Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease and closely associated with both genetic and environmental factors. Volatile organic chemicals (VOC), a common environment pollutant, was associated ...with some autoimmune diseases, while whether VOC exposure or which VOC leads to RA is yet clarified.
A cross-sectional study using data from the 6 survey cycles (2005-2006, 2011-2012, 2013-2014, 2015-2016, 2017-2018, 2017-2020) of NHANES program was performed. The RA or non-arthritis status of participant was identified through a questionnaire survey. The quantile logistic regression method was used for correlation analysis between VOC metabolites (VOCs) in urine and RA. The covariates included age, gender, race, educational level, marital status, total energy intake, physical activity, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, urine creatinine, albumin and marihuana use.
A total of 9536 participants (aged 20 to 85) with 15 VOCs, comprising 618 RA and 8918 non-arthritis participants, was finally included for analysis. Participants in the RA group showed higher VOCs in urine than that in the non-arthritis group. A positive association between 2 VOCs (AMCC: Q4: OR=2.173, 95%CI: 1.021, 4.627. 3HPMA: Q2: OR=2.286, 95%CI: 1.207 - 4.330; Q4: OR=2.663, 95%CI: 1.288 -5.508.) and RA was detected in the model 3, which was independent of all the covariates. The relative parent compounds of the two VOCs included N,N-Dimethylformamide and acrolein.
These findings suggested that the VOC exposure significantly associated with RA, providing newly epidemiological evidence for the establishment that environmental pollutants associated with RA. And also, more prospective studies and related experimental studies are needed to further validate the conclusions of this study.
An efficient in situ Pd-NHC catalytic system for regioselective arylation of B(3,6)–H bonds of o-carborane has been developed for the first time. A series of symmetric and unsymmetric ...3,6-diaryl-o-carboranes anchored with active groups have been synthesized with moderate to good yields under mild conditions. This work offers an efficient protocol for selective activation of B(3,6)–H bonds and has important value in design coupling reactions for selective functionalization of o-carboranes.
A novel silicon-/phosphorus hybrid (SDPS) was synthesized by a condensation polymerization of diphenylhydroxysilane and spirocyclic pentaerythritol di(phosphate monochloride). The use of SDPS and the ...cooperative use of SDPS with P–N hybrid in flame retardant epoxy resin (EP) were investigated. Limiting oxygen index and cone calorimeter tests showed that the loading of SDPS and the cooperative use of SDPS and P–N hybrid in EP provided enhanced fire resistance. TGA, TG-FTIR and SEM measurements revealed that the enhancement in fire resistance was arising from the formation of a compact honeycomb carbonaceous structure hybridized by silica, the good char forming ability and the inhibition of flammable gas release. Further analysis from Raman spectra revealed that the compact carbonaceous layer may be originated from an increase in ordering of amorphous carbonaceous layer.
A series of benzocyclobutene-carbosilane thermosets derived from benzocyclobutene-containing oligomeric silylenephenylene (PBSEPs) were synthesized. DSC analysis results demonstrated that the ...reaction of PBSEPs presumably took place within the temperature range of 200–350 °C. FT-IR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR results demonstrated that this exothermic reaction was attributed to a 4 + 2 cycloaddition. DSC results further revealed that benzocylcobutene linked with silylene exhibited lower exothermic temperature compared with that linked with Si(CH3)2. Chemical simulation results attributed the lower temperature to lower steric hindrance and greater activity. DSC and TGA analysis of the thermosets showed high Tg and thermostability, and good pyrolysis yield.
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In Japan, young people are becoming increasingly apathetic about politics, while at the same time they are experiencing a rightward leaning and a growing sympathy for totalitarianism and ...authoritarianism. To understand this contradiction, we need to look at the digital communication environment in which they engage in political discourse. One of the most representative opinion leaders in this regard is Hiroyuki Nishimura. In recent years, Hiroyuki has become widely known as the 'King of Refutation' and is immensely popular among the young generation. He is very active in political and social issues, arguing in a logical and neutral manner. However, despite his enlightened mode of argumentation, his arguments have been perceived as accommodative to totalitarian and authoritarian perceptions. This paper argues that at the heart of this mode of refutation is a process of 'decontextualisation' and 'recontextualisation' which has resulted in reducing the complexity of the issue, making it comprehensible to the majority while oppressing minorities. And this mode of refutation and the processes of 'decontextualisation' and 'recontextualisation' are at the centre of the various digital communication platforms that he operates and that have become hubs of political communication around the world: 2channel, 4chan, Nico Nico Douga and YouTube clips. In this sense, the totalitarianism and rightward leaning of the young generation is not due to a specific ideology but is strongly conditioned by the communication environment. 'Communication totalitarianism' can be used to describe the totalitarianism and right-wing tendencies taking place in Japan.
Aromatic heterocycles are ubiquitous building blocks in bioactive natural products, pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. Accordingly, the carborane-fused heterocycles would be potential ...candidates in drug discovery, nanomaterials, metallacarboranes, as well as photoluminescent materials. In recent years, the transition metal catalyzed B-H activation has been proved to be an effective protocol for selective functionalization of B-H bond of
-carboranes, which has been further extended for the synthesis of polyhedral borane cluster-fused heterocycles via cascade B-H functionalization/annulation process. This article summarizes the recent progress in construction of polyhedral borane cluster-fused heterocycles via B-H activation.
Based on the excellent physical properties and flexible molecular modifiability, modified silicone resins have received favorable attention in the field of microelectronics, and recently a number of ...modified silicone resins have appeared while few breakthroughs have been made in low dielectric constant (low-k) materials field due to the limitations of structure or the curing process. In this work, functional silicone resin with different BCB contents was prepared with two monomers. The resins showed low dielectric constant (
= 2.77 at 10 MHz) and thermal stability (T
= 495.0 °C) after curing. Significant performance changes were observed with the increase in BCB structural units, and the functional silicone obtained does not require melting and dissolution during processing because of good fluidity at room temperature. Moreover, the mechanical properties of silicone resins can be also controlled by adjusting the BCB content. The obtained silicone resins could be potentially used in the field of electronic packaging materials.
Abstract
Background
This study aimed to explore the clinical efficacy of treating a first metacarpal base fracture by closed reduction and percutaneous parallel K-wire interlocking fixation between ...the first and second metacarpals.
Methods
Twenty patients treated by the abovementioned modified technique (modified technique group) and ten patients treated by the traditional percutaneous K-wire fixation technique (traditional technique group) from October 2015 to November 2019 at our institution were retrospectively reviewed. The patients’ average age was 38 years (range, 16–61 years). The mean follow-up period was 13 months (range, 10–18 months). At the final follow-up, the functional recovery of the injured hand was assessed and compared between the modified and traditional technique groups. In addition, the functional recovery of the injured hand was compared with that of the uninjured hand within the modified technique group.
Results
All patients recovered well, with no cases of infection or nonunion. Compared with the traditional technique group, the modified technique group had a shorter operative time, lower postoperative visual analogue scale pain score, better effective range of motion score of the first carpometacarpal joint (Kapandji score), and had almost no need for auxiliary plaster fixation, enabling functional exercise to be started earlier. Within the modified technique group, the mean hand grip strength, pinch strength, and Kapandji score on the injured side did not significantly differ to the values on the uninjured side in both the extra-articular and intra-articular fracture subgroups. While the abduction and flexion–extension arcs of the thumb on the injured hand were significantly smaller than those on the uninjured hand in both the extra-articular and intra-articular fracture subgroups, the patients felt clinically well with respect to daily activities and strength.
Conclusion
The percutaneous parallel K-wire and interlocking fixation technique is simple, effective, and economical for first metacarpal base fractures.
Benzocyclobutene-modified silsesquioxane (BCB-POSS) and divinyl tetramethyl disiloxane-bisbenzocyclobutene (DVS-BCB) prepolymer were introduced into the containing benzocyclobutene (BCB) unit matrix ...resin P(4-MB-co-1-MP) polymerized from 1-methyl-1-(4-benzocyclobutenyl) silacyclobutane (4-MSCBBCB) and 1-methyl-1-phenylsilacyclobutane (1-MPSCB), respectively. The low dielectric constant (low-k) siloxane/carbosilane hybrid benzocyclobutene resin composites, P(4-MB-co-1-MP)/BCB-POSS and P(4-MB-co-1-MP)/DVS-BCB, were prepared. The curing processes of the composites were assessed via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The effects on dielectric properties and heat resistance of those composites with different proportion of BCB-POSS and DVS-BCB were investigated using an impedance analyzer and thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), respectively. The thermal curing of composites could be carried out by ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of the BCB four-member rings of BCB-POSS or DVS-BCB and those of P(4-MB-co-1-MP). With increasing the proportion of BCB-POSS to 30%, the 5% weight loss temperature (T5%) of P(4-MB-co-1-MP)/BCB-POSS composites was raised visibly, whereas the dielectric constant (k) was decreased owing to the introduction of nanopores into POSS. For P(4-MB-co-1-MP)/DVS-BCB composites, the T5% and k were slightly raised with increasing the proportion of DVS-BCB. The above results indicated that the BCB-POSS showed advantages over conventional fillers to simultaneously improve thermostability and decrease k.