Plasma-Induced Oxygen Defect Engineering in Perovskite Oxide for Boosting Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

Perovskite oxides are considered highly promising candidates for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts due to their low cost and adaptable electronic structure. However, modulating the electronic structure of catalysts without altering their nanomorphology is crucial for understanding the structure-property relationship. In this study, a simple plasma bombardment strategy is developed to optimize the catalytic activity of perovskite oxides. Experimental characterization of plasma-treated LaCo0.9Fe0.1O3 (P-LCFO) reveals abundant oxygen vacancies, which expose numerous active sites. Additionally, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption fine structure analyses indicate a low Co valence state in P-LCFO, likely due to the presence of these oxygen vacancies, which contributes to an optimized electronic structure that enhances OER performance. Consequently, P-LCFO exhibits significantly improved OER catalytic activity, with a low overpotential of 294 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm-2, outperforming commercial RuO2. This work underscores the benefits of plasma engineering for studying structure-property relationships and developing highly active perovskite oxide catalysts for water splitting.

Fusion of two homoleptic truncated tetrahedra into a heteroleptic truncated octahedron.

The exploration of novel structures and structural transformation of supramolecular assemblies is of vital importance for their functions and applications. Herein, based on coordination-driven self-assembly, we prepare a neutral truncated tetrahedron and a heteroleptic truncated octahedron, whose structures are unambiguously confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. More importantly, the truncated tetrahedron is quantitatively transformed into the truncated octahedron through its fusion with another cationic truncated tetrahedron, as evidenced by fluorescence, mass and NMR spectroscopy. This study not only deepens our understanding of the process of supramolecular fusion but also opens up possibilities for the subsequent preparation of advanced supramolecular assemblies with complex structures and integrated functions.

Exploring Naturally Tailored Bacterial Outer Membrane Vesicles for Selective Bacteriostatic Implant Coatings.

In treating infectious diseases, achieving selective bacterial inhibition is crucial for preserving the microecological equilibrium. The current approaches predominantly rely on synthetic materials tailored to specific bacteria, considering their cell walls or oxygen requirements. Herein, inspired by intricate bacterial communication, a natural implant is proposed coating utilizing bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), essential components in bacterial signaling, integrated onto diverse implant surfaces through a universal poly (tannic acid) bridging layer. This coating is homogenous and stable, unexpectedly promoting the proliferation of parental bacteria while inhibiting heterologous bacteria both in vitro and in vivo. Through high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis, the selective bacteriostatic ability arises from OMVs, upregulating anti-oxidative stress genes in heterologous bacteria and activating biofilm-related genes in parental bacteria. This study positions OMVs as an appealing biomaterial for selective bacterial inhibition through a biological approach, showcasing their potential in regulating the microecological balance through a natural interface modification strategy.

Photo-crosslinking methacrylated-amylopectin/polyacrylamide hydrogels loading curcumin for applications as degradable, injectable, and antibacterial wound dressings.

The preparation of biodegradable and antibacterial hydrogels has important clinical value. In this work, a novel strategy has been developed to prepare degradable hydrogel dressings without chemical crosslinking agent using methacrylate anhydride (MA)-modified amylopectin (APMA) and polyacrylamide (PAM). After introducing CC bonds, APMA/PAM hydrogels can be formed under light irradiation. This strategy improves the gelling ability of AP and degradation properties of the hydrogel by avoiding the addition of crosslinking agent. The degradation rate of APMA/PAM hydrogel is 74.04 ± 0.69 % within 12 weeks, while that of APMA/PAM hydrogel containing crosslinking agent is only 38.5 ± 0.1 %. The APMA/PAM hydrogel loading curcumin (Cur) (APMA/PAM-Cur) exhibits high antibacterial efficiency of 98.29 ± 0.41 % and 97.18 ± 0.81 % against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively, with light irradiation. Animal experiments show that the APMA/PAM-Cur hydrogel reduces the infiltration of inflammatory factors, increases the density of collagen, and makes the newly formed granulation tissue thicker and tighter. This study not only proves the promising potential of the APMA/PAM-Cur hydrogel as degradable and antibacterial wound dressing for clinical treatment, but also provides a new strategy for developing low-cost, degradable, and antibacterial wound dressings and reducing antibiotic abuse and environmental pollution caused by medical waste.

Embryo thermal manipulation modifies development and hepatic lipid metabolism in post-hatch layer-type chicks.

Incubation temperature is a crucial environmental factor affecting embryonic development and chick quality. Metabolism during the embryonic stage, particularly liver lipid metabolism, is essential for the growth and development of poultry. This study aimed to investigate the effects of embryo thermal manipulation with high (TMH, 39.5 °C, 65% RH, 8 h/d) and low (TML, 20 °C, 65% RH, 1 h/d) temperatures during 8th to 15th embryonic age on hatching performance and liver lipid metabolism in layer chicks. Additionally, the duration of TM effects was evaluated through a short-term feeding trial. The results indicated that TMH accelerated the hatching process without significantly affecting hatchability and growth performance. In contrast, TML delayed hatching time and significantly reduced hatchability and chick quality. After hatching, TML also increased residual yolk weight and reduced the relative liver weight in relation to body weight and yolk-free body mass. Moreover, lipid droplets in the liver were stained with Oil Red O, and the lipid content in the liver and serum was further detected. TMH had no significant impact on triglyceride (TG) and total-cholesterol (TCHO) content in the liver and serum but upregulated the expression of lipogenesis-related genes ACC, Fas, and Fatp1 compared to the TML group. Conversely, TML significantly reduced liver TG content, enhanced lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity, and promoted the expression of lipid oxidation-related genes CPT-1, PGC-1α, and PPARα. At 7 d of age, liver LPL activity was significantly increased in the TMH group. However, there were no significant changes in the content of TG and TCHO in the liver and the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes in the TML group. Overall, these results indicate that embryonic TM alters hatching performance and liver lipid metabolism in layer chicks. TML reduces TG content by increasing liver lipid oxidation capacity. However, this effect is not long-lasting, as the influence of TM diminishes as the chicks develop.

Incubation temperature is a crucial environmental factor affecting embryonic development and chick quality. The liver is the primary tissue of lipid metabolism in poultry. During incubation, it is responsible for converting yolk fatty acids into forms usable by the embryo. However, it remains unclear whether changes in embryonic incubation temperature can affect liver lipid utilization. This study aimed to investigate the effects of embryo thermal manipulation with high temperature and low temperature on the hatching performance and liver lipid metabolism of layer chicks. The results showed that high incubation temperature had limited effects on hatchability and liver lipid metabolism, while low incubation temperatures not only delayed hatching time and significantly reduced hatchability, but also altered liver lipid metabolism and promoted the expression of genes related to lipid oxidation. However, these changes weakened or even disappeared as the chicks grew. This suggests that while embryo thermal manipulation affects the hatching performance and liver lipid metabolism of layer-type chicks, these effects are not persistent.

Association between perfluoroalkyl substances and breast cancer on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Database and meta-analysis.

The relationship between perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and the risk of breast cancer has been controversial. Here, we used the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database and a meta-analysis to examine the association between PFASs and breast cancer incidence. From the NHANES database, we obtained data on PFASs and breast cancer from 2003 to 2014. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and PsycINFO from the establishment of the databases to August 24, 2023, for research on PFASs related to breast cancer. A meta-analysis was performed using Stata 12.0. A total of 1430 subjects aged 20 years or older were selected from the NHANES. The logistic regression results indicated that there was no correlation between breast cancer and PFASs (P > 0.05). The meta-analysis, included nine studies with a total of 2399 breast cancer patients, included in the meta-analysis, revealed no statistically significant association between PFASs and the risk of breast cancer (odds ratio = 1.04; 95 % confidence interval, 0.88-1.21; P > 0.05). The results show that PFASs are not associated with breast cancer risk.

Sex differences in aberrant functional connectivity of three core networks and subcortical networks in medication-free adolescent-onset major depressive disorder.

Major depressive disorder demonstrated sex differences in prevalence and symptoms, which were more pronounced during adolescence. Yet, research on sex-specific brain network characteristics in adolescent-onset major depressive disorder remains limited. This study investigated sex-specific and nonspecific alterations in resting-state functional connectivity of three core networks (frontoparietal network, salience network, and default mode network) and subcortical networks in adolescent-onset major depressive disorder, using seed-based resting-state functional connectivity in 50 medication-free patients with adolescent-onset major depressive disorder and 56 healthy controls. Irrespective of sex, compared with healthy controls, adolescent-onset major depressive disorder patients showed hypoconnectivity between bilateral hippocampus and right superior temporal gyrus (default mode network). More importantly, we further found that females with adolescent-onset major depressive disorder exhibited hypoconnectivity within the default mode network (medial prefrontal cortex), and between the subcortical regions (i.e. amygdala, striatum, and thalamus) with the default mode network (angular gyrus and posterior cingulate cortex) and the frontoparietal network (dorsal prefrontal cortex), while the opposite patterns of resting-state functional connectivity alterations were observed in males with adolescent-onset major depressive disorder, relative to their sex-matched healthy controls. Moreover, several sex-specific resting-state functional connectivity changes were correlated with age of onset, sleep disturbance, and anxiety in adolescent-onset major depressive disorder with different sex. These findings suggested that these sex-specific resting-state functional connectivity alterations may reflect the differences in brain development or processes related to early illness onset, underscoring the necessity for sex-tailored diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in adolescent-onset major depressive disorder.

Functional connectivity of the default mode network in first-episode drug-naïve patients with major depressive disorder.

BACKGROUND: Alterations in the default mode network (DMN) have been reported in major depressive disorder (MDD), well-replicated robust alterations of functional connectivity (FC) of DMN remain to be established. Investigating the functional connections of DMN at the overall and subsystem level in early MDD patients has the potential to advance our understanding of the physiopathology of this disorder. METHODS: We recruited 115 first-episode drug-naïve patients with MDD and 137 demographic-matched healthy controls (HCs). We first compared FC within the DMN, within/between the DMN subsystems, and from DMN subsystems to the whole brain between groups. Subsequently, we explored correlations between clinical features and identified alterations in FC. RESULTS: First-episode drug-naïve patients with MDD showed significantly increased FC within the DMN, dorsal DMN and medial DMN. Each subsystem showed a distinct FC pattern with other brain networks. Increased FC between the subsystems (core DMN, dorsal DMN) and other networks was associated with more severe depressive symptoms, while medial DMN-related connectivity correlated with memory performance. LIMITATIONS: The relatively large "pure" MDD sample could only be generalized to a limited population. And, atypical asymmetric FCs in the DMN related to MDD might be missed for only left-lateralized ROIs were used to avoid strong correlations between mirrored (right/left) seed regions. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest patients with early MDD showed distinct patterns of FC alterations throughout DMN and its subsystems, which were related to illness severity and illness-associated cognitive impairment, highlighting their clinical significance.

Negative family and interpersonal relationship are associated with centromedial amygdala functional connectivity alterations in adolescent depression.

The amygdala, known for its functional heterogeneity, plays a critical role in the neural mechanism of adolescent major depressive disorder (aMDD). However, changes in its subregional functional networks in relation to stressful factors remain unclear. We recruited 78 comorbidity-free, medication-naive aMDD patients and 40 matched healthy controls (HC) to explore changes in resting-state functional connectivity (FC) across four amygdala subregions: the centromedial nucleus (CM), the basolateral nucleus (LB), the superficial nucleus (SF), and the amygdalostriatal transition area (Astr). Then, we performed partial correlation analysis to investigate the relationship between amygdala subregional FC and stressful factors as measured by the Chinese Version of Family Environment Scale (FES-CV) and the Adolescent Self-Rated Life Events Scale (ASLEC). Compared to HC, aMDD patients demonstrated significantly decreased functional connectivity between the left CM and left precentral gyrus, as well as between left SF and left precentral gyrus, and between left LB and posterior cingulate gyrus (PCC)/precuneus. In aMDD group, left CM-precentral gyrus FC exhibited negative correlation with interpersonal relationship and punishment, and positive correlation with family cohesion and expressiveness. This study reveals distinct patterns of abnormal functional connectivity among amygdala subregions in aMDD. Our findings suggest that the CM network, in particular, may be involved in stress-related factors in aMDD, which provide a potential target for the prevention and treatment of adolescent depression.

Toward early intervention based on age-specific vision checkups: A vision impairment survey in Yantai, China.

The prevalence of myopia among children and adolescents is currently rising to alarming levels (>80%) in China. This study used several routinely collected demographic factors to quantify myopia and glass-wearing rates for primary and secondary school students. We identified myopia risk factors and proposed new aspects for early intervention. This study was a cross-sectional survey of myopia and glass-wearing rates for students (6-18 years old) in Yantai, China. We collected both vision (vision acuity [VA] and spherical equivalence [SE]) and glass-wearing information to establish respective logistic models for quantifying myopia and glass-wearing rate. We further propose a joint decision region (VA, SE, age) to guide early intervention. Among 10,276 children, 63% had myopia (65% wore glasses). The prevalence of myopia increases with age and levels off during adulthood. Females had a higher overall prevalence rate than males (P < .001). The rural age mode (≈15.5) is about 2 years larger than the urban age (≈13.5) for myopia students. For the myopia rate, in the age ≤14.5, the linear age effect was significant (odds ratio [OR] = 1.73, P < .0001), males had a significant negative baseline effect at the start of schooling (vs. females) (OR = 0.68, P < .0001), and the urban group had a significant positive baseline effect (vs. rural) (OR = 1.39, P < .0001). The correlation between VA and SE increases with age and has a directional shift (from negative to positive) at ages 8 to 9. For the glass-wearing rate, age had a significant positive effect (OR = 1.25, P < .0001), VA had a significant negative effect (OR = 0.002, P < .0001), and body mass index had a slightly significant positive effect (OR = 1.02, P = .03). Urban female have a higher myopia rate than rural male at the start of schooling, and vocational high school has improved vision upon high school. Body mass index was not a significant factor for myopia. The myopia rate model is specific to age range (separated at 14.5 years old). Students of lower ages are less likely to wear glasses for correction, and this may require intervention. The temporal age-specific (VA, SE) correlations and joint distributions strengthen the speculation in the literature that age 8 to 9 is a critical intervention period and motivates us to propose a rigorous intervention decision region for (age, VA, and SE) which mainly applies for this tight age period.

Multivariate analysis for data mining to characterize poultry house environment in winter.

The processing and analysis of massive high-dimensional datasets are important issues in precision livestock farming (PLF). This study explored the use of multivariate analysis tools to analyze environmental data from multiple sensors located throughout a broiler house. An experiment was conducted to collect a comprehensive set of environmental data including particulate matter (TSP, PM10, and PM2.5), ammonia, carbon dioxide, air temperature, relative humidity, and in-cage and aisle wind speeds from 60 locations in a typical commercial broiler house. The dataset was divided into 3 growth phases (wk 1-3, 4-6, and 7-9). Spearman's correlation analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to investigate the latent associations between environmental variables resulting in the identification of variables that played important roles in indoor air quality. Three cluster analysis methods; k-means, k-medoids, and fuzzy c-means cluster analysis (FCM), were used to group the measured parameters based on their environmental impact in the broiler house. In general, the Spearman and PCA results showed that the in-cage wind speed, aisle wind speed, and relative humidity played critical roles in indoor air quality distribution during broiler rearing. All 3 clustering methods were found to be suitable for grouping data, with FCM outperforming the other 2. Using data clustering, the broiler house spaces were divided into 3, 2, and 2 subspaces (clusters) for wk 1 to 3, 4 to 6, and 7 to 9, respectively. The subspace in the center of the house had a poorer air quality than other subspaces.

Multivariate association between psychosocial environment, behaviors, and brain functional networks in adolescent depression.

BACKGROUND: Adolescent depression shows high clinical heterogeneity. Brain functional networks serve as a powerful tool for investigating neural mechanisms underlying depression profiles. A key challenge is to characterize how variation in brain functional organization links to behavioral features and psychosocial environmental influences. METHODS: We recruited 80 adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 42 healthy controls (HCs). First, we estimated the differences in functional connectivity of resting-state networks (RSN) between the two groups. Then, we used sparse canonical correlation analysis to characterize patterns of associations between RSN connectivity and symptoms, cognition, and psychosocial environmental factors in MDD adolescents. Clustering analysis was applied to stratify patients into homogenous subtypes according to these brain-behavior-environment associations. RESULTS: MDD adolescents showed significantly hyperconnectivity between the ventral attention and cingulo-opercular networks compared with HCs. We identified one reliable pattern of covariation between RSN connectivity and clinical/environmental features in MDD adolescents. In this pattern, psychosocial factors, especially the interpersonal and family relationships, were major contributors to variation in connectivity of salience, cingulo-opercular, ventral attention, subcortical and somatosensory-motor networks. Based on this association, we categorized patients into two subgroups which showed different environment and symptoms characteristics, and distinct connectivity alterations. These differences were covered up when the patients were taken as a whole group. CONCLUSION: This study identified the environmental exposures associated with specific functional networks in MDD youths. Our findings emphasize the importance of the psychosocial context in assessing brain function alterations in adolescent depression and have the potential to promote targeted treatment and precise prevention.

Divergent effects of sex on hippocampal subfield alterations in drug-naive patients with major depressive disorder.

BACKGROUND: The hippocampus is a crucial brain structure in etiological models of major depressive disorder (MDD). It remains unclear whether sex differences in the incidence and symptoms of MDD are related to differential illness-associated brain alterations, including alterations in the hippocampus. This study investigated divergent the effects of sex on hippocampal subfield alterations in drug-naive patients with MDD. METHODS: High-resolution structural MR images were obtained from 144 drug-naive individuals with MDD early in their illness course and 135 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). Hippocampal subfields were segmented using FreeSurfer software and analyzed in terms of both histological subfields (CA1-4, dentate gyrus, etc.) and more integrative larger functional subregions (head, body and tail). RESULTS: We observed a significant overall reduction in hippocampal volume in MDD patients, with deficits more prominent deficits in the posterior hippocampus. Differences in anatomic alterations between male and female patients were observed in the CA1-head, presubiculum-body and fimbria in the left hemisphere. Exploratory analyses revealed different patterns of clinical and memory function correlations with histological subfields and functional subregions between male and female patients primarily in the hippocampal head and body. LIMITATIONS: This cross-sectional study cannot clarify the causality of hippocampal alterations or their association with illness risk or onset. CONCLUSIONS: These findings represent the first reported sex-specific alterations in hippocampal histological subfields in patients with MDD early in the illness course prior to treatment. Sex-specific hippocampal alterations may contribute to diverse sex differences in the clinical presentation of MDD.

Distinctive intrinsic functional connectivity alterations of anterior cingulate cortex subdivisions in major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Evidence of whether the intrinsic functional connectivity of anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and its subregions is altered in major depressive disorder (MDD) remains inconclusive. A systematic review and meta-analysis were therefore performed on the whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) studies using the ACC and its subregions as seed regions in MDD, in order to draw more reliable conclusions. Forty-four ACC-based rsFC studies were included, comprising 25 subgenual ACC-based studies, 11 pregenual ACC-based studies, and 17 dorsal ACC-based studies. Specific alterations of rsFC were identified for each ACC subregion in patients with MDD, with altered rsFC of subgenual ACC in emotion-related brain regions, of pregenual ACC in sensorimotor-related regions, and of dorsal ACC in cognition-related regions. Furthermore, meta-regression analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between the pgACC-caudate hypoconnectivity and percentage of female patients in the study cohort. This meta-analysis provides robust evidence of altered intrinsic functional connectivity of the ACC subregions in MDD, which may hold relevance to understanding the origin of, and treating, the emotional, sensorimotor and cognitive dysfunctions that are often observed in these patients.

Fabrication of Heterostructural FeNi3-Loaded Perovskite Catalysts by Rapid Plasma for Highly Efficient Photothermal Reverse Water Gas Shift Reaction.

Metal-semiconductor heterostructured catalysts have attracted great attention because of their unique interfacial characteristics and superior catalytic performance. Exsolution of nanoparticles is one of the effective and simple ways for in-situ growth of metal nanoparticles embedded in oxide surfaces and their favorable dispersion and stability. However, both high-temperature and a reducing atmosphere are required simultaneously in conventional exsolution, which is time-consuming and costly, and particles often agglomerate during the process. In this work, Ca0.9Ti0.8Ni0.1Fe0.1O3-δ (CTNF) is exposed to dielectric blocking discharge (DBD) plasma at room temperature to fabricate alloying FeNi3 nanoparticles from CTNF perovskite. FeNi3-CTNF has outstanding catalytic activity for photothermal reverse water gas shift reaction (RWGS). At 350 °C under full-spectrum irradiation, the carbon monoxide (CO) yield of FeNi3-CTNF (10.78 mmol g-1 h-1) is 11 times that of pure CaTiO3(CTO), and the CO selectivity is 98.9%. This superior catalytic activity is attributed to the narrow band gap, photogenerated electron migration to alloy particles, and abundant surface oxygen vacancies. The carbene pathway reaction is also investigated through in-situ Raman spectroscopy. The present work presents a straightforward method for the exsolution of nanoalloys in metal-semiconductor heterostructures for photothermal CO2 reduction.

Reinforced dentin remineralization via a novel dual-affinity peptide.

OBJECTIVES: In light of the constantly flowing saliva, anti-caries remineralization agents are inclined to be taken away. Owing to their limited residence time, the remineralization effect is not as desirable as expected. Hence, our study aimed to synthesize a novel peptide (DGP) with high affinity to both collagen fibrils and hydroxyapatite, and investigated its dentin remineralization efficacy in vitro and anti-caries capability in vivo. METHODS: DGP was synthesized through Fmoc solid-phase reaction. The binding ability and interaction mechanism of DGP to demineralized dentin were investigated. Dentin specimens were demineralized, then treated with DGP and deionized water respectively. The specimens were incubated in artificial saliva and in-vitro remineralization effectiveness was analyzed after 14 days. The rat caries model was established to further scrutinize the in-vivo efficacy of caries prevention. RESULTS: DGP possesses an enhanced adhesion force of 12.29 ± 1.12 nN to demineralized dentin. The favorable adsorption capacity is ascribed to the stable hydrogen bonds between S2P-101 and ASP-100 of DGP and GLY33 and PRO-16 of collagen fibers. Abundant mineral deposits and remarkable tubule occlusion were observed in the DGP group. DGP-treated dentin obtained notable microhardness recovery and higher mineral content after a 14-day remineralization regimen. DGP also demonstrated potent caries prevention in vivo, with substantially fewer carious lesions and significantly lower Keyes scoring. SIGNIFICANCE: DGP proves to possess a high affinity to demineralized dentin regardless of saliva flowing, thus enhancing remineralization potency significantly in vitro and in vivo, potential for dental caries prevention and combatting initial dentin caries clinically.

Unlocking Catalytic Potential: Encasing CoP Nanoparticles within Mesoporous CoFeP Nanocubes for Enhanced Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

Efficient and durable electrocatalysts fabricated by using nanosized nonprecious-metal-based materials have attracted considerable attention for use in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Understanding performance disparities and structure-property relationships of various nonprecious-metal-based nanostructures is crucial for optimizing their applications. Herein, CoP nanoparticles encompassed within a CoFeP shell (named CoP/CoFeP) are fabricated. The mesoporous CoFeP shell enables effective mass transport, affords abundant active sites, and ensures the accessibility of hybrid interfaces between CoP and CoFeP. Therefore, encased CoP/CoFeP nanocubes exhibit excellent OER catalytic activity with an overpotential of 266 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm-2 in alkaline media, superior to reference hollow CoFeP nanocubes and commercial RuO2. Experimental characterization and theoretical calculations show that the encased structure of CoP/CoFeP with a rich Fe-doped shell enables electronic interactions between CoP and CoFeP, as well as accelerates structural reconstruction that exposes more active sites, yielding an enhanced OER performance. This study aims to inspire further work on nonprecious-metal catalysts with tailored nanostructures and electronic properties for the OER.

Chemical Fate of Oils on Indoor Surfaces: Ozonolysis and Peroxidation.

Unsaturated triglycerides found in food and skin oils are reactive in ambient air. However, the chemical fate of such compounds has not been well characterized in genuine indoor environments. Here, we monitored the aging of oil coatings on glass surfaces over a range of environmental conditions, using mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) techniques. Upon room air exposure (up to 17 ppb ozone), the characteristic ozonolysis products, secondary ozonides, were observed on surfaces near the cooking area of a commercial kitchen, along with condensed-phase aldehydes. In an office setting, ozonolysis is also the dominant degradation pathway for oil films exposed to air. However, for indoor enclosed spaces such as drawers, the depleted air flow makes lipid autoxidation more favorable after an induction period of a few days. Forming hydroperoxides as the major primary products, this radical-mediated peroxidation behavior is accelerated by indoor direct sunlight, but the initiation step in dark settings is still unclear. These results are in accord with radical measurements, indicating that indoor photooxidation facilitates radical formation on surfaces. Overall, many intermediate and end products observed are reactive oxygen species (ROS) that may induce oxidative stress in human bodies. Given that these species can be widely found on both food and household surfaces, their toxicological properties are worth further attention.

Suprachiasmatic nucleus functional connectivity related to insomnia symptoms in adolescents with major depressive disorder.

Background: Insomnia is a commonly seen symptom in adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD). The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which is the circadian rhythm regulation center, plays a crucial role in the regulation of sleep-wake circulation. Nevertheless, how SCN function contributes to the exact neural mechanisms underlying the associations between insomnia and depressive symptoms has not been explored in adolescents. In the current study, we aimed to explore the relationship between SCN functional connectivity (FC) and insomnia symptoms in adolescents with MDD using a seed-based FC method. Methods: In the current study, we recruited sixty-eight first-episode drug-naïve adolescents with MDD and classified them into high insomnia (MDD-HI) and low insomnia (MDD-LI) groups according to the sleep disturbance subscale of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-S). Forty-three age/gender-matched healthy controls (HCs) were also recruited. SCN FC maps were generally for all subjects and compared among three groups using one-way ANOVA with age, gender and adjusted HAMD score as covariates. We used partial correlations to explore associations between altered FC and clinical symptoms, including sleep quality scores. Results: Adolescents with MDD showed worse sleep quality, which positively correlated with the severity of depression. Compared to MDD-LI and HCs, MDD-HI adolescents demonstrated significantly decreased FC between the right SCN and bilateral precuneus, and there was no significant difference between the MDD-LI and HC groups. The HAMD-S scores were negatively correlated with bilateral SCN-precuneus connectivity, and the retardation factor score of HAMD was negatively correlated with right SCN-precuneus connectivity. Conclusion: The altered FC between the SCN and precuneus may underline the neural mechanism of sleep-related symptoms in depressive adolescents and provide potential targets for personalized treatment strategies.

Pulmonary microbiota intervention alleviates fine particulate matter-induced lung inflammation in broilers.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) released during the livestock industry endangers the respiratory health of animals. Our previous findings suggested that broilers exposed to PM2.5 exhibited lung inflammation and changes in the pulmonary microbiome. Therefore, this study was to investigate whether the pulmonary microbiota plays a causal role in the pathogenesis of PM2.5-induced lung inflammation. We first used antibiotics to establish a pulmonary microbiota intervention broiler model, which showed a significantly reduced total bacterial load in the lungs without affecting the microbiota composition or structure. Based on it, 45 AA broilers of similar body weight were randomly assigned to three groups: control (CON), PM2.5 (PM), and pulmonary microbiota intervention (ABX-PM). From 21 d of age, broilers in the ABX-PM group were intratracheally instilled with antibiotics once a day for 3 d. Meanwhile, broilers in the other two groups were simultaneously instilled with sterile saline. On 24 and 26 d of age, broilers in the PM and ABX-PM groups were intratracheally instilled with PM2.5 suspension to induce lung inflammation, and broilers in the CON group were simultaneously instilled with sterile saline. The lung histomorphology, inflammatory cytokines' expression levels, lung microbiome, and microbial growth conditions were analyzed to determine the effect of the pulmonary microbiota on PM2.5-induced lung inflammation. Broilers in the PM group showed lung histological injury, while broilers in the ABX-PM group had normal lung histomorphology. Furthermore, microbiota intervention significantly reduced mRNA expression levels of interleukin-1ß, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, toll-like receptor 4 and nuclear factor kappa-B. PM2.5 induced significant changes in the ß diversity and structure of the pulmonary microbiota in the PM group. However, no significant changes in microbiota structure were observed in the ABX-PM group. Moreover, the relative abundance of Enterococcus cecorum in the PM group was significantly higher than that in the CON and ABX-PM groups. And sterile bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from the PM group significantly promoted the growth of E. cecorum, indicating that PM2.5 altered the microbiota's growth condition. In conclusion, pulmonary microbiota can affect PM2.5-induced lung inflammation in broilers. PM2.5 can alter the bacterial growth environment and promote dysbiosis, potentially exacerbating inflammation.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in broiler houses has a negative impact on broiler respiratory tracts, and PM2.5 exposure can induce lung inflammation and cause microbiota dysbiosis. The pulmonary microbiota is involved in maintaining immune homeostasis in the lungs, and a variety of lung diseases exhibit microbiota disturbances. However, the correlation between the pulmonary microbiota and PM2.5-induced lung inflammation is poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate whether the pulmonary microbiota influenced PM2.5-induced lung inflammation. We use antibiotics to reduce the quantity of bacteria in the lungs without destroying their composition. PM2.5 was then used to induce lung inflammation in both untreated and intervened pulmonary microbiota broilers. Compared to untreated microbiota broilers, intervened microbiota broilers had less morphological lung tissue injury and lower inflammatory factor expression levels after PM2.5 exposure. Furthermore, the intervened microbiota broilers' microbiota structure remained normal, while the untreated microbiota broilers showed dysbiosis. This dysbiosis is closely linked to changes in the microbial growth environment due to the inflammatory response. This suggested that the pulmonary microbiota affects PM2.5-induced lung inflammation in broilers. Dysbiosis caused by inflammation that alters the conditions for bacterial growth may exacerbate inflammation.