Asia Pacific Academy of Science Pte. Ltd.
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Ginsenoside Rg3 Improves Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Suppresses Sepsis-Induced Multiple Organ Dysfunction
No full textBackground: Sepsis, a complex and potentially life-threatening condition resulting from a dysregulated host response to infection, claims numerous lives and carries a high mortality rate. The development of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), a cascade of events leading to the failure of vital organ systems, worsens the clinical prognosis and represents a devastating consequence of sepsis. Ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3), a natural compound, has been demonstrated its potential in regulating mitochondrial dysfunction, offering a potential treatment avenue for sepsis-related complications. Our research aimed to explore the mechanism by which Rg3 treats sepsis-induced MODS. Method: In vitro, we established a sepsis cell model by subjecting normal cells (H9C2 cardiac cells, L02 human liver cells, and HK2 renal tubular cells) to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment, with untreated cells as the control group. We conducted investigations to assess the impact of Rg3 on mitochondrial metabolism, respiratory function, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial homeostasis in cardiac, hepatic, and renal cells. In vivo, we employed the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) method to induce a sepsis model in rats and administered or withheld Rg3 treatment. We assessed the general well-being of the rats, quantified inflammatory factors, conducted histological examinations, and performed biochemical analyses of key markers within the liver, kidneys, heart, and lungs to evaluate the extent of multi-organ dysfunction in CLP rats. Results: In vitro, the Rg3-treated group exhibited a significant amelioration in mitochondrial dysfunction, including mitochondrial metabolism, mitochondrial respiratory function of cardiomyocytes, oxidative stress in liver cells, and mitochondrial homeostasis of renal cells, compared to the control group (p < 0.05). In vivo, following Rg3 administration, a significant improvement in the overall Severity Scores was observed in CLP rats (p < 0.05). Rg3 was discovered to have notable organ protective properties. It repaired histopathologic abnormalities induced by CLP in the liver, kidney, heart, and lungs in addition to lowering inflammatory cytokine levels (p <0.05). Conclusion: Rg3 improves mitochondrial metabolism, respiratory function, and mitochondria homeostasis, and suppresses oxidative stress. Furthermore, Rg3 exhibits significant organ-protective properties and capacity to reduce inflammatory cytokine levels, thereby suppressing sepsis-induced MODS
Cardiovascular diseases and community mental health
Get PDFCardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are cited as the deadliest of illnesses. Their incidence and prevalence around the world are steadily rising. CVDs are the cause of approximately one-third of all deaths in the world. It has been stated in empirical studies over the years that poor socioeconomic status, the lack of social support, stress at work and in the family, depression, and psychosocial risk factors such as anxiety and feelings of hostility aggravate the risk of developing coronary heart disease and also worsen the clinical course and prognosis. Additionally, psychobiological, and behavioral mechanisms have been identified in this context. Psychosocial risk factors should be identified in clinical practice and medical results shared with individuals with CVDs, who should also be screened for anxiety, stress, and stress management, as well as for symptoms of depression. Individuals at risk or who are diagnosed as displaying symptoms of anxiety and depression should be referred to psychiatric professionals to ensure that they receive assistance. Cardiac rehabilitation may involve psychosocial interventions that include cognitive behavioral therapy, problem-solving therapy, and stress management programs, applied on their own or together with other interventions. The aim of this review article is to examine CVDs and community mental health, determine which applications may be adopted as standard practice in this context, and raise awareness about this topic among the public and especially among health professionals.
Electrochemical detection of heavy metals and chloramphenicol using a Nafion/graphene quantum dot modified electrode
Get PDFGraphene quantum dots (GQDs) with a uniform particle size were successfully synthesized using a simple in-situ electrolytic graphite rod method at a specific current density. Nafion/GQD-modified glassy carbon electrodes (nafion/GQDS/GCE) were then fabricated. Anodic stripping voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry were utilized for the detection of heavy metals, specifically Pb(II) and Cd(II), as well as chloramphenicol. The results indicated that the dissolution currents for Pb(II) and Cd(II) increased with their concentrations, showing a strong linear relationship. The linear range for Pb(II) was 4.82 × 10−8 to 9.65 × 10−7 mol/L (R² = 0.9923), and for Cd(II), it was 1.07 × 10−7 to 1.96 × 10−6 mol/L (R² = 0.9912), with detection limits of 1.61 × 10−8 mol/L for Pb(II) and 3.57 × 10−8 mol/L for Cd(II). The nafion/GQDS/GCE exhibited significant electrocatalytic activity towards chloramphenicol, with an irreversible reaction involving 6 electrons and an electron transfer rate constant (KS) of 105.4 s−1. The catalytic reduction current for chloramphenicol at the modified electrode ranged from 5.00 × 10−7 to 2.50 × 10−3 mol/L, showing a good linear relationship, and the detection limit (S/N = 3) was 1.67 × 10−7 mol/L. The nafion/GQDS/GCE also demonstrated excellent anti-interference, stability, and reproducibility, yielding satisfactory results for the detection of actual samples
The effect of interaction fidelity on stress relief and enjoyment for university students
Get PDFThis study investigated the possible effect of varying levels of interaction fidelity (IF) in virtual reality (VR) games on several beneficial outcomes, including stress relief, calories burned, spatial presence, and enjoyment. Players were asked to play one of three VR games with varying IF levels. Results indicated that interaction fidelity was not a significant factor in these outcomes except for enjoyment; the high IF game was enjoyed more than the low IF game. However, playing any game did have a significant, if small, impact overall on both stress relief and calories burned. The results are encouraging due to the indication that spending time in VR and metaverse applications may have small but inherent health benefits
Environment and blue tourism: Moving towards sustainability—6th maritime tourism observatory for Skyros Island
Get PDFPorts are some of the most significant entry points for Greek tourism investments and can be characterized as “development tools” for the country, both at the local and national level. The blue economy is a recent example of economic development, globally promoted as a way to achieve sustainability in maritime and coastal areas. Linaria Port has been accredited by the United Nations as “the blue port with a shade of green”, constituting an environmentally sustainable community capable of promoting responsible environmental behavior both within the local community and among tourists. The port has been highly competitive in achieving high sustainability standards and mainly operates in ways that complement environmental quality. It has presented innovative, competitive, and sustainable solutions since 2010. This research aimed to collect primary and secondary data on tourist preferences to evaluate these services. Evaluation was conducted through anonymous questionnaires divided into two parts: the first part concerned the tourist profile, and the second part concerned tourists’ opinions on the services and facilities of the port and the island. In the evaluation of the port, 91% of respondents rated the marina positively compared to other ports in the country, while 77% ranked the port of Skyros in a good position compared to other European or international ports. The overall quality of the tourist product was positively evaluated at 89%, while 90% of visitors were generally satisfied with the overall services offered. Moreover, 95% would return to Skyros within the next few years
Chito-oligosaccharides: A mini-review on sources, production, and agricultural applications
Get PDFA concise review of the main current natural sources used to produce chitin—the starting material to produce chitooligosaccharides (COS)—is presented, including algae, arthropods, birds, fish, fungi, mollusks, and, possibly, plants. The principal approaches addressed to produce COSs, grouped as physical, chemical, and biological processes, are also outlined. Subsequently, the COS more relevant applications related to agriculture are briefly outlined, i.e., induction of innate immunity in plants, growth biostimulation, soil amending, biocidal activity, etc. Some interesting findings of this review are: (a) A clear relationship has been undoubtedly established between the low molecular weights (MWs) of these chitinous materials and their striking bioactivities. (b) There is no universal consensus about the limit MW below which a substance can be considered a COS, and some of the proposed limit values are supported in works that have not proposed them. (c) The preparation and application of COS is an active field of research due to the accessibility of chitin sources anywhere and the variety of preparation methods available, as well as the multiple possibilities of modification that these materials offer for the preparation of bioactive derivatives. (d) The chemical modification of the great number of existing COS by a wide range of agents and approaches, including computer simulation studies, is a virgin field that could generate products with powerful elicitor properties. (e) Biocidal activities of COSs, advantaged with their greater water solubilities than chitin and chitosan, are remarkably attractive due to the possibility of replacing, partial or completely, injurious synthetic products currently in use. Similarly, this review makes it possible to appreciate that the preparation and separation of COS with well-defined structures could boost the discovery of the specific regulatory mechanisms that each oligomer species can activate (or repress), that is, defense mechanisms in plants
Climate change adaptation policies and institutional arrangement: Agriculture and fishery sector in India
Get PDFIndia’s agriculture and fishing sectors confront significant challenges due to climate change because of its distinctive geographical location and predominantly agrarian economy, highlighting the urgent need for institutional frameworks and effective adaptation strategies. This study delves into the current state of institutional structures and policies aimed at climate change adaptation within these key sectors in India. Through an exhaustive analysis of literature, official reports, and policy documents, the research evaluates the policies and interventions implemented to mitigate the impacts of climate change on agriculture and fisheries. Several policies are in place to facilitate the planning, establishment, and implementation of adaptation programs at the national and regional scales in the country. However, given India’s broad geographical size and varied socio-cultural settings, the adaptation requirements of diverse sectors and susceptible populations are still not sufficiently recognized and addressed. Key areas under scrutiny include crop diversification, water management techniques, technological advancements, and community-based adaptation approaches. Furthermore, the study evaluates the effectiveness of existing institutional arrangements, including governmental bodies, academic institutions, and community organizations, in fostering climate resilience across different domains. By synthesizing insights from diverse sources, this research aims to offer valuable perspectives on the institutional dynamics and policy landscape shaping climate change adaptation efforts in India’s agriculture and fisheries sectors to build resilience and sustainability. This research paper highlights some of the evolving as well as existing adaptation requirements and suggests how new research, policy, and practice engagements could meet these requirements
Rural tourism development path under the perspective of industrial integration—Case study of Tangwan township, Guixi City
Get PDFWith the improvement of people’s economic income and the upgrading of tourism consumption demand, rural tourism is becoming more and more popular. Although the rural tourism industry is emerging all over the world, how to realize the high-quality development of the rural tourism industry is still a complex systemic issue. The integrated development of the industry is an important way to realize the high-quality development of the industry; therefore, this study tries to discuss the path of the integrated development of the rural tourism industry by analyzing the micro-case study. For the case study, the authors chose Tangwan Town, a rural tourism town in Guixi City, Jiangxi Province, China. We collected relevant qualitative and quantitative data through questionnaires, field research, and interviews, based on which we analyzed the SWOT and the obstacles to industrial development at the case site and gave suggestions on the path of integration development at two levels. Through the empirical study of the case study, we summarize the four priorities in the integrated development of the rural tourism industry, which are capital, operation, resources, and talents. This study further provides management implications for tourism management, visitor experience, and the further development of the rural tourism industry
Analyzing the performance of secondary users in satellite-terrestrial systems with cognitive radio assistance
Get PDFThe paper investigates the outage probability (OP) of a cognitive radio-based satellite-ground transmission system. In this configuration, both direct and relay links are activated to facilitate transmission from the primary satellite source to terrestrial users. The primary metric under scrutiny is the outage probability for both the primary and secondary networks. Utilizing the Shadowed-Rician fading model, commonly applied to satellite channels, for the satellite segment, and Nakagami-m fading models for terrestrial channels, we assess the OP by analyzing the expressions for both primary and secondary users. Additionally, we explore the impact of key system parameters on the OP’s performance. Indeed, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and target rate are the main factors affecting the outage behavior of users on the ground. We identify certain conditions necessary to achieve improved performance by controlling key system parameters. Furthermore, this paper provides guidelines for designing cognitive radio (CR) systems in satellite configurations to meet the quality requirements of received signals on the ground. The analysis results are validated through Monte Carlo simulations implemented using MATLAB
Semi-autonomous sensor fusion-based strategy for unmanned aerial atmospheric surveillance system in open field environments
Get PDFThis paper explores the convergence of semi-autonomous systems and sensor fusion for monitoring hazardous atmospheric substances in open and semi-confined environments such as open-pit mines. As the heart of this system, a universal and flexible device leveraging wireless technologies to collect and analyze large volumes of data, designed by the authors, is proposed. The article outlines the key components of the platform, emphasizing its potential for increasing personnel safety levels as stipulated by the international public exposure guidelines. In modern mines, it becomes crucial to monitor elevated concentrations of nitrogen and carbon oxides, as well as other pollutants after blasting and the toxic gas emissions produced by the heavy transportation equipment such as mining trucks and excavators. In this paper, industrial-grade electrochemical sensors are compared with price-affordable but less precise microelectrochemical ones. The performed experiments for lowering computational requirements show promising results. The integration of an ultrasonic anemometer enhances the system’s capabilities, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of atmospheric conditions. In parallel, the research discusses the role of computer vision in autonomous control systems, with a focus on the architecture and processing pipeline of the state-of-the-art system-on-module Kria by AMD. Advocating the potential of adaptive computing for enhanced efficiency in dynamic environments, the paper underlines the importance of the integrated approach in developing a semi-autonomous atmospheric surveillance system and highlights the impact of adaptive computing in dynamic scenarios. The main part of the measuring equipment and methods has been experimented with in real conditions in open-pit mines in Bulgaria. This is an initial phase of ongoing research aimed at serving as a foundation for future improvements and the elaboration of a fully autonomous prototype for hazardous substances evaluation in the atmosphere of open-pit mines