Application of Industrial Standard Methods for Detection of Horse- and Donkey-Derived Ingredients for Detecting Mule Meat

Both horse- and donkey-derived ingredients have been detected in mule meat by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as described in China’s industry standards for detection of horse (SN/T 3730.5-2013) and donkey (SN/T 3730.4-2013) ingredients in food and feed, respectively. This contradicts the theory of strict maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Therefore, in this study, 3 horse meat samples, 3 donkey meat samples and 3 mule meat samples were detected by mitochondrial gene and nuclear gene sequencing based on PCR and the China’s industry standard methods for horse and donkey ingredients, respectively, and the results of the SN/T 3730.4-2013 method for mule meat were analyzed. According to the results of mitochondrial gene and nuclear gene sequencing, all 3 mule meat samples were derived from mules. Both donkey and horse ingredients were detected in the 3 mule meat samples by the SN/T 3730.4-2013 and SN/T 3730.5-2013 methods. The cycle threshold (Ct) of the SN/T 3730.5-2013 method for horse ingredient was in the range of ≤ 20.00, and that of the SN/T 3730.4-2013 method for donkey ingredient were in the range of 25.00-35.00. The sequencing results of PCR products using the primers described in the SN/T 3730.4-2013 method showed that the 3 mule meat samples had no homology with horse or donkey meat. This might be because the SN/T 3730.4-2013 target sequence appeared in the form of nuclear mitochondrial DNA segments in low repeat numbers in the mule nuclear genome, and some base insertions and deletions occurred. The possibility that mule ingredient may be present should be considered when the Ct value of the SN/T 3730.4-2013 is ≤ 20.00, while the Ct value of the SN/T 3730.5-2013 is in the range of 25.00-35.00 for horse and donkey ingredients in known samples of single animal-derived ingredients, respectively

Label-Free Fluorescent Poly(amidoamine) Dendrimer for Traceable and Controlled Drug Delivery

Poly(amidoamine) dendrimer (PAMAM) is well-known for its high efficiency as a drug delivery vehicle. However, the intrinsic cytotoxicity and lack of a detectable signal to facilitate tracking have impeded its practical applications. Herein, we have developed a novel label-free fluorescent and biocompatible PAMAM derivative by simple surface modification of PAMAM using acetaldehyde. The modified PAMAM possessed a strong green fluorescence, which was generated by the C=N bonds of the resulting Schiff Bases via n-?∗ transition, while the intrinsic cytotoxicity of PAMAM was simultaneously ameliorated. Through further PEGylation, the fluorescent PAMAM demonstrated excellent intracellular tracking in human melanoma SKMEL28 cells. In addition, our PEGylated fluorescent PAMAM derivative achieved enhanced loading and delivery efficiency of the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) compared to the original PAMAM. Importantly, the accelerated kinetics of DOX-encapsulated fluorescent PAMAM nanocomposites in an acidic environment facilitated intracellular drug release, which demonstrated comparable cytotoxicity to that of the free-form doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX·HCl) against melanoma cells. Overall, our label free fluorescent PAMAM derivative offers a new opportunity of traceable and controlled delivery for DOX and other drugs of potential clinical importance

Ultrathin Si/CNTs Paper-Like Composite for Flexible Li-Ion Battery Anode With High Volumetric Capacity

Thin and lightweight flexible lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with high volumetric capacities are crucial for the development of flexible electronic devices. In the present work, we reported a paper-like ultrathin and flexible Si/carbon nanotube (CNT) composite anode for LIBs, which was realized by conformal electrodeposition of a thin layer of silicon on CNTs at ambient temperature. This method was quite simple and easy to scale up with low cost as compared to other deposition techniques, such as sputtering or CVD. The flexible Si/CNT composite exhibited high volumetric capacities in terms of the total volume of active material and current collector, surpassing the most previously reported Si-based flexible electrodes at various rates. In addition, the poor initial coulombic efficiency of the Si/CNT composites can be effectively improved by prelithiation treatment and a commercial red LED can be easily lighted by a full pouch cell using a Si/CNT composite as a flexible anode under flat or bent states. Therefore, the ultrathin and flexible Si/CNT composite is highly attractive as an anode material for flexible LIBs

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Evaluation of the biophysical characteristics of upconversion nanoparticle-based nano-bio hybrids for blood-brain barrier crossing

Empirical thesis.Bibliography: pages 140-150.Chapter 1. Introduction -- Chapter 2. Protocol development and optimization -- Chapter 3. A versatile upconversion surface evaluation platform for bio-nano surface selection for the nervous system -- Chapter 4. Evaluation of the effect of shape upon endocytosis of transferrin-coated UCNPs, and their ability to cross the blood-brain barrier -- Chapter 5. The effect of modifying the aspect ratio of PEGylated UCNPs upon their cellular uptake -- Chapter 6. Summary and future scope.Brain diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are fatal diseases without effective treatments. In past decades, some potentially effective therapeutics have been developed and demonstrated promising effects for brain diseases in pre-clinical cell culture and animal model evaluation. However, most of these developed drugs cannot reach the brain for therapy due to their inability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). To overcome the BBB, nanotechnology is emerging as a promising approach to mediate and increase BBB penetration of drugs to the specific site of the brain. However, the efficiency of nanoparticle-based BBB penetration is still very low (<1%), with much to learn about how the biophysical properties of nanoparticles such as which size, surface, shape of nanoparticles facilitate BBB penetration. This project takes advantage of the specific properties of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) including low auto-fluorescence, non-photobleaching, deep tissue penetration and adjustable size and shape, to develop a versatile platform to systematically evaluate the effects of nanoparticle surface, shape on BBB crossing in vitro and in vivo for future construction of multifunctional nano-carrier for theranostic applications in neurodegenerative diseases.In the first chapter, this thesis introduced the BBB and currently understood mechanisms of BBB penetration, and reviewed recent advances in nanoparticle-based BBB penetration strategies and approaches for brain disease therapy.In the second chapter, I described the key experimental methods that were developed and optimized for use in this project. Typically, the UCNPs employed in this project were fabricated via modified and optimized standard protocols for specific application as required. Importantly, the approaches of zebrafish imaging and microinjection were developed brand new in this project.In the third chapter, a UCNPs-based evaluation platform was synthesized for bio-nano surface selection in vitro and in vivo to systemically evaluate the suitability of various surface modifications for theranostic applications in neurodegenerative diseases. First, high lanthanide-doped UCNPs was designed, which provide strong tissue penetrable emission at 800nm. Then, these as-prepared UCNPs were further modified with four popular surfaces (OA-free, DNA-modified, silica coated and PEG-COOH capped) for comparison. The result showed that PEG-COOH performed superior cell internalization and excellent uptake capability into spinal motor neurons in zebrafish. Our work provides a versatile strategy via systemically surface evaluation for future construction of multifunctional nano-systems for therapeutic delivery to the central nervous system.In the fourth chapter, the effect of nanoparticle shape upon cell uptake and BBB penetration was further studied in vivo and in vitro. Firstly, a series of UCNPs with different shapes (including spherical, rod, disk and dumbbell) which retained similar size with each other were fabricated. Thereafter, these UCNPs were further modified with transferrin to make them specifically target the BBB. The results revealed that rod - shaped Tf - UCNPs displayed excellent brain endothelial cell uptake and brain accumulation in living zebrafish. Importantly, this study provides promising morphology information for design of efficient nano-carriers to cross the BBB for treatment of brain disease.In the fifth chapter, the optimal aspect ratio (AR, width/length) of upconversion nanorods (UCNRs) for BBB penetration were investigated. A series of high-lanthanide doped UCNRs with various aspect ratios (1, 2, 3 and 4) were developed. Then those UCNRs were further modified with PEG-COOH, since PEG-COOH modification was found to have superior cell internalization and excellent uptake capability for central nervous system from the results of Chapter 3. It was found that the aspect ratio of 2 PEGylated UCNRs provides the best cell uptake efficiency in neuron cells (NSC-34 neuron like cells, primary neuron cells and glial cells) compared to nanoparticles with other aspect ratios. This study demonstrates that aspect ratio has a significant influence upon cell uptake of neuron cells, which provides an alternative opportunity for further design of nanoparticle-based therapies for drug delivery of nanoparticles into the brain.In the sixth chapter, result of this thesis was summarized and perspective for the future applications for UCNPs-based drug delivery across BBB for CNS diseases was presented. To summarise, a transferrin-coated UCNRs with respect ratio of 2 was investigated as a potential drug carrier for treatment of neurodegenerative disease. These nanoparticles were capable of readily crossing the BBB and accumulating within the brains of living zebrafish, highlighting the therapeutic potential of this specific nanoparticle design. Overall, this study demonstrated a novel method to identify preferable biophysical characteristics of upconversion nanoparticle-based nano-bio hybrids to increase targeted nanoparticle accumulation in the brain.Mode of access: World wide web1 online resource (xviii, 174 pages) colour illustration

Improve Oil Recovery Mechanism of Multi-Layer Cyclic Alternate Injection and Production for Mature Oilfield at Extra-High Water Cut Stage Using Visual Physical Simulation Experiment

In order to achieve sustainable development of mature oilfield, a series of adjustment measures should be implemented to improve production performance at the extra-high water cut stage. South Kumkol reservoir is a typical multi-layer low viscosity oil reservoir, which has the characteristics of small sandstone body, high shale volume, and strong heterogeneity. At present, the water cut of the South Kumkol reservoir is about 90%, which is on the verge of being abandoned. Multi-layer cyclic alternate injection and production (MCA-IP) is an ideal adjustment measure for multi-layer oil reservoir to improve oil recovery (IOR) at the extra-high water cut stage. In this paper, we designed the double-plate visual physical device and the MCA-IP experimental program and then calculated the sweep coefficient using image recognition method. Furthermore, the sweep coefficient was quantitatively calculated by image recognition method. The results show that the sweep area extends to both sides of the main streamline and the sweep efficiency is gradually improved after the completion of MCA-IP. In addition, the IOR mechanism of MCA-IP mainly includes reperforation, well-pattern encryption, and asynchronous injection-production. The reperforation and well-pattern encryption increased the sweep coefficient by about 19.52%, while asynchronous injection-production increased the sweep coefficient by about 1.2%, and the overall sweep coefficient increased by about 20.7%. According to the experimental data statistics, the MCA-IP method can increase oil recovery by about 11% and reduce water cut by about 6%

Compatibility Evaluation of In-Depth Profile Control Agents for Low-Permeability Fractured Reservoirs

Under the background that the in-depth profile control technology is gradually applied in low-permeability fractured reservoirs, this paper regards block H of Changqing Oilfield as the research object, referring to the range of its physical parameters and field application data. Three common in-depth profile control agents (PCAs), nanosphere suspension, poly(ethylene glycol) single-phase gel particle (PEG) and cross-linked bulk gel and swelling particle (CBG-SP), are selected to investigate the compatibility between the fractured channels and the PCAs through a series of experiments. The experimental results show that the nanospheres with particle sizes of 100 nm and 300 nm have good injectivity and deep migration ability, which remains the overall core plugging rate at a high level. The residual resistance coefficient of 800 nm nanospheres decreases in a &ldquo;cliff&rdquo; manner along the injection direction due to the formation of blockage in the front section, resulting in a very low plugging rate in the rear section. The injection rate is an important parameter that affects the effect of PEG in the fractured channels. When the injection rate is lower than 0.1 mL/min, the plugging ability will be weakened, and if the injection rate is higher than 0.2 mL/min, the core plugging will occur. The appropriate injection rate will promote the better effect of PEG with the plugging rate &gt; 90%. The average plugging rate of CBG-SP in fractured rock core is about 80%, and the overall control and displacement effect is good. Based on the experimental data of PCAs, the optimization criteria of slug configuration and pro-duction parameters are proposed. According to the principle &ldquo;blocking, controlling and displacing&rdquo;, references are provided for PCAs screening and parameters selection of field implementation