UV Lamp Research Articles

Preparation and characterization of Epoxy/TiO2 thin films for Anti-UVB coating

Thin films of pure epoxy and Epoxy/TiO2 were successfully prepared using the spin coating method. The epoxy was doped with different weight ratios of TiO2 nanoparticles for the purpose of studying the effect of increasing its percentage on the properties of epoxy thin films. The surface topography of the prepared films was studied using an atomic force microscope (AFM), which showed that the surfaces of the samples became rougher with an increase in the doping of TiO2 nanoparticles. The functional groups were measured using a Fourier infrared spectrometer (FTIR), which showed the presence of TiO2 bonds in the epoxy matrix at wave numbers 400 and 862 cm-1. Optical measurements for absorbance, transmittance, and reflectivity showed a clear effect of TiO2 nanoparticles on the optical properties of the prepared samples through high absorbance for ultraviolet ray’s B (UVB) and low absorbance for visible light. Reflectivity decreases at the wavelengths of UVB and increases at the wavelengths of visible light with an increasing doping ratio. This makes these thin films candidates for use in anti-UVB coatings.

Biopolymer-containing formulations to render acrylic fabrics fire resistant and anti-static

Although widely used in textile applications, acrylic fabric (AF) suffers from being hydrophobic, with a surface that has a high tendency to catch fire and create electrostatic charge. Many methods have been adopted to improve the performance attributes of AF; however, theyare either polluting or not durable against repeated washing. Herein, a synergy of phytic acid (PA) and a protein biopolymer, namely keratin or sericin, was adopted to boost the resistance to flame, ultraviolet rays, and electrostatic charges, as well as enhance the hydrophilicity of AF. An efficient flame retardant (FR) was synthesized by reacting calculated amounts of PA and pentaerythritol (PE) to form hexa-pentaerythritolphytate ester (HPP), which in turn reacted with a proteinic biopolymer in the presence or absence of a crosslinking agent to produce a multifunctional FR formulation. The prepared formulation was utilized as a multifunctional textile auxiliary for improving the resistance of alkali-hydrolyzed AF to flame and UV rays and for enhancing its hydrophilic and anti-static properties. The chemical structure of the synthesized functional FR was investigated using FTIR and by determining its phosphorus, nitrogen, and carboxylic contents. The mechanism of reaction between the synthesized FR and the hydrolyzed fabric was proposed. The discrepancy between the topographies of the treated and untreated fabrics was monitored using scanning electron microscopy. The results revealed that the treated AF exhibited a durable and superior resistance to flame, which was not adversely affected by washing up to 20 times. The anti-static property and wettability of the treated fabrics were highly improved, whereas their resistance to the deteriorative action of UV rays was enhanced to an almost an adequate level according to AS/NZS 4399:1996. The proposed process is an additive method for improving some performance and comfort attributes of AF without causing a severe loss in the fabric’s strength.

A high toughness hydrogel with Dy3+ enhanced fluorescence properties: For visual Zn2+ detection

Rapid, portable, and sensitive detection of Zn2+ is crucial for human health. In this study, SA/PEG/Ln fluorescent hydrogels were synthesized via in situ polymerization with lanthanide metals (Tb3+/Dy3+) and PAM. The results demonstrated a significant improvement in mechanical properties (132.8 % increase in compressive properties) after rare earth doping. The addition of Dy3+ enhanced the fluorescence properties of the singly doped Tb3+ fluorescent hydrogel (maximum luminous intensity increased by 1900 cd). Monitoring changes in fluorescence intensity enabled the realization of Zn2+ detection, allowing for quick and accurate determination of zinc ion presence. Visual monitoring of Zn2+ was achieved with the assistance of a portable ultraviolet lamp.

Hair loss due to pollution, micro metabolic dysfunction, epigenetics and role of nutrients

Introduction: Hair is unknowingly and unwillingly exposed to pollution through air, water, food, temperature, humidity, UV rays, circadian rhythm, electromagnetic radiation and noise, which alter cellular functions and genetic expression through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The ROS causes subclinical micro metabolic dysfunction, resulting in anagen arrest or telogen extension leading to hair loss that mimics AGA. Nutrients can repair cell damage, neutralize the ROS, restore cellular function, counter inflammation, build immunity and correct epigenetic changes, to achieve hair growth. Objective: To understand metabolic damage inflicted by pollutants through ROS, epigenetic effects and the role of nutrients. Material and methods: Study includes 63 patients, 37 male and 26 female between 18 to 38 years of age, who matched the criteria for hair loss due to pollution. Every patient received oral supplements of curcumin, quercetin, N-acetyl cysteine, vitamin A, C, D, E, B-complex, biotin, iron, folic acid, epigallocatechin gallate, amino acids and omega 3 for 4 months. Nutrients were administered in synergistic combinations on different days of the week. Observation and results: Diffuse hair loss, itching, irritation, redness, sebum, dandruff, grime, burning, trichodynia, dry frizzy, brittle hair were common. Marginally raised heart rate, blood pressure, low hemoglobin, low as well as high serum ferritin, low vitamin D, raised TSH and low T3, T4 were detected. Men and women had an average improvement of 16-21% in density with 18-22% improvement in caliber. Conclusion: Nutrients can counter the mechanisms of pollution and achieve hair growth without finasteride, antiandrogens or minoxidil.

Preparation and Photodegradation of TiO2 Thin Films on the Inner Wall of Quartz Tubes.

Titanium dioxide thin films on the inner wall of quartz tubes were prepared in situ by the sol-gel method. Meanwhile, copper and cerium were loaded onto the surface of the titanium dioxide thin films to enhance photocatalytic activity and broaden the range of light absorption. X-ray diffractometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrum, N2 gas adsorption, UV diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance, photoluminescene spectroscopy, and so on were used to characterize the structure, morphology, chemical composition, and optical properties of the prepared photocatalyst. Methylene blue (MB) was used as a simulated organic pollutant to study the photocatalytic performance of the photocatalyst, which was a translucent, structurally stable, and reusable high-efficiency photocatalytic catalyst. Under UV lamp irradiation, the MB photodegradation efficiency was 94.5%, which reached 91.2% after multiple cycles.

Ethynylbenzaldehydes as novel reaction-based “turn-on” fluorescent probes for primary amine detection in solution, vapor, food, proteins, and live cells

Amine detection is of great importance as excess volatile amine exposure and increased concentration of biogenic amines in human body can cause adverse effects to human health. Thus, the development of easy-accessible and efficient fluorescent probes for amine detection is of great importance. In this study, we are the first to establish a cascade reaction sequence featuring imine formation followed by 6-endo-dig cyclization reaction for the development of sensitive and selective “turn-on” fluorescent probes toward primary amines by using the ortho-ethynylbenzaldehydes (EBAs) as the reaction site. The corresponding isoquinolinium products generated give a significant red-shifted absorbance change and highly intense “turn-on” fluorescence. Nine EBAs (EBA-1a-1e, EBA-2–5) were designed and synthesized to study the structure-photophysical property relationship (SPPR) for selective primary amine sensing. Our EBAs possessed a highly sensitive response toward primary amines in aqueous conditions within 30 min (LOD as low as 0.45 µM) with tunable absorption (338–430 nm) and emission (410–535 nm), large Stokes shift (up to 115 nm), and high fluorescence quantum yield (up to 0.86). EBA-loaded paper strips were prepared as a portable low cost tool for amine detection in solution, vapor, and food. Fluorogenic protein labelling and in-gel fluorescent imaging were efficiently achieved by using EBAs in which the fluorescence signal was obviously observed by naked eyes under 365 nm UV lamp. Moreover, the favorable membrane permeabilization, low to moderate cytotoxicity, and “turn-on” fluorescent response of EBA-1a-1e and EBA-4–5 allow wash-free live cell imaging. Interestingly, EBA-1a-1e and EBA-4 showed high selectivity to fluorescent imaging of mitochondria.

Surface Disinfection Systems with UV-C Lamps – Verification Measurements and Design Procedure Proposal

ABSTRACT Ultraviolet radiation in the UV-C range is widely applied to disinfect surfaces, air, and water. UV-C (germicidal) lamps are commonly used, and their application is reliable, scientifically proven, and efficient to inactivate various types of bacteria, viruses, and fungal spores, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This research aims to develop a UV-C irradiance design procedure for germicidal devices disinfecting surfaces in rooms. This procedure considers the required values of UV-C radiation doses that disinfect rooms efficiently. For this purpose, it has been proposed to apply the DIALux evo software to design the appropriate UV-C irradiance on disinfected room surfaces using different germicidal devices. The measurements verified the accuracy of the simulation performed in the DIALux evo software, which also considered the reflection of the ultraviolet radiation from the principal planes of the room. Two rooms with different dimensions were selected to verify the computational accuracy of the developed design procedure for the disinfection system. Ultraviolet lamps were placed in the rooms, and irradiance measurements were taken at the selected measuring points. The results of the irradiance measurements were compared. The comparative analysis of the disinfection device proved that it was possible to adapt the DIALux evo software to make the calculations for designing room disinfection systems. The research made it possible to determine a suitable design procedure for surface disinfection systems, which prevents errors in proper surface disinfection after implementing UV-C lamps in the room.

Discussion of y-matter

For more than 30 years, the author of this paper has discovered the existence of the matter unknown to people in the study of some special photos. This matter is extremely different from the matter known by modern science. The author of this paper temporarily names this matter y-matter. In contrast with y-matter, the matter known by modern science (macroscopic matter, microscopic matter) is called x- matter. In this paper, a number of photos are provided to show the existence of y-matter. In the photos, the objects composed of y-matter (y-objects) are seeable in the photos but were invisible to the naked eye when the photos were taken. In modern science, the substances that are invisible to the naked eye but can be photographed include x-rays, infrared rays, ultraviolet rays, etc. However, the y-objects shown in the photos in this paper do not belong to these substances. Y-objects can react chemically with the substances on the camera film, so y-objects are indeed made of matter. This paper then discusses some physical properties of y-matter. Y-objects have no static mass and no momentum. They have density and motion. The maximum speed of the movement can exceed the speed of light, etc. This article first uses photos to show the movement of a y-matter object. Then, this paper explores the relationship between y-matter and thinking. People can use thinking to move certain y-objects under certain conditions. The research in this article opens up the unknown world of matter, which will change human concepts and promote the epoch-making development of science and technology. The future research is to study the conditions under which y-objects can be photographed.

Screening and preparation of highly active antioxidant peptides of apricot and their inhibitory effect on ultraviolet radiation

In today's social environment, the objective reality of people's increasing life pressure, environmental deterioration, and enhanced ultraviolet rays caused by the destruction of the ozone layer has led to the aggravation of people's oxidative stress. Therefore, exogenous antioxidant peptides have become a hot topic in research. In the context of insufficient protein supply and resource recycling, almond meal was used as raw material in this study. As a by-product of oil processing, it has a protein content of 68 % and antioxidant-related amino acids accounted for 84.62 %, which can be used as a high-quality natural source of antioxidant peptides. Taking antioxidant activity as the only indicator, papain was screened as a hydrolase, and 7 antioxidant peptides such as YLSF, LPSYVN and SPHWNVN were separated and purified. The affinity energy of docking with Keap1-Nrf2-ARE protein molecules was −7.5—-8.9 kal/mol, and hydrophobic stacking, hydrogen bonding and intermolecular forces were maintained. Seven antioxidant peptides were synthesized in solid phase, and the IC50 values of in vitro ABTS+ scavenging rates were 3.59 μg/mL-6.73 μg/mL, and the antioxidant capacity was stronger than that of glutathione and ascorbic acid. In the in vitro cellular ROS scavenging capacity, all seven peptides had the effect of scavenging intracellular ROS, among which YLSF and ESWNPRDPQF had stronger scavenging capacity than glutathione. Finally, the mouse skin staining method determined that apricot antioxidant peptides had a significant inhibitory effect on UV damage to mouse skin, and targeted proteomics was used to clarify that apricot antioxidant peptides inhibited UV damage by mainly affecting three pathways, including the base excision repair pathway. This study not only improved the economic value of processing by-products, but also obtained 7 highly active almond antioxidant peptides, tapping the potential ability of apricot antioxidant peptides to be incorporated into functional food or cosmetic formulations.

Investigation of Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of Raspberry Seed Oil, Niacinamide and Zinc Oxide in Combination for their Possible Use in a Sunscreen Formulation

Introduction: The Ultra Violet (UV) radiations emitted from the sun have several negative effects on the skin of humans. Some of the harmful effects of the UV rays are redness, skin inflammation, rashes, sunburn, wrinkles, photoaging and skin cancer. It is very important to block or reflect UV rays due to the rising cases of skin cancers secondary to UV damage. Sunscreens are presently one of the preferred and predominant modes of sun protection and must be broad spectrum to be able to block both Ultraviolet A (UVA) and Ultraviolet B (UVB). Objectives: The primary objective of our project is to assess the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of a combination of three active ingredients: Zinc Oxide (ZnO), Niacinamide, and Raspberry Seed Oil (RSO). Methods: Seven samples were prepared, where sample 1 - 6 contains different combinations of these three active ingredients and sample 7 which contains only RSO (10%). The SPF of the seven samples was measured according to the standard procedure using an UV-Visible spectrophotometer. The SPF values were then calculated using the Mansur equation. Results: The result revealed that the SPF of the formulation were below 30 therefore average photoprotective activity was observed. Conclusions: It can be concluded that the formulations were not able to provide sufficient protection from the UV rays.

Contamination patterns of the neonatal equipment, major microorganisms, and effectiveness of disinfection procedures including refurbished UV C lights at the University Teaching Hospital of Butare (CHUB)

A contaminated environment plays a significant role in transmitting hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) but regular chemical disinfection is the backbone for tackling this chain of transmission and the combination of both UV lights may increase the effectiveness of cleaning. This study assessed the effectiveness of chemical disinfection, with and without additional UV light exposure, in reducing bacterial contamination in a Neonatal unit. Therefore, interventions consisted of usual chemical disinfection with and without a 2-hour exposure to Ultraviolet light from refurbished UV lamps. Researchers swabbed high-touch surfaces and equipment before and after disinfection to identify bacterial presence. They found that 36.4% of the sampled sites showed bacterial growth, with the nursing trolley being the most contaminated. The most common bacteria isolated was Klebsiella pneumoniae (50%), which, along with other bacteria, displayed high resistance to commonly used antibiotics like Amoxicillin + Clavulanic acid and Cefuroxime. Only Meropenem and Amikacin remained effective. The study concludes that despite chemical disinfection, bacterial contamination remains significant, and conventional UV light alone did not completely eradicate bacteria, highlighting the need for more effective disinfection strategies. Keywords: Neonatology Service, University Teaching Hospital of Butare (CHUB), hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), disinfection

Improving Beneficial Traits in Bacillus cabrialesii subsp. cabrialesii TE3T through UV-Induced Genomic Changes.

It is essential to hunt for new technologies that promote sustainable practices for agroecosystems; thus, the bioprospecting of beneficial microorganisms complementing with mutation induction techniques to improve their genomic, metabolic, and functional traits is a promising strategy for the development of sustainable microbial inoculants. Bacillus cabrialesii subsp. cabrialesii strain TE3T, a previously recognized plant growth-promoting and biological control agent, was subjected to UV mutation induction to improve these agro-biotechnological traits. Dilutions were made which were spread on Petri dishes and placed under a 20 W UV lamp at 10-min intervals for 60 min. After the UV-induced mutation of this strain, 27 bacterial colonies showed morphological differences compared to the wild-type strain; however, only a strain named TE3T-UV25 showed an improvement in 53.6% of the biocontrol against Bipolaris sorokiniana vs. the wild-type strain, by competition of nutrient and space (only detected in the mutant strain), as well as diffusible metabolites. Furthermore, the ability to promote wheat growth was evaluated by carrying out experiments under specific greenhouse conditions, considering un-inoculated, strain TE3T, and strain TE3T-UV25 treatments. Thus, after 120 days, biometric traits in seedlings were quantified and statistical analyses were performed, which showed that strain TE3T-UV25 maintained its ability to promote wheat growth in comparison with the wild-type strain. On the other hand, using bioinformatics tools such as ANI, GGDC, and TYGS, the Overall Genome Relatedness Index (OGRI) and phylogenomic relationship of mutant strain TE3T-UV25 were performed, confirming that it changed its taxonomic affiliation from B. cabrialesii subsp. cabrialesii to Bacillus subtilis. In addition, genome analysis showed that the mutant, wild-type, and B. subtilis strains shared 3654 orthologous genes; however, a higher number of shared genes (3954) was found between the TE3T-UV25 mutant strain and B. subtilis 168, while the mutant strain shared 3703 genes with the wild-type strain. Genome mining was carried out using the AntiSMASH v7.0 web server and showed that mutant and wild-type strains shared six biosynthetic gene clusters associated with biocontrol but additionally, pulcherriminic acid cluster only was detected in the genome of the mutant strain and Rhizocticin A was exclusively detected in the genome of the wild-type strain. Finally, using the PlaBase tool, differences in the number of genes (17) associated with beneficial functions in agroecosystems were detected in the genome of the mutant vs. wild-type strain, such as biofertilization, bioremediation, colonizing plant system, competitive exclusion, phytohormone, plant immune response stimulation, putative functions, stress control, and biocontrol. Thus, the UV-induced mutation was a successful strategy to improve the bioactivity of B. cabrialesii subsp. cabrialesii TE3T related to the agro-biotecnology applications. The obtained mutant strain, B. subtilis TE3T-UV25, is a promising strain to be further studied as an active ingredient for the bioformulation of bacterial inoculants to migrate sustainable agriculture.

Paper-Based Microfluidic Device for Extracellular Lactate Detection.

Lactate is a critical regulatory factor secreted by tumors, influencing tumor development, metastasis, and clinical prognosis. Precise analysis of tumor-cell-secreted lactate is pivotal for early cancer diagnosis. This study describes a paper-based microfluidic chip to enable the detection of lactate levels secreted externally by living cells. Under optimized conditions, the lactate biosensor can complete the assay in less than 30 min. In addition, the platform can be used to distinguish lactate secretion levels in different cell lines and can be applied to the screening of antitumor drugs. Through enzymatic chemical conversion, this platform generates fluorescent signals, enabling qualitative assessment under a handheld UV lamp and quantitative analysis via grayscale intensity measurements using ImageJ (Ver. 1.50i) software. The paper-based platform presented in this study is rapid and highly sensitive and does not necessitate other costly and intricate instruments, thus making it applicable in resource-constrained areas and serving as a valuable tool for investigating cell lactate secretion and screening various anti-cancer drugs.

Mn2+ doped Zn2SiO4 phosphors: A threefold-mode sensing approach for optical thermometry in the visible region at 525 nm

Optical functional materials such as nanostructured silicates have been studied for photonics applications involving energy conversion. In this scenario, we studied Zn2SiO4:Mn2+ nanostructured powders prepared by combustion synthesis for optical thermometry based on photon downshifting. The structural analysis showed that Zn2SiO4 particles were found embedded in clustered silica nanoparticles. The photoluminescence analysis showed that the samples exhibit intense green emission (centered around 525 nm), corresponding to the electronic transition 4T1 → 6A1 of Mn2+, when exposed to a low power ultraviolet lamp (centered around 255 nm). The temperature sensing performance of this material was evaluated using three different methodologies, i.e. the luminescence decay time constant, the spectral full width at half maximum, and the luminescence peak intensity from the 4T1 → 6A1 radiative transition. The thermometric analysis based on luminescence peak intensity provided a maximum relative sensitivity of ∼4.9x10−3 K−1 at 498 K, while the decay lifetime and the spectral width at half maximum provided maximum relative temperature sensitivities of ∼2.9x10−3 K−1 at 523 K and ∼1.7x10−3 K−1 at 298 K, respectively.

Dual-State Red-Emitting Zinc-Based MOF Accompanied by Dual-Mode and Dual-State Detection: Color Tonality Visual Mode for the Detection of Tetracycline.

Red-emitting metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are still mostly based on the use of lanthanides or functionalization with red fluorophores. However, production of transition-metal-based MOFs with red-emitting is scarce. This work reports on the synthesis of a novel dual-state red-emitting Zn-based MOF (denoted as UoZ-7) with the capability to detect target molecules in dual state, in solution, and as solid on paper. UoZ-7 gives strong red emission when excited in the solution and in the solid state with 365 nm ultraviolet (UV) lamp irradiation. Coordination-induced emission is the mechanism for the red emission enhancement in the MOF as a restriction of intramolecular rotation occurred to the ligand within the framework structure. UoZ-7 was successfully used for tetracycline (TC) using dual-mode detection, fluorescence-based ratiometry, and color tonality, in the dual state, in solution, and on the paper. TC molecules adsorb on the red-emitting UoZ-7 surface, and a yellow-greenish color emerges due to aggregation-induced emission between TC and UoZ-7. Concurrently, the inner filter effect diminishes the red emission of UoZ-7. The dual-mode or dual-state detection platform provides a simple and reliable fast method for the detection of TC on-site in various environmental and biomedical applications. Moreover, red-emitting UoZ-7 will have further luminescence-based biomedical applications.

A ‘Turn-on’ fluorogenic probe for selective and specific detection of Hg(II) ions

Mercury (Hg2+) and its associated compounds have drawn serious concern from the scientific communities for their extreme toxicity to human beings. The present article introduced a chromone-benzoxazole embracing an effective fluorogenic probe, (E)-3-(((4-(benzo[d]oxazol-2-yl) phenyl) imino) methyl)-2-methoxy-2H-chromen-4-ol (BPMC) for selective and specific detection of Hg2+ ions having detection and quantification limit in the µM range. A significant photoluminescence enhancement has been observed from BPMC solution (water-DMSO mixture, 50 % v/v) displaying low to highly intense blue-violet photoluminescence under a 365 nm UV lamp due to the inhibition of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) and excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) processes involved in BPMC. Furthermore, to achieve on-site detection of Hg2+ ions and investigate the practical utility of our developed probe, we have fabricated a BPMC-stained paper-strips-based test kit and demonstrated its practical effectiveness for on-spot detection. The details of the detection mechanism have been revealed through 1H NMR, FT-IR, and high-resolution mass spectrometric analysis. The present report evokes a broader perspective for tailoring ICT and ESIPT-based chromo-fluorogenic probes to accelerate their real-world application and environmental monitoring.

Synthesis and characterization of micro-/nano-α-Fe2O3 for photocatalytic dye degradation.

Photocatalytic activity using micro-/nano-α-Fe2O3 on a large scale was carried out using a sol-gel autocombustion method. A degradation time of 60 min was noted for 50 mg of the catalyst. Post characterization, this catalyst system showed a degradation of about 53% (rate = 2.60 × 10-3 min-1) and 17% (rate = 1.38 × 10-2 min-1) under sunlight and up to 45% (rate = 1.13 × 10-3 min-1) and 7% (rate = 1.20 × 10-2 min-1) under a 400 W UV lamp for rhodamine 6G (R6G) and crystal violet (CV), respectively. Sunlight has a broad spectrum of light; it greatly accelerates the degradation process and creates ideal conditions for the reaction to occur. The rate of photocatalytic dye degradation of α-Fe2O3 without Fenton's reagent was found to be 7.84 × 10-3 min-1 in the presence of external air provided (in the photocatalytic setup) through a bubbler and 3.23 × 10-3 min-1 in the absence of the bubbler.

The m6A writer KIAA1429 regulates photoaging progression via MFAP4-dependent collagen synthesis

BackgroundN6-Methyladenosine (m6A) methylation, a common form of RNA modification, play an important role in the pathogenesis of various diseases and in the ontogeny of organisms. Nevertheless, the precise function of m6A methylation in photoaging remains unknown.ObjectivesThis study aims to investigate the biological role and underlying mechanism of m6A methylation in photoaging.Methodsm6A dot blot, Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), western blot and immunohistochemical (IHC) assays were employed to detect the m6A level and specific m6A methylase in ultraviolet ray (UVR)-induced photoaging tissue. The profile of m6A-tagged mRNA was identified by methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) and RNA-seq analysis. Finally, we investigated the regulatory mechanism of KIAA1429 by MeRIP-qPCR, RNA knockdown and immunofluorescence assay.Resultsm6A levels were increased in photoaging and were closely associated with the upregulation of KIAA1429 expression. 1331 differentially m6A methylated genes were identified in the UVR group compared with the control group, of which 1192 (90%) were hypermethylated. Gene ontology analysis showed that genes with m6A hypermethylation and mRNA downregulation were mainly involved in extracellular matrix metabolism and collagen metabolism-related processes. Furthermore, KIAA1429 knockdown abolished the downregulation of TGF-bRII and upregulation of MMP1 in UVR-irradiated human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). Mechanically, we identified MFAP4 as a target of KIAA1429-mediated m6A modification and KIAA1429 might suppress collagen synthesis through an m6A-MFAP4-mediated process.ConclusionsThe increased expression of KIAA1429 hinders collagen synthesis during UVR-induced photoaging, suggesting that KIAA1429 represents a potential candidate for targeted therapy to mitigate UVR-driven photoaging.

High internal phase emulsions stabilized by fluorescent phycocyanin for improved stability and bioaccessibility of β-carotene.

High internal phase emulsions (HIPE) are distinguished from ordinary emulsions by higher oil-phase percentage and better storage stability. Recently, HIPE stabilized with protein-based particles has received more attention. However, organic precipitation, chemical cross-linking and thermal denaturation are often needed to stabilize emulsions with natural proteins, and there is an urgent need to reduce the pollution of organic reagents. HIPE loaded with β-carotene stabilized by phycocyanin was prepared under mild conditions. It demonstrated strong stability in terms of temperature and storage, as evidenced by its 94.17% retention rate and 81.06% bioavailability. This stability was ascribed to the efficient defense against heat and UV rays, which was probably associated with the oil-droplet environment and interfacial protection of phycocyanin. It is speculated that the possible main interaction site between phycocyaninand sorbitol exists near amino acids 110 to 120 of the B chain. The hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interaction between them make the phycocyanin fully adsorbed on the oil-water interface when sorbitol is stable, forming a strong oil-water structure, which increases the stability of the emulsion. The outstanding fluorescence characteristics provide a feasible alternative for fluorescent emulsions to distribute and trace active compounds in vitro. HIPE loaded with β-carotene might have potential as a 3D printing material for edible functional foods. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of gamma and ultraviolet irradiation on the optical properties of copper oxide nanostructured thin films by chemical spray pyrolysis

Nanostructured copper oxide thin films were grown by the chemical spray pyrolysis (CSP) technique. Utilizing a homemade spray pyrolysis method, thin films are created. This work investigates the role of gamma ray and ultraviolet ray irradiation on the optical properties of copper oxide thin films(CuO) prepared. In this framework, used different substrate temperatures 300 °C, 350 °C, and 400 °C for the layers were grown on glass for the prepared CuO thin films. UV–visible spectrometer, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and X-ray diffraction patterns(XRD) measurements were all used to characterize the samples. The UV–visible spectroscopy showed a decrease in the absorbance and the optical band gap of CuO thin films with the increase in the higher substrate temperatures before irradiation. Additionally, surface plasmon resonance peaks (λSPR) were observed at 329 nm. FE-SEM images revealed spherical-like shapes with an average diameter range of 48 nm,56 nm and 62 nm for 300 °C, 350 °C, and 400 °C, respectively. An analysis of X-rays revealed that CuO thin films contained the crystallographic planes of a monoclinic and an orthorhombic crystal system. Also, when samples were exposed to gamma and UVC radiation, the absorbance intensity of CuO thin films increased, but the optical band gap decreased.