Metals in Particulate Pollutants Affect Peak Expiratory Flow of Schoolchildren

BACKGROUND: The contribution of the metal components of particulate pollutants to acute respiratory effects has not been adequately evaluated. Moreover, little is known about the effects of genetic polymorphisms of xenobiotic metabolism on pulmonary function. OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to assess lung function decrement associated with metal components in particulate pollutants and genetic polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase M1 and T1. METHODS: We studied 43 schoolchildren who were in the 3rd to 6th grades. Each student measured peak expiratory flow rate three times a day for 42 days. Particulate air concentrations were monitored every day, and the concentrations of iron, manganese, lead, zinc, and aluminum in the particles were measured. Glutathione S-transferase M1 and T1 genetic polymorphisms were determined using DNA extracted from participant buccal washings. We used a mixed linear regression model to estimate the association between peak expiratory flow rate and particulate air pollutants. RESULTS: We found significant reduction in the peak expiratory flow rate after the children’s exposure to particulate pollutants. The effect was shown most significantly 1 day after exposure to the ambient particles. Manganese and lead in the particles also reduced the peak expiratory flow rate. Genetic polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase M1 and T1 did not significantly affect peak expiratory flow rate. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that particulate pollutants and metals such as manganese and lead in the particles are associated with a decrement of peak expiratory flow rate. These effects were robust even with consideration of genetic polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase

Novel Smart N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirator with Real-time Adaptive Fit Functionality and Wireless Humidity Monitoring for Enhanced Wearable Comfort

The widespread emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed our lifestyle, and facial respirators have become an essential part of daily life. Nevertheless, the current respirators possess several limitations such as poor respirator fit because they are incapable of covering diverse human facial sizes and shapes, potentially diminishing the effect of wearing respirators. In addition, the current facial respirators do not inform the user of the air quality within the smart facepiece respirator in case of continuous long-term use. Here, we demonstrate the novel smart N-95 filtering facepiece respirator that incorporates the humidity sensor and pressure sensory feedback-enabled self-fit adjusting functionality for the effective performance of the facial respirator to prevent the transmission of airborne pathogens. The laser-induced graphene (LIG) constitutes the humidity sensor, and the pressure sensor array based on the dielectric elastomeric sponge monitors the respirator contact on the face of the user, providing the sensory information for a closed-loop feedback mechanism. As a result of the self-fit adjusting mode along with elastomeric lining, the fit factor is increased by 3.20 and 5 times at average and maximum respectively. We expect that the experimental proof-of-concept of this work will offer viable solutions to the current commercial respirators to address the limitations.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figures, 1 table, submitted for possible publicatio

Evaluation of the Efficacy and Cross-Protectivity of Recent Human and Swine Vaccines against the Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Virus Infection

The current pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus remains transmissible among humans worldwide with cases of reverse zoonosis, providing opportunities to produce more pathogenic variants which could pose greater human health concerns. To investigate whether recent seasonal human or swine H1N1 vaccines could induce cross-reactive immune responses against infection with the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus, mice, ferrets or mini-pigs were administered with various regimens (once or twice) and antigen content (1.77, 3.5 or 7.5 µg HA) of a-Brsibane/59/07, a-CAN01/04 or RgCA/04/09xPR8 vaccine. Receipt of a-CAN01/04 (2-doses) but not a-Brisbane/59/07 induced detectable but modest (20–40 units) cross-reactive serum antibody against CA/04/09 by hemagglutinin inhibition (HI) assays in mice. Only double administration (7.5 µg HA) of both vaccine in ferrets could elicit cross-reactivity (30–60 HI titers). Similar antigen content of a-CAN01/04 in mini-pigs also caused a modest ∼30 HI titers (twice vaccinated). However, vaccine-induced antibody titers could not suppress active virus replication in the lungs (mice) or virus shedding (ferrets and pigs) of immunized hosts intranasally challenged with CA/04/09. Furthermore, neither ferrets nor swine could abrogate aerosol transmission of the virus into naïve contact animals. Altogether, these results suggest that neither recent human nor animal H1N1 vaccine could provide complete protectivity in all animal models. Thus, this study warrants the need for strain-specific vaccines that could yield the optimal protection desired for humans and/or animals

Common variants in P2RY11 are associated with narcolepsy.

Growing evidence supports the hypothesis that narcolepsy with cataplexy is an autoimmune disease. We here report genome-wide association analyses for narcolepsy with replication and fine mapping across three ethnic groups (3,406 individuals of European ancestry, 2,414 Asians and 302 African Americans). We identify a SNP in the 3' untranslated region of P2RY11, the purinergic receptor subtype P2Y₁₁ gene, which is associated with narcolepsy (rs2305795, combined P = 6.1 × 10⁻¹⁰, odds ratio = 1.28, 95% CI 1.19-1.39, n = 5689). The disease-associated allele is correlated with reduced expression of P2RY11 in CD8(+) T lymphocytes (339% reduced, P = 0.003) and natural killer (NK) cells (P = 0.031), but not in other peripheral blood mononuclear cell types. The low expression variant is also associated with reduced P2RY11-mediated resistance to ATP-induced cell death in T lymphocytes (P = 0.0007) and natural killer cells (P = 0.001). These results identify P2RY11 as an important regulator of immune-cell survival, with possible implications in narcolepsy and other autoimmune diseases.journal articleresearch support, n.i.h., extramuralresearch support, non-u.s. gov'tresearch support, u.s. gov't, p.h.s.2011 Jan2010 12 19importedErratum in : Nat Genet. 2011 Oct;43(10):1040

Late implant placement following ridge preservation versus early implant placement: A pilot randomized clinical trial for periodontally compromised non-molar extraction sites

AIM To compare late implant placement following alveolar ridge preservation (LP/ARP) and early implantation (EP) in periodontally compromised non-molar extraction sites with respect to soft tissue levels, esthetics, and patient-reported outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sixteen patients were randomly allocated to groups LP/ARP (n = 9) or EP (n = 7). Group LP/ARP received ARP using deproteinized bovine bone mineral containing 10% collagen and a native bilayer collagen membrane, and group EP received only extraction. Implant placement was performed 4-8 weeks post-extraction in group EP and 4 months post-alveolar ridge preservation in group LP/ARP. The soft tissue levels, pink/white esthetic scores, and periodontal parameters were evaluated 1-year post-loading. Patient's discomfort level was evaluated at the time of extraction/ARP and implant placement. RESULTS No implant failure or biologic complications occurred. There was no statistically significant difference in the median change of the midfacial mucosal margin (0.03 for group LP/ARP, -0.19 mm for group EP) and the mesial/distal papilla (0.62/0.25 mm for group LP/ARP, 0.29/-0.5 mm for group EP), pink/white esthetic scores, periodontal parameters, and patient's discomfort between the two groups. CONCLUSION Both implant placement protocols led to comparable outcomes in soft tissue levels, periodontal parameters, and patient's discomfort level

Electrochemical lithium intercalation chemistry of condensed molybdenum metal cluster oxide: LiMo4O6

The electrochemical lithium-ion intercalation properties of molybdenum metal-cluster oxide LixMo4O6 (0.33 ≤ x ≤ 1.0) in an organic electrolyte of 1.0 M LiPF6 in ethylene carbonate/dimethyl carbonate (1:2 v/v) were characterized for the first time. Li0.66Mo4O6 (tetragonal, P4/mbm, a = 9.5914(3) Å, c = 2.8798(1) Å, V = 264.927(15) Å3, Z = 2) was prepared via ion-exchange of indium and lithium ions from InMo4O6 (tetragonal, P4/mbm, a = 9.66610(4) Å, c = 2.86507(2) Å, V = 267.694(2) Å3, Z = 2), which was first synthesized from a stoichiometric mixture of In, Mo, and MoO3 via a solid-state reaction for 11 h at 1100 °C. Then, Li0.33Mo4O6 was obtained via electrochemical charge of the electrode at 3.4 V vs. Li. The electrochemical lithium-ion insertion into Li0.33Mo4O6 occurs stepwise: three separate peaks were observed in the cyclic voltammogram and three quasi-plateaus in the galvanostatic profile, indicating a complicated intercalation mechanism. However, examination of the structural evolution of LixMo4O6 during the electrochemical cycle indicated a reversible reaction over the measured voltage range (2.0–3.2 V) and x range (0.33 ≤ x ≤ 1.00). Despite the excellent electrochemical reversibility, LixMo4O6 showed poor rate performance with a low capacity of 36.3 mAh g−1 at a rate of 0.05 C. Nonetheless, this work demonstrates a new structural class of lithium cathode materials with condensed metal clusters and 1D tunnels, and provides a host material candidate for multivalent-ion batteries. © 2017 Elsevier Inc.

Electrochemical Zinc-Ion Intercalation Properties and Crystal Structures of ZnMo6S8 and Zn2Mo6S8 Chevrel Phases in Aqueous Electrolytes

The crystal structures and electrochemical properties of ZnxMo6S8 Chevrel phases (x = 1, 2) prepared via electrochemical Zn2+-ion intercalation into the Mo6S8 host material, in an aqueous electrolyte, were characterized. Mo6S8 [trigonal, R3, a = 9.1910(6) Å, c = 10.8785(10) Å, Z = 3] was first prepared via the chemical extraction of Cu ions from Cu2Mo6S8, which was synthesized via a solid-state reaction for 24 h at 1000 °C. The electrochemical zinc-ion insertion into Mo6S8 occurred stepwise, and two separate potential regions were depicted in the cyclic voltammogram (CV) and galvanostatic profile. ZnMo6S8 first formed from Mo6S8 in the higher-voltage region around 0.45-0.50 V in the CV, through a pseudo two-phase reaction. The inserted zinc ions occupied the interstitial sites in cavities surrounded by sulfur atoms (Zn1 sites). A significant number of the inserted zinc ions were trapped in these Zn1 sites, giving rise to the first-cycle irreversible capacity of ∼46 mAh g-1 out of the discharge capacity of 134 mAh g-1 at a rate of 0.05 C. In the lower-voltage region, further insertion occurred to form Zn2Mo6S8 at around 0.35 V in the CV, also involving a two-phase reaction. The electrochemical insertion and extraction into the Zn2 sites appeared to be relatively reversible and fast. The crystal structures of Mo6S8, ZnMo6S8, and Zn2Mo6S8 were refined using X-ray Rietveld refinement techniques, while the new structure of Zn2Mo6S8 was determined for the first time in this study using the technique of structure determination from powder X-ray diffraction data. With the zinc ions inserted into Mo6S8 forming Zn2Mo6S8, the cell volume and a parameter increased by 5.3% and 5.9%, respectively, but the c parameter decreased by 6.0%. The average Mo-Mo distance in the Mo6 cluster decreased from 2.81 to 2.62 Å. © 2016 American Chemical Society.