This study aims to quantitatively summarize the association between night shift work and the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS), with special reference to the dose–response relationship with years of ...night shift work. We systematically searched all observational studies published in English on PubMed and Embase from 1971 to 2013. We extracted effect measures (relative risk, RR; or odd ratio, OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) from individual studies to generate pooled results using meta‐analysis approach. Pooled RR was calculated using random‐ or fixed‐effect model. Downs and Black scale was applied to assess the methodological quality of included studies. A total of 13 studies were included. The pooled RR for the association between ‘ever exposed to night shift work’ and MetS risk was 1.57 (95% CI = 1.24–1.98, pₕₑₜₑᵣₒgₑₙₑᵢₜy = 0.001), while a higher risk was indicated in workers with longer exposure to night shifts (RR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.32–2.36, pₕₑₜₑᵣₒgₑₙₑᵢₜy = 0.936). Further stratification analysis demonstrated a higher pooled effect of 1.84 (95% CI = 1.45–2.34) for studies using the NCEP‐ATPIII criteria, among female workers (RR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.10–2.34) and the countries other than Asia (RR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.39–1.95). Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the results. No evidence of publication bias was detected. The present meta‐analysis suggested that night shift work is significantly associated with the risk of MetS, and a positive dose–response relationship with duration of exposure was indicated.
Inflammatory stimuli induce immunoresponsive gene 1 (IRG1) expression that in turn catalyzes the production of itaconate from the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Itaconate has recently emerged as a ...regulator of immune cell functions, especially in macrophages. Studies show that itaconate is required for the activation of anti-inflammatory transcription factor Nrf2 by LPS in mouse and human macrophages, and LPS-activated IRG1
macrophages that lack endogenous itaconate production exhibit augmented inflammatory responses. Moreover, dimethyl itaconate (DMI), an itaconate derivative, inhibits IL-17-induced IκBς activation in keratinocytes and modulates IL-17-IκBς pathway-mediated skin inflammation in an animal model of psoriasis. Currently, the effect of itaconate on regulating macrophage functions and peripheral inflammatory immune responses is well established. However, its effect on microglia (MG) and CNS inflammatory immune responses remains unexplored. Thus, we investigated whether itaconate possesses an immunomodulatory effect on regulating MG activation and CNS inflammation in animal models of multiple sclerosis, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).
Chronic C57BL/6 EAE was induced followed by DMI treatment. The effect of DMI on disease severity, blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption, MG activation, peripheral Th1/Th17 differentiation, and the CNS infiltration of Th1/Th17 cells in EAE was determined. Primary MG was cultured to study the effect of DMI on MG activation. Relapsing-remitting SJL/J EAE was induced to assess the therapeutic effect of DMI.
Our results show DMI ameliorated disease severity in the chronic C57BL/6 EAE model. Further analysis of the cellular and molecular mechanisms revealed that DMI mitigated BBB disruption, inhibited MMP3/MMP9 production, suppressed microglia activation, inhibited peripheral Th1/Th17 differentiation, and repressed the CNS infiltration of Th1 and Th17 cells. Strikingly, DMI also exhibited a therapeutic effect on alleviating severity of relapse in the relapsing-remitting SJL/J EAE model.
We demonstrate that DMI suppresses neuroinflammation and ameliorates disease severity in EAE through multiple cellular and molecular mechanisms, suggesting that DMI can be developed as a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of MS/EAE through its immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties.
A radiation-reaction trapping (RRT) of electrons is revealed in the near-QED regime of laser-plasma interaction. Electrons quivering in laser pulse experience radiation reaction (RR) recoil force by ...radiating photons. When the laser field reaches the threshold, the RR force becomes significant enough to compensate for the expelling laser ponderomotive force. Then electrons are trapped inside the laser pulse instead of being scattered off transversely and form a dense plasma bunch. The mechanism is demonstrated both by full three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations using the QED photonic approach and numerical test-particle modeling based on the classical Landau-Lifshitz formula of RR force. Furthermore, the proposed analysis shows that the threshold of laser field amplitude for RRT is approximately the cubic root of laser wavelength over classical electron radius. Because of the pinching effect of the trapped electron bunch, the required laser intensity for RRT can be further reduced.
This study reports a new method of fabrication and application of “green” starch nanoparticles (SNPs) from local sago (Metroxylon Sagu) starch granules employing a high-pressure homogenization ...procedure. This approach is environmentally friendly, highly feasible, low cost and chemical-free with large-scale production capacity. In this work, SNPs' morphological, particle size and thermal properties were studied. The effects of SNPs concentration (ranging from 0 to 8% w/w) as nano-fillers in composite films’ barrier, transparency and contact angle were also investigated. Our results have shown that the fabricated SNPs exhibited excellent uniformity and spherical shapes. Addition of SNPs have demonstrated to enhance polymeric structure of nanocomposite film due to decreased water vapour permeability and increased contact angle. Sago SNPs as fillers pose an excellent prospect in green composites fabrication for material and biomedical purposes with potential application as carriers for drug delivery.
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•Green sago starch nanoparticles were developed using high pressure homogenization.•Sago starch nanoparticles was shown to bring about stronger reinforcing effect.•Nanocomposites showed improved water vapour permeability and contact angle.
We present a self-consistent theory of strongly nonlinear plasma wakefield (bubble or blowout regime of the wakefield) based on the energy conservation approach. Such wakefields are excited in ...plasmas by intense laser or particle beam drivers and are characterized by the expulsion of plasma electrons from the propagation axis of the driver. As a result, a spherical cavity devoid of electrons (called a "bubble") and surrounded by a thin sheath made of expelled electrons is formed behind the driver. In contrast to the previous theoretical model W. Lu et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 165002 (2006)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.96.165002, the presented theory satisfies the energy conservation law, does not require any external fitting parameters, and describes the bubble structure and the electromagnetic field it contains with much higher accuracy in a wide range of parameters. The obtained results are verified by 3D particle-in-cell simulations.
Stimuli-responsive hydrogel actuators are being increasingly used in microtechnology, but typical bilayer hydrogel actuators have significant drawbacks due to weak adhesive interface between the two ...layers. In this study, thermoresponsive single-layer hydrogel actuators are produced by generating a gradient distribution of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) in a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) hydrogel network by electrophoresis. Tunable bending properties of the composite hydrogels, such as the thermoresponsive bending speed and angle, are realized by varying the electrophoresis time, applied voltage, and CNC concentration. By varying these conditions, the gradient distribution of the CNCs can be optimized, leading to fast bending and large bending angles of the hydrogels. Bending properties are attributed to the gradient distribution of CNCs causing different deswelling rates across the hydrogel network owing to reinforcing effects. Bending ability is also influenced by differences in the CNC dimensions based on the sources of cellulose, which determine the rigidity of the CNC-rich layer of the polymer composite. It is thus shown that thermoresponsive single-layer gradient hydrogels with tunable bending properties can be realized.
Intracellular trafficking entails the budding, transport, tethering, and fusion of transport vesicles and other membrane carriers. Here we review recent progress toward a mechanistic understanding of ...vesicle tethering. The known tethering factors are large complexes important for one or more intracellular trafficking pathways and are capable of interacting directly with many of the other principal components of the cellular trafficking machinery. Our review emphasizes recent developments in the in vitro reconstitution of vesicle tethering and the structural characterization of multisubunit tethering factors. The combination of these and other approaches has led to exciting progress toward understanding how these essential nanomachines work.
Important progress in the development of high-temperature superconductors (HTSC) of the second group made it possible to design the quasi-stationary tokamak with reactor technologies (TRT) with the ...high magnetic field (
B
t0
= 8 T). The high magnetic field will ensure the achievement of plasma fusion regimes in the tokamak with the fusion energy gain
Q
> 1 at the considerably reduced size of the facility (
R
0
= 2.15 m,
a
= 0.57 m), and, consequently, at its reduced cost. TRT will be capable of operating in the quasi-stationary regimes (≥100 s) with hydrogen, helium, and deuterium plasmas (with the densities
n
e
of up to 2 × 10
20
m
–3
) and in the regimes with short (duration Δ
t
< 10 s) deuterium–tritium plasma shots with the fusion energy gain
Q
> 1 limited by the radiation heating of toroidal coils. TRT is being designed as a plasma prototype for both the pure fusion reactor and the fusion neutron source for the hybrid (fusion–fission) reactor. The TRT missions are the development of the key fusion technologies and their integration in one facility. These technologies are as follows: the HTSC electromagnetic system operating at the extremely high magnetic fields; the metal and liquid-metal (lithium) first wall and innovative divertor; the unique advanced systems for the auxiliary plasma heating and non-inductive current drive, including the systems for atomic beam injection with energy of 0.5 MeV and power of several tens of megawatts, the electron cyclotron heating system based on the megawatt-power gyrotrons with a frequency of 230 GHz and a total power of ~10 MW, and the ion cyclotron heating system at frequencies of 60–80 MHz with a power of several megawatts; the tritium fuel cycle; the remote control technologies; the technologies for diagnostics capable of operating under the fusion reactor conditions; the technologies for maintaining quasi-stationary plasma discharges; and the technologies for the tokamak operation in the fusion ignition regime, in which the heating by alpha particles is the dominant heating mechanism at the axis of the plasma column, in the deuterium–tritium experiments limited by the radiation heating of the toroidal coils. The results are presented from the conceptual design of the basic TRT components, as well as the expected characteristics of its operation. It is shown that TRT has a wide window of working parameters suitable for studying the reactor operating regimes. The high magnetic field provides the necessary margins of the pressure, MHD stability, and plasma controllability variation. Implementation of the advanced divertor and first wall concepts, including those using the liquid-metal technologies, will provide the optimum choice of design options in order to reliably control the heat and particle fluxes under the reactor conditions. The advanced systems for the auxiliary heating and current drive will make it possible to implement both the pulsed and stationary regimes of the reactor operation. Calculations of the TRT discharge scenarios show that, for the DT mixture with equal content of components, the long discharges (with duration exceeding 100 s) can be realized with a neutron flux of more than 0.5 MW/m
2
onto the wall, as well as the stationary discharges with a flux of approximately 0.2 MW/m
2
. Thus, TRT can be a real prototype of the fusion neutron source for the hybrid reactor.
The allele and genotype frequencies of the polymorphic loci
CYP1A1
(
rs1048943
),
GSTP1
(
rs1695
and
rs1138272
),
GSTM1
, and
GSTT1
genes were studied in 517 men: in 389 accumulated mercury pollution ...liquidators (207 firefighters of the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters and 182 employees of the Federal Environmental Operator) and 128 former workers (82 patients in the delayed period of chronic mercury intoxication and 46 individuals contacted with mercury and had no chronic mercury intoxication). We found differences in the frequencies of
AA
and
AG
genotypes in groups of former workers (χ
2
=6.96,
p
=0.008) for the polymorphic locus
rs1048943
, while the
AG
-
CYP1A1
genotype was characterized by a 5.5-fold decrease in the odds ratio for the development of chronic mercury intoxication (OR=0.18,
p
=0.0041). An unfavorable combination of genotypes of the studied polymorphic loci increases the risk of undesirable health effects.
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