An integrated analysis for spatio-temporal evolution of food water-carbon-energy footprint and its sustainable production in northwest China.

The increasing demand for food production has led to significant resource consumption and environmental stress in ecologically fragile areas. A comprehensive quantification of the environmental impact of crop production can provide essential support for the sustainable development of agriculture in these regions. In this study, we utilized water, carbon, and energy footprint of food production to analyze its water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and energy use.

A Comparative Analysis on Indoor and Outdoor PM and Their Hourly Associations with Acute Respiratory Inflammation Among College Students in Lhasa.

Ambient concentrations are commonly used as proxies for personal PM exposure in epidemiological studies, despite indoor settings being the places where people spend most of their time. In a panel study of 110 nonsmoking, healthy college students in Lhasa, Tibet, indoor PM was monitored using calibrated low-cost sensors for two multiweek periods, in over 40 dormitories where participants resided. We also repeatedly measured fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), an acute respiratory inflammation biomarker, for each participant.

Prevention and management of medical adhesive-related skin injuries in tumor patients with peripheral central venous catheters: a best practice implementation project.

Introduction: Peripheral central venous catheters are common vascular access devices used in patients with tumors. To prevent catheter shedding and displacement, it is essential to use medical adhesives to secure the catheters. Repeated adhesion and removal of medical adhesives can weaken the barrier function of the skin, leading to medical adhesive-related skin injuries (MARSI), which can increase the patients' pain and medical expenses.

Fine particulate matter exposure and systemic inflammation: A potential mediating role of bioactive lipids.

Inflammation is a key mechanism underlying the adverse health effects of exposure to fine particulate matter (PM). Bioactive lipids in the arachidonic acid (ARA) pathway are important in the regulation of inflammation and are reportedly altered by PM exposure. Ceramide-1-phosphate (C1P), a class of sphingolipids, is required to initiate ARA metabolism.

Assessing the impact of incentive coordination effect on the equilibrium of agricultural water usage by China's South-to-North Water Diversion Middle Route Project.

In recent years, the sustainable development of agricultural water resources has received much attention. The mismatch between agricultural water distribution patterns, land resources, and socioeconomics threatens food production, especially in vast water-scarce plains. Therefore, monitoring agricultural water spatial equilibrium (AWRSE) is necessary.

Uterine Immunoprivileged Cells Restore Cardiac Function of Male Recipients After Myocardial Infarction.

It has been documented that the uterus plays a key cardio-protective role in pre-menopausal women, which is supported by uterine cell therapy, to preserve cardiac functioning post-myocardial infarction, being effective among females. However, whether such therapies would also be beneficial among males is still largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to fill in this gap in knowledge by examining the effects of transplanted uterine cells on infarcted male hearts.

Multiple temporal reference frames revealed by a reproduction task.

The study investigates whether participants can establish multiple temporal references in a temporal reproduction task. The results show that participants can learn and maintain two references for the overlapping intervals with the short distribution being overestimated towards the long one.

Effect of the Lipoxin Receptor Agonist BML-111 on Cigarette Smoke Extract-Induced Macrophage Polarization and Inflammation in RAW264.7 Cells.

Background: Macrophages are known to play a crucial role in the chronic inflammation associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). BML-111, acting as a lipoxin A4 (LXA4) receptor agonist, has shown to be effective in protecting against COPD. However, the precise mechanism by which BML-111 exerts its protective effect remains unclear.

Epicardial delivery of a conductive membrane synchronizes conduction to reduce atrial fibrillation.

Conductive polymers have been investigated as a medium for the transmission of electrical signals in biological tissues, but their capacity to rewire cardiac tissue has not been evaluated. Myocardial tissue is unique in being able to generate an electrical potential at a fixed rate; this potential spreads rapidly among cells to trigger muscle contractions. Tissue injuries result in myocardial fibrosis and subsequent non-uniform conductivity, leading to arrhythmia.

ELANE Promotes M2 Macrophage Polarization by Down-Regulating PTEN and Participates in the Lung Cancer Progression.

Background: Macrophages are one of the most important immunoinflammatory cell populations in the tumor microenvironment (TME). In this study, we preliminarily investigated the upstream pathway of M2 macrophage polarization affecting lung cancer progression.

Methods: Bioinformatics analysis was used to evaluate genes closely associated with lung adenocarcinoma and their relationship with immune cells.

Partitioning indoor-generated and outdoor-generated PM from real-time residential measurements in urban and peri-urban Beijing.

Limited number of projects have attempted to partition and quantify indoor- and outdoor-generated PM (PM and PM) where strong indoor sources (e.g., solid fuel, tobacco smoke, or kerosene) exist.

Associations of pregnancy complications with ambient air pollution in China.

Background: Gestational hypertension (GH), preeclampsia (PE), and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are common pregnancy complications and can result in maternal and prenatal morbidity and mortality. Air pollution exposure could adversely impact pregnancy complications; however, evidence remains limited in China, where ambient air pollution is relatively severe.

Objective: This study aims to examine the associations of GH, PE, and GDM with exposure to six air pollutants (PM PM, SO, NO, O, and CO) during pregnancy.

Ambient Air Pollution and Atherosclerosis: A Potential Mediating Role of Sphingolipids.

Background: The pathophysiological mechanisms of air pollution-induced atherosclerosis are incompletely understood. Sphingolipids serve as biological intermediates during atherosclerosis development by facilitating production of proatherogenic apoB (apolipoprotein B)-containing lipoproteins. We explored whether sphingolipids mediate the proatherogenic effects of air pollution.

Ceramide metabolism mediates the impaired glucose homeostasis following short-term black carbon exposure: A targeted lipidomic analysis.

Background: Ambient particulate matter (PM), especially its carbonaceous composition black carbon (BC) increases cardiometabolic risks, yet the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Ceramides (Cer; a class of sphingolipids) are biological intermediates in glucose metabolism.

Objectives: To explore whether Cer metabolism mediates impaired glucose homeostasis following short-term PM exposure.

Personal exposure to electrophilic compounds of fine particulate matter and the inflammatory response: The role of atmospheric transformation.

Atmospheric oxidation can produce electrophilic compounds, altering the health effects induced by fine particulate matter (PM); however, little is known about these electrophilic compounds or their health effects. Using electron capture negative ionization, we systematically detected 301 electrophilic compounds from personal PM samples in a panel study in urban Beijing. Most were oxygen-containing compounds with 3-17 double bond equivalents (DBE), suggesting the dominance of oxidized aromatic structures.

Bio-Conductive Polymers for Treating Myocardial Conductive Defects: Long-Term Efficacy Study.

Following myocardial infarction (MI), the resulting fibrotic scar is nonconductive and leads to ventricular dysfunction via electrical uncoupling of the remaining viable cardiomyocytes. The uneven conductive properties between normal myocardium and scar tissue result in arrhythmia, yielding sudden cardiac death/heart failure. A conductive biopolymer, poly-3-amino-4-methoxybenzoic acid-gelatin (PAMB-G), is able to resynchronize myocardial contractions in vivo.

Organic Components of Personal PM Exposure Associated with Inflammation: Evidence from an Untargeted Exposomic Approach.

Fine particulate matter (PM) can promote chronic diseases through the fundamental mechanism of inflammation; however, systemic information is lacking on the inflammatory PM components. To decipher organic components from personal PM exposure that were associated with respiratory and circulatory inflammatory responses in older adults, we developed an exposomic approach using trace amounts of particles and applied it on 424 personal PM samples collected in a panel study in Beijing. Applying an integrated multivariate and univariate untargeted strategy, a total of 267 organic compounds were filtered and then chemically identified according to their association with exhaled nitric oxide (eNO)/interleukin (IL)-6 or serum IL-1β/IL-6, with monocyclic and polycyclic aromatic compounds (i.

SARS pandemic exposure impaired early childhood development in China.

Social and mental stressors associated with the pandemic of a novel infectious disease, e.g., COVID-19 or SARS may promote long-term effects on child development.

Changes in bioactive lipid mediators in response to short-term exposure to ambient air particulate matter: A targeted lipidomic analysis of oxylipin signaling pathways.

Background: Exposure to ambient air particulate matter (PM) is a risk factor for cardiometabolic diseases. The knowledge of the underlying mechanisms is still evolving, but systemic inflammation and oxidative stress are central to the ability of PM to induce cardiometabolic effects. Oxylipins derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are bioactive lipid mediators that have fundamental roles in the signaling of inflammatory events.

Susceptibility of individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to respiratory inflammation associated with short-term exposure to ambient air pollution: A panel study in Beijing.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death worldwide. There is no clear evidence of whether COPD patients are more susceptible to respiratory inflammation associated with short-term exposure to air pollutants than those without COPD.

Objectives: This study directly compared air pollutant-associated respiratory inflammation between COPD patients and healthy controls.

Association between a Rapid Reduction in Air Particle Pollution and Improved Lung Function in Adults.

Lung function impairment is reportedly associated with elevated exposure to ambient fine particles (particulate matter ≤2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter [PM]). However, whether improvement of air quality prevents respiratory diseases is unclear.

MiR-21 promotes calcium oxalate-induced renal tubular cell injury by targeting PPARA.

Kidney stone disease is a crystal concretion formed in the kidneys that has been associated with an increased risk of chronic kidney disease. MicroRNAs are functionally involved in kidney injury. Data mining using a microRNA array database suggested that miR-21 may be associated with calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM)-induced renal tubular cell injury.

Association of internal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with inflammation and oxidative stress in prediabetic and healthy individuals.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are key air pollutants that may contribute to the risk of numerous diseases by inducing inflammation and oxidative stress. Individuals with metabolic disorders may be more susceptible to PAH-induced inflammation and oxidative stress. To test this hypothesis, we designed a panel study involving 60 patients with pre-type 2 diabetes (pre-T2D) and 60 reference participants, and conducted up to seven repeated clinical examinations.

Wettability read-out strategy for aptamer target binding based on a recognition/hydrophobic bilayer surface.

We established a wettability read-out strategy for an aptasensor with a bilayer surface, using hydrophobicity reduction as the signal. The signal was induced by a fracture of the nanoneedle layer resulting from recognition by the supporting aptamer layer. The kinetics and influencing factors of this process were investigated with time curves.

Characterising low-cost sensors in highly portable platforms to quantify personal exposure in diverse environments.

The inaccurate quantification of personal exposure to air pollution introduces error and bias in health estimations, severely limiting causal inference in epidemiological research worldwide. Rapid advancements in affordable, miniaturised air pollution sensor technologies offer the potential to address this limitation by capturing the high variability of personal exposure during daily life in large-scale studies with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. However, concerns remain regarding the suitability of novel sensing technologies for scientific and policy purposes.