Air pollution constitutes a significant stimulus of asthma exacerbations; however, the impacts of exposure to major air pollutants on asthma-related hospital admissions and emergency room visits ...(ERVs) have not been fully determined.
We sought to quantify the associations between short-term exposure to air pollutants ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and particulate matter ≤10 μm (PM10) and PM2.5 and the asthma-related emergency room visits (ERV) and hospitalizations.
Systematic computerized searches without language limitation were performed. Pooled relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) were estimated using the random-effect models. Sensitivity analyses and subgroup analyses were also performed.
After screening of 246 studies, 87 were included in our analyses. Air pollutants were associated with significantly increased risks of asthma ERVs and hospitalizations O3: RR(95%CI), 1.009 (1.006, 1.011); I2 = 87.8%, population-attributable fraction (PAF) (95%CI): 0.8 (0.6, 1.1); CO: RR(95%CI), 1.045 (1.029, 1.061); I2 = 85.7%, PAF (95%CI): 4.3 (2.8, 5.7); NO2: RR(95%CI), 1.018 (1.014, 1.022); I2 = 87.6%, PAF (95%CI): 1.8 (1.4, 2.2); SO2: RR(95%CI), 1.011 (1.007, 1.015); I2 = 77.1%, PAF (95%CI): 1.1 (0.7, 1.5); PM10: RR(95%CI), 1.010 (1.008, 1.013); I2 = 69.1%, PAF (95%CI): 1.1 (0.8, 1.3); PM2.5: RR(95%CI), 1.023 (1.015, 1.031); I2 = 82.8%, PAF (95%CI): 2.3 (1.5, 3.1). Sensitivity analyses yielded compatible findings as compared with the overall analyses without publication bias. Stronger associations were found in hospitalized males, children and elderly patients in warm seasons with lag of 2 days or greater.
Short-term exposures to air pollutants account for increased risks of asthma-related ERVs and hospitalizations that constitute a considerable healthcare utilization and socioeconomic burden.
Abstract
Neutron star mergers are believed to occur in accretion disks around supermassive black holes. Here we show that a putative jet launched from the merger of a binary neutron star (BNS) or a ...neutron star–black hole (NSBH) merger occurring at the migration trap in an active galactic nucleus (AGN) disk would be choked. The jet energy is deposited within the disk materials to power a hot cocoon. The cocoon is energetic enough to break out from the AGN disk and produce a bright X-ray shock breakout transient peaking at ∼0.15 days after the merger. The peak luminosity is estimated as
, which can be discovered by the Einstein Probe from
. Later on, the nonrelativistic ejecta launched from the merger would break out the disk, powering an X-ray/UV flare peaking at ∼0.5 days after the merger. This second shock breakout signal may be detected by UV transient searches. The cocoon cooling emission and kilonova emission are outshone by the disk emission and are difficult to detect. Future joint observations of gravitational waves from BNS/NSBH mergers and associated two shock breakout signatures can provide strong support for the compact binary coalescence formation channel in AGN disks.
Abstract
Over the course of the third observing run of the LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA Collaboration, several gravitational-wave (GW) neutron star–black hole (NSBH) candidates have been announced. By assuming ...that these candidates are real signals with astrophysical origins, we analyze the population properties of the mass and spin distributions for GW NSBH mergers. We find that the primary BH mass distribution of NSBH systems, whose shape is consistent with that inferred from the GW binary BH (BBH) primaries, can be well described as a power law with an index of
α
=
4.8
−
2.8
+
4.5
plus a high-mass Gaussian component peaking at
∼
33
−
9
+
14
M
⊙
. The NS mass spectrum could be shaped as a nearly flat distribution between ∼1.0 and 2.1
M
⊙
. The constrained NS maximum mass agrees with that inferred from NSs in our Galaxy. If GW190814 and GW200210 are NSBH mergers, the posterior results of the NS maximum mass would be always larger than ∼2.5
M
⊙
and significantly deviate from that inferred in Galactic NSs. The effective inspiral spin and effective precession spin of GW NSBH mergers are measured to potentially have near-zero distributions. The negligible spins for GW NSBH mergers imply that most events in the universe should be plunging events, which support the standard isolated formation channel of NSBH binaries. More NSBH mergers to be discovered in the fourth observing run would help to more precisely model the population properties of cosmological NSBH mergers.
The conversion of skeletal muscle fiber from fast twitch to slow‐twitch is important for sustained and tonic contractile events, maintenance of energy homeostasis, and the alleviation of fatigue. ...Skeletal muscle remodeling is effectively induced by endurance or aerobic exercise, which also generates several tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates, including succinate. However, whether succinate regulates muscle fiber‐type transitions remains unclear. Here, we found that dietary succinate supplementation increased endurance exercise ability, myosin heavy chain I expression, aerobic enzyme activity, oxygen consumption, and mitochondrial biogenesis in mouse skeletal muscle. By contrast, succinate decreased lactate dehydrogenase activity, lactate production, and myosin heavy chain IIb expression. Further, by using pharmacological or genetic loss‐of‐function models generated by phospholipase Cβ antagonists, SUNCR1 global knockout, or SUNCR1 gastrocnemius‐specific knockdown, we found that the effects of succinate on skeletal muscle fiber‐type remodeling are mediated by SUNCR1 and its downstream calcium/NFAT signaling pathway. In summary, our results demonstrate succinate induces transition of skeletal muscle fiber via SUNCR1 signaling pathway. These findings suggest the potential beneficial use of succinate‐based compounds in both athletic and sedentary populations.
Synopsis
Aerobic exercise leads to skeletal muscle remodelling. This study reveals that dietary succinate is sufficient to elicit muscle remodelling and increased endurance in sedentary mice.
Dietary succinate increases endurance exercise ability in mice.
Dietary succinate induces skeletal muscle fiber transition from fast‐twitch to slow‐twitch.
SUNCR1 signaling pathway is required for the succinate induced skeletal muscle remodeling.
Aerobic exercise leads to skeletal muscle remodelling. This study reveals that dietary succinate is sufficient to elicit muscle remodelling and increased endurance in sedentary mice.
Ethylene‐methyl acrylate‐glycidyl methacrylate copolymer (E‐MA‐GMA) is employed to improve the impact toughness of poly(l‐lactic acid) (PLLA)/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) blends by reactive ...melt‐blending. The reaction and miscibility between the components are confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, dynamic mechanical analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry. A super‐tough PLLA/TPU/E‐MA‐GMA multiphase blend (75/10/15) exhibits a significantly improved impact strength of 77.77 kJ m−2, which is more than 17 times higher than that of PLLA/TPU (90/10) blend. A co‐continuous‐like TPU phase structure involving E‐MA‐GMA phase at the etched cryo‐fractured surface and the high‐orientated matrix deformation at the impact‐fractured surface are observed by scanning electron microscopy. The high‐orientated matrix deformation induced by the co‐continuous TPU phase structure is responsible for the super toughness of PLLA/TPU/E‐MA‐GMA blends.
The poly(L‐lactic acid) (PLLA)/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)/ethylene‐methyl acrylate‐glycidyl methacrylate blends with super‐high toughness and excellent ductility are achieved by reactive melt‐blending in this work. The reactive mechanism and toughening mechanism in the blends are presented by characterizations subsequently. This work provides an effective and facile method to fabricate PLLA‐based materials filled by TPU that are super tough and have excellent ductility.
Benzodiazepine use in early pregnancy is associated with spontaneous abortion (SA). However, to date, the association between specific benzodiazepine agent exposure and the risk of SA has not been ...examined.
To quantify the risk of SA associated with gestational benzodiazepine incident use by drug class, duration of action, and specific benzodiazepine agent.
This nested case-control study within the Quebec Pregnancy Cohort, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, includes all pregnancies covered by the Quebec Prescription Drug Insurance Plan from January 1, 1998, through December 31, 2015. Each case was randomly matched with up to 5 controls. Statistical analysis was performed from January 1, 1998, through December 31, 2015.
Benzodiazepine exposure was defined as 1 or more filled prescriptions between the first day of the last menstrual period and the index date (the calendar date of the SA diagnosis). Benzodiazepine exposure was categorized by overall use, long- or short-acting benzodiazepine, and specific benzodiazepine agents.
Spontaneous abortion defined as a pregnancy loss between the beginning of the sixth week of gestation and the 19th completed week of gestation. Conditional logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% CIs.
Of the 442 066 pregnancies included in the Quebec Pregnancy Cohort, 27 149 (6.1%) ended with SA, with a mean (SD) maternal age of 24.2 (6.5) years. Among pregnancies ending with SA, 375 (1.4%) were among women exposed to benzodiazepines in early pregnancy compared with 788 (0.6%) of the 134 305 matched control pregnancies (crude OR, 2.39; 95% CI, 2.10-2.73). Adjusting for potential confounders, including maternal mood and anxiety disorders before pregnancy, and compared with nonuse, benzodiazepine exposure in early pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of SA (adjusted OR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.61-2.12). The risk was similar among pregnancies exposed to short-acting (284 exposed cases; adjusted OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.55-2.12) and long-acting (98 exposed cases; adjusted OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.31-2.28) benzodiazepines during early pregnancy. All benzodiazepine agents were independently associated with an increased risk of SA (range of adjusted ORs, 1.13-3.43).
An increased risk of SA was observed among early pregnancies with incident exposure to short- and long-acting benzodiazepines and all specific benzodiazepine agents during early pregnancy. Insomnia, anxiety, and mood disorders are prevalent during pregnancy; clinicians should carefully evaluate the risk-benefit ratio of prescribing benzodiazepines in early pregnancy since alternative nonpharmacologic treatments exist.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer, which in turns accounts for the sixth most common cancer worldwide. Despite being the 6
most common cancer it is the ...second leading cause of cancer related deaths. HCC typically arises in the background of cirrhosis, however, about 20% of cases can develop in a non-cirrhotic liver. This particular subgroup of HCC generally presents at an advanced stage as surveillance is not performed in a non-cirrhotic liver. HCC in non-cirrhotic patients is clinically silent in its early stages because of lack of symptoms and surveillance imaging; and higher hepatic reserve in this population. Interestingly, F3 fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections are associated with high risk of developing HCC. Even though considerable progress has been made in the management of this entity, there is a dire need for implementation of surveillance strategies in the patient population at risk, to decrease the disease burden at presentation and improve the prognosis of these patients. This comprehensive review details the epidemiology, risk factors, clinical features, diagnosis and management of HCC in non-cirrhotic patients and provides future directions for research.
Pre-metastatic niche formation is critical for the colonization of disseminated cancer cells in distant organs. Here we find that lung mesenchymal stromal cells (LMSCs) at pre-metastatic stage ...possess potent metastasis-promoting activity. RNA-seq reveals an upregulation of complement 3 (C3) in those LMSCs. C3 is found to promote neutrophil recruitment and the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which facilitate cancer cell metastasis to the lungs. C3 expression in LMSCs is induced and sustained by Th2 cytokines in a STAT6-dependent manner. LMSCs-driven lung metastasis is abolished in Th1-skewing Stat6-deficient mice. Blockade of IL-4 by antibody also attenuates LMSCs-driven cancer metastasis to the lungs. Consistently, metastasis is greatly enhanced in Th2-skewing T-bet-deficient mice or in nude mice adoptively transferred with T-bet-deficient T cells. Increased C3 levels are also detected in breast cancer patients. Our results suggest that targeting the Th2-STAT6-C3-NETs cascade may reduce breast cancer metastasis to the lungs.
Abstract
Triboelectric polymer with high charge density is the foundation to promote the wide range of applications of triboelectric nanogenerators. This work develops a method to produce ...triboelectric polymer based on repeated rheological forging. The fluorinated ethylene propylene film fabricated by repeated forging method not only has excellent mechanical properties and good transmittance, but also can maintain an ultrahigh tribo-charge density. Based on the film with a thickness of 30 μm, the output charge density from contact-separation nanogenerator reaches 352 μC·m
−2
. Then, the same film is applied for the nanogenerator with air-breakdown mode and a charge density of 510 μC·m
−2
is further achieved. The repeated forging method can effectively regulate the composition of surface functional groups, the crystallinity, and the dielectric constants of the fluorinated ethylene propylene, leading to the superior capability of triboelectrification. Finally, we summarize the key parameters for elevating the electrification performance on the basis of molecular structure and related fabrication crafts, which can guide the further development of triboelectric polymers.
A water-soluble polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) consisting of bio-resourced phytic acid and chitosan was fabricated at pH 1.3 and used to improve the flame retardancy of wool fabric by the repeated ...coating technique. Citric acid was used as a solvent for chitosan and a cross-linker. The PEC coated wool fabric was treated in a pH 4 buffer solution to yield a water-insoluble coating on the fabric surface. The flame retardant efficiency and durability to washing of the PEC coating on wool fabric were discussed. The growing deposit times with the PEC caused an increase in flame retardancy of wool fabric. One coating deposition with the PEC consisting of 10% phytic acid and 2% chitosan effectively ceased the fabric burning. Five depositions could still extinguish the flame on the fabric after ten washings, indicating good washing durability of the treated wool. Both the insolubilization treatment of the PEC coating and the cross-linking action of citric acid between chitosan and wool fiber were highly beneficial to the appreciable washing durability. The morphological structure of char residues revealed a significant intumescent charring mechanism for the treated wool. This study reveals that the PEC coating by bio-resourced materials can be used to prepare flame retardant wool textiles, and exhibits less processing steps and lower cost than the layer by layer assembly.
Display omitted
•A polyelectrolyte is prepared using bio-resourced phytic acid and chitosan.•Polyelectrolyte is an eco-friendly flame retardant.•Polyelectrolyte is applied by the repeated coating.•Polyelectrolyte imparts durable flame retardancy to wool textile.•Polyelectrolyte acts as an intumescent flame retardant system.
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