Buffer capacity

BACKGROUND: Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a significant risk factor with consistently demonstrated negative implications for satisfaction with adult romantic relationships. Yet, research on risk and protective factors in this context is scarce, particularly among well-functioning adults. OBJECTIVE: Addressing this gap, the present study focused on the potential mediating and moderating roles of mentalizing or reflective functioning, i.e., the capacity to understand oneself and others in terms of intentional mental states...

Overactive bladder (OAB) and detrusor underactivity (DUA) are representative voiding dysfunctions with a chronic nature and limited treatment modalities, and are ideal targets for stem cell therapy. In the present study, we investigated the therapeutic efficacy of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with a high antioxidant capacity generated by the Primed Fresh OCT4 (PFO) procedure in chronic bladder ischemia (CBI)-induced OAB and DUA rat models. Sixteen-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups (sham, OAB or DUA, and stem cell groups; n=10, respectively)...

Aim and objectives To assess oral hygiene status and salivary and microbiological parameters among 12 to 15-year-old visually impaired and normal-sighted children before and after oral health education (OHE). Methodology An interventional study was conducted among 25 visually impaired children (Group A) and 25 normal-sighted children (Group B) in the age range of 12 to 15 years. Simple random sampling was used to select the study participants. A questionnaire was designed to record socio-demographic data and the dietary habits of the children on pre-decided days...

The common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) is widely distributed worldwide and well adapted to various habitats. Animal genomes store clues about their pasts, and can reveal the genes underlying their evolutionary success. Here, we report the first high-quality chromosome-level genome of D. delphis. The assembled genome size was 2.56 Gb with a contig N50 of 63.85 Mb. Phylogenetically, D. delphis was close to Tursiops truncatus and T. aduncus. The genome of D. delphis exhibited 428 expanded and 1,885 contracted gene families, and 120 genes were identified as positively selected...

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is an increasingly used water management technique that enhances water availability while commonly generating water quality benefits. However, MAR activities may also trigger adverse geochemical reactions, especially during the injection of oxidant-enriched waters into reducing aquifers. Where this occurs, the environmental risks and the viability of mitigating them must be well understood. Here, we develop a rigorous approach for assessing and managing the risks from MAR-induced metal mobilization...

INTRODUCTION: Indigenous populations renowned for apneic diving have comparatively large spleen volumes. It has been proposed that a larger spleen translates to heightened apnea-induced splenic contraction and elevations in circulating hemoglobin mass (Hbmass ), which, in theory, improves O2 carrying and/or CO2 /pH buffering capacities. However, the relation between resting spleen volume and apnea- induced increases in Hbmass is unknown. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that resting spleen volume is positively related to apnea-induced increases in total Hbmass ...

The common phenomenon observed for concrete in aggressive water is leaching, which involves the dissolution of cement hydration products. Many studies have focused on leaching in demineralised water or acid attacks, but mineral water still deserves further investigation. In most standards, the aggressiveness of a given water body is determined by its pH and not its composition. The effect of the calcium content of the water on degradation is yet to be determined. In this paper, the leaching of Portland cement-based mortar was induced by two types of drinking water with different calcium contents and buffer capacity in controlled conditions...

The paradigm of the Next Generation cellular network (6G) and beyond is machine-type communications (MTCs), where numerous Internet of Things (IoT) devices operate autonomously without human intervention over wireless channels. IoT's autonomous and energy-intensive characteristics highlight effective energy efficiency (EEE) as a crucial key performance indicator (KPI) of 6G. However, there is a lack of investigation on the EEE of random arrival traffic, which is the underlying platform for MTCs. In this work, we explore the distinct characteristics of F-composite fading channels, which specify the combined impact of multipath fading and shadowing...

Inherent dendrite growth and side reactions of zinc anode caused by its unstable interface in aqueous electrolytes severely limit the practical applications of zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs). To overcome these challenges, a protective layer for Zn anode inspired by cytomembrane structure is developed with PVA as framework and silk fibroin gel suspension (SFs) as modifier. This PVA/SFs gel-like layer exerts similar to the solid electrolyte interphase, optimizing the anode-electrolyte interface and Zn2+ solvation structure...

Organic carbon availability in soil is crucial for shaping microbial communities, yet, uncertainties persist concerning microbial adaptations to carbon levels and the ensuing ecological and evolutionary consequences. We investigated organic carbon metabolism, antibiotic resistance, and virus-host interactions in soils subjected to 40 y of chemical and organic fertilization that led to contrasting carbon availability: carbon-poor and carbon-rich soils, respectively. Carbon-poor soils drove the enrichment of putative genes involved in organic matter decomposition and exhibited specialization in utilizing complex organic compounds, reflecting scramble competition...

Silicon-carbon composites have been recognized as some of the most promising anode candidates for advancing new-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The development of high-efficiency silicon/graphene anodes through a simple and cost-effective preparation route is significant. Herein, by using micron silicon as raw material, we designed a mesoporous composite of silicon/alumina/reduced graphene oxide (Si/Al2 O3 /RGO) via a two-step ball milling combined annealing process. Commercial Al2 O3 nanoparticles are introduced as an interlayer due to the toughening effect, while RGO nanosheets serve as a conductive and elastic coating to protect active submicron silicon particles during lithium alloying/dealloying reactions...

Despite the global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), evidence on the use and quality of medicines at community level is limited, particularly in impoverished, rural areas where prevalence of (bacterial) infections is high. To better understand the processes that drive vulnerability to AMR' effects, this study aimed to assess social factors underpinning access to-and use of-medical products and healthcare, among people from the Raglai ethnic minority in Ninh Thuan Province, Vietnam. We conducted ethnographic research in eight villages in 2018-2019, using interviewing and participant observation methods for data collection...

Probiotic-containing fermented dairy foods have the potential to benefit human health, but the importance of the dairy matrix for efficacy remains unclear. We investigated the capacity of Lacticaseibacillus casei BL23 in phosphate-buffered saline (BL23-PBS), BL23-fermented milk (BL23-milk), and milk to modify intestinal and behavioral responses in a Dextran Sodium Sulfate (DSS, 3% w/v) mouse model of colitis. Significant sex-dependent differences were found such that female mice exhibited more severe colitis, greater weight loss, and higher mortality rates...

Gelatin Methacryloyl (GelMA) is one of the most used biomaterials for a wide range of applications, such as drug delivery, disease modeling and tissue regeneration. GelMA is obtained from gelatin, which can be derived from different sources (e.g., bovine skin, and porcine skin), through substitution of reactive amine and hydroxyl groups with methacrylic anhydride (MAA). The degree of functionalization (DoF) can be tuned by varying the MAA amount used; thus, different protocols, with different reaction efficiency, have been developed, using various alkaline buffers (e...

BACKGROUND: The iono- and osmoregulatory capacities of marine teleosts, such as European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) are expected to be challenged by high carbon dioxide exposure, and the adverse effects of elevated CO2 could be amplified when such fish migrate into less buffered hypo-osmotic estuarine environments. Therefore, the effects of increased CO2 on the physiological responses of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) acclimated to 32 ppt, 10 ppt and 2.5 ppt were investigated...

Rational structure design is significant for the selenide anodes in the sodium/potassium ion batteries (SIBs/PIBs). Herein, dual engineering of hetero-interfaces and architecture is proposed to design SIB/PIB anodes. Attributed to the coordination binding with Mo7 O24 6- and VO3 - , the polydopamine assembly is demonstrated as an ideal template to produce bimetallic selenide of MoSe2 /VSe1.6 anchoring on the in-situ N-doped carbon matrix (MoSe2 /VSe1.6 @NC). This ingenious hierarchical nanoflower structure can shorten the Na+ /K+ diffusion length, increase the electron conductivity and buffer the volume changes, which can promote Na+ /K+ reaction kinetics and stabilize the cycling performance...

Antimony sulfide (Sb2 S3 ) has a high theoretical specific capacity due to its two reaction mechanisms of conversion and alloying during the Li+ -(de)intercalation process, thus becoming a promising lithium-ion battery (LIB) anode material. However, its poor inherent conductivity and large volume expansion during repeated Li+ -(de)intercalation processes greatly hinder the in-depth development of Sb2 S3 based LIB anode materials. Herein, an Sb2 S3 /SnO2 @rGO composite was prepared by using an interface engineering technique involving metal-containing ionic liquid precursors, in which Sb2 S3 /SnO2 quantum dots (QDs) as p-n heterojunctions are uniformly anchored on the surface of reduced graphene oxide (rGO)...

OBJECTIVE: Tumour progression drives profound alterations in host metabolism, such as adipose tissue depletion, an early event of cancer cachexia. As fatty acid consumption by cancer cells increases upon acidosis of the tumour microenvironment, we reasoned that fatty acids derived from distant adipose lipolysis may sustain tumour fatty acid craving, leading to the adipose tissue loss observed in cancer cachexia. METHODS: To evaluate the pro-lipolytic capacities of acid-exposed cancer cells, primary mouse adipocytes from subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue were exposed to pH-matched conditioned medium from human and murine acid-exposed cancer cells (pH 6...

Agriculture is vital to human life and economic development even though it may have a detrimental influence on soil quality. Agricultural activities can deteriorate the soil quality, endangers the ecosystem health and functioning, food safety, and human health. To resolve the problem of soil degradation, alternative soil conditioners such as wood ash are being explored for their potential to improve soil-plant systems. This study provides an overview of the production, properties, and effects of wood ash on soil properties, crop productivity, and environmental remediation...

Ca-phosphate/-silicate ceramic granules have been widely studied because their biodegradable fillers can enhance bone defect repair accompanied with bioactive ion release and material degradation; however, it is a challenge to endow bioceramic composites with time-dependent ion release and highly efficient osteogenesis in vivo . Herein, we prepared dual-core-type bioceramic granules with varying chemical compositions beneficial for controlling ion release and stimulating osteogenic capability. Core-shell-structured bioceramic granules (P8-Sr4@Zn3, P8-Sr4@TCP, and P8-Sr4@HAR) composed of 8% P- and 4% Sr-substituting wollastonite (P8, Sr4) dual core components and different shell components, such as 3% Zn-substituting wollastonite (Zn3), β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), and hardystonite (HAR), were prepared by cutting extruded core-shell fibers through dual-core ternary nozzles, followed by high-temperature sintering post-treatment...