Electrochemical Knocking-Down of Zn Metal Clusters into Single Atoms.

Single Atoms Catalysts (SACs) have emerged as a class of highly promising heterogeneous catalysts, where the traditional bottom-up synthesis approaches often encounter considerable challenges in relation to aggregation issues and poor stability. Consequently, achieving densely dispersed atomic species in a reliable and efficient manner remains a key focus in the field. Herein, we report a new facile electrochemical knock-down strategy for the formation of SACs, whereby the metal Zn clusters are transformed into single atoms. While a defect-rich substrate plays a pivotal role in capturing and stabilizing isolated Zn atoms, the feasibility of this novel strategy is demonstrated through a comprehensive investigation, combining experimental and theoretical studies. Furthermore, when studied in exploring for potential applications, the material prepared shows a remarkable improvement of 58.21% for the Li+ storage and delivers a capacity over 300 Wh kg-1 after 500 cycles upon the transformation of Zn clusters into single atoms.

Interfacial Synergy in Mo2C/MoC Heterostructure Promoting Sequential Polysulfide Conversion in High-Performance Lithium-Sulfur Battery.

A rational design of sulfur host is the key to conquering the"polysulfide shuttle effects" by accelerating the polysulfide conversion. Since the process involves solid-liquid-solid multistep phase transitions, purposely-engineered heterostructure catalysts with various active regions for catalyzing conversion steps correspondingly are beneficial to promote the overall conversion process. However, the functionalities of the materials surface and interface in heterostructure catalysts remain unclear. In this work, an Mo2C/MoC catalyst with abundant Mo2C surface-interface-MoC surface tri-active-region is developed by in situ converting the MoZn-metal organic framework. The experimental and simulation studies demonstrate the interface can catch long-chain polysulfides and promote their conversion. Instead, the Mo2C and MoC tend to accommodate the short-chain polysulfide and accelerate their conversion and the Li2S dissociation. Benefitting from the high catalytic ability, the Li-S battery assembled with the Mo2C/MoC-S cathode shows more discrete redox reactions and delivers a high initial capacity of 1603.6 mAh g-1 at 1 C charging-discharging rate, which is over twofolds of the one assembled using individual hosts, and 80.4% capacity can be maintained after 1000 cycles at 3 C rate. This work has demonstrated a novel synergy between the interface and material surface, which will help the future design of high-performance Li-S batteries.

Lipoprotein(a) Is Associated With the Progression and Vulnerability of New-Onset Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque.

BACKGROUND: Although important progress has been made in understanding Lp(a) (lipoprotein[a])-mediated stroke risk, the contribution of Lp(a) to the progression of vulnerable plaque features associated with stroke risk remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate whether Lp(a) is associated with carotid plaque progression, new-onset plaque features, and plaque vulnerability in a prospective community-based cohort study. METHODS: Baseline Lp(a) levels were measured using latex-enhanced turbidimetric immunoassay among 804 participants aged 45 to 74 years and free of cardiovascular disease in the Chinese Multi-provincial Cohort Study-Beijing project. Carotid atherosclerosis was measured twice by B-mode ultrasonography over a 10-year interval during the 2002 and 2012 surveys to assess the progression of total, vulnerable and stable plaques, and plaque vulnerability. The total plaque area and plaque vulnerability score were calculated. RESULTS: The median baseline Lp(a) level was 10.20 mg/dL (interquartile range, 6.20 to 17.18 mg/dL). Modified Poisson regression analysis showed that Lp(a) ≥50 mg/dL was significantly associated with 10-year progression of total carotid plaque (relative risk [RR], 1.41 [95% CI, 1.21-1.64]; E-value=2.17), vulnerable plaque (RR, 1.93 [95% CI, 1.54-2.41]), and stable plaque (RR, 1.51 [95% CI, 1.11-2.07]) compared with Lp(a) <50 mg/dL. Moreover, among participants without plaque at baseline, Lp(a) ≥50 mg/dL was related to an increased total plaque area (ß=0.36 [95% CI, 0.06-0.65]; P=0.018) and increased plaque vulnerability score (ß=0.30 [95% CI, 0.01-0.60]; P=0.045) in multivariable linear regression. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated Lp(a) levels were associated with 10-year carotid plaque progression and plaque vulnerability, providing a basis for Lp(a) as a treatment target for stroke prevention.

Investigation on the Direct Transfer of SVOCs from Source to Settled Dust: Analytical Model and Key Parameter Determination.

Settled dust is an important medium for semivolatile organic compound (SVOC) transport indoors. Understanding the mechanism of interaction between SVOCs and settled dust can greatly improve the exposure assessment. This study develops an analytical model to elucidate the mechanism of direct contact between SVOC sources and settled dust. The model incorporates the adsorption of SVOCs onto indoor surfaces, which was ignored in previous numerical models. Based on this model, a hybrid optimization method is applied to determine the key parameters of SVOC transport, i.e., the diffusion coefficient in the dust, the dust-air partition coefficient, and the chamber surface-air partition coefficient. Experiments of direct contact between SVOC source materials containing organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) and settled dust were conducted in chambers. The key parameters were determined by performing curve fitting using data collected from the OPFR chamber tests and from the literature on phthalates. The reliability and robustness of the model and measurement method are demonstrated by the high fitting accuracy and sensitivity analysis. The obtained key parameters are more accurate than those from correlations in prior studies. Further analysis indicates that dust-air partition coefficient plays an important role and the adsorption effect on surfaces cannot be neglected for SVOC transport.

Maternal high-fat diet up-regulates type-1 cannabinoid receptor with estrogen signaling changes in a sex- and depot- specific manner in white adipose tissue of adult rat offspring.

PURPOSE: Obesity and high-fat (HF) diet are associated with over activation of the endocannabinoid system (ECS). We have demonstrated that maternal HF diet induces early obesity and modulates cannabinoid signaling in visceral (VIS) and subcutaneous (SUB) white adipose tissue (WAT) in weanling rat offspring. We hypothesized that perinatal maternal HF diet would program the expression of ECS in adipose tissue in a long-term way in parallel to alterations in epigenetic markers and sex hormone signaling. METHODS: Progenitor female rats received control diet (C, 9% fat) or isocaloric high-fat diet (HF, 28% fat) for 8 weeks before mating, gestation, and lactation. All pups were weaned to C diet and they were euthanized at 180 days old. RESULTS: Maternal HF diet induced overweight and increased SUB WAT mass of male and female adult offspring. Maternal HF diet induced hypertrophy of VIS and SUB adipocytes only in female offspring associated with increased type 1 cannabinoid receptor protein (CB1) and mRNA (Cnr1) levels. These changes were associated with increased estrogen receptor α binding to Cnr1 promoter in SUB WAT of adult female offspring, which may contribute to higher expression of Cnr1. CONCLUSION: Increased CB1 signaling in adipose tissue might contribute to higher adiposity programmed by maternal HF diet because endocannabinoids stimulate the accumulation of fat in the adipose tissue. Our findings provide molecular insights into sex-specific targets for anti-obesity therapies based on the endocannabinoid system.

The risk factors of gestational hypertension in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: a retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: The hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy (HDCP) is common in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), yet the potential influencing factors remained unclear. We aimed to assess the independent risk factors of HDCP in patients with PCOS, to provide clinical evidences for the management of PCOS. METHODS: Pregnant PCOS patients treated in our hospital from June 1, 2018 to November 30, 2020 were approached. The personal and clinical characteristics of patients with and without gestational hypertension were evaluated. Logistic regressions were conducted to identify the independent risk factors of HDCP, Receiver operating characteristics (ROC)curve analysis was conducted to evaluate the predicting value. RESULTS: A total of 188 PCOS patients were included, the incidence of HDCP in patients with PCOS was 27.66 %. There were significant differences in the age, BMI, family history of hypertension, the history of adverse pregnancy, history of contraceptive pills use and family history of HDCP between HDCP group and no-HDCP group (all p < 0.05), and there were no significant differences in the family history of diabetes, multiple pregnancy and long-term smoking history between HDCP group and no-HDCP group (all p > 0.05). Age ≥ 27y(OR2.048, 95 %CI1.121 ~ 3.208), BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2(OR1.463, 95 %CI1.069 ~ 2.011), family history of hypertension(OR2.129, 95 %CI1.093 ~ 3.042), the history of adverse pregnancy(OR2.435, 95 %CI1.264 ~ 4.085), history of contraceptive pills use(OR3.806, 95 %CI1.184 ~ 6.102), family history of HDCP(OR1.934, 95 %CI1.016 ~ 2.774) were the independent risk factors of HDCP in patients with PCOS (all p < 0.05). ROC curve analyses indicated that those factors had good predictive value on HDCP in PCOS patients. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of HDCP in PCOS patients is relatively high. In clinical practice, medical workers should carry out early prevention and intervention measures for these risk factors to reduce the incidence of HDCP.

Antibacterial Activity and Mechanism of Action of Bovine Lactoferricin Derivatives with Symmetrical Amino Acid Sequences.

In recent years, the overuse of antibiotics has become very serious. Many pathogenic bacteria have become resistant to them, with serious potential health consequences. Thus, it is urgent that we develop new antibiotic drugs. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are important endogenous antibacterial molecules that contribute to immunity. Most have spectral antibacterial properties and do not confer drug resistance. In this paper, an 11-residue peptide (LFcinB18⁻28) with a sequence of KCRRWQWRMKK was modified by amino acid substitution to form a symmetrical amino acid sequence. The antibacterial activities and mechanisms of action of engineered peptides including KW-WK (KWRRWQWRRWK), FP-PF (FPRRWQWRRPF), FW-WF (FWRRWQWRRWF), and KK-KK (KKRRWQWRRKK) were investigated. The four engineered peptides could more effectively inhibit bacteria than the original peptide, LFcinB18⁻28. This suggested that a symmetrical amino acid sequence might enhance the antibacterial activity of AMPs. However, only peptides KW-WK, FP-PF, and KK-KK were safe; FW-WF displayed hemolytic activity. The engineered peptides shared cationic and amphipathic characteristics that facilitated interactions with the anionic microbial membranes, leading to disruption of membrane integrity and permeabilizing microbial membranes, resulting in cell death. Therefore, a symmetrical amino acid sequence and related structural parameters offer an alternative approach to the design of AMPs. This will provide a scientific basis for the design and synthesis of new AMPs.

Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Activity and Low Cytotoxicity against Human Cells of a Peptide Derived from Bovine αS1-Casein.

The primary objective of this study was to improve our understanding of the antimicrobial mechanism of protein-derived peptides and to provide evidence for protein-derived peptides as food bio-preservatives by examining the antimicrobial activities, low cytotoxicity, stabilities, and mechanism of Cp1 (LRLKKYKVPQL). In this study, the protein-derived peptide Cp1 was synthesized from bovine αS1-casein, and its potential use as a food biopreservative was indicated by the higher cell selectivity shown by 11-residue peptide towards bacterial cells than human RBCs. It also showed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 64⁻640 µM against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The peptide had low hemolytic activity (23.54%, 512 µM) as well as cytotoxicity. The results of fluorescence spectroscopy, flow cytometry, and electron microscopy experiments indicated that Cp1 exerted its activity by permeabilizing the microbial membrane and destroying cell membrane integrity. We found that Cp1 had broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, low hemolytic activity, and cytotoxicity. The results also revealed that Cp1 could cause cell death by permeabilizing the cell membrane and disrupting membrane integrity. Overall, the findings presented in this study improve our understanding of the antimicrobial potency of Cp1 and provided evidence of the antimicrobial mechanisms of Cp1. The peptide Cp1 could have potential applications as a food biopreservative.

[Study on biological characteristics and stability of the linear derivative Bac2a from bactenecin].

The objective of the study is to analyze the biological characteristics and stability of the linear derivative Bac2a from bactenecin, compared with the control peptide melittin. The secondary structure, antibacterial activity, hemolytic activity, cell toxicity and stability of the Bac2a were determined by circular dichroism spectroscopy, broth micro-dilution method and MTT assay. The results showed that Bac2a was a nonregular curl in aqueous solution, however, it was an α-helix structure in the hydrophobic environment. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Bac2a ranged from 2 to 32 µmol/L, so the bacteriostatic activity of Bac2a was strong. The hemolytic rate was only 14.81% when the concentration of Bac2a was 64 µmol/L, which showed that the hemolytic rate of Bac2a was low. The therapy index of Bac2a was 3.26, and the cytotoxicity was relatively low, thus the cell selectivity was relatively high. In addition, with the heating treatment of 100℃ for 1 h, Bac2a still possessed rather a high antibacterial activity and showed a good heating stability. In a word, Bac2a has good application prospects in food, medicine and other fields, and is expected as a substitute for traditional antibiotics.

Protein stabilizer, NDSB-195, enhances the dynamics of the ß4 -α2 loop of ubiquitin.

Non-detergent sulfobetaines (NDSBs) are a new group of small, synthetic protein stabilizers, which have advantages over classical compatible osmolytes, such as polyol, amines, and amino acids: they do not increase solution viscosity, unlike polyols, and they are zwitterionic at all pH ranges, unlike amines and amino acids. NDSBs also facilitate the crystallization and refolding of proteins. The mechanism whereby NDSBs exhibit such activities, however, remains elusive. To gain insight into this mechanism, we studied, using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), the effects of dimethylethylammonium propane sulfonate (NDSB-195) on the dynamics of ubiquitin, on which a wealth of information has been accumulated. By analyzing the line width of amide proton resonances and the transverse relaxation rates of nitrogen atoms, we found that NDSB-195 enhances the microsecond-millisecond dynamics of a ß4 -α2 loop of ubiquitin. Although those compounds that enhance protein dynamics are generally considered to destabilize protein molecules, NDSB-195 enhanced the stability of ubiquitin against guanidium chloride denaturation. Thus, the simultaneous enhancement of stability and flexibility by a single compound can be attained.

Tissue Plasminogen Activator Prescription and Administration Errors within a Regional Stroke System.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous (IV) tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) utilization in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) requires weight-based dosing and a standardized infusion rate. In our regional network, we have tried to minimize tPA dosing errors. We describe the frequency and types of tPA administration errors made in our comprehensive stroke center (CSC) and at community hospitals (CHs) prior to transfer. METHODS: Using our stroke quality database, we extracted clinical and pharmacy information on all patients who received IV tPA from 2010-11 at the CSC or CH prior to transfer. All records were analyzed for the presence of inclusion/exclusion criteria deviations or tPA errors in prescription, reconstitution, dispensing, or administration, and for association with outcomes. RESULTS: We identified 131 AIS cases treated with IV tPA: 51% female; mean age 68; 32% treated at the CSC, and 68% at CHs (including 26% by telestroke) from 22 CHs. tPA prescription and administration errors were present in 64% of all patients (41% CSC, 75% CH, P < .001), the most common being incorrect dosage for body weight (19% CSC, 55% CH, P < .001). Of the 27 overdoses, there were 3 deaths due to systemic hemorrhage or ICH. Nonetheless, outcomes (parenchymal hematoma, mortality, modified Rankin Scale score) did not differ between CSC and CH patients nor between those with and without errors. CONCLUSION: Despite focus on minimization of tPA administration errors in AIS patients, such errors were very common in our regional stroke system. Although an association between tPA errors and stroke outcomes was not demonstrated, quality assurance mechanisms are still necessary to reduce potentially dangerous, avoidable errors.

Accelerating Sulfur Redox Kinetics by Electronic Modulation and Drifting Effects of Pre-Lithiation Electrocatalysts.

Efficient catalyst design is crucial for addressing the sluggish multi-step sulfur redox reaction (SRR) in lithium-sulfur batteries (LiSBs), which are among the promising candidates for the next-generation high-energy-density storage systems. However, the limited understanding of the underlying catalytic kinetic mechanisms and the lack of precise control over catalyst structures pose challenges in designing highly efficient catalysts, which hinder the LiSBs' practical application. Here, drawing inspiration from the theoretical calculations, the concept of precisely controlled pre-lithiation SRR electrocatalysts is proposed. The dual roles of channel and surface lithium in pre-lithiated 1T'-MoS2 are revealed, referred to as the "electronic modulation effect" and "drifting effect", respectively, both of which contribute to accelerating the SRR kinetics. As a result, the thus-designed 1T'-Lix MoS2 /CS cathode obtained by epitaxial growth of pre-lithiated 1T'-MoS2 on cubic Co9 S8 exhibits impressive performance with a high initial specific capacity of 1049.8 mAh g-1 , excellent rate-capability, and remarkable long-term cycling stability with a decay rate of only 0.019% per cycle over 1000 cycles at 3 C. This work highlights the importance of precise control in pre-lithiation parameters and the synergistic effects of channel and surface lithium, providing new valuable insights into the design and optimization of SRR electrocatalysts for high-performance LiSBs.

Directed Evolution of Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 to Utilize Allulose as Sole Carbon Source.

Sugar substitutes are popular due to their akin taste and low calories. However, excessive use of aspartame and erythritol can have varying effects. While D-allulose is presently deemed a secure alternative to sugar, its excessive consumption is not devoid of cellular stress implications. In this study, the evolution of Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) is directed to utilize allulose as sole carbon source through a combination of adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) and fluorescence-activated droplet sorting (FADS) techniques. Employing whole genome sequencing (WGS) and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats interference (CRISPRi) in conjunction with compensatory expression displayed those genetic mutations in sugar and amino acid metabolic pathways, including glnP, glpF, gmpA, nagE, pgmB, ybaN, etc., increased allulose assimilation. Enzyme-substrate dynamics simulations and deep learning predict enhanced substrate specificity and catalytic efficiency in nagE A247E and pgmB G12R mutants. The findings evince that these mutations hold considerable promise in enhancing allulose uptake and facilitating its conversion into glycolysis, thus signifying the emergence of a novel metabolic pathway for allulose utilization. These revelations bear immense potential for the sustainable utilization of D-allulose in promoting health and well-being.

Association of cardiometabolic multimorbidity with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality among Chinese hypertensive patients.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension usually clusters with multiple comorbidities. However, the association between cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) and mortality in hypertensive patients is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between CMM and all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in Chinese patients with hypertension. METHODS: The data used in this study were from the China National Survey for Determinants of Detection and Treatment Status of Hypertensive Patients with Multiple Risk Factors (CONSIDER), which comprised 5006 participants aged 19-91 years. CMM was defined as the presence of one or more of the following morbidities: diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, chronic kidney disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate the hazard ratios (HR) with 95% CI to determine the association between the number of CMMs and both all-cause and CVD mortality. RESULTS: Among 5006 participants [mean age: 58.6 ± 10.4 years, 50% women (2509 participants)], 76.4% of participants had at least one comorbidity. The mortality rate was 4.57, 4.76, 8.48, and 16.04 deaths per 1000 person-years in hypertensive patients without any comorbidity and with one, two, and three or more morbidities, respectively. In the fully adjusted model, hypertensive participants with two cardiometabolic diseases (HR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.09-2.13) and those with three or more cardiometabolic diseases (HR = 2.44, 95% CI: 1.71-3.48) had a significantly elevated risk of all-cause mortality. The findings were similar for CVD mortality but with a greater increase in risk magnitude. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, three-fourths of hypertensive patients had CMM. Clustering with two or more comorbidities was associated with a significant increase in the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among hypertensive patients, suggesting more intensive treatment and control in this high-risk patient group.

Characterization of chemical transport in human skin and building material.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) are ubiquitous in indoor environment. They can emit from source into air, and subsequently penetrate human skin into blood through dermal uptake, causing adverse health effects. This study develops a two-layer analytical model to characterize the VOC/SVOC dermal uptake process, which is then extended to predict VOC emissions from two-layer building materials or furniture. Based on the model, the key transport parameters of chemicals in every skin or material layer are determined via a hybrid optimization method using data from experiments and literature. The measured key parameters of SVOCs for dermal uptake are more accurate than those from previous studies using empirical correlations. Moreover, the association between the absorption amount of studied chemicals into blood and age is preliminarily investigated. Further exposure analysis reveals that the contribution of dermal uptake to the total exposure can be comparable with that of inhalation for the examined SVOCs. This study makes the first attempt to accurately determine the key parameters of chemicals in skin, which is demonstrated to be critical for health risk assessment.

Quasi-Copper-Mers Enable High-Performance Catalysis for CO2 Reduction.

As the atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2 ) level keeps hitting the new record, humanity is facing an ever-daunting challenge to efficiently mitigate CO2 from the atmosphere. Though electrochemical CO2 reduction presents a promising pathway to convert CO2 to valuable fuels and chemicals, the general lack of suitable electrocatalysts with high activity and selectivity severely constrains this approach. Herein, a novel class of electrocatalysts is investigated, the quasi-copper-mers, in which the CuN4 rather than Cu atom itself serve as the basic building block. The respective quasi-copper-monomers, -dimers, and -trimers hosted in a graphene-like substrate are first synthesized and then performed both experimental characterization and density functional theory (DFT) calculations to examine their atomic structures, evaluate their electrocatalytical performance and understand their underlying mechanisms. The experimental results show that the quasi-copper-trimers not only outperform the quasi-copper-dimer and quasi-copper-monomer when catalyzing CO2 to CO, it also shows a superior selectivity against the competing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The DFT calculations not only support the experimental observations, but also reveal the volcano curve and the physical origin for the qausi-copper-trimer superiority. The present work thus presents a new strategy in the design of high-performance electrocatalysts with high activity and selectivity.

Postnatal growth restriction impairs rat lung structure and function.

The negative impact of nutritional deficits in the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia is well recognized, yet mechanisms by which nutrition alters lung outcomes and nutritional strategies that optimize development and protect the lung remain elusive. Here, we use a rat model to assess the isolated effects of postnatal nutrition on lung structural development without concomitant lung injury. We hypothesize that postnatal growth restriction (PGR) impairs lung structure and function, critical mediators of lung development, and fatty acid profiles at postnatal day 21 in the rat. Rat pups were cross-fostered at birth to rat dams with litter sizes of 8 (control) or 16 (PGR). Lung structure and function, as well as serum and lung tissue fatty acids, and lung molecular mediators of development, were measured. Male and female PGR rat pups had thicker airspace walls, decreased lung compliance, and increased tissue damping. Male rats also had increased lung elastance, increased lung elastin protein abundance, and lysol oxidase expression, and increased elastic fiber deposition. Female rat lungs had increased conducting airway resistance and reduced levels of docosahexaenoic acid in lung tissue. We conclude that PGR impairs lung structure and function in both male and female rats, with sex-divergent changes in lung molecular mediators of development.

Measurement methods and impact factors for the key parameters of VOC/SVOC emissions from materials in indoor and vehicular environments: A review.

The emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) from indoor building and vehicle cabin materials can adversely affect human health. Many mechanistic models to predict the VOC/SVOC emission characteristics have been proposed. Nowadays, the main obstacle to accurate model prediction is the availability and reliability of the physical parameters used in the model, such as the initial emittable concentration, the diffusion coefficient, the partition coefficient, and the gas-phase SVOC concentration adjacent to the material surface. The purpose of this work is to review the existing methods for measuring the key parameters of VOCs/SVOCs from materials in both indoor and vehicular environments. The pros and cons of these methods are analyzed, and the available datasets found in the literature are summarized. Some methods can determine one single key parameter, while other methods can determine two or three key parameters simultaneously. The impacts of multiple factors (temperature, relative humidity, loading ratio, and air change rate) on VOC/SVOC emission behaviors are discussed. The existing measurement methods span very large spatial and time scales: the spatial scale varies from micro to macro dimensions; and the time scale in chamber tests varies from several hours to one month for VOCs, and may even span years for SVOCs. Based on the key parameters, a pre-assessment approach for indoor and vehicular air quality is introduced in this review. The approach uses the key parameters for different material combinations to pre-assess the VOC/SVOC concentrations or human exposure levels during the design stage of buildings or vehicles, which can assist designers to select appropriate materials and achieve effective source control.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Associations between Immigration Status and Stroke Incidence and Mortality.

Methods: We thoroughly searched PubMed, Embase, and MEDLINE databases for the literature on stroke risk for immigrants and host populations by January 2022. Fourteen relevant cohort studies from eight countries met the inclusion criteria, and their data were included in this meta-analysis. Heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed. Results: The results showed that the immigrant groups suffered from a lower incidence rate of stroke compared with the host populations (HR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.71-0.91, P = 0.001), but there was nonsignificant higher mortality of stroke in immigrants (HR = 1.07; 95% CI 0.84-1.36). However, the pooled adjusted incidence HR reduced to 0.67 (95% CI 0.60-0.75) after adjustment for publication bias. Immigrants had a lower stroke incidence compared to long-term residents, but the association varied with the country of origin, socioeconomic status, residence (urban vs. rural), and comorbid conditions. Discussion. The present systematic review and meta-analysis implicated that stroke risks are different for immigrants and the host populations; therefore, this knowledge may be useful for developing targeted stroke prevention strategies.

A rapid and robust method to determine the key parameters of formaldehyde emissions from building and vehicle cabin materials: Principle, multi-source application and exposure assessment.

The ubiquity of formaldehyde emitted in indoor and in-cabin environments can adversely affect health. This study proposes a novel full-range C-history method to rapidly, accurately and simultaneously determine the three key parameters (initial emittable concentration, partition coefficient, diffusion coefficient) that characterize the emission behaviors of formaldehyde from indoor building and vehicle cabin materials, by means of hybrid optimization. The key parameters of formaldehyde emissions from six building materials and five vehicle cabin materials at various temperatures, were determined. Independent experiments and sensitivity analysis verify the effectiveness and robustness of the method. We also demonstrate that the determined key parameters can be used for predicting multi-source emissions from different material combinations that are widely encountered in realistic indoor and in-cabin environments. Furthermore, based on a constructed vehicle cabin and the determined key parameters, we make a first attempt to estimate the human carcinogenic potential (HCP) of formaldehyde for taxi drivers and passengers at two temperatures (25 °C, 34 °C). The HCP for taxi drivers at both temperatures exceeds 10-6 cases, indicating relatively high potential risk. This study should be helpful for pre-evaluation of indoor and in-cabin air quality, and can assist designers in selecting appropriate materials to achieve effective source control.