Site-specific thrombus formation: advancements in photothrombosis-on-a-chip technology.

Thrombosis, characterized by blood clot formation within vessels, poses a significant medical challenge. Despite extensive research, the development of effective thrombosis therapies is hindered by substantial costs, lengthy development times, and high failure rates in medication commercialization. Conventional pre-clinical models often oversimplify cardiovascular disease, leading to a disparity between experimental results and human physiological responses. In response, we have engineered a photothrombosis-on-a-chip system. This microfluidic model integrates human endothelium, human whole blood, and blood flow dynamics and employs the photothrombotic method. It enables precise, site-specific thrombus induction through controlled laser irradiation, effectively mimicking both normal and thrombotic physiological conditions on a single chip. Additionally, the system allows for the fine-tuning of thrombus occlusion levels via laser parameter adjustments, offering a flexible thrombus model with varying degrees of obstruction. Additionally, the formation and progression of thrombosis noted on the chip closely resemble the thrombotic conditions observed in mice in previous studies. In the experiments, we perfused recalcified whole blood with Rose Bengal into an endothelialized microchannel and initiated photothrombosis using green laser irradiation. Various imaging methods verified the model's ability to precisely control thrombus formation and occlusion levels. The effectiveness of clinical drugs, including heparin and rt-PA, was assessed, confirming the chip's potential in drug screening applications. In summary, the photothrombosis-on-a-chip system significantly advances human thrombosis modeling. Its precise control over thrombus formation, flexibility in the thrombus severity levels, and capability to simulate dual physiological states on a single platform make it an invaluable tool for targeted drug testing, furthering the development of organ-on-a-chip drug screening techniques.

Aesthetic Asian double eyelid surgery: Exploring a novel indication for microsurgery.

Asian double eyelid blepharoplasty and medial canthoplasty aim to enhance eye appearance in individuals of Asian descent. Traditional methods have limitations and may cause complications. This study introduces a microsurgical approach, offering improved precision and reduced scarring, applied to 37 patients over six years. While promising, this method requires specialized equipment and training, increasing complexity and cost. Further studies are needed to compare its efficacy with conventional techniques.

Solubility of Hydrogen in a WMoTaNbV High-Entropy Alloy.

The WMoTaNbV alloy has shown promise for applications as a solid state hydrogen storage material. It absorbs significant quantities of H directly from the atmosphere, trapping it with high energy. In this work, the dynamics of the absorption of hydrogen isotopes are studied by determining the activation energy for the solubility and the solution enthalpy of H in the WMoTaNbV alloy. The activation energy was studied by heating samples in a H atmosphere at temperatures ranging from 20 °C to 400 °C and comparing the amounts of absorbed H. The solution activation energy EA of H was determined to be EA=0.22±0.02 eV (21.2 ± 1.9 kJ/mol). The performed density functional theory calculations revealed that the neighbouring host atoms strongly influenced the solution enthalpy, leading to a range of theoretical values from -0.40 eV to 0.29 eV (-38.6 kJ/mol to 28.0 kJ/mol).

Coenzyme Q0 inhibited the NLRP3 inflammasome, metastasis/EMT, and Warburg effect by suppressing hypoxia-induced HIF-1α expression in HNSCC cells.

Coenzyme Q0 (CoQ0), a quinone derivative from Antrodia camphorata, has antitumor capabilities. This study investigated the antitumor effect of noncytotoxic CoQ0, which included NLRP3 inflammasome inhibition, anti-EMT/metastasis, and metabolic reprogramming via HIF-1α inhibition, in HNSCC cells under normoxia and hypoxia. CoQ0 suppressed hypoxia-induced ROS-mediated HIF-1α expression in OECM-1 and SAS cells. Under normoxia and hypoxia, the inflammatory NLRP3, ASC/caspase-1, NFκB, and IL-1ß expression was reduced by CoQ0. CoQ0 reduced migration/invasion by enhancing epithelial marker E-cadherin and suppressing mesenchymal markers Twist, N-cadherin, Snail, and MMP-9, and MMP-2 expression. CoQ0 inhibited glucose uptake, lactate accumulation, GLUT1 levels, and HIF-1α-target gene (HK-2, PFK-1, and LDH-A) expressions that are involved in aerobic glycolysis. Notably, CoQ0 reduced ECAR as well as glycolysis, glycolytic capability, and glycolytic reserve and enhanced OCR, basal respiration, ATP generation, maximal respiration, and spare capacity in OECM-1 cells. Metabolomic analysis using LC-ESI-MS showed that CoQ0 treatment decreased the levels of glycolytic intermediates, including lactate, 2/3-phosphoglycerate, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, and phosphoenolpyruvate, and increased the levels of TCA cycle metabolites, including citrate, isocitrate, and succinate. HIF-1α silencing reversed CoQ0-mediated anti-metastasis (N-Cadherin, Snail, and MMP-9) and metabolic reprogramming (GLUT1, HK-2, and PKM-2) under hypoxia. CoQ0 prevents cancer stem-like characteristics (upregulated CD24 expression and downregulated CD44, ALDH1, and OCT4) under normoxia and/or hypoxia. Further, in IL-6-treated SG cells, CoQ0 attenuated fibrosis by inhibiting TGF-ß and Collagen I expression and suppressed EMT by downregulating Slug and upregulating E-cadherin expression. Interesting, CoQ0 inhibited the growth of OECM-1 tumors in xenografted mice. Our results advocate CoQ0 for the therapeutic application against HNSCC.

Nanomaterials in the treatment and diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis: Advanced approaches.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic inflammatory condition that affects persons between the ages of 20 and 40, causes synovium inflammation, cartilage loss, and joint discomfort as some of its symptoms. Diagnostic techniques for RA have traditionally been split into two main categories: imaging and serological tests. However, significant issues are associated with both of these methods. Imaging methods are costly and only helpful in people with obvious symptoms, while serological assays are time-consuming and require specialist knowledge. The drawbacks of these traditional techniques have led to the development of novel diagnostic approaches. The unique properties of nanomaterials make them well-suited as biosensors. Their compact dimensions are frequently cited for their outstanding performance, and their positive impact on the signal-to-noise ratio accounts for their capacity to detect biomarkers at low detection limits, with excellent repeatability and a robust dynamic range. In this review, we discuss the use of nanomaterials in RA theranostics. Scientists have recently synthesized, characterized, and modified nanomaterials and biomarkers commonly used to enhance RA diagnosis and therapy capabilities. We hope to provide scientists with the promising potential that nanomaterials hold for future theranostics and offer suggestions on further improving nanomaterials as biosensors, particularly for detecting autoimmune disorders.

Intraoperative neuromonitoring during thyroidectomy does not decrease vocal cord palsy risk, but the cumulative experience of the surgeon may.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the influence of intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) on vocal cord palsy (VCP) rates and assess the temporal trends in VCP rates. METHODS: The subjects of this retrospective study were patients who underwent thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer between March, 2014 and June, 2022, at a university hospital in Korea. We compared VCP rates between the non-IONM and IONM groups and analyzed the risk factors for VCP and VCP rates over time. RESULTS: A total of 712 patients were included in the analysis. The rates of transient and permanent VCP did not differ significantly between the non-IONM and IONM groups. Transient VCP occurred in 4.6% and 4.3% patients (p = 0.878) and VCP was permanent in 0.7% and 0.4% patients (p = 0.607) in the non-IONM and IONM groups, respectively. Among the nerves at risk, transient damage occurred in 2.8% and 3.0% patients (p = 0.901), and permanent damage occurred in 0.4% and 0.3% (p = 0.688), respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed no significant risk factors for VCP. There was a significant decreasing trend in VCP rates over time as the cumulative number of cases increased (p = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: IONM did not reduce the risk of VCP significantly. However, the declining trend of VCP rates suggests that the surgeon's experience may mitigate VCP risk.

Study and Application on the Electromagnetic Stainless Steel: Microstructure, Tensile Mechanical Behavior, and Magnetic Properties.

Stainless steel grade 430 is a type of soft magnetic electromagnetic material with rapid magnetization and demagnetization properties. Considering the delay phenomenon during operation, this study selected 430 stainless steel as the material and explored various metallurgical methods such as magnetic annealing and the addition of Mo as well as increasing the Si content to investigate the microstructure, mechanical behavior, and magnetic properties of each material, aiming to improve the magnetic properties of 430 stainless steel. Experimental results showed that the four electromagnetic steel materials (430F, 430F-MA, 434, and KM31) had equiaxed grain matrix structures, and excellent tensile and elongation properties were observed for each specimen. Additionally, the magnetic properties of the 430F specimen were similar under the DC and AC-10 Hz conditions. According to the hysteresis curves under different AC frequencies (10, 100, 1000 Hz), both magnetic annealing and the addition of Mo could reduce the Bm, Br, and Hc values of the raw 430F material. Increasing the Si content resulted in a decrease in Hc values and an increase in Bm and Br values.

The prevalence of porcine gastric ulcer and Helicobacter suis in Taiwan.

Gastric ulcer is a common disease affecting pigs worldwide, with a prevalence reported as high as 93%. The cause of porcine gastric ulcer is multifactorial, with Helicobacter suis (H. suis) being considered as the primary pathogenic factor. To date, prevalence of H. suis resulting in porcine gastric ulcer in Taiwan has not been investigated. In this study, we collected 360 pig stomachs from the slaughterhouses. In addition, stomach tissues from the 88 diseased pigs submitted for necropsy were divided into symptomatic and asymptomatic groups. Gastric lesions were scored, and polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the occurrence of gastric ulcer and the prevalence of H. suis. The positive rate of H. suis in the samples from slaughtered pigs was 49.7%, and both infection of H. suis and the presence of gastric lesions were prone to occur in autumn. The positive rates of H. suis infection in the symptomatic and asymptomatic groups were 59.1% and 31.8%, respectively. Moreover, the proportion of the samples with gastroesophageal ulcer in the symptomatic group was 68.2%, predominantly observed in growing pigs. The incidence of the samples from the slaughterhouses with gastroesophageal erosion to ulceration revealed a significant difference between H. suis -infected and H. suis -uninfected pigs; however, there is no significant difference in the samples of diseased pigs. In conclusion, H. suis infection was associated with gastric ulcer in slaughtered pigs, but it was not the primary cause of gastroesophageal ulcer in diseased pigs with clinical symptoms.

Lymphocyte-Infiltrated Periportal Region Detection With Structurally-Refined Deep Portal Segmentation and Heterogeneous Infiltration Features.

Goal: The early diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis is essential to reduce hepatitis-related liver function deterioration and mortality. One component of the widely-used Ishak grading system for the grading of periportal interface hepatitis is based on the percentage of portal borders infiltrated by lymphocytes. Thus, the accurate detection of lymphocyte-infiltrated periportal regions is critical in the diagnosis of hepatitis. However, the infiltrating lymphocytes usually result in the formation of ambiguous and highly-irregular portal boundaries, and thus identifying the infiltrated portal boundary regions precisely using automated methods is challenging. This study aims to develop a deep-learning-based automatic detection framework to assist diagnosis. Methods: The present study proposes a framework consisting of a Structurally-REfined Deep Portal Segmentation module and an Infiltrated Periportal Region Detection module based on heterogeneous infiltration features to accurately identify the infiltrated periportal regions in liver Whole Slide Images. Results: The proposed method achieves 0.725 in F1-score of lymphocyte-infiltrated periportal region detection. Moreover, the statistics of the ratio of the detected infiltrated portal boundary have high correlation to the Ishak grade (Spearman's correlations more than 0.87 with p-values less than 0.001) and medium correlation to the liver function index aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase (Spearman's correlations more than 0.63 and 0.57 with p-values less than 0.001). Conclusions: The study shows the statistics of the ratio of infiltrated portal boundary have correlation to the Ishak grade and liver function index. The proposed framework provides pathologists with a useful and reliable tool for hepatitis diagnosis.

Effects of Breaking up Sitting on Gut Hormone Responses and Subsequent Compensatory Behaviours in Physically Inactive Adults.

INTRODUCTION: The effects of breaking up sitting on gut hormone responses and free-living energy compensatory behaviours are still unclear in people of Asian ethnicity. METHODS: 26 Asians including 13 lean individuals (Lean) and 13 individuals with centrally overweight/obesity (OW), aged between 20 to 45 years, completed a randomized crossover study with either 5.5-h uninterrupted sitting (SIT) or 5.5-h sitting with 2 min walking at 6.4 km/h every 20 min (ACTIVE) in the laboratory. Blood samples were collected at regular time-points to examine postprandial glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), peptide YY (PYY) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) concentrations. Free-living physical activity and energy intake were recorded using wearable devices and weighed food diaries outside the laboratory until midnight. Paired t-tests were conducted to compare responses between trials. RESULTS: Postprandial GLP-1 and PYY incremental area under curve values were higher in the ACTIVE trial versus SIT in both Lean and OW groups (all, p < 0.05), but there was no difference in GIP in either group (both, p > 0.05). There were no differences in free-living physical activity (volume and intensity) or energy intake (total and macronutrients) between trials in either group (all, p > 0.05), resulting in greater total physical activity over the 24-h monitoring period in ACTIVE trial versus SIT trial (both, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Breaking up sitting increases postprandial GLP-1 and PYY concentrations in Asians, but does not induce subsequent behavioural compensation, resulting in greater 24-h physical activity levels and lower relative energy intake, in inactive individuals irrespective of bodyweight status.

Clarifying the four core effects of high-entropy materials.

High-entropy materials emerged as a field of research in 2004, when the first research on high-entropy alloys was published. The scope was soon expanded from high-entropy alloys to medium-entropy alloys, as well as to ceramics, polymers and composite materials. A fundamental understanding on high-entropy materials was proposed in 2006 by the 'four core effects' - high-entropy, severe-lattice-distortion, sluggish-diffusion and cocktail effects - which are often used to describe and explain the mechanisms of various peculiar phenomena associated with high-entropy materials. Throughout the years, the effects have been examined rigorously, and their validity has been affirmed. This Perspective discusses the fundamental understanding of the four core effects in high-entropy materials and gives further insights to strengthen the understanding for these effects. All these clarifications are believed to be helpful in understanding low-to-high-entropy materials as well as to aid the design of materials when studying new compositions or pursuing their use in applications.

Bacterial Colonization on Endoscopic Materials and Surgical Field Without Infections After Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Our aim was to determine whether bacteria contamination occurred within the surgical field or on endoscopic equipment during surgery using the transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants were recruited from patients planned for TOETVA between May 2017 and December 2019. Bacterial samples were taken before and at the conclusion of the TOETVA procedure. The preoperative and postoperative samples were taken from the endoscopic materials and inferior oral vestibulum using a sterile flocked swab. RESULTS: The study resulted in 480 samples (80 TOETVAs). No vestibular, port site, or neck infections occurred in any of the patients. Three (3.7%) out of 80 patients developed postoperative fever. Our results show different microbial communities during TOETVA. The most prevalent species detected were S treptococcus species. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that the degree of contamination depended on the sampling site (inferior vestibulum > equipment) ( P =0.03). In addition, the abundance of bacteria was affected by operative time ( P =0.013). There were no significant differences observed in isolation frequencies of bacteria in malignancy ( P =0.34). CONCLUSIONS: TOETVA surgery is categorized as a "clean-contaminated" operation. A swab identified the common colonizers of oral microbiota on the endoscopic equipment and within the surgical field.

The relationship between oral frailty and oral dysbiosis among hospitalized patients aged older than 50 years.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to clarify the relationship between oral frailty and oral dysbiosis among hospitalized patients aged ≥ 50 years. METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted. Number of teeth, masticatory ability, articulatory oral motor skill, tongue pressure, swallowing pressure, and choking were used to assess oral frailty. Saliva samples were collected from the oral cavity for bacterial culture. RESULTS: A total 103 in patients enrolled and 53.4% suffered from oral frailty. Oral frailty was found to have a 3.07-fold correlation with the presence of Enterobacterales in the oral cavity (p = 0.037), especially in poor articulatory oral motor skill, which showed at greater risk of Enterobacterales isolated from the oral cavity by 5.58-fold (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Half of hospitalized patients was found to have oral frailty that was related to more Enterobacterales in the oral cavity. This evidence suggests that the enhancement of articulatory oral motor skills may serve as a potential strategy for mitigating the presence of Enterobacterales within the oral cavity.

Water-soluble 4-(dimethylaminomethyl)heliomycin exerts greater antitumor effects than parental heliomycin by targeting the tNOX-SIRT1 axis and apoptosis in oral cancer cells.

The antibiotic heliomycin (resistomycin), which is generated from Streptomyces resistomycificus, has multiple activities, including anticancer effects. Heliomycin was first described in the 1960s, but its clinical applications have been hindered by extremely low solubility. A series of 4-aminomethyl derivatives of heliomycin were synthesized to increase water solubility; studies showed that they had anti-proliferative effects, but the drug targets remained unknown. In this study, we conducted cellular thermal shift assays (CETSA) and molecular docking simulations to identify and validate that heliomycin and its water-soluble derivative, 4-(dimethylaminomethyl)heliomycin (designated compound 4-dmH) engaged and targeted with sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) in p53-functional SAS and p53-mutated HSC-3 oral cancer cells. We further addressed the cellular outcome of SIRT1 inhibition by these compounds and found that, in addition to SIRT1, the water-soluble 4-dmH preferentially targeted a tumor-associated NADH oxidase (tNOX, ENOX2). The direct binding of 4-dmH to tNOX decreased the oxidation of NADH to NAD+ which diminished NAD+-dependent SIRT1 deacetylase activity, ultimately inducing apoptosis and significant cytotoxicity in both cell types, as opposed to the parental heliomycin-induced autophagy. We also observed that tNOX and SIRT1 were both upregulated in tumor tissues of oral cancer patients compared to adjacent normal tissues, suggesting their clinical relevance. Finally, the better therapeutic efficacy of 4-dmH was confirmed in tumor-bearing mice, which showed greater tNOX and SIRT1 downregulation and tumor volume reduction when treated with 4-dmH compared to heliomycin. Taken together, our in vitro and in vivo findings suggest that the multifaceted properties of water-soluble 4-dmH enable it to offer superior antitumor value compared to parental heliomycin, and indicated that it functions through targeting the tNOX-NAD+-SIRT1 axis to induce apoptosis in oral cancer cells.

The Use of Immune Regulation in Treating Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC).

Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising new treatment modality for head and neck cancer, offering the potential for targeted and effective cancer management. Squamous cell carcinomas pose significant challenges due to their aggressive nature and limited treatment options. Conventional therapies such as surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy often have limited success rates and can have significant side effects. Immunotherapy harnesses the power of the immune system to recognize and eliminate cancer cells, and thus represents a novel approach with the potential to improve patient outcomes. In the management of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), important contributions are made by immunotherapies, including adaptive cell therapy (ACT) and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. In this review, we are focusing on the latter. Immune checkpoint inhibitors target proteins such as programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) to enhance the immune response against cancer cells. The CTLA-4 inhibitors, such as ipilimumab and tremelimumab, have been approved for early-stage clinical trials and have shown promising outcomes in terms of tumor regression and durable responses in patients with advanced HNSCC. Thus, immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy holds promise in overcoming the limitations of conventional therapies. However, further research is needed to optimize treatment regimens, identify predictive biomarkers, and overcome potential resistance mechanisms. With ongoing advancements in immunotherapy, the future holds great potential for transforming the landscape of oral tumor treatment and providing new hope for patients.

Correction: Huang et al. Systemic Anticoagulation and Inpatient Outcomes of Pancreatic Cancer: Real-World Evidence from U.S. Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Cancers 2023, 15, 1985.

In the original publication [...].

Effectiveness of Electroencephalography Neurofeedback for Improving Working Memory and Episodic Memory in the Elderly: A Meta-Analysis.

Background and Objective: Existing evidence indicates the potential benefits of electroencephalography neurofeedback (NFB) training for cognitive function. This study aims to comprehensively review all available evidence investigating the effectiveness of NFB on working memory (WM) and episodic memory (EM) in the elderly population. Material and Methods: A systematic search was conducted across five databases to identify clinical trials examining the impact of NFB on memory function in healthy elderly individuals or those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The co-primary outcomes focused on changes in WM and EM. Data synthesis was performed using a random-effects meta-analysis. Results: Fourteen clinical trials (n = 284) were included in the analysis. The findings revealed that NFB was associated with improved WM (k = 11, reported as Hedges' g = 0.665, 95% confidence [CI] = 0.473 to 0.858, p < 0.001) and EM (k = 12, 0.595, 0.333 to 0.856, p < 0.001) in the elderly, with moderate effect sizes. Subgroup analyses demonstrated that NFB had a positive impact on both WM and EM, not only in the healthy population (WM: k = 7, 0.495, 0.213 to 0.778, p = 0.001; EM: k = 6, 0.729, 0.483 to 0.976, p < 0.001) but also in those with MCI (WM: k = 6, 0.812, 0.549 to 1.074, p < 0.001; EM: k = 6, 0.503, 0.088 to 0.919, p = 0.018). Additionally, sufficient training time (totaling more than 300 min) was associated with a significant improvement in WM (k = 6, 0.743, 0.510 to 0.976, p < 0.001) and EM (k = 7, 0.516, 0.156 to 0.876, p = 0.005); however, such benefits were not observed in groups with inadequate training time. Conclusions: The results suggest that NFB is associated with enhancement of both WM and EM in both healthy and MCI elderly individuals, particularly when adequate training time (exceeding 300 min) is provided. These findings underscore the potential of NFB in dementia prevention or rehabilitation.

Accurate Kinetic Studies of OH + HO2 Radical-Radical Reaction through Direct Measurement of Precursor and Radical Concentrations with High-Resolution Time-Resolved Dual-Comb Spectroscopy.

The radical-radical reaction between OH and HO2 has been considered for a long time as an important reaction in tropospheric photochemistry and combustion chemistry. However, a significant discrepancy of an order of magnitude for rate coefficients of this reaction is found between two recent experiments. Herein, we investigate the reaction OH + HO2 via direct spectral quantification of both the precursor (H2O2) and free radicals (OH and HO2) upon the 248 nm photolysis of H2O2 using infrared two-color time-resolved dual-comb spectroscopy. With quantitative and kinetic analysis of concentration profiles of both OH and HO2 at varied conditions, the rate coefficient kOH+HO2 is determined to be (1.10 ± 0.12) × 10-10 cm3 molecule-1 s-1 at 296 K. Moreover, we explore the kinetics of this reaction under conditions in the presence of water, but no enhancement in the kOH+HO2 can be observed. This work as an independent experiment plays a crucial role in revisiting this prototypical radical-radical reaction.

Out-of-Plane Single-Copper-Site Catalysts for Room-Temperature Benzene Oxidation.

Crafting single-atom catalysts (SACs) that possess "just right" modulated electronic and geometric structures, granting accessible active sites for direct room-temperature benzene oxidation is a coveted objective. However, achieving this goal remains a formidable challenge. Here, we introduce an innovative in situ phosphorus-immitting strategy using a new phosphorus source (phosphorus nitride, P3N5) to construct the phosphorus-rich copper (Cu) SACs, designated as Cu/NPC. These catalysts feature locally protruding metal sites on a nitrogen (N)-phosphorus (P)-carbon (C) support (NPC). Rigorous analyses, including X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), validate the coordinated bonding of nitrogen and phosphorus with atomically dispersed Cu sites on NPC. Crucially, systematic first-principles calculations, coupled with the climbing image nudged-elastic-band (CI-NEB) method, provide a comprehensive understanding of the structure-property-activity relationship of the distorted Cu-N2P2 centers in Cu/NPC for selective oxidation of benzene to phenol production. Interestingly, Cu/NPC has shown more energetically favorable C-H bond activation compared to the benchmark Cu/NC SACs in the direct oxidation of benzene, resulting in outstanding benzene conversion (50.3 %) and phenol selectivity (99.3 %) at room temperature. Furthermore, Cu/NPC achieves a remarkable turnover frequency of 263 h-1 and mass-specific activity of 35.2 mmol g-1 h-1, surpassing the state-of-the-art benzene-to-phenol conversion catalysts to date.

Effects of occupational exposure to metal fume PM2.5 on lung function and biomarkers among shipyard workers: a 3-year prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the associations of α1-antitrypsin, inter-α-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain (ITIH4), and 8-isoprostane with lung function in shipyard workers exposed to occupational metal fume fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which is known to be associated with adverse respiratory outcomes. METHODS: A 3-year follow-up study was conducted on 180 shipyard workers with 262 measurements. Personal exposure to welding fume PM2.5 was collected for an 8-h working day. Pre-exposure, post-exposure, and delta (∆) levels of α1-antitrypsin, ITIH4, and 8-isoprostane were determined in urine using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Post-exposure urinary metals were sampled at the beginning of the next working day and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Lung function measurements were also conducted the next working day for post-exposure. RESULTS: An IQR increase in PM2.5 was associated with decreases of 2.157% in FEV1, 2.806% in PEF, 4.328% in FEF25%, 5.047% in FEF50%, and 7.205% in FEF75%. An IQR increase in PM2.5 led to increases of 42.155 µg/g in ∆α1-antitrypsin and 16.273 µg/g in ∆ITIH4. Notably, IQR increases in various urinary metals were associated with increases in specific biomarkers, such as post-urinary α1-antitrypsin and ITIH4. Moreover, increases in ∆ α1-antitrypsin and ∆ITIH4 were associated with decreases in FEV1/FVC by 0.008% and 0.020%, respectively, and an increase in ∆8-isoprostane resulted in a 1.538% decline in FVC. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that urinary α1-antitrypsin and ITIH4 could indicate early lung function decline in shipyard workers exposed to metal fume PM2.5, underscoring the need for better safety and health monitoring to reduce respiratory risks.