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Background: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is the most common thyroid dysfunction, and its relationship with blood pressure (BP) has been controversial. The aim of the study was to analyze the association between SCH and newly-diagnosed hypertension.Methods: Based on data from the Thyroid disease, Iodine nutrition and Diabetes Epidemiology (TIDE) study, 49,433 euthyroid individuals and 7,719 SCH patients aged ≥18 years were enrolled. Patients with a history of hypertension or thyroid disease were excluded. SCH was determined by manufacturer reference range. Overall hypertension and stage 1 and 2 hypertension were diagnosed according to the guidelines issued by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association in 2017.Results: The prevalence of overall hypertension (48.7%), including stage 1 (28.9%) and 2 (19.8%) hypertension, increased significantly in SCH patients compared with euthyroid subjects. With elevated serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level, the hypertension prevalence also increased significantly from the euthyroid to different SCH subgroups, which was more profound in females or subjects aged

The relationship between environmental exposure to silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) and adverse cardiac outcomes has received more attention. Our recent work has revealed a size-dependent impact of the intratracheal instilled SiNPs on cardiac health of ApoE

Background: Retinal artery occlusion (RAO) is an emergency condition in both neurology and ophthalmology departments. However, RAO's management and visual outcome in different initial departments remain unclear. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the impact of the initial department on the management and prognosis of RAO. Methods: Consecutive cases of RAO between January 2011 and December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The neurology and ophthalmology departments compared the baseline characteristics, relevant evaluation, and treatment. The primary outcome was the visual recovery rate. The secondary outcomes were newly diagnosed cardiovascular factors, concurrent stroke and new-onset cardiovascular events. Results: A total of 74 RAO patients were included. The median age was 54 years, and 67.6% were male. 42 (56.8%) patients were admitted to the neurology department and 32 (43.2%) to the ophthalmology department. The visual recovery rate was higher in the neurology department than in the ophthalmology department, although the difference did not reach statistical significance (27.8 vs. 12.5%, p = 0.120). Risk factor evaluation and secondary prevention were taken more frequently in the neurology department (p < 0.001). Cardiovascular risk factors and concurrent stroke were all discovered in the neurology department. However, the incidence of new-onset cardiovascular events was similar between the two departments. Conclusions: The study demonstrated that the visual prognosis of RAO was devastating regardless of the neurology and ophthalmology department. Given the admission delay, inadequate management, and high risk of cardiovascular risk factors and stroke, stroke centers should be recommended as initial admission departments for RAO patients.

Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLA) is a kind of important bio-macromolecule which can be prepared via fermentation of starch of maize and sweet potato. Flammability and extremely poor crystallizability limited its wide application. In this work, a novel Schiff base derivate (CP) was synthesized and, combined with ammonium polyphosphate (APP) as a synergistic flame retardant and nucleating agent to investigate its effects on LOI, UL-94 rating, thermal stability, combustion behavior and crystallizability of PLA. With loading of 5%CP/10%APP, PLA showed a significantly enhanced LOI and passed V-0 fire-safety rating with self-extinguish effect. PLA/5%CP/10%APP presented the lowest pHRR, THR and TSR, and highest char residue yield, FPI and FRI in cone calorimetry test, indicating an excellent flame retardancy effect, enhanced fire safety and longer escaping time in the fire. A continuous, compact and thick char layer structure formed as a protective barrier in combustion process, to enhance heat-insulating and oxygen resistance property, thermal stability and smoke-suppressing capacity of PLA. Flame retardancy mechanism was proposed and discussed based on comprehensive and in-depth characterization techniques. Also, 5%CP/10%APP presented a good nucleation effect to enormously increase crystallizability and shorten crystallization time of PLA.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a growing worldwide epidemic and is characterized by progressive pancreatic β-cell dysfunction and insulin resistance. Tripartite motif protein 32 (TRIM32) belongs to the TRIM family protein and has been shown to be involve in insulin resistance in skeletal muscle and the liver. However, the effect of TRIM32 on pancreatic β-cell dysfunction and its mechanism remains unknown. In the current study, we found that serum TRIM32 concentrations of T2DM in patients were significantly elevated compared to those in healthy controls, which indicated that TRIM32 might be used as a diagnostic biomarker in T2DM patients. In INS-1 cells, exposure to high glucose (HG) conditions caused a significant elevation in TRIM32 expression and TRIM32 was located in the nucleus. Overexpression of TRIM32 in INS-1 cells exacerbated the effects of HG-induced autophagy and impaired insulin secretion. In contrast, the silencing of TRIM32 produced the opposite effect. Furthermore, TRIM32 overexpression decreased the phosphorylation levels of Akt and mTOR under HG conditions. However, the activation of Akt/mTOR by MHY1485 reversed the effects of TRIM32 on HG-treated INS-1 cells. Collectively, the present results suggested that TRIM32 participates in the development of T2DM by modulating autophagic cell death and insulin secretion, which might occur through the Akt/mTOR pathway. Thus, TRIM32 might be a promising target in T2DM therapy.

To develop and validate a simplified scoring system by integrating MRI and clinicopathologic features for preoperative prediction of axillary pathologic complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in clinically node-positive breast cancer.A total of 389 patients from three hospitals were retrospectively analyzed. To identify independent predictors for axillary pCR, univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed on pre- and post-NAC MRI and clinicopathologic features. Then, a simplified scoring system was constructed based on regression coefficients of predictors in the multivariable model, and its predictive performance was assessed with the receiver operating characteristic curve and calibration curve. The added value of the scoring system for reducing false-negative rate (FNR) of the sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) was also evaluated.The simplified scoring system including seven predictors: progesterone receptor-negative (Three points), HER2-positive (Two points), post-NAC clinical T0-1 stage (Two points), pre-NAC higher ADC value of breast tumor (One point), absence of perinodal infiltration at pre-NAC (One point) and post-NAC MRI (Two points), and absence of enhancement in the tumor bed at post-NAC MRI (Two points), showed good calibration and discrimination, with AUCs of 0.835, 0.828 and 0.798 in the training, internal and external validation cohorts, respectively. The axillary pCR rates were increased with the total points of the scoring system, and patients with a score of ≥11 points had a pCR rate of 86%-100%. In test cohorts for simulating clinical application, the diagnostic accuracy for axillary pCR was 80%-90% among four different radiologists. Compared to standalone SLNB, combining the scoring system with SLNB reduced the FNR from 14.5% to 4.8%.The clinicopathologic-image scoring system with good predictive performance for axillary pCR in clinically node-positive breast cancer, may guide axillary management after NAC and improve patient selection for de-escalating axillary surgery to reduce morbidity.

DNA sequencing technologies enable the generation of genetic profiles from many individuals at a rapid rate. Identifying single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) between biological samples is fundamental in genetics with various applications, such as disease diagnosis and associations and ancestry and relationship inference. Most methods use a species-specific reference genome for aligning raw sequenced reads for accurate SNP calling. However, high-quality reference genomes may not be available for all species. Therefore, we developed a reference-free algorithm, Kmer2SNP, to identify heterozygous SNPs from raw sequenced reads to facilitate genetic studies in species without the reference genome. Kmer2SNP first calculates the k-mer frequency distribution from reads to determine k-mers containing heterozygous SNPs. Next, these k-mers are rapidly matched with each other to identify pairs of exact heterozygous k-mers that belong to one of the two possible haplotypes in a diploid organism. Finally, using overlapping neighboring k-mers, weights are assigned for SNP assignments; higher weights increase SNP discovery confidence.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread worldwide and poses a great threat to global health. COVID-19 has also an unneglected effect on migraine patients. Migraine attack frequency is one of the migraine characteristics, and its impact during COVID-19 needs further research. We aimed to evaluate whether migraine attack frequency during the COVID-19 pandemic differed from pre-COVID-19 attack frequency and explore possible influencing factors during the pandemic. Method: This prospective cohort study enrolled 187 migraine patients from the Department of Neurology of West China Hospital from October 2019 to December 2019. After the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 157 patients were included. We collected demographic data, clinical characteristics, and epidemiological contact information and followed up on March 2020. Then, paired-samples T-tests, logistic regression and interaction tests were used to analyze the data. Result: We found that the migraine attack frequency was 2.47 ± 1.12 before and 3.54 ± 1.79 during COVID-19 (P #60;0.0001). Then, we divided patients into two groups based on the difference in migraine attack frequency between the COVID-19 and pre-COVID-19 periods and employed logistic regression analysis. In the logistic regression analysis, divorced status (OR = 6.53, P = 0.0453), good sleep pre-COVID-19 and poor sleep during COVID-19 (OR = 3.11, P = 0.0432) had independent effects on migraine attack frequency during the COVID-19 pandemic. We found no interaction in poor sleep during COVID-19 between various subgroups. Conclusion: We found that migraineurs’ headache attacks were more frequent during COVID-19 than pre-COVID-19 and that increased migraine attack frequency was independently related to divorced status and poor sleep during COVID-19.

Poststroke depression (PSD) is the most frequent complication after stroke. Statin is a widely used prophylactic for stroke. However, some researchers reported that poststroke statin may lead to a depressive change in stroke patients. We aimed to study the effect of different statin medication timing especially prestroke timing on PSD to adopt appropriate intervention around stroke. Patients with first-ever ischemic stroke were consecutively observed from January 2012 to June 2017. They were grouped by different initiation time of statin treatment. The follow-up endpoints were set to: (1) diagnosis of PSD within 1-year and (2) censor data. Cox regression model adjusted for confounding factors was performed. A total of 1571 patients were included in the analyses, among which 210 (13.4%) were comorbided with PSD, and the median time of the course was 30 (14-98) days. The patients who received both pre- and poststroke statin treatment had 1.99 times (P = 0.037) the hazard faced by patients who did not receive that medication. In contrast, sole statin pretreatment may have the tendency to reduce the risk of PSD. Our findings provide the primary results for the prestroke statin medication. The initiation timing of continuous regular statin treatment ahead of ischemic stroke could have a correlation with a higher risk of PSD.

Due to the ultrafast crystallization process in the triple-source ligand-assisted reprecipitation (TSLARP) technique the [LyPbBrx] octahedra is easily distorted, resulting in anisotropic two-dimensional nanoplatelets (NPLs) with low photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and poor stability. Unexpectedly, we obtain CsPbBr3 NPLs with PLQY approaching unity and high stability using the TSLARP technique through aging the metal-oleate precursors. We find that the significant enhancement of the PLQY is related to the change of solution chemistry of the Pb-oleate precursor in the aging process. While hybrid CsPbBr3@Cs4PbBr6 NPLs with low PLQY (28%) are formed with fresh Pb-oleate precursor, phase-pure CsPbBr3 NPLs with PLQY of 97.4% are obtained with the aged Pb-oleate precursor. A model that takes into account the transformation of the Pb-oleate in toluene from isolated molecules into clusters after aging is proposed to explain the phenomenon. Our finding highlights the importance of understanding the solution chemistry for the synthesis of the highly luminescent NPLs and provides a new way to break the "blue-wall" in perovskite light-emitting devices.

SO2 and its derivatives are widely present in the environment and living organisms, endangering the environment and human health. Therefore, it is of great significance for the effective detection of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and its hydrated derivatives (HSO3− /SO32−). In this study, based on the mechanism of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), a water-soluble colorimetric fluorescent probe (E)-2-(4-acetamidostyryl)-3-(5-carboxypentyl)-1, 1-dimethyl-1H-benzo[e]indol-3-ium (ABI) for the detection of SO2 derivatives was successfully synthesized from p-acetaminobenzaldehyde by connecting the benzo[e]indoles cationic fluorophore containing highly activated methyl via C = C double bond, and the ABI structure was characterized by HRMS and 1H NMR, 13 C NMR. Studies have shown that the ABI probe has some advantages such as good selectivity for SO2 derivatives, high sensitivity (detection limit LOD = 14.9 nM), and fast reaction rate. After adding HSO3−, the color of the probe solution changed from light yellow to colorless within 10 s, which provides a simple way to identify bisulfite with the naked eye. Studies on the effect of pH on the fluorescence performance of ABI showed that fluorescence performance of ABI was stable in the range of pH (7.0-10.26). Therefore, ABI is expected to become an effective tool for detecting SO2 derivatives in cells and organisms in the future.

The ubiquitin-proteasome system, which is one of the systems for cell protein homeostasis and degradation, happens through the ordered and coordinated action of three types of enzymes, E1 ubiquitin-activating enzyme, E2 ubiquitin-carrier enzyme, E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase. Tripartite motif-containing (TRIM) family proteins are the richest subfamily of really interesting new gene E3 ubiquitin ligases, which play a critical role not only in many biological processes, including proliferation, apoptosis, pyroptosis, innate immunity, and autophagy, but also many diseases like cancer, diabetes mellitus, and neurodegenerative disease. Increasing evidence suggests that TRIM family proteins play a vital role in modulating autophagy, pyroptosis, and diabetes mellitus. The aim of this review is to discuss the role of TRIM proteins in the regulation of autophagy, pyroptosis, diabetes mellitus, and diabetic complications.

This paper is devoted to investigating the dynamic output feedback (DOF) control problem of Markovian jump neutral-type stochastic systems with a guaranteed cost function. Both of the state and measurement equations contain time delays. Mode-dependent DOF controllers are first designed such that the closed-loop system is asymptotically stable in mean-square and an adequate performance level of this system is guaranteed. Then, sufficient conditions for the solvability of this problem are derived in the form of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). A numerical example is presented to reveal the effectiveness of our findings.

Silica-based anodes have attracted considerable attention because of their low discharge potential and high theoretical specific capacity. Herein, SiO2 nanotubes (SNTs) were prepared via the sol-gel method with an ammonium dl -tartrate template, followed by the coating of N-doped carbon layers on their surface through a simple dopamine self-polymerization. The unique hollow tubular structure can accommodate large volume expansions. Notably, N-doped carbon layers play a crucial role in enhancing the SiO2 conductivity and increasing the Li+ diffusion rate. Furthermore, SNTs with high specific surface areas provide numerous sites for electron and Li+ insertion during lithiation. Hence, under the combined effect of the above-mentioned properties, N-doped carbon-coated SNTs (SNTs@NC) composites exhibited excellent cycling and rate performances. At a current density of 100 mA g−1, SNTs@NC composites delivered a reversible specific capacity of 781 mA h g−1 after the 200th cycle. Even at 1 A g−1, the composites achieved a value of 522 mA h g−1. With such excellent electrochemical properties, SNTs@NC composite material can serve as the next-generation anode for lithium-ion batteries.

Metal halide perovskite quantum dots (QDs) hold great promise as building blocks for next-generation light emitting devices (LEDs). The preparation of perovskite QD films with high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) is the key to realizing efficient LEDs. However, the conventional deposition method of spin-coating of pre-synthesized QD ink solutions results in perovskite QD films with low PLQY (typically

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate into the risk factors for failure in the first-time screening test among high-risk neonates in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in order to further clarify the etiology of neonatal hearing impairment, thus providing insights into early prevention and intervention. Methods: We performed automated auditory brainstem response (AABR), distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE), and acoustic immittance (AI) on 2,194 high-risk neonates admitted into the NICU of Shanghai Children’s Medical Center from January 2015 to December 2019, and the risk factors, including premature birth, hyperbilirubinemia, and infant respiratory distress syndrome, were analyzed retrospectively by the univariate χ2 test and multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis. Results: The pass rates of AABR, DPOAE, and AI were 70.21, 78.44, and 93.12%, respectively, in 2,194 cases of high-risk neonates screened, which are significantly lower than those of healthy controls. The most common diagnoses included artificial feeding, preterm birth, C-section, low birth weight (LBW), neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (NHB), neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS), congenital heart disease (CHD), gestational diabetes mellitus, pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome, advanced maternal age (AMA), twins, and in vitro fertilization. Stepwise logistic regression analysis indicated that the AABR pass rate was negatively correlated with LBW (p = 0.002), NHB (p < 0.001), NRDS (p = 0.007), artificial or mixed feeding (p = 0.018), and CHD (p = 0.005). The pass rate of DPOAE was negatively correlated with artificial or mixed feeding (p = 0.041), NHB (p < 0.001), LBW (p = 0.007), very LBW (VLBW) (p = 0.008), and C-section (p < 0.001). The pass rate of AI was negatively correlated with revised AMA (≥40 year) (p < 0.001), NHB (p = 0.043), C-section (p = 0.005), and artificial/mixed feeding (p = 0.036). Conclusion: The hearing screening pass rates of high-risk neonates in the NICU were lower than those of normal neonates, among which the rate of AABR was significantly lower than that of DPOAE. NRDS, NHB, LBW, revised AMA, CHD, C-section, and artificial feeding are potential risk factors of hearing impairment. The combination of different hearing screening tests is necessary for accurate diagnosis of congenital hearing disorders.

The last decade has witnessed the exploration of exceptional optoelectronic and photovoltaic properties of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) at the laboratory scale. Unfortunately, their sensitivity to moisture causes bulk degradation, hindering the commercialization of PSC devices. Despite the numerous strategies that have been developed to date in this field, effective passivation against moisture remains highly challenging. Here, we report a novel approach based on the incorporation of polyacetylene derivatives into the perovskite active layer to yield perovskite films with larger grains, lower defect density, and excellent robustness with respect to moisture. Moreover, it is revealed that the reduced trap-state density of these films is most likely due to the efficient coordination between the carboxylate moieties in the polymer and the undercoordinated Pb2+ in the perovskite. Upon adopting the polymer-doped perovskite as an active layer in inverted planar heterojunction PSCs with all-inorganic charge extraction layers, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) is improved to 20.41%, which is the highest value reported to date for this type of PSC to the best of our knowledge. Most importantly, the optimized device retained 90% of its initial PCE after aging in ambient air for 60 days due to its dual mechanism of moisture resistance. This work highlights an approach for developing high-performance PSCs with improved moisture stability and paves the way for their potential commercialization.

High power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) surpassing 20% have been achieved on flexible single-junction perovskite solar cells recently. However, improvements of the open-circuit voltage (VOC) and fill factor (FF), limited by the nonradiative recombination, and the device durability are needed to boost the practical performance further. Herein, we report the use of artemisinin, an herb extract, to passivate the perovskite grains to improve the VOC and FF of flexible PSCs significantly. The incorporation of artemisinin (0.22 mol%) in the perovskite film reduces the film's trap density and thus the nonradiative recombination effectively. As a result, a best PCE of 21.10% is achieved, comparable with state-of-art values of flexible thin-film solar cells (CIGS, CdTe, etc.). VOC reaches 1.126 V, corresponding to a VOC loss of 0.437 V. Moreover, the flexible PSCs incorporated with artemisinin always exhibit excellent stabilities under different aging conditions. Strong interactions between the artemisinin molecules and the uncoordinated Pb2+ ions revealed by theoretical and experimental calculations are responsible for the suppressed formation of new deep-level trap defects, Pb clusters, upon aging.

Background: Subclinical hypothyroidism is diagnosed based on serum thyrotropin (TSH) reference intervals, which in turn are affected by many factors. Methods: Data were acquired from a Chinese nati...

We experimentally demonstrated a high-efficiency grating coupler by combining an interleaved etch and apodized structure for fiber-to-chip coupling. The grating coupler was optimized using the fast directional optimization method to achieve apodization. The grating coupler utilized a layout strategy involving an extended mask to avoid alignment errors for a multi-etch structure. The coupling efficiency was measured to be −2.2 dB at a wavelength of 1549 nm with a 3 dB bandwidth of 47 nm. The grating coupler, having no gold reflector, subwavelength index matching structure, or additional material layers, was fabricated using a commercial silicon photonics process with a minimum feature size of 140 nm. This grating coupler design provides a robust and effective coupling scheme and the proposed method can be employed to adopt the design in accordance with standard foundry design rules.

Terraces are important practice to conserve soil and water in farming systems in mountain areas. Since the mid- 20th century, marginalization of farmland occurred worldwide in mountainous areas. Farmers reduced investment in terraced fields or even abandoned the fields, and induced negative ecological consequences that are widely concerned. Current studies about marginalization of terraces mainly focus on upland terraces. The understandings of the process of marginalization of paddy terraces and their impacts are limited. Hani Paddy Terraces are one of the Globally Important Agriculture Heritage Systems. However, many of the paddy terraces have changed into upland terraces due to lack of water, labor out-migration ect, which hindered the conservation of the heritage. Taking Amengkong River Basin in Yuanyang County in Southwestern China as the case study area, we explored the changes in terrace structure, productivity of top soil (0~20 cm ) and the water holding capacity soil in 0~70 cm depth in Hani Paddy Terraces since conversion to upland terraces fields by 2~14 years. We found that (1) most ridges disappeared after conversion, the surface of fields were generally maintained in flat conditions, risers of terraces collapsed in varying degrees in more than 70% filed parcels. The degree of damages in terraces structures showed a U-shape curve along with time, as the pattern of drained by 2 years> drained by 3~4 years> drained by 10~14 years > drained by 5~9 years;（2）the soil productivity index increased after converted to upland terraces, and showed a trend of decreasing first and then increasing along with increasing years of conversion. (3) The water holding capacity of 0~70 cm soil dramatically decreased after conversion, and increasingly decreased along with increasing years of conversion. The maximum water holding capacity decreased by 9.16%~21.70% and the capillary volume decreased by 12.09%~24.20%，the decreasing of maximum water holding capacity and capillary volume were most serious in soils of 0~30 cm depth. Our study revealed the impacts of draining on structure of terraces and soil property in Hani Paddy terraces. The findings could enhance the understanding of the biophysical changes in soil during the marginalization in paddy terraces, which would benefit to the conservation and restoration of paddy terraces.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is an inflammatory disease, and the primary features are insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction. Inflammation and pyroptosis contribute to insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction. Therefore, it is important to identify novel biomarkers to alleviate inflammation and pyroptosis in T2DM. Tripartite motif protein 32 (TRIM32) belongs to the TRIM family and is involved in inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and autophagy. Moreover, TRIM32 participates in insulin resistance in skeletal muscle and liver; however, its role in β-cell dysfunction remains elusive. Herein, this study investigated the role of TRIM32 in inflammation and pyroptosis in INS-1 cells.Methods and Results: This study confirmed for the first time that serum TRIM32 was upregulated in T2DM patients by ELISA, and high glucose-induced TRIM32 expression in INS-1 cells was validated by western blot, quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, and immunofluorescence staining. Overexpression of TRIM32 promoted inflammation and pyroptosis in INS-1 cells under high glucose conditions, whereas silencing TRIM32 had the opposite effects. TUNEL staining and lactate dehydrogenase release assays were performed. In addition, BAY 11-7082 blocked the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway and significantly attenuated INS-1 cells inflammation and pyroptosis in a high glucose environment. Conclusions: Overexpression of TRIM32 promoted inflammation and pyroptosis in INS-1 cells partly through the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway under high glucose conditions.

Evidence suggests that macrophage pyroptosis promotes the progression of diabetic atherosclerosis. Spermine, a natural cellular metabolite, demonstrates a protective effect against cardiovascular diseases. However, whether spermine has a protective effect against macrophage pyroptosis caused by high glucose (HG) and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) conditions remains to be elucidated. To investigate the protective effect of spermine and the related underlying mechanism, THP-1 macrophages were treated with HG/ox-LDL, spermine, or the specific nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) inhibitor ML385. Cell viability was detected using CCK-8, cell membrane permeability was analyzed using lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and Hoechst/propidium iodide staining and pyroptosis-related gene and protein expression levels were evaluated using polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. Spermine showed a potent preventive effect on THP-1 macrophage pyroptosis and oxidative stress induced by HG/ox-LDL. Cells treated with spermine showed increased cell viability, reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, decreased LDH levels in the supernatant and reduced cell swelling. In addition, spermine significantly reduced NLR family pyrin domain containing 3, cleaved caspase-1, N-gasdermin D and IL-1β expression, as well as IL-1β levels in the supernatant. This demonstrated that the inhibition of pyroptosis and oxidative stress due to spermine was Nrf2 dependent. Furthermore, spermine enhanced Nrf2 nuclear translocation, thereby increasing heme oxygenase-1 and NADPH quinone oxidoreductase-1 expression, which subsequently reduced ROS production. In addition, the anti-pyroptotic and antioxidant effects of spermine were reversed by ML385 inhibition of Nrf2. It was concluded that spermine prevented macrophage pyroptosis and increased ROS overproduction by activating the Nrf2 pathway. The data suggested that spermine may be a potential novel drug for the treatment of diabetic atherosclerosis because it targets macrophage pyroptosis.

Ta3N5 is a promising photoanode material with a theoretical maximum solar conversion efficiency of 15.9% for photoelectrochemical water splitting. However, the highest applied bias photon-to-current efficiency achieved so far is only 2.72%. To bridge the efficiency gap, effective carrier management strategies for Ta3N5 photoanodes should be developed. Here, we propose to use gradient Mg doping for band structure engineering and defect control of Ta3N5. The gradient Mg doping profile in Ta3N5 induces a gradient of the band edge energetics, which greatly enhances the charge separation efficiency. Furthermore, defect-related recombination is significantly suppressed due to the passivation effect of Mg dopants on deep-level defects and, more importantly, the matching of the gradient Mg doping profile with the distribution of defects within Ta3N5. As a result, a photoanode based on the gradient Mg-doped Ta3N5 delivers a low onset potential of 0.4 V versus that of a reversible hydrogen electrode and a high applied bias photon-to-current efficiency of 3.25 ± 0.05%. Despite the efforts to tune their properties, the efficiency of tantalum nitride photoanodes falls short of the theoretical value. Here, a gradient Mg doping strategy is introduced to engineer tantalum nitride’s band structure and control its defects, leading to an applied bias photon-to-current efficiency of 3.25%.

Background The biosafety concern of silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) is rapidly expanding alongside with its mass production and extensive applications. The cardiovascular effects of SiNPs exposure have been gradually confirmed, however, the interaction between SiNPs exposure and atherosclerosis, and the underlying mechanisms still remain unknown. Thereby, this study aimed to explore the effects of SiNPs on the progression of atherosclerosis, and to investigate related mechanisms. Results We firstly investigated the in vivo effects of SiNPs exposure on atherosclerosis via intratracheal instillation of ApoE−/− mice fed a Western diet. Ultrasound microscopy showed a significant increase of pulse wave velocity (PWV) compared to the control group, and the histopathological investigation reflected a greater plaque burden in the aortic root of SiNPs-exposed ApoE−/− mice. Compared to the control group, the serum levels of total triglycerides (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were elevated after SiNPs exposure. Moreover, intensified macrophage infiltration and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress was occurred in plaques after SiNPs exposure, as evidenced by the upregulated CD68 and CHOP expressions. Further in vitro, SiNPs was confirmed to activate ER stress and induce lipid accumulation in mouse macrophage, RAW264.7. Mechanistic analyses showed that 4-PBA (a classic ER stress inhibitor) pretreatment greatly alleviated SiNPs-induced macrophage lipid accumulation, and reversed the elevated CD36 expression induced by SiNPs. Conclusions Our results firstly revealed the acceleratory effect of SiNPs on the progression of atherosclerosis in ApoE−/− mice, which was related to lipid accumulation caused by ER stress-mediated upregulation of CD36 expression in macrophage. Graphical abstract

Lufengpithecus keiyuanensis from the Xiaolongtan Coal Mine is the earliest known Miocene fossil hominoids in southern China, yet its chronological context has long been subjected to disputes, in being either of late Middle Miocene or early Late Miocene age. This controversy is largely due to the uncertainty of the exact positions of previously discovered fossils in the outcrops, and the different chronological interpretations for some proboscidean and suid fossils from associated fossil faunal assemblages. Here we report the first discovery of Stegolophodon latidens from Xiaolongtan with an unambiguous stratigraphic provenance, which provides important evidence in constraining the age of Lufengpithecus keiyuanensis . Stegolophodon has a very high evolutionary rate of dental morphology, and exhibits a pronounced evolutionary trend with time: from the pentalophodont m3 of the Early Miocene or early Middle Miocene, to the pentalophodont M3 and hexalophodont m3 of the late Middle Miocene, to the 5.5-lophed (five principal lophs followed by an extreme well-developed cingulum) M3 and hexa- to heptalophodont m3 of the early Late Miocene, and to the hexalophodont M3 and hepta- to octalophodont m3 of the middle Late Miocene. The newly discovered Stegolophodon latidens bears a 5.5-lophed M3 and a heptalophodont m3, the second and subsequent lophs/lophids show a slight chevron structure, and the pretrite mesoconelets shift mesially and fuse with the corresponding pretrite anterior central conules, forming a “Y-shape”. These traits are similar to, or even slightly more derived than those of Stegolophodon from the lower part of the Dhok Pathan Formation (9.3−8.3 Ma) in the Middle Siwaliks of the Indian Subcontinent. The materials described here can all be assigned to Stegolophodon latidens which was originally discovered from the Yenangyaung fauna, the lower Irrawaddy Formation of Myanmar, deemed of early Late Miocene age. Revisions on the other proboscidean and suid materials also support an early Late Miocene age for Xiaolongtan Fauna. The new fossils were discovered from the upper part of the lignite layers, close to the bottom of the greyish marls of the Buzhaoba Formation. Based on the original records in the geological reports of the Xiaolongtan Coal Mine, the descriptions of the previous publications, as well as the accounts of the fossil finders, the Xiaolongtan coal mine possesses only one fossiliferous layer, which locates in the upper part on the Xiaolongtan Formation (lignite layers). Therefore, the new fossils situate possibly in the same layer as Lufengpithecus keiyuanensis that were found in the 1950’s and 1980’s. From the recent palaeomagnetic investigations, the age of this fossil layer should be 11.6/11.7 Ma, close to the boundary between the Middle and the late Miocene; however, seems to be slightly older than Stegolophodon latidens from the Siwaliks. Further investigations should be carried out to resolve this inconsistency.

Although much is known about the increased rate of a catalyst required for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), the hole accumulation behaviors of the catalyst on both photo- and dark electrodes re...

Ta3N5 is a promising semiconductor for solar-driven photocatalytic or photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. However, the lack of in-depth understanding of its intrinsic defect properties limi...

Background: Iodine is important in both thyroid function and human metabolism. Studies have explored the effect of iodine on metabolic disorders through thyroid function. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between iodine status and metabolic disorders. Methods: Data were obtained from the TIDE program, including 51795 subjects aged ≥18 years. The prevalence of metabolic disorders and its related components were calculated based on the level of urinary iodine concentrations (UICs) using the chi-square method. To further explore whether prevalence was associated with UIC, quadratic and UIC-stratified logistic regression models were used. Findings: The prevalence of metabolic disorders presented as a U-shaped curve as the UICs change with a lower prevalence of 76% at a UIC of 300-499 µg/L. After adjusting for confounding factors, UIC of 300-499 µg/L was found to be a protective factor for metabolic disorders [OR=0·857, 95%CI (0·796-0·922)] and hypertension. A UIC of 300-799 µg/L was found to be protective against the occurrence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), impaired fasting glucose (IFG). 500-799 µg/L was protective against the occurrence of prediabetes, UIC ≥ µg/L was found to be protective against the occurrence of dyslipidemia. Furthermore, a UIC of

The modernization of Shanghai has experienced two boosting periods. The first appeared in the 1930s, when it formed the civil society of Shanghai and initially facilitated the trade port into an international metropolis. The second started after the nation's reform and opening-up, which attempted to promote the city into a global metropolis in the 2010s. In order to evaluate the socio-spatial transitions of communities in Shanghai during the process, Lilong historical neighborhoods in the 1930s and 2010s are successively chosen as research objects. Meanwhile, three specific neighborhoods in each period are selected for case study, so as to depict different symbiosis patterns of the socio-spatial structures under different spatiotemporal conditions by means of a cross-sectional analysis of the consumption level. By pointing out Shanghai in the 1930s was marked with social integration and local-based consumption, while it was inundated with administration tendency and global-oriented consumption in the 2010s, the article believes the dual integration of local-based and global-oriented consumptions is an alternative solution for Shanghai. Finally, the article proposes that Shanghai's current urban regeneration should rely on the multi-centered symbiotic structure to create a compound network, during which territorial socio-spatial structures and basic living needs of the plebeian can be simultaneously preserved.

Let K be a field and q∈K,q≠0,1. Let Hn(q,Q) be an Ariki–Koike algebra, where the cyclotomic parameter Q=(Q1,Q2,⋯,Qr)∈Kr with r≥2, Qi=qai,ai∈Z. For a weight one block B of Hn(q,Q), we prove in this ...

B-site doping of organic–inorganic perovskites is an effective way to improve its optoelectronic properties; however, it is rarely reported for perovskite single crystals. Here, we report the B-sit...

Background: Mandatory universal salt iodization (USI) has been implemented in China for 20 years. Although iodine deficiency disorders are effectively controlled, the risk of excess iodine have bee...

Inspired by the classic expansion reaction, "Pharaoh's Snake", this study uses sucrose as a carbon source and NaHCO3 as a foaming agent. Since NaHCO3 is decomposed by heat to release a large amount of CO2 gas, the carbonized sucrose is converted into a loosely expanded "snake-like" carbonization under the action of CO2 gas. Then, using argon as the shielding gas and KOH as the activator, the sucrose-based porous carbon material, BZTC-T, was successfully prepared by high-temperature chemical activation. The sucrose-based porous carbon BZTC-T is amorphous carbon with a specific surface area of 2673 m2 g−1 and a reasonable pore size distribution. Cyclic voltammetry and constant current charge and discharge tests show that sucrose-based porous carbon, BZTC-800, shows excellent electrochemical performance with a specific capacitance up to 289 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1 in a 6 M KOH electrolyte. Sucrose-based porous carbon BZTC-800 has good cycle stability after 10,000 cycles of charge and discharge with a capacitance retention rate as high as 93.7%.

Electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a core reaction responsible for converting renewable electricity into storable fuels; yet, it is kinetically challenging, because of the complex ...

This paper deals with the problem of stochastic stability for a class of neutral distributed parameter systems with Markovian jump. In this model, we only need to know the absolute maximum of the state transition probability on the principal diagonal line; other transition rates can be completely unknown. Based on calculating the weak infinitesimal generator and combining Poincare inequality and Green formula, a stochastic stability criterion is given in terms of a set of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) by the Schur complement lemma. Because of the existence of the neutral term, we need to construct Lyapunov functionals showing more complexity to handle the cross terms involving the Laplace operator. Finally, a numerical example is provided to support the validity of the mathematical results.

The decoration of n-type silicon (n-Si) with bimetallic NiFe nanoparticles has been shown to be an effective approach in achieving efficient photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation. However, the...