A highly stretchable and transparent electrical heater is demonstrated by constructing a partially embedded silver nanowire percolative network on an elastic substrate. The stretchable network heater ...is applied on human wrists under real‐time strain, bending, and twisting, and has potential for lightweight, biocompatible, and versatile wearable applications.
Though emerging evidence indicates that the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease is strongly correlated to the accumulation
and transmission
of α-synuclein (α-syn) aggregates in the midbrain, no ...anti-aggregation agents have been successful at treating the disease in the clinic. Here, we show that graphene quantum dots (GQDs) inhibit fibrillization of α-syn and interact directly with mature fibrils, triggering their disaggregation. Moreover, GQDs can rescue neuronal death and synaptic loss, reduce Lewy body and Lewy neurite formation, ameliorate mitochondrial dysfunctions, and prevent neuron-to-neuron transmission of α-syn pathology provoked by α-syn preformed fibrils
. We observe, in vivo, that GQDs penetrate the blood-brain barrier and protect against dopamine neuron loss induced by α-syn preformed fibrils, Lewy body/Lewy neurite pathology and behavioural deficits.
A high visit-to-visit variability in cholesterol levels has been suggested to be an independent predictor of major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). ...Because whether this notion applies to general population is not known, we aimed to investigate the associations between total cholesterol (TC) variability and the risk of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke.
We identified 3 656 648 subjects without a history of MI and stroke who underwent ≥3 health examinations from 2002 to 2007 in the Korean National Health Insurance System cohort. Total cholesterol variability was measured using the coefficient of variation (CV), standard deviation (SD), and variability independent of the mean (VIM). There were 84 625 deaths (2.3%), 40 991 cases of MI (1.1%), and 42 861 cases of stroke (1.2%) during the median follow-up of 8.3 years. There was a linear association between higher TC variability and outcome measures. In the multivariable adjusted model, the hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals comparing the highest vs. lowest quartiles of CV of TC were 1.26 (1.24-1.28) for all-cause mortality, 1.08 (1.05-1.11) for MI, and 1.11 (1.08-1.14) for stroke, which was independent of mean TC levels and the use of lipid-lowering agents. The results were consistent when modelling variability of TC using SD and VIM, and in various sensitivity analyses.
High variability in lipid levels is associated with adverse health-related outcomes. These findings suggest that lipid variability is an important risk factor in the general population.
Analysis of human pathology led Braak to postulate that α-synuclein (α-syn) pathology could spread from the gut to brain via the vagus nerve. Here, we test this postulate by assessing ...α-synucleinopathy in the brain in a novel gut-to-brain α-syn transmission mouse model, where pathological α-syn preformed fibrils were injected into the duodenal and pyloric muscularis layer. Spread of pathologic α-syn in brain, as assessed by phosphorylation of serine 129 of α-syn, was observed first in the dorsal motor nucleus, then in caudal portions of the hindbrain, including the locus coeruleus, and much later in basolateral amygdala, dorsal raphe nucleus, and the substantia nigra pars compacta. Moreover, loss of dopaminergic neurons and motor and non-motor symptoms were observed in a similar temporal manner. Truncal vagotomy and α-syn deficiency prevented the gut-to-brain spread of α-synucleinopathy and associated neurodegeneration and behavioral deficits. This study supports the Braak hypothesis in the etiology of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD).
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•Gut-to-brain propagation of pathologic α-synuclein via the vagus nerve causes PD•Dopamine neurons degenerate in the pathologic α-synuclein gut-to-brain model of PD•Gut injection of pathologic α-synuclein causes PD-like motor and non-motor symptoms•PD-like pathology and symptoms require endogenous α-synuclein
Gut injection of α-synuclein fibrils converts endogenous α-synuclein to a pathologic species that spreads to the brain. This leads to features of Parkinson’s disease, and vagotomy and α-synuclein deficiency prevent the neuropathology and neurobehavioral deficits induced by transmitted pathological α-synuclein.
Environmental monitoring has become essential in order to deal with environmental resources efficiently and safely in the realm of green technology. Environmental monitoring sensors are required for ...detection of environmental changes in industrial facilities under harsh conditions, (e.g. underground or subsea pipelines) in both the temporal and spatial domains. The utilization of optical fiber sensors is a promising scheme for environmental monitoring of this kind, owing to advantages including resistance to electromagnetic interference, durability under extreme temperatures and pressures, high transmission rate, light weight, small size, and flexibility. In this paper, the optical fiber sensors employed in environmental monitoring are summarized for understanding of their sensing principles and fabrication processes. Numerous specific applications in petroleum engineering, civil engineering, and agricultural engineering are explored, followed by discussion on the potentials of OFS in manufacturing.
A facile fast laser nanoscale welding process uses the plasmonic effect at a nanowire (NW) junction to suppress oxidation and successfully fabricate a Cu‐NW‐based percolation‐network conductor. The ...“nanowelding” process does not require an inert or vacuum environment. Due to the low‐temperature and fast‐process nature, plasmonic laser nanowelding may form Cu‐nanowire networks on heat‐sensitive, flexible or even stretchable substrates.
BACKGROUND:Variability in metabolic parameters, such as fasting blood glucose and cholesterol concentrations, blood pressure, and body weight can affect health outcomes. We investigated whether ...variability in these metabolic parameters has additive effects on the risk of mortality and cardiovascular outcomes in the general population.
METHODS:Using nationally representative data from the Korean National Health Insurance System, 6 748 773 people who were free of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia and who underwent ≥3 health examinations from 2005 to 2012 were followed to the end of 2015. Variability in fasting blood glucose and total cholesterol concentrations, systolic blood pressure, and body mass index was measured using the coefficient of variation, SD, variability independent of the mean, and average real variability. High variability was defined as the highest quartile of variability. Participants were classified numerically according to the number of high-variability parameters (eg, a score of 4 indicated high variability in all 4 metabolic parameters). Cox proportional hazards models adjusting for age, sex, smoking, alcohol, regular exercise, income, and baseline levels of fasting blood glucose, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and body mass index were used.
RESULTS:There were 54 785 deaths (0.8%), 22 498 cases of stroke (0.3%), and 21 452 myocardial infarctions (0.3%) during a median follow-up of 5.5 years. High variability in each metabolic parameter was associated with a higher risk for all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Furthermore, the risk of outcomes increased significantly with the number of high-variability metabolic parameters. In the multivariable-adjusted model comparing a score of 0 versus 4, the hazard ratios (95% CIs) were 2.27 (2.13–2.42) for all-cause mortality, 1.43 (1.25–1.64) for myocardial infarction, and 1.41 (1.25–1.60) for stroke. Similar results were obtained when modeling the variability using the SD, variability independent of the mean, and average real variability, and in various sensitivity analyses.
CONCLUSIONS:High variability of fasting blood glucose and total cholesterol levels, systolic blood pressure, and body mass index was an independent predictor of mortality and cardiovascular events. There was a graded association between the number of high-variability parameters and cardiovascular outcomes.
Air quality has become a major public health issue in Asia including China, Korea, and India. Particulate matters are the major concern in air quality. We present the first environmental application ...demonstration of Ag nanowire percolation network for a novel, electrical type transparent, reusable, and active PM2.5 air filter although the Ag nanowire percolation network has been studied as a very promising transparent conductor in optoelectronics. Compared with previous particulate matter air filter study using relatively weaker short-range intermolecular force in polar polymeric nanofiber, Ag nanowire percolation network filters use stronger long-range electrostatic force to capture PM2.5, and they are highly efficient (>99.99%), transparent, working on an active mode, low power consumption, antibacterial, and reusable after simple washing. The proposed new particulate matter filter can be applied for a highly efficient, reusable, active and energy efficient filter for wearable electronics application.
In our ongoing research to discover natural products with neuroprotective effects, hyperoside (quercetin 3-O-galactoside) was isolated from Acer tegmentosum, which has been used in Korean traditional ...medicine to treat liver-related disorders. Here, we demonstrated that hyperoside protects cultured dopaminergic neurons from death via reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent mechanisms, although other relevant mechanisms of hyperoside activity remain largely uncharacterized. For the first time, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of hyperoside on 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced neurotoxicity in neurons, and the possible underlying mechanisms. Hyperoside significantly ameliorated the loss of neuronal cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase release, excessive ROS accumulation and mitochondrial membrane potential dysfunction associated with 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity. Furthermore, hyperoside treatment activated the nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), an upstream molecule of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Hyperoside also induced the expression of HO-1, an antioxidant response gene. Remarkably, we found that the neuroprotective effects of hyperoside were weakened by an Nrf2 small interfering RNA, which blocked the ability of hyperoside to inhibit neuronal death, indicating the vital role of HO-1. Overall, we show that hyperoside, via the induction of Nrf2-dependent HO-1 activation, suppresses neuronal death caused by 6-OHDA-induced oxidative stress. Moreover, Nrf2-dependent HO-1 signaling activation represents a potential preventive and therapeutic target in Parkinson's disease management.
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