Impacts of audiovisual simultaneity perception on single-task and dual-task gaits in middle-aged and older adults.

BACKGROUND: While dual-task walking requires the ability to integrate sensory information from multiple ongoing sources, it remains unknown whether dual-task walking is more affected than single-task walking by the multisensory integration ability. RESEARCH QUESTION: How does the audiovisual temporal integration ability affect single-task and dual-task gaits in the aging population? METHODS: One hundred and thirty healthy middle-aged and older adults (age = 64.7 ± 6.4 years) completed an audiovisual simultaneity judgment (AVSJ) task and underwent single-task, motor dual-task, and cognitive dual-task gait assessments. In the AVSJ task, participants judged whether a flash and an auditory stimulus presented at different stimulus onset asynchronies were simultaneous. The accuracy and precision of the AVSJ performance were assessed using the point of subjective simultaneity (PSS) and the temporal binding window (δ), respectively. A lower absolute PSS and δ indicated better performance. Participants held a cup of water and performed serial-7 subtraction for motor and cognitive dual-task gait assessments, respectively. The spatiotemporal gait parameters and their variability were calculated. The influences of PSS and δ on the gait parameters of the three gaits were examined with multiple hierarchical regressions. RESULTS: Only the cognitive dual-task gait was significantly affected by PSS and δ. Greater PSS predicted a longer single support time (ß = 0.195, p = 0.024) and its variability (ß = 0.224, p = 0.011). Greater δ predicted greater step time variability (ß = 0.198, p = 0.022). SIGNIFICANCE: Declined perception of audiovisual simultaneity particularly degrades temporal control of cognitive dual-task walking, highlighting the importance of assessing and training this ability after midlife.

Exploring quantitative measures in metacognition of emotion.

Metacognition of emotion (meta-emotion) refers to the ability to evaluate and identify one's emotional feelings. No previous study has defined and measured this construct through objective and quantitative procedures. We established a reliable method to measure meta-emotion. With a two-interval forced-choice procedure, participants selected which of two pictures elicited stronger positive emotion; via the Law of Comparative Judgment, their responses were used to compute individual psychological distances for the emotional responses triggered by the pictures. Then, participants were asked to judge whether a pre-exposed picture induced a stronger positive emotion than the median of that elicited by the whole picture set, followed by a confidence rating. By utilizing each individual's psychological distance, the correctness of a participant's emotional experience was quantified by d', and meta-emotion was quantified using meta-d', M-ratio, and M-diff as indices of metacognitive sensitivity and efficiency based on Signal-Detection Theory. Test-retest reliabilities, validated by Spearman correlation, were observed in meta-d', M-ratio, and marginally with M-diff, suggesting the stability of meta-emotion in the current design. This study unveils a validated procedure to quantify meta-emotion, extendable for assessing metacognition of other subjective feelings. Nevertheless, caution is warranted in interpretation, as the measured processes may be influenced by non-metacognitive factors.

Correlation Between Lipoprotein-Related Phospholipase A2 and Metabolic Syndrome.

Background: Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) has been recognized as a valuable biomarker for identifying the risk of cardiovascular diseases and inflammation. Furthermore, there is strong evidence to suggest that metabolic syndrome is closely associated with chronic inflammation. Accordingly, the present study endeavors to examine the potential correlation between metabolic syndrome and the levels of Lp-PLA2. Methods: To explore the relationship between Lp-PLA2 levels and metabolic syndrome, and to establish the predictive cut-off value of Lp-PLA2, a retrospective analysis was conducted using medical data from a sample of 3549 Chinese adults (comprising 2182 men and 1367 women) aged between 18 and 50 years, who had undergone health check-ups. In addition, the study also sought to investigate any potential differences in Lp-PLA2 levels based on sex and age. Results: The analysis of the data indicated that participants had a mean age of 44.2 years, a mean Lp-PLA2 level of 589 IU/L, and a metabolic syndrome prevalence of 22%. Lp-PLA2 levels were significantly different between males and females, and a significant correlation was observed between Lp-PLA2 levels and clinical and metabolic characteristics, including BMI, cholesterol, and triglycerides. Interestingly, Lp-PLA2 demonstrated potential as an indicator of metabolic syndrome, particularly in females, despite other biomarkers, such as TG/HDL-C and WHR, exhibiting better area under the curve. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that Lp-PLA2 may serve as a useful biomarker for identifying individuals at risk of developing metabolic syndrome, particularly in females. Further research is needed to explore the potential of Lp-PLA2 as a diagnostic and therapeutic target for metabolic syndrome.

High-concentration LiPF6/sulfone electrolytes: structure, transport properties, and battery application.

Non-flammable and oxidatively stable sulfones are promising electrolyte solvents for thermally stable high-voltage Li batteries. In addition, sulfolane-based high-concentration electrolytes (HCEs) show high Li+ ion transference numbers. However, LiPF6 has not yet been investigated as the main salt in sulfone-based HCEs for Li batteries. In this study, we investigated the phase behaviors, solvate structures, and transport properties of binary and ternary mixtures of LiPF6 and the following sulfone solvents: sulfolane (SL), dimethyl sulfone (DMS), ethyl methyl sulfone (EMS), and 3-methyl sulfolane (MSL). The stable crystalline solvates Li(SL)4PF6 and Li(DMS)2.5PF6 with high melting points were formed in the LiPF6/SL and LiPF6/DMS mixtures, respectively. In contrast, LiPF6/EMS, LiPF6/MSL, and LiPF6/SL/another sulfone mixtures remained liquids over a wide temperature range. Raman spectroscopy revealed that SL and another sulfone are competitively coordinated to Li+ ions to dissociate LiPF6 in the ternary mixtures. Although the ionic conductivity decreased with increasing LiPF6 concentration due to an increase in viscosity, Li+ ions diffused faster than PF6-via exchanging ligands in the HCE [LiPF6]/[SL]/[DMS] = 1/2/2, resulting in a higher Li ion transference number than that in conventional Li battery electrolytes.

Low-temperature synergistic effect of MA and Cl towards high-quality α-FAPbI3 films for humid-air-processed perovskite solar cells.

Due to the hydrophilicity and black-phase instability of FA perovskites, ambient humidity is an unavoidable issue in the processing of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). MACl is among the most popular additives for improving perovskite films, but our experiments confirm that the direct addition of MACl into the precursor solution deteriorates the stability of the final α-FAPbI3 films in humid air, which is attributed to the unwanted pinholes induced by MACl volatilization. To solve this problem, a novel confined-space annealing strategy (CSA) is intentionally developed to control the amount of MACl at a low level. Through retarding the volatilization of MACl and blocking moisture ingress, dense and δ-phase-free FAPbI3 films with excellent crystallinity and stability are achieved at 100 °C under high humidity (RH: 60 ± 10%). We further compare the same amounts of MAI and FACl additives with MACl, discovering that only when MA and Cl work together can pure α-FAPbI3 films be obtained; therefore, a mechanism of MA-assisted nucleation and Cl-induced diffusion recrystallization is inferred. As a result, the PSCs employing optimal films yield a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 17.27% and retain over 90% of the initial PCE after exposure to high humidity for 480 h. Our results offer deep insights into the thermodynamic and kinetic behaviors of MA and Cl in film growth and are beneficial for air-processed FA-based PSCs for commercial application.

The NLRP11 Protein Bridges the Histone Lysine Acetyltransferase KAT7 to Acetylate Vimentin in the Early Stage of Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Accumulation of vimentin is the core event in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Post-translational modifications have been widely reported to play crucial roles in imparting different properties and functions to vimentin. Here, a novel modification of vimentin, acetylated at Lys104 (vimentin-K104Ac) is identified, which is stable in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cells. Mechanistically, NACHT, LRR, and PYD domain-containing protein 11 (NLRP11), a regulator of the inflammatory response, bind to vimentin and promote vimentin-K104Ac expression, which is highly expressed in the early stages of LUAD and frequently appears in vimentin-positive LUAD tissues. In addition, it is observed that an acetyltransferase, lysine acetyltransferase 7 (KAT7), which binds to NLRP11 and vimentin, directly mediates the acetylation of vimentin at Lys104 and that the cytoplasmic localization of KAT7 can be induced by NLRP11. Malignant promotion mediated by transfection with vimentin-K104Q is noticeably greater than that mediated by transfection with vimentin-WT. Further, suppressing the effects of NLRP11 and KAT7 on vimentin noticeably inhibited the malignant behavior of vimentin-positive LUAD in vivo and in vitro. In summary, these findings have established a relationship between inflammation and EMT, which is reflected via KAT7-mediated acetylation of vimentin at Lys104 dependent on NLRP11.

Sex differences in the association between vitamin D and early-stage chronic kidney disease: A population-based study.

Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is commonly observed in people with late-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease; it has also been associated with the progression of kidney disease. We hypothesized that VDD played a role in early-stage chronic kidney disease as well. Thus, this cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration and CKD stages 1 through 3 (early-stage CKD) in a relatively healthy population in China. A total of 3142 Chinese individuals were included in this cross-sectional study. VDD was observed in 108 (5.6%) males and 307 (25.33%) females. We found a significant inverse association between serum 25(OH)D concentration with CKD stages in both sexes. Furthermore, VDD was associated with CKD stages 1 through 3 in males (adjusted odds ratio, 15.84; 95% confidence interval, 7.85-31.98; P < .001), but not in females. Vitamin D status should be evaluated in people who are newly diagnosed with CKD stages 1 through 3 or decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate, especially in males.

TRIM58 functions as a tumor suppressor in colorectal cancer by promoting RECQL4 ubiquitination to inhibit the AKT signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms of TRIM58 in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). CRC is one of the most common cancers of the digestive tract worldwide. The ubiquitin-proteasome system regulates many oncogenic or tumor-suppressive proteins. TRIM58, an E3 ubiquitin ligase and a member of the tripartite motif protein family, is a potential prognostic marker that indicates poor prognosis in cancer. Currently, the precise molecular mechanisms for the TRIM58-mediated CRC progression remain unclear. METHODS: To examine the effects of TRIM58 on cell viability, cell cycle progression, and apoptosis in CRC, Cell Counting Kit-8 and flow cytometry assays were employed. The AKT inhibitor LY294002 was used to examine the effects of AKT signaling on TRIM58-mediated cell viability, cell cycle progression, and apoptosis in CRC. Additionally, Co-IP and ubiquitination assays were used to examine the correlation between TRIM58 and RECQL4. RESULTS: TRIM58 overexpression inhibited CRC cell viability and promoted cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, in which the TRIM58 knockdown demonstrated inversed effects via the AKT signaling pathway. TRIM58 inhibited RECQL4 protein levels through its ubiquitin ligase activity, and RECQL4 overexpression inhibited TRIM58 overexpression-mediated CRC cell viability, cell cycle progression, and apoptosis. The downregulation of TRIM58 and upregulation of RECOL4 were observed in human CRC tissue, and TRIM58 demonstrated antitumor effects in CRC-induced tumor growth in a mouse model. CONCLUSIONS: TRIM58 acts as a tumor suppressor in CRC through the promotion of RECQL4 ubiquitination and inhibition of the AKT signaling pathway and may be investigated for the successful treatment of CRC.

Plexcitonics: plasmon-exciton coupling for enhancing spectroscopy, optical chirality, and nonlinearity.

Plexcitonics is a rapidly developing interdisciplinary field that holds immense potential for the creation of innovative optical technologies and devices. This field focuses on investigating the interactions between plasmons and excitons in hybrid systems. In this review, we provide an overview of the fundamental principles of plasmonics and plexcitonics and discuss the latest advancements in plexcitonics. Specifically, we highlight the ability to manipulate plasmon-exciton interactions, the emerging field of tip-enhanced spectroscopy, and advancements in optical chirality and nonlinearity. These recent developments have spurred further research in the field of plexcitonics and offer inspiration for the design of advanced materials and devices with enhanced optical properties and functionalities.

Examining the automaticity and symmetry of sound-shape correspondences.

Introduction: A classic example of sound-shape correspondences is the mapping of the vowel /i/ with angular patterns and the vowel /u/ with rounded patterns. Such crossmodal correspondences have been reliably reported when tested in explicit matching tasks. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether such sound-shape correspondences automatically occur and bidirectionally modulate people's perception. We address this question by adopting the explicit matching task and two implicit tasks. Methods: In Experiment 1, we examined the sound-shape correspondences using the implicit association test (IAT), in which the sounds and shapes were both task-relevant, followed by an explicit matching task. In Experiments 2 and 3, we adopted the speeded classification task; when the target was a sound (or shape), a task-irrelevant shape (or sound) that was congruent or incongruent to the target was simultaneously presented. In addition, the participants performed the explicit matching task either before or after the speeded classification task. Results and Discussion: The congruency effect was more pronounced in the IAT than in the speeded classification task; in addition, a bin analysis of RTs revealed that the congruency effect took time to develop. These findings suggest that the sound-shape correspondences were not completely automatic. The magnitude and onset of visual and auditory congruency effects were comparable, suggesting that the crossmodal modulations were symmetrical. Taken together, the sound-shape correspondences appeared not to be completely automatic, but their modulation was bidirectionally symmetrical once it occurred.

Significant increase of anticancer efficacy in vitro and in vivo of liposome entrapped ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes.

Two polypyridyl ruthenium(II) complexes [Ru(DIP)2(BIP)](PF6)2 (DIP = 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthrolie, BIP = 2-(1,1'-biphenyl-4-yl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline, Ru1) and [Ru(DIP)2(CBIP)](PF6)2 (CBIP = 2-(4'-chloro-1,1'-biphenyl-4-yl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline, Ru2) were synthesized. The cytotoxic activities in vitro of Ru1, Ru2 toward B16, A549, HepG2, SGC-7901, HeLa, BEL-7402, non-cancer LO2 were investigated using MTT method (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole)-2,5-diphenltetraazolium bromide). Unexpectedly, Ru1, Ru2 can't prevent these cancer cells proliferation. To improve the anti-cancer effect, we used liposomes to entrap the complexes Ru1, Ru2 to form Ru1lipo, Ru2lipo. As expectation, Ru1lipo and Ru2lipo exhibit high anti-cancer efficacy, especially, Ru1lipo (IC50 3.4 ± 0.1 µM), Ru2lipo (IC50 3.5 ± 0.1 µM) display strong ability to block the cell proliferation in SGC-7901. The cell colony, wound healing, and cell cycle distribution show that the complexes can validly inhibit the cell growth at G2/M phase. Apoptotic studied with Annex V/PI doubling method showed that Ru1lipo and Ru2lipo can effectively induce apoptosis. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde, glutathione and GPX4 demonstrate that Ru1lipo and Ru2lipo improve ROS and malondialdehyde levels, inhibit generation of glutathione, and finally result in a ferroptosis. Ru1lipo and Ru2lipo interact on the lysosomes and mitochondria and damage mitochondrial dysfunction. Additionally, Ru1lipo and Ru2lipo increase intracellular Ca2+ concentration and induce autophagy. The RNA-sequence and molecular docking were performed, the expression of Bcl-2 family was investigated by Western blot analysis. Antitumor in vivo experiments confirm that 1.23 mg/kg, 2.46 mg/kg of Ru1lipo possesses a high inhibitory rate of 53.53% and 72.90% to prevent tumor growth, hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) results show that Ru1lipo doesn't cause chronic organ damage and strongly promotes the necrosis of solid tumor. Taken together, we conclude that Ru1lipo and Ru2lipo cause cell death through the following pathways: autophagy, ferroptosis, ROS-regulated mitochondrial dysfunction, and blocking the PI3K/AKT/mTOR.

Synthesis, RNA-sequence and evaluation of anticancer efficacy of ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes toward HepG2 cells.

In this article, four new Ru(II) complexes [Ru(dmbpy)2(TFBIP)](PF6)2 (dmbpy = 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine, TFPIP = 2-(4'-trifluoromethyl)-[1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) (Ru1), [Ru(bpy)2(TFBIP)](PF6)2 (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) (Ru2), [Ru(phen)2(TFBIP)](PF6)2 (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) (Ru3) and [Ru(dmp)2(TFBIP)](PF6)2 (dmp = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline) (Ru4) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, HRMS, IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and 19F NMR. The in vitro anticancer effect of the complexes on HepG2, A549, B16, HeLa, BEL-7402 and non-cancer LO2 cells was screened using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) method. The results illustrate that the complexes display moderate anticancer activity. Apoptotic assay with Annexin V/PI double staining method indicated that complexes induce apoptosis in HepG2 cells. Also, the complexes interfere with the mitochondrial functions, accompanied by the production of intracellular ROS as well as a reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential. The results obtained from the western blot demonstrated that the complexes upregulate pro-apoptotic Bax and downregulate anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, which further activates caspase 3 and promotes the cleavage of PARP. RNA-sequence showed that the complexes upregulate the expression of 40 genes and downregulate 66 genes. Antitumour in vivo demonstrated that Ru1 inhibits the tumor growth with a high inhibitory rate of 51.19%. Taken together, these results revealed that complexes Ru1, Ru2, Ru3 and Ru4 induce cell death in HepG2 cells via autophagy and a ROS-mediated mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.

Developmental changes in audiotactile event perception.

The fission and fusion illusions provide measures of multisensory integration. The sound-induced tap fission illusion occurs when a tap is paired with two distractor sounds, resulting in the perception of two taps; the sound-induced tap fusion illusion occurs when two taps are paired with a single sound, resulting in the perception of a single tap. Using these illusions, we measured integration in three groups of children (9-, 11-, and 13-year-olds) and compared them with a group of adults. Based on accuracy, we derived a measure of magnitude of illusion and used a signal detection analysis to estimate perceptual discriminability and decisional criterion. All age groups showed a significant fission illusion, whereas only the three groups of children showed a significant fusion illusion. When compared with adults, the 9-year-olds showed larger fission and fusion illusions (i.e., reduced discriminability and greater bias), whereas the 11-year-olds were adult-like for fission but showed some differences for fusion: significantly worse discriminability and marginally greater magnitude and criterion. The 13-year-olds were adult-like on all measures. Based on the pattern of data, we speculate that the developmental trajectories for fission and fusion differ. We discuss these developmental results in the context of three non-mutually exclusive theoretical frameworks: sensory dominance, maximum likelihood estimation, and causal inference.

An amplification-free CRISPR/Cas12a-based fluorescence assay for ultrasensitive detection of nuclease activity.

Nuclease, such as RNase H and DNase I, plays key roles in plenty of cellular processes and could be potential therapeutic target for drug development. It is necessary to establish rapid and simple-to-use methods to detect nuclease activity. Herein, we develop a Cas12a-based fluorescence assay without any nucleic acid amplification steps for ultrasensitive detection of RNase H or DNase I activity. By our design, the pre-assembled crRNA/ssDNA duplex triggered the cleavage of fluorescent probes in the presence of Cas12a enzymes. However, the crRNA/ssDNA duplex was selectively digested with the addition of RNase H or DNase I, which leaded to fluorescence intensity changes. Under optimized conditions, the method exhibited good analytical performance, achieving a limit of detection (LOD) as low as 0.0082 U/mL for RNase H and 0.13 U/mL for DNase I, respectively. The method was feasible for analysis of RNase H in human serum and cell lysates, as well as for screening of enzyme inhibitors. Moreover, it can be adopted to image RNase H activity in living cells. Together, this study provides a facile platform for nuclease detection and could be expanded for other biomedical research and clinical diagnostics.

Organic Solar Cells: Physical Principle and Recent Advances.

Organic solar cells (OSC) based on organic semiconductor materials that convert solar energy into electric energy have been constantly developing at present, and also an effective way to solve the energy crisis and reduce carbon emissions. In the past several decades, efforts have been made to improve the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of OSCs. During this period, a variety of structural and material forms of OSCs have evolved. Commercializing OSCs, extending their service life and exploring their future development are promising but challenging. In this review, we first briefly introduce the development of OSCs and then summarize and analyze the working principle, performance parameters, and structural features of OSCs. Finally, we highlight some breakthrough related to OSCs in detail.

Iridium(III) complexes inhibit the proliferation and migration of BEL-7402 cells through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Iridium(III) complexes are largely studied as anti-cancer complexes due to their excellent anti-cancer activity. In this article, two new iridium(III) complexes [Ir(piq)2(THPIP)]PF6 (THPIP = 2,4-di-tert-butyl-6-(1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthrolin-2-yl)phenol, piq = deprotonated 1-phenylisoquinoline) (Ir1) and [Ir(bzq)2(THPIP)]PF6 (bzq = deprotonated benzo[h]quinolone) (Ir2) were synthesized. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays showed that complex Ir1 exhibits moderate activity (IC50 = 29.9 ± 4.6 µM) and Ir2 shows high cytotoxicity (IC50 = 9.8 ± 1.8 µM) against BEL-7402 cells. Further studies on the mechanism showed that Ir1 and Ir2 induced apoptosis by changing the mitochondrial membrane potential, Ca2+ release, ROS accumulation, and cell cycle arrest at the S phase. The complexes can effectively inhibit cell colony formation and migration. The expression of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) family proteins, PI3K (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase), AKT (protein kinase B), mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin), and p-mTOR was studied by immunoblotting. Complexes Ir1 and Ir2 downregulated the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and increased the expression of autophagy-related proteins of Beclin-1 and LC3-II. Further experiments showed that the complexes inhibited the production of glutathione (GSH) and increased the amounts of malondialdehyde (MDA). Fluorescence of HMGB1 was significantly increased. We also investigated the effect of the complexes on the expression of genes using RNA-sequence analysis, we further calculated the lowest binding energies between the complexes and proteins using molecular docking. Taken together, the above results indicated that complexes Ir1 and Ir2 induce apoptosis in BEL-7402 cells through a ROS-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Long-Term Exposure to Air Pollution and the Occurrence of Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS), a major contributor to cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, has been linked with exposure to air pollution. However, the relationship between air pollutants and the five components of MetS [abdominal obesity, elevated triglyceride, decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), elevated blood pressure, and elevated fasting blood glucose levels], has not been clearly described. OBJECTIVE: We examined the association between long-term exposure to air pollutants and the occurrence of MetS and its components by using a longitudinal cohort in Taiwan. METHODS: The MJ Health Research Foundation is a medical institute that conducts regular physical examinations. The development of MetS, based on a health examination and the medical history of an MJ cohort of 93,771 participants who were enrolled between 2006 and 2016 and had two or more examinations, was compared with estimated exposure to air pollutants in the year prior to health examination. The exposure levels to fine particulate matter [PM with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5µm (PM2.5)] and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the participants' residential areas were estimated using a hybrid Kriging/land-use regression (LUR) model executed using the XGBoost algorithm and a hybrid Kriging/LUR model, respectively. Cox regression with time-dependent covariates was conducted to estimate the effects of annual air pollutant exposure on the risk of MetS and its components. RESULTS: During the average follow-up period of 3.4 y, the incidence of MetS was 38.1/1,000 person-years. After mutual adjustment and adjustments for potential covariates, the results indicated that every 10-µg/m3 increase in annual PM2.5 concentration was associated with an increased risk of abdominal obesity [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR)=1.07; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01, 1.14], hypertriglyceridemia (aHR=1.17; 95% CI: 1.11, 1.23), low HDL-C (aHR=1.09; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.17), hypertension (aHR=1.15; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.21), and elevated fasting blood glucose (aHR=1.15; 95% CI: 1.10, 1.20). Furthermore, PM2.5 and NO2 may increase the risk of developing MetS among people who already "have" some components of MetS. DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest that in apparently healthy adults undergoing physical examination, exposure to PM2.5 and NO2 might be associated with the occurrence of MetS and its components. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10611.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of liposome entrapped iridium(III) complexes toward SGC-7901 cells.

In this study, two new iridium(III) polypyridyl complexes [Ir(bzq)2(DIPH)](PF6) (bzq = deprotonated benzo[h]quinoline, DIPH = 4-(2,5-dibromo-4-(1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthrolim-2-yl)-4-hydroxybutan-2-one) (Ir1) and [Ir(piq)2(DIPH)](PF6) (piq = deprotonated 1-phenylisoquinoline) (Ir2) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, HRMS, 1H and 13C NMR. The cytotoxic activity of Ir1, Ir2, Ir1lipo and Ir2lipo against cancer cells SGC-7901, HepG2, A549, HeLa, B16 and normal NIH3T3 cells in vitro was evaluated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-biphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) method. Ir1 and Ir2 showed no cytotoxic activity, but their liposome-entrapped Ir1 (Ir1lipo) and Ir2 (Ir2lipo) showed significant cellular activity, especially sensitive to SGC-7901 with IC50 values of 4.7 ± 0.2 and 12.4 ± 0.5 µM, respectively. The cellular uptake, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) localization, autophagy, tubulin polymerization, glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA) and release of cytochrome c were investigated to explore the mechanisms of apoptosis. The calreticulin (CRT), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) were also explored. Western blotting showed that Ir1lipo and Ir2lipo inhibited PI3K (phosphoinositide-3 kinase), AKT (protein kinase B), p-AKT and activated Bcl-2 (B-cell lymphoma-2) protein and apoptosis-regulated factor caspase 3 (cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-3) and cleaving PARP (poly ADP-ribose polymerase). The results demonstrated that Ir1lipo and Ir2lipo induce cell apoptosis through targeting the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), cause oxidative stress damage, inhibiting PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, immunogenic cell death (ICD) and inhibit the cell growth at G2/M phase.

Incomplete off-duty work hours and sleep quality among firefighters: a cross-sectional study, Taiwan.

OBJECTIVE: We examined whether firefighters in Taiwan have a sleep problem and investigated the related factors of poor sleep quality. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 2123 male shift firefighters in the Greater Taipei area were invited, and 37.7% of them satisfactorily completed the questionnaire online. The Chinese version of Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) was used to evaluate sleep quality. Multiple logistic and linear regression analyses were used to determine the associations among demographic characteristics, work-related characteristics, and poor sleep quality. RESULTS: As revealed by 801 valid questionnaires, 77.2% were poor sleepers (PSQI cutoff score > 6), and 61.2% reported incomplete off-duty in the past month. Moreover, 42.6% of incomplete off-duty workers reported extended overtime of more than 5 h on off-duty days in the past month. Poor sleep quality was associated with the following factors: (1) demographic characteristics: age, working tenure, having children, and chronotype and (2) work-related characteristics: shift schedule and incomplete off-duty. The final model for poor sleep quality as per PSQI included age, chronotype, shift schedule, and incomplete off-duty hours in the past month. Longer hours of incomplete off-duty work were associated with increased risks of overall poor sleep quality and of poor subjective sleep quality, long sleep latency, sleep disturbances, and daytime dysfunction. CONCLUSION: Firefighters are advised to have a complete off-duty day to avoid poor sleep quality, long sleep latency, short sleep duration, sleep disturbances, and daytime dysfunction. Our results confirm the need for implementing appropriate shift schedules to ensure adequate rest time for firefighters.

Physicochemical Properties of High-Entropy Oxides.

The development of industry has triggered an increasingly severe demand for new functional materials. In recent years, researches on high-entropy oxides (HEOs) are more comprehensive and in-depth, and their fascinating properties are gradually known to the public. The unique elemental synergistic effect and lattice distortion endow the high-entropy family with various untapped potential, and wide application fields and outstanding performance of HEOs make them candidates for future materials. In this review, the concept, structure, and synthesis of HEOs are firstly highlighted. Secondly, a variety of excellent properties and applications in the fields of mechanics, electrics, thermotics, optics and magnetics are summarized. This work provides a comprehensive overview about HEOs, facilitating the development of modern functionalities of the high-entropy family.