To prevent and control dementia, many scholars have focused on the transition stage between normal ageing and dementia, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) which is a key interventional target for ...dementia. Studies have shown that non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) is beneficial to improve cognitive function of MCI patients. However, whether NIBS is conducive to the protection of cognitive ability in MCI patients remains unknown due to limited evidence. The aim of the study was to systematically evaluate the modulation effect of NIBS on cognitive function (global cognitive ability and specific domains of cognition) in patients with MCI.
A total of 11 RCTs comprising a total of 367 MCI participants. Meta-analysis showed that NIBS can significantly improve global cognition (n = 271, SMD = 0.94, 95% CI 0.47-1.41, p < 0.0001) and verbal fluency (n = 72, MD = 2.03, 95% CI 0.17-3.88, p = 0.03). However, there was no significant improvement in other domains of cognition.
NIBS has a positive effect on improving global cognitive function and verbal fluency. At the same time, it has a small positive effect on improving executive function. However, these findings should be interpreted carefully due to the limitations of the study.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
•Acute exposure to O3 is significantly associated with increased DBP, MABP, and HR.•Exposure to O3 elevates levels of circulating 8-OHdG, hs-CRA, and t-PA.•GSTM1 polymorphism presents the tread of ...modifying ozone cardiovascular effects.
The evidence that exposure to ambient ozone (O3) causes acute cardiovascular effects appears inconsistent. A repeated-measure study with 61 healthy young volunteers was conducted in Xinxiang, Central China. Real-time concentrations of O3 were monitored. Cardiovascular outcomes including blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), serum levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), and platelet-monocyte aggregation (PMA) were repeated measured. Linear mixed-effect models were used to analyze the association of ambient O3 with these cardiovascular outcomes. Additionally, the modifying effects of glutathione S-transferase mu 1 (GSTM1) and glutathione S-transferase theta 1 (GSTT1) polymorphisms were estimated to explore the potential mechanisms and role of the association between O3 exposure and the above cardiovascular outcomes. A 10 μg/m3 increase in O3 was associated with increases of 9.2 mmHg (95% confidence interval CI: 2.5, 15.9), 7.2 mmHg (95% CI: 0.8, 13.6), and 21.2 bpm (95% CI: 5.8, 36.6) in diastolic BP (DBP, lag1), mean arterial BP (MABP, lag1), and HR (lag01), respectively. Meanwhile, the serum concentrations of hs-CRP, 8-OHdG, and t-PA were all increased by O3 exposure, but the PMA level was decreased. Stratification analyses showed that the estimated effects of O3 on DBP, MABP, and HR in GSTM1-sufficient subjects were significantly higher than in GSTM1-null subjects. Moreover, GSTM1-null genotype enhanced O3-induced increases, albeit insignificant, in levels of serum hs-CRP, 8-OHdG, and t-PA compared with GSTM1-sufficient genotype. Insignificant increases in hs-CRP and t-PA were also detected in GSTT1-null subjects. Taken together, our findings indicate that acute exposure to ambient O3 induces autonomic alterations, systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrinolysis in healthy young subjects. GSTM1 genotype presents the trend of modifying O3-induced cardiovascular effects.
The motion of droplets on a super-hydrophobic surface, whether by sliding or rolling, is a hot research topic. It affects the performance of super-hydrophobic materials in many industrial ...applications. In this study, a super-hydrophobic surface with a varied roughness is prepared by chemical-etching. The adhesive force of the advancing and receding contact angles for a droplet on a super-hydrophobic surface is characterized. The adhesive force increases with a decreased contact angle, and the minimum value is 0.0169 mN when the contact angle is 151.47°. At the same time, the motion of a droplet on the super-hydrophobic surface is investigated by using a high-speed camera and fluid software. The results show that the droplet rolls instead of sliding and the angular acceleration increases with an increased contact angle. The maximum value of the angular acceleration is 1,203.19 rad/s
2
and this occurs when the contact angle is 151.47°. The relationship between the etching time, roughness, angular acceleration, and the adhesion force of the forward and backward contact angle are discussed.
Epidemiological evidence has linked air pollution with adverse respiratory outcomes, but the mechanisms underlying susceptibility to air pollution remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the ...role of glutathione S-transferase (GST) polymorphism in the association between air pollution and lung function levels. A total of 75 healthy young volunteers aged 18-20 years old were recruited for six follow-up visits and examinations. Spirometry was conducted to obtain lung function parameters such as forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV
). Nasal fluid concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and 8-epi-prostaglandin F2α (8-epi-PGF2a) were measured using ELISA kits. Linear mixed-effect models were used to evaluate the association of air pollutants with respiratory outcomes. Additionally, polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase mu 1 (GSTM1) and glutathione S-transferase theta 1 (GSTT1) were estimated to explore its role in the association between air pollutants and lung function. We found that short-term exposure to atmospheric particulates such as PM
and PM
can cause an increase in nasal biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and lung function, while air gaseous pollutant exposure is linked with decreased lung function, except for CO. Stratification analyses showed that an increase in nasal inflammatory cytokines caused by exposure to atmospheric particulates is more obvious in subjects with GSTM1-sufficient (GSTM1
) than GSTM1-null (GSTM1
), while elevated lung function levels due to air particles are more significant in subjects with the genotype of GSTM1
when compared to GSTM1
. As for air gaseous pollutants, decreased lung function levels caused by O
, SO
, and NO
exposure is more manifest in subjects with the genotype of GSTM1
compared to GSTM1
. Taken together, short-term exposure to air pollutants is associated with alterations in nasal biomarkers and lung function levels in young healthy adults, and susceptible genotypes play an important mediation role in the association between exposure to air pollutants and inflammation, oxidative stress, and lung function levels.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Depression is seriously affecting the physical and mental health of young people worldwide. Subthreshold depression, as an early stage of depression, is essential for early prevention and treatment ...of depression. Tai Chi, as a traditional Chinese mind-body therapy, may become an alternative intervention. However, the neurophysiological mechanism of Tai Chi for young people with subthreshold depression remains unclear, restricting its further promotion and application. Therefore, rigorous randomized clinical trials are needed to further observe the intervention effect of Tai Chi on young adults with subthreshold depression and explore the neurophysiological mechanism.
This report describes a two-arm, randomized, parallel controlled trial with allocation concealment and assessor blinding. A total of 64 eligible participants are randomly allocated to the Tai Chi group and the waiting list group in a 1:1 ratio. Participants in the Tai Chi group receive 12 weeks of Tai Chi training, with a total of 36 times and each for 60 min. Specifically, the participants in the waiting list group are requested to maintain their routine lifestyle. In this study, the primary outcome measure is the mean change in scores on the PHQ-9 and HAMD-17 between baseline and 12 weeks; the secondary outcomes are the mean change in the scores on CES-D, CPSS, GAD-7, and PSQI. Besides, the saliva cortisol levels and fMRI are monitored to explore the mechanism of action of Tai Chi on subthreshold depression.
The protocol uses a randomized controlled trial to examine the effectiveness of Tai Chi for young adults with subthreshold depression and explore neurophysiological mechanisms. If the test results are positive, it can be verified that Tai Chi can promote the physical and mental health of young adults with subthreshold depression.
Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1900028289 . Registered on 17 December 2019.
The three-dimentional plant canopy architecture is often characterized using the foliage clumping index useful for ecological and land surface modeling. In this paper, an algorithm is developed to ...retrieve the foliage clumping index with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) parameter product (MCD43A1), which is generated using the RossThick-LiSparse Reciprocal (Ross-Li) model. First, the Ross-Li model is modified to improve the simulation of the reflectance at hotspot using the Polarization and Directionality of Earth Reflectance measurements as benchmarks to determine BRDF parameters. Then, the modified model (Ross-Li-H) is used to simulate the reflectance at hotspot and darkspot, which is used to calculate the normalized difference between hotspot and darkspot (NDHD). With the relationship between clumping index and NDHD simulated by the 4-Scale geometrical model, the clumping index over China's landmass at 500-m resolution is retrieved every 8 days during the period from 2003 to 2008. Finally, The effect of topography on the retrieved clumping index is corrected using a topographic compensation function calculated from the digital elevation model at 90-m resolution. The topographically corrected clumping index values correlate well with field measurements at five sites over China, indicating the feasibility of the algorithm for retrieving the clumping index from the MCD43A1 product.
Older adults with sleep disorders (SDs) show impaired working memory abilities, and working memory processes are closely related to the prefrontal cortex (PFC). However, the neural mechanism of ...working memory impairment in older adults with SD remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate changes in PFC function among older adults with SD when carrying out the N-back task by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).
A total of 37 older adults with SDs were enrolled in this study and matched with 37 healthy older adults by gender, age, and years of education. Changes in PFC function were observed by fNIRS when carrying out the N-back task.
The accuracy on the 0-back and 2-back tasks in the SD group was significantly lower than that in the healthy controls (HC) group. The oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentration of channel 8 which located in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was significantly reduced in the SD group during the 2-back task, and the channel-to-channel connectivity between the PFC subregions was significantly decreased.
These results suggest that patients with sleep disorders have a weak performance of working memory; indeed, the activation and functional connectivity in the prefrontal subregions were reduced in this study. This may provide new evidence for working memory impairment and brain function changes in elderly SDs.
Background
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a critical stage of dementia. Previous reviews have suggested that physical exercise combined with non-invasive brain stimulation is more beneficial for ...improving cognitive function. However, no targeted studies have confirmed the effect of Tai Chi combined with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the improvement of cognitive function in patients with MCI. Thus, this randomized trial was conducted to assess the effect of Tai Chi combined with tDCS on the cognitive performance of patients with MCI.
Methods
From April 2018 to February 2020, a randomized, single-blind clinical trial was conducted, involving 180 participants with MCI who were divided into four intervention groups: Tai Chi combined with tDCS (TCT), Tai Chi combined with sham tDCS (TCS), walking combined with tDCS (WAT), and walking combined with sham tDCS (WAS). All participants were assessed at baseline and 12 weeks for global cognitive function, memory, attention, and executive function.
Results
At baseline, there were no significant differences in age, gender, education duration, body mass index, or the Baker Depression Inventory among the four groups (
P
≥ 0.05). After 12 weeks of intervention, the TCT group showed greater improvements in MOCA scores, memory quotient scores, and digit-symbol coding task reaction time compared to the TCS, WAS, and WAT groups (
P
< 0.05). The TCT group also had a shorter Stroop test color reaction time compared to the WAS and WAT groups (
P
< 0.05), a higher increase in Auditory Verbal Learning Test-immediate recall than the TCS and WAT groups (
P
< 0.05), a shorter visual reaction time than the TCS group (
P
< 0.05), and a shorter sustained attention time compared to the WAT group (
P
< 0.05).
Conclusion
Tai Chi combined with tDCS effectively improves global cognitive performance, memory, execution function, and attention in patients with MCI. These findings suggest the potential clinical use of Tai Chi combined with tDCS as a physical exercise combined with a non-invasive brain stimulation intervention to improve cognitive function in older adults with MCI.
Clinical trial registration
ChiCTR1800015629.
Recycling has attracted great attention in academia, because of the economic and environmental benefits to industry. An eco-friendly strategy for recycling office waste paper (WP) was used to ...sustainedly separate oil–water mixtures. The hydroxyl groups of cellulose endow WP with superlipophilic and superhydrophilic properties in air and superoleophobic features under water. WP could separate various oils from oil–water mixtures, with separation efficiencies exceeding 99%. Importantly, the superhydrophilic WP could separate oil–water mixtures containing HCl, NaOH, and NaCl with separation efficiency above 98.9% for at least 30 cycles. The superoleophobicity of WP was maintained in solutions of different pH values for at least 24 h, suggesting good durability and stability. This green method is renewable, clean, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly. More importantly, the recycled office waste paper not only removes oil from oily wastewater (such as in oil spills) but also realizes the recycling of WP. This method could provide new insights into resource recycling.
PDF
