photoinduced charge carrier dynamics of PQDs under electrochemical conditions or applied bias are important. In this study, the detailed transformation mechanism of formamidinium lead iodide perovskite quantum dots under electrochemical conditions was studied by tracking the products of the reaction through cyclic voltammetry, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, in-situ UV-visible spectroelectrochemistry, etc.

Embryonic-stem-cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells relieve experimental contact urticaria by regulating the functions of mast cells and T cells.

Contact urticaria (CU) is an inflammatory skin disorder triggered by specific substances upon skin contact, leading to immediate acute or chronic manifestations characterized by swelling and redness. While mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are increasingly recognized for their therapeutic potential in immune diseases, research on the efficacy and mechanisms of stem cell therapy for urticaria remains scarce. This study investigates the regulatory role of embryonic-stem-cell-derived multipotent MSCs (M-MSCs) administered in a CU mouse model.

Practices of hygiene during complementary food feeding and associated factors among women with children aged 6-24 months in Dedo district, Southwest Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study.

Background And Aims: Poor food handling practices contribute to food contamination, leading to food-borne illnesses and childhood diarrhea in developing countries like Ethiopia. This study examines hygienic complementary food feeding practices and associated characteristics among women with children ages 6-24 months in the Dedo District.

Method: A community-oriented cross-sectional study design was used in a multistage sampling strategy to gather information from 501 mothers of children between May 25 and July 10, 2022.

Transdermal Properties of Cell-Penetrating Peptides: Applications and Skin Penetration Mechanisms.

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) consist of 5-30 amino acids with intracellular transduction abilities and diverse physicochemical properties, origins, and sequences. Although recent developments in bioinformatics have facilitated the prediction of CPP candidates with the potential for transduction into cells, the mechanisms by which CPPs penetrate cells and various tissues have not yet been elucidated at the molecular interaction level. Recently, the skin-penetrating ability of CPPs has gained wide attention and emerged as a simple and effective strategy for the delivery of macromolecules into the skin.

Innate antiviral responses against Shaan virus infection in HEK293, A549 and MARC-145 cells and limited role of viperin against Shaan virus replication.

The Shaan virus is a new paramyxovirus species recently isolated from an insectivorous bat. Therefore, its replication characteristics remain unclear. We used transcriptome analysis and molecular experiments to examine host cell responses in human A549, HEK293, and monkey MARC-145 cell lines infected with the Shaan virus (ShaV/B16-40).

Interaction of Thiol Antioxidants with α,β-Unsaturated Ketone Moiety: Its Implication for Stability and Bioactivity of Curcuminoids.

Many biological functions of curcumin have been reported. As certain bioactivities of curcumin are eliminated by antioxidants, reactive oxygen species generated by curcumin have been suggested as a relevant mechanism. In the present study, the effects of different types of antioxidants on the stability and bioactivities of curcumin were analyzed.

Behavioral Predictors Associated With COVID-19 Vaccination and Infection Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Korea.

Objectives: This study investigated the impact of socioeconomic factors and sexual orientation-related attributes on the rates of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination and infection among men who have sex with men (MSM).

Methods: A web-based survey, supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea, was conducted among paying members of the leading online portal for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer and questioning (LGBTQ+) community in Korea. The study participants were MSM living in Korea (n=942).

Differential involvement of mitochondria in post-tetanic potentiation at intracortical excitatory synapses of the medial prefrontal cortex.

Post-tetanic Ca2+ release from mitochondria produces presynaptic residual calcium, which contributes to post-tetanic potentiation. The loss of mitochondria-dependent post-tetanic potentiation is one of the earliest signs of Alzheimer's model mice. Post-tetanic potentiation at intracortical synapses of medial prefrontal cortex has been implicated in working memory.

Pulsed-Mode Metalorganic Vapor-Phase Epitaxy of GaN on Graphene-Coated -Sapphire for Freestanding GaN Thin Films.

We report the growth of high-quality GaN epitaxial thin films on graphene-coated -sapphire substrates using pulsed-mode metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy, together with the fabrication of freestanding GaN films by simple mechanical exfoliation for transferable light-emitting diodes (LEDs). High-quality GaN films grown on the graphene-coated sapphire substrates were easily lifted off by using thermal release tape and transferred onto foreign substrates. Furthermore, we revealed that the pulsed operation of ammonia flow during GaN growth was a critical factor for the fabrication of high-quality freestanding GaN films.

Prevalence and factors associated with inconsistent condom use among female sex workers in Ethiopia: findings from the national biobehavioral survey, 2020.

Background: The HIV prevalence among Ethiopian female sex workers (FSWs) is estimated to be around 18.5%, which implies that FSWs' sexual partners are significantly exposed to HIV infection and that may be a major factor in HIV transmission in the community. However, it has long been known that using condoms correctly and consistently is an extremely cost-effective global method for preventing HIV infection, but inconsistent condom use (ICU) would pose the greatest proximal risk of HIV acquisition and transmission.

Functional Divergence in Solute Permeability between Ray-Finned Fish-Specific Paralogs of aqp10.

Aquaporin (Aqp) 10 is a member of the aquaglyceroporin subfamily of water channels, and human Aqp10 is permeable to solutes such as glycerol, urea, and boric acid. Tetrapods have a single aqp10 gene, whereas ray-finned fishes have paralogs of this gene through tandem duplication, whole-genome duplication, and subsequent deletion. A previous study on Aqps in the Japanese pufferfish Takifugu rubripes showed that one pufferfish paralog, Aqp10.

Fourth-order fitted mesh scheme for semilinear singularly perturbed reaction-diffusion problems.

Objective: The main purpose of this work is to present a fourth-order fitted mesh scheme for solving the semilinear singularly perturbed reaction-diffusion problem to produce more accurate solutions.

Results: Quasilinearization technique is used to linearize the semilinear term. The scheme is formulated with discretizing the solution domain piecewise uniformly and then replacing the differential equation by finite difference approximations.

Complex motions embedded in a hand exercise regimen - effects on thumb function in participants with carpometacarpal osteoarthritis: A pilot study.

Objective: The goal of this pilot study was to identify changes associated with completion of a unique six-week hand exercise program in persons with carpometacarpal osteoarthritis.

Methods: Twenty-four individuals, aged 55-80, with doctor-diagnosed carpometacarpal osteoarthritis participated in the study. Movement data from standard clinical motions and complex multi-planar motions were obtained using a motion capture system at three-time points: an initial visit, after two weeks of hand exercises, and after completion of the six-week exercise program.

Draft genome sequence of CRL 2244, a strain with strong killing effect on carbapenem-resistant .

We report here a draft genome assembly of CRL 2244, recovered from wastewater in Argentina. The genome has a size of 2,898,100 bp, with G + C content of 46.73%.

Therapeutic effect of intraperitoneal dexamethasone on noise-induced permanent threshold shift in mice model.

The purpose of the study was to which investigate whether dexamethasone, which has anti-inflammatory and immune response suppression roles, could treat noise-induced hearing loss caused by damage to hair cells in the cochlea. The experiment used 8-week-old CBA mice exposed to white noise at an intensity of 110 dB SPL for 2 h, with hearing loss confirmed by the auditory brainstem response test. Dexamethasone was administered by intraperitoneal injection for 5 days, and the therapeutic effect was investigated for 3 weeks.

Characterization of the Maximum Height of a Surface Texture.

Average surface height and maximum amplitude can affect surface functions. In the industry, these parameters can be obtained based on profile measurements. However, variability in maximum profile height is high.

Depolymerized Chitosan-g-[Poly(MMA-co-HEMA-cl-EGDMA)] Based Nanogels for Controlled Local Release of Bupivacaine.

This study is designed to formulate and characterize chitosan-based nanogels that provide the controlled delivery of anesthetic drugs, such as bupivacaine (BPV), for effective postoperative pain management over prolonged periods of time. Drug carriers of chitosan/poly (MMA-co-HEMA-cl-EGDMA) (CsPMH) nanogels were prepared by varying the composition of comonomers such as MMA, HEMA, and redox initiator CAN. The nanogels were then characterized using FTIR, TGA, SEM, and TEM.

Influence of Hazelnut and Walnut Oil Cakes Powder on Thermal and Rheological Properties of Wheat Flour.

The aim of the study was to assess the influence of the addition of powdery hazelnut oil cakes (HOC) or walnut oil cakes (WOC) to wheat flour (WF) on its selected thermal and rheological properties. In the research material, part of the wheat flour (5%, 10%, 15%) was substituted with powdery oil cakes based on hazelnuts and walnuts. The control sample was wheat flour (100% WF).

Dual thermal ecotypes coexist within a nearly genetically identical population of the unicellular marine cyanobacterium .

The extent and ecological significance of intraspecific functional diversity within marine microbial populations is still poorly understood, and it remains unclear if such strain-level microdiversity will affect fitness and persistence in a rapidly changing ocean environment. In this study, we cultured 11 sympatric strains of the ubiquitous marine picocyanobacterium isolated from a Narragansett Bay (RI) phytoplankton community thermal selection experiment. Thermal performance curves revealed selection at cool and warm temperatures had subdivided the initial population into thermotypes with pronounced differences in maximum growth temperatures.

Trends of land use land cover dynamics of Sheka biosphere reserve, A case of Shato core area, Southwest Ethiopia.

The usage of land use and land cover change information has significantly risen as a result of the requirement for relevant data for environmental monitoring, modeling, and planning. The main objective of the study is to analyze the trend of land use and land cover dynamics in Sheka biosphere reserve: A Case of Shato Core Area, Southwest Ethiopia. To map the land use and land cover, supervised classifications were used, and an accuracy evaluation was conducted.

Anopheles larval habitats seasonality and environmental factors affecting larval abundance and distribution in Arjo-Didessa sugar cane plantation, Ethiopia.

Background: Water resource development projects are essential for increasing agricultural productivity and ensuring food security. However, these activities require the modification of pre-existing environmental settings, which may alter mosquito larval habitat availability and seasonality. The intensive utilization of current adult vector control tools results in insecticide resistance among the main vectors.

Measurements of natural radionuclide levels and hazards in the Lega Dembi gold mine, Oromia, Ethiopia.

This study aimed to evaluate natural radioactivity levels and hazards of radionuclides Th, Ra and K in soil samples taken from 15 locations in the Lega Dembi gold mining, Oromia, Ethiopia, using gamma-ray spectroscopy coupled with an HPGe detector. It was observed that the respective mean specific activities for Ra, Th and K determined in the mining site were 23.87 ± 0.