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We study the magnetoelectric property and optical absorption for the short-period [001]-oriented (LaMnO3)2/BaTiO3/(SrMnO3)2 superlattices using the first-principle method. By performing the spin-orbit coupling calculations with more effective Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof functional modified for solid potentials, we demonstrate the electrically controlled spin-flip at the interface. Furthermore, the infrared absorption of the superlattices is significantly improved, depending on the electric polarization of the BaTiO3 layer. The results provide a potential design for pursuing the ferroelectric field effect control of magnetism and optical response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prenatal phthalate exposure has been associated with placental inflammatory factors and infant allergic rhinitis (AR). However, the results are inconclusive. We designed a population-based cohort study to examine the effects of placental inflammatory biomarkers on the sex-dependent associations between maternal phthalate exposure and infant AR. A total of 2,348 pregnant women from Ma'anshan, Anhui Province, China, who were screened before antenatal visits and met the inclusion criteria, were included in the present study. We assessed AR in their offspring aged 36 months with a questionnaire. Quantitative PCR was performed to measure placental inflammatory factor mRNAs. The independent samples t -test and multivariable logistic regression were used to determine the associations between infant AR and maternal phthalates. Childhood AR may be related to education and family monthly income (P = 0.01). The phthalate metabolites, mono (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), mono (2-ethyl-5-hydroxyl) phthalate (MEHHP), in pregnant women were associated with a significantly increased risk for infant AR in males [ P < 0.05; odds ratio (OR): 1.285; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.037–1.591, and OR : 1.232, 95% CI : 1.008–1.507, respectively], but not females. Additionally, irritably-increased expression levels of HO-1 and IL-4 were associated with AR in male infants (OR : 1.175; 95% CI : 1.038–1.329 and OR : 1.181; 95% CI : 1.056–1.322, respectively). The association between maternal urinary MEHHP and placental HO-1 was marginally significant according to mediation analysis. The associations of maternal MEHHP and MEOHP levels with fetal AR in males were significant. Placental HO-1 was a fractional mediator in the associations between MEHHP and AR. Thus, the placenta should be further investigated as a potential mediator of maternal exposure-induced disease risk in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammation is a central mechanism in metabolic disorders associated with morbidity and mortality and dietary factors can modulate inflammation. We aimed to prospectively investigate the association between an empirically developed, food-based dietary inflammatory pattern (EDIP) score and the risk of overall and cause-specific mortality, using data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2014. EDIP score was derived by entering thirty-nine predefined commonly consumed food groups into the reduced rank regression models followed by stepwise linear regression, which was most predictive of two plasma inflammation biomarkers including C-reactive protein and leucocyte count among 25 500 US adults. This score was further validated in a testing set of 9466 adults. Deaths from baseline until 31 December 2015 were identified through record linkage to the National Death Index. During a median follow-up of 7·8 years among 40 074 participants, we documented 4904 deaths. Compared with participants in the lowest quintile of EDIP score, those in the highest quintile had a higher risk of overall death (hazard ratio (HR) = 1·19, 95 % CI 1·08, 1·32, Ptrend = 0·002), and deaths from cancer (HR = 1·41, 95 % CI 1·14, 1·74, Ptrend = 0·017) and CVD (HR = 1·22, 95 % CI 0·98, 1·53, Ptrend = 0·211). When stratified by age, the association of EDIP with overall mortality was stronger among individuals under 65 years of age (Pinteraction = 0·001). Diets with a higher inflammatory potential were associated with increased risk of overall and cancer-specific mortality. Interventions to reduce the adverse effect of pro-inflammatory diets may potentially promote health and longevity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]