Plasticization Effect of Bio-Based Plasticizers from Soybean Oil for Tire Tread Rubber.

Modified soybean oil (MSO) is synthesized from soybean oil (SO) and sulfur, aiming to reduce the double bond quantity of SO and avoid harmful effects on the crosslink density and mechanical properties of rubber. MSO modified with different weight percentages of sulfur is then used to plasticize tire tread rubber (TR). It is found that the crosslink density and modulus of MSO- plasticized rubber are significantly improved compared with that of SO-plasticized TR.

Predisposition to Alzheimer's and Age-Related Brain Pathologies by PM2.5 Exposure: Perspective on the Roles of Oxidative Stress and TRPM2 Channel.

Accumulating epidemiological evidence supports that chronic exposure to ambient fine particular matters of <2.5 μm (PM2.5) predisposes both children and adults to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and age-related brain damage leading to dementia.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease in Xinxiang, China.

Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is recognized as the liver disease component of metabolic syndrome, which is mainly related to insulin resistance and genetic susceptibility. It is the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide. With rapid lifestyle transitions, its prevalence worldwide is increasing, and tremendous challenges in controlling this pandemic are arising.

Glyburide attenuates ozone-induced pulmonary inflammation and injury by blocking the NLRP3 inflammasome.

Glyburide is a classic antidiabetic drug that is dominant in inflammation regulation, but its specific role in ozone-induced lung inflammation and injury remains unclear. In order to investigate whether glyburide prevents ozone-induced pulmonary inflammation and its mechanism, C57BL/6 mice were intratracheally pre-instilled with glyburide or the vehicle 1 hour before ozone (1 ppm, 3 hours) or filtered air exposure. After 24 hours, the total inflammatory cells and total protein in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were detected.

Thermal Localization Enhanced Fast Photothermoelectric Response in a Quasi-One-Dimensional Flexible NbS Photodetector.

Ultra-broadband photodetection is crucial for various applications like imaging and sensing and has become a hot research topic in recent years. However, most of the reported ultra-broadband photodetectors can only cover the range from ultraviolet to infrared, which is insufficient. Herein, a photothermoelectric (PTE) detector made of NbS is reported.

CTRP3 induces an intermediate switch of CD14CD16 monocyte subset with anti-inflammatory phenotype.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) evokes a temporally coordinated immune response, in which monocytes are critically involved in the clearance of cell debris; however, excessive inflammation induced by the classical sub-population of monocytes frequently limits the endogenous reparative process. In the present study, the potential of the anti-inflammatory adipokine complement C1q tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related protein-3 (CTRP3) to induce intermediate switch of monocytes to an anti-inflammatory phenotype was explored. Circulating monocytes were isolated from patients with AMI at various time-points (3-5 h, 3 days and 7 days) and categorized by flow cytometry/immunostaining into three sub-divisions based on the expression of CD14 and CD16 epitopes: Classical (CD14/CD16), non-classical (CD14/CD16) and intermediate populations (CD14/CD16).

Short time exposure to ambient ozone and associated cardiovascular effects: A panel study of healthy young adults.

The evidence that exposure to ambient ozone (O) causes acute cardiovascular effects appears inconsistent. A repeated-measure study with 61 healthy young volunteers was conducted in Xinxiang, Central China. Real-time concentrations of O were monitored.

Overexpression of endogenous lipoic acid synthase attenuates pulmonary fibrosis induced by crystalline silica in mice.

Oxidative stress and inflammatory processes are proposed to mediate the development of silicosis. However, antioxidant therapy has not produced consistent results during the treatment of silicosis. α-Lipoic acid synthesized by lipoic acid synthase is a powerful anti-oxidant and helps protect mitochondria.

Coconut-fiber biochar reduced the bioavailability of lead but increased its translocation rate in rice plants: Elucidation of immobilization mechanisms and significance of iron plaque barrier on roots using spectroscopic techniques.

Coconut-fiber biochar (CFB) was applied at 3% (w/w) to two soils spiked with 250, 2500, 5000 mg kg of lead (Pb), respectively, aiming to explore the effects of CFB and the significance of iron (Fe) plaque on rice roots on the accumulation and translocation of Pb in rice plants using micro-X-ray fluorescence and X-ray absorption spectroscopies. The CFB amendment resulted in a significant decrease in the EDTA-extractable Pb availability in the soils, which might be attributed to the increased amounts of Pb-loaded humic acid and Pb(PO) formed in the soils. Consequently, the addition of CFB caused a significant decrease in Pb concentrations of the brown rice harvested from the CFB-amended soils under all Pb levels by 14 %-47 %, as compared to those from the unamended soils.

A systematic analysis of immune genes and overall survival in cancer patients.

Background: Overall survival (OS) is a key endpoint measure in the management of patients with cancer. Immunotherapy has become a dominant strategy in cancer therapy. To investigate the relationship between OS and the immune system, we assessed the role of immune genes in OS in 8648 patients across 22 cancer types.

Involvement of Oxidative Stress and the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor in Diesel Exhaust Particle-Induced Expression of Inflammatory Mediators in Human Mononuclear Cells.

Exposure to diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) has been associated with increased incidence of cardiopulmonary diseases. This study is aimed at examining the proinflammatory effects of DEP on primary human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and the underlying mechanisms using a human mononuclear cell line, THP-1. DEPs were incubated with the PBMC and THP-1 cells for 24 h, respectively.

Association of bone mineral density with lung function in a Chinese general population: the Xinxiang rural cohort study.

Background: Bone mineral density (BMD) has been positively associated with lung function in patients diagnosed with respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cystic fibrosis. However, the relationship between BMD and lung function is inconsistent in the general population.

Methods: To investigate the association between BMD and lung function in a Chinese general population, a total of 1024 adults aged 40-70 years old from Qiliying (an industrial polluted exposure area) and Langgongmiao (the reference area with non-industrial pollution) were recruited and underwent BMD and spirometry tests.

Low-level lead exposure is associated with aberrant sperm quality and reproductive hormone levels in Chinese male individuals: Results from the MARHCS study low-level lead exposure is associated with aberrant sperm quality.

Studies in animals suggest an adverse effect of high-level lead exposure on male reproductive outcomes. However, evidence of the effects of low-level lead exposure is inconsistent. The purpose of our study was to explore the relationship between low-level lead exposure from daily environmental contaminants and semen quality in a community population without occupational exposure.

hsa_circRNA_100873 upregulation is associated with increased lymphatic metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a type of endogenous non-coding RNA with multiple binding sites that specifically bind to microRNAs (miRNAs) and serve an important role in cellular regulatory networks. Patients exhibit varying levels of lymphatic metastasis in a clinical setting. The present study investigated the association between circRNAs and lymphatic metastasis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Management of the inter-segmental plane using the "Combined Dimensional Reduction Method" is safe and viable in uniport video-assisted thoracoscopic pulmonary segmentectomy.

Background: The management of the intersegmental plane (ISP) is challenging during uniport video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) pulmonary segmentectomy. Staplers and electrocautery have been used extensively in ISP management. However, both of them have their respective drawbacks.

Facile preparation of lignosulfonate/N-methylaniline composite and its application in efficient removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions.

A lignin-based biosorbent (LSMA) was prepared by cross-linking lignosulfonate and N-methylaniline with the aid of ammonium persulfate for efficient removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution. Since LSMA possessed both amino groups and oxygen-containing functional groups, such as phenolic, carboxyl, and sulfonic groups, the maximum adsorption capacity of 1264.8 mg/g was achieved at 318 K according to the Langmuir isotherm.

Evaluation of health-related quality of life in adults with and without dyslipidaemia in rural areas of central China.

Purpose: Dyslipidaemia is a common chronic disease in China but is among the list of diseases treated by basic public health services. In this study, we aimed to use the European Quality of Life Five Dimension Five Level Scale (EQ-5D-5L) and visual analogue scale (VAS) to compare differences in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) between dyslipidaemic and non-dyslipidaemic individuals in rural China and to explore possible causes for the underlying differences.

Methods: This study examined 10,115 participants from 22 rural communities in Xinxiang County, Henan Province, China.

circZNF609 promotes the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer by sponging miR-483-3p and regulating CDK6.

Objective: To explore the regulatory effects of circZNF609 on proliferative and migratory capacities of gastric cancer (GC) and its underlying mechanism.

Methods: Expression level of circZNF609, CDK6 and miR-483-3p in GC tissues and cells were detected qRT-PCR verification. CCK-8 and transwell assay were conducted the cell viability and migratory capacities of GC cells.

[Renal Injury and Its Mechanisms in Mice].

Objective: To study the mechanism of renal injury in mice with the leptin receptor homozygous deficiency.

Methods: Ten male of 28-week-old mice with leptin receptor heterozygous deficiency were selected as control group and ten male mice with leptin receptor homozygous deficiency were used in this study. After fasting for 8 hours, the body mass, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glycosylated hemoglobulin (HbA1c) of the mice were measured.

Characteristics of Gut Microbiota in Patients with Hypertension and/or Hyperlipidemia: A Cross-Sectional Study on Rural Residents in Xinxiang County, Henan Province.

Human gut microbiota can be affected by a variety of factors, including geography. This study aimed to clarify the regional specific characteristics of gut microbiota in rural residents of Xinxiang county, Henan province, with hypertension and hyperlipidemia and evaluate the association of specific gut microbiota with hypertension and hyperlipidemia clinical indices. To identify the gut microbes, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used and a random forest disease classifier was constructed to discriminate between the gut microbiota in hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and the healthy control.

Realization of Tunable Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance of Cu@CuO Core-Shell Nanoparticles by the Pulse Laser Deposition Method.

Cu@CuO core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) not only possess a stabilized structure but also exhibit better photocatalytic performance as compared to pure CuO. Therefore, preparation of Cu@CuO core-shell NPs is key toward efficient photocatalysis applications. In this paper, the fabrication of Cu@CuO core-shell NPs on single-crystal MgO(100) substrates has been studied systematically by pulse laser deposition.

Short-term effects of ambient temperature on the risk of premature rupture of membranes in Xinxiang, China: A time-series analysis.

Background: Studies on the effects of extreme ambient temperature on the risk of adverse birth outcomes are limited, and the results are inconsistent. In this study, we evaluated the short-term effects of daily mean temperature on the risk of premature rupture of membranes (PROM) in Xinxiang, China.

Methods: Daily hospitalization data for PROM, daily meteorological data, and ambient pollution data in Xinxiang from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2017 were collected.

Prognostic Value of Prolonged Feeding Intolerance in Predicting All-Cause Mortality in Critically Ill Patients: A Multicenter, Prospective, Observational Study.

Background: The 2012 European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) guidelines provided a clear definition of feeding intolerance (FI). The study aimed to investigate the association between FI based on the current ESICM definition and clinical outcome and to further explore the effect of the duration of FI on mortality.

Methods: Adult patients from 14 general intensive care units (ICUs) with an expected ICU stay ≥24 hours were prospectively studied.

The Investigation of a SAW Oxygen Gas Sensor Operated at Room Temperature, Based on Nanostructured ZnFeO Films.

In this paper, we report a wireless gas sensor based on surface acoustic waves (SAW). For room temperature detection of oxygen gas, a novel nanostructured ZnFeO gas-sensitive film was deposited on the surface of a SAW resonator by an oblique magnetron co-sputtering method. The measurements of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed that the crystal phase composition and the microstructures of ZnFeO films were significantly affected by the content of Fe.

NLRP3 inflammasome activation is associated with PM -induced cardiac functional and pathological injury in mice.

Growing evidences indicate that inflammation induced by PM exposure has been considered as a major driving force for the development of cardiovascular diseases. However, the mechanisms underlying PM -induced cardiac injury remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in PM -induced cardiac functional and pathological injury in mice.