One-Step Spraying Strategy for Fabricating Bioinspired, Graphene-Based, and Multifunctional-Integrated Coatings on Structural Steel with Good Water Repellency, Fireproofing, Anticorrosion, and Durability.

Traditionally, many coatings were merely concentrated on settling the inherent fire protection problem of steel structures, while surface contamination and corrosion susceptibility should also be considered. Concurrently addressing these problems in fireproof efficiency and surface multifunctionality has become an issue of great significance in further expanding the application value in industrial and daily scenarios. Based on this condition, ecofriendly, graphene-based, and superhydrophobic coatings with multifunctional integration were constructed on steel via a one-step spraying method. The as-prepared coatings mainly consist of epoxy resin (EP), silicone resin (SR), a cyclodextrin-based flame retardant (MCDPM), expandable graphite (EG), and multilayered graphene (MG). The results demonstrate that the water contact angle (WCA) and water sliding angle (WSA) of as-prepared coatings can reach 156.8 ± 1.6 and 5.8 ± 0.7°, respectively, revealing good water repellency and self-cleaning properties. The coatings can also exhibit adequate adaptability for various substrates including wood, polyurethane foam, and cotton fabrics. Besides, good durability and robustness of coatings have been also verified via acid/alkali immersion, outdoor exposure, O2/plasma etching, and linear abrasion tests. Simultaneously, the coatings can exhibit excellent anticorrosion capacity for steel materials via a double barrier effect. Most importantly, the coatings have exhibited the lowest backside temperature (234.5 °C) during fire impact tests, suggesting excellent fireproof and heat insulation performance. This fact can be ascribed to the conjunct action between the physical/chemical charring process of flame retardants and the remarkable thermal stability of graphene. Consequently, this article can be expected to further promote the development and application of multifunctional-integrated coatings for steel structures in more fields.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus modifies and mediates the association between the visceral adiposity index and depression: A cross-sectional study using NHANES 2005-2018 data.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this investigation was to explore the correlation between the visceral adiposity index (VAI) and depression, and to analyze how type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) may influence this relationship. METHODS: This study included data of 12,378 participants sourced from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2018. Utilizing multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression, we examined the correlation between VAI and depression. Additionally, we investigated the interactive and mediating effects of T2DM on the association between VAI and depression. RESULTS: Controlling for all potential confounders, the Ln logarithmic transformation of VAI showed a significant positive correlation with depression [odds ratio (OR) = 1.16, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.35, P = 0.041]. T2DM exhibited a notable interaction effect on the relationship connecting lnVAI and depression (P for interaction = 0.013). Specifically, the T2DM group exhibited a notable positive correlation between lnVAI and depression (OR = 1.46, 95 % CI: 1.17-1.82, P < 0.001), whereas such correlation didn't reach statistical significance within the non-T2DM group. The RCS model revealed a J-shaped nonlinear link between lnVAI and depression, with an inflection point value of 0.052. Mediation analysis indicated that diabetes accounted for 8.0 % of the correlation between lnVAI and depression. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis confirmed the consistency of these findings. CONCLUSIONS: A J-shaped nonlinear dose-response relationship was observed between lnVAI and depression among American adults, with a threshold of 0.052. T2DM not only served as a mediator between the two variables but also modified their association.

Toxic effects of ZnO NPs on immune response and tissue pathology in Mytilus galloprovincialis.

Nano-zinc oxide (ZnO NPs), as widely used nanomaterials, are inevitably released into aquatic environments, posing potential threats to aquatic organisms. Mytilus galloprovincialis is a bivalve species sensitive to changes in marine ecological environments, but there has been limited research on its toxicity response to ZnO NPs. Therefore, we selected M. galloprovincialis as the research subject and exposed them to 50 µg/L ZnO NPs for 96 h and 30 days to determine the dissolution of ZnO NPs in seawater and their distribution in M. galloprovincialis. The toxicity of ZnO NPs in M. galloprovincialis was then evaluated through gene expression, tissue pathology, and cellular immune response. The results showed that ZnO NPs could enrich Zn in various tissues of the mussel, in the order of gills > hepatopancreas > adductor muscle > mantle. Seven immune-related genes including four heat shock protein genes (HSPA12A, sHSP24.1, sHSP22, TCTP) and three apoptotic genes (Ras, p63 and Bcl-2) were altered to varying degrees. There was a downward trend in lysosomal membrane stability of M. galloprovincialis after exposure to ZnO NPs for 96 h and 30 days, while ROS and apoptosis rates increased significantly. Furthermore, the seven genes, apoptosis, LMS, and ROS were dependent on exposure time, treatment, and their interaction. Histopathological damage included disorganisation of hepatopancreas epithelial cells, gill filament swelling, and contraction of blood sinuses. These results indicated that ZnO NPs exerted toxicity in M. galloprovincialis, affecting the immune system, resulting in changes in the expression of immune-related genes and ultimately leading to histopathological changes. Our research findings could contribute to systematically understand the impact of ZnO NPs on bivalves in aquatic environments and provide a theoretical basis for marine pollution assessment.