Health risk assessment of inhalational exposure to heavy metals in drivers working in an urban desert city in the Middle East.

Heavy metals are threatening the lives of people around the world. This study aims to quantify the adverse health risks of seven heavy metals, including arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, lead, manganese, and nickel in taxi drivers in an urban desert city, Yazd, Iran. The exposure concentrations were determined through air sampling in the breathing zone of 40 randomly selected intercity taxi drivers, 20 in winter and 20 in summer, in 2019.

Relationships between self-reflectiveness and clinical symptoms in individuals during pre-morbid and early clinical stages of psychosis.

Background: Self-reflectiveness, one dimension of cognitive insight, plays a protective role in an individual's mental state. Both high and low levels of self-reflectiveness have been reported in patients with schizophrenia and individuals at clinical high risk for the illness.

Aims: This study aimed to explore the relationship patterns between self-reflectiveness and clinical symptoms in individuals during the pre-morbid and early clinical stages of psychosis.

Plastic/Natural Fiber Composite Based on Recycled Expanded Polystyrene Foam Waste.

A novel reinforced recycled expanded polystyrene (r-EPS) foam/natural fiber composite was successfully developed. EPS was recycled by means of the dissolution method using an accessible commercial mixed organic solvent, while natural fibers, i.e.

Prevalence of MRSA as an Infectious Agent in Sanitary Swimming Pools and Jacuzzis.

Introduction: Methicillin-resistant (MRSA) is considered resistant to beta-lactam antibiotic groups. Infection caused by this strain is more difficult to treat with antibiotics, and hence, it will be more dangerous. This study focused on detecting the Staphylococcus in sanitary swimming pools and Jacuzzis in Yazd city, Iran (2019).

Heavy metal contaminated soil, water, and vegetables in northeastern Iran: potential health risk factors.

Purpose: This study was designed to measure the concentrations of heavy (Pb, Cu, Fe, Ni, and Zn) metals in water, soil, and frequently edible leafy vegetables in the Iranian population and assessed the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risk in consumers.

Methods: The samples of soil, water, and vegetables were collected from forms near the Tehran-Mashhad highway in Neyshabur, Iran. The content of heavy metals in the samples was analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry.

Replication of the abnormal niacin response in first episode psychosis measured using laser Doppler flowmeter.

Introduction: Impaired sensitivity of the skin flush response to niacin is found in approximately 30% of patients with schizophrenia. Although the niacin response abnormality (NRA) may serve as a useful endophenotype for schizophrenia, few studies have directly replicated NRA in patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP).

Methods: In total, 204 patients with FEP, 16 with psychotic mood disorder (PMD), and 68 healthy controls (HC) were included.

Evaluation of a novel integrated membrane biological aerated filter for water reclamation: A practical experience.

The use of treated wastewater in addition to solving the problem of water shortage, can increase soil fertility and reduce the use of chemical fertilizers. We aim to provide a high-quality effluent to feed membrane system, reduce treatment costs and enhance the efficiency of wastewater recycling. All experiments were conducted on a novel integrated membrane biological aerated filter (IMBAF) consisting of a down flow cylindrical biological aerated filter (BAF) filled by silica and a novel sand-coated polystyrene granules (SCP), followed by ultrafiltration (UF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes.

Prevalence and risk factors for depression among training physicians in China and the United States.

During their first year of medical residency (internship), 35% of training physicians in the United States suffer at least one depression episode. We assessed whether there is a similar increase of depression among first year residents in China, and identified predictors of depression in the two systems. 1006 residents across three cohorts (2016-2017, 2017-2018 and 2018-2019) at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Peking Union Medical College were assessed in parallel with three cohorts of 7028 residents at 100 + US institutions.

The heart-brain axis: A proteomics study of meditation on the cardiovascular system of Tibetan Monks.

Background: There have been mixed reports on the beneficial effects of meditation in cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is widely considered the leading cause of death worldwide.

Methods: To clarify the role of meditation in modulating the heart-brain axis, we implemented an extreme phenotype strategy, i.e.

Attenuated niacin-induced skin flush response in individuals with clinical high risk for psychosis.

Background: Impaired sensitivity of the skin flush response to niacin is one of the most replicated findings in patients with schizophrenia. However, prior studies have usually focused on postonset psychosis, and little is known about the clinical high-risk (CHR) phase of niacin sensitivity in psychosis.

Aims: To profile and compare the niacin flush response among CHR individuals (converters and non-converters), patients with first-episode schizophrenia (FES) and healthy controls (HCs).

Molecular Dynamics-Assisted Interpretation of Experimentally Determined Intrinsically Disordered Protein Conformational Components: The Case of Human α-Synuclein.

Mass spectrometry and single molecule force microscopy are two experimental approaches able to provide structural information on intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs). These techniques allow the dissection of conformational ensembles in their main components, although at a low-resolution level. In this work, we interpret the results emerging from these experimental approaches on human alpha synuclein (AS) by analyzing a previously published 73 μs-long molecular-dynamics (MD) simulation of the protein in explicit solvent.

Fabrication of ZnO/y-FeOOH nanoparticles embedded on the polyethylene terephthalate membrane: Evaluation of antifouling behavior and COD removal.

Nanofiltration contributes to the development of advanced treatment of wastewater. An antifouling mixed matrix recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) membrane modified by the hydrophilic ZnO/y-FeOOH nanoparticles (NPs) was fabricated via the electrospinning method. The effect of ZnO/y-FeOOH NP embedded in rPET as a modifier on the fabrication of nanocomposite membranes was investigated regarding water flux, membrane morphology, permeability, fouling resistance, and COD removal.

Upregulation of DGCR8, a Candidate Predisposing to Schizophrenia in Han Chinese, Contributes to Phenotypic Deficits and Neuronal Migration Delay.

DiGeorge Syndrome Critical Region Gene 8 (DGCR8) is a key component of the microprocessor complex governing the maturation of most microRNAs, some of which participate in schizophrenia and neural development. Previous studies have found that the 22q11.2 locus, containing DGCR8, confers a risk of schizophrenia.

Griess-doped polyvinyl alcohol thin film for on-site simultaneous sample preparation and nitrite determination of processed meat products.

To facilitate on-site nitrite determination for processed meat products, Griess-doped polyvinyl alcohol film was synthesized in the bottom of a plastic tube for in-tube determination. The tube's aperture was used to control the sample dimensions. Each sample, cut into eight sectors, was subjected to nitrite extraction by water.

Growth charts of brain morphometry for preschool children.

Brain development from 1 to 6 years of age anchors a wide range of functional capabilities and carries early signs of neurodevelopmental disorders. However, quantitative models for depicting brain morphology changes and making individualized inferences are lacking, preventing the identification of early brain atypicality during this period. With a sample size of 285, we characterized the age dependence of the cortical thickness and subcortical volume in neurologically normal children and constructed quantitative growth charts of all brain regions for preschool children.

Management and health risk assessment of chemical contamination events in water distribution systems using PSO.

An accidental or intentional contamination event can raise health and sociopolitical concerns, erode public trust, and affect the operation of water distribution systems. In this regard, emergency management plans are required to describe the necessary measures in order to deal with a threat. This study was carried out to investigate the best ways to manage intrusion in a water distribution network.

A novel heterozygous missense variant of the ARID4A gene identified in Han Chinese families with schizophrenia-diagnosed siblings that interferes with DNA-binding activity.

ARID4A plays an important role in regulating gene expression and cell proliferation. ARID4A belongs to the AT-rich interaction domain (ARID)-containing family, and a PWWP domain immediately precedes its ARID region. The molecular mechanism and structural basis of ARID4A are largely unknown.

Microbial Community Structure and Ecological Networks during Simulation of Diatom Sinking.

Microbial-mediated utilization of particulate organic matter (POM) during its downward transport from the surface to the deep ocean constitutes a critical component of the global ocean carbon cycle. However, it remains unclear as to how high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and low temperature (LT) with the sinking particles affects community structure and network interactions of the particle-attached microorganisms (PAM) and those free-living microorganisms (FLM) in the surrounding water. In this study, we investigated microbial succession and network interactions in experiments simulating POM sinking in the ocean.

Functional Properties of Casein and Caseinate Produced by Electrodialysis with Bipolar Membrane Coupled to an Ultrafiltration Module.

Electrodialysis with a bipolar membrane coupled to an ultrafiltration module (EDBM-UF) is a hybrid technology recently developed as an ecofriendly alternative to chemical acidification to produce casein and caseinate from skim milk. In this study, the composition and functional properties of casein and caseinate obtained by chemical acidification/basification and by the EDBM-UF method from winter and summer milks were analyzed and compared. Results show that the emulsifying properties, solubility, water holding, and gelling capacities are equivalent between casein and caseinate from both methods.

Dynamic Tracking of State Anxiety Multi-Modal Data and Machine Learning.

Anxiety induction is widely used in the investigations of the mechanism and treatment of state anxiety. State anxiety is accompanied by immediate psychological and physiological responses. However, the existing state anxiety measurement, such as the commonly used state anxiety subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, mainly relies on questionnaires with low temporal resolution.

First Detection of Mukawa Virus in and in China.

Mukawa virus (MKWV), a novel tick-borne virus (TBV) of the genus of family , has been firstly reported in in Japan. In this study, we made an epidemiological investigation in China to obtain the geographic distribution and genetic features of this virus outside Japan. We screened 1,815 adult ticks (665 , 336 , 599 , 170 , 45 ) and 805 wild small mammals collected from eight provinces.

Strategy toward fluorinated polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane wrapping nanoparticles for superomniphobic surfaces.

For engineering implementation of an ultralow-surface-energy hierarchically micro/nanostructured topography for superomniphobic surfaces, a strategy involving the design of a partially open-cage fluorinated polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane bearing an -OH pair (poc-FPOSS-2OH) and the subsequent wrapping of nanoparticles with poc-FPOSS-2OH as a result of weak-acid-triggered -OH protonation is developed. The poc-FPOSS-wrapped nanoparticle-based surfaces showed broad-spectrum superomniphobicity. This work has advanced the engineering of state-of-the-art superomniphobic solid surfaces/interfaces.

Exploring the interaction mechanism of dietary protein ovalbumin and folic acid: A combination research of molecular simulation technology and multispectroscopy.

This study aims to reveal the mechanism of the interaction between folic acid (FA) and egg ovalbumin (OVA) through the method of multi-spectroscopic, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation in order to probe OVA as the possibility of a carrier of unstable vitamins. The results of the fluorescence spectra indicated a static quenching in the OVA-FA with a strong affinity of 6.998 × 10 M.

Identifying similarities and differences in emotion recognition with EEG and eye movements among Chinese, German, and French People.

Cultures have essential influences on emotions. However, most studies on cultural influences on emotions are in the areas of psychology and neuroscience, while the existing affective models are mostly built with data from the same culture. In this paper, we identify the similarities and differences among Chinese, German, and French individuals in emotion recognition with electroencephalogram (EEG) and eye movements from an affective computing perspective.