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To investigate the potential association between LRP5 rs648438 polymorphism and the risk of skeletal fluorosis (SF) was evaluated in a cross-sectional case–control study conducted in Shanxi, China, in 2019. A total of 973 individuals were enrolled in this study, in which cases and controls were 346 and 627, respectively. SF was diagnosed according to the standard WS/192–2008 (China). The LRP5 rs648438 was detected by the multiple PCR and sequencing. LRP5 rs648438 was found to follow a dominant genetic model using a web-based SNP-STATS software. Logistic regression analysis found that the TC/CC genotype of LRP5 rs648438 might be a protective factor for SF. When stratified by gender, this protective effect of TC/CC genotype in rs648438 was pronounced in males. There was an interaction between gender and rs648438 on risk of SF. Our study suggested that TC/CC genotype of rs648438 might be a protective factor for water-drinking-type skeletal fluorosis, especially in male participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic is a toxic metal-like element. The toxic reaction of the body to arsenic is related to the ability of arsenic methylation metabolism. As the rate-limiting enzyme of arsenic methylation metabolism, the genetic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of arsenic (+ 3 oxidation state) methyltransferase (AS3MT) gene are related to capacity of arsenic methylation. In this paper, we investigated the association of five SNPs (rs7085104, rs3740390, 3740393, rs10748835, and rs1046778) in AS3MT with arsenic methylation metabolizing using the data and samples from a cross-sectional case–control study of arsenic and Type 2 diabetes mellitus conducted in Shanxi, China. A total of 340 individuals were included in the study. Urinary total arsenic (tAs, μg/L) was detected by liquid chromatography–atomic fluorescence spectrometry (LC–AFS). According to "safety guidance value of urinary arsenic for population" as specified in WS/T665-2019 (China), participants were divided into the control group (tAs ≤ 32 μg/L, n = 172) and arsenic-exposed group (tAs > 32 μg/L, n = 168). iAs%, MMA%, and DMA% are as the indicator of arsenic methylation capacity. The genotypes of AS3MT SNPs were examined by Multiple PCR combined sequencing. Linear regression analysis showed that AG + GG genotype in rs7085104 was associated with decreased iAs% and increased DMA%. Moreover, AG + AA genotype in rs10748835 and TC + CC genotype in rs1046778 were associated with decreased iAs% and MMA% and increased DMA%. The interaction between rs7085104 and arsenic is associated with iAs% and DMA%. The interaction of rs3740390 and rs10748835 with arsenic is associated with iAs%. Haplotype CTAC (rs3740393-rs3740390-rs10748835-rs1046778) was associated with lower iAs% and higher DMA%, but this association disappeared after adjusting for age, gender, drink, smoking, BMI and tAs. Haplotype GCAC was associated with decreased MMA%. Our study provides additional support for revealing the factors influencing the metabolic capacity of arsenic methylation and might be helpful to identify the population susceptible to arsenic exposure through individualized screening in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Sinomenine has been reported to effectively repress the progression of lung cancer and breast cancer. However, the effects of sinomenine in bladder cancer are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of sinomenine in bladder cancer. Methods. The mRNA expression of HEIH in bladder cancer cells was measured by RT-qPCR. T24 and SW780 cells were treated with sinomenine for 24 hours. Cell viability was detected by the MTT assay. Cell migration and invasion were detected by the transwell assay. Western blotting assay was performed to assess the protein expression of Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3. Results. Sinomenine significantly suppressed cell viability in T24 and SW780 cells. Moreover, cell migration and invasion were significantly inhibited by sinomenine. Sinomenine accelerated the expression of Bax and caspase-3 but decreased the expression of Bcl-2. HEIH was upregulated in bladder cancer cells compared with normal bladder epithelial cells. Besides this, we noticed that HEIH knockdown blocked cell proliferation, migration, and invasion but facilitated cell apoptosis in bladder cancer cells. Additionally, HEIH reversed the suppression of the progression induced by sinomenine. Conclusion. Sinomenine was observed to suppress cell progression of bladder cancer cells by inhibiting HEIH expression. Our findings suggested that the use of sinomenine might be an effective treatment for bladder cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 3D porous carbon nanotube aerogel support enables isolated Fe site dispersion. • Pyrolysis synthesizes highly dispersed single-atom Fe-Nx electrocatalyst. • Fe-N-C catalyst delivers high power density in anion exchange membrane fuel cells. • Exceptional durability exceeds commercial Pt/C catalyst benchmark. Single-atom catalysts maximize atomic utilization efficiency while providing tunable active sites, making them promising candidates for replacing expensive noble metals in electrochemical reactions. However, isolated metal atoms tend to aggregate irreversibly due to high surface energy, deteriorating both activity and durability. Herein, we report a single-site Fe-N-C oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst synthesized by pyrolyzing an iron-loaded polypyrrole aerogel precursor. The resultant Fe-N-C catalyst comprises crosslinked nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes with high specific surface area and abundant mesopores. Compared to commercial Pt/C, it demonstrates remarkable improvements in half-wave potential (0.81 V vs 0.84 V) and limiting current density (4.31 mA cm−2 vs 4.8 mA cm−2) for ORR. Stability and methanol tolerance tests further verify excellent durability under alkaline conditions. Crucially, by applying this Fe-N-C catalyst in anion exchange membrane fuel cells, outstanding peak power density of 150 mW cm−2 is achieved, outperforming commercial Pt/C cathodes (127 mW cm−2). Our single-site catalyst provides a promising strategy to develop durable and active non-precious metal ORR electrocatalysts through rational aerogel precursor design and pyrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Postoperative intra-abdominal septic complications (IASCs) are not uncommon in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). The appropriate index to predict postoperative IASCs in these individuals remains unknown. This study investigates whether the inflammation-based Glasgow prognostic score (GPS) is predictive in the setting of postoperative IASC CD patients who underwent elective bowel resection.Methods: A consecutive cohort of 163 CD patients who underwent elective intestinal resection from July 2012 to March 2016 was retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two GPS groups, one lower and one higher. The GPS was defined by serum levels of C-reactive protein and albumin. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify risk factors for postoperative IASCs.Results: Postoperative IASCs occurred in 25 (15.3%) patients. Compared with patients in the lower GPS group, patients with a higher GPS had a higher incidence of postoperative IASCs (9.85 vs. 38.71%, P < 0.001) and experienced longer postoperative hospital stay (10.53 ± 7.00 vs. 15.71 ± 9.17, P = 0.001). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed preoperative GPS [odds ratio (OR) 5.016, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.134-22.193, P = 0.034] and penetrating behavior (OR 4.495, 95% CI 1.377-14.670, P = 0.013) to be independent risk factors for postoperative IASCs.Conclusions: A preoperative GPS can serve as a useful index for predicting manifestation of postoperative IASCs after bowel resection in patients with CD. Perioperative optimization is required to improve postoperative outcomes for patients with higher GPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Proteomic approaches identifying biomarkers have been applied to asthma to only a very limited extent. Methods With an antibody array (RayBiotech, Norcross, GA, USA), the relative intensity and rank differences of 444 proteins were compared in 24 plasma samples obtained at age 3, 11 from children with and 12 without asthma diagnoses at ages 5 and 9. Protein candidates identified by antibody array were quantitated by ELISA in an enlarged sample. Proteins found to differentiate children with and without asthma were also examined for association with known Year 1 asthma risk factors, eczema, and wheeze. Results In the antibody array, four proteins had rank differences between asthma and non-asthma groups ( FDR <0.1). By ELISA, mean log (±s.e.m.) erythropoietin ( EPO) level ( IU/l) was lower (0.750 ± 0.048 vs. 0.898 ± 0.035; p = 0.006) and mean (±s.e.m.) soluble GP130 ( sGP130) level (ng/ml) was higher in the asthma vs. the non-asthma group (302 ± 13 vs. 270 ± 8; p = 0.041). The other 2 array proteins (galactin-3 and eotaxin-3) did not differ by ELISA by asthma. EPO related to the asthma risk factor, first year eczema, whereas sGP130 related to first year wheeze. Conclusions Through two independent assessments, age 3 plasma levels of EPO and sGP130 were found related to childhood asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Polyaniline/neutral red/TiO2 composite electrode materials (PANI/PNR/TiO2) are prepared by chemical oxidation polymerization. Structural and morphological characterizations of PANI/PNR and PANI/PNR/TiO2 are carried out by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results reveal a uniform dispersion of TiO2 nanoparticles in the netlike structure of PANI/PNR structure. Electrochemical performance of the composite electrodes is studied by cyclic voltammetry, ac impedance spectroscopy and galvanostatic charge–discharge measurements in 1M H2SO4 solution. The results indicate that PANI/PNR/TiO2 composite electrodes show high specific capacitance and good cyclic stability. The maximum specific capacitance of 335Fg−1 is obtained from galvanostatic charge–discharge at a constant current of 5mA, the specific capacitance of PANI/PNR/TiO2 composite has improvement values of 22% compared to that of PANI/PNR (260Fg−1). Besides, PANI/PNR/TiO2 supercapacitors show excellent cyclic performance; the decay of the capacitance after 1000 charge–discharge cycles is only 20%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To avoid depth-of-field mismatches caused by the changes in pipe structure and image overexposures caused by highly reflective surfaces while radial imaging irregular pipes, this paper proposes a novel all-in-focus, adaptable, and low scene-coupling method that suppresses overexposures in support of fault detection. Firstly, the pipeline's radial depth distribution data are obtained by sensors, and an optimal all-in-focus imaging scheme is established by combining camera parameters. Secondly, using digital imaging technology, the high reflection effect produced by disparate light sources is comprehensively evaluated for overexposure suppression. Thirdly, a device is designed for imaging non-Lambertian free-form surface scenes under low illumination, providing the sequence images needed for the next step. Lastly, specific digital fusions are made to the sequential images to obtain an all-in-focus final image without overexposure. An image-quality analysis method is then used to measure the efficacy of the system in obtaining the characteristic information of the inner surfaces of an irregular pipe. Results of the experiment show that the method and device used are able to distinguish small 0.5 mm wide lines ranging from 40–878 mm depth and are capable of providing efficient image support for defect inspection of irregular pipes and free-form surfaces amongst other irregular surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The meniscus-confined electrodeposition (MCED) technique offers advantages such as low cost and wide applicability, making it a promising method in the field of micro/nanofabrication. However, unstable meniscal morphology and poor deposition quality during planar deposition in MCED necessitate the development of improved methods. Therefore, a planar adaptive micro-tuning deposition method (PAMTDM), which utilizes the positioning technology of scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) and employs a singular value decomposition (SVD) planar fitting method to determine the flatness of the deposition plane, is proposed. An adaptive micro-tuning motion mode was proposed by analyzing the variation patterns of the meniscus. Moreover, a combination of multi-physics finite element simulations and orthogonal experimental methods was introduced to determine the optimal motion parameters. The experimental results demonstrate that the PAMTDM effectively addresses the issues encountered during planar growth. Compared to the point-by-point deposition method, the PAMTDM achieves a threefold increase in deposition speed for continuous deposition of 105-μm-long line segments in two-dimensional planes, with a deposition current error of less than 0.2 nA. In conclusion, the proposed method provides significant insights into the broad future applications of MCED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic has been identified as a carcinogen, although the molecular mechanism underlying itscarcinogenesis has not been fully elucidated. To date, only a few studies have attempted to confirm a direct link between oxidative stress and the Warburg effect. This study demonstrated that 0.2 μmol/L As3+ induced the Warburg effect to contribute to abnormal proliferation of L-02 cells, that was mediated by upregulation of hexokinase 2 (HK2), a key enzyme in glycolysis. Further study indicated that arsenic-induced accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) activated the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway by phosphorylation of p65 at the Ser536 and Ser276 sites, leading to upregulated expression of HK2. We therefore concluded that the ROS/NF-κB/HK2 axis contributes to the Warburg effect and cell proliferation induced by low doses of arsenic. AbbreviationsROS, Reactive oxygen species; NAC, N-acetyl-L-cysteine; 2-DG, 2-deoxy-D-glucose; 2-NBDG, 2-Deoxy-2-[(7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazol-4-yl)amino]-D-glucose [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Although musculoskeletal pain is one of the most common causes of chronic pain and physical disability in both developing and developed countries, relatively little is known about the nerve fibers and mechanisms that drive skeletal pain. Small diameter sensory nerve fibers, most of which are C-fiber nociceptors, can be separated into two broad populations: the peptide-rich and peptide-poor nerve fibers. Peptide-rich nerve fibers express substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). In contrast, the peptide-poor nerve fibers bind to isolectin B4 (IB4) and express the purinergic receptor P2X3 and Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor member d (Mrgprd). In the present report, we used mice in which the Mrgprd + nerve fibers express genetically encoded axonal tracers to determine the peptide-rich and peptide-poor sensory nerve fibers that innervate the glabrous skin of the hindpaw as compared to the bone marrow, mineralized bone and periosteum of the femur. Whereas the skin is richly innervated by CGRP+, SP+, P2X3 + and Mrgprd + sensory nerve fibers, the bone marrow, mineralized bone and periosteum receive a significant innervation by SP+ and CGRP+, but not Mrgprd + and P2X3 + nerve fibers. This lack of redundancy in the populations of C-fibers that innervate the bone may present a unique therapeutic opportunity for targeting skeletal pain as the peptide-rich and peptide-poor sensory nerve fibers generally express a different repertoire of receptors and channels to detect noxious stimuli. Thus, therapies that target the specific types of C-nerve fibers that innervate the bone may be uniquely effective in attenuating skeletal pain as compared to skin pain. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]