Exposure characteristics and cumulative risk assessment of bisphenol A and its substitutes: the Taiwan environmental survey for toxicants 2013.

Introduction: Ever since the use of bisphenol A (BPA) has been restricted, concerns have been raised regarding the use of its substitutes, such as bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol F (BPF). Meanwhile, the EU European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) issued the new tolerable daily intake (TDI) after the latest re-risk assessment for BPA, which enforced the need for cumulative risk assessment in the population. This study was conducted to identify BPA and its substitute's exposure characteristics of the general Taiwanese population and estimate the cumulative risk of bisphenol exposure. Methods: Urine samples (N = 366 [adult, 271; minor, 95]) were collected from individuals who participated in the Taiwan Environmental Survey for Toxicants 2013. The samples were analyzed for BPA, BPS, and BPF through ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Daily intake (DI) levels were calculated for each bisphenol. Hazard quotients (HQs) were calculated with the consideration of tolerable DI and a reference dose. Additionally, hazard index (HI; sum of HQs for each bisphenol) values were calculated. Results: Our study found that the median level of BPA was significantly higher in adults (9.63 µg/g creatinine) than in minors (6.63 µg/g creatinine) (p < 0.001). The DI of BPS was higher in female (0.69 ng/kg/day) than in male (0.49 ng/kg/day); however, the DIs of BPF and BPS were higher in boys (1.15 and 0.26 ng/kg/day, respectively) than in girls (0.57 and 0.20 ng/kg/day, respectively). Most HI values exceeded 1 (99% of the participants) after EFSA re-establish the TDI of BPA. Discussion: Our study revealed that the exposure profiles and risk of BPA and its substitute in Taiwanese varied by age and sex. Additionally, the exposure risk of BPA was deemed unacceptable in Taiwan according to new EFSA regulations, and food contamination could be the possible source of exposure. We suggest that the risk of exposure to BPA and its substitutes in most human biomonitoring studies should be reassessed based on new scientific evidence.

Association between composite dietary antioxidant index and kidney stone prevalence in adults: data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2007-2018).

Background: The high prevalence of kidney stones in adults worldwide has prompted research into potential interventions, one of which involves exploring the consumption of antioxidants that may confer protective effects. However, the relationship between the composite dietary antioxidant index (CDAI), a crucial measure used to assess an individual's overall antioxidant capacity from daily dietary intake, and kidney stones remains unclear. Therefore, we conducted cross-sectional analysis to examine the association between CDAI and kidney stone prevalence. Methods: The analysis was conducted utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2007 to 2018. Antioxidant intake was derived from two 24-h dietary recalls surveys, while CDAI, a comprehensive measure that includes antioxidants like vitamins A, C, and E, zinc, selenium, and carotenoids, was calculated. Multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression were utilized to examine the association between CDAI and the prevalence of kidney stones. Results: The study included a total of 28,516 participants, with 2,748 individuals having a history of kidney stones. The median of CDAI was -0.01 (-2.02, 2.37). Individuals in the fourth quartile of CDAI exhibited a significantly lower prevalence of kidney stones compared to those in the first quartile (Odds Ratio [OR] = 0.769 [0.633-0.935]), even after adjusting for potential confounding factors (including age, sex, race, education level, poverty income ratio, smoking status, drinking status, body mass index (BMI), energy intake levels, physical activity level, serum calcium concentration, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), hypertension, diabetes and supplement use). The RCS analysis revealed a non-linear relationship between CDAI and kidney stone prevalence, with inflection points identified at 0.06 (p for non-linearity = 0.039). Subgroup analysis demonstrated consistent CDAI-kidney stone prevalence associations across all subsets. Furthermore, a significant inverse correlation was observed between CDAI and inflammatory markers. Conclusion: This study provides evidence supporting a reciprocal correlation between adult dietary antioxidant intake, as measured by CDAI, and kidney stone prevalence. These findings emphasize the potential benefits of consuming dietary antioxidants in lowering the risk of kidney stone formation.

Regenerated Ni-Doped LiCoO2 from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries as a Stable Cathode at 4.5 V.

In the context of the increasing number of spent lithium-ion batteries, it is urgent to explore cathode regeneration and upcycling solutions to reduce environmental pollution, promote resource reuse, and meet the demand for high-energy cathode materials. Here, a closed-loop recycling method is introduced, which not only reclaims cobalt and lithium elements from spent lithium-ion batteries but also converts them into high-voltage LiCoO2 (LCO) materials. This approach involved pretreatment, chlorination roasting, water leaching, and ion doping to regenerate nickel-doped LCO (Ni-RLCO) materials. The doping of nickel effectively enhances the electrochemical stability of the LCO cathode at 4.5 V. The Ni-RLCO cathode exhibited a high discharge specific capacity of 185.28 mAh/g at a rate of 0.5 C with a capacity retention of 86.3% after 50 cycles and excellent rate capacity of 156.21 mAh/g at 2 C. This work offers a approach in significance for upcycling spent LCO into high-energy-density batteries with long-term cycling stability under high voltage.

Phlorizin from Lithocarpus litseifolius [Hance] Chun ameliorates FFA-induced insulin resistance by regulating AMPK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Insulin resistance (IR) is the central pathophysiological feature in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), hypertension, and dyslipidemia. As the main active ingredient in Lithocarpus litseifolius [Hance] Chun, previous studies have shown that phlorizin (PHZ) can reduce insulin resistance in the liver. However, the effect of phlorizin on attenuating hepatic insulin resistance has not been fully investigated, and whether this effect is related to AMPK remains unclear. PURPOSE: The present study aimed to further investigate the effect of phlorizin on attenuating insulin resistance and the potential action mechanism. METHODS: Free fatty acids (FFA) were used to induce insulin resistance in HepG2 cells. The effects of phlorizin and FFA on cell viability were detected by MTT analysis. Glucose consumption, glycogen synthesis, intracellular malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total cholesterol (TC), and triglyceride (TG) contents were quantified after phlorizin treatment. Glucose uptake and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in HepG2 cells were assayed by flow cytometry. Potential targets and signaling pathways for attenuating insulin resistance by phlorizin were predicted by network pharmacological analysis. Moreover, the expression levels of proteins related to the AMPK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway were detected by western blot. RESULTS: Insulin resistance was successfully induced in HepG2 cells by co-treatment of 1 mM sodium oleate (OA) and 0.5 mM sodium palmitate (PA) for 24 h. Treatment with phlorizin promoted glucose consumption, glucose uptake, and glycogen synthesis and inhibited gluconeogenesis in IR-HepG2 cells. In addition, phlorizin inhibited oxidative stress and lipid accumulation in IR-HepG2 cells. Network pharmacological analysis showed that AKT1 was the active target of phlorizin, and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway may be the potential action mechanism of phlorizin. Furthermore, western blot results showed that phlorizin ameliorated FFA-induced insulin resistance by activating the AMPK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: Phlorizin inhibited oxidative stress and lipid accumulation in IR-HepG2 cells and ameliorated hepatic insulin resistance by activating the AMPK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Our study proved that phlorizin played a role in alleviating hepatic insulin resistance by activating AMPK, which provided experimental evidence for the use of phlorizin as a potential drug to improve insulin resistance.

Edge-oriented growth of cadmium sulfide nanoparticles on nickel metal-organic framework nanosheets for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

In this study, a directional loading of cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles (NPs) was achieved on the opposite edges of nickel metal-organic framework (Ni-MOF) nanosheets (NSs) by adjusting the weight ratio of CdS NPs in the reaction process to produce effective visible light photocatalysts. The close contact between the zero-dimensional (0D) and two-dimensional (2D) regions and the matching positions of the bands promoted charge separation and heterojunction formation. The optimal CdS NPs loading of composite material was 40 wt%. At this ratio, CdS NPs grew primarily at the opposite edges of the Ni-MOF NSs rather than on their surfaces. When lactic acid was used as the sacrificial agent, the hydrogen production rate of the 40 %-CdS/Ni-MOF heterojunction under visible light irradiation was 19.6 mmol h-1 g-1, making a 20-fold enhancement compared to the original CdS NPs sample (1.0 mmol h-1 g-1). The charge carriers generated in CdS NPs were transferred to Ni-MOF NSs through heterojunctions, where Ni-MOF NSs also served as cocatalysts to improve hydrogen production. The combination of the two materials improved the light absorption ability. In particular, the 40 %-CdS/Ni-MOF heterojunction exhibited good photostability, effectively preventing the photocorrosion of CdS NPs. This study introduces an approach for constructing efficient and stable photocatalysts for visible light-driven photocatalytic hydrogen production.

Immunological relationship between Helicobacter pylori and anti-tumor necrosis factor α agents in inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of diseases characterized by refractory and chronic inflammation of the bowel, which can be treated with biologics in clinical practice. Anti-tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) agents, which are among the most widely used biologics, alleviate the inflammatory activity in a variety of ways. Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative bacterium that colonizes the gastric mucosa, which could cause chronic inflammation and even induce gastric cancer. However, it has been suggested that H. pylori has a potential protective role in IBD patients. Yet there has been limited research on the mechanisms of the effect of H. pylori infection in IBD patients, and whether there is an interaction between H. pylori and anti-TNF-α agents. This review aims to summarize the possible mechanisms of H. pylori and anti-TNF-α agents in the development and treatment of IBD, and to explore the possible interaction between H. pylori infection and anti-TNF-α agents.

[Activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase delta syndrome: report of seven cases]. / PI3Kδ过度活化综合征7例报道.

OBJECTIVES: To summarize the clinical data of 7 children with activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase delta syndrome (APDS) and enhance understanding of the disease. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data of 7 APDS children admitted to Hunan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2019 to August 2023. RESULTS: Among the 7 children (4 males, 3 females), the median age of onset was 30 months, and the median age at diagnosis was 101 months. Recurrent respiratory tract infections, hepatosplenomegaly, and multiple lymphadenopathy were observed in all 7 cases. Sepsis was observed in 5 cases, otitis media and multiple caries were observed in 3 cases, and diarrhea and joint pain were observed in 2 cases. Lymphoma and systemic lupus erythematosus were observed in 1 case each. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy was performed in 4 cases, revealing scattered nodular protrusions in the bronchial lumen. The most common respiratory pathogen was Streptococcus pneumoniae (4 cases). Six patients had a p.E1021K missense mutation, and one had a p.434-475del splice site mutation. CONCLUSIONS: p.E1021K is the most common mutation site in APDS children. Children who present with one or more of the following symptoms: recurrent respiratory tract infections, hepatosplenomegaly, multiple lymphadenopathy, otitis media, and caries, and exhibit scattered nodular protrusions on fiberoptic bronchoscopy, should be vigilant for APDS. Citation:Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics, 2024, 26(5): 499-505.

Sentiment analysis of online reviews of energy-saving products based on transfer learning and LBBA model.

With the exacerbation of global climate change and the growing environmental awareness among the general public, the concept of green consumption has gained significant attention across various sectors of society. As a representative example of green consumer products, energy-saving products play a crucial role in the timely realization of dual carbon goals. However, an analysis of online comments regarding energy-saving products reveals that the majority of these products still exhibit shortcomings in terms of efficacy, noise level, cost-effectiveness, and particularly, energy-saving appliances. This study focuses on the user-generated online comments data from the Taobao e-commerce platform for Grade 1 energy-saving refrigerators. By employing text mining techniques, the study aims to extract the essential information and sentiments expressed in the comments, in order to explore the consumption characteristics of Grade 1 energy-saving refrigerators. Moreover, the LBBA (LDA-Bert-BiLSTM-Attention) model is utilized to investigate the consumer topics of interest and emotional features. Initially, the LDA model is adopted to identify the attributes and weights of consumer concerns. Subsequently, the Bert model is pre-trained with the online comment data, and combined with the BiLSTM algorithm and Attention mechanism to predict sentiment categories. Finally, a transfer learning approach is utilized to determine the sentiment inclination of user-generated online comments and to identify the primary driving factors behind each sentiment category. This research employs sentiment analysis on online comments data regarding energy-saving products to uncover consumer sentiment attributes and emotional characteristics. It provides decision-makers with a comprehensive and systematic understanding of public consumption intentions, offering decision support for the efficient operation and management of the energy-saving product market.

Observation of Anisotropic Second Harmonic Generation in Two-Dimensional Niobium Diselenide.

The intrinsic anisotropy of NbSe2 provides a favorable prerequisite of second harmonic generation (SHG) and rich possibilities for tailoring its nonlinear optical (NLO) properties. Here we report the highly efficient SHG of mechanically exfoliated NbSe2 flakes. The nonlinear optical response changes with excitation wavelengths, layer thicknesses, and polarizations of the excitation laser. The anisotropic SHG response further exhibits the intrinsic non-centrosymmetric crystal structure and could effectively assign the crystalline orientation of NbSe2 flakes. Interestingly, although NbSe2 flakes with tens of nanometers thickness experience attenuations in SHG performance, more efficient SHG anisotropy ratios were obtained, which are around 4 times higher than that of the 5-layer counterpart. The determined second-order nonlinearities of NbSe2 flakes (monolayer: ∼1.0 × 103 pm/V; 3-layer: ∼73 pm/V) are comparable to those of the commonly reported two-dimensional materials (e.g., MoS2, WSe2, graphene) with the same number of layers and much higher than those of commercial nonlinear optical crystals.

Mobile iodides capture for highly photolysis- and reverse-bias-stable perovskite solar cells.

For halide perovskites that are susceptible to photolysis and ion migration, iodide-related defects, such as iodine (I2) and iodine vacancies, are inevitable. Even a small number of these defects can trigger self-accelerating chemical reactions, posing serious challenges to the durability of perovskite solar cells. Fortunately, before I2 can damage the perovskites under illumination, they generally diffuse over a long distance. Therefore, detrimental I2 can be captured by interfacial materials with strong iodide/polyiodide (Ix-) affinities, such as fullerenes and perfluorodecyl iodide. However, fullerenes in direct contact with perovskites fail to confine Ix- ions within the perovskite layer but cause detrimental iodine vacancies. Perfluorodecyl iodide, with its directional Ix- affinity through halogen bonding, can both capture and confine Ix-. Therefore, inverted perovskite solar cells with over 10 times improved ultraviolet irradiation and thermal-light stabilities (under 85 °C and 1 sun illumination), and 1,000 times improved reverse-bias stability (under ISOS-V ageing tests) have been developed.

Effects of grazing exclusion on soil microbial diversity and its functionality in grasslands: a meta-analysis.

Grazing exclusion (GE) is considered an effective strategy for restoring the degradation of overgrazed grasslands on the global scale. Soil microbial diversity plays a crucial role in supporting multiple ecosystem functions (multifunctionality) in grassland ecosystems. However, the impact of grazing exclusion on soil microbial diversity remains uncertain. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis using a dataset comprising 246 paired observations from 46 peer-reviewed papers to estimate how GE affects microbial diversity and how these effects vary with climatic regions, grassland types, and GE duration ranging from 1 to 64 years. Meanwhile, we explored the relationship between microbial diversity and its functionality under grazing exclusion. Overall, grazing exclusion significantly increased microbial Shannon (1.9%) and microbial richness (4.9%) compared to grazing group. For microbial groups, GE significantly increased fungal richness (8.6%) and bacterial richness (5.3%), but decreased specific microbial richness (-11.9%). The responses of microbial Shannon to GE varied among climatic regions, grassland types, and GE duration. Specifically, GE increased microbial diversity in in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid regions, but decreased it in humid regions. Moreover, GE significantly increased microbial Shannon in semidesert grasslands (5.9%) and alpine grasslands (3.0%), but not in temperate grasslands. Long-term (>20 year) GE had greater effects on microbial diversity (8.0% for Shannon and 6.7% for richness) compared to short-term (<10 year) GE (-0.8% and 2.4%). Furthermore, grazing exclusion significantly increased multifunctionality, and both microbial and plant Shannon positively correlated with multifunctionality. Overall, our findings emphasize the importance of considering climate, GE duration, and grassland type for biodiversity conservation and sustainable grassland ecosystem functions.

Changes in liver and kidney function, red blood cell count and hemoglobin levels 1 day after ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation for uterine fibroids.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in liver and kidney function, red blood cell (RBC) count and hemoglobin (HGB) levels in patients undergoing ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation (UPMWA) for uterine fibroids on postoperative day 1. METHODS: The changes in liver and kidney function, RBC count and HGB levels in 181 patients who underwent selective UPMWA in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, China, between August 2017 and January 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: All patients underwent UPMWA for uterine fibroids; 179 patients had multiple uterine fibroids and 2 patients had single uterine fibroids. The maximum fibroid diameter ranged from 18 to 140 mm, with an average of 68.3 mm. Ultrasound imaging was used to confirm that the blood flow signal within the mass had disappeared in all patients, indicating that the ablation was effective. Within 24 h, compared with before UPMWA, levels of total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, indirect bilirubin and aspartate aminotransferase had significantly increased (p < 0.01), whereas levels of total protein, albumin, globulin, alanine aminotransferase, creatinine and urea had significantly decreased (p < 0.01). Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurred in 1 of the 181 patients. The RBC count and HGB levels decreased significantly after UPMWA (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation for uterine fibroids can impose a higher detoxification load on the liver and cause thermal damage to and the destruction of RBCs within local circulation, potentially leading to AKI. Protein levels significantly decreased after UPMWA. Therefore, perioperative organ function protection measures and treatment should be actively integrated into clinical practice to improve prognosis and enhance recovery.

IL-1ß, the first piece to the puzzle of sepsis-related cognitive impairment?

Sepsis is a leading cause of death resulting from an uncontrolled inflammatory response to an infectious agent. Multiple organ injuries, including brain injuries, are common in sepsis. The underlying mechanism of sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE), which is associated with neuroinflammation, is not yet fully understood. Recent studies suggest that the release of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) following activation of microglial cells plays a crucial role in the development of long-lasting neuroinflammation after the initial sepsis episode. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the recent literature on the molecular signaling pathways involved in microglial cell activation and interleukin-1ß release. It also explores the physiological and pathophysiological role of IL-1ß in cognitive function, with a particular focus on its contribution to long-lasting neuroinflammation after sepsis. The findings from this review may assist healthcare providers in developing novel interventions against SAE.

Shape-Dependent Optical Waveguides and Low-Threshold Lasers from Polymorphic Two-Dimensional Organic Single Crystals.

Organic single crystals (OSCs) with uniform morphologies and highly ordered molecular aggregations are promising for high-performance optoelectronic devices, such as organic solid-state lasers (OSSLs), organic light-emitting transistors (OLETs), and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). However, manipulating OSC morphologies and aggregation is challenging. In this study, we synthesized two-dimensional (2D) OSCs of 4,4'-bis[(N-carbazole)styryl]biphenyl (BSBCz) in hexagonal and parallelogram microplate (H-MP and P-MP) forms. Both types exhibit H-aggregation in the 2D plate plane but with different molecular transition dipole moment (TDM) orientations. This leads to different photon coupling modes with H-MP and P-MP microcavities. H-MPs enable isotropic 2D-waveguiding, forming whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonators, while P-MPs create unidirectional waveguiding, forming Fabry-Pérot mode (FP) resonators. These resonators can generate low-threshold laser emissions at 467 and 473 nm, respectively, and exhibit superior lasing stability with a half-life exceeding 2 h. Our BSBCz microplate OSCs are attractive candidates to combine controlled organic microcavities with photon transporting for realizing future integrated optoelectronic devices.

Effects of Goose Astrovirus Type 2 Infection on Peripheral Blood Lymphocyte and Macrophage Activity In Vitro.

Goose astrovirus type 2 (GAstV-2) is a novel pathogen causing visceral gout in goslings; it not only causes necrosis of renal epithelial cells but also causes spleen damage, indicating that GAstV-2 induces immunosuppression in goslings. However, to date, the interaction between GAstV-2 and immune cells remains unclear. In this study, peripheral blood lymphocytes and macrophages were isolated from goslings without GAstV-2 infection and then inoculated in vitro with GAstV-2, and the virus localization in the lymphocytes and macrophages, proliferation and apoptosis of lymphocytes, and phagocytic activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) production, and cell polarity in macrophages were determined. The results showed that GAstV-2 was observed in the cytoplasm of CD4 and CD8 T cells and macrophages, indicating that GAstV-2 can infect both lymphocytes and macrophages. GAstV-2 infection reduced the lymphocyte proliferation induced by Concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide stimulation and increased the lymphocyte apoptosis rate and mRNA expression of Fas, demonstrating that GAstV-2 causes damage to lymphocytes. Moreover, GAstV-2 infection enhanced phagocytic activity and production of ROS and NO and induced a proinflammatory phenotype in macrophages (M1 macrophages), indicating that macrophages play an antiviral role during GAstV-2 infection. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that GAstV-2 infection causes damages to lymphocytes, and host macrophages inhibit GAstV-2 invasion during infection.

Two new species of Diaporthe (Diaporthaceae, Diaporthales) associated with Camelliaoleifera leaf spot disease in Hainan Province, China.

Tea-oil tree (Camelliaoleifera Abel.) is an important edible oil woody plant with a planting area over 3,800,000 hectares in southern China. Species of Diaporthe inhabit a wide range of plant hosts as plant pathogens, endophytes and saprobes. Here, we conducted an extensive field survey in Hainan Province to identify and characterise Diaporthe species associated with tea-oil leaf spots. As a result, eight isolates of Diaporthe were obtained from symptomatic C.oleifera leaves. These isolates were studied, based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses of partial ITS, cal, his3, tef1 and tub2 gene regions. Two new Diaporthe species (D.hainanensis and D.pseudofoliicola) were proposed and described herein.

Responses of Crop Yield, Soil Fertility, and Heavy Metals to Spent Mushroom Residues Application.

Waste mushroom residues are often returned to fields as organic amendments. Here, we estimated the effects of the continuous applications of different spent mushroom substrates for 2 years on crop yields, soil nutrients, and heavy metals in paddy fields. The study comprised seven treatments: no fertilization (CK) and mineral NPK fertilizer (CF), as well as NPK fertilizer combined with Enoki mushroom residue (EMR50), Oyster mushroom residue (OMR50), Auricularia polytricha mushroom residue (APR50), Shiitake mushroom residue (SMR50), and Agaricus bisporus residue (ABR50). The grain yield was highest under the APR50 treatment. The short-term application of waste mushroom residue significantly increased SOC, TN, TP, and TK content relative to the CK treatment. The SOC, TP, and TK were highest under ABR50. Both total Cr and Cd contents were highest under CF treatment. The highest cumulative ecological risk was observed under OMR50 treatment. In addition, crop yield was positively correlated with SOC, TN, TP, and TP. Our results highlight that further research and innovation are needed to optimize the benefits and overcome the challenges of mushroom residue application.