Uptake Process Research Articles

Adoption of a COVID-19 Contact Tracing App by Czech Youth: Cross-Cultural Replication Study.

During the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic crisis, the role of digital contact tracing (DCT) intensified. However, the uptake of this technology expectedly differed among age cohorts and national cultures. Various conceptual tools were introduced to strengthen DCT research from a theoretical perspective. However, little has been done to compare theory-supported findings across different cultural contexts and age cohorts. Building on the original study conducted in Belgium in April 2020 and theoretically underpinned by the Health Belief Model (HBM), this study attempted to confirm the predictors of DCT adoption in a cultural environment different from the original setting, that is, the Czech Republic. In addition, by using brief qualitative evidence, it aimed to shed light on the possible limitations of the HBM in the examined context and to propose certain extensions of the HBM. A Czech version of the original instrument was administered to a convenience sample of young (aged 18-29 y) Czech adults in November 2020. After filtering, 519 valid responses were obtained and included in the quantitative data analysis, which used structural equation modeling and followed the proposed structure of the relationships among the HBM constructs. Furthermore, a qualitative thematic analysis of the free-text answers was conducted to provide additional insights about the model's validity in the given context. The proposed measurement model exhibited less optimal fit (root mean square error of approximation=0.065, 90% CI 0.060-0.070) than in the original study (root mean square error of approximation=0.036, 90% CI 0.033-0.039). Nevertheless, perceived benefits and perceived barriers were confirmed as the main, statistically significant predictors of DCT uptake, consistent with the original study (β=.60, P<.001 and β=-.39; P<.001, respectively). Differently from the original study, self-efficacy was not a significant predictor in the strict statistical sense (β=.12; P=.003). In addition, qualitative analysis demonstrated that in the given cohort, perceived barriers was the most frequent theme (166/354, 46.9% of total codes). Under this category, psychological fears and concerns was a subtheme, notably diverging from the original operationalization of the perceived barriers construct. In a similar sense, a role for social influence in DCT uptake processes was suggested by some respondents (12/354, 1.7% of total codes). In summary, the quantitative and qualitative results indicated that the proposed quantitative model seemed to be of limited value in the examined context. Future studies should focus on reconceptualizing the 2 underperforming constructs (ie, perceived severity and cues to action) by considering the qualitative findings. This study also provided actionable insights for policy makers and app developers to mitigate DCT adoption issues in the event of a future pandemic caused by unknown viral agents.

Biomaterials Elicit Pyroptosis Enhancing Cancer Immunotherapy

AbstractCancer immunotherapy has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of malignant tumors, but its effectiveness is limited by the low immune response rate and immune‐related adverse events. Pyroptosis, as an inflammatory programmed cell death type, triggers strong acute inflammatory response and antitumor immunity, converting “cold” tumors to “hot”. Particularly, biomaterials loading pyroptosis inducers targeting the tumor microenvironment to engineer pyroptosis, have achieved great progress in recent years. Herein, the design strategy, mechanism pathway, and role of biomaterials to induce pyroptosis in cancer immunotherapy are comprehensively reviewed. The present review focuses on the application of biomaterials‐induced pyroptosis in cancer immunotherapy, including nanogel, polymer prodrug, nanovesicle, and mesoporous material. Additionally, the synthesis of a series of stimuli‐responsive nanoplatforms, including glutathione‐responsive, pH‐responsive, reactive oxygen species‐responsive, and enzyme‐mimicking catalytic performance, is described. Meanwhile, it augments multiple immune response processes of cell uptake, antigen presentation, T‐cell activation, and expansion. Finally, the perspectives of pyroptosis‐mediated inflammation to break through the tumor vascular basement membrane barrier achieving efficient volcanic penetration of biomaterials are discussed. Artificial intelligence, multi‐omics analysis, and anthropogenic animal models of organoids are presented, aiming to provide guidance and assistance for constructing effective and controllable pyroptosis‐engineered biomaterials and improving tumor immunotherapy.

Efficient lead removal from aqueous solutions using a new sulfonated covalent organic framework: Synthesis, characterization, and adsorption performance

The aim of removing Pb(II) from water is to minimize the potential harm posed by toxic metals to both human health and the environment. To achieve this, a covalent organic framework adsorbent called TFPOTDB-SO3H was developed using a condensation process involving 2,5-diaminobenzenesulfonic acid and 2,4,6-tris-(4-formylphenoxy)-1,3,5-triazine. This adsorbent exhibited excellent properties such as high repeatability, selectivity, and easy solid–liquid separation. Under conditions of pH = 6.0 and 298 K, the TFPOTDB-SO3H demonstrated impressive capability of adsorbing Pb(II). In a brief span of 10 min, it attained a special elimination rate of 99.40 % and shown its capacity to adsorb up to 500.00 mg/g. The adsorbent presented effective removal of Pb(II) from a solution that had a mixture of various ions, showcasing its proficiency in capturing the contaminant, with a partition coefficient (Kd) of 3.99 × 106 mL/g and an adsorption efficiency of 99.75 % among six coexisting ions. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model was observed to govern the adsorption process kinetics, while the Langmuir isotherm model confirmed monolayer chemisorption as the mechanism for Pb(II) removal. Thermodynamic analysis indicated that the uptake process was both exothermic and spontaneous. Furthermore, the adsorbent maintained a significant adsorption efficiency of 89.63 % for Pb(II) even after undergoing four consecutive adsorption–desorption cycles. These findings collectively suggest that TFPOTDB-SO3H has excellent potential for effectively adsorbing and removing Pb(II) heavy metal ions from wastewater.

Lipid composition and properties affect protein-mediated carotenoid uptake efficiency from membranes

Carotenoids are pigments of diverse functions ranging from coloration over light-harvesting to photoprotection. Yet, the number of carotenoid-binding proteins, which mobilize these pigments in physiological media, is limited, and the mechanisms of carotenoid mobilization are still not well understood. The same applies for the determinants of carotenoid uptake from membranes into carotenoproteins, especially regarding the dependence on the chemical properties of membrane lipids. Here, we investigate xanthophyll uptake capacity and kinetics of a paradigmatic carotenoid-binding protein, the homolog of the Orange Carotenoid Protein's C-terminal domain from Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 (AnaCTDH), using liposomes formed from defined lipid species and loaded with canthaxanthin (CAN) and echinenone (ECN), respectively. Phospholipids with different chain length and degree of saturation were investigated. The composition of carotenoid-loaded liposomes directly affected the incorporation yield and storage ratio of CAN and ECN as well as the rate of carotenoid uptake by AnaCTDH. Generally, saturated PC lipids were identified as unsuitable, and a high phase transition temperature of the lipids negatively affected the carotenoid incorporation and storage yield. For efficient carotenoid transfer, the velocity increases with increasing chain length or membrane thickness. An average transfer yield of 93 % and 43 % were obtained for the formation of AnaCTDH(CAN) and AnaCTDH(ECN) holoproteins, respectively. In summary, the most suitable lipids for the formation of AnaCTDH(CAN/ECN) holoproteins by carotenoid transfer from artificial liposomes are phosphatidylcholine (18:1) and phosphatidylglycerol (14:0). Thus, these two lipids provide the best conditions for further investigation of lipid-protein interaction and the carotenoid uptake process.

Adverse Effects Reported and Insights Following Sinopharm COVID-19 Vaccination.

Vaccines are promising strategies for controlling COVID-19; however, COVID-19 vaccine side effects play a central role in public confidence in the vaccine and its uptake process. This study aimed to provide evidence on the post-vaccination early side effects of the BBIBP-CorV (Sinopharm) vaccine. This cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted between November 2021 and January 2022 among recipients of the BBIBP-CorV vaccine, using a questionnaire-based survey. Our final sample consisted of 657 participants, including 392 women. Among the study cases, only 103 (15.7%) participants received one dose of vaccine, and the rest received both doses (N = 554, 84.3%). Systemic symptoms (first dose: N = 187, both doses: N = 128) were the most commonly reported events after vaccination, and among them, injection site pain (first dose: 19.3%, both doses: 12.9%) was the most prevalent adverse effect. All reporting events were mild and resolved in less than 3days without hospitalization. Among the participants, females and young people aged 35-65 were more prone to manifest side effects (N = 169, 53.3%) after the vaccine injection. Furthermore, our results revealed that the recipients who were suffering from underlying diseases, including diabetes, renal disorder, and respiratory illness, reported fewer adverse responses after vaccination in comparison with healthy individuals. Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 may lead to some adverse reactions in recipients. However, the frequency of post-vaccination early side effects differed in people, but all responses were slight and temporary.

Steric and Energetic Studies on the Synergetic Enhancement Effect of Integrated Polyaniline on the Adsorption Properties of Toxic Basic and Acidic Dyes by Polyaniline/Zeolite-A Composite.

The synergetic enhancement effect of the polyaniline (PANI) integration process on the adsorption properties of the PANI/zeolite-A composite (PANI/ZA) as an adsorbent for malachite green and Congo red synthetic dyes was evaluated based on classic equilibrium modelling in addition to the steric and energetic parameters of advanced isotherm studies. The PANI/ZA composite displays enhanced adsorption capacities for both methylene blue (270.9 mg/g) and Congo red (235.5 mg/g) as compared to ZA particles (methylene blue (179.6 mg/g) and Congo red (140.3 mg/g)). The reported enhancement was illustrated based on the steric parameters of active site density (Nm) and the number of adsorbed dyes per active site (n). The integration of PANI strongly induced the quantities of the existing active sites that have enhanced affinities towards both methylene blue (109.2 mg/g) and Congo red (92.9 mg/g) as compared to the present sites on the surface of ZA. Every site on the surface of PANI/ZA can adsorb about four methylene blue molecules and five Congo red molecules, signifying the vertical orientation of their adsorbed ions and their uptake by multi-molecular mechanisms. The energetic investigation of the methylene blue (-10.26 to -16.8 kJ/mol) and Congo red (-9.38 to -16.49 kJ/mol) adsorption reactions by PANI/ZA suggested the operation of physical mechanisms during their uptake by PANI/ZA. These mechanisms might involve van der Waals forces, dipole bonding forces, and hydrogen bonding (<30 kJ/mol). The evaluated thermodynamic functions, including enthalpy, internal energy, and entropy, validate the exothermic and spontaneous behaviours of the methylene blue and Congo red uptake processes by PANI/ZA.

Effects and mechanism of microplastics on organic carbon and nitrogen cycling in agricultural soil: A review

AbstractAt present, microplastics (MPs) are a kind of emerging pollutants of concern in the environment, and have a wide and far‐reaching impact on terrestrial ecosystems. This article summarizes the latest research progress of the impact of MPs pollution on the biogeochemical cycle of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), and summarizes the current situation of MPs pollution in agricultural soil. On the basis of summarizing the effects of MPs on soil physicochemical properties, soil microorganisms and soil plants and animals, this article focuses on how soil MPs affect the C and N cycles by changing these factors. MPs can alter organic matter degradation and C and N cycles by changing the soil physicochemical properties, as well as the soil microbial and enzymatic activities. MPs may alter plants' nutrient uptake processes, which in turn affects the ability of plants to photosynthesize and absorb C and N elements. MPs can affect the survival rate, the growth rate and intestinal injury of soil animals, therefore indirectly affecting the soil C and N cycles. At the same time, this article compares the different effects of conventional plastics and biodegradable plastics on soil, and looks forward to the current research deficiencies and the future research directions of ecotoxicology of MPs on C and N cycle.

Distinctive Heterogeneous Reaction Mechanism of ClNO2 on the Air-Water Surface Containing Cl.

The heterogeneous reaction of nitryl chloride (ClNO2) on the air-water surface plays a significant role in the chloride lifecycle. The air-water surface is ubiquitous on ice surfaces under supercooled conditions, affecting the uptake and heterogeneous reaction processes of trace gases. Previous studies suggest that ClNO2 is formed on Cl-doped ice surfaces following the N2O5 uptake. Herein, a distinctive heterogeneous reaction mechanism of ClNO2 is suggested on an air-water surface containing Cl under supercooled conditions using combined classic molecular dynamics (MD) and Born-Oppenheimer MD simulations. It is found that N2O5 dissociates into a NO2+ and NO3- ionic pair on the top air-water surface. In the top layer of the surface containing barely any Cl-, NO2+ proceeds through hydrolysis and produces H3O+ and HNO3. Thus, surface acidification appears because of H3O+ yields. With NO2+ diffusion to the deep layer of the surface, NO2+ reacts with Cl- and forms ClNO2. Note that ClNO2 formation competes with NO2+ hydrolysis, and the rate of ClNO2 formation is 27.7[Cl-] larger than that of NO2+ hydrolysis. Afterward, the reaction of ClNO2 with Cl- becomes barrierless with the catalysis by H3O+, which is not feasible on a neutral surface. Cl2 is thus generated and escapes into the atmosphere (low solubility of Cl2), contributing to the Cl radical. The proposed mechanism bolsters the current understanding of ClNO2's fate and its role in Cl chemistry in extremely cold environments like the Arctic and other high-latitude regions in wintertime.

Heterogeneity and Compositional Diversities of Campylobacter jejuni Outer Membrane Vesicles (OMVs) Drive Multiple Cellular Uptake Processes.

Naturally secreted outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) from gut microbes carry diverse cargo, including proteins, nucleic acids, toxins, and many unidentified secretory factors. Bacterial OMVs can shuttle molecules across different cell types as a generalized secretion system, facilitating bacterial pathogenicity and self-survival. Numerous mucosal pathogens, including Campylobacter jejuni (C.jejuni), share a mechanism of harmonized secretion of major virulence factors. Intriguingly, as a common gut pathogen, C.jejuni lacks some classical virulence-associated secretion systems; alternatively, it often employs nanosized lipid-bound OMVs as an intensive strategy to deliver toxins, including secretory proteins, into the target cells. To better understand how the biophysical and compositional attributes of natural OMVs of C.jejuni regulate their cellular interactions to induce a biologically relevant host response, we conducted an in-depth morphological and compositional analysis of naturally secreted OMVs of C.jejuni. Next, we focused on understanding the mechanism of host cell-specific OMVs uptake from the extracellular milieu. We showed that intracellular perfusion of OMVs is mediated by cytosolic as well as multiple endocytic uptake processes due to the heterogenic nature, abundance of surface proteins, and membrane phospholipids acquired from the source bacteria. Furthermore, we used human and avian cells as two different host targets to provide evidence of target cell-specific preferential uptake of OMVs. Together, the present study provides insight into the unique functionality of natural OMVs of C. jejuni at the cellular interface, upholding their potential for multimodal use as prophylactic and therapeutic carriers.

Numerical analysis of oxygen uptake processes by red blood cells in stopped-flow measurements: Effects of cell shape, membrane permeability and unstirred layer

The transport process of oxygen and other gas species across red blood cell (RBC) membrane is of great importance for better understanding the critical biological functions of RBCs, and the stopped-flow experiments have often been employed for such investigations. In previous stopped-flow analyses, the RBC had usually been represented by a spherical capsule based on the RBC volume, and an assumed unstirred layer (USL) thickness had been used to determine the membrane permeability. In this research, unlike these previous studies, we simulate the oxygen uptake process with different RBC shapes (shperical, ellipsoidal and biconcave) and examine the effects of USL thickness and membrane permeability over broad ranges based on literature values. Our results show that the excess membrane area can greatly improve the oxygen transport efficiency, and a same uptake half-time can be obtained using different combinations of USL thickness and membrane permeability. These findings raise concerns on the reliability and uncertainty for the results and conclusions in previous studies, and also call for more complete numerical models, for example, with the fluid flow and cell deformation considered, and more in-depth investigations on the oxygen transport processes.

Pristine wild sugarcane (Saccharum spontaneum) as a biosorbent for removal of methylene blue from wastewater: isotherm, kinetics and regeneration studies

Saccharum spontaneum, popularly known as Kashful (KF) is a seasonal perennial grass with thin culms, mostly an abundantly growing shrub during the autumn season in southern Asia. It is used as no-cost scavenger to convincingly arrest methylene blue, a recalcitrant dye from colored effluent. FTIR, FESEM-EDX, and BET surface area characterize the material well whereas the surface activity was evaluated from zero-point charge (pHZPC = 6.720). FTIR highlights the presence of polyphenolic and carboxylate moieties. The surface texture is rod-like with intermittent non-homogeneous pores with occasional fractures. The equilibrium reaches within 60 min with the maximum adsorption capacity of 20.917 mg/g. The fibrous powder of kashful stalk (KFS) follows pseudo-second-order (R 2 = 0.999 for linear and R 2 = 0.985 for non-linear) kinetics and both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm model (for linear, Langmuir R2=0.995; for non-linear, R 2 = 0.994 for both Langmuir and Freundlich model). The uptake process was spontaneous (ΔG= −3.077 kJ/mol) and endothermic (ΔH = 17.815 kJ/mol). 1:1 methanol could regenerate the dye-loaded material in up to 55% and onward efficiency was conducive for three consecutive cycles. Industrial effluent analysis suggests a real-time removal of ∼55% in the first cycle. Saccharum spontaneum could be exercised to solve environmental problems related to colored water.

MBSE-LITE: A FRAMEWORK FOR ADOPTING MODEL-BASED SYSTEMS ENGINEERING IN SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES IN SOUTH AFRICA

Purpose – This research aims to characterise the landscape and factors for successfully implementing Systems Engineering (SE) and Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) in the enterprise. Research methodology – The study investigated the factors across different industries that affect the success of MBSE in an enterprise using a survey questionnaire. The research focussed on the uptake and implementation of MBSE in Small and Medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa. More than 100 industry professionals participated in the study. Findings – The survey revealed that SMEs have trouble adopting and implementing MBSE because they are unaware of its applicability and lack economic justification and support from upper management. Quantitative data analysis assessed how factors such as MBSE training, existing SE processes in the enterprise, and how long the company has been using MBSE contribute to the success of MBSE adoption in SMEs. Research limitations – The population size limited the study reached and the time available to conduct the research. However, it does not reduce the results’ strength and validity. Practical implications – The analysis showed that training and an existing SE structure are highly significant, while the age of MBSE in the enterprise does not correlate with its success. Therefore, these results proposed an adoption framework for SMEs in South Africa to aid MBSE adoption by incorporating training and a clear uptake and implementation process. Originality/Value – This research builds on the growing body of literature about implementing MBSE and enterprises. The conclusions provide valuable insights and guidelines for implementing MBSE in SMEs.

Near-Infrared-II In Vivo Visualization and Quantitative Tracking of Micro/Nanoplastics in Fish.

As emerging contaminants, micro/nanoplastics (MNPs) are widely present in aquatic environments and are often ingested by aquatic organisms. However, the in vivo trafficking and fate of MNPs remain largely unknown. Here, we developed near-infrared (NIR) aggregated-induced emission (AIE) fluorophore-labeled microplastics (2 μm) and nanoplastics (100 nm) as models of MNPs. This model was based on the NIR-AIE technique with strong emission at the second near-infrared (NIR-IIII) window, which overcomes the interference of autofluorescence and observation artifacts in the detection of commercial fluorescent-labeled particles. Due to its deep tissue penetration and noninvasiveness, the dynamic process of accumulation and transport of MNPs in individuals can be tracked with NIR imaging. We then directly visualized and quantified the uptake and depuration processes of MPs and NPs in zebrafish. The results showed that the MPs and NPs were mainly accumulated in the fish gut, and the distribution was heterogeneous. MPs tended to accumulate more in the fore and mid areas of the gut compared with NPs. Besides, both MPs and NPs could accumulate in large quantities locally in the gut and might cause intestinal obstruction. MNPs accumulated slowly during the initial exposure followed by rapid and sustained accumulation in gut. Based on these kinetic accumulation and depuration, we developed a refined toxicokinetic (TK) model to describe the dynamic changes in the uptake and depuration of MNPs. Overall, this study proposed a MNP model based on the NIR-AIE technique, which provided a reliable tracer technology for the visualization, tracking and quantification of MNPs in vivo.

Protein Delivery to the Cytosol and Cell Nucleus via Micellar Nanocarrier-Based Nonendocytic Uptake.

Although efficient cell nucleus delivery of exogenous materials can greatly improve their biochemical activity, this is strictly restricted by cellular uptake and intracellular trafficking processes. In the current approach, synthetic carriers are designed for cell delivery of exogenous materials via endocytosis, and nucleus delivery can be achieved via endosomal escape. Here, we demonstrate that a nonendocytic cell uptake approach can be adapted for protein delivery to the cell nucleus. We have designed a phenylboronic acid-terminated micellar carrier that can bind with protein in the presence of green tea polyphenol and deliver protein into the cytosol via the nonendocytic approach. Using this approach, four different proteins are delivered to the cytosol within 15 min, and low-molecular weight proteins are delivered to the nucleus. The designed approach can be extended for delivering macromolecular drugs to subcellular targets for a more efficient therapy.

A physiologically based pharmacokinetic model for V937 oncolytic virus in mice.

Introduction: Oncolytic viruses (OVs) represent a novel therapeutic strategy in oncology due to their capability to selectively infect and replicate in cancer cells, triggering a direct and/or immune-induced tumor lysis. However, the mechanisms governing OV pharmacokinetics are still poorly understood. This work aims to develop a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model of the novel OV, V937, in non-tumor-bearing mice to get a quantitative understanding of its elimination and tissue uptake processes. Materials and methods: Model development was performed using data obtained from 60 mice. Viral levels were quantified from eight tissues after a single intravenous V937 dose. An external dataset was used for model validation. This test set included multiple-dose experiments with different routes of administration. V937 distribution in each organ was described using a physiological structure based on mouse-specific organ blood flows and volumes. Analyses were performed using the non-linear mixed-effects approach with NONMEM 7.4. Results: Viral levels showed a drop from 108 to 105 copies/µg RNA at day 1 in blood, reflected in a high estimate of total clearance (18.2mL/h). A well-stirred model provided an adequate description for all organs except the muscle and heart, where a saturable uptake process improved data description. The highest numbers of viral copies were observed in the brain, lymph node, kidney, liver, lung, and spleen on the first day after injection. On the other hand, the maximum amount of viral copies in the heart, muscle, and pancreas occurred 3days after administration. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first physiologically based pharmacokinetic model developed to characterize OV biodistribution, representing a relevant source of quantitative knowledge regarding the in vivo behavior of OVs. This model can be further expanded by adding a tumor compartment, where OVs could replicate.

Metabolic regulation of Shewanella oneidensis for microbial electrosynthesis: From extracellular to intracellular

Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 (S. oneidensis MR-1) has been shown to benefit from microbial electrosynthesis (MES) due to its exceptional electron transfer efficiency. In this study, genes involved in both extracellular electron uptake (EEU) and intracellular CO2 conversion processes were examined and regulated to enhance MES performance. The key genes identified for MES in the EEU process were mtrB, mtrC, mtrD, mtrE, omcA and cctA. Overexpression of these genes resulted in 1.5–2.1 times higher formate productivity than that of the wild-type strains (0.63 mmol/(L·μg protein)), as 0.94–1.61 mmol/(L·μg protein). In the intracellular CO2 conversion process, overexpression of the nadE, nadD, nadR, nadV, pncC and petC genes increased formate productivity 1.3-fold–3.4-fold. Moreover, overexpression of the formate dehydrogenase genes fdhA1, fdhB1 and fdhX1 in modified strains led to a 2.3-fold–3.1-fold increase in formate productivity compared to wild-type strains. The co-overexpression of cctA, fdhA1 and nadV in the mutant strain resulted in 5.59 times (3.50 mmol/(L·μg protein)) higher formate productivity than that of the wild-type strains. These findings revealed that electrons of MES derived from the electrode were utilized in the energy module for synthesizing ATP and NADH, followed by the synthesis of formate in formate dehydrogenase by the combinatorial effects of ATP, NADH, electrons and CO2. The results provide new insights into the mechanism of MES in S. oneidensis MR-1 and pave the way for genetic improvements that could facilitate the further application of MES.

Application of carbon from pomegranate husk for the removal of ibuprofen, cadmium and methylene blue from water

The presence of pharmaceutical products, dyes, and toxic metal ions in water is a major problem worldwide. This work developed low-cost pomegranate-based materials to uptake ibuprofen, cadmium and methylene blue from water. Pomegranate husks (PPH) were carbonized at 400 °C to form carbonized pomegranate husk (CPH), and nanoparticles were loaded into the carbon surface (NPH) by co-precipitation. SEM micrographs showed that the morphology of carbon was highly porous compared to pristine pomegranate husk. The data for BET revealed that CPH and NPH, had about a 20-fold increase in surface area of 142 m2/g and 190 m2/g respectively compared with 9.27 m2/g for PPH. The composites exhibited larger pore sizes and volumes. TEM images confirmed the loading of nanoparticles. The FTIR results showed that the materials had on their surface oxygenated groups such as –OH, –C]O, –COC and other groups like –NH and –C]C which are anticipated to play an essential role in the sorption of the pollutants. It was found that removal efficiency increased when there was a progressive increase in pollutant concentration for all adsorbents. The best pH value of the solution for the sorption processes was pH 8. The recorded adsorption capacities at pH 8 for Cd(II), IBU and MB were 92.85, 39.77 and 95.89 mg/g for NPH, 72.60, 32.58 and 80.59 mg/g for CPH and 32.78, 16.12 and 40.79 mg/g for PPH. Contact time studies showed three sorption steps. Step 1: rapid increase at the initial stage. Step 2: marginal uptake. Step 3: plateau. The trends indicated that sorption was influenced by temperature variation. The data for the thermodynamic parameter △Ho suggest that all the sorption processes were endothermic; the obtained positive values indicate this. The △Ho for PPH was between (64.33–69.08 kJ/mol), 82.84–86.03 kJ/mol for CPH and 87.17–88.96 kJ/mol for NPH. For PPH, molecular interactions were physisorption, and chemisorption for CPH and NPH. The △So has positive values, showing increased freedom during the sorption. The adsorbents followed PSO based on uptake processes involving syngenetic mechanisms.

Effective communication in palliative care from the perspectives of patients and relatives: A systematic review.

In palliative care, effective communication is essential to adequately meet the needs and preferences of patients and their relatives. Effective communication includes exchanging information, facilitates shared decision-making, and promotes an empathic care relationship. We explored the perspectives of patients with an advanced illness and their relatives on effective communication with health-care professionals. A systematic review was conducted. We searched Embase, Medline, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Cochrane for original empirical studies published between January 1, 2015 and March 4, 2021. In total, 56 articles on 53 unique studies were included. We found 7 themes that from the perspectives of patients and relatives contribute to effective communication: (1) open and honest information. However, this open and honest communication can also trigger anxiety, stress, and existential disruption. Patients and relatives also indicated that they preferred (2) health-care professionals aligning to the patient's and relative's process of uptake and coping with information; (3) empathy; (4) clear and understandable language; (5) leaving room for positive coping strategies, (6) committed health-care professionals taking responsibility; and (7) recognition of relatives in their role as caregiver. Most studies in this review concerned communication with physicians in a hospital setting. Most patients and relatives appreciate health-care professionals to not only pay attention to strictly medical issues but also to who they are as a person and the process they are going through. More research is needed on effective communication by nurses, in nonhospital settings and on communication by health-care professionals specialized in palliative care.

Predicting pesticide residues in pod fruits with a modified peel-like uptake model: A green pea demonstration

Peas are among the most popular leguminous plants, consumed by both humans and animals in large quantities. Pesticides are widely used globally to increase pea yield, and as a result, pesticide residues can be taken up by pea plants and bioaccumulate in their fruits, including peas and pods. However, there is a lack of modeling approaches available to predict residue concentrations in peas. To address this issue, a pod fruit model (specifically designed for neutral organic compounds) was proposed to simulate the bioaccumulation process of pesticide residues in pea plants, which was developed by modifying a peel-like uptake model. The simulation results, based on green pea as the modeling demonstration, reveal that moderately-lipophilic pesticides (i.e., log KOW around 3) have higher simulated concentrations in peas at harvest compared to hydrophilic (i.e., log KOW less than 0) or highly-lipophilic (i.e., log KOW over 5) pesticides, which is due to the enhanced uptake process of moderately-lipophilic compounds in the pod-pea system, such as their ability to penetrate the pod cuticle and be transported via phloem sap. The sensitivity test and variability analysis conducted in this study revealed that the degradation kinetics, including metabolism, hydrolysis, and photolysis, had a significant impact on moderately-lipophilic pesticides due to their high simulated concentrations in the pea plant. This can result in substantial loss of residue mass via degradation. The validation of the model demonstrated that the simulation results, specifically residue concentrations in the fruit, were consistent with the harvested data. However, some inconsistency was observed immediately after pesticide application, which could be attributed to plant growth dynamics and initial surface mass distributions. The proposed pod fruit model provides new insights into the bioaccumulation process of pesticide residues in pea plants and enables high-throughput simulations of residue concentrations at harvest. To enhance the performance of the pod fruit model, future research should consider plant growth dynamics, plant uptake of ionizable compounds, and initial mass distribution functions.

The sulfate assimilation and reduction of marine microalgae and the regulation of illumination

To examine the sulfate assimilation and reduction process and the regulation of illumination, diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum and dinoflagellate Amphidinium carterae were selected for continuous simulation incubation under different photon flux densities (PFDs) (54, 108 and 162 μmol photons m−2 s−1), and concentration variations of related sulfur compounds sulfate, dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), dimethylsulfide (DMS) and acrylic acid (AA) in the culture system were observed. The optimal PFD for the growth of two microalgae was 108 μmol photons m−2 s−1. However, the maximum sulfate absorption occurred at 162 μmol photons m−2 s−1 for P. tricornutum and at 54 μmol photons m−2 s−1 for A. carterae. With the increase of PFD, the release of DMSP by P. tricornutum decreased while A. carterae increased. The largest release amount of DMS was 0.59 ± 0.05 fmol cells−1 for P. tricornutum and 2.61 ± 0.89 fmol cells−1 for A. carterae under their optimum growth light condition. The sulfate uptake of P. tricornutum was inhibited by the addition of amino acids, cysteine had a greater inhibitory effect than methionine, and the absorption process was controlled by light. The intermediate products of sulfur metabolism had an up–control effect on the sulfate uptake process of P. tricornutum. However, the addition of amino acids had no obvious effect on the sulfate absorption of A. carterae.