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Solid solution strengthening is one of the most conventional strategies for optimizing alloys strength, while the corresponding mechanisms can be more complicated than we traditionally thought specifically as heterogeneity of microstructure is involved. In this work, by comparing the change of chemical distribution, dislocation behaviors and mechanical properties after doping equivalent amount of tungsten (W) atoms in CrCoNi alloy and pure Ni, respectively, it is found that the alloying element W in CrCoNi alloy resulted in much stronger strengthening effect due to the significant increase of heterogeneity in chemical distribution after doping trace amount of W. The large atomic scale concentration fluctuation of all elements in CrCoNi-3W causes dislocation motion via strong nanoscale segment detrapping and severe dislocation pile up which is not the case in Ni-3W. The results revealed the high sensitivity of elements distribution in multi-principle element alloys to composition and the significant consequent influence in tuning the mechanical properties, giving insight for complex alloy design.

Various phthalonitrile-based resins were prepared and their copper clad laminates were fabricated in this work. The curing behaviors and mechanisms were investigated by Dynamic rheological analysis (DRA) and in-situ FTIR. Results indicated that all phthalonitrile-based resins possessed wide process temperature windows and exhibit good processability. However, phthalonitrile-based resins resulted to various final crosslinking network in the presence of various catalyst/curing agents. Phthalonitrile-based copper clad laminates (CCL) were fabricated with hot-press mold technology. Mechanical properties of the CCL including flexural strength/modulus and peel strength were discussed, accompanied by the investigation of fractural surface of the laminates. Glass transition temperatures of the laminates were studied by both Differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) and Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Then, fractural surface of fiber-reinforced composite laminates was investigated by Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Micro slicing image (MSI). Results confirmed the satisfactory interfacial adhesion between resin matrices and fibers, which resulted to excellent mechanical properties of composite laminates. Then, dielectric properties of various composite laminates were investigated to evaluate their applications in the field of PCB substrates. Moreover, final dielectric properties of various phthalonitrile-based composites were discussed based on the transformation of molecular structures according to the polymerization mechanisms.

Pd-based materials are promising electrocatalysts for the formic acid oxidation reaction (FAOR) but suffer from poor durability due to the poisoning of adsorbed carbon monoxide species (COads). In ...

Summary Background & aims Drinking water and food are the major sources of strontium in human. Strontium is essential for bone metabolism, while its role in glucose and lipid metabolism is largely unknown. We aimed to investigate the association of strontium, a bone-seeking element, with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and impaired glucose regulation (IGR) and to further explore the potential mechanisms. Methods The case-control study included 1448 newly diagnosed T2DM patients, 782 IGR patients, and 2230 matched controls with normal glucose tolerance. Plasma strontium and other plasma minerals were quantified via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the independent associations between plasma strontium and T2DM and IGR. Results Plasma strontium was inversely associated with T2DM and IGR. After adjustment for sociodemographic, lifestyle factors, and multiple plasma metals, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of T2DM and IGR were 0.45 (0.35–0.57) and 0.55 (0.43–0.71), respectively, comparing the highest to the lowest quartile of plasma strontium levels. In spline analysis, the odds of T2DM and IGR decreased remarkably with increasing strontium concentration and followed by a plateau. Additionally, plasma strontium was negatively associated with total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and lipid peroxidation (plasma malondialdehyde level). Conclusions The current study indicated that higher plasma strontium concentration was associated with lower odds of T2DM and IGR. Further studies are warranted to confirm these findings and to clarify the underlying mechanisms.

A microbial fuel cell-photocatalysis system with a novel photocatalytic air-cathode (MFC-PhotoCat) was proposed for synergistic degradation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) with simultaneous electricity generation. Stable electricity generation of 350 mV was achieved during 130 days of operation. Besides, 50 mg L−1 TCP was completely degraded within 72 h, and the rate constant of 0.050 h−1 was 1.8-fold higher than MFC with air-cathode without N-TiO2 photocatalyst. Degradation pathway was proposed based on the intermediates detected and density functional theory (DFT) calculation, with two open-chain intermediates (2-chloro-4-keto-2-hexenedioic acid and hexanoic acid) detected. Furthermore, hierarchical cluster and PCoA revealed significant shifts of microbial community structures, with enriched exoelectrogen (55.2% of Geobacter) and TCP-degrading microbe (7.1% of Thauera) on the cathode biofilm as well as 61.8% of Pseudomonas in the culture solution. This study provides a promising strategy for synergic degradation of recalcitrant contaminants by intimate-coupling of MFC and photocatalysis.

A facile, environmentally friendly and scalable method was reported to synthesize highly dispersed Bi-BiOCl nanoparticles dispersed on three dimensional porous networks of carbon nanosheet using NaCl as template and citric acid as carbon source. The novel 3D architecture demonstrated easily accessible porous structure, large surface area, superior electrical conductivity and good mechanical flexibility, which was capable of accelerating three dimensional diffusion of ions and transport of electrons in the whole electrode. In addition, the highly dispersed Bi-BiOCl nanoparticles on the carbon backbone could facilitate the utilization of these active materials in electrochemical sensing. Under optimized conditions, Bi-BiOCl@C-3 modified glassy carbon electrode exhibited preeminent electroanalytical performance for the simultaneous sensing of Pb2+ and Cd2+ in the linear range of 1–60 μg L−1, with sensitivities of 0.38 and 0.49 μA L μg−1, respectively. The developed protocol has shown limits of detection (S/N = 3) of 0.2 and 0.4 μg L−1 for Pb2+ and Cd2+, respectively, which complies with the limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Moreover, high resistance to interference, long-term stability, good reproducibility and satisfactory testing recoveries were realized for real water sample, suggesting that the proposed 3D Bi-BiOCl@C-3 nanocomposite could be utilized as a promising candidate for the fabrication of high-performance electrochemical sensor.

A new and operationally simple approach for palladium-catalyzed C-H functionalization reactions utilizing an organophosphorus/sulfonate hypervalent iodine reagent as both an oxidant and the source of a functional group has been developed. Through this method, the oxidative phosphorylation-, sulfonation-, and hydroxylation of unactivated benzyl C(sp

By performing in situ transmission electron microscope (TEM) experiments and three dimensional dislocation tomography, we report the effect of low angle grain boundary (LAGB) on deformation of a titanium material and its size effect. It is found that at large scale the LAGB can either act as dislocation nucleation site or as “tunable” barrier that allows selective transmission of dislocations. As the physical dimension of the sample decreases to submicron scale, LAGB was found to strongly hinder dislocation motion but dissipate energy through migration under high stress, similar to the behavior of high angle grain boundaries at large scale.

Benzoxazine and phthalonitrile-based resins play an important role in fields of advanced materials because of their excellent properties. In this work, a kind of matrix resin with various ratios of phthalonitrile and benzoxazine were designed and prepared via co-reaction between aniline and 3-aminophenoxy phthalonitrile in the presence of biphenol and formaldehyde. Curing behaviors and dynamic rheology of matrix resins were investigated with DSC and DRA. Results indicated that obvious double curing stages can be assigned to ring-opening polymerization of oxazine rings and ring-forming polymerization of nitrile groups. Possible polymerization mechanisms were discussed in this work. Thermal stability of cured resins was evaluated by TGA testing and an integral decomposition temperature (IPDT). Then, fiber-reinforced composite laminates were prepared and their mechanical properties were investigated and confirmed with SEM images of fracture surfaces. Results demonstrated that this work proposed an improved matrix resin system with outstanding thermal stability and mechanical properties that broadened the foundation and ideas for subsequent researches.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of plasma cobalt with newly diagnosed T2D. The potential interactions of plasma cobalt with copper and metallothioneins (MTs) polymorphisms were further evaluated. METHODS: A large case-control study including 4564 participants: 2282 newly diagnosed T2D cases and 2282 controls with normal glucose tolerance (NGT). Plasma cobalt and copper concentrations were measured with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). In addition, MTs polymorphisms were genotyped in a random subset of participants (827 T2D and 827 NGT) by Agena MassArray System. RESULTS: The medians of the plasma cobalt concentrations were 1.88 μg/dL for NGT and 2.22 μg/L for T2D. A U-shaped association was observed between plasma cobalt and T2D. From the lowest to the highest quartiles of plasma cobalt, the multivariable adjusted ORs of T2D were 1.29 (1.07–1.56), 1.20 (0.99–1.45), 1.00 (reference) and 1.62 (1.34–1.96), respectively. The U-shaped association was consistently indicated in subgroups and in spline analysis with the lowest odds of T2D at the cobalt concentration of 2.00 μg/dL. There was a statistically significant interaction between plasma cobalt and copper (P

The relationship between selenium and metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been discussed controversially, and limited studies have examined the associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms in selenoproteins genes with MetS. Hence, to examine the associations of plasma selenium concentrations and selenoprotein P rs7579 polymorphism with MetS, a case-control study of 1279 MetS cases and 1279 sex- and age- (±2 years) matched controls was conducted based on the baseline data of the Tongji-Ezhou Cohort study. Plasma selenium concentrations were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. MetS was defined using the definition of the Joint Interim Statement, adjusted for the Chinese population. In addition, the rs7579 polymorphism was genotyped by the Agena MassARRAY System. Plasma selenium concentrations in the MetS group were higher than in the control group (93.88 μg/L (83.17-107.41) vs. 92.66 μg/L (82.36-103.53), P<0.05). Compared with quartile 4 (≥103.53 μg/L), the multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) associated with MetS were 0.79 (0.59-1.06) for quartile 1 (μg/L), 0.75 (0.56-1.01) for quartile 2 (82.37-92.66 μg/L), and 0.61 (0.45-0.83) for quartile 3 (92.67-103.52 μg/L). The cubic spline analyses revealed a U-shaped association between plasma selenium and MetS, with the lowest risk at around 93.69 μg/L. Moreover, in cubic spline analyses, plasma selenium showed U-shaped associations with central obesity and high blood pressure, positive associations with hypertriglyceridemia and hyperglycemia, and a negative association with low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Additionally, both the GA and GA+AA genotype carriers were associated with increased ORs of MetS comparing with the GG genotype carriers. Our findings suggested a U-shaped association between plasma selenium and MetS and diverse associations between plasma selenium and components of MetS. Furthermore, our study found that the A allele of rs7579 was associated with higher odds of MetS. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO) has been identified as an excellent alternative for DTPA for decorporating actinides, such as Pu and Am, after internal contamination. Efforts have been focused on its application through oral administration. When 3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO) was encapsulated with biocompatible, biodegradable nanoparticles made of chitosan, its release from the nanoparticles to lung fluid, observed in in vitro experiments, exhibited an extended release profile. These observations were very encouraging, as this nanomedicine could lead to a reduction in the dosing frequency required to achieve the decorporation efficacy of unformulated 3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO) itself. In vivo release tests as well as actinide decorporation experiments, using an inhalation exposure animal model, will follow.

Introducing of fluorinated substituents into molecular chains was an efficient way to prepare materials with decreased dielectric constant and loss. In this work, a kind of fluorinated phthalonitrile containing benzoxazine (BPAF-ph) was synthesized. Curing reactions and processability were investigated by DSC and dynamic rheological analysis (DRA). Non-isothermal curing kinetics analysis was applied to calculate the activation energy of BPAF-ph. Results showed that BPAF-ph exhibited obvious double-stage curing reaction behaviors and good processability. Based on the results of DSC and DRA, cured BPAF-ph was firstly fabricated at 200 °C. Then, BPAF-ph matrix resin was treated with different post heat-treatment procedures. Generated structures and properties of BPAF-ph matrix resins with different post curing procedures were investigated. Results showed that generated structures could be obviously influenced by the curing procedures. Relative low dielectric constants and loss of cured BPAF-ph was obtained and could be decreased with increasing of curing degree. BPAF-ph matrix resins also possessed good thermomechanical properties (50–250 °C: CTE ~ 41.1 ppm/oC; Tg ~ 327 °C) and thermal stability (T5%> 450 °C). Additionally, glass fiber reinforced BPAF-ph composites were prepared and their properties were investigated.

Photocatalysis is one of the most promising technologies in wastewater treatment. Efficient degradation under visible light and the recovery capability of the photocatalyst are crucial in real-word applications. Herein, M−type SrFe12O19 was integrated into the surface of flowerlike MoS2 microsphere via the hydrothermal method. As-prepared SrFe12O19/MoS2 composite photocatalyst has effective visible light response and magnetic recovery ability. The SrFe12O19/MoS2 composite achieved 97% degradation rate for methylene blue under visible light. The photocatalytic reaction rate of the SrFe12O19/MoS2 composite was nearly twice that of pure MoS2. Transient steady-state fluorescence spectrometry and electrochemical spectrometry revealed that an appropriate amount of SrFe12O19 effectively improves the charge transfer rate and accelerates photoinduced charge carrier separation. The possible photocatalytic degradation mechanism of the SrFe12O19/MoS2 composite with the p–n heterojunction was also examined.

Our study aimed to assess the associations of plasma magnesium with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (T2D) among Chinese adults. We conducted a case-control analysis of 4447 participants: 867 newly diagnosed prediabetes patients, 1475 newly diagnosed T2D patients and 2105 normal glucose tolerance (NGT) individuals. In a subsample of 599 apparently healthy individuals, we measured plasma hs-CRP levels to examine their relation to plasma magnesium. Plasma magnesium and hs-CRP were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Plasma magnesium decreased from NGT to prediabetes to T2D, and was inversely associated with prediabetes and T2D. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, the ORs from the lowest to highest quartiles of plasma magnesium were 1, 0.57 (95%CI, 0.44–0.74), 0.49 (0.37–0.65) and 0.51 (0.37–0.70) for prediabetes, and 1, 0.26 (0.20–0.33), 0.15 (0.12–0.20) and 0.15 (0.11–0.20) for T2D. Consistently, plasma magnesium was inversely correlated with plasma hs-CRP in our subsample analysis; the geometric mean hs-CRP concentration for ascending quartiles of plasma magnesium were 1.29 (1.06–1.57), 1.16 (0.95–1.41), 1.00 (0.81–1.22), and 0.71 (0.58–0.88) mg/l. Plasma magnesium was independently and inversely associated with prediabetes and T2D in Chinese adults.

Background: The association of trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), a microbiota-dependent metabolite from dietary choline and carnitine, with type 2 diabetes was inconsistent.Objective: We evaluated the association of plasma TMAO with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and the potential modification of TMAO-generating enzyme flavin monooxygenase 3 (FMO3) polymorphisms.Design: This was an age- and sex-matched case-control study of 2694 participants: 1346 newly diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes and 1348 controls. Concentrations of plasma TMAO were measured, and FMO3 E158K polymorphisms (rs2266782) were genotyped.Results: Medians (IQRs) of plasma TMAO concentration were 1.47 μmol/L (0.81-2.20 μmol/L) for controls and 1.77 μmol/L (1.09-2.80 μmol/L) for type 2 diabetes cases. From the lowest to the highest quartiles of plasma TMAO, the multivariable adjusted ORs of type 2 diabetes were 1.00 (reference), 1.38 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.77), 1.64 (95% CI: 1.28, 2.09), and 2.55 (95% CI: 1.99, 3.28) (P-trend < 0.001); each SD of ln-transformed plasma TMAO was associated with a 38% (95% CI: 26%, 51%) increment in ORs of type 2 diabetes. The FMO3 rs2266782 polymorphism was not associated with type 2 diabetes. The positive association between plasma TMAO and type 2 diabetes was consistent in each rs2266782 genotype group, and no significant interaction was observed (P = 0.093).Conclusions: Our results suggested that higher plasma TMAO was associated with increased odds of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and that this association was not modified by the FMO3 rs2266782 polymorphism. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03130894.

A delaminated MXene-bismuth (Bi@d-Ti3C2) nanocomposite was synthesized for the construction of a microgrid electrochemical sensor via mechanical milling. The Bi@d-Ti3C2 nanocomposite was synthesized by accumulation of Bi(III) on the surface of delaminated Ti3C2 nanosheets through electrostatic attraction and subsequent in-situ growth of bismuth nanorods. Under optimized experimental conditions, the sensor exhibits (a) linear responses to Pb(II), Cd(II) and Zn(II) in the concentration range from 1 to 20 μg L−1, (b) well separated peak potentials at −0.54 V, −0.76 V and − 1.15 V vs. Ag/AgCl, (c) sensitivities of 0.98, 0.84 and 0.60 μA L μg−1, and (d) detection limits of 0.2, 0.4 and 0.5 μg L−1, respectively. This performance is attributed to the uniform dispersion of Bi nanorods on electrically conductive delaminated Ti3C2 MXene, and to the enhanced diffusion due to the microgrid structure.

The conventional lithium-sulfur battery (LSB) undergoes a "solid-liquid-solid" cathode process during which the intermediate polysulfides dissolve into the electrolyte, leading to a serious "shuttle" reaction and significantly shortened lifespan. Here, we realize a novel "solid → solid" cathode mode for LSBs via a transplantable solid electrolyte interface (SEI). The SEI is in situ formed in a carbonate-based electrolyte with high-concentration dual-salt during the initial discharge process. The solid → solid cathode process does not involve any dissolution of the intermediates; hence, the "shuttle effect" can be totally eliminated. Furthermore, the SEI shows a high electrolyte compatibility and can be transplanted to the conventional carbonate-based/ether-based electrolytes. The sulfur/carbon composite with 65% sulfur delivers a reversible specific capacity of 1009 mA h g-1 and negligible self-discharge. The SEI strategy can successfully break the limitation from the traditional "catholyte" electrode mechanism. Meanwhile, it provides large flexibility for designing high-loading carbon hosts and selecting an electrolyte for high-performance LSBs.

Benzoxazine containing fluorinated aromatic ether nitrile linkage (FAEN-Bz) had been synthesized from 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile, 4,4&rsquo, (hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphenol (bisphenol AF), 3-Aminophenol, formaldehyde, phenol by condensation polymerization and Mannich ring-forming reaction. Structures of the monomer were verified by Proton NMR spectrum (1H-NMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Curing behaviors and curing kinetics of designed monomers were investigated and discussed. The activation energy was calculated and possible polymerization mechanisms were also proposed. Then, properties of cured polymers including crosslinking degrees, thermal decomposition, surface wettability and energy, and dielectric properties were studied and discussed. Additionally, programmed integral decomposition temperature (IPDT) was also used to evaluate the thermal stability of final polymers. Results indicated that the incorporation of benzoxazine and nitrile resulted in increased thermal stability and char yields. Moreover, the surface wettability and dielectric properties of poly(FAEN-Bz) can be easily controlled by tuning the curing temperatures and time.

Aims To examine the associations of plasma copper concentrations and superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) polymorphisms as well as their gene-environment interaction with newly diagnosed impaired glucose regulation (IGR) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods We performed a large case-control study in 2520 Chinese Han subjects: 1004 newly diagnosed T2D patients, 512 newly diagnosed IGR patients and 1004 individuals with normal glucose tolerance. Results After multivariable adjustment, the ORs (95% CIs) of T2D across tertiles of plasma copper were 1.00 (reference), 1.85 (95% CI: 1.39, 2.45), and 4.21 (95% CI: 3.20, 5.55) (P-trend, Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • Plasma copper concentrations are positively and significantly associated with IGR as well as T2D. • Compared with the GG genotype of rs2070424, the risk of T2D associated with AG and AA genotypes were higher. • The associations between copper and T2D as well as IGR may be modified by SOD1 rs2070424 polymorphism. • Evaluating the interaction of copper and gene polymorphisms may shed etiologic insight into the copper-diabetes relation.

Poly (arylene ether nitrile) (PEN) is a kind of high-performance engineering plastic and their properties can be tuned by the copolymerization of various structural diphenols and dichloro (fluoro)-benzonitrile. In this work, a series of phenolphthalein and bisphenol AF based PEN (PP/BPAF-PEN) copolymers were designed and synthesized. Structures, molar weights, mechanical and thermal properties were studied. Results showed that PP/BPAF-PEN copolymers were successfully synthesized and exhibited good compatibility, outstanding thermal and mechanical properties. Besides, PP/BPAF-PEN exhibited excellent Tg up to 260 °C (DSC), tensile strength of 120 MPa, high Td5% and char yields (>70%). With incorporation of –CF3 into molecular chains, dielectric constant of PP-PEN (3.41 at 1 MHz) was decreased to 3.05 of PP/BPAF-PEN and dielectric loss was around 0.01. Hence, the obtained PP/BPAF-PEN copolymers possessing excellent properties could be applied as the candidates in flexible printed circuit (FPC) substrate.

The facile synthesis of sulfur scaffold with high electrical conductivity and strong polysulfide immobilization capability plays an important role in developing high-performance lithium sulfur batteries. Here a new type of porous N-doped carbon fiber consisting of hollow carbon nanoparticles (9 wt%-CF) is designed as sulfur scaffold through electrospinning and carbonization processes with ZIF-8 and polyacrylonitrile as precursors. The carbon fiber skeleton can provide high electrical conductivity, and interconnected hollow particles provide ample space to host active materials and to immobilize polysulfides. Moreover, the N-doping further improves the interaction between 9 wt%-CF and polysulfides. Consequently, the as-prepared 9 wt%-CF/S cathode delivers an initial discharge capacity of 1524 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C and high capacity retention of 83% after 200 cycles charge/discharge at 0.5 C with a sulfur loading of 1.9 mg cm−2.

Background: Manganese is both an essential element and a known toxicant, and it plays important roles in many mechanisms in relation to type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, epidemiological studies of this relationship are rare. Objective: We investigated the association between plasma manganese and newly diagnosed T2D as well as whether the association could be modified by manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) polymorphisms. Methods: We conducted a case–control study of 3,228 participants in China: 1,614 T2D patients and 1,614 controls. Concentrations of plasma magnesium were measured, and all participants were genotyped for the MnSOD Val16Ala polymorphism (rs4880). Results: A U-shaped association was observed between plasma manganese and T2D, with increased odds ratios (ORs) in relation to either low or high plasma manganese levels. Compared with the middle tertile, the multivariate-adjusted ORs [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] of T2D associated with the lowest tertile and the highest tertile of plasma manganese were 1.89 (1.53, 2.33) and 1.56 (1.23, 1.97), respectively. In spline analysis, the U-shaped association was consistently indicated, with the lowest odds of T2D at the plasma manganese concentration of 4.95 μg/L. Minor allele frequencies (C allele) of the MnSOD Val16Ala polymorphism (rs4880) in the normal glucose tolerance (NGT) and the T2D groups were 13.57% and 14.50%, respectively. The MnSOD rs4880 polymorphism was not associated with T2D, and no interaction was found between plasma manganese and the MnSOD rs4880 polymorphism in relation to T2D. Conclusions: Our results suggested a U-shaped association between plasma manganese and T2D; both low and high levels of plasma manganese were associated with higher odds of newly diagnosed T2D. The U-shaped association was not modified by the MnSOD rs4880 polymorphism. Citation: Shan Z, Chen S, Sun T, Luo C, Guo Y, Yu X, Yang W, Hu FB, Liu L. 2016. U-shaped association between plasma manganese levels and type 2 diabetes. Environ Health Perspect 124:1876–1881; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP176

A kind of high performance thermosetting resin phthalonitrile containing benzoxazine mixed with cyanate ester were prepared and investigated. The resin mixed with nano‐SiO2 particles and their glass fiber reinforced composites were also prepared. The matrix resin exhibited a wide processing window (90‐200 oC) and their glass fiber reinforced composites possessed the Tg of 314 oC.

The aim of this study was to compare the impact of whole milk supplementation on gut microbiota and cardiometabolic biomarkers between lactose malabsorbers (LM) and absorbers (LA). We performed a pair-wise intervention study of 31 LM and 31 LA, 1:1 matched by age, sex, body mass index, and daily dairy intake. Subjects were required to add 250 mL/day whole milk for four weeks in their routine diet. At the beginning and the end of the intervention period, we collected data on gut microbiota and cardiometabolic biomarkers. Whole milk supplementation significantly increased Actinobacteria (P &lt, 0.01), Bifidobacterium (P &lt, 0.01), Anaerostipe (P &lt, 0.01), and Blautia (P = 0.04), and decreased Megamonas (P = 0.04) in LM, but not LA. Microbial richness and diversity were not affected. The fecal levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) remained stable throughout the study. Body fat mass (P &lt, 0.01) and body fat percentage (P &lt, 0.01) reduced in both groups, but the changes did not differ between groups. No significant differences in other cardiometabolic markers were found between LM and LA. When compared with LA, whole milk supplementation could alter the intestinal microbiota composition in LM, without significant changes in fecal SCFAs and cardiometabolic biomarkers.

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is a major precursor of the essential n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), whose deficiency alters the structure and function of membranes and induces cerebral dysfunctions. The major purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effect of prolonged ALA intake on cognitive function during natural aging. Female Sprague-Dawley rats aged 6 months were chronically treated with ALA and/or lard per day for 12 months. Regular diet-treated rats, both young and old (4 and 18 months old, respectively) served as controls. Rats fed on regular diet during aging showed memory deficits in Morris water maze, which were further exacerbated by lard intake. However, supplementation with ALA for 12 months dose-dependently improved the performance in spatial working memory tasks. Memory performance correlated well with the activation of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and increases in both levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its specific receptor tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) phosphorylation in the hippocampus. Further study identified that hippocampal extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) and Akt rather than calcium calmodulin kinase IV (CaMKIV) and protein kinase A (PKA), the upstream signalings of CREB, were also activated by ALA supplement. Moreover, memory improvement was accompanied with alterations of hippocampal synaptic structure and number, suggestive of enhancement in synaptic plasticity. Together, these results suggest that long-term dietary intake of ALA enhances CREB/BDNF/TrkB pathway through the activation of ERK and Akt signalings in hippocampus, which contributes to its ameliorative effects on cognitive deficits in natural aging.

Chromium has long been known as an enhancer of insulin action. However, the role of chromium in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in humans remains controversial. The current study aimed to examine the associations of plasma chromium levels with T2DM and pre-diabetes mellitus (pre-DM). We conducted a case-control study involving 1471 patients with newly diagnosed T2DM, 682 individuals with newly diagnosed pre-DM, and 2290 individuals with normal glucose tolerance in a Chinese population from 2009 to 2014. Plasma chromium was measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Plasma chromium levels were lower in the T2DM and pre-DM groups than in the control group (median: 3.68 μg/L, 3.61 μg/L, 3.97 μg/L, respectively, p < 0.001). After adjustment for potential confounding factors, the odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for T2DM across increasing quartiles of plasma chromium levels were 1 (referent), 0.67 (0.55–0.83), 0.64 (0.51–0.79), and 0.58 (0.46–0.73), respectively (p for trend

For fiber reinforced composite laminates, properties of laminates can be significantly affected by interfacial properties. In this work, a kind of phthalonitrile containing aromatic ether nitrile linkage (PEN-BAPh) was applied to modify glass fibers (GFs). Cured PEN-BAPh on GFs surface were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and thermogravimetry (TGA) testing were also applied to confirm the modification. Then, modified fiber-reinforced phthalonitrile-based resin composite laminates were fabricated. As the results indicated that all of the composite laminates showed improved flexural strength, flexural modulus and glass transition temperature (Tg = 296.8–299.6 °C). Improved interfacial adhesion was also studied via interlaminar shear strength (ILSS), impact strength test and monitoring the fracture surfaces. Stable dielectric constants, relative low dielectric loss and outstanding thermal stability (T5% > 350 °C) were obtained for designed composite laminates.

Two new types of membranes were synthesized by UV curing in our laboratory. The first type of membrane was made of three monomers: 2-hydroxy-3-phenoxypropylacrylate(A), 4-hydroxybutyl acrylate(B), and 2-methyl-2-nitropropyl methacrylate(C1). The second type of membrane was made of the same monomers A and B, and 2-butoxyethyl methacrylate(C2). Permeation properties of clonidine releasing through two new types of copolymer membranes were studied. The effects of the ratios of monomers, the thicknesses of membranes, and the concentration of clonidine on the permeation rates were studied. It was found that both copolymer membranes could control clonidine zero-order release. The permeation rates of the first optimized membrane were linearly dependent on the square root of the drug concentration. The permeation rates of the second optimized membrane had no significant difference when the concentration of clonidine varied in the range of 3.0–5.0 mg mL−1. Furthermore, both optimized membranes were characterized by FTIR, DSC, and SEM. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2007

Poly(2-hydroxy-3-phenoxypropylacrylate, 4-hydroxybutyl acrylate, dibutyl maleate) membrane was synthesized by UV curing method in our laboratory for the first time. When above-mentioned monomers were in the weight ratio of 4:4:2, the membrane not only had perfect permeation property but also had excellent plasticity, so the membrane made from monomers in the ratio of 4:4:2 was chosen as an optimized membrane. The optimized membrane provided perfect linear permeation properties in clonidine transdermal drug delivery system. The permeation rate decreased in proportion to the thickness of membrane. When the concentrations of clonidine were in the range of 0.5-7.0mg/ml, the permeation rate was proportional to the square root of clonidine concentrations. The optimized membrane was characterized by FTIR, DSC and SEM.

Oral clonidine, used as an antihypertensive, can result in some side effects such as dry mouth, drowsiness, dizziness and sedation; thus, clonidine transdermal drug delivery (TDD) was considered. Use of the controlled release membrane was one of the methods in TDD systems to regulate the permeation properties. A new type of copolymer membrane that controlled clonidine linear release in TDD system was synthesized by UV radiation. This membrane consisted of three monomers: 2-hydroxy-3-phenoxypropylacrylate, 4-hydroxybutyl acrylate and diethyl maleate. The membrane had both fine permeation properties and perfect physical properties when three monomers were in the weight ratio of 4:4:2; this type of membrane was chosen as an optimized membrane. It was found that the membrane controlled clonidine zero-order release, the permeation rates decreased with the thicknesses of membranes increasing, and the permeation rates were linearly dependent on the square root of the concentration of clonidine. Furthermore, the optimized membranes were characterized by FTIR, DSC and SEM.

The main objective of this present study was to synthesize a new type of copolymer membrane that presented a linear release property in clonidine transdermal drug delivery system. Three monomers, 2-hydroxy-3-phenoxypropylacrylate, 4-hydroxybutyl acrylate, and isobutyl methacrylate were treated under strong power UV radiation to prepare a new type of copolymer membrane. The effects of monomers' ratios, membrane thickness, and clonidine concentration on the permeation rates were investigated. It was discovered that the membrane controlled clonidine near zero-order release. Furthermore, the membrane was characterized by FTIR, DSC, and SEM. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A new type of copolymer membranes was prepared through photosynthesis of mixtures of three different monomers. The membranes present a linear permeation property in clonidine transdermal drug delivery system. Monomers used in the photosynthesis were 2-hydroxy-3-phenoxypropylacrylate, 4-hydroxybutyl acrylate and sec-butyl tiglate. Permeation property of the membranes with different monomer ratios and thickness were investigated. When clonidine concentrations were in 3.0 - 5.0 mg/ml range, membranes showed near zero order permeation rates. An optimized membrane was characterized by FTIR, DSC and SEM.

Vanadium compounds have been proposed to have beneficial effects on the pathogenesis and complications of type 2 diabetes. Our objective was to evaluate the association between plasma vanadium levels and type 2 diabetes. We performed a case-control study involving 1,598 Chinese subjects with or without newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (December 2004-December 2007). Cases and controls were frequency-matched by age and sex. Plasma vanadium concentrations were measured and compared between groups. Analyses showed that plasma vanadium concentrations were significantly lower in cases with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes than in controls (P = 0.001). Mean plasma vanadium levels in participants with and without diabetes were 1.0 μg/L and 1.2 μg/L, respectively. Participants in the highest quartile of plasma vanadium concentration had a notably lower risk of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (odds ratio = 0.26, 95% confidence interval: 0.19, 0.35; P < 0.001), compared with persons in the lowest quartile. The trend remained significant after adjustment for known risk factors and in further stratification analyses. Our results suggested that plasma vanadium concentrations were inversely associated with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes in this Chinese population.

Using deoxycholic acid as starting materials, a series of 12a-aza-C-homo-12-one 7-deoxycholic acid derivatives were synthesized The antiproliferative activity of the synthesized compounds against some carcinoma cell lines was investigated. The results showed that some 12-oxy-12a-aza-C-homo-7-deoxycholic acid derivatives displayed distinct cytotoxicity to HeLa (human cervical carcinoma) and Tu 686 (laryngocarcinoma) tumor cell lines. In particular, the IC50 values of the compounds 6 and 7 against Tu 686 cells are 16.7 and 19.8 μM/L respectively. The information obtained from the studies may be useful for the design of novel chemotherapeutic drugs.

Using cholesterol as starting material, a series of 6-substituted-3-aza-A-homo-3-oxycholestanes and 6-substituted-4-aza-A-homo-3-oxycholestanes were synthesized by the oxidation, reduction, oximation, Beckman rearrangement and condensation reaction. These synthesized compounds displayed a distinct cytotoxicity against MGC 7901, HeLa and SMMC 7404 cancer cells. Our results revealed that the structures of functional groups at position-6 on the steroidal ring are crucial for the IC50 value of antiproliferative activities of these compounds and the cytotoxic activity against MGC 7901 and SMMC 7404 cells was not significantly different between 4-N-lactams and 3-N-lactams when its 6-substituted group was a carbonyl or a hydroximino, but all 3-N-lactams showed a higher cytotoxicity against HeLa cells than 4-N-lactams. In particular, compounds 6, 8, 9 (IC50 6: 6.5 μmol/L; 8: 7.7 μmol/L; 9: 5.6 μmol/L) were even more cytotoxic than cisplatin to HeLa cells (positive contrast, 10.1 μmol/L). The information obtained from the studies may be useful for the design of novel chemotherapeutic drugs.

We develop single-photon detectors comprising single-mode fiber-coupled superconducting nanowires, with high system detection efficiencies at a wavelength of 940 nm. The detector comprises a 6.5-nm-thick, 110-nm-wide NbN nanowire meander fabricated onto a Si substrate with a distributed Bragg reflector for enhancing the optical absorptance. We demonstrate that, via the design of a low filling factor (1/3) and active area ({\Phi} = 10 {\mu}m), the system reaches a detection efficiency of ~60% with a dark count rate of 10 Hz, a recovery time, Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures