Association of Adiposity Indices with Platelet Distribution Width and Mean Platelet Volume in Chinese Adults

Hypoxia is a prominent characteristic of inflammatory tissue lesions. It can affect platelet function. While mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) are sample platelet indices, they may reflect subcinical platelet activation. To investigated associations between adiposity indices and platelet indices, 17327 eligible individuals (7677 males and 9650 females) from the Dongfeng-Tongji Cohort Study (DFTJ-Cohort Study, n=27009) were included in this study, except for 9682 individuals with missing data on demographical, lifestyle, physical indicators and diseases relative to PDW and MPV. Associations between adiposity indices including waist circumstance (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), body mass index (BMI), and MPV or PDW in the participants were analyzed using multiple logistic regressions. There were significantly negative associations between abnormal PDW and WC or WHtR for both sexes (ptrend<0.001 for all), as well as abnormal MPV and WC or WHtR among female participants (ptrend<0.05 for all). In the highest BMI groups, only females with low MPV or PDW were at greater risk for having low MPV (OR=1.33, 95% CI=1.10, 1.62 ptrend<0.001) or PDW (OR=1.34, 95% CI=1.14, 1.58, ptrend<0.001) than those who had low MPV or PDW in the corresponding lowest BMI group. The change of PDW seems more sensitive than MPV to oxidative stress and hypoxia. Associations between reduced PDW and MPV values and WC, WHtR and BMI values in Chinese female adults may help us to further investigate early changes in human body

Genome-Wide Analysis of DNA Methylation and Cigarette Smoking in a Chinese Population

Background: Smoking is a risk factor for many human diseases. DNA methylation has been related to smoking, but genome-wide methylation data for smoking in Chinese populations is limited. Objectives: We aimed to investigate epigenome-wide methylation in relation to smoking in a Chinese population. Methods: We measured the methylation levels at > 485,000 CpG sites (CpGs) in DNA from leukocytes using a methylation array and conducted a genome-wide meta-analysis of DNA methylation and smoking in a total of 596 Chinese participants. We further evaluated the associations of smoking-related CpGs with internal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) biomarkers and their correlations with the expression of corresponding genes. Results: We identified 318 CpGs whose methylation levels were associated with smoking at a genome-wide significance level (false discovery rate < 0.05), among which 161 CpGs annotated to 123 genes were not associated with smoking in recent studies of Europeans and African Americans. Of these smoking-related CpGs, methylation levels at 80 CpGs showed significant correlations with the expression of corresponding genes (including RUNX3, IL6R, PTAFR, ANKRD11, CEP135 and CDH23), and methylation at 15 CpGs was significantly associated with urinary 2-hydroxynaphthalene, the most representative internal monohydroxy-PAH biomarker for smoking. Conclusion: We identified DNA methylation markers associated with smoking in a Chinese population, including some markers that were also correlated with gene expression. Exposure to naphthalene, a byproduct of tobacco smoke, may contribute to smoking-related methylation. Citation: Zhu X, Li J, Deng S, Yu K, Liu X, Deng Q, Sun H, Zhang X, He M, Guo H, Chen W, Yuan J, Zhang B, Kuang D, He X, Bai Y, Han X, Liu B, Li X, Yang L, Jiang H, Zhang Y, Hu J, Cheng L, Luo X, Mei W, Zhou Z, Sun S, Zhang L, Liu C, Guo Y, Zhang Z, Hu FB, Liang L, Wu T. 2016. Genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation and cigarette smoking in Chinese. Environ Health Perspect 124:966–973; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.150983

Co-based zeolitic imidazolate framework ZIF-9 membranes prepared on alpha-Al2O3 tubes through covalent modification for hydrogen separation

Hydrogen has been regarded as the most promising clean and renewable energy. Beside the production of the hydrogen, the separation of hydrogen is also an import issue before it can be used in fuel cells. Membrane-based separation technologies have gained considerable attentions due to its high efficiency and low energy consumption. Zeolite imidazolate framework (ZIF) membranes have drawn intense interest due to their zeolite-like properties such as permanent porosity, uniform pore size and exceptional thermal and chemical stability. It is rather challenged to prepare well-intergrown Co-based zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) membranes on porous alpha-Al2O3 tubes since Co-based ZIFs prefer to form crystals in the synthesis solution rather than grow as membrane layer on the support surface. In this work, we report the preparation of high-quality ZIF-9 membrane with high H-2/CO2 selectivity and excellent thermal stability by using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) as a covalent linker to modify the alpha-Al2O3 tube. Due to the formation of covalent bonds between APTES and ZIF-9, ZIF-9 nutrients are bound to the support surface, thus promoting the growth of dense and phase-pure ZIF-9 membrane with a thin thickness of about 4.0 mu m. The gas separation performances of the ZIF-9 membrane were evaluated by single gas permeation and mixture gas separation of H-2/CO2, H-2/N-2 and H-2/CH4, respectively. The mixture separation factors of H-2/CO2, H-2/CH4, and H-2/N-2 of the ZIF-9 membrane are 21.5, 8.2 and 14.7, respectively, which by far exceeds corresponding Knudsen coefficients. Moreover, the as-prepared ZIF-9 membrane exhibits excellent stability at a relatively broad range of operating temperature, which is beneficial for the industrial application of hydrogen separation or further membrane reactor. (C) 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Tuning interlayer spacing of graphene oxide membranes with enhanced desalination performance

Tuning interlayer spacing of graphene oxide membranes with enhanced desalination performanc

Photo-switchable smart metal organic framework membranes with tunable and enhanced molecular sieving performance

Photo-switchable smart metal organic framework membranes with tunable and enhanced molecular sieving performanc

Restraining Sodium Volatilization in the Ferric Bauxite Direct Reduction System

Direct reduction is an emerging utilization technology of ferric bauxite. However, it requires much more sodium carbonate than ordinary bauxite does. The volatilization is one of the most significant parts of sodium carbonate consumption, as reported in previous studies. Based on the new direct reduction method for utilization of ferric bauxite, this paper has systematically investigated factors including heating temperature, heating time, and sodium carbonate dosage influencing sodium volatilization. For the purpose of reducing sodium volatilization, the Box–Benhken design was employed, and the possibility of separating iron and sodium after direct reduction was also investigated

Excess electrons in reduced rutile and anatase TiO2

As a prototypical photocatalyst, TiO2 is a material of scientific and technological interest. In photocatalysis and other applications, TiO2 is often reduced, behaving as an n-type semiconductor with unique physico-chemical properties. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the understanding of the fundamental properties and applications of excess electrons in reduced, undoped TiO2. We discuss the characteristics of excess electrons in the bulk and at the surface of rutile and anatase TiO2 focusing on their localization, spatial distribution, energy levels, and dynamical properties. We examine specific features of the electronic states for photoexcited TiO2, for intrinsic oxygen vacancy and Ti interstitial defects, and for surface hydroxyls. We discuss similarities and differences in the behaviors of excess electrons in the rutile and anatase phases. Finally, we consider the effect of excess electrons on the reactivity, focusing on the interaction between excess electrons and adsorbates. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Causes of Perioperative Cardiac Arrest: Mnemonic, Classification, Monitoring, and Actions.

Perioperative cardiac arrest (POCA) is a catastrophic complication that requires immediate recognition and correction of the underlying cause to improve patient outcomes. While the hypoxia, hypovolemia, hydrogen ions (acidosis), hypo-/hyperkalemia, and hypothermia (Hs) and toxins, tamponade (cardiac), tension pneumothorax, thrombosis (pulmonary), and thrombosis (coronary) (Ts) mnemonic is a valuable tool for rapid differential diagnosis, it does not cover all possible causes leading to POCA. To address this limitation, we propose using the preload-contractility-afterload-rate and rhythm (PCARR) construct to categorize POCA, which is comprehensive, systemic, and physiologically logical. We provide evidence for each component in the PCARR construct and emphasize that it complements the Hs and Ts mnemonic rather than replacing it. Furthermore, we discuss the significance of utilizing monitored variables such as electrocardiography, pulse oxygen saturation, end-tidal carbon dioxide, and blood pressure to identify clues to the underlying cause of POCA. To aid in investigating POCA causes, we suggest the Anesthetic care, Surgery, Echocardiography, Relevant Check and History (A-SERCH) list of actions. We recommend combining the Hs and Ts mnemonic, the PCARR construct, monitoring, and the A-SERCH list of actions in a rational manner to investigate POCA causes. These proposals require real-world testing to assess their feasibility