[Correlation between serum zinc and brain injury in infants with mild gastroenteritis complicated with benign infantile convulsion and febrile convulsion].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between serum zinc levels and convulsive brain injury in infants with mild gastroenteritis complicated with benign infantile seizures (BICE) and febrile seizures (FC). METHODS: A case-control study method was conducted. 120 children with mild gastroenteritis and convulsion admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University from January 2020 to January 2022 were enrolled as the research subjects. They were divided into BICE group and FC group according to the type of convulsion. The serum zinc level, the frequency and duration of convulsion, and the occurrence of convulsive brain injury in the two groups were recorded. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to screen the risk factors for convulsive brain injury. The Spearman correlation method was used to analyze the association between serum zinc levels, clinical characteristics of convulsion and convulsive brain injury. RESULTS: A total of 120 children were enrolled, of which 81 developed to BICE and 39 developed to FC during hospitalization. The serum zinc level of children in the FC group was significantly lower than that in the BICE group (µmol/L: 39.24±6.50 vs. 48.65±7.21, P < 0.01). In the BICE group and FC group, the serum zinc level in children with more than 2 convulsions was significantly lower than that in the children with one convulsion (µmol/L: 37.65±6.50 vs. 53.17±7.55 in the BICE group, and 30.27±5.58 vs. 44.16±7.57 in the FC group, both P < 0.01). Serum zinc level in children with convulsion duration ≥ 5 minutes was significantly lower than that in the children with convulsion duration < 5 minutes (µmol/L: 38.75±6.74 vs. 51.21±7.58 in the BICE group, and 31.08±5.46 vs. 45.19±7.25 in the FC group, both P < 0.01). Moreover, the serum zinc level of children with different convulsion frequency and duration in the FC group was significantly lower than that in the BICE group (all P < 0.01). Among the 120 children, 9 cases of convulsive brain injury occurred, and the incidence rate was 7.50%. The incidence of convulsive brain injury in the BICE group was 1.23% (1/81), which was significantly lower than 20.51% in the FC group (8/39, P < 0.01). The serum zinc level of children with convulsive brain injury was significantly lower than that of children with non-brain injury (µmol/L: 28.50±5.00 vs. 60.22±7.31, P < 0.01), and the number of convulsion was significantly higher than that of non-cerebral injury (≥ 2 convulsions: 100.00% vs. 1.80%, P < 0.01), and the duration of convulsion in children with brain injury was significantly longer than that of non-brain-injured children (convulsion duration ≥ 5 minutes: 100.00% vs. 11.71%, P < 0.01). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that decreased serum zinc level [odds ratio (OR) = 2.147, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 1.354-3.403], increased number of convulsion (OR = 3.452, 95%CI was 1.266-9.417), and prolonged convulsion duration (OR = 3.117, 95%CI was 1.326-7.327) were independent risk factor for convulsive brain injury in children with mild gastroenteritis and convulsion (all P < 0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that serum zinc level, convulsion ≥ 2 times, duration of convulsion ≥ 5 minutes and convulsion ≥ 2 times + convulsion duration ≥ 5 minutes were significantly negatively correlated with the occurrence of convulsive brain injury in FC children (r values were -0.546, -0.517, -0.522, and -0.528, all P < 0.01). There was no significant correlation between serum zinc level, convulsion ≥ 2 times, convulsion duration ≥ 5 minutes and convulsion ≥ 2 times+convulsion duration ≥ 5 minutes and convulsive brain injury in BICE children (r values were -0.281, -0.129, -0.201, -0.243, all P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Serum zinc level is related to the characteristics of convulsive symptoms in children with mild gastroenteritis complicated with FC, and has a strong negative correlation with the occurrence of convulsive brain injury. Active targeted intervention and treatment may help reduce the incidence of brain injury in children.

Controllable Synthesis of Hemoglobin-Metal Phosphate Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Nanoflowers and Their Applications in Biocatalysis.

In recent years, organic-inorganic hybrid nanoflower technology has become an effective method for enzyme immobilization. Here, seven hierarchical flower-like hemoglobin-phosphate organic-inorganic hybrid nanomaterials (Hb-M3(PO4)2·nH2O HNFs) were synthesized through an improved universal one-pot wet-chemical method, with Ca2+, Mn2+, Fe2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+ and Zn2+ as inorganic components. In this synthesis process, the metal cations are successively involved in the coordination reaction with Hb and the metathesis reaction to generate phosphate precipitation. The coordination ability of metal cations and the generation rate of phosphate precipitations were evaluated, then the progress of the two chemical reactions was controlled synchronously by adjusting the phosphate buffer (PB) concentration, and finally a flower-like structure conducive to substrate diffusion and transport was obtained. Due to the conformational transformation of hemoglobin and the abundant Cu2+/Fe3+ active sites, the hemoglobin-Cu3(PO4)2·3H2O nanoflowers have extremely high catalytic activity, which is ∼14 times that of Hb. Importantly, this method is suitable for the monometallic-ionic, polymetallic-ionic and polyvalent metal-ion nanoflowers, which broadens the chemical composition and structural diversity of nanoflowers.

Adsorption of hydrogen sulfide by iron-based adsorbent derived from fly ash and iron slag.

In this article, an innovative sorbent (Fe-FA) is prepared from fly ash; ferrous sulfate-containing waste slag (FSS), which are industrial wastes; and NaOH by a hydrothermal method at 100 °C. As a result, in comparison to several conventional sorbents, such as ZnO, Fe2O3, 13X zeolite, and activated carbon, Fe-FA had the best adsorption performance for H2S adsorption. Fe-FA had not only a higher adsorption capacity (near 150 mg/g) but also a longer breakthrough time (near 400 min) when gas hourly space velocity was 8000 h-1. Then, characterizations of XRD, BET, NH3-TPD, FTIR, and XPS analyzed basic properties of Fe-FA and revealed reasons for the excellent adsorption performance. In general, the excellent adsorption performance of Fe-FA for H2S is mainly due to the high content of iron species (almost 50%) and suitable mesoporous structure in the Fe-FA.

Site-Selective C-H Allylation of Alkanes: Facile Access to Allylic Quaternary sp3 -Carbon Centers.

The construction of allylic quaternary sp3 -carbon centers has long been a formidable challenge in transition-metal-catalyzed alkyl-allyl coupling reactions due to the severe steric hindrance. Herein, we report an effective carbene strategy that employs well-defined vinyl-N-triftosylhydrazones as a versatile allylating reagent to enable direct assembly of these medicinally desirable structural elements from low-cost alkane feedstocks. The reaction exhibited excellent site selectivity for tertiary C-H bonds, broad scope (>60 examples and >20 : 1:0 r. r.) and good efficiency, even on a gram-scale, making it a convenient alternative to the well-known Trost-Tsuji allylation reaction for the formation of alkyl-allyl bonds. Combined experimental and computational studies were employed to unravel the mechanism and origin of site- and chemoselectivity of the reaction.

High-Temperature Oxidation Behavior of TiB2-HfB2-Ni Cermet Material.

To analyze the high-temperature oxidation behavior of TiB2-HfB2-Ni cermet material, TiB2-HfB2-Ni cermets were fabricated by hot-pressing sintering technology. The oxidation resistance and the thermal fracture of TiB2-HfB2-Ni cermet were investigated at 1100 °C for 1, 4, 7, and 10 h, respectively. Before oxidation, TiB2-HfB2-Ni cermet, consisting of TiB2, HfB2, and Ni, had the core-rim structure. The core was TiB2 grain and the rim was composed of Ni and solid solution (Ti, Hf)B2. After oxidation at 1100 °C, the oxides of the TiB2-HfB2-Ni cermet were mainly TiO2, HfO2, B2O3, and NiO, which the oxidation process abided by the parabolic law. With the oxidation time increasing from 1 h to 10 h, the oxidation degree of the TiB2-HfB2-Ni cermet increased, and the oxide layer became thicker. The oxide layer was thin and dense after oxidation at 1100 °C for 1 h. An obvious boundary was discovered between the transition layer and the substrate layer after oxidation at 1100 °C for 7 h. The thermal fracture occurred in the contact regions of different layers at 1100 °C for 10 h. TiB2-HfB2-Ni took place in oxidation at different levels from the outer to the inner, and the components of different oxide layers were certainly distinct.

Chronic vitamin D3 supplementation alleviates cognition impairment via inhibition of oxidative stress regulated by PI3K/AKT/Nrf2 in APP/PS1 transgenic mice.

Oxidative stress plays essential role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, and vitamin D3 (VD3) is a nutrient with neuroprotective and antioxidant activities. The present study aimed to confirm the neuroprotective effect and the ameliorative effect of cortical oxidative stress of VD3 in APP/PS1 transgenic mice. APP/PS1 mice were treated with VD3 for 20 weeks. After treatment, Morris Water Maze test was used to evaluate cognitive level. Western blotting was used to determine APP, p-tau, tau and PI3K/AKT/Nrf2 pathway-related protein expression levels. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to determine the levels of ß amyloid peptide (Aß) deposition. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the 25(OH)D3 levels and oxidative stress status. Our results showed that treatment with VD3 ameliorated behavioral deficits of APP/PS1 mice. In addition, the administration of VD3 significantly increased the cortical 25(OH)D3 levels, while reducing the levels of cortical Aß deposition and decreasing the expression levels of cortical APP, tau and p-tau in APP/PS1 mice. Moreover, VD3 protected the cortex against oxidative stress by enhancing the levels of superoxide dismutase, glutathione and total antioxidant capacity, and downregulating the malondialdehyde levels. Furthermore, VD3 clearly activated the PI3K/AKT/Nrf2 pathway, thereby elevating the expression levels of HO1 and NQO1. We concluded that VD3 improved cognitive function and cortical Alzheimer-like pathology of APP/PS1 mice, which may be related to the inhibition of oxidative stress via activation the PI3K/AKT/Nrf2 pathway.

Exploiting the Synergistic Electronic Interaction between Pt-Skin Wrapped Intermetallic PtCo Nanoparticles and Co-N-C Support for Efficient ORR/EOR Electrocatalysis in a Direct Ethanol Fuel Cell.

The development of low-Pt catalysts with high activity and durability is critical for fuel cells. Here, Pt-skin wrapped sub-5 nm PtCo intermetallic nanoparticles are successfully mounted on single atom Co-N-C support by exploiting the barrier effect of Co-anchor. According to a collaborative experimental and computational investigation, the increased oxygen reduction reaction activity of PtCo/Co-N-C arises from the direct electron transfer from PtCo to Co-N-C, and the resulting optimal d-band center of Pt. Owing to such unique electronic structure interaction and synergistic effect, the specific and mass activities of PtCo/Co-N-C are up to 4.20 mA cm-2 and 2.71 A mgPt-1 , respectively, with barely degraded stability after 40 000 CV cycles. The PtCo/Co-N-C also exhibits outstanding activity as an ethanol electrocatalyst. This work shows a new and effective route to boost the overall efficiency of direct ethanol fuel cells in acidic media by integrating intermetallic low-Pt alloys and single atom carbon support.

Theoretically Revealed and Experimentally Demonstrated Synergistic Electronic Interaction of CoFe Dual-Metal Sites on N-doped Carbon for Boosting Both Oxygen Reduction and Evolution Reactions.

Heteronuclear double-atom catalysts, unlike single atom catalysts, may change the charge density of active metal sites by introducing another metal single atom, thereby modifying the adsorption energies of reaction intermediates and increasing the catalytic activities. First, density functional theory calculations are used to figure out the best combination by modeling two transition-metal atoms from Fe, Co, and Ni onto N-doped graphene. Generally, Fe and Co sites are highly active for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), respectively. The combination of Co and Fe to form CoFe-N-C not only further improves the Fe's ORR and Co's OER activities but also greatly enhances the Co site's ORR and Fe site's OER activities. Then, we synthesize the CoFe-N-C by a two-step pyrolysis process and find that the CoFe-N-C exhibits exceptional ORR and OER electrocatalytic activities in alkaline media, significantly superior to Fe-N-C and Co-N-C and even commercial catalysts.

The impact of cold spells on schizophrenia admissions and the synergistic effect with the air quality index.

OBJECTIVES: Under current global climate conditions, there are insufficient studies on the health influences of cold spells, especially on mental health. This study aimed to examine the effect of cold spells on schizophrenia admissions and to analyze the potential interaction effect with the air quality index (AQI). METHODS: Daily data on schizophrenia admissions and climatic variables in Hefei were collected from 2013 to 2019. Based on 20 definitions, the impacts of cold spells were quantified separately to find the most appropriate definition for the region, and meta-regression was used to explore the different effect sizes of the different days in a cold spell event. In addition, the potential interaction effect was tested by introducing a categorical variable, CSH, reflecting the cold spell and AQI level. RESULTS: The cold spell defined by temperature below the 6th centile while lasting for at least three days produced the optimum model fit performance. In general, the risk of schizophrenia admissions increased on cold spell days. The largest single-day effect occurred on the 12th day with RR = 1.081 (95% CI: 1.044, 1.118). In a single cold spell event, the effect of the 3rd and subsequent days of a cold spell (RR = 1.082, 95% CI: 1.036, 1.130) was higher than that on the 2nd day (RR = 1.054, 95% CI: 1.024, 1.085). Similarly, the effect of the 2nd day was also higher than that of the 1st day (RR = 1.027, 95% CI: 1.012, 1.042). We found a synergistic effect between cold spells and high AQI in the male group, and the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) was 0.018 (95% CI: 0.005-0.030). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that the impacts of cold spells should be considered based on the definition of the most appropriate for the region when formulating targeted measures of schizophrenia. The discovery of the synergistic effect was referred to help the selection of the timing of precautions for susceptible people.

The association between the dietary pattern in abdominal obesity based on visceral fat index and dyslipidaemia in the Henan Rural Cohort Study.

The present study aimed to explore the association between dietary patterns in abdominal obesity obtained by reduced-rank regression (RRR) with visceral fat index (VFI) as a dependent variable and dyslipidemia in rural adults in Henan, China. A total of 29538 people aged 18-79 were selected from the Henan Rural Cohort Study. RRR analysis was used to identify dietary patterns; logistic regression analysis and restricted cubic spline regression models were applied to analyze the association between dietary patterns in abdominal obesity and dyslipidemia. VFI was used as a mediator to estimate the mediation effect. The dietary pattern in abdominal obesity was characterized by high carbohydrate and red meat intake and low consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables, milk, etc. After full adjustment, the highest quartile of dietary pattern scores was significantly associated with an increased risk of dyslipidemia (OR: 1·33, 95 % CI 1·23-1·44, Ptrend < 0·001), there was a non-linear dose-response relationship between them (Poverall-association < 0·001, Pnon-lin-association = 0·022). The result was similar in dose-response between the dietary pattern scores and VFI. The indirect effect partially mediated by VFI was significant (OR: 1·07, 95 % CI 1·06-1·08). VIF explained approximately 53·3 % of odds of dyslipidemia related to the dietary pattern. Abdominal obesity dietary pattern scores positively affected VFI and dyslipidemia; there was a dose-response in both relationships. Dyslipidemia progression increased with higher abdominal obesity dietary pattern scores. In addition, VFI played a partial mediating role in relationship between abdominal obesity dietary pattern and dyslipidemia.

Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Glycemic Control in Prediabetes: A Meta-Analysis.

Clinical research results of vitamin D supplementation in the improvement of prediabetes remain controversial. Accordingly, a literature search was conducted of PubMed, Embase (Ovid), and Web of Science prior to 9 November 2021. Randomized controlled studies reported that the following indicators were included: body mass index (BMI), fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2 h oral glucose tolerance test plasma glucose (2h-PG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), insulin resistance by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR), homeostasis model assessment of ß-cell function (HOMA-B), and fasting insulin (FINS). Twenty-nine articles (N = 3792) were included in the present meta-analysis. Intriguingly, vitamin D supplementation resulted in a vast improvement in FBG (standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.38; 95%CI: -0.59, -0.16), HbA1c (SMD = -0.14; 95%CI: -0.22, -0.06) and FINS (SMD = 0.18; 95%CI: -0.26, -0.09), but not in other outcomes. However, preferred changes were observed in subgroups, as follows: Asia (SMD2h-PG = -0.25, 95%CI: -0.45, -0.04), study duration ≥1 year (SMDHOMA-IR = -0.44, 95%CI: -0.81, -0.06) (SMDHOMA-B = 0.34, 95%CI: 0.01, 0.66), baseline 25(OH)D < 50 nmol/L (SMD2h-PG = -0.23, 95%CI: -0.39, -0.06), and baseline 25(OH)D ≥ 50 nmol/L (SMDHOMA-IR = -0.50, 95%CI: -0.96, -0.03). In conclusion, oral supplementation of vitamin D has shown better effects in improving FBG, HbA1c, and FINS compared with controls among prediabetics; long-term vitamin D supplementation could have additional effects in participants with vitamin D deficiency for 2h-PG, HOMA-IR, and HOMA-B.

MOF Structure Engineering to Synthesize CoNC Catalyst with Richer Accessible Active Sites for Enhanced Oxygen Reduction.

Single-atom cobalt-based CoNC are promising low-cost electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, further increasing the single cobalt-based active sites and the ORR activity remain a major challenge. Herein, an acetate (OAc) assisted metal-organic framework (MOF) structure-engineering strategy is developed to synthesize hierarchical accordion-like MOF with higher loading amount and better spatial isolation of Co and much higher yield when compared with widely reported polyhedron MOF. After pyrolysis, the accordion-structured CoNC (CoNC (A)) is loaded with denser CoN4 active sites (Co: 2.88 wt%), approximately twice that of Co in the CoNC reported. The presence of OAc in MOF also induces the generation of big pores (5-50 nm) for improving the accessibility of active sites and mass transfer during catalytic reactions. Consequently, the CoNC (A) catalyst shows an admirable ORR activity with a E1/2 of 0.89 V (40 mV better than Pt/C) in alkaline electrolytes, outstanding durability, and absolute tolerance to methanol in both alkaline and acidic media. The CoNC-based Zn-air battery exhibits a high specific capacity (976 mAh g-1 Zn ), power density (158 mW cm-2 ), rate capability, and long-term stability. This work demonstrates a reliable approach to construct single atom doped carbon catalysts with denser accessible active sites through MOF structure engineering.

Biocatalyst and colorimetric biosensor of carcinoembryonic antigen constructed via chicken egg white-copper phosphate organic/inorganic hybrid nanoflowers.

In this article, the dual-functional chicken egg white-copper phosphate organic-inorganic hybrid nanoflowers (Cu-NFs), combining the functions of signal amplification and biological recognition, were prepared through a simple one-pot method. The Cu-NFs exhibit excellent biocatalytic activity of peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase. Besides, a biotin-labeled secondary antibody encapsulated Cu-NFs-2 (Cu-NFs-2@Biotin-NHS-Ab2) capture probe was prepared by using the interaction between avidin in the egg white and biotin. Based upon this superiority, the as-prepared Cu-NFs-2 were used in labeled avidin-biotin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Cu-NFs-2 based-LAB-ELISA) to construct a sensitive colorimetric biosensor for the ultrasensitive detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Under weak alkaline (pH = 7.5) conditions, the as-developed colorimetric sensor displayed a wide linear range of 0.05-40 ng/mL with a detection limit of 3.52 pg/mL. Furthermore, this colorimetric sensor has been successfully applied to the detection of CEA in human serum samples. Therefore, the as-developed colorimetric sensor has broad application prospects in the field of medical diagnosis and portable detection.

A novel nonenzymatic ascorbic acid electrochemical sensor based on gold nanoparticals-chicken egg white-copper phosphate-graphene oxide hybrid nanoflowers.

Au-CEW-Cu3(PO4)2-GO nanoflowers (HNFs), which were assembled of gold nanoparticals (Au NPs), chicken egg white (CEW), copper phosphate (Cu3(PO4)2) and graphene oxide (GO) together to form a flower-like organic/inorganic hybrid nanocomposite, were synthesized through a simple and gentle one-pot co-precipitation method. The prepared samples were well characterized by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer, x-ray diffraction and Raman spectrometer. The prepared Au-CEW-Cu3(PO4)2-GO HNFs was used to modify glassy carbon electrode to fabricate an electrochemical sensor for detection of ascorbic acid (AA). The electrochemical test results show that the linear range of the developed sensor is 8-300µM and the detection limit is 2.67µM (S/N = 3). While this sensor displays high sensitivity of 6.01 × 10-3µAµM-1cm-2and low detection potential of 35 mV due to the combination of the high conductivity of Au NPs, the larger specific surface area of GO and the intrinsic electrocatalytic activity of CEW-Cu3(PO4)2HNFs. Moreover, the Au-CEW-Cu3(PO4)2-GO HNFs-based sensor was successfully developed for application in electrochemical detection of AA in vitamin C tablets.

Development of a Ni-Doped VAl3 Topological Semimetal with a Significantly Enhanced HER Catalytic Performance.

Topological materials with robust topological surface states appear to be well-suited as electrochemical catalysts. However, few studies have been published on the development of non-noble metal topological catalysts, most likely because the topological properties tend to be attributed to the s and p orbital electrons, while transition-metal catalysis mainly involves d orbital electrons. Herein, we proposed a topological semimetallic (TSM) compound, VAl3, with a surface state consisting mainly of d orbital electrons, as an electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations showed that the surface state electrons enhanced the adsorption of H atoms. Moreover, the transfer of surface state electrons between the surface and adsorbed H atoms was optimized through nickel doping. We experimentally prepared single-crystals VAl3 and V0.75Ni0.25Al3 alloys. Electrochemical analysis showed that not only did V0.75Ni0.25Al3 outperform VAl3 but also it was among the best non-noble metal topological HER electrocatalysts currently available.

Association between cold spells and childhood asthma in Hefei, an analysis based on different definitions and characteristics.

BACKGROUND: As the global climate continues to warm, there is an increased focus on heat, but the role of low temperatures on health has been overlooked, especially for developing countries. Methods We collected the admission data of childhood asthma in 2013-2016 from Anhui Provincial Children's Hospital, as well as meteorological data from the Meteorological Bureau for the study period and collected data of pollutants from 10 monitoring stations around Hefei city. Poisson's generalized additive model (GAM) combined with a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) was used to estimate the short-term effects of cold spell on childhood asthma in cold seasons (November to March). 16 definitions of cold spells were clearly compared, which combining 4 temperature indexes (daily minimum and mean temperature; daily minimum and mean apparent temperature), 2 temperature thresholds (2.5th and 5th) and 3 durations of at least 2-4 days. We then have an analysis of the modifying effect of characteristics of cold spells and individuals(gender and age), with a view to discovering the susceptible population to cold spell. Results There was significant association between cold spells and admission risk for childhood asthma. And the definition, in which daily minimum apparent temperature falls below 5th percentile for at least 3 consecutive days, produced the optimum model fit performance. Based on this optimal fit we found that, for the total population, the effect of cold spell lasted approximately five days (lag1-lag5), with the largest effect occurring in lag 3 (RR = 1.110; 95% CI: 1.052-1.170). In subgroup analysis, the cumulative effect of lag0-7 was higher in males and school-age children than in females and other age groups, respectively. In addition, we found that the effect of is higher as the duration increases. Conclusion This study suggests an association between cold spell and childhood asthma, and minimum AT may be a better indicator to define the cold spells. Boys and school-age children are more vulnerable to cold spell. And one of our very interesting findings is that if a cold spell lasts for several days, the impact of the cold spell on those later days is likely to be greater than that of the previous days. In conclusion, we should pay more attention to the protection of boys and school-aged children in our future public health protection and give more attention to those cold spells that last longer. Therefore, we recommend that schools and health authorities need to take targeted measures to reduce the risk of asthma in children during the cold spell.

Elevated environmental PM2.5 increases risk of schizophrenia relapse: Mediation of inflammatory cytokines.

BACKGROUND: Ecological epidemiology suggests that hospital admissions for schizophrenia are associated with an increased environmental PM2.5, but no prospective study has verified this result, and the physiological mechanism is not clear. METHODS: We used a repeated-measures design to prospectively assess the association of environmental PM2.5 and the risk of relapse in schizophrenia, and used two linear mixed-effects models to explore possible mediating effects of immune cytokines on the premise of controlling confounders. RESULTS: We import the data using EpiData software, and collate and analyze of the data using R software. The increase of PM2.5 at lag0 had the greatest impact on the relapse of schizophrenia (for each 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5, the relapse risk score increased by 1.504, that is to say, odds ratio (OR) = 4.500 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.849-7.106，P < 0.001)), and cumulative effects lasted for four days with the maximum at the second day (for each 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5, the relapse risk score increased by 1.301, OR = 3.673 (95%CI: 1.962-6.876，P < 0.001)). PM2.5 exposure was statistically related to four symptom dimensions of early signs scale (ESS), and the symptoms most affected by the increased PM2.5 were depression/withdrawal (ESSN) (OR = 1.990, 95%CI: 1.701-2.328), anxiety/agitation (ESS-A) (OR = 1.537, 95%CI: 1.340-1.763), initial psychosis (ESS-IP) (OR = 1.398, 95%CI: 1.151-1.697), and disinhibition (ESS-D) (OR = 1.235, 95%CI: 1.133-1.347). Furthermore, there are three statistically significant pathways in intermediary analysis: of PM2.5 and relapse risk: "PM2.5 â†’ IL-17 â†’ ESS", "PM2.5 â†’ IL-17 â†’ ESS-A", and "PM2.5 â†’ IL-17 â†’ ESS-N", and the intermediary ratio of IL-17 was 11.66%, 16.37% and 22.55%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Increased environmental PM2.5 is a risk factor for the relapse of schizophrenia. Early relapse identification and intervention based on clinical characteristics are of great significance for timely termination of relapse and slowing down of relapse.

MOF-Derived 2D/3D Hierarchical N-Doped Graphene as Support for Advanced Pt Utilization in Ethanol Fuel Cell.

Development of bifunctional catalysts with low platinum (Pt) content for the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is highly desirable, yet challenging. Herein, we present structural engineering of a series of two-dimensional/three-dimensional (2D/3D) hierarchical N-doped graphene-supported nanosized Pt3Co alloys and Co clusters (PtCo@N-GNSs) via a hydrolysis-pyrolysis route. For the ORR, the optimal PtCo@N-GNS exhibits a high mass activity of 3.01 A mgPt-1, which is comparable to the best Pt-based catalyst obtained through sophisticated synthesis. It also possesses excellent stability with minor decay after 50 000 cyclic voltammograms (CV) cycles in acidic medium. For the EOR, PtCo@N-GNS achieves the highest mass-specific and area-specific activities of 1.96 A mgPt-1 and 5.75 mA cm-2, respectively, among all of the reported EOR catalysts to date. The unique 2D/3D hierarchy, high Pt utilization, and valid encapsulation of nanosized Pt3Co/Co synergistically contribute to the robust ORR and EOR activities of the present PtCo@N-GNS. A direct ethanol fuel cell based on PtCo@N-GNS delivers a high open-circuit potential of 0.9 V, a stable power density of 10.5 mW cm-2, and an excellent rate performance, implying the feasibility of the bifunctional PtCo@N-GNS. This work offers a new strategy for designing an ultralow Pt loading yet highly active and durable catalyst for ethanol fuel cell application.

CmBES1 is a regulator of boundary formation in chrysanthemum ray florets.

Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium) is an ideal model species for studying petal morphogenesis because of the diversity in the flower form across varieties; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying petal development are poorly understood. Here, we show that the brassinosteroid transcription factor BRI1-EMS-SUPPRESSOR 1 (CmBES1) in chrysanthemum (C. morifolium cv. Jinba) is important for organ boundary formation because it represses organ boundary identity genes. Chrysanthemum plants overexpressing CmBES1 displayed increased fusion of the outermost ray florets due to the loss of differentiation of the two dorsal petals, which developed simultaneously with the ventral petals. RNA-seq analysis of the overexpression lines revealed potential genes and pathways involved in petal development, such as CUP-SHAPED COTYLEDON (CUC2), CYCLOIDEA 4 (CYC4), genes encoding MADS-box transcription factors and homeodomain-leucine zippers (HD-Zips) and auxin pathway-related genes. This study characterizes the role of CmBES1 in ray floret development by its modulation of flower development and boundary identity genes in chrysanthemum.