The Synergistic Mechanisms of AIE, ESIPT and ICT in the α-cyanostilbene-based Derivative: A Red-fluorescence Probe With a Large Stokes' Shift for Copper (II) Ion Determination and Reversible Response to Amine/acid Vapor.

Herein, α-cyanostilbene-based luminogen with an electron donor-π-electron acceptor (D-π-A) architecture was formylated into the salicylaldehyde-analogue luminogen, followed by the Schiff base reaction with phenylamine, a red-emitting luminogen was elaborately designed and successfully synthesized in a high yield of 89%. Its well-defined structure was confirmed by FT-IR, MALDI-TOF-MS, HR-MS and 1H/13C NMR technologies. Based on the synergistic mechanisms of aggregation-induced emission (AIE), excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) and intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), it enjoyed a red-fluorescence emission at 627 nm in THF/water mixtures (fw = 95%) and was used as a probe. Moreover, the TLC-based test strips loaded with the probe not only exhibited the reversible fluorescence response to amine/acid vapor but also showed sensitive and selective fluorescence response towards Cu2+. Furthermore, the fluorescence titration experiment between the probe and Cu2+ in THF/water mixtures (fw = 95%, pH = 7.4) revealed that the detection limit was 1.18 × 10-7 M and the binding constant was 1.59 × 105. Job's plot experiment and HR-MS analysis revealed the 2:1 binding stoichiometry of the probe with Cu2+. The method enabled real-time assessment for Cu2+ in real water samples. This study could offer insightful opinions on the development of long-wavelength emissive luminogens based on α-cyanostilbene.

Quantitative identification of nitrate and sulfate sources of a multiple land-use area impacted by mine drainage.

The rapid increase in urbanization and intensive coal mining activities have accelerated the deterioration of surface water quality. Environmental problems caused by the accumulation of nitrate and sulfate from natural, urban, and agricultural sources have attracted extensive attention. Information on nitrate and sulfate sources and their transformations is crucial for understanding the nitrogen and sulfur cycles in surface water. In this study, we monitored nitrate and sulfate in three representative rivers in mining cities in northern China. The main pollution sources and biogeochemical processes were identified by using stable isotopes (δD, δ18OH2O, δ15N, δ18ONO3, δ34S and δ18OSO4) and hydrochemistry. The contribution of natural and anthropogenic sources was quantitatively estimated based on a Bayesian mixed model. The results indicated a large variation in sulfate and nitrate sources between the different rivers. Nitrate in the Tuohe River mainly derived from manure/sewage (57.9%) and soil N (26.9%), while sulfate mainly derived from manure/sewage (41.7%) and evaporite dissolution (26.8%). For the Suihe River, nitrate was primarily sourced from chemical fertilizer (37.9%) and soil nitrogen (34.8%), while sulfate was mainly sourced from manure/sewage (33.1%) and chemical fertilizer (21.4%). For the Huihe River, nitrate mainly derived from mine drainage (56.6%) and manure/sewage (30.6%), while sulfate predominantly originated from mine drainage (58.3%) and evaporite dissolution (12.9%). Microbial nitrification was the major pathway for the migration and transformation of nitrate in the surface water. However, denitrification and bacterial sulfate reduction (BSR) did not play a significant role as aerobic conditions prevailed. In this study, we elucidated the sources and transformation mechanisms of nitrate and sulfate. Additionally, we provided a reference for formulating a comprehensive strategy for effective management and remediation of surface water contaminated with nitrate and sulfate in mining cities.

Prediction of the spatiotemporal evolution of vegetation cover in the Huainan mining area and quantitative analysis of driving factors.

The prediction of the spatiotemporal dynamic evolution of vegetation cover in the Huainan mining area and the quantitative evaluation of its driving factors are of great significance for protecting and restoring the environment in this area. This study uses the Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 8 OLI time-series data to estimate the vegetation cover and uses the transition matrix to analyze the spatiotemporal transfer of vegetation cover from 1989 to 2004, 2004 to 2021, and 2021 to 2030. In addition, a structural equation model (SEM) was established in this study to assess the driving factors of vegetation cover. The quantitative analysis and the cellular automata (CA)-Markov model were performed to predict the future vegetation cover in the Huainan mining area. The results are as follows: (1) In different periods, the vegetation cover types were mainly high cover types transferred to other vegetation cover types; (2) human activities are the key factors affecting the vegetation growth, while topographical factor is the most influential factor promoting the vegetation growth; (3) highly consistent CA-Markov and multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) predicted results of vegetation cover in 2030 compared to that in 2021. The proportion of bare soil and low cover types had increased significantly, mainly concentrated in the internal area of the mines. The prediction of the spatiotemporal evolution of vegetation cover in the Huainan mining area and the quantitative change in driving factors are of significant importance for the restoration of the environment in mining areas.

Dilated Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter Predicts Poor Outcome in Acute Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) enlargement occurs in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). However, the relationship between ONSD and prognosis of ICH is uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of ONSD on poor outcome of patients with acute spontaneous ICH. METHODS: We studied 529 consecutive patients with acute spontaneous ICH who underwent initial CT within 6 h of symptom onset between October 2016 and February 2019. The ONSDs were measured 3 mm behind the eyeball on initial CT images. Poor outcome was defined as having a Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score of 1-3, and favorable outcome was defined as having a GOS score of 4-5 at discharge. RESULTS: The ONSD of the poor outcome group was significantly greater than that of the favorable outcome group (5.87 ± 0.86 vs. 5.21 ± 0.69 mm, p < 0.001). ONSD was related to hematoma volume (r = 0.475, p < 0.001). Adjusting other meaningful predictors, ONSD (OR: 2.83; 95% CI: 1.94-4.15) was associated with poor functional outcome by multivariable logistic regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the ONSD improved the accuracy of ultraearly hematoma growth in the prediction of poor outcome (AUC: 0.790 vs. 0.755, p = 0.016). The multivariable logistic regression model with all the meaningful predictors showed a better predictive performance than the model without ONSD (AUC: 0.862 vs. 0.831, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The dilated ONSD measured on initial CT indicated elevated intracranial pressure and poor outcome, so appropriate intervention should be taken in time.

Combination of Morphological and Hemodynamic Parameters for Assessing the Rupture Risk of Intracranial Aneurysms: A Retrospective Study on Mirror Middle Cerebral Artery Aneurysms.

Discordant findings were frequently reported by studies dedicated to exploring the association of morphological/hemodynamic factors with the rupture of intracranial aneurysms (IAs), probably owing to insufficient control of confounding factors. In this study, we aimed to minimize the influences of confounding factors by focusing IAs of interest on mirror aneurysms and, meanwhile, modeling IAs together with the cerebral arterial network to improve the physiological fidelity of hemodynamic simulation. Fifty-two mirror aneurysms located at the middle cerebral artery (MCA) in 26 patients were retrospectively investigated. Numerical tests performed on two randomly selected patients demonstrated that over truncation of cerebral arteries proximal to the MCA during image-based model reconstruction led to uncertain changes in computed values of intra-aneurysmal hemodynamic parameters, which justified the minimal truncation strategy adopted in our study. Five morphological parameters (i.e., volume (V), height (H), dome area (DA), nonsphericity index (NSI), and size ratio (SR)) and two hemodynamic parameters (i.e., peak wall shear stress (WSS) (peakWSS), and pressure loss coefficient (PLc)) were found to differ significantly between the ruptured and unruptured aneurysms and proved by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to have potential value for differentiating the rupture status of aneurysm with the areas under curve (AUCs) ranging from 0.681 to 0.763. Integrating V, SR, peakWSS, and PLc or some of them into regression models considerably improved the classification of aneurysms, elevating AUC up to 0.864, which indicates that morphological and hemodynamic parameters have complementary roles in assessing the risk of aneurysm rupture.

Mercury in sediment reflecting the intensive coal mining activities: Evidence from stable mercury isotopes and Bayesian mixing model analysis.

Severe environmental issues are caused by long-term coal mining activities; however, the process of mercury (Hg) response in mining subsidence area sediments (MSAS) is still unclear, and direct evidence showing the relationship between Hg accumulation mechanism in sediments and mining activities is lacking. In this study, the characteristics of total mercury (THg) content in MSAS were investigated. Moreover, Hg isotopes were obtained to determine the main sources and environmental process of mercury in MSAS, and a MixSIAR mixing model was first used to estimate the potential Hg sources. The THg content ranged from 27.5 to 113.9 ng/g, with a mean of 65.8 ± 29.4 ng/g, exceeding the local soil background value (19.7 ng/g). The Hg in MSAS was affected by clay and organic matter. The Δ199Hg and Δ201Hg in the sediments varied from - 0.05-0.05‰ (mean: -0.01 ± 0.03‰) and - 0.07-0.01‰ (mean: -0.02 ± 0.03‰), respectively, with the fitting results suggesting that a photochemical reaction occurred in some of the Hg in the sediments prior to deposition. The results of the MixSIAR mixing model revealed that the Hg in MSAS was mainly derived from gangue, soil erosion, coal, fly ash, and feed, and their corresponding percentage contribution was 51.5 ± 9.6%, 23.8 ± 13.1%, 13.9 ± 7.9%, 8.1 ± 5.4%, and 3.1 ± 1.4%, respectively. Hg isotopes can be used to trace the transport and transformation of environmental pollutants, and this may provide an important reference for the assessment and prevention of Hg pollution in typical areas such as coal mining and coal-fired.

The effect of nutritional status on clinical outcome in lung transplantation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Nutritional status greatly impacts the clinical outcome of the patients receiving lung transplantation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of nutritional status on the clinical outcome in lung transplant recipients. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A single-center retrospective study was conducted including 73 patients received lung transplantation from December 2015 to April 2022 in the Affiliated Henan Provincial People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University. Data were collected from the hospital information system. The records of BMI, malnutrition defined by the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) diagnostic criteria, hemoglobin and plasma albumin before operation were accessed. The primary outcome assessed was survival or mortality represented by Kaplan-Meier survival curves; the log-rank test and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression were used to evaluate the influence of each factor on survival. RESULTS: Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that malnutrition, hemoglobin and plasma albumin were predictors of survival in lung transplantation (Log Rank p<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression showed that pre-operative hemoglobin <130 g/L (HR 2.532, p=0.036) and plasma albumin <35 g/L (HR 2.723, p=0.016) were associated with the decreased survival rate. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative anemia and hypoalbuminemia increase the mortality risk of the lung transplantation patients. Pre-operative nutrition support, therefore, is likely to be critical for improving clinical outcome in patients undergoing lung transplantation.

The Anti-Constipation Effects of Raffino-Oligosaccharide on Gut Function in Mice Using Neurotransmitter Analyses, 16S rRNA Sequencing and Targeted Screening.

Raffino-oligosaccharide (ROS), the smallest oligosaccharide of the raffinose family, is a novel food ingredient. However, the anti-constipation effects of ROS remain obscure. This study investigates the anti-constipation effects of ROS based on the loperamide-induced mice model and reveals the underlying mechanism using constipation parameters, neurotransmitter level, 16S rRNA sequencing, and the targeted screening strategy. The prevention effects were firstly investigated by the gastro-intestinal transit rate experiment (50 mice) and defecation status experiment (50 mice), which were divided into five groups (n = 10/group): blank, model, and low-, medium- and high-dose ROS. Furthermore, the slow-transit constipation experiment (blank, model, and high-dose ROS, n = 10/group) was conducted to illustrate the underlying mechanism. The results showed that ROS aided in preventing the occurrence of constipation by improving the gastro-intestinal transit rate and the defecation frequency in mice, and ROS significantly reduced the serum levels of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). In addition, ROS regulated the diversity and structure of intestinal flora. Among them, one specific family and six specific genera were significantly regulated in constipated mice. The targeted screening revealed that 29 targets related to the anti-constipation effects of ROS, indicating ROS may play a role by regulating multiple targets. Furthermore, the network pharmacology analysis showed that Akt1, Stat3, Mapk8, Hsp90aa1, Cat, Alb, Icam1, Sod2, and Gsk3b can be regarded as the core anti-constipation targets. In conclusion, ROS could effectively relieve constipation, possibly by inhibiting the level of neurotransmitters and regulating the gut flora in mice. This study also provides a novel network pharmacology-based targeted screening strategy to reveal the anti-constipation effects of ROS.

Environmental geochemical characteristics of rare-earth elements in surface waters in the Huainan coal mining area, Anhui Province, China.

This study investigated the environmental geochemical characteristics of rare-earth elements (REEs) in surface waters in the Huainan mining area, Anhui Province, China. The REEs concentrations were determined by ICP-MS, and the inorganic species of dissolved REEs in the river and coal mining subsidence area water samples were calculated by using the Visual MINTEQ (version 3.1) code. On this basis, the distribution and geochemical characteristics of REEs in the surface waters were systematically analyzed, and the main inorganic species of REEs were investigated. The results showed the following: (1) The REEs concentrations in the surface waters were relatively low, ranging from 0.1361 to 0.3536 µg/L, and the average ∑REEs concentration was 0.2062 µg/L. Compared with light rare-earth elements (LREEs), heavy rare-earth elements (HREEs) were significantly enriched, with an average enrichment factor of 1.4642. Due to the interaction of high pH values and high cation concentrations, the ∑REEs content in the subsidence area water was significantly lower than that in the river water. (2) The distribution pattern of REEs in the surface waters normalized against the North American Shale Composite (NASC) showed that the REEs in the study area had different degrees of cerium (Ce) and europium (Eu) anomalies. The negative Ce anomalies were probably closely related to the pH conditions, whereas the positive Eu anomalies were mainly attributed to preferential chemical weathering and the dissolution of feldspar minerals. (3) The simulation results obtained by using Visual MINTEQ code showed that the dominant and typically inorganic complex form of REEs in the surface waters was carbonate complexes, and this form was one of the reasons for the enrichment of HREEs in the surface water.

A nomogram to predict rupture risk of middle cerebral artery aneurysm.

BACKGROUND: Determining the rupture risk of unruptured intracranial aneurysm is crucial for treatment strategy. The purpose of this study was to predict the rupture risk of middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms using a machine learning technique. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 403 MCA aneurysms and randomly partitioned them into the training and testing datasets with a ratio of 8:2. A generalized linear model with logit link was developed using training dataset to predict the aneurysm rupture risk based on the clinical variables and morphological features manually measured from computed tomography angiography. To facilitate the clinical application, we further constructed an easy-to-use nomogram based on the developed model. RESULTS: Ruptured MCA aneurysm had larger aneurysm size, aneurysm height, perpendicular height, aspect ratio, size ratio, bottleneck factor, and height-width ratio. Presence of a daughter-sac was more common in ruptured than in unruptured MCA aneurysms. Six features, including aneurysm multiplicity, lobulations, size ratio, bottleneck factor, height-width ratio, and aneurysm angle, were adopted in the model after feature selection. The model achieved a relatively good performance with areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.77 in the training dataset and 0.76 in the testing dataset. The nomogram provided a visual interpretation of our model, and the rupture risk probability of MCA aneurysms can be directly read from it. CONCLUSION: Our model can be used to predict the rupture risk of MCA aneurysm.

Nitrate sources and transformations in surface water of a mining area due to intensive mining activities: Emphasis on effects on distinct subsidence waters.

The increase in NO3- content in surface water caused by intensive mining activities in Huainan City, China, has attracted considerable attention owing to the deterioration of water quality and the degradation of ecosystems in recent years. The Huainan mining area, which is highly disturbed by anthropogenic activities, was selected as a typical observation area, and the surface water was classified as open subsidence water (OSW), closed subsidence water (CSW), and river water (RW). Moreover, the hydrochemical parameters and the δ15N and δ18O values of nitrate were employed to quantitatively trace the sources and biochemical transformation of NO3-, and the contribution ratios of different NO3- sources were estimated using the stable isotope analysis in R based on the Bayesian model. There was evident nitrification in the study area, but no significant denitrification has occurred. A substantial portion of δ15N-NO3- demonstrated complex sources of NO3-. Compared with those of CSW, the NO3- compositions of the OSW approached to those of the RW due to river recharge and discharge, and were greatly affected by anthropogenic activities. The proportional contribution of manure and sewage in the OSW was found to be the highest with a mean value of 39.5 % ± 12.3 %, which was followed by that of mine drainage (mean: 22.1 % ± 13.1 %), chemical fertilizer (mean: 17.5 % ± 10.6 %), and soil organic nitrogen (mean: 17.5 % ± 11.6 %). In the RW, the highest mean contribution of manure sewage was 35.2 % ± 9.7 %, which was followed by that of chemical fertilizer (mean: 29.3 % ± 7.2 %), mine drainage (mean: 23.4 % ± 13.0 %), and soil organic nitrogen (mean: 10.9 % ± 8.3 %). In contrast, the contribution of chemical fertilizer to the CSW was the highest with a mean value of 33.9 % ± 13.6 %, which was followed by that of soil organic nitrogen (mean: 26.5 % ± 13.8 %), mine drainage (mean: 18.1 % ± 11.6 %). Therefore, NO3- in the surface water of the mining area primarily originates from chemical fertilizers and manure sewage. In addition, the contribution of mine drainage to nitrate in the study area indicates the potential impact of mining activities on surface water. These findings highlight the value of classifying different types of surface water in tracing NO3- contamination sources, and provide relevant theoretical basis for tracing nitrate sources in other areas.

Thermochemical and Toxic Element Behavior during Co-Combustion of Coal and Municipal Sludge.

The thermochemical and kinetic behavior of co-combustion of coal, municipal sludge (MS) and their blends at different ratios were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis. Simulation experiments were performed in a vacuum tube furnace to determine the conversion behavior of toxic elements. The results show that the combustion processes of the blends of coal and municipal sludge are divided into three stages and the combustion curves of the blends are located between those of individual coal and municipal sludge samples. The DTGmax of the sample with 10% sludge addition reaches a maximum at the heating rate of 20 °C/min, indicating that the combustion characteristics of coal can be improved during co-combustion. Strong interactions were observed between coal and municipal sludge during the co-combustion. The volatilization rates of toxic elements decrease with an increasing proportion of sludge in the blends during co-combustion, which indicates that the co-combustion of coal and sludge can effectively reduce the volatilization rate of toxic elements. The study reflects the potential of municipal sludge as a blended fuel and the environmental effects of co-combustion of coal and municipal sludge.

Relationship between body composition indicators and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Chinese adults.

BACKGROUND: Body composition is a crucial factor associated with the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, no study on this relationship has been performed in the Chinese population. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between body composition indicators and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus among Chinese adults undergoing medical examination. METHODS: Between January 2018 and July 2018, a retrospective cross-sectional study was performed on 3367 (2307 male and 1060 female) participants aged ≥18 years undergoing medical examination in Zhengzhou. Logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the relationship between body composition indicators and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to calculate cutoff points and the predictive power of each indicator. RESULTS: Among the 3367 participants, 12.53% were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Multivariate logistic analysis indicated that male participants (odds ratio [OR] = 1.68, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.29-2.19), older participants (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.04-1.06), participants with a waist-to-hip ratio above the reference value (OR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.18-2.07), participants with body fat percentage above the reference value (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.01-2.68), and participant with a large visceral fat area (OR = 1.01, 95% CI: 1.01-1.02) had a high risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Waist-to-hip ratio, body fat percentage, and visceral fat area were the best indicators of type 2 diabetes mellitus (P < 0.001) with cutoff values of 0.90, 25.02%, and 92.00 cm2, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study suggests a predictive relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus and body composition indicators of waist-to-hip ratio, body fat percentage, and visceral fat area, which are valuable for screening diabetes and providing effective health education and behavioral intervention for high-risk populations.

Protective effect of hawthorn extract against genotoxicity induced by benzo()pyrene in C57BL/6 mice.

Benzo()pyrene [B()P], widely originated from environmental pollution or food process such as roasting and frying, is a strong mutagen and potent carcinogen. Utilization of hawthorn has been reported against physical mutagens. Our study found that hawthorn extract (HE) contained abundant phenolic compounds, wherein chlorogenic acid was 2.78 mg/g, procyanidine B2 was 3.58 mg/g, epicatechin was 2.99 mg/g DW, which may contribute to anti-genotoxicity activity. So, the role of HE against B()P-induced genotoxicity in C57BL/6 mice was further assessed. Fifty mice were distributed into five groups: control group, B()P group (30 mg/kg, i.p.), B()P + HE-L group (100 mg/kg, i.g.), B()P + HE-M group (200 mg/kg, i.g.), B()P + HE-H group (400 mg/kg, i.g.). Mice were orally administered with solutions of HE for 10 days and injected intraperitoneally with B()P for 3 days from the 8th day. Results showed that B()P can induce significantly pathological damage in liver, lung and spleen, as well as decrease white blood cells (WBCs). Remarkably elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA strand breaks (DSBs) and G1 cell cycle arrest were also found in B()P group, with upregulated expressions of p-H2AX, p-p53 and p21 in bone marrow cells. With administration of HE, liver, lung and spleen injury significantly mitigated, while WBCs were evidently increased in B()P-treated mice. Consistently, HE markedly reduced level of ROS, DSBs and G1 cell cycle arrest accompanied by reducing expressions of p-H2AX, p-p53 and p21 in bone marrow cells. Combined, these results indicated a protective role of HE on B()P-induced genotoxicity.

Work stress and the risk of cancer: A meta-analysis of observational studies.

Epidemiological studies have explored the relationship between work stress and the risk of cancer, but it remains unclear on whether work stress could increase the risk of cancer, or by other factors such as smoking and physical activity. Our study aimed to investigate the association between work stress and the risk of cancer and in relation to major potential confounding and modifying factors. We systematically searched three electronic databases, hand-searched references and citations of retrieved articles, and consulted experts to identify studies on assessing the association between work stress and the risk of cancer. The relative risks (RRs) of cancer associated with work stress were estimated using a random-effects model, and stratified by exposure measurement, study design, gender, study location, cancer site, smoking, drinking, body mass index, and physical activity. A total of 281,290 participants were included in this analysis. The significant association between work stress and the risk of colorectal (RR = 1.36; 95%CI: 1.16-1.59), lung (RR = 1.24; 95%CI: 1.02-1.49), and esophagus (RR = 2.12; 95%CI: 1.30-3.47) cancers were found. A statistically significant effect of work stress on colorectal cancer risk was observed in North America (RR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.23-1.86, but not significant in Europe (RR = 1.16, 95% CI: 0.90-1.48). By contrast, a significant association between work stress and esophagus cancer was found in Europe, but not in North America. In addition, we did not observe any association between work stress and the risk of prostate, breast, or ovarian cancers. Findings of our study show that work stress is an important risk factor for colorectal, lung, and esophagus cancers. General public should be aware of the increased risk of cancer in employers with work stress. More efforts should be focused on understanding and studying the potential mechanisms which would help to identify employees at higher risk of these cancers.

Protective effects of polydatin against sulfur mustard-induced hepatic injury.

Sulfur mustard (SM) is a chemical warfare agent that was applied in a series of military conflicts and still poses a severe threat to civilians and military personnel. Although the cellular and molecular mechanisms of SM toxicity are still not fully understood, oxidative stress has been considered as the initial vital process for damage. Polydatin, the product of resveratrol and glucose, is a promising candidate for the treatment of oxidative stress-related diseases. However, its effects on SM-induced hepatic injury remain unknown. Thus, we investigated the protective effects of polydatin against SM-induced hepatic injury and its possible mechanism. We found that treatment with polydatin remarkably improved the survival rate of mice bear subcutaneously injected with SM. Polydatin decreased the SM-induced increase of serum aminotransferase levels and ameliorated hepatic pathological damage. We also found that indexes of oxidative stress were improved in mouse liver samples and L02 cells. Meanwhile, changes in the Sirtuin family after treatment with SM were explored in mice and cells since polydatin is a potent activator of Sirt1 and Sirt3. Polydatin significantly increased the expression of Sirt1, HO-1, and NQO1; and the nuclear translocation of Nrf2 in mouse liver and L02 cells. Furthermore, we also observed that either Sirt1 or Nrf2 knockdown abolished the protective effect of polydatin. Our data indicated that polydatin could provide protection against SM-induced hepatic injury through the Sirt1/Nrf2 pathway, suggesting that polydatin is a novel potential antidote for sulfur mustard.

Seasonal and spatial variations of PM10-bounded PAHs in a coal mining city, China: Distributions, sources, and health risks.

Atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emitted from coal combustion has become the major contributor of atmospheric PAHs in China and caused worldwide concern due to their adverse effects on human health and ecosystem. In this work, the abundance, distribution, source and health risk assessment of ambient PM10-bounded PAHs were studied in all seasons from a typical coal resource city in China. The spatial distribution characteristics of PM10-bounded PAHs were also investigated, which cover 6 functional zones including industrial area, mining area, commercial district, education area, residential area and control area, respectively. The average concentrations (in ng/m3) of 16 EPA priority PAHs in PM10 in spring, summer, autumn and winter were 194 ±â€¯11.1, 161 ±â€¯14.0, 183 ±â€¯14.1 and 213 ±â€¯19.2, respectively, and with an annual average of 188 ±â€¯21.8. The composition distribution of PM10-bounded PAHs in each functional zone showed that 4-rings PAHs were dominated in all seasons, followed by 3-rings and 5-rings. Principal component analysis (PCA) and diagnostic ratio indicated that the main PAH sources were coal combustion, traffic and biomass combustion. Health risk assessment analysis (BEQ) suggested that the residential exposure to PAHs in the mining and commercial areas, particularly in winter season, may pose a greater cancer risk than people living in other parts of Huainan city. The maximum BEQ values were found at mining and commercial areas, which were mainly influenced by the emissions from gasoline or diesel vehicles, coal and biomass combustion. Both inhalation and skin contact have great influence on the cancer risk of residents in Huainan city.

Prediction of rupture risk in anterior communicating artery aneurysms with a feed-forward artificial neural network.

OBJECTIVES: Anterior communicating artery (ACOM) aneurysms are the most common intracranial aneurysms, and predicting their rupture risk is challenging. We aimed to predict this risk using a two-layer feed-forward artificial neural network (ANN). MATERIALS AND METHOD: 594 ACOM aneurysms, 54 unruptured and 540 ruptured, were reviewed. A two-layer feed-forward ANN was designed for ACOM aneurysm rupture-risk analysis. To improve ANN efficiency, an adaptive synthetic (ADASYN) sampling approach was applied to generate more synthetic data for unruptured aneurysms. Seventeen parameters (13 morphological parameters of ACOM aneurysm measured from these patients' CT angiography (CTA) images, two demographic factors, and hypertension and smoking histories) were adopted as ANN input. RESULTS: Age, vessel size, aneurysm height, perpendicular height, aneurysm neck size, aspect ratio, size ratio, aneurysm angle, vessel angle, aneurysm projection, A1 segment configuration, aneurysm lobulations and hypertension were significantly different between the ruptured and unruptured groups. Areas under the ROC curve for training, validating, testing and overall data sets were 0.953, 0.937, 0.928 and 0.950, respectively. Overall prediction accuracy for raw 594 samples was 94.8 %. CONCLUSION: This ANN presents good performance and offers a valuable tool for prediction of rupture risk in ACOM aneurysms, which may facilitate management of unruptured ACOM aneurysms. KEY POINTS: • A feed-forward ANN was designed for the prediction of rupture risk in ACOM aneurysms. • Two demographic parameters, 13 morphological aneurysm parameters, and hypertension/smoking history were acquired. • An ADASYN sampling approach was used to improve ANN quality. • Overall prediction accuracy of 94.8 % for the raw samples was achieved.

An off-on fluorescent probe for the detection of mitochondria-specific protein persulfidation.

Protein persulfidation is a newly defined oxidative posttranslational modification and plays important roles in many biological processes. Detection of protein persulfidation in living systems is urgently needed to advance the study of H2S/H2Sn-based signalling and cellular redox regulation. Here, we developed a novel off-on fluorescent probe for the detection of persulfidation using a chemical sensor, HQO-SSH, in biological systems. HQO-SSH features fast reaction, good selectivity and high sensitivity. Due to the distinctive features of HQO-SSH, this probe was successfully applied to image protein persulfidation changes in pulmonary cells. We also demonstrated that the probe is suitable for imaging protein persulfidation in lung tissues. In addition, confocal imaging with this method revealed that sulfur mustard, a commonly used chemical warfare agent, decreased mitochondrial protein persulfidation in living lung cells and tissues. Due to these results, this probe holds great promise for exploring the role of protein persulfidation in a variety of pathophysiological conditions.

Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in lipopolysaccharide-induced mouse fatigue and its relevance to chronic fatigue syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The NLRP3 inflammasome (NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3) is an intracellular protein complex that plays an important role in innate immune sensing. Its activation leads to the maturation of caspase-1 and regulates the cleavage of interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-18. Various studies have shown that activation of the immune system plays a pivotal role in the development of fatigue. However, the mechanisms underlying the association between immune activation and fatigue remained elusive, and few reports have described the involvement of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in fatigue. METHODS: We established a mouse fatigue model with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 3 mg/kg) challenge combined with swim stress. Both behavioural and biochemical parameters were measured to illustrate the characteristics of this model. We also assessed NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the mouse diencephalon, which is the brain region that has been suggested to be responsible for fatigue sensation. To further identify the role of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the pathogenesis of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), NLRP3 KO mice were also subjected to LPS treatment and swim stress, and the same parameters were evaluated. RESULTS: Mice challenged with LPS and subjected to the swim stress test showed decreased locomotor activity, decreased fall-off time in a rota-rod test and increased serum levels of IL-1ß and IL-6 compared with untreated mice. Serum levels of lactic acid and malondialdehyde (MDA) were not significantly altered in the treated mice. We demonstrated increased NLRP3 expression, IL-1ß production and caspase-1 activation in the diencephalons of the treated mice. In NLRP3 KO mice, we found remarkably increased locomotor activity with longer fall-off times and decreased serum IL-1ß levels compared with those of wild-type (WT) mice after LPS challenge and the swim stress test. IL-1ß levels in the diencephalon were also significantly decreased in the NLRP3 KO mice. By contrast, IL-6 levels were not significantly altered. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that LPS-induced fatigue is an IL-1ß-dependent process and that the NLRP3/caspase-1 pathway is involved in the mechanisms of LPS-induced fatigue behaviours. NLRP3/caspase-1 inhibition may be a promising therapy for fatigue treatment.