Efficient mixed-potential acetone sensor with yttria-stabilized zirconia and porous Co3O4 nanofoam sensing electrode for hazardous gas monitoring and breath analysis.

For hazardous gas monitoring and non-invasive diagnosis of diabetes using breath analysis, porous foams assembled by Co3O4 nanoparticles were designed as sensing electrode materials to fabricate efficient yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)-based acetone sensors. The sensitivity of the sensors was improved by varying the sintering temperature to regulate the morphology. Compared to other materials sintered at different temperatures, the porous Co3O4 nanofoams sintered at 800 °C exhibited the highest electrochemical catalytic activity during the electrochemical test. The response of the corresponding Co3O4-based sensor to 10 ppm acetone was -77.2 mV and it exhibited fast response and recovery times. Moreover, the fabricated sensor achieved a low detection limit of 0.05 ppm and a high sensitivity of -56 mV/decade in the acetone concentration range of 1-20 ppm. The sensor also exhibited excellent repeatability, acceptable selectivity, good O2/humidity resistance, and long-term stability during continuous measurements for over 30 days. Moreover, the fabricated sensor was used to determine the acetone concentration in the exhaled breaths of patients with diabetic ketosis. The results indicated that it could distinguish between healthy individuals and patients with diabetic ketosis, thereby proving its abilities to diagnose and monitor diabetic ketosis. Based on its excellent sensitivity and exhaled breath measurement results, the developed sensor has broad application prospects.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering-based strategies for tumor markers detection: A review.

The presence of malignant tumors poses a significant threat to people's life and well-being. As biochemical parameters indicate the occurrence and development of tumors, tumor markers play a pivotal role in early cancer detection, treatment, prognosis, efficient monitoring, and other aspects. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is considered a potent tool for the detection of tumor markers owing to its exceptional advantages encompassing high sensitivity, superior selectivity, rapid analysis speed, and photobleaching resistance nature. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of SERS applications in the detection of tumor markers. Firstly, we introduce the SERS enhancement mechanism, classification of active substrates, and SERS detection techniques. Secondly, the latest research progress of in vitro SERS detection of different types of tumor markers in body fluids and the application of SERS imaging in biomedical imaging are highlighted in sections of the review. Finally, according to the current status of SERS detection of tumor markers, the challenges and problems of SERS in biomedical detection are discussed, and insights into future developments in SERS are offered.

Label-free multi-line immunochromatographic sensor based on TCBPE for broad-spectrum detection Salmonella in food.

BACKGROUND: Salmonella, a foodborne pathogen poses significant threats to food safety and human health. Immunochromatographic (ICTS) sensors have gained popularity in the field of food safety due to their convenience, speed, and cost-effectiveness. However, most existing ICTS sensors rely on antibody sandwich structures which are limited by their dependence on high-quality paired antibodies and restricted sensitivity. For the first time, we combined multi-line ICTS strips with fluorescent bacterial probes to develop a label-free multi-line immunochromatographic sensor capable of detecting broad-spectrum Salmonella. Salmonella was labeled with the aggregation-induced luminescence material TCBPE, resulting in its transformation into a green fluorescent probe. RESULTS: Using this sensor, we successfully detected Salmonella typhimurium within the concentration range of 104-108 CFU/mL with a visual detection limit of 6.0 × 104 CFU/mL. Compared to single-line sensors, our multi-line sensor exhibited significantly improved fluorescence intensity resulting in enhanced detection sensitivity by 50 %. Furthermore, our developed multi-line ICTS sensor demonstrated successful detection of 18 different strains of Salmonella without any cross-reaction observed with 5 common foodborne pathogens tested. The applicability and reliability were validated using milk samples, cabbage juice samples as well and drinking water samples suggesting its potential for rapid and accurate detection of Salmonella in real-world scenarios across both the food industry and clinical settings. SIGNIFICANCE: In this experiment, we developed a TCBPE-based multiline immunochromatographic sensor. Specifically, Salmonella was labeled with the aggregation-induced luminescence material TCBPE, resulting in its transformation into a green fluorescent probe. Through the multi-line analysis system, the detection sensitivity and accuracy of the sensor are improved. In brief, the sensor does not require complex antibody labeling and paired antibodies, and only one antibody is needed to complete the detection process.

Ultrasonic-assisted Fenton reaction inducing surface reconstruction endows nickel/iron-layered double hydroxide with efficient water and organics electrooxidation.

Nickel/iron-layered double hydroxide (NiFe-LDH) tends to undergo an electrochemically induced surface reconstruction during the water oxidation in alkaline, which will consume excess electric energy to overcome the reconstruction thermodynamic barrier. In the present work, a novel ultrasonic wave-assisted Fenton reaction strategy is employed to synthesize the surface reconstructed NiFe-LDH nanosheets cultivated directly on Ni foam (NiFe-LDH/NF-W). Morphological and structural characterizations reveal that the low-spin states of Ni2+ (t2g6eg2) and Fe2+ (t2g4eg2) on the NiFe-LDH surface partially transform into high-spin states of Ni3+ (t2g6eg1) and Fe3+ (t2g3eg2) and formation of the highly active species of NiFeOOH. A lower surface reconstruction thermodynamic barrier advantages the electrochemical process and enables the NiFe-LDH/NF-W electrode to exhibit superior electrocatalytic water oxidation activity, which delivers 10 mA cm-2 merely needing an overpotential of 235 mV. Besides, surface reconstruction endows NiFe-LDH/NF-W with outstanding electrooxidation activities for organic molecules of methanol, ethanol, glycerol, ethylene glycol, glucose, and urea. Ultrasonic-assisted Fenton reaction inducing surface reconstruction strategy will further advance the utilization of NiFe-LDH catalyst in water and organics electrooxidation.

Revealing oxygen effect on efficiency and stability of quantum dot photovoltaics.

Colloidal quantum dot solar cells (CQDSCs) have received great attention in the development of scalable and stable photovoltaic devices. Despite the high power-conversion-efficiency (PCE) reported, stability investigations are still limited and the exact degradation mechanisms of CQDSCs remain unclear under different atmosphere conditions. In this study, the atmospheric influence on the ZnO electron transport layer material (ETL), halide-passivated lead sulfide CQDs (PbS-PbI2) photoactive layer material and 1,2-ethanedithiol-PbS CQDs (PbS-EDT) hole transport material on device stability in PbS CQDSCs is investigated. It was found that O2 had negligible influence on PbS-PbI2, but it did induce the increase in work function of ZnO ETL and PbS-EDT layers. Notably, the increase of the ZnO work function (WFZnO) induces the formation of interface barrier between ZnO and PbS-PbI2, leading to a deterioration in device efficiency. By further replacing ZnO ETL with SnO2, a multi-interface collaborative CQDSC was constructed to realize the PCE with high stability. This study identifies the efficiency evolution that is inherent in CQDSCs under different atmospheric conditions.

The practice and evaluation of antifungal stewardship programs at a tertiary first-class hospital in China.

BACKGROUND: The sharp increase in fungal infections, insufficient diagnostic and treatment capabilities for fungal infections, poor prognosis of patients with fungal infections as well as the increasing drug resistance of fungi are serious clinical problems. It is necessary to explore the implementation and evaluation methods of antifungal stewardship (AFS) to promote the standardized use of antifungal drugs. METHODS: The AFS programme was implemented at a tertiary first-class hospital in China using a plan-do-check-act (PDCA) quality management tool. A baseline investigation was carried out to determine the utilization of antifungal drugs in pilot hospitals, analyse the existing problems and causes, and propose corresponding solutions. The AFS programme was proposed and implemented beginning in 2021, and included various aspects, such as team building, establishment of regulations, information construction, prescription review and professional training. The management effectiveness was recorded from multiple perspectives, such as the consumption of antifungal drugs, the microbial inspection rate of clinical specimens, and the proportion of rational prescriptions. The PDCA management concept was used for continuous improvement to achieve closed-loop management. RESULTS: In the first year after the implementation of the AFS programme, the consumption cost, use intensity and utilization rate of antifungal drugs decreased significantly (P < 0.01). The proportion of rational antifungal drug prescriptions markedly increased, with the proportion of prescriptions with indications increasing from 86.4% in 2019 to 97.0% in 2022, and the proportion of prescriptions with appropriate usage and dosage increased from 51.9 to 87.1%. In addition, after the implementation of the AFS programme, physicians' awareness of the need to complete microbial examinations improved, and the number of fungal cultures and serological examinations increased substantially. Statistics from drug susceptibility tests revealed a decrease in the resistance rate of Candida to fluconazole. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that the combination of AFS and the PDCA cycle could effectively reduce antifungal consumption and promote the rational use of antifungal drugs, providing a reference for other health care systems to reduce the overuse of antifungal drugs and delay the progression of fungal resistance.

CO2-Philic Nanocomposite Polymer Matrix Incorporated with MXene Nanosheets for Ultraefficient CO2 Capture.

The incorporation of two-dimensional (2D) functional nanosheets in polymeric membranes is a promising material strategy to overcome their inherent performance trade-off behavior. Herein, we report a novel nanocomposite membrane design by incorporating MXene, a 2D sheet-like nanoarchitecture known for its advantageous lamellar morphology and surface functionalities, into a cross-linked polyether block amide (Pebax)/poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate (PEGMEA) blend matrix, which delivered exceptional CO2/N2 and CO2/H2 separation performances that are critical to industrial CO2 capture applications. The finely dispersed Ti3C2Tx nanosheets in the blend polymer matrix led to an expansion of the free volume within the resultant mixed matrix membrane (MMM), giving rise to a substantially enhanced CO2 permeability of up to 1264.6 barrer, which is 102% higher than that of the pristine polymer. Moreover, these MXene-incorporated MMMs exhibited preferential sorption for CO2 over light gases, which contributed to an exceptional CO2/N2 and CO2/H2 selectivity (64.3 and 19.2, respectively) even at a small loading of only 1 wt %, allowing the overall performance to not only surpass the latest upper bounds but also exceed many previously reported high-performance nanosheet-based nanocomposite membranes. Long-term performance tests have also demonstrated the good stability of these membranes. This composite membrane design strategy reveals the remarkable potential of combining a blend copolymer matrix with ultrathin MXene nanosheets to achieve superior gas separation performance for environmentally important gas separations.

Defect engineering unveiled: Enhancing potassium storage in expanded graphite anode.

Expanded graphite (EG) stands out as a promising material for the negative electrode in potassium-ion batteries. However, its full potential is hindered by the limited diffusion pathway and storage sites for potassium ions, restricting the improvement of its electrochemical performance. To overcome this challenge, defect engineering emerges as a highly effective strategy to enhance the adsorption and reaction kinetics of potassium ions on electrode materials. This study delves into the specific effectiveness of defects in facilitating potassium storage, exploring the impact of defect-rich structures on dynamic processes. Employing ball milling, we introduce surface defects in EG, uncovering unique effects on its electrochemical behavior. These defects exhibit a remarkable ability to adsorb a significant quantity of potassium ions, facilitating the subsequent intercalation of potassium ions into the graphite structure. Consequently, this process leads to a higher potassium voltage. Furthermore, the generation of a diluted stage compound is more pronounced under high voltage conditions, promoting the progression of multiple stage reactions. Consequently, the EG sample post-ball milling demonstrates a notable capacity of 286.2 mAh g-1 at a current density of 25 mA g-1, showcasing an outstanding rate capability that surpasses that of pristine EG. This research not only highlights the efficacy of defect engineering in carbon materials but also provides unique insights into the specific manifestations of defects on dynamic processes, contributing to the advancement of potassium-ion battery technology.

Effects of shift work on sleep quality and cardiovascular function in Taiwanese police officers.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of shift work on sleep quality, cardiovascular function, and physical activity (PA) levels in Taiwanese police officers. Twenty-one male police officers aged 26.9 ± 4.1 years old located in Taipei voluntarily participated in this study. The participants completed the resting heart rate (HR) and hemodynamic variables (e.g. blood pressure, BP) before and after day-time (DTW) and night-time (NTW) shift work phases (5 working days and 2 resting days for each phase). Additionally, an actigraphy was administered to measure PA and sleep patterns in the last 3 working days. The average total sleep time and sleep efficiency were 278.5 ± 79. 6 min and 72.9 ± 10%, respectively, in the NTW phases, which were significantly lower than that in the DTW phases. A comparison of the PA characteristics between the two phases revealed that a lower proportion of moderate-vigorous PA (1.2 ± 0.8%) and a greater proportion of sedentary behaviour PA (74.8 ± 6.4%) was found in the NTW phases. The results of hemodynamic measures demonstrated that the police officers have significantly elevated systolic BP by 3.3% and diastolic BP by 3.9% after the NTW phases. Furthermore, the NTW phases exhibited a significantly higher percentage change ratio of systolic BP and diastolic BP compared to the DTW phases. Compared with the DTW phases, the NTW phase was significantly more likely to report higher decreasing parasympathetic-related HR variability with a range of -5.9% to -7.8%. In conclusion, night-time shift work resulted in negative physiological changes leading to adverse effects on the health and well-being of Taiwanese police officers.

Supraglottic jet oxygenation and ventilation improves oxygenation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

PURPOSE: Hypoxia is one of the most frequent adverse events under deep sedation in the semiprone position. We hypothesized that supraglottic jet oxygenation and ventilation (SJOV) via Wei nasal jet tube (WNJ) can reduce the incidence of hypoxia in patients under deep sedation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). METHODS: A total of 171 patients were divided into three groups: N group, supplementary oxygen via a nasopharyngeal airway (4-6 L/min); W group, supplementary oxygen via WNJ (4-6 L/min); WS group, SJOV via WNJ. The primary outcome was the incidence of adverse events, including sedation-related adverse events [SRAEs, hypoxemia (SpO2 = 75-89% lasted less than 60 s); severe hypoxemia (SpO2 < 75% at any time or SpO2 < 90% lasted more than 60 s] and subclinical respiratory depression (SpO2 = 90-95%). Other intraoperative and post-operative adverse events were also recorded as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Compared with the N group, the incidence of hypoxemia and subclinical respiratory depression in the WS group was significantly lower (21% vs. 4%, P = 0.005; 27% vs. 6%, P = 0.002). Compared with Group W, the incidence of hypoxemia and subclinical respiratory depression in Group WS was also significantly less frequent (20% vs. 4%, P = 0.009; 21% vs. 6%, P = 0.014). No severe hypoxia occurred in the group WS, while four and one instances were observed in the group N and group W respectively. There were no significant differences in other adverse events among the three groups. CONCLUSION: SJOV can effectively improve oxygenation during ERCP in deeply sedated semiprone patients.

Assessment of sources and health risks of heavy metals in metropolitan household dust among preschool children: The LEAPP-HIT study.

The most common construction material used in Taiwan is concrete, potentially contaminated by geologic heavy metals (HMs). Younger children spend much time indoors, increasing HM exposure risks from household dust owing to their behaviors. We evaluated arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) concentrations in fingernails among 280 preschoolers between 2017 and 2023. We also analyzed HM concentrations, including As, Cd, Pb, chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn), in 90 household dust and 50 road dust samples from a residential area where children lived between 2019 and 2021 to deepen the understanding of sources and health risks of exposure to HMs from household dust. The average As, Cd, and Pb concentrations in fingernails were 0.12 ± 0.06, 0.05 ± 0.05, and 0.95 ± 0.77 µg/g, respectively. Soil parent materials, indoor construction activities, vehicle emissions, and mixed indoor combustion were the pollution sources of HMs in household dust. Higher Cr and Pb levels in household dust may pose non-carcinogenic risks to preschoolers. Addressing indoor construction and soil parent materials sources is vital for children's health. The finding of the present survey can be used for indoor environmental management to reduce the risks of HM exposure and avoid potential adverse health effects for younger children.

Serum ACSL4 levels in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and its association with one-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE): A prospective cohort study.

In the present prospective cohort research, we aimed to explore the serum levels of Acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and its association with 1-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). This prospective cohort study recruited 507 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for the treatment of STEMI at our hospital during August 2019 to July 2022. The serum ACSL4, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1ß, and C-reactive protein levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Demographic and clinical statistics were also collected. In addition, all patients were followed up for 1 year, and patients with MACE were defined as poor prognosis group. All data used SPSS 26.0 to statistical analyses. The poor prognosis group had significantly higher age and low-density leptin cholesterol (LDLC) levels compared to the favorable prognosis group (P < .05). STEMI patients exhibited significantly elevated serum levels of ACSL4, tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-6, IL-1ß, and C-reactive protein (P < .05). Serum ACSL4 and IL-1ß levels in the poor prognosis group were remarkably enhanced compared to the favorable prognosis group. Curvilinear regression analysis demonstrated that ACSL4 was associated with LDLC and IL-1ß. Moreover, ACSL4 (B = 0.138, 95% CI 1.108-1.189, P < .001), LDLC (B = 2.317, 95% CI 5.253-19.603, P < .001), and IL-1ß (B = 0.061, 95%CI 1.008-1.122, P = .025) levels were the risk factors for STEMI patients with 1-year MACE. This study showed that the serum ACSL4 levels was remarkably elevated in STEMI patients. This study might provide new targets and a comprehensive approach to cardiovascular protection in STEMI patients.

Structure-aware deep model for MHC-II peptide binding affinity prediction.

The prediction of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-peptide binding affinity is an important branch in immune bioinformatics, especially helpful in accelerating the design of disease vaccines and immunity therapy. Although deep learning-based solutions have yielded promising results on MHC-II molecules in recent years, these methods ignored structure knowledge from each peptide when employing the deep neural network models. Each peptide sequence has its specific combination order, so it is worth considering adding the structural information of the peptide sequence to the deep model training. In this work, we use positional encoding to represent the structural information of peptide sequences and validly combine the positional encoding with existing models by different strategies. Experiments on three datasets show that the introduction of position-coding information can further improve the performance built upon the existing model. The idea of introducing positional encoding to this field can provide important reference significance for the optimization of the deep network structure in the future.

Data mining and analysis of the adverse events derived signals of 4 gadolinium-based contrast agents based on the US Food and drug administration adverse event reporting system.

BACKGROUND: To detect and analyze risk signals of the drug-related adverse events (AEs) of 4 gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) (gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA), gadobenate dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA), gadoteridol (Gd-HP-DO3A), and gadobutrol (Gd-BT-DO3A)) according to the US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database and ensure the clinical safety. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The AEs that are associated with the 4 GBCAs were collected from the FAERS database from 2004Q1 to 2022Q3. The risk signals were mined using reporting odds ratio (ROR) and proportional reporting ratio (PRR). RESULTS: 424 risk signals were excavated, in which 151 risk signals were associated with Gd-DTPA, 93 risk signals were related to Gd-BOPTA, 79 risk signals were relevant to Gd-HP-DO3A, and 101 risk signals were associated with Gd-BT-DO3A. The AE signals involved 20 system organ classes (SOCs). Two of the top four SOCs were identical, namely 'skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders' and 'general disorders and administration site conditions.' CONCLUSIONS: The safety signals of 4 GBCAs were detected, and the SOCs associated with the AEs of the 4 GBCAs were different. Besides, some AEs obtained in this study were not mentioned in the package inserts, which need more attention and research to ensure the clinical safety.

Optimizing solvent dipole moment enables PVDF to improve piezoelectric performance.

The all-trans conformation (ß-phase) possesses a significant impact on the piezoelectric polymer polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). Inducing more molecular chain [-CH2-CF2-]nto form all-trans conformation is one of the biggest obstacles for manufacturing high-performance piezoelectric sensing devices. Herein, the continuous vacuum technology is used to modulate the polarity of binary solvents by the proportion of the lower solvent. The regulated solvent forms a high dipole moment, an interaction between the dipole ofß-phase and the dipole moment makes the phase reversal in PVDF. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, piezoelectric constant test and other characterization results show that when the weakly polar acetone and the strongly polar solvent DMF reach a ratio of 4:6, the pure PVDF film possesses high piezoelectricity (d33∼ -44.8 pC N-1) and strong self-polarization. Additionally, the A4D6device exhibits high sensitivity (S1= 0.182 V/N, 0.5 N ∼ 30 N), driven capability (0.49 mW m-2), and reliability during the electrical tests as a pressure device. This work provides an effective and cost-effective route of optimizing the solvent's polarity to improve the piezoelectric characteristics of the polymer.

Associations between parental and postnatal metal mixture exposure and developmental delays in a Taiwanese longitudinal birth cohort of preschool children.

Studies have evaluated the impact of environmental exposure to neurotoxic metals on developmental delays (DDs). However, comprehensive understanding regarding the associations between parental and postnatal exposure to metal mixtures and the occurrence of DDs in offspring is limited. In this study, we assessed the relationships between parental and postnatal exposure to three metals (arsenic [As], cadmium [Cd], and lead [Pb], levels of which were measured in toenails) and suspected DDs (SDDs) in preschool children within a Taiwanese longitudinal birth cohort. In total between 2017 and 2021, 154 pairs of parents and their children under the age of 6 years were recruited, and 462 toenail samples and 154 completed questionnaires were collected. Metal concentrations in toenails were quantified using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry after acid digestion of the toenails. We applied multivariable logistic regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression to evaluate the overall effect and to identify key components of the metal mixture that were associated with the SDD risk. Higher concentrations of As, Cd, and Pb were found in the toenails of the parents of children with SDDs compared with the toenails of the parents of children without SDDs. Our examination of the combined effects of exposure to the metal mixture revealed that As concentration in the father's toenail and Cd concentration in the mother's toenail were positively correlated with the risk of SDDs in their offspring. Notably, the effect of exposure to the metal mixture on the risk of SDDs was stronger in boys than in girls. Our findings suggest that parents taking measures to minimize their exposure to metals might enhance their children's developmental outcomes.

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural Ameliorates Allergic Inflammation in HMC-1 Cells by Inactivating NF-κB and MAPK Signaling Pathways.

Allergic inflammation is the foundation of multiple allergic disorders, such as allergic rhinitis and asthma. Mast cells are effector cells that initiate inflammatory response. 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), a furfural compound, is the heat-processed product of various fruit, foods, drinks, as well as some Chinese herbal medicines. 5-HMF was previously reported to inhibit mast cell activation. Our study aimed to explore the functions of 5-HMF in both phorbol 12-mystate 13-acetate (PMA) plus calcium ionophore (A23187)-induced allergic inflammation in human mast cell line HMC-1 and ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma mouse models. HMC-1 cells were pretreated with 5-HMF and then stimulated by PMA+A23187. The cytotoxicity of 5-HMF on HMC-1 cells was evaluated by MTT assay. Histamine content in cell supernatants was measured by the o-phthaldialdehyde spectrofluorometric procedure. Intracellular calcium was determined using the fluorescent dye Fura-2AM. The production and expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines were detected by ELISA and RT-qPCR. Caspase-1 colorimetric assay was employed to examine the enzymatic activity of caspase-1. Asthma mouse models were induced by OVA sensitization. The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and blood samples were collected for the detection of total and differential cell count as well as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), OVA-immunoglobulin E (OVA-IgE), OVA-immunoglobulin G1 (OVA-IgG1), and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. The left lung of mouse was dissected for histopathological examination by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. The protein expression of pro-caspase-1 and the phosphorylation of NF-κB and MAPK pathway-associated molecules were assessed by Western blotting. Our findings revealed that 5-HMF efficiently suppressed the PMA+A23187-induced enhancement in histamine production and intracellular calcium in HMC-1 cells. Pro-inflammatory cytokine production and expression in HMC-1 cells were elevated after PMA plus A23187 stimulation, which, however, were inhibited by pretreatment of 5-HMF. Additionally, 5-HMF suppressed the activity of caspase-1 and the phosphorylation of NF-κB and MAPK-associated molecules including p65 NF-κB, p38 MAPK, ERK, and JNK in HMC-1 cells. In vivo experiments demonstrated that 5-HMF treatment reduced the lung/body weight index and total and differential (macrophages, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and eosinophils) cell counts in BALF of asthmatic mice, but exerted no influence on serum AST and ALT levels. Besides, 5-HMF reduced serum OVA-IgE and OVA-IgG1 levels, mitigated lung inflammation, and inhibited the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways in asthma mouse models. 5-HMF mitigates allergic inflammation in asthma by inactivating caspase-1 and NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways.

Oral and inhalation bioaccessibility of mercury in contaminated soils and potential health risk to the kidneys and neurodevelopment of children in Taiwan.

Health risk assessments of exposure to mercury (Hg) from soils via ingestion and inhalation are indispensable for Taiwanese people living in the vicinity of Hg-contaminated sites. In this study, anthropogenic soils were collected from various polluted sources in Taiwan. In vitro oral and inhalation bioaccessible fractions of Hg were analyzed to avoid from overestimating the exposure risk. Discrepancies in oral and inhalation bioaccessible levels of Hg in soils were found using different in vitro assays with different pH levels and chemical compositions. The freshly contaminated soil (soil S7) polluted by chlor-alkali production activity sampled before the site was remediated had the highest total Hg concentration of 1346 mg/kg, with the highest oral bioaccessibility of 26.2% as analyzed by SW-846 Method 1340 and inhalation bioaccessibility of 30.5% as analyzed by modified Gamble's solution. The lesser extent of aging of Hg in soil S7 increased the Hg availability for humans, which was also found based on results of a sequential extraction procedure. Results of the hazard quotient showed that soil ingestion was the main pathway causing non-carcinogenic risks for children and adults. Children were also exposed to higher risks than were adults due to higher frequencies of hand-to-mouth behaviors and lower body weights. Furthermore, hazard index results adjusted for oral and inhalation bioaccessible Hg were lower than those obtained based on the total Hg content; however, an unacceptable value of the non-carcinogenic risk (> 1) for children living near soil S7 was still observed. This study suggests that children living near sites polluted for a short period of time may suffer potential renal effects regardless of the bioaccessibility. Our findings provide suggestions for decision makers on setting new strategies for managing risks of Hg-contaminated soils in Taiwan.

Iron and nitrogen co-modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes for efficient electrocatalytic oxygen reduction.

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with one-dimensional nanostructure are an ideal support for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts thanks to their intrinsic outstanding electrical conductivity and high specific surface area. Iron and nitrogen doping could alter the local electronic structure and therefore enhance the ORR activity of MWCNTs, but the preparation process always includes complicated growth conditions and post-treatment. Herein, an iron and nitrogen co-modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Fe-N-MWCNTs) with hierarchical nanostructure is engineered and synthesized via a simple two-step pyrolysis approach. Large specific surface area, low resistivity, and intensified charge density near the Fermi level synergistically endow the Fe-N-MWCNTs with outstanding ORR activity. The optimal Fe-N-MWCNTs exhibit a higher onset potential value of 0.92 V (versus RHE) and half-wave potential (E1/2) of 0.85 V (versus RHE) in 0.1 M KOH medium, which exceeds the benchmark Pt/C electrocatalyst (E1/2= 0.84 V). This strategy of modifying MWCNTs support by a simple calcination process provides a feasible method to prepare cost-efficient ORR electrocatalysts.

Incentive strategy of safe and intelligent production in assembled steel plants from the perspective of evolutionary game.

Due to the numerous cross-operations and poor information communication, it is easy to cause production safety accidents in traditional assembled steel plants. The transformation and upgrading of smart production in the assembly steel plants is helpful to improve the efficiency of safety management. In order to effectively reduce the safety risks in the production of assembled steel components, this paper integrates policy incentives and safety supervision, constructs an evolutionary game model between the government and assembled steel producers, and analyzes the strategic evolution rules and stability conditions of stakeholders through the replication dynamics equation. Moreover, based on the empirical simulation of the Fuzhou X Steel Structure Plant project, the effectiveness of the evolutionary model incentive strategy setting is verified. The results show that whether an assembled steel plants adopt a smart management strategy or not is influenced by the government's incentive subsidy mechanism, penalty mechanism, the benefits and costs generated by traditional/ smart management, the probability and loss of safety accidents and other factors. The conclusion is important for upgrading the safety management mode, improving the safety production efficiency and constructing the safety supervision system of the assembled steel smart plant.