Sulfur-Containing Persistent Free Radicals and Reactive Species on Photoaged Microplastics: Identification and the Formation Mechanism.

The elemental composition may affect the persistent free radical (PFR) and reactive species (RS) formation associated with photoaging microplastics; however, a relevant study is still lacking. This study systematically investigated the formation, evolution, and types of PFRs and RS on sulfur-containing microplastics (S-MPs) under simulated sunlight. Electron paramagnetic resonance detection and power saturation curve analysis isolated three different PFRs on each photoaging poly(phenylene sulfide) (PPS) and polysulfone (PSF). Combining the results of characterization and density functional theory calculation, these observed PFRs on the irradiated S-MPs were classified as oxygen-centered radicals with an adjacent S atom (namely, thio-oxygen radicals), oxygen-centered and sulfur-centered radicals, where the thio-oxygen radicals on PPS were benzenethiol-like radicals, and oxygen-centered radicals and sulfur-centered radicals on PSF that were identified as benzenesulfonic-like radicals and phenyl sulfonyl-like radicals, respectively. Moreover, potential precursor molecule fragments of PFRs on the photoaging S-MPs, including p-toluenesulfinic acid and benzenesulfonic acid, were detected by pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Interestingly, reactive sulfur species (SO3•-) was also observed on irradiated S-MPs in addition to reactive oxygen species, which was mainly derived from the reaction of •OH and sulfonyl radicals. These results have implications for assessing the potential risks of atmospheric S-MPs.

Overall thermal sensation and comfort prediction with different model combinations: Cold and hot step-change environments in winter.

Currently, numerous thermal comfort models have been proposed; however, research on the combination of different models is lacking. This study aims to predict the overall thermal sensation (OTS*) and thermal comfort (OTC*) with different model combinations under hot and cold step changes. Three cold- and hot-shock processes are designed in the climate chamber. Accordingly, the skin temperature, thermal sensation, and thermal comfort votes of 16 participants are collected. The impacts of winter hot and cold step changes on subjective votes and skin temperatures are evaluated. Further, the OTS* and OTC* values are calculated, and their accuracy under different model combinations is analyzed. The results reveal that thermal sensation changes in human body exhibit distinct asymmetry under the cold and hot step-changes, except for the cycle of "15-30-15 °C" (I15). The parts farther from the core area become more asymmetrical after the step changes. The single models exhibit the highest accuracy in different model combinations. The combined form of a single model is recommended for thermal sensation or comfort prediction.

Data Augmentation of a Corrosion Dataset for Defect Growth Prediction of Pipelines Using Conditional Tabular Generative Adversarial Networks.

Due to corrosion characteristics, there are data scarcity and uneven distribution in corrosion datasets, and collecting high-quality data is time-consuming and sometimes difficult. Therefore, this work introduces a novel data augmentation strategy using a conditional tabular generative adversarial network (CTGAN) for enhancing corrosion datasets of pipelines. Firstly, the corrosion dataset is subjected to data cleaning and variable correlation analysis. The CTGAN is then used to generate external environmental factors as input variables for corrosion growth prediction, and a hybrid model based on machine learning is employed to generate corrosion depth as an output variable. The fake data are merged with the original data to form the synthetic dataset. Finally, the proposed data augmentation strategy is verified by analyzing the synthetic dataset using different visualization methods and evaluation indicators. The results show that the synthetic and original datasets have similar distributions, and the data augmentation strategy can learn the distribution of real corrosion data and sample fake data that are highly similar to the real data. Predictive models trained on the synthetic dataset perform better than predictive models trained using only the original dataset. In comparative tests, the proposed strategy outperformed other data generation methods.

Impact of circadian clock protein Bmal1 on experimentally-induced periodontitis-associated renal injury.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the mechanism of circadian clock protein Bmal1 (Bmal1) on renal injury with chronic periodontitis, we established an experimental rat periodontitis model. METHODS: Twelve male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control and periodontitis groups (n=6, each group). The first maxillary molars on both sides of the upper jaw of rats with periodontitis were ligated by using orthodontic ligature wires, whereas the control group received no intervention measures. After 8 weeks, clinical periodontal parameters, including probing depth, bleeding index, and tooth mobility, were evaluated in both groups. Micro-CT scanning and three-dimensional image reconstruction were performed on the maxillary bones of the rats for the assessment of alveolar bone resorption. Histopatholo-gical observations of periodontal and renal tissues were conducted using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining. Renal function indicators, such as creatinine, albumin, and blood urea nitrogen levels, and oxidative stress markers, including superoxide dismutase, glutathione, and malondialdehyde levels, were measured using biochemical assay kits. MitoSOX red staining was used to detect reactive oxygen species (ROS) content in the kidneys. The gene and protein expression levels of Bmal1, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in rat renal tissues were assessed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: Micro-CT and HE staining results showed significant bone resorption and attachment loss in the maxillary first molar region of the periodontitis group. Histological examination through HE and PAS staining revealed substantial histopathological damage to the renal tissues of the rats in the periodontitis group. The findings of the assessment of renal function and oxidative stress markers indicated that the periodontitis group exhibited abnormal levels of oxidative stress, whereas the renal function levels showed abnormalities without statistical significance. MitoSOX Red staining results showed that the content of ROS in the renal tissue of the periodontitis group was significantly higher than that of the control group, and RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry results showed that the expression levels of Bmal1, Nrf2, and HO-1 in the renal tissues of the rats in the periodontitis group showed a decreasing trend. CONCLUSIONS: Circadian clock protein Bmal1 plays an important role in the oxidative damage process involved in the renal of rats with periodontitis.

Odor Fingerprinting of Chitosan and Source Identification of Commercial Chitosan: HS-GC-IMS, Multivariate Statistical Analysis, and Tracing Path Study.

Chitosan samples were prepared from the shells of marine animals (crab and shrimp) and the cell walls of fungi (agaricus bisporus and aspergillus niger). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to detect their molecular structures, while headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS) was employed to analyze their odor composition. A total of 220 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including esters, ketones, aldehydes, etc., were identified as the odor fingerprinting components of chitosan for the first time. A principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that chitosan could be effectively identified and classified based on its characteristic VOCs. The sum of the first three principal components explained 87% of the total variance in original information. An orthogonal partial least squares discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA) model was established for tracing and source identification purposes, demonstrating excellent performance with fitting indices R2X = 0.866, R2Y = 0.996, Q2 = 0.989 for independent variable fitting and model prediction accuracy, respectively. By utilizing OPLS-DA modeling along with a heatmap-based tracing path study, it was found that 29 VOCs significantly contributed to marine chitosan at a significance level of VIP > 1.00 (p < 0.05), whereas another set of 20 VOCs specifically associated with fungi chitosan exhibited notable contributions to its odor profile. These findings present a novel method for identifying commercial chitosan sources, which can be applied to ensure biological safety in practical applications.

A gene signature linked to fibroblast differentiation for prognostic prediction of mesothelioma.

BACKGROUND: Malignant mesothelioma is a type of infrequent tumor that is substantially related to asbestos exposure and has a terrible prognosis. We tried to produce a fibroblast differentiation-related gene set for creating a novel classification and prognostic prediction model of MESO. METHOD: Three databases, including NCBI-GEO, TCGA, and MET-500, separately provide single-cell RNA sequencing data, bulk RNA sequencing profiles of MESO, and RNA sequencing information on bone metastatic tumors. Dimensionality reduction and clustering analysis were leveraged to acquire fibroblast subtypes in the MESO microenvironment. The fibroblast differentiation-related genes (FDGs), which were associated with survival and subsequently utilized to generate the MESO categorization and prognostic prediction model, were selected in combination with pseudotime analysis and survival information from the TCGA database. Then, regulatory network was constructed for each MESO subtype, and candidate inhibitors were predicted. Clinical specimens were collected for further validation. RESULT: A total of six fibroblast subtypes, three differentiation states, and 39 FDGs were identified. Based on the expression level of FDGs, three MESO subtypes were distinguished in the fibroblast differentiation-based classification (FDBC). In the multivariate prognostic prediction model, the risk score that was dependent on the expression level of several important FDGs, was verified to be an independently effective prognostic factor and worked well in internal cohorts. Finally, we predicted 24 potential drugs for the treatment of MESO. Moreover, immunohistochemical staining and statistical analysis provided further validation. CONCLUSION: Fibroblast differentiation-related genes (FDGs), especially those in low-differentiation states, might participate in the proliferation and invasion of MESO. Hopefully, the raised clinical subtyping of MESO would provide references for clinical practitioners.

Multi-scale modeling of natural organic matter-heavy metal cations interactions: Aggregation and stabilization mechanisms.

Interaction between natural organic matters (NOM) and heavy metal cations in aqueous environment are of great significance for maintaining stability of organic carbon and restraining transport of heavy metal contaminants in (bio)geochemical processes. We systematically explore the aggregation process and complexation between NOM and heavy metal cations (Ag+, Cd2+, Pb2+, Zn2+, Eu3+) under different pH condition by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, umbrella sampling method, and quantum chemistry calculations. The character of molecular structures NOM-heavy metal complexes and association are quantified. In acidic pH condition, aggregation proceeds via H-bonding and π-π interactions between NOM fragments. In neutral condition, Ag+, Cd2+, Pb2+, and Eu3+ can form inner-sphere complexes with the surface carboxylic groups and therefore reduce intermolecular charge repulsion, eventually leading to NOM aggregation, and it shows that even without direct binding, the outer-sphere adsorbed Zn2+ can also result in the formation of NOM assemble through H-bonding. Consequently, these heavy metals are capable of promoting NOM aggregation regardless of the complexing ways. Complexing free energy calculations characterized the dynamic processes of cations binding to the carboxylic groups of NOM fragment and the related energy landscape. This study provides quantitative insights for understanding the environmental processes of heavy metals and cycle of C in aquatic ecosystem, and contributes to developing environment-friendly strategies for controlling heavy metal contaminants.

Global trends in research on oxidative stress associated with periodontitis from 1987 to 2022: A bibliometric analysis.

Background: Oxidative stress has been implicated in many chronic inflammatory diseases, including periodontitis. To date, however, only a few bibliometric analyses have systematically studied this field. This work sought to visualize research hot spots and trends in oxidative stress associated with periodontitis from 1987 to 2022 through bibliometric approaches. Methods: The Web of Science Core Collection was searched to retrieve relevant publications. HistCite, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace were used to perform bibliometric analysis visually in terms of annual output, active countries, prolific institutions, authors, core journals, co-cited references, and co-occurrence of keywords. Results: A total of 1654 documents were selected for analysis. From 1 January 1987 to 11 June 2022, the number of annual publications related to oxidative stress in periodontitis exhibited an upward trend. The most prolific country was China with 322 documents, but the United States had 11334 citations. Okayama University, University of Birmingham, and Sichuan University were the most active and contributive institutions. The Journal of Periodontology ranked first in terms of numbers of publications and citations. Ekuni was the most prolific author, while Chapple ranked first among co-cited authors. The Role of Reactive Oxygen and Antioxidant Species in Periodontal Tissue Destruction published by Chapple was the most frequently co-cited reference. Keywords co-occurrence showed that oxidative stress was closely related to inflammation, antioxidants, and diabetes. Conclusion: Our research found that global publications regarding research on oxidative stress associated with periodontitis increased dramatically and were expected to continue increasing. Inflammation and oxidative stress, and the relationship between periodontitis and systemic diseases, are topics worthy of attention.

Association of sleep duration and sleep quality with the risk of metabolic syndrome in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The association between sleep duration and metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains controversial, and few have considered the effects of sleep quality. We performed a meta-analysis to clarify the relationship of sleep duration and sleep quality with the risk of MetS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a systematic and comprehensive literature search of electronic databases from inception to 17 February 2022. The effect sizes of covariates from each study were pooled using a random or fixed model, and a restricted cubic spline random-effects meta-analysis was performed to examine the dose-response relationship between sleep duration and MetS. RESULTS: A total of 62 studies were included in this meta-analysis. Compared to normal sleep duration, short sleep duration [odds ratio (OR) = 1.14, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10-1.19] and long sleep duration (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.09-1.23) were associated with an increased risk of MetS. The restricted cubic spline analysis indicated that sleep durations of 8.5 h (OR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.97) and 11 h (OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.31-1.91) were significantly associated with the risk of MetS. The pooled results showed that poor sleep quality (OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.03-2.06) and sleep complaints had significant positive associations with MetS. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that short sleep duration increased the risk of developing MetS. Long sleep duration was also associated with MetS, especially for 11 h. 8.5 h can be considered the recommended sleep duration for MetS. Poor sleep quality and sleep complaints were also associated with MetS.

Effect of Metabolic Health and Obesity Phenotype on Risk of Diabetes Mellitus: A Population-Based Longitudinal Study.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic evidence on body mass index (BMI)-metabolic status phenotypes and diabetes risk remains controversial, especially for metabolically healthy obesity (MHO). We aimed to examine the effect of metabolic health and obesity phenotype on diabetes risk in the Chinese population. METHODS: A population-based cohort study was carried out. The baseline survey was conducted in 2017, with two follow-up visits in 2018 and 2020. Diabetes was defined based on the criteria of the World Health Organization. Robust generalized estimating equation models with a binary distribution using a log link and exchange structure were applied for the pooled analysis sample. RESULTS: A total sample of 9623 observations was pooled for the longitudinal data analysis. The average follow-up time was 1.64 years per person and the overall incidence density of diabetes was 6.94% person-years. Decreased diabetes risk was found in metabolically healthy overweight phenotype (RR = 0.65; 95% CI = 0.47-0.90) and no significant associations were detected for the MHO individuals (RR = 0.99; 95% CI = 0.63-1.53) compared with those of metabolically healthy normal weight, in contrast to metabolically unhealthy normal weight (MU-NW) (RR = 1.81; 95% CI = 1.28-2.55), metabolically unhealthy overweight (MU-OW) (RR = 2.02; 95% CI = 1.57-2.61) and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) (RR = 2.48; 95% CI = 1.89-3.26) phenotypes. Significant associations between BMI-metabolic status phenotypes and diabetes were found in both males and females. CONCLUSION: The MUO phenotype needs to be accorded much more importance. MU-NW and MU-OW are also important component for targeted prevention. Our findings can be targeted for optimizing preventive strategies to mitigate the obviously increased prevalence of diabetes.

[Effect of exchange of tracheal tube for laryngeal mask airway(LMA) on intratracheal extubation stress response under deep anesthesia level after surgery in elderly patients with hypertension].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of exchange of tracheal tube for a laryngeal mask airway (LMA) on intratracheal extubation stress response under deep anesthesia level after surgery in elderly patients with hypertension. METHODS: From October 2008 to June 2009, 40 hypertension patients aged from 65 to 78 years scheduled for upper abdominal surgery were randomly divided into 2 groups, one was extubated intratracheal tube when being awake (group TT, n = 20) and the other was extubated and exchanged for LMA under deep anesthesia (group LM, n = 20). The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) of the patients were I o rII. The data of mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate(HR), pulse oxygen saturation (SPO(2)), end-tidal carbon dioxide tension (P(ET)CO(2)) and rate pressure product(RPP) were recorded before induction of anesthesia (T(0)), suction (T(1)) and at 0 (T(2)), 5(T(3)), and 10 (T(4)) and 15 min (T(5)) after extubation tracheal tube or LMA in two groups. The indices mentioned above also were recorded before and after extubation in group LM. Blood samples were taken at T(0), skin incision, T(2), T(3), for determination of serum concentrations of blood glucose and cortisol. The airway adverse events in the recovery period were recorded. RESULTS: Compared with group LM, MAP, HR and RPP were significantly higher at T(1), T(2), T(3) than T(0) in group TT (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the indices mentioned above during extubated intratracheal tube and exchanged for LMA under deep anesthesia in group LM (P > 0.05). The incidence rate of glossoptosis in group TT was significantly higher than those in group LM (P < 0.01), while complications, such as cough, bucking, breath holding during the recovery stage in group TT were more than those in group LM (P < 0.05). Compared with the baseline value, blood glucose and cortisol concentration level were significantly increased in group TT than in group LM (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Exchange of tracheal tube for LMA under deep anesthesia during recovery stage can decrease the stress response during the recovery stage and attenuate the harmful response of respiratory tract. It is suitable for the elderly patients with hypertension.