Excess Folic Acid Supplementation Before and During Pregnancy and Lactation Activates Fos Gene Expression and Alters Behaviors in Male Mouse Offspring

Periconceptional folic acid (FA) supplementation is recommended to prevent neural tube defects and other birth defects. After 20 years mandate food fortification with FA, serum concentration of folate and unmetabolized FA increased significantly in the North American population. But whether excess FA intake impairs neurodevelopment and behavior is still controversial. Here, we treated mice with approximately 2.5-fold (moderate dose of FA, MFA) or 10-fold (high dose of FA, HFA) the dietary requirement of FA 1 week before mating and throughout pregnancy and lactation, and examined behaviors in adult male offspring using open field test, three-chamber sociability and social novelty test, elevated plus maze, rotarod and Morris water maze. We found that early life MFA supplementation increased long-term body weight gain in adults, elevated anxiety-like behavior, and impaired social preference, motor learning and spatial learning ability without modifying motor ability and spatial memory. In contrast, HFA supplementation only induced mild behavioral abnormality. RNA sequencing revealed that FA supplementation altered the expression of brain genes at weaning, among which Fos and related genes were significantly up-regulated in MFA mice compared with control and HFA mice. Quantitative real time-PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blots confirmed the increase of these genes. Our results suggested that FA supplementation during early life stage affected gene expression in weaning mice, and exhibited long-term impairments in adult behaviors in a dose-sensitive manner

Regulating C2H2/CO2 adsorption selectivity by electronic-state manipulation of iron in metal-organic frameworks

Article reports a metal electronic-state manipulation strategy to construct a pair of isostructural and interconvertible Fe-MOFs featuring open Fe centers with different electron densities for efficient C₂H₂/CO₂ separation. The authors show that the presence of Fe[II] centers with a medium-spin-state trail plays a crucial role in the enhanced C₂H₂ selective adsorption

The effect of systemic antibiotics on clinical and patient‐reported outcome measures of oral implant therapy with simultaneous guided bone regeneration

Publisher's version (útgefin grein)Objectives: The aim of the present superiority study was to determine the effect of systemic antibiotics primarily on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and post-surgical complications in patients undergoing oral implant therapy with simultaneous guided bone regeneration (GBR). Materials and Methods: A total of 236 medically and periodontally healthy patients received oral implants with simultaneous GBR at seven centres. Pre-operative antibiotics of 2 g amoxicillin were prescribed to the test group 1 hr prior to surgery and 500 mg thrice daily on days 1–3 after surgery. The control group was given a placebo. Group allocation was performed randomly. Primary outcome variables were PROMs recorded as visual analogue scale scores assessed on days 1–7 and 14 on pain, swelling, haematoma and bleeding. Post-operative complications as secondary outcome variables were examined at 1, 2, 4 and 12 weeks from surgery. Chi-square tests and repeated measures of analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed for statistical evaluation. Results: No statistically significant differences (p >.05) between the two groups were detected for the evaluated PROMs. The same was noted with respect to post-surgical complications. Four implants were lost—three in the test group and one in the control group. Conclusion: In this trial, systemic antibiotics did not provide additional benefits to PROMs, nor the prevention of post-surgical complications in medically and periodontally healthy patients undergoing oral implant therapy with simultaneous GBR. However, further studies with larger sample sizes are still required to support the clinical outcomes of this study.This study has been supported by a research grant of the ITI Foundation (ITI Grant‐No: No. 962_2013). Further, we want to thank the Geistlich AG, Wolhusen, Switzerland, for providing bone substitutes and collagen membranes (Bio‐Oss® and Bio‐Gide®); Medochemie Limassol, Cyprus, for providing the study medication; and the Straumann AG (Basel, Switzerland) for granting a 50% discount on all the implant materials used in the presented study. The co‐operation of the staff of the centres involved in the study is highly appreciated: (1) Peking University, School of Stomatology, Beijing PR China (2) Medical University Graz, University Clinic of Dental Medicine & Oral Health, Department of Oral Surgery and Orthodontics, Graz Austria (3) Griffith University, Gold Coast, School of Dentistry and Oral Health, Queensland, Australia (4) The University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Dentistry, Hong Kong SAR PR China (5) University of Iceland, Faculty of Odontology, Reykjavik, Iceland (6) Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Department of Implant Dentistry, Shanghai PR China (7) National Dental Centre Singapore, SingaporePeer Reviewe

Treatment With Treprostinil and Metformin Normalizes Hyperglycemia and Improves Cardiac Function in Pulmonary Hypertension Associated With Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

Objective: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) due to left heart disease (group 2), especially in the setting of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), is the most common cause of PH worldwide; however, at present, there is no proven effective therapy available for its treatment. PH-HFpEF is associated with insulin resistance and features of metabolic syndrome. The stable prostacyclin analog, treprostinil, is an effective and widely used Food and Drug Administration-approved drug for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. While the effect of treprostinil on metabolic syndrome is unknown, a recent study suggests that the prostacyclin analog beraprost can improve glucose intolerance and insulin sensitivity. We sought to evaluate the effectiveness of treprostinil in the treatment of metabolic syndrome-associated PH-HFpEF. Approach and Results: Treprostinil treatment was given to mice with mild metabolic syndrome-associated PH-HFpEF induced by high-fat diet and to SU5416/obese ZSF1 rats, a model created by the treatment of rats with a more profound metabolic syndrome due to double leptin receptor defect (obese ZSF1) with a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor blocker SU5416. In high-fat diet-exposed mice, chronic treatment with treprostinil reduced hyperglycemia and pulmonary hypertension. In SU5416/Obese ZSF1 rats, treprostinil improved hyperglycemia with similar efficacy to that of metformin (a first-line drug for type 2 diabetes mellitus); the glucose-lowering effect of treprostinil was further potentiated by the combined treatment with metformin. Early treatment with treprostinil in SU5416/Obese ZSF1 rats lowered pulmonary pressures, and a late treatment with treprostinil together with metformin improved pulmonary artery acceleration time to ejection time ratio and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion with AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) activation in skeletal muscle and the right ventricle. Conclusions: Our data suggest a potential use of treprostinil as an early treatment for mild metabolic syndrome-associated PH-HFpEF and that combined treatment with treprostinil and metformin may improve hyperglycemia and cardiac function in a more severe disease

Fabricating Superhydrophilic Wool Fabrics

A simple method for fabricating environmentally stable superhydrophilic wool fabrics is reported here. An ultrathin silica layer coated on the wool altered both the surface roughness and the surface energy of the fiber and endowed the wool fabrics with excellent water absorption. The process of coating silica sols was dependent on an acid solution of low pH, which influenced the electrostatic interactions between nanoparticles and wool fibers. The morphology and composition of silica-sol-coated wool fabrics were characterized by a combination of SEM, TEM, EDX, FTIR, and XPS measurements. The possible mechanism and size effect of silica nanoparticles on the hydrophilic property of wool fabric were discussed. The washing fastness of the superhydrophilic wool fabrics in perchlorethylene and water was also evaluated. This study shows that wool fabrics modified by optical transparence, chemical stability, and nontoxic silica sols are promising in constructing smart textiles.Institute of Textiles and Clothin

Fabrication of Fast-Absorbing and Quick-Drying Wool Fabrics with Good Washing Durability

The quick and the dry: Fast-absorbing and quick-drying wool fabrics with good washing durability are fabricated by functionalizing reactive siloxane monolayer on wool fiber surface, followed by grafting an ultrathin silica nanoparticles layer using an in situ growth method. The new properties are maintained even after washing 20 times because of the strong immobilization between the wool fiber and the ultrathin silica nanoparticles through siloxane bonding.Institute of Textiles and Clothin

Inducing factors and deformation mechanism of the Zhangjiacitang landslide in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area

Abstract Landslides are the most widely distributed geological hazards in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA). Understanding the deformation mechanism and evolution of landslides is of great significance for their prevention and control. In this study, we focused on the Zhangjiacitang landslide, a typical bank landslide in the TGRA. We analyzed the relationship between landslide deformation and water level fluctuations and rainfall, based on accumulated displacement monitoring data, to clarify their triggering factors and deformation mechanism. The results show that the Zhangjiacitang landslide is a large-scale accumulation landslide. Under the influence of cyclic water level fluctuations and periodic rainfall, the accumulated displacement–time curve shows a “stepped” characteristic. Heavy rainfall emerged as the primary factor influencing the deformation of the Zhangjiacitang landslide, leading to substantial deformation throughout different periods. The deformation of the landslide exhibited a positive correlation with the intensity of rainfall. In contrast, the impact of water level changes on the landslide deformation was more intricate. A rapid water level drop (> 0.3 m/d) tended to intensify the landslide deformation, while the slow water level drop period (< 0.3 m/d) did not exhibit such an effect. This study emphasizes the need for closely monitoring the landslide status during heavy rainfall periods and rapid water level decline periods. The findings of this study provide a certain reference for landslide monitoring, early warning, prevention and control in the TGRA