Feasibility Evaluation of Using Biochar-based Permeable Reactive Barrier for the Remediation of Mercury and Arsenic Composite Polluted Water Bodies

This study employed a modified biochar material to construct a permeable reactive barrier(PRB)for the treatment of water bodies polluted with mercury and arsenic.The experimental results demonstrated that the addition of goethite-modified biochar significantly enhanced the remediation efficiency of As(III),achieving a maximum removal rate of 100%.Conversely,pure biochar exhibited high efficiency in the removal of Hg(II),with a maximum removal rate approaching 100%.Furthermore,the pH level of the water significantly influenced the adsorption efficiency of heavy metal ions,with the optimal removal performance observed at a pH of 6.0.The PRB system demonstrated excellent removal rates under low concentrations of heavy metals.However,as the concentration increased,the remediation efficiency exhibited a slight decrease.In summary,the findings of this study provide compelling evidence for the use of modified biochar in the construction of PRBs for the remediation of mercury and arsenic-polluted water bodies.Furthermore,the study reveals the mechanism by which pH and heavy metal concentration influence remediation efficiency.

PRB技术在地下水污染修复中的应用

地下水作为人类的主要淡水资源,其质量直接影响人体健康和生态平衡。对于已经受到污染的地下水,如何有效、经济、快速地进行修复是环境科学及工程领域面临的重要问题。对PRB技术进行分析,利用试验了解地下水污染实际情况,通过合理运用PRB技术降低地下水污染物浓度,提高地下水污染修复效果。

Breaking the brain barrier:cell competition in neural development and disease

General information on cell competition:Social behaviors are the basis of biological life.Like species and populations,cell communities experience Darwinian ecological interactions,and in case space and nutrient availability are not uniform throughout the tissue,they begin to compete for ground occupancy.

Astrocytes dynamically regulate the blood-brain barrier in the healthy brain

The blood-brain barrier(BBB)(discovered and defined by Max Lewandowsky and Lina Stern,and not,as it is universally,and yet erroneously believed,by Paul Ehrlich(Verkhratsky and Pivoriunas,2023))that separates the nervous system from the circulation is evolutionarily conserved from arthropods to man.The primeval BBB of the invertebrates and some early vertebrates was made solely by glial cells and secured(in invertebrates)by septate junctions.

Establishment of a chicken intestinal organoid culture system to assess deoxynivalenol‑induced damage of the intestinal barrier function

Background Deoxynivalenol(DON)is a mycotoxin that has received recognition worldwide because of its ability to cause growth delay,nutrient malabsorption,weight loss,emesis,and a reduction of feed intake in livestock.Since DON-contaminated feedstuff is absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract,we used chicken organoids to assess the DON-induced dysfunction of the small intestine.Results We established a culture system using chicken organoids and characterized the organoids at passages 1 and 10.We confirmed the mRNA expression levels of various cell markers in the organoids,such as KI67,leucine-rich repeat containing G protein-coupled receptor 5(Lgr5),mucin 2(MUC2),chromogranin A(CHGA),cytokeratin 19(CK19),lysozyme(LYZ),and microtubule-associated doublecortin-like kinase 1(DCLK1),and compared the results to those of the small intestine.Our results showed that the organoids displayed functional similarities in permeability compared to the small intestine.DON damaged the tight junctions of the organoids,which resulted in increased permeability.Conclusions Our organoid culture displayed topological,genetic,and functional similarities with the small intes-tine cells.Based on these similarities,we confirmed that DON causes small intestine dysfunction.Chicken organoids offer a practical model for the research of harmful substances.

High-temperature corrosion of sintered RE_(2)Si_(2)O_(7)(RE=Yb and Ho)environmental barrier coating materials by volcanic ash

Rare-earth silicates are promising environmental barrier coatings(EBCs)that can protect SiC_(f)/Si C_(m)substrates in next-genera tion gas turbine blades.Notably,RE_(2)Si_(2)O_(7)(RE=Yb and Ho)shows potential as an EBC due to its coefficient of thermal expansion(CTE)compatible with substrates and high resistance to water vapor corrosion.The target operating temperature for next-generation tur bine blades is 1400°C.Corrosion is inevitable during adhesion to molten volcanic ash,and thus,understanding the corrosion behavior o the material is crucial to its reliability.This study investigates the high-temperature corrosion behavior of sintered RE_(2)Si_(2)O_(7)(RE=Yb and Ho).Samples were prepared using a solid-state reaction and hot-press method.They were then exposed to volcanic ash at 1400°C for 224,and 48 h.After 48 h of exposure,volcanic ash did not react with Yb_(2)Si_(2)O_(7)but penetrated its interior,causing damage.Meanwhile Ho_(2)Si_(2)O_(7)was partially dissolved in the molten volcanic ash,forming a reaction zone that prevented volcanic ash melts from penetrating the interior.With increasing heat treatment time,the reaction zone expanded,and the thickness of the acicular apatite grains increased The Ca:Si ratios in the residual volcanic ash were mostly unchanged for Yb_(2)Si_(2)O_(7)but decreased considerably over time for Ho_(2)Si_(2)O_(7).Th Ca in volcanic ash was consumed and formed apatite,indicating that RE^(3+)ions with large ionic radii(Ho>Yb)easily precipitated apatit from the volcanic ash.

Dissolvable temporary barrier:a novel paradigm for flexible hydrogel patterning in organ-on-a-chip models

A combination of hydrogels and microfluidics allows the construction of biomimetic three-dimensional(3D)tissue models in vitro,which are also known as organ-on-a-chipmodels.The hydrogel patterningwith awell-controlled spatial distribution is typically achieved by embedding sophisticated microstructures to act as a boundary.However,these physical barriers inevitably expose cells/tissues to a less physiologically relevant microenvironment than in vivo conditions.Herein,we present a novel dissolvable temporary barrier(DTB)strategy that allows robust and flexible hydrogel patterning with great freedom of design and desirable flow stimuli for cellular hydrogels.The key aspect of this approach is the patterning of a water-soluble rigid barrier as a guiding path for the hydrogel using stencil printing technology,followed by a barrier-free medium perfusion after the dissolution of the DTB.Single and multiple tissue compartments with different geometries can be established using either straight or curved DTB structures.The effectiveness of this strategy is further validated by generating a 3D vascular network through vasculogenesis and angiogenesis using a vascularized microtumor model.As a new proof-of-concept in vasculature-on-a-chip,DTB enables seamless contact between the hydrogel and the culture medium in closed microdevices,which is an improved protocol for the fabrication ofmultiorgan chips.Therefore,we expect it to serve as a promising paradigm for organ-on-a-chip devices for the development of tumor vascularization and drug evaluation in the future preclinical studies.

Does the Hartman effect exist in triangular barriers

We study the phase,Larmor and dwell times of a particle scattered off triangular barriers(TBs).It is interesting that the dependences of dwell,reflective phase and Larmor times on the wave number,barrier width and height for a pair of mirror-symmetric(MS)exact triangular barriers(ETBs)are quite different,as the two ETBs have quite distinct scattering surfaces.In comparison,the dependence of the transmitted phase or Larmor times is exactly the same,since the transmitted amplitudes are the same for a pair of MS TBs.We further study the Hartman effect by defining the phase and Larmor velocities associated with the phase and Larmor times.We find no barrier width saturation effect for the transmitted and reflected times.This is indicated by the fact that all the velocities approach finite constants that are much smaller than the speed of light in vacuum for TBs with positive-slope impact faces.As for ETBs with vertical left edges,the naive velocities seem to also indicate the absence of the Hartman effect.These are quite distinct from rectangular barriers and may shed new light on the clarification of the tunneling time issues.

Effect of annealing on the electrical performance of N-polarity GaN Schottky barrier diodes

A nitrogen-polarity(N-polarity)GaN-based high electron mobility transistor(HEMT)shows great potential for high-fre-quency solid-state power amplifier applications because its two-dimensional electron gas(2DEG)density and mobility are mini-mally affected by device scaling.However,the Schottky barrier height(SBH)of N-polarity GaN is low.This leads to a large gate leakage in N-polarity GaN-based HEMTs.In this work,we investigate the effect of annealing on the electrical characteristics of N-polarity GaN-based Schottky barrier diodes(SBDs)with Ni/Au electrodes.Our results show that the annealing time and tem-perature have a large influence on the electrical properties of N-polarity GaN SBDs.Compared to the N-polarity SBD without annealing,the SBH and rectification ratio at±5 V of the SBD are increased from 0.51 eV and 30 to 0.77 eV and 7700,respec-tively,and the ideal factor of the SBD is decreased from 1.66 to 1.54 after an optimized annealing process.Our analysis results suggest that the improvement of the electrical properties of SBDs after annealing is mainly due to the reduction of the inter-face state density between Schottky contact metals and N-polarity GaN and the increase of barrier height for the electron emis-sion from the trap state at low reverse bias.

Practice of Barrier Measures against COVID-19 Among Diabetic People Followed at Departmental University Hospital Center Ouémé-Plateau, Benin, in 2021

Introduction: COVID-19 is a pandemic disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-COV2 appeared in China in 2019. The aim of the study was to evaluate the practice of barrier measures against COVID-19 and to identify associated factors among diabetics followed at Departmental University Hospital Center Ouémé-Plateau, Benin, in 2021. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted from June to August 2021, including diabetics aged 18 and over, hospitalized or received for medical visits in the department of medicine at the target hospital. Data were collected during an interview with each participant thanks to a questionnaire. “Good practice” was defined as regular practice of at least two of three barrier measures: hand washing, physical distancing and mask-wearing. Results: A total of 110 diabetics were included with a female predominance (55.5%) and a mean age of 57 ± 11.3 years. Among them, 89.1% washed their hands, 41.8% respected physical distancing and 12.7% wore a mask. The proportion of good practice was 47.3%. Only 5 practiced the three barrier measures. Only age group was associated with good practice. Conclusion: The study showed a low proportion of good practice of barrier measures against COVID-19 among diabetic people surveyed. It is important to continue the action for COVID-19 prevention among diabetic people in the targeted hospital and in other hospitals in Benin.

Effects of Enteromorpha prolifera polysaccharides on growth performance,intestinal barrier function and cecal microbiota in yellow-feathered broilers under heat stress

Background Global warming leading to heat stress(HS)is becoming a major challenge for broiler production.This study aimed to explore the protective effects of seaweed(Enteromorpha prolifera)polysaccharides(EPS)on the intestinal barrier function,microbial ecology,and performance of broilers under HS.A total of 144 yellow-feathered broilers(male,56 days old)with 682.59±7.38 g were randomly assigned to 3 groups:1)TN(thermal neutral zone,23.6±1.8℃),2)HS(heat stress,33.2±1.5℃ for 10 h/d),and 3)HSE(HS+0.1%EPS).Each group contained 6 replicates with 8 broilers per replicate.The study was conducted for 4 weeks;feed intake and body weights were measured at the end of weeks 2 and 4.At the end of the feeding trial,small intestine samples were collected for histomorphology,antioxidant,secretory immunoglobulin A(s Ig A)content,apoptosis,gene and protein expression analysis;cecal contents were also collected for microbiota analysis based on 16S r DNA sequencing.Results Dietary EPS promoted the average daily gain(ADG)of broilers during 3–4 weeks of HS(P<0.05).At the end of HS on broilers,the activity of total superoxide dismutase(T-SOD),glutathione S-transferase(GST),and the content of s Ig A in jejunum were improved by EPS supplementation(P<0.05).Besides,dietary EPS reduced the epithelial cell apoptosis of jejunum and ileum in heat-stressed broilers(P<0.05).Addition of EPS in HS group broilers'diet upregulated the relative m RNA expression of Occludin,ZO-1,γ-GCLc and IL-10 of the jejunum(P<0.05),whereas downregulated the relative m RNA expression of NF-κB p65,TNF-αand IL-1βof the jejunum(P<0.05).Dietary EPS increased the protein expression of Occludin and ZO-1,whereas it reduced the protein expression of NF-κB p65 and MLCK(P<0.01)and tended to decrease the protein expression of TNF-α(P=0.094)in heat-stressed broilers.Furthermore,the proportions of Bacteroides and Oscillospira among the three groups were positively associated with jejunal apoptosis and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression(P<0.05)and negatively correlated with jejunal Occludin level(P<0.05).However,the proportions of Lactobacillus,Barnesiella,Subdoligranulum,Megasphaera,Collinsella,and Blautia among the three groups were positively related to ADG(P<0.05).Conclusions EPS can be used as a feed additive in yellow-feathered broilers.It effectively improves growth performance and alleviates HS-induced intestinal injury by relieving inflammatory damage and improving the tight junction proteins expression.These beneficial effects may be related to inhibiting NF-κB/MLCK signaling pathway activation and regulation of cecal microbiota.

Assessing Barriers to Mental Healthcare Interventions for Deaf People in Ghana

While mental health issues are increasingly gaining attention in Ghana, little is known about the situation among deaf people. This study assessed the mental health care needs of deaf people in Ghana. A descriptive design, consisting of interviews and focus group discussions, was used to collect data from 97 participants. Findings indicated that participants had limited knowledge on mental health issues. Mental health stigma, inaccessible mental health information and exclusion from mental health programmes were the major barriers hindering access to mental health care services. This study bridges the knowledge gap and provides evidence for the implementation of deaf-friendly services.

Zinc glycine chelate ameliorates DSS‑induced intestinal barrier dysfunction via attenuating TLR4/NF‑κB pathway in meat ducks

Background Zinc glycine chelate(Zn-Gly)has anti-inflammation and growth-promoting properties;however,the mechanism of Zn-Gly contribution to gut barrier function in Cherry Valley ducks during intestinal inflammation is unknown.Three-hundred 1-day-old ducks were divided into 5 groups(6 replicates and 10 ducks per replicate)in a completely randomized design:the control and dextran sulfate sodium(DSS)groups were fed a corn-soybean meal basal diet,and experimental groups received supplements of 70,120 or 170 mg/kg Zn in form of Zn-Gly.The DSS and treatment groups were given 2 mL of 0.45 g/mL DSS daily during d 15–21,and the control group received normal saline.The experiment lasted 21 d.Results Compared with DSS group,70,120 and 170 mg/kg Zn significantly increased body weight(BW),villus height and the ratio of villus to crypt,and significantly decreased the crypt depth of jejunum at 21 d.The number of goblet cells in jejunal villi in the Zn-Gly group was significantly increased by periodic acid-Schiff staining.Compared with control,the content of intestinal permeability marker D-lactic acid(D-LA)and fluxes of fluorescein isothiocyanate(FITC-D)in plasma of DSS group significantly increased,and 170 mg/kg Zn supplementation significantly decreased the D-LA content and FITC-D fluxes.Compared with control,contents of plasma,jejunum endotoxin and jejunum pro-inflammatory factors IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-αwere significantly increased in DSS group,and were significantly decreased by 170 mg/kg Zn supplementation.Dietary Zn significantly increased the contents of anti-inflammatory factors IL-10,IL-22 and sIgA and IgG in jejunum.Real-time PCR and Western blot results showed that 170 mg/kg Zn supplementation significantly increased mRNA expression levels of CLDN-1 and expression of OCLN protein in jejunum,and decreased gene and protein expression of CLDN-2 compared with DSS group.The 120 mg/kg Zn significantly promoted the expressions of IL-22 and IgA.Dietary Zn-Gly supplementation significantly decreased pro-inflammatory genes IL-8 and TNF-αexpression levels and TNF-αprotein expression in jejunum.Additionally,Zn significantly reduced the gene and protein expression of TLR4,MYD88 and NF-κB p65.Conclusions Zn-Gly improved duck BW and alleviated intestinal injury by regulating intestinal morphology,barrier function and gut inflammation-related signal pathways TLR4/MYD88/NF-κB p65.

All-trans retinoic acid alleviates transmissible gastroenteritis virus-induced intestinal inflammation and barrier dysfunction in weaned piglets

Background Transmissible gastroenteritis virus(TGEV)is one of the main pathogens causing severe diarrhea of pig-lets.The pathogenesis of TGEV is closely related to intestinal inflammation.All-trans retinoic acid(ATRA)is the main active metabolite of vitamin A,which has immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties.However,it is unclear whether ATRA can alleviate TGEV-induced intestinal inflammation and barrier dysfunction in piglets.This study aimed to investigate the effects of ATRA on growth performance,diarrhea,intestinal inflammation and intesti-nal barrier integrity of TGEV-challenged piglets.Methods In a 19-d study,32 weaned piglets were randomly divided into 4 treatments:Control group(basal diet),TGEV group(basal diet+TGEV challenge),TGEV+ATRA5 group(basal diet+5 mg/d ATRA+TGEV challenge)and TGEV+ATRA15 group(basal diet+15 mg/d ATRA+TGEV challenge).On d 14,piglets were orally administered TGEV or the sterile medium.Results Feeding piglets with 5 and 15 mg/d ATRA alleviated the growth inhibition and diarrhea induced by TGEV(P<0.05).Feeding piglets with 5 and 15 mg/d ATRA also inhibited the increase of serum diamine oxidase(DAO)activ-ity and the decrease of occludin and claudin-1 protein levels in jejunal mucosa induced by TGEV,and maintained intestinal barrier integrity(P<0.05).Meanwhile,5 mg/d ATRA feeding increased the sucrase activity and the expres-sions of nutrient transporter related genes(GLUT2 and SLC7A1)in jejunal mucosa of TGEV-challenged piglets(P<0.05).Furthermore,5 mg/d ATRA feeding attenuated TGEV-induced intestinal inflammatory response by inhibit-ing the release of interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),and promoting the secretion of IL-10 and secretory immunoglobulin A(sIgA)(P<0.05).Feeding 5 mg/d ATRA also down-regulated the expressions of Toll-like receptors and RIG-I like receptors signaling pathway related genes(TLR3,TLR4,RIG-I,MyD88,TRIF and MAVS)and the phosphorylation level of nuclear factor-κB-p65(NF-κB p65),and up-regulated the inhibitor kappa B alpha(IκBα)protein level in jejunal mucosa of TGEV-challenged piglets(P<0.05).Conclusions ATRA alleviated TGEV-induced intestinal barrier damage by inhibiting inflammatory response,thus improving the growth performance and inhibiting diarrhea of piglets.The mechanism was associated with the inhibi-tion of NF-κB signaling pathway mediated by TLR3,TLR4 and RIG-I.

Recent advances in zwitterionic nanoscale drug delivery systems to overcome biological barriers

Nanoscale drug delivery systems(nDDS)have been employed widely in enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of drugs against diseases with reduced side effects.Although several nDDS have been successfully approved for clinical use up to now,biological barriers between the administration site and the target site hinder the wider clinical adoption of nDDS in disease treatment.Polyethylene glycol(PEG)-modification(or PEGylation)has been regarded as the gold standard for stabilising nDDS in complex biological environment.However,the accelerated blood clearance(ABC)of PEGylated nDDS after repeated injections becomes great challenges for their clinical applications.Zwitterionic polymer,a novel family of antifouling materials,have evolved as an alternative to PEG due to their super-hydrophilicity and biocompatibility.Zwitterionic nDDS could avoid the generation of ABC phenomenon and exhibit longer blood circulation time than the PEGylated analogues.More impressively,zwitterionic nDDS have recently been shown to overcome multiple biological barriers such as nonspecific organ distribution,pressure gradients,impermeable cell membranes and lysosomal degradation without the need of any complex chemical modifications.The realization of overcoming multiple biological barriers by zwitterionic nDDS may simplify the current overly complex design of nDDS,which could facilitate their better clinical translation.Herein,we summarise the recent progress of zwitterionic nDDS at overcoming various biological barriers and analyse their underlyingmechanisms.Finally,prospects and challenges are introduced to guide the rational design of zwitterionic nDDS for disease treatment.

Experimental study on the effect of H_(2)O and O_(2) on the degradation of SF_(6) by pulsed dielectric barrier discharge

SF_(6) has excellent insulation performance and arc extinguishing ability,and is widely used in the power industry.However,its global warming potential is about 23,500 times that of C0_(2),it can exist stably in the atmosphere,it is not easily degradable and is of great potential harm to the environment.Based on pulsed dielectric barrier discharge plasma technology,the effects of H_(2)O and 0_(2) on the degradation of SF_(6) were studied.Studies have shown that H_(2)O can effectively promote the decomposition of SF_(6) and improve its degradation rate and energy efficiency of degradation.Under the action of a pulse input voltage and input frequency of 15 kV and 15 kHz,respectively,when H_(2)O is added alone the effect of 1% H_(2)O is the best,and the rate and energy efficiency of degradation of SF_(6) reach their maximum values,which are 91.9% and 8.25 g kWh^(-1),respectively.The synergistic effect of H_(2)O and O_(2) on the degradation of SF_(6) was similar to that of H_(2)O.When the concentration of H_(2)O and O_(2) was 1%,the system obtained the best rate and energy efficiency of degradation,namely 89.7% and 8.05 g kWh~(-1),respectively.At the same time,different external gases exhibit different capabilities to regulate decomposition products.The addition of H_(2)O can effectively improve the selectivity of S0_(2).Under the synergistic effect of H_(2)O and O_(2),with increase in O_(2) concentration the degradation products gradually transformed into SO_(2)F_(2).From the perspective of harmless treatment of the degradation products of SF_(6),the addition of O_(2) during the SF_(6) degradation process should be avoided.

Single flow treatment degradation of antibiotics in water using falling-film dielectric barrier discharge

The environmental contamination caused by antibiotics is increasingly conspicuous due to their widespread manufacture and misuse. Plasma has been employed in recent years for the remediation of antibiotic pollution in the environment. In this work, a falling-film dielectric barrier discharge was used to degrade the antibiotic tetracycline(TC) in water. The reactor combined the gas-liquid discharge and active gas bubbling to improve the TC degradation performance. The discharge characteristics, chemical species’ concentration, and degradation rates at different parameters were systematically studied. Under the optimized conditions(working gas was pure oxygen, liquid flow rate was 100 mL/min, gas flow rate was 1 L/min,voltage was 20 kV, single treatment), TC was removed beyond 70% in a single flow treatment with an energy efficiency of 145 mg/(kW·h). The reactor design facilitated gas and liquid flow in the plasma area to produce more ozone in bubbles after a single flow under pure oxygen conditions, affording fast TC degradation. Furthermore, long-term stationary experiment indicated that long-lived active species can sustain the degradation of TC. Compared with other plasma treatment systems, this work offers a fast and efficient degradation method, showing significant potential in practical industrial applications.

Numerical simulation on sand sedimentation and erosion characteristics around HDPE sheet sand barrier under different wind angles

For the safety of railroad operations,sand barriers are utilized to mitigate wind-sand disaster effects.These disasters,characterized by multi-directional wind patterns,result in diverse angles among the barriers.In this study,using numerical simulations,we examined the behavior of High Density Polyethylene(HDPE)sheet sand barriers under different wind angles,focusing on flow field distribution,windproof efficiency,and sedimentation erosion dynamics.This study discovered that at a steady wind speed,airflow velocity varies as the angle between the airflow and the HDPE barrier changes.Specifically,a 90°angle results in the widest low-speed airflow area on the barrier’s downwind side.If the airflow is not perpendicular to the barrier,it prompts a lateral airflow movement which decreases as the angle expands.The windproof efficiency correlates directly with this angle but inversely with the wind’s speed.Notably,with a wind angle of 90°,wind speed drops by 81%.The minimum wind speed is found at 5.1H(the sand barrier height)on the barrier’s downwind side.As the angle grows,the barrier’s windproof efficiency improves,extending its protective reach.Sedimentation is most prominent on the barrier’s downwind side,as the wind angle shifts from 30°to 90°,the sand sedimentation area on the barrier’s downwind side enlarges by 14.8H.As the angle grows,sedimentation intensifies,eventually overtakes the forward erosion and enlarges the sedimentation area.

Assessment of Barriers and Challenges to the Screening and Linkages of Non-Communicable Diseases by Community Health Volunteers in Nyeri County, Kenya

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a significant global health challenge, contributing to 50% of worldwide morbidity and 63% of mortality. The burden is particularly substantial in low—and middle-income countries (LMICs), where 80% of NCD-related deaths occur. A quasi-experimental study addressed this challenge from May 2022 to March 2023. This study utilized a non-equivalent pre-and post-test design, with 300 participants in the quantitative and 70 in the qualitative. The study employed multistage cluster and random sampling to select ten community units, resulting in 150 community health volunteers (CHVs) in the control unit and 150 in the intervention group. Data collection was facilitated through the KOBO app. Qualitative data analysis involved six homogeneous focus group discussions (FGDs) and ten key informant interviews (KIIs), audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using N-Vivo 12. Despite efforts to implement screening programs and improve linkages to care, significant barriers persist. This article reviews these barriers, drawing on current literature and empirical evidence. Key obstacles identified include limited awareness, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, cultural beliefs, financial constraints, fragmented healthcare systems, and challenges linking individuals to appropriate care services. The article explores strategies to overcome these barriers, emphasizing the importance of collaborative approaches involving stakeholders at various levels. Addressing these challenges aims to strengthen NCD screening and linkages to care, ultimately improving health outcomes for populations globally. Several recommendations emerge from the study’s findings and literature review. Raising awareness about NCDs and preventive measures is crucial and can be achieved through targeted health education campaigns and community outreach programs. Addressing healthcare infrastructure deficiencies, such as inadequate facilities and workforce shortages, is essential to ensure access to quality care. Cultural beliefs and practices also play a significant role in shaping health-seeking behavior. Engaging with local communities and incorporating cultural sensitivity into healthcare delivery can help bridge the gap between traditional beliefs and modern healthcare practices. Financial constraints pose a significant barrier to healthcare services, particularly in LMICs. Innovative financing mechanisms, such as health insurance schemes or subsidies, can help alleviate this burden and improve access to care. Furthermore, the fragmented nature of healthcare systems can hinder effective NCD management. Enhancing coordination and integration between primary care providers, specialists, and community health workers is essential to ensure seamless care delivery and patient follow-up. Finally, strengthening linkages between screening programs and care services is critical for the timely diagnosis and management of NCDs. This requires establishing robust referral systems and ensuring continuity of care for patients throughout their healthcare journey. In conclusion, addressing the multifaceted barriers to NCD screening and care linkage is essential for improving health outcomes globally. By implementing targeted interventions and fostering collaboration among stakeholders, progress can be made towards reducing the burden of NCDs and promoting population health.

Functionalized lipid nanoparticles modulate the blood-brain barrier and eliminate α-synuclein to repair dopamine neurons

The challenge in the clinical treatment of Parkinson's disease lies in the lack of disease-modifying therapies that can halt or slow down the progression. Peptide drugs, such as exenatide (Exe), with potential disease-modifying efficacy, have difficulty in crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) due to their large molecular weight. Herein, we fabricate multi-functionalized lipid nanoparticles (LNP) Lpc-BoSA/CSO with BBB targeting, permeability-increasing and responsive release functions. Borneol is chemically bonded with stearic acid and, as one of the components of Lpc-BoSA/CSO, is used to increase BBB permeability. Immunofluorescence results of brain tissue of 15-month-old C57BL/6 mice show that Lpc-BoSA/CSO disperses across the BBB into brain parenchyma, and the amount is 4.21 times greater than that of conventional LNP. Motor symptoms of mice in Lpc-BoSA/CSO-Exe group are significantly improved, and the content of dopamine is 1.85 times (substantia nigra compacta) and 1.49 times (striatum) that of PD mice. α-Synuclein expression and Lewy bodies deposition are reduced to 51.85% and 44.72% of PD mice, respectively. Immunohistochemical mechanism studies show AKT expression in Lpc-BoSA/CSO-Exe is 4.23 times that of PD mice and GSK-3β expression is reduced to 18.41%. Lpc-BoSA/CSO-Exe could reduce the production of α-synuclein and Lewy bodies through AKT/GSK-3β pathway, and effectively prevent the progressive deterioration of Parkinson's disease. In summary, Lpc-BoSA/CSO-Exe increases the entry of exenatide into brain and promotes its clinical application for Parkinson's disease therapy.