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A new Chengyuchelys latimarginalis (Xinjiangchelyidae) specimen is reported based on a well-preserved, nearly complete shell from the upper part of the Upper Jurassic Shangshaximiao Formation of Qijiang District, Chongqing Municipality, China. The Xinjiangchelyidae were widely distributed in Asia during the Jurassic and were the dominant turtle group in Asian freshwater ecosystems during the Late Jurassic. The Qijiang specimen adds a new element to the yet poorly known freshwater vertebrate fauna and extends the geographical distribution of C. latimarginalis. This paper discusses the intraspecific variation in C. latimarginalis for the first time. It provides a new insight for studying the evolution, habitat, and diversity of xinjiangchelyids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was found to produce vascular injury, possibly by activating platelets within days after exposure. The aim of this study was to investigate the modulatory effects of dietary saturated fatty acids on platelet mitochondrial respiratory parameters following short-term inhalational exposure to PM2.5. A total of 22 healthy male volunteers were recruited from the Research Triangle area of North Carolina. Platelets were isolated from fresh whole blood samples and mitochondrial respiratory parameters were measured using an extracellular flux analyzer. Intake of saturated fat was averaged from multiple 24-hr dietary recalls. Daily ambient PM2.5 concentrations were obtained from ambient air quality monitoring stations. Correlation and ANOVA were used in data analyses, along with the pick-a-point method and the Johnson-Neyman technique for probing moderation. After controlling for age and omega-3 index, the intake of dietary saturated fatty acids after reaching 9.3% or higher of the total caloric intake significantly moderated the associations between PM2.5 exposure and several platelet mitochondrial respiratory parameters. In conclusion, dietary saturated fatty acids above 9.3% of total caloric intake influenced the relationship between short-term PM2.5 exposure and platelet mitochondrial respiration. Further research is needed to understand these associations and their implications for cardiovascular health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skull and mandibular elements of a tomistomine crocodilian are described from the late Eocene to early Oligocene lignite seams of Krabi, peninsular Thailand. The Thai tomistomine is a longirostrine form characterized by a rostrum/skull ratio of about 0.6; a mandibular symphysis reaching the level of the eleventh alveolus; a deep participation of the splenial in the symphysis to the level of the ninth alveolus; an enlarged fifth maxillary alveolus; long nasals reaching the premaxillae at the level of the fifth maxillary alveolus but not contributing to the external nares; undivided posterior processes of premaxillae; a short prefrontal, excluded by a longer lacrimal from the posteromedial margin of maxillae; vomers visible on the palate. A phylogenetic analysis recovers the Thai specimen among derived tomistomines, on the stem lineage of the extant Tomistoma schlegelii , as a close ally of Maomingosuchus petrolica , a late Eocene tomistomine from southern China. The present recognition of Maomingosuchus sp. in late Eocene Thai deposits expands the distribution of Eocene tomistomines from southern China to the tropics. The origin of Tomistominae in Asia is briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor and a response are presented regarding the article on the significance of the fraction analysis on particle size in suspensions by S.H. Cho and colleagues in the November 2009 issue.

Exposure to ozone (O3) is associated with adverse respiratory and cardiovascular outcomes. Alterations in circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) may contribute to the adverse vascular effects of O3 exposure through inter-cellular communication resulting in post-transcriptional regulation of messenger RNAs by miRNAs. In this study, we investigated whether O3 exposure induces alterations in circulating miRNAs that can mediate effects on downstream vascular and coagulation biomarkers. Twenty-three healthy male adults were exposed on successive days to filtered air and 300 ppb O3 for 2 h. Circulating miRNA and protein biomarkers were quantified after each exposure session. The data were subjected to mixed-effects model and mediation analyses for the statistical analyses. The results showed that the expression level of multiple circulating miRNAs (e.g., miR-19a-3p, miR-34a-5p) was significantly associated with O3 exposure. Pathway analysis showed that these miRNAs were predictive of changing levels of downstream biomarkers [e.g., D-dimer, C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)]. Mediation analysis showed that miR-19a-3p may be a significant mediator of O3-exposure-induced changes in blood TNFα levels [0.08 (0.01, 0.15), p = 0.02]. In conclusion, this preliminary study showed that O3 exposure of healthy male adults resulted in changes in circulating miRNAs, some of which may mediate vascular effects of O3 exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A coracoid of an enantiornithine bird from Upper Cretaceous (probably late Campanian) fluvial sediments at Castigno (Villespassans, Hérault, southern France) is described. It differs from all hitherto reported enantiornithine coracoids and is referred a new genus and species, Castignovolucris sebei. This bone is large and robust, indicating a bird that was among the largest known enantiornithines, possibly the size of a Canada Goose (Branta canadensis). The new taxon is an addition to the short list of Late Cretaceous birds from France and confirms that enantiornithines were an important component of European avifaunas until late in the Cretaceous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Short-term exposure to ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is associated with adverse respiratory and cardiovascular outcomes. Supplementation of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) has shown protection against exposure to fine particulate matter. This study aims to investigate whether habitual omega-3 PUFA intake differentially modify the associations between respiratory and cardiovascular responses and short-term exposure to ambient NO2.Methods: Sixty-two healthy participants were enrolled into low or high omega-3 groups based on their habitual omega-3 PUFA intake. Each participant was repeatedly assessed for lung function, blood lipids, markers of coagulation and fibrinolysis, vascular function, and heart rate variability (HRV) in up to five sessions, each separated by at least 7 days. This study was carried out in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina, USA between October 2016 and September 2019. Daily ambient NO2 concentrations were obtained from an area air quality monitoring station on the day of outcome assessment (Lag0), 4 days prior (Lag1-4), as well as 5-day moving average (5dMA). The associations between short-term exposure to NO2 and the measured indices were evaluated using linear mixed-effects models stratified by omega-3 levels and adjusted by covariates including relative humidity and temperature.Results: The average concentration of ambient NO2 during the study periods was 5.3±3.8 ppb which was below the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). In the high omega-3 group, an interquartile range (IQR) increase in short-term NO2 concentrations was significantly associated with increased lung function [e.g. 1.2% (95%CI: 0.2%, 2.2%) in FVC at lag1, 2.6% (95%CI: 0.4%, 4.8%) in FEV1 at 5dMA], decreased blood lipids [e.g. -2.6% (95%CI: -4.4%, -0.9%) in total cholesterol at lag2, -3.1% (95%CI: -6.1%, 0.0%) in HDL at 5dMA, and -3.1% (95%CI: -5.5%, -0.7%) in LDL at lag2], improved vascular function [e.g. 8.9% (95%CI: 0.6%, 17.2%) increase in FMD and 43.1% (95%CI: -79.8%, -6.3%) decrease in endothelin-1 at 5dMA], and changed HRV parameters [e.g. -7.2% (95%CI: -13.6%, -0.8%) in HFn and 13.4% (95%CI: 0.2%, 28.3%) in LF/HF ratio at lag3]. In the low omega-3 group, an IQR increase in ambient NO2 was associated with elevations in coagulation markers (von Willebrand Factor, D-dimer) and a decrease in HRV (very-low frequency); however, null associations were observed between short-term NO2 exposure and changes in lung function, blood lipids, and vascular function.Conclusions: The results in this study imply that dietary omega-3 PUFA consumption may offer respiratory and vascular benefits in response to short-term exposure of healthy adults to NO2 levels below the NAAQS.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT02921048 ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With more than 50 extant turtle species, Southeast Asia is currently a hotspot of turtle biodiversity. However, the distribution areas of most species are decreasing as a consequence of human activities. The causes of this decline are multiple: habitat and natural resources destruction, introduction of invasive species, hunting, etc. Historical data are however still lacking for a detailed understanding of that regional trend as well as for forecasting its evolution in the future. Indeed, while oral testimonies and text data can provide a rather good appreciation of the decline of biodiversity over the last few decades; nothing is known about the dynamic of turtle biodiversity over the Holocene. This lack of data is especially damaging in area where human activities are interacting for a long time with the wild fauna, as the central plain of Thailand, which is now dominated by agricultural landscape. In order to solve these issues, we investigated five Holocene localities in Thai central plain which provided assemblages of turtle remains ranging from Neolithic to Dvaravati periods (4000 to 1000 BP). The studied archaeological assemblages showed a very high species richness. Species such as Malayemys macrocephala, Cuora amboinensis, Heosemys annandalii, Heosemys grandis, Siebenrockiella crassicolis, Amyda ornata were among the most abundant. We also found several plates and a cranial material belonging to a species of the genus Batagur and tortoise remains including Indotestudo elongata and a few plates belonging to the genus Geochelone. The Batagur and Geochelone genera are absent from living turtle assemblages in the central plain but are present in Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia or Southern Thailand for Batagur and far in the West for Geochelone (Myanmar) respectively. Batagur is usually found in coastal areas and its disappearance from central plain is interpreted as resulting from the destruction of a fragile habitat and possibly from the rapid geomorphological evolution of the Chao-Phraya deltaic plain, the disappearance of tortoises could result from deforestation. Cutting traces showed that most turtles were used as food resources at these times, suggesting that turtle hunting was a common practise. Furthermore, occurrence of holes in the margin of the carapace of specimens from Kheed Khin (Saraburi Province) and Promthin Tai (Lopburi Province) suggests that turtles were sometimes kept captive alive or transported. This study shows that investigation of recent fossil localities allows for a better understanding of the role of past human populations in the alteration of the biodiversity through time, and for a more accurate estimation of the rates of species extinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isolated theropod dinosaur teeth from Ko Kut (Kut Island) in eastern Thailand are referred to an indeterminate spinosaurid on the basis of their morphology and ornamentation. On the basis of other spinosaurid occurrences in Thailand and other parts of Asia, they support the attribution of the fossil-bearing beds on Ko Kut to the Lower Cretaceous rather than the Jurassic. The lack of ornithischian remains in the Ko Kut faunal assemblage suggests that it is coeval with the Sao Khua Formation (Barremian) of NE Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new fossil assemblages are described from Sin Charoen sandpit exploited in Phimai District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Northeastern Thailand. In this province, vertebrate fossils have been yielded from the Miocene to the Pleistocene deposits. The Miocene fauna has been documented in detail by a rich fossil record from several localities in Chaloem Phra Kiat District, while the Pleistocene fauna has been well studied in Khok Sung sandpit in Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima District. The fossil assemblage from the upper section of Sin Charoen sandpit is similar to the Middle Pleistocene fauna of Khok Sung, which is composed of extinct and extant species of mammals and reptiles. Moreover, the finding of Gavialis cf. bengawanicus and Duboisia santeng demonstrates a strong faunal relationship with Early-Middle Pleistocene faunas of Java (e.g., Trinil). The occurrence of large fluviatile turtles and gharials from Sin Charoen sandpit indicates that the past river system was more developed than today and that the Khorat Plateau was at a lower elevation at the time of deposition. The fossil assemblage from the lower section includes two rhinocerotids and an advanced form of the genus Stegolophodon and is similar to the Late Miocene fauna found in situ in the sandpits of Chaloem Phra Kiat District. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The core of the fossil record of Teleosauridae, a family of thalattosuchian crocodylomorphs, is well known from western Tethyan marine deposits of the Jurassic. Outside this province, their fossil record is patchy and in need of revision, with specimens from Russia, Madagascar, and Asia. Peipehsuchus teleorhinus is known from the Early or Middle Jurassic of China and teleosaurid specimens have been mentioned or preliminarily described from two Jurassic localities in Thailand, yet they were not assigned to a given taxon. Thanks to recent field work, at least 10 individuals represented by cranial material were excavated and prepared from a single Jurassic locality known as Phu Noi in the lower Phu Kradung Formation of northeastern Thailand. Here, we describe these specimens, together with disarticulated postcranial elements, and erect a new taxon, Indosinosuchus potamosiamensis, gen. et sp. nov. Phylogenetic analyses confirm the teleosaurid affinities of the new species, which does not form an exclusive clade with the Chinese teleosaurid Peipehsuchus teleorhinus. The presence of teleosaurids at Phu Noi and a preliminary account of its faunal content favor a Middle to Late Jurassic age for the fossil-bearing horizon. In contrast, Cretaceous deposits in Thailand are characterized by goniopholidids and pholidosaurids, indicating a faunal turnover in Southeast Asia across the Jurassic–Cretaceous. As previously shown by isotope data, the new teleosaurid species was a resident of the freshwater environment and co-occurs with remains of exclusively terrestrial taxa such as sauropod, ornithopod, and theropod dinosaurs and freshwater tetrapods such as turtles and temnospondyls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to air pollution is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, disease risk factors, and mortality. Specifically, particulate matter (PM), and to some extent ozone, are contributors to these effects. In addition, exposures to these pollutants may be especially dangerous for susceptible populations. In this repeated-visit panel study, cardiovascular markers were collected from thirteen male participants with stable coronary artery disease. For 0–4 days prior to the health measurement collections, daily concentrations of fine PM (PM 2.5) and ozone were obtained from local central monitoring stations located near the participant's homes. Then, single (PM 2.5) and two-pollutant (PM 2.5 and ozone) models were used to assess whether there were short-term changes in cardiovascular health markers. Per interquartile range increase in PM 2.5 , there were decrements in several heart rate variability metrics, including the standard deviation of the normal-to-normal intervals (lag 3, -5.8%, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −11.5, 0.3) and root-mean squared of successive differences (five day moving average, −8.1%, 95% CI = −15.0, −0.7). In addition, increases in PM 2.5 were also associated with changes in P complexity (lag 1, 4.4%, 95% CI = 0.5, 8.5), QRS complexity (lag 1, 4.9%, 95% CI = 1.4, 8.5), total cholesterol (five day moving average, −2.1%, 95% CI = −4.1, −0.1), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (lag 2, -1.6%, 95% CI = −3.1, −0.1). Comparisons to our previously published work on ozone were conducted. We found that ozone affected inflammation and endothelial function, whereas PM 2.5 influenced heart rate variability, repolarization, and lipids. All the health changes from these two studies were found at concentrations below the United States Environmental Protection Agency's National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Our results imply clear differences in the cardiovascular outcomes observed with exposure to the two ubiquitous air pollutants PM 2.5 and ozone; this observation suggests different mechanisms of toxicity for these exposures. • PM 2.5 exposure influenced HRV, cardiac repolarization and blood lipids. • Study population consisted of older people with coronary artery disease. • In a previous study O 3 influenced vascular inflammation and endothelial function. • These findings suggest that O 3 and PM 2.5 may have different modes of toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The rich assemblage of continental vertebrates from the Cenomanian Kem Kem Beds (Morocco) is one of the best known and most diversified for the mid Cretaceous period (Cenomanian). This assemblage, however, shows apparent ecological oddities, in particular the overabundance of theropod dinosaurs versus plant-eating dinosaurs. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain this unbalanced ratio, including a peculiar ecosystem, non-systematic collecting, taphonomic factors, stratigraphic uncertainties and/or behavioral aspects of the dinosaur groups concerned. Except the comparison of proportions of taxa between field and shop data (McGowan and Dyke, 2009), the other hypotheses have not been tested so far because of the lack of accurately measured sections and systematically collected field data. Based on new field data, we test the above-mentioned hypotheses. The analysis is focused on the ratio of plant-eating versus carnivorous dinosaurs. This dataset confirms the unbalanced ratio; moreover, the stratigraphic distribution of fossils is quantitatively not homogeneous and consequently important to avoid time-averaging, i.e. the mixing of fossils of different ages together into a single unit. The origin of the unbalanced food web among dinosaurs is related neither to non-systematic collecting, nor to stratigraphic biases. The palaeoenvironment seems to be the only likely factor to explain the significantly high proportion of carnivorous versus plant-eating dinosaurs. Indeed, the deltaic palaeoenvironment offered unfavourable conditions for the setting of stable terrestrial vegetation but favouring aquatic life. This aquatic life formed the basic level of an aquatic or semi-aquatic food web, which directly fed top predators, such as theropods in general and spinosaurs in particular. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the last ten years, several fossil localities in Nakhon Ratchasima Province (northeastern Thailand) have yielded late Neogene turtle and crocodile taxa. Although not always well dated, the age of all these fossils is constrained between Middle Miocene and Pleistocene. Several crocodile taxa have been discovered: Crocodylidae, Alligatoridae and Gavialidae. In particular, the presence of Gavialis is attested in northeastern Thailand during the Pleistocene. Fossil turtles belong to several families: Geoemydidae, Testudinidae, and Trionychidae. In addition to the discovery of giant continental tortoises, some large aquatic trionychid and geoemydid turtles are present. The latter are only found in larger river systems and no longer encountered in the Mun or Chi Rivers of northeastern Thailand. Most fossil forms correspond to modern species and reveal interesting changes in biogeographical distribution patterns. These changes are likely related to changes in the size of the drainage and direction of the Mun River system. We suggest that the Mun River was probably not flowing from west to east to the Mekong River system as today but that it was flowing from east to west to the Chao Phraya River system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Dietary factors may modulate metabolic effects of air pollutant exposures. We hypothesized that diets enriched with coconut oil (CO), fish oil (FO), or olive oil (OO) would alter ozone-induced metabolic responses. Male Wistar-Kyoto rats (1-month-old) were fed normal diet (ND), or CO-, FO-, or OO-enriched diets. After eight weeks, animals were exposed to air or 0.8 ppm ozone, 4 h/day for 2 days. Relative to ND, CO- and OO-enriched diet increased body fat, serum triglycerides, cholesterols, and leptin, while all supplements increased liver lipid staining (OO > FO > CO). FO increased n-3, OO increased n-6/n-9, and all supplements increased saturated fatty-acids. Ozone increased total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), induced hyperglycemia, glucose intolerance, and changed gene expression involved in energy metabolism in adipose and muscle tissue in rats fed ND. Ozone-induced glucose intolerance was exacerbated by OO-enriched diet. Ozone increased leptin in CO- and FO-enriched groups; however, BCAA increases were blunted by FO and OO. Ozone-induced inhibition of liver cholesterol biosynthesis genes in ND-fed rats was not evident in enriched dietary groups; however, genes involved in energy metabolism and glucose transport were increased in rats fed FO and OO-enriched diet. FO- and OO-enriched diets blunted ozone-induced inhibition of genes involved in adipose tissue glucose uptake and cholesterol synthesis, but exacerbated genes involved in adipose lipolysis. Ozone-induced decreases in muscle energy metabolism genes were similar in all dietary groups. In conclusion, CO-, FO-, and OO-enriched diets modified ozone-induced metabolic changes in a diet-specific manner, which could contribute to altered peripheral energy homeostasis. • Fish and olive oil-rich diets changed serum lipids and modified ozone metabolic effects. • Olive oil-rich diet induced lipidemia and increased ozone-induced glucose intolerance. • Ozone inhibited genes involved in energy metabolism in adipose tissue and muscle. • Ozone-induced BCAA and adipose gene changes were reduced by fish and olive oil diets. • Ozone-induced gene changes were suggestive of glucocorticoid effect on tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three turtle shells from the Middle Jurassic Xintiangou Formation of Yunyang (Chongqing, China) are described and assigned to Xinjiangchelyidae (Testudines: Eucryptodira). This is the first report of turtle remains from the Xintiangou Formation, Sichuan Basin and represents the oldest known Xinjiangchelyidae. The assemblage includes two taxa, Protoxinjiangchelys sp. and Xinjiangchelyidae indet. This discovery extends the stratigraphical distribution of Xinjiangchelyidae and improves our knowledge about the early evolution of that family. It demonstrates that by the Middle Jurassic, at the time of deposition of the Xintiangou Formation, the group was already diversified in the Sichuan Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The IQ motif and Sec7 domain ArfGEF 2 ( IQSEC2 ), an X-linked gene that encodes the BRAG1 protein, is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the ADP ribosylation factor (ARF) protein family in the small guanosine triphosphate (GTP) binding protein. Mutations in this gene result in disorders such as intellectual disability (ID) and epilepsy. In this study, we analyze the clinical features of two patients with IQSEC2 -mutation-related disease and discuss their possible pathogenesis., Methods: The two patients were diagnosed with ID and epilepsy. Genetic testing was performed using whole-exome sequencing, and the three-dimensional protein structure was analyzed. UCSC Genome Browser was used to analyze the conservation of IQSEC2 in different species. We compared IQSEC2 expression in the proband families with that in a control group, as well as the expression of the postsynaptic identity protein 95 (PSD-95), synapse-associated protein 97 (SAP97), ADP ribosylation factor 6 (ARF-6), and insulin receptor substrate 53kDa ( IRSP53 ) genes interacting with IQSEC2 ., Results: We identified two semi-zygote mutations located in conserved positions in different species: an unreported de novo mutation, C.3576C>A (p. Tyr1192*), and a known mutation, c.2983C>T (p. Arg995Trp). IQSEC2 mutations resulted in significant changes in the predicted three-dimensional protein structure, while its expression in the two probands was significantly lower than that in the age-matched control group, and IQSEC2 expression in proband 1 was lower than that in his family members. The expression levels of PSD-95, ARF-6 , and SAP97, IRSP 53 , which interact with IQSEC2 , were also significantly different from those in the family members and age-matched healthy children., Conclusion: The clinical phenotype resulting from IQSEC2 mutations can be explained by the significant decrease in its expression, loss of function of the mutant protein, and change in the expression of related genes. Our results provide novel insights into the molecular phenotype conferred by the IQSEC2 variants., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2024 Ren et al.)

Background & Aims: To investigate the differential expression of vascular related ceRNA regulatory genes in LGG with different mutations of IDH1 and MGMT, and to verify imaging gene markers that can be closely associated with vascular related ceRNA regulatory genes., Method: Five hundred fifteen patients with LGG were collected from TCGA database. CeRNA network analysis, GO analysis and Cox risk regression were used to find vascular ceRNA regulatory genes and their genetic markers related to survival. The preoperative MRI image data and postoperative tumor tissues of 14 patients with WHO grade III glioma were collected for full transcriptome analysis. The correlation between image characteristics of LGG and survival related vascular ceRNA regulatory genes was compared using nonparametric U test and Pearson correlation coefficient analysis., Results: Vascular related genes ranked first in the functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes in LGG. EPHA2, ETS1, YAP1 and MEIS1 could significantly affect the survival of patients in each group of LGG. The volume of enhanced region was negatively correlated with IDH1 (r = -0.622, P = 0.009) mutation and TMEM100 (r = -0.535, P = 0.024), and positively correlated with MEIS1 (r = 0.551, P = 0.021), rCBFmax value was negatively correlated with TMEM100 (r = -0.492, P = 0.037)., Conclusions: Under different IDH1 mutations, lncRNA-dominated vascular-related ceRNA regulatory genes were the first differentially expressed subset of each group, and could be used as an effective risk factor affecting the survival of LGG. The image characteristics of LGG was an ideal image gene marker. It was a reliable imaging biological marker which can truly reflect the pathophysiological characteristics of glioma., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland.)

Exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) was found to produce vascular injury, possibly by activating platelets within days after exposure. The aim of this study was to investigate the modulatory effects of dietary saturated fatty acids on platelet mitochondrial respiratory parameters following short-term inhalational exposure to PM 2.5 . A total of 22 healthy male volunteers were recruited from the Research Triangle area of North Carolina. Platelets were isolated from fresh whole blood samples and mitochondrial respiratory parameters were measured using an extracellular flux analyzer. Intake of saturated fat was averaged from multiple 24-hr dietary recalls. Daily ambient PM 2.5 concentrations were obtained from ambient air quality monitoring stations. Correlation and ANOVA were used in data analyses, along with the pick-a-point method and the Johnson-Neyman technique for probing moderation. After controlling for age and omega-3 index, the intake of dietary saturated fatty acids after reaching 9.3% or higher of the total caloric intake significantly moderated the associations between PM 2.5 exposure and several platelet mitochondrial respiratory parameters. In conclusion, dietary saturated fatty acids above 9.3% of total caloric intake influenced the relationship between short-term PM 2.5 exposure and platelet mitochondrial respiration. Further research is needed to understand these associations and their implications for cardiovascular health.

This paper addresses the problem of guidance and control for underactuated unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) with state constraints and input saturation, in support of enabling an underactuated USV to follow a parameterized curved path in the case of unknown sideslip angle and cross-tracking error constraint. First, a cross-tracking error constraint line-of-sight (LOS) guidance law with sideslip angle compensation is originally designed to guide an underactuated USV to convergence to the desired path within a time-varying cross-tracking error constraint. Second, a novel nonlinear mapping (NM) function is first constructed to map the heading and surge control subsystems with state constraints to unconstrained nonlinear systems, transforming the constrained control problem into the unconstrained control problem. Subsequently, adaptive fuzzy control laws are designed to achieve the control objectives for the USV using the new unconstrained nonlinear systems with unknown disturbance and input saturation. Then, a series of theoretical analyses using input-to-state stability theories are presented to prove the boundness of the tracking errors for the underactuated USV during path following. Finally, numerical results obtained using a physics-based simulation model are shown to reveal the effectiveness of the guidance and control algorithms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study mainly analyzes the related surgical and psychological factors that cause the change of thirst degree after gastrointestinal surgery, and observes the practical effect of action intervention strategy combined with the two factors on reducing postoperative thirst degree. Based on this, the clinical data of 87 patients who underwent gastrointestinal tumor resection in our hospital from January 2020 to January 2021 is retrospectively analyzed. The degree of thirst is evaluated by the visual analogue scale (VAS) and the subjects are divided into three groups: a mild group ( n  = 29), a moderate group ( n  = 35), and a severe group ( n  = 23), and their psychological and surgical indicators are compared and analyzed. The results show that the thirst degree and light comfort of mouth in the study group are better than those in the control group at 2 h after surgery, and there is no significant difference when compared to 6 h after surgery, but the thirst degree and oral discomfort in the control group at 6 h after surgery are significantly higher than those in the study group at 2 h after surgery. It is suggested that an action research intervention strategy with a high practical effect can effectively reduce postoperative thirst and oral discomfort., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Haiyan Tong et al.)

Rationale: Exposure to air pollution is associated with adverse respiratory effects. Polyunsaturated omega 3 (n-3) fatty acids (FAs) appear to attenuate the health effects of air pollution. Objectives: This panel study evaluated whether n-3 FA intake and blood levels of polyunsaturated omega 6 (n-6) FAs can modulate the associations between respiratory effects and short-term exposure to ambient air pollution in healthy adults. Methods: Sixty-two healthy adults were enrolled into either high or low n-3 FA groups on the basis of n-3 FA intake and erythrocyte n-3 FA concentrations. Low and high n-6 FA groups were dichotomized on the basis of blood n-6 FA levels. Participants underwent three to five testing sessions separated by at least 7 days. At each session, the forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV 1 ), and plasma markers of inflammation (IL-6 [interleukin-6]) and oxidative stress (ox-LDL [oxidized low-density lipoprotein]) were measured. Associations between the ambient ozone and fine particulate matter (PM) (PM with an aerodynamic diameter ⩽2.5 μm [PM 2.5 ]) levels and the lung function and blood markers were assessed by using mixed-effect models stratified by FA levels. Results: Average levels of ozone (40.8 ± 11.1 ppb) and PM 2.5 (10.2 ± 4.1 μg/m 3 ) were below national ambient air quality standards during the study period. FVC was positively associated with ozone at a lag of 0 days (lag0) in the high n-3 FA group, whereas the association was null in the low n-3 FA group (for an interquartile range increase in ozone of 1.8% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.5% to 3.2%] vs. 0.0% [95% CI: -1.4% to 1.5%]); however, the association shifted to being negative at lag4 (-1.9% [95% CI: -3.2 to -0.5] vs. 0.2% [95% CI: -1.2% to 1.5%]) and lag5 (-1.2% [95% CI: -2.4% to 0.0%] vs. 0.9% [95% CI: -0.4% to 2.3%]). A similar pattern was observed in the low n-6 FA group compared with the high n-6 FA group (lag0: 1.7% [95% CI: 0.3% to 3.0%] vs. 0.5% [95% CI: -0.9% to 2.0%] and lag4: -1.4% [95% CI: -2.8% to 0.0%] vs. -0.5% [95% CI: -1.8% to 0.9%]). The associations between FEV 1 and ozone and between FVC and PM 2.5 also followed a similar pattern. Elevated ozone levels were associated with an immediate decrease in ox-LDL in the high n-3 FA group at lag0 (-12.3% [95% CI: -24.8% to 0.1%]), whereas there was no change in the low n-3 FA group (-7.5% [95% CI: -21.4% to 6.5%]) and there was a delayed increase in IL-6 in the high n-3 FA group compared with the low n-3 FA group (lag4: 66.9% [95% CI: 27.9% to 106.0%] vs. 8.9% [95% CI: -31.8% to 49.6%], lag5: 58.2% [95% CI: 22.4% to 94.1%] vs. -7.4% [95% CI: -48.8% to 34.0%], and lag6: 45.8% [95% CI: 8.7% to 82.9%] vs. -8.5% [95% CI: -49.7% to 32.6%]). Conclusions: We observed lag-dependent associations between short-term ambient air pollutants and lung function that were differentially modulated by n-3 and n-6 FAs, suggesting that n-3 and n-6 FAs counteract the respiratory response to low levels of ambient air pollution in healthy adults.Clinical trial registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02921048).

Background: Exposure to air pollution is associated with elevated cardiovascular risk. Evidence shows that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 PUFA) may attenuate the adverse cardiovascular effects of exposure to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ). However, it is unclear whether habitual dietary intake of omega-3 PUFA protects against the cardiovascular effects of short-term exposure to low-level ambient air pollution in healthy participants. In the present study, sixty-two adults with low or high dietary omega-3 PUFA intake were enrolled. Blood lipids, markers of vascular inflammation, coagulation and fibrinolysis, and heart rate variability (HRV) and repolarization were repeatedly assessed in 5 sessions separated by at least 7 days. This study was carried out in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina, USA between October 2016 and September 2019. Daily PM 2.5 and maximum 8-h ozone (O 3 ) concentrations were obtained from nearby air quality monitoring stations. Linear mixed-effects models were used to assess the associations between air pollutant concentrations and cardiovascular responses stratified by the omega-3 intake levels., Results: The average concentrations of ambient PM 2.5 and O 3 were well below the U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standards during the study period. Significant associations between exposure to PM 2.5 and changes in total cholesterol, von Willebrand factor (vWF), tissue plasminogen activator, D-dimer, and very-low frequency HRV were observed in the low omega-3 group, but not in the high group. Similarly, O 3 -associated adverse changes in cardiovascular biomarkers (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, serum amyloid A, soluable intracellular adhesion molecule 1, and vWF) were mainly observed in the low omega-3 group. Lag-time-dependent biphasic changes were observed for some biomarkers., Conclusions: This study demonstrates associations between short-term exposure to PM 2.5 and O 3 , at concentrations below regulatory standard, and subclinical cardiovascular responses, and that dietary omega-3 PUFA consumption may provide protection against such cardiovascular effects in healthy adults., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Globally, a large percentage of men keep a beard at least occasionally. Workplace regulations prohibit beards with N95 respirators, but there is little information on the effect of beards with face masks worn by the public for protection against SARS-CoV-2., Methods and Findings: We examined the fitted filtration efficiency (FFE) of five commonly worn protective face masks as a function of beard length following the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration Quantitative Fit Test: N95 (respirator), KF94 and KN95, surgical/procedure, and cloth masks. A comparison using N95 respirators was carried out in shaven and bearded men. A detailed examination was conducted for beard lengths between 0 and 10 mm (0.5 mm increments). The effect of an exercise band covering the beard on FFE was also tested. Although N95 respirators showed considerable variability among bearded men, they had the highest FFE for beard lengths up to 10 mm. KF94 and KN95 masks lost up to 40% of their FFE. Procedure and cotton masks had poor performance even on bare skin (10-30% FFE) that did not change appreciably with beard length. Marked performance improvements were observed with an exercise band worn over the beard., Conclusions: Though variable, N95 respirators offer the best respiratory protection for bearded men. While KF94 and KN95 FFE is compromised considerably by increasing beard length, they proved better options than procedure and cotton face masks. A simple exercise band improves FFE for face masks commonly used by bearded men during the COVID-19 pandemic., (© 2021. This is a U.S. government work and not under copyright protection in the U.S.; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

In recent years, wildland fires have occurred more frequently and with increased intensity in many fire-prone areas. In addition to the direct life and economic losses attributable to wildfires, the emitted smoke is a major contributor to ambient air pollution, leading to significant public health impacts. Wildfire smoke is a complex mixture of particulate matter (PM), gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds. PM from wildfire smoke has a high content of elemental carbon and organic carbon, with lesser amounts of metal compounds. Epidemiological studies have consistently found an association between exposure to wildfire smoke (typically monitored as the PM concentration) and increased respiratory morbidity and mortality. However, previous reviews of the health effects of wildfire smoke exposure have not established a conclusive link between wildfire smoke exposure and adverse cardiovascular effects. In this review, we systematically evaluate published epidemiological observations, controlled clinical exposure studies, and toxicological studies focusing on evidence of wildfire smoke exposure and cardiovascular effects, and identify knowledge gaps. Improving exposure assessment and identifying sensitive cardiovascular endpoints will serve to better understand the association between exposure to wildfire smoke and cardiovascular effects and the mechanisms involved. Similarly, filling the knowledge gaps identified in this review will better define adverse cardiovascular health effects of exposure to wildfire smoke, thus informing risk assessments and potentially leading to the development of targeted interventional strategies to mitigate the health impacts of wildfire smoke.

Importance: Procuring respiratory protection for clinicians and other health care workers has become a major challenge of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and has resulted in nonstandard practices such as the use of expired respirators and various decontamination processes to prolong the useful life of respirators in health care settings. In addition, imported, non-National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved respirators have been donated or acquired by hospitals as a potential replacement for limited NIOSH-approved N95 respirators., Objective: To assess fitted filtration efficiencies (FFEs) for face mask alternatives used during the COVID-19 pandemic., Design, Setting, and Participants: For this quality-improvement study conducted between April and June 2020, we used the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Quantitative Fit Testing Protocol for Filtering Facepiece Respirators in a laboratory atmosphere supplemented with sodium chloride particles to assess the FFEs of a variety of respirators worn by a male volunteer and female volunteer., Main Outcomes and Measures: The FFEs of respirators commonly worn by clinicians and other health care workers and available respirator alternatives during the COVID-19 pandemic., Results: Of the 29 different fitted face mask alternatives tested on 1 man and 1 woman, expired N95 respirators with intact elastic straps and respirators subjected to ethylene oxide and hydrogen peroxide sterilization had unchanged FFE (>95%). The performance of N95 respirators in the wrong size had slightly decreased performance (90%-95% FFE). All of the respirators not listed as approved in this evaluation (n = 6) failed to achieve 95% FFE. Neither of the 2 imported respirators authorized for use by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that were not NIOSH-approved tested in this study achieved 95% FFE, and the more effective of the 2 functioned at approximately 80% FFE. Surgical and procedural face masks had filtering performance that was lower relative to that of N95 respirators (98.5% overall FFE), with procedural face masks secured with elastic ear loops showing the lowest efficiency (38.1% overall FFE)., Conclusions and Relevance: This quality-improvement study evaluating 29 face mask alternatives for use by clinicians interacting with patients during the COVID-19 pandemic found that expired N95 respirators and sterilized, used N95 respirators can be used when new N95 respirators are not available. Other alternatives may provide less effective filtration.

Air pollution epidemiology studies of ambient fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) and ozone (O 3 ) often use outdoor concentrations as exposure surrogates. Failure to account for the variability of the indoor infiltration of ambient PM 2.5 and O 3 , and time indoors, can induce exposure errors. We developed an exposure model called TracMyAir, which is an iPhone application ("app") that determines seven tiers of individual-level exposure metrics in real-time for ambient PM 2.5 and O 3 using outdoor concentrations, weather, home building characteristics, time-locations, and time-activities. We linked a mechanistic air exchange rate (AER) model, a mass-balance PM 2.5 and O 3 building infiltration model, and an inhaled ventilation model to determine outdoor concentrations (Tier 1), residential AER (Tier 2), infiltration factors (Tier 3), indoor concentrations (Tier 4), personal exposure factors (Tier 5), personal exposures (Tier 6), and inhaled doses (Tier 7). Using the application in central North Carolina, we demonstrated its ability to automatically obtain real-time input data from the nearest air monitors and weather stations, and predict the exposure metrics. A sensitivity analysis showed that the modeled exposure metrics can vary substantially with changes in seasonal indoor-outdoor temperature differences, daily home operating conditions (i.e., opening windows and operating air cleaners), and time spent outdoors. The capability of TracMyAir could help reduce uncertainty of ambient PM 2.5 and O 3 exposure metrics used in epidemiology studies.

The health effects of individual criteria air pollutants have been well investigated. However, little is known about the health effects of air pollutant mixtures that more realistically represent environmental exposures. The present study was designed to evaluate the cardiac effects of inhaled simulated smog atmospheres (SA) generated from the photochemistry of either gasoline and isoprene (SA-G) or isoprene (SA-Is) in mice. Four-month-old female mice were exposed for 4 h to filtered air (FA), SA-G, or SA-Is. Immediately and 20 h after exposure, cardiac responses were assessed with a Langendorff preparation using a protocol consisting of 20 min of global ischemia followed by 2 h of reperfusion. Cardiac function was measured by index of left-ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) and cardiac contractility (dP/dt) before ischemia. Pre-ischemic LVDP was lower in mice immediately after SA-Is exposure (52.2 ± 5.7 cm H 2 O compared to 83.9 ± 7.4 cm H 2 O after FA exposure; p = 0.008) and 20 h after SA-G exposure (54.0 ± 12.7 cm H 2 O compared to 79.3 ± 7.4 cm H 2 O after FA exposure; p = 0.047). Pre-ischemic left ventricular contraction dP/dt max was lower in mice immediately after SA-Is exposure (2025 ± 169 cm H 2 O/sec compared to 3044 ± 219 cm H 2 O/sec after FA exposure; p < 0.05) and 20 h after SA-G exposure (1864 ± 328 cm H 2 O/sec compared to 2650 ± 258 cm H 2 O/sec after FA exposure; p = 0.05). In addition, SA-G reduced the coronary artery flow rate 20 h after exposure compared to the FA control. This study demonstrates that acute SA-G and SA-Is exposures decrease LVDP and cardiac contractility in mice, indicating that photochemically-altered atmospheres affect the cardiovascular system.

Background: Epidemiologic studies have reported an association between proximity to highway traffic and increased cardiopulmonary illnesses., Objectives: We investigated the effect of size-fractionated particulate matter (PM), obtained at different distances from a highway, on acute cardiopulmonary toxicity in mice., Methods: We collected PM for 2 weeks in July-August 2006 using a three-stage (ultrafine, < 0.1 microm; fine, 0.1-2.5 microm; coarse, 2.5-10 microm) high-volume impactor at distances of 20 m [near road (NR)] and 275 m [far road (FR)] from an interstate highway in Raleigh, North Carolina. Samples were extracted in methanol, dried, diluted in saline, and then analyzed for chemical constituents. Female CD-1 mice received either 25 or 100 microg of each size fraction via oropharyngeal aspiration. At 4 and 18 hr postexposure, mice were assessed for pulmonary responsiveness to inhaled methacholine, biomarkers of lung injury and inflammation; ex vivo cardiac pathophysiology was assessed at 18 hr only., Results: Overall chemical composition between NR and FR PM was similar, although NR samples comprised larger amounts of PM, endotoxin, and certain metals than did the FR samples. Each PM size fraction showed differences in ratios of major chemical classes. Both NR and FR coarse PM produced significant pulmonary inflammation irrespective of distance, whereas both NR and FR ultrafine PM induced cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury., Conclusions: On a comparative mass basis, the coarse and ultrafine PM affected the lung and heart, respectively. We observed no significant differences in the overall toxicity end points and chemical makeup between the NR and FR PM. The results suggest that PM of different size-specific chemistry might be associated with different toxicologic mechanisms in cardiac and pulmonary tissues.

We report on very small fossil eggs from the Lower Cretaceous of Thailand, one of them containing a theropod embryo, which display a remarkable mosaic of characters. While the surficial ornamentation is typical of non-avian saurischian dinosaurs, the three-layered prismatic structure of the eggshell is currently known only in extant and fossil eggs associated with birds. These eggs, about the size of a goldfinch's, mirror at the reproductive level the retention of small body size that was paramount in the transition from non-avian theropods to birds. The egg-layer may have been a small feathered theropod similar to those recently found in China.

This study examines the role of the beta2-adrenergic receptor (beta2-AR) in cardioprotection. The beta2-AR couples to Gs and Gi proteins. Gs activates PKA, which phosphorylates the receptor and switches beta2-AR coupling from Gs to Gi. Prior to 20 min of global ischemia, mouse hearts were either perfused for 30 min without treatment (control), treated with 10 nmol/L of isoproterenol (ISO) for 5 min followed by 5 min washout, or preconditioned with 4 cycles of 5 min ischemia and 5 min reflow (PC). Recovery of left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) and infarct size were measured. Intermittent ISO treatment improved post-ischemic recovery of LVDP (58.5+/-4.8% vs. 22.0+/-6.3% in control) and reduced infarct size (31.0+/-2.4% vs. 53.0+/-4.6% in control). The Gi inhibitor pertussis toxin blocked the ISO-induced improvement in postischemic LVDP and infarct size. To test the role of beta2-AR in PC, we studied mice lacking beta2-AR (beta2-AR-/-) and found that PC had no effect on postischemic LVDP or infarct size in beta2-AR-/-. To test whether PKA is required for the PC and ISO-induced protection, hearts were treated with the PKA inhibitors PKI and H-89. We found that PKI and H-89 blocked the PC- and ISO-induced improvement in postischemic LVDP and infarct size. These data show an important role for beta2-AR in cardioprotection and support the novel hypothesis that preconditioning involves switching of beta2-AR coupling from Gs to Gi.