It is widely known that the harmful effects of fine dust can cause various diseases. Research on the correlation between fine dust and health has been mainly focused on lung and cardiovascular ...diseases. By contrast, the effects of air pollution on the central nervous system (CNS) are not broadly recognized.
Air pollution can cause diverse neurological disorders as the result of inflammation of the nervous system, oxidative stress, activation of microglial cells, protein condensation, and cerebral vascular-barrier disorders, but uncertainty remains concerning the biological mechanisms by which air pollution produces neurological disease. Neuronal cell damage caused by fine dust, especially in fetuses and infants, can cause permanent brain damage or lead to neurological disease in adulthood.
It is necessary to study the air pollution-CNS disease connection with particular care and commitment. Moreover, the epidemiological and experimental study of the association between exposure to air pollution and CNS damage is critical to public health and quality of life. Here, we summarize the correlations between fine dust exposure and neurological disorders reported so far and make suggestions on the direction future research should take.
Roxb. (Zingiberaceae), is an important medicinal plant known as "Plai (Phlai)" in Thailand, "Bangle" in Indonesia, and "Bulei" in China. Traditionally, this plant has been used to treat inflammation, ...pain, and respiratory problems. The rhizomes are the primary part of the plant that has been used for medicinal purposes due to their constituents with therapeutic properties, including phenylbutenoids, curcuminoids, and essential oils. Since the 1970s, many studies have been conducted on the phytochemicals and bioactivities of
to establish fundamental scientific evidence that supports its use in traditional medicine. The accumulated biological studies on the extracts, solvent fractions, and constituents of
have described their diverse medicinal properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, neuroprotective/neurotrophic, cosmeceutical, and antifungal/antimicrobial bioactivities. In this review, we summarize information on the phytochemicals of
and the bioactivities of its extracts and constituents.
•Flow distribution behaviour in an actual microchannel heat exchanger was clarified.•Effect of wider range of inlet mass flowrate, and vapor quality were investigated.•Clear visualization videos were ...able to provide liquid level reach and flow regime.•Development of new empirical correlation covering dominant forces.
The two-phase flow distribution behavior of R410A within the vertical header of a microchannel heat exchanger with multiple horizontally oriented microchannel flat tubes was investigated and is reported in this paper. Unlike most previous studies, which examined the distribution at lower flowrates applicable mostly to automobile applications, this work evaluated higher flowrates relevant to actual air conditioning evaporator applications with larger size headers. The following operating conditions, were utilized: an inlet mass flowrate that varied from 40 to 200 kg h−1 (mass flux of 27–250 kg m−2 s−1 in the header), vapor qualities of 0.1, 0.2, and 0.6, and evaporating temperatures of 10 and 15 °C. The tube protrusion depth into the header was set at 0 and 50%. Flow distribution profiles derived from the experiment measurements and clear visualization images captured by a high speed camera showed that the distribution improves for increased inlet mass flux at low vapor quality, while a 5 °C difference in evaporating temperature does not yield a substantial distribution change. A 50% protrusion produces higher inertial forces pushing the liquid level towards the top section. A correlation was developed to predict the liquid distribution by relating the portion of liquid exiting the branch tube to the liquid at the immediate header as a function of the liquid Froude number.
Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have a potential to revolutionize human-computer interaction by enabling direct links between the brain and computer systems. Recent studies are increasingly focusing ...on practical applications of BCIs-e.g., home appliance control just by thoughts. One of the non-invasive BCIs using electroencephalography (EEG) capitalizes on event-related potentials (ERPs) in response to target stimuli and have shown promise in controlling home appliance. In this paper, we present a comprehensive dataset of online ERP-based BCIs for controlling various home appliances in diverse stimulus presentation environments. We collected online BCI data from a total of 84 subjects among whom 60 subjects controlled three types of appliances (TV: 30, door lock: 15, and electric light: 15) with 4 functions per appliance, 14 subjects controlled a Bluetooth speaker with 6 functions via an LCD monitor, and 10 subjects controlled air conditioner with 4 functions via augmented reality (AR). Using the dataset, we aimed to address the issue of inter-subject variability in ERPs by employing the transfer learning in two different approaches. The first approach, "within-paradigm transfer learning," aimed to generalize the model within the same paradigm of stimulus presentation. The second approach, "cross-paradigm transfer learning," involved extending the model from a 4-class LCD environment to different paradigms. The results demonstrated that transfer learning can effectively enhance the generalizability of BCIs based on ERP across different subjects and environments.
A vertical header is a crucial component of a microchannel heat exchanger that facilitates the distribution of the two phases of the refrigerant into horizontally aligned channels. Ensuring an even ...distribution of the refrigerant into the channels is imperative for achieving the designed optimal performance. Previous studies have indicated that the distribution characteristics of the vertical header are contingent upon the mass flow rate and geometric properties of the header. This study aims to investigate the distribution characteristics of two-phase flow resulting from structural modifications in the header, specifically by implementing a vertical header with a helical structure. Hence, an experimental device simulating a microchannel heat exchanger found in a commercial air conditioning system was employed. The distribution characteristics of the vertically oriented header with a helical structure were measured by varying the inlet conditions (mass flow rate: 50–100 kg h−1; vapor quality: 0.1–0.2). The measured distribution characteristics were compared with those obtained from a conventional straight vertical header possessing the same cross-sectional properties. The experimental findings demonstrated that the helical structure induced a distinctive flow pattern and facilitated the mixing of the two phases. Furthermore, this helical structure exhibited reduced inertial forces compared to the simple vertical header, leading to improved distribution performance.
•A helical structure in the vertical header enhances the liquid flow distribution.•A helical structure aligns the distribution of vapor flow and liquid flow.•A helical-structured header has higher pressure drop than a conventional header.
BACKGROUND:Snakebites in pregnancy can be life-threatening to both the mother and fetus as a result of inflammatory and toxic properties of the venom. Prompt medical treatment is critical to prevent ...adverse consequences.
CASE:A 26-year-old woman at 37 6/7 weeks of gestation was bitten by a rattlesnake on the right middle finger, resulting in severe pain radiating up to the upper arm and swelling involving the entire hand. A total of 18 vials of crotalidae polyvalent immune fab was administered over 11 hours. Three days after the incident, the patient delivered a healthy neonate vaginally and without complications. Both mother and newborn were well at 1-month follow-up.
CONCLUSION:Our case supports managing snakebites in pregnancy similar to managing cases in nonpregnant individuals, including using crotalidae polyvalent immune fab antivenom.
In this study, we investigated the behavior of two-phase flow distribution inside a vertical header of a microchannel heat exchanger (MCHX) that functions as an evaporator of a heat pump system. In ...general, the two-phase flow distribution behavior of the refrigerant differs depending on the target application, which ranges from small-scale automobile air-conditioners to large-scale building heat pump systems. Particularly, it is reported that the distribution characteristics in the vertical header of the MCHX vary extensively according to the inlet flow conditions of the refrigerant and the physical profile of the header. In this study, the physical configurations (header height, branch tube diameter) of four types of vertical headers were considered. Thereafter, the operating conditions in an experimental device that simulates an MCHX with a vertical header were selected. The experiment was performed under R410A as the working fluid, with a saturation temperature of 15 °C, inlet mass flow rate of 50–150 kg h−1 (mass flux of 908–2723 kg m−2 s−1), and an inlet vapor quality of 0.1–0.2. The liquid and vapor flow ratios and the relative standard deviation were adopted as metrics to characterize the uniformity of flow distribution. The distribution characteristics were subsequently described according to Reynolds and Froude numbers. The larger the Reynolds number and the smaller the Froude number, the more uniform the two-phase flow distribution becomes. A correlation was proposed as a function of the Reynolds and Froude numbers to predict the flow distribution characteristics for the considered vertical headers.
Mutations in cereblon (CRBN), a substrate binding component of the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, cause a form of mental retardation in humans. However, the cellular proteins that interact with CRBN ...remain largely unknown. Here, we report that CRBN directly interacts with the α1 subunit of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK α1) and inhibits the activation of AMPK activation. The ectopic expression of CRBN reduces phosphorylation of AMPK α1 and, thus, inhibits the enzyme in a nutrient-independent manner. Moreover, AMPK α1 can be potently activated by suppressing endogenous CRBN using CRBN-specific small hairpin RNAs. Thus, CRBN may act as a negative modulator of the AMPK signaling pathway
in vivo.
►Cereblon (CRBN) directly interacts with the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)
α1. ►Expression of CRBN reduces the phosphorylation of AMPK
α1. ►AMPK
α1 can be potently activated by suppressing endogenous CRBN.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in individuals over 65years old. However, to date, no useful early diagnostic markers for AD have been discovered. We examined the ...utility of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) as a potential biomarker for AD in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or AD, as well as in nondemented healthy controls. Plasma PAI-1 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) in samples collected from 76 patients with MCI, 74 patients with AD, and 76 healthy controls. Our results show that plasma PAI-1 levels gradually increased as dementia progressed. The mean levels of plasma PAI-1 in patients with MCI and AD patients were significantly higher than those of in healthy controls. Consistently, neuropsychological examination (e.g., MMSE, CDR) also demonstrated significant correlations between the plasma PAI-1 levels and cognitive function. In conclusion, the level of plasma PAI-1 is a potential biomarker for the early detection and diagnosis of AD.
•We examined the utility of plasma PAI-1 as an early diagnostic marker for AD.•The plasma levels of PAI-1 increased in MCI and AD compared to healthy controls.•Increment of PAI-1 represented the correlation with decline of cognitive function.•We suggest the role of PAI-1 protein as a potential early diagnostic marker in AD.
A new bicyclic nonene, tsaokoic acid (
), was isolated from the fruits of
, together with three known compounds (
-
). The structure of
was elucidated by analyzing spectroscopic data including 1D and ...2D NMR spectra and compounds
-
were identified as tsaokoin, vanillin, and tsaokoarylone, respectively, by comparing their NMR spectra with previously reported data. Compounds
-
showed possible inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in silico molecular docking simulations. They were submitted to in vitro assay system and exhibited moderate inhibitory activity with IC
values of 32.78, 41.70, 39.25, and 31.13 μM, respectively.
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