Search

OBJECTIVE: The impact of particulate matter (PM) on the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to assess the causal relationship between PM and T2D using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for PM2.5, PM10, and T2D were obtained from the UK Biobank and FinnGen datasets. Inverse variance weighted, MR-Egger, and weighted median were utilized to examine the causal relationship between exposure and outcome. MR-Egger intercept analysis, Cochran's Q test, and leave-one-out sensitivity analysis were used to assess horizontal pleiotropy, heterogeneity, and robustness of the results, respectively. RESULTS: The MR analysis revealed a significant association between PM2.5 and increased risk of T2D (OR: 1.159, 95% CI: 1.003 to 1.339, p = 0.045), while no significant association was found between PM10 and T2D risk (OR: 1.031, 95% CI: 0.788 to 1.350, p = 0.822). MR-Egger intercept analysis and Cochran's Q test indicated no evidence of horizontal pleiotropy or heterogeneity in these results. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated the robustness of the results. CONCLUSIONS: This MR analysis suggests that PM2.5, rather than PM10, is associated with an increased risk of T2D. The use of air purifiers and anti-smog masks may potentially help reduce the risk of T2D. Further research is needed to elucidate the specific effects and underlying mechanisms of PM2.5 and PM10 on T2D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vortex rings can maintain their structure during motion and achieve longdistance transport with low energy consumption, which is a fluid transport method with great energy-saving potential. In this paper, a reciprocating vortex ring generator structure is designed, which can generate two vortex rings during the reciprocating motion of one piston, making full use of the thrust in the reciprocating motion period of the piston and improving the vortex ring generation frequency compared with traditional vortex ring generators. For the characteristics of long-distance transport of vortex rings, an experimental platform is designed and built, and 277 sets of experiments are carried out with different geometric parameters. The results show that the effect of generating two vortex rings could be achieved under other parameter conditions, except for some parameter conditions where the diameter ratio D1/D2 = 4. By analyzing the influence of baffle width ratio, length ratio, and diameter ratio on the moving distance of vortex rings, the performance of the vortex ring generator is preliminarily studied. In 277 sets of experiments, the maximum moving distance ratio x1 of vortex ring 1 is 13.7 when L1/L2 = 2.4, D1/D2 = 2, and w1 = 0.2. And the maximum moving distance ratio x2 of vortex ring 2 is 20 when L1/L2 = 2, D1/D2 = 2.5, and w2 = 0.2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to evaluate tirzepatide's efficacy and safety in treating type 2 diabetes by meta-analysis and trial-sequential-analysis (TSA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight databases were searched for clinical trials on tirzepatide for type 2 diabetes with a time limit of November 2022. Revman5.3 and TSA 0.9.5.10 Beta were selected for meta-analysis and TSA. RESULTS: Compared with placebo, the meta-analysis demonstrated that tirzepatide 15 mg reduced hemoglobin-type-A1C (HbA1c) (p<0.00001), fasting-serum-glucose (FSG) (p<0.00001), and weight (p<0.00001). Compared with insulin, tirzepatide 15 mg reduced HbA1c (p<0.00001), FSG (p<0.00007), and weight (p<0.00001). Compared with glucagon-like-peptide-1 receptor-agonist (GLP-1 RA), tirzepatide 15 mg reduced HbA1c (p=0.00004), FSG (p=0.001), and weight (p<0.00001). In safety endpoints, the meta-analysis revealed that adverse events (AEs) of placebo, insulin and GLP-1 RA were comparable to tirzepatide 15 mg. The total AEs (p=0.02) and gastrointestinal (GI) AEs (p=0.03) were higher in tirzepatide 15 mg than in the placebo, while hypoglycemia (<54 mg/dl) was comparable. The major adverse cardiovascular events-4 (MACE-4) (p=0.03) and hypoglycemia (<54 mg/dl) (p<0.00001) of tirzepatide 15 mg were lower when compared to insulin, while total AEs (p=0.03) were increased. Compared with GLP-1 RA, tirzepatide 15 mg was comparable in safety endpoints in total AEs and GI AEs, while hypoglycemia (<54 mg/dl) (p=0.04) was higher. TSA indicated that HgA1c, FSG, and weight benefits were conclusive. In safety endpoints, only MACE-4 and hypoglycemia (<54 mg/dl) of Tirzepatide 15 mg vs. I nsulin w ere c onclusive. H arbord regression of AEs suggested no evident publication bias (p=0.618). CONCLUSIONS: Tirzepatide 15 mg reduced HbA1c and weight more effectively than placebo, insulin, and GLP-1 RA. Total AEs were higher than placebo and insulin but comparable to GLP-1 RA. Tirzepatide 15 mg is a kind of optimal strategy to treat type 2 diabetes. However, there is a need to focus on GI AEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are a recently discovered type of innate immune cell. The functions of these cells resemble different T-cell subtypes. These cells play important roles in local injury, inflammation, pathogen infection, or tumours. However, there have been few studies focusing on the role of ILCs in nasal diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the literature about the roles of ILCs in nasal inflammation, tissue remodeling, and cancer. RESULTS: The ILCs represent a newly identified family of innate immune cells. These cells play important roles in inflammation, immune responses, tissue remodeling, and cancer immunity. The ILCs, especially ILC2s, play important roles in CRSwNP and AR. ILC2s may be involved in the pathogenesis of eosinophilic inflammation in non-allergic nasal diseases, such as non-allergic CRSwNP and non-allergic rhinitis. ILCs also play pro-tumor or anti-tumor roles in cancer immunity for head and neck cancer. CONCLUSIONS: LC2s may be a useful therapeutic target for CRSwNP and AR. ILCs may also represent new therapeutic targets to activate anti-tumor immunity in head and neck cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Double-filled skutterudite compounds CemLanFeCo3Sb12 with (m+n)=0.2–0.4 were synthesized by spark plasma sintering using powders of Co, Sb, Fe, and rare-earth Ce and La as starting materials, and the thermoelectric properties were studied in detail. The dominant phases of all the samples are the skutterudite with small amount of Sb as an impurity phase, and the amount of Sb decreases in double-filled compound. The lattice constant is enhanced linearly up to (m+n)=0.30 with increasing filling fraction and then unchanged. The Seebeck coefficient and thermal conductivity of double-filled compounds are generally higher than single-filled samples whatever the filling fraction is. Among all the samples, Ce0.1La0.2FeCo3Sb12 shows the highest Seebeck coefficient of 150 μV K-1 at 773 K and the lowest thermal conductivity of 1.81 W/mK at 673 K, and the maximum ZT value reaches 0.60 at 773 K due to its lower thermal conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses a study which observed magneto-optic recording domains by mathematical morphology. Principles of mathematical morphology; Segmentation and enhancement of recorded domain image; Conclusions.