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• Oral health linked to cognitive decline, although the exact mechanism is unclear. Promoting oral health is crucial for healthy aging among older people. • We explored the effects of an oral health intervention on the oral microbiome and cognitive function of patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) and determined the influence on disease progression, by a randomized controlled trial. • Our oral health intervention strategies are effective in modifying subgingival microbiota differences and slowing cognitive decline in mild AD patients. We explored the effects of an oral health intervention on the oral microbiome and cognitive function of patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) and determined the influence on disease progression. Sixty-six patients with mild AD were randomly assigned to intervention or control groups and received a 24-week oral health intervention and routine care, respectively. Data were collected at baseline and week 24. 16 S rRNA sequencing was used to analyze oral microbiota. After 24 weeks of oral health intervention, Kayser-Jones Brief Oral Health Status Examination (BOHSE), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), Nursing Home Adjustment Scale (NHAS), and Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study-ADL (ADCS-ADL) scores were different between groups (p < 0.05). Subgingival plaque in patients with AD showed significant differences in the diversity and abundance of oral microbiomes, with a higher abundance of normal oral flora in the intervention group. We found oral health intervention strategies are effective in modifying subgingival microbiota differences and slowing cognitive decline in mild AD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the significant improvement of energy density and power density of electrochemical energy storage devices, a large amount of heat will be generated during operation, and fire or explosion may occur due to high internal temperature. However, the traditional method of controlling thermal runaway is slow and irreversible. Here, we investigate a reversible electrolyte system based on thermal-responsive polymers consisting of Pluronic F127, ionic liquid (IL) [EMIM]BF4, and a lithium salt. Pluronic-IL electrolyte responds by sol–gel transformation above the lower-critical solution temperature (LCST), which inhibits electrochemical energy conversion and effectively prevents thermal runaway at 160 ℃. We investigated the effects of operating temperature, lithium-ion concentration, and Pluronic concentration on electrochemical performance and proved that by regulating the concentration of Pluronic, the loss rate of capacitance can reach nearly 70%. It can be seen that this is a green and efficient method to control thermal runaway and may be practically used in lithium-ion batteries in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve the goals of carbon emission-peak and carbon neutrality, the energy conservation problem of subway air-conditioning system has become more and more prominent. Since the load of the subway equipment management room varies obviously with the start and stop of the equipment, the traditional air-conditioning system of constant air volume cannot change the air supply volume of the system, which would cause the waste of the cooling capacity. The air-conditioning system of variable air volume can be used to achieve the air supply on demand for different rooms at different times. This paper builds a simulation platform of the VAV air-conditioning system for a subway station in Zhengzhou and the platform is integrated with the load model of the subway equipment room to achieve on-demand air supply. The simulation platform is used to simulate the control characteristics and air volume characteristics of the VAV system. By adjusting the valve opening of the VAV-box terminal, the demanded air volume of the room is supplied on according to different load demands. The results show that the actual operating air volume basically matches the demand air volume and the deviation is less than 1%. The control effects of room temperature between the constant air volume system and the VAV system are compared. The room temperature with the constant air volume system is decreased to 34 °C, which is lower than the design temperature of 36 °. While, the room temperature with the VAV system can be precisely controlled at 36 °, and the waste of cooling capacity is avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase morphology and evolution during solidification process of polypropylene and poly(ethylene-co-octene) (PP/PEOc) blend in an internal mixer was investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and in-line back small-angle laser scattering (BSALS). The average particle diameter ([d.sub.p]) and the average characteristic length ([L.sub.m]) were calculated by the pattern analysis of SEM micrographs to describe morphological variation with temperature during solidification process under the natural cooling condition. Furthermore, a fractal dimension ([D.sub.f]) based on the probability density of the character length was calculated in this study to describe the distribution of main sizes of the dispersed phase particles. Structure parameters, such as heterogeneity distance (Ic) and integral invariant (Q), were also calculated using BSALS to describe solidification process. The results obtained from BSALS were in agreement with those obtained from SEM, which means BSALS was valid to study the phase morphology and evolution during solidification process of polymer blend. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 51:609-616, 2011. [C]2011 Society of Plastics Engineers, INTRODUCTION Blending of two or more polymers has proved an effective and important alternative method to introduce raw materials with tailor and improved properties. There has been an extraordinary growth [...]

Utilization of high temperature cooling sources or natural energy sources can potentially contribute to improving energy efficiency in buildings. In this study, a dual-cavity window with gravity-driven cooling mechanism (GDC window) was proposed to integrate the low-grade cooling sources into the glazing system for improving the thermal performance of the window. The embedded pipes circulated with low-grade cooling water are the key component of GDC window, which can remove the absorbed solar heat and reduce the heat gain through the window. A numerical model based on CFD simulation was developed to analyze the flow characteristic and heat transfer within the GDC window. Model validation was conducted by comparing the simulation results with measurement data obtained from previous study. Numerical simulations were carried out to compare the thermal performance of GDC window with that of conventional blinds window. Sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the influence of some design parameters on the flow characteristic and thermal performance of GDC window. The simulated results show that compared with the blinds window, the GDC window reduces 57.4% and 40.4% of heat gain in summer for the low-grade cooling water of 18 °C and 25 °C, respectively. Reducing the flow resistance within the GDC window is significant for improving the heat removal performance of the embedded pipes. This study provides an alternative solution to integrate the low-grade cooling sources into the glazing system for enhancing the energy-efficiency and decreasing the building energy demand in cooling-dominated buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MyD88 is an adaptor protein critical for innate immune response against microbial infection and in certain noninfectious tissue injury. The present study examined the role of MyD88 in myocardial inflammation and injury after ischemia-reperfusion (I/R). I/R was produced by coronary artery ligation for 30 min followed by reperfusion. The ratios of area at risk to left ventricle (LV) were similar between wild-type (WT) and MyD88-deficient ([MyD88.sup.-/-]) mice. However, 24 h after I/R, the ratios of myocardial infarction to area at risk were 58% less in [MyD88.sup.-/-] than in WT mice (14 [+ or -] 2% vs. 33 [+ or -] 6%, P = 0.01). Serial echocardiographic studies demonstrated that there was no difference in baseline LV contractile function between the two groups. Twenty-four hours after I/R, LV ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) in WT mice were reduced by 44% and 62% (EF, 51 [+ or -] 2%, and FS, 22 [+ or -] 1%, P < 0.001), respectively, and remained depressed on the seventh day after I/R. In comparison, EF and FS in [MyD88.sup.-/-] mice were 67 [+ or -] 3% and 33 [+ or -] 2%, respectively, after I/R (P < 0.001 vs. WT). Similarly, LV function, as demonstrated by invasive hemodynamic measurements, was better preserved in [MyD88.sup.-/-] compared with WT mice after I/R. Furthermore, when compared with WT mice, [MyD88.sup.-/-] mice subjected to I/R had a marked decrease in myocardial inflammation as demonstrated by attenuated neutrophil recruitment and decreased expression of the proinflammatory mediators keratinocyte chemoattractant, monocyte chemoattractant protein-l, and ICAM-1. Taken together, these data suggest that MyD88 modulates myocardial inflammatory injury and contributes to myocardial infarction and LV dysfunction during I/R. myocardial infarction; inflammation; echocardiography; innate immune system