INTERMITTENT HYPOXIA-INDUCED RENAL ANTIOXIDANTS AND OXIDA- TIVE DAMAGE IN MALE MICE: HORMETIC DOSE RESPONSE

Obstructive sleep apnea causes cardiovascular disease via chronic intermittent hypoxia (IH), which may be related to oxidative stress. Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is an important cellular defense mechanism against oxidative stress by regulating its down-stream multiple antioxidants. The present study was to define whether IH can induce renal pathogenic damage and if so, whether Nrf2 and its down-stream antioxidants are involved in IH-induced pathogenic changes. Mice were culled for exposure to inter- mittent air as control or IH that consisted of 20.9% O2/ 8% O2 FIO2 alternation cycles (30 episodes per h) with 20 seconds at the nadir FIO2 for 12 h a day during daylight. Short term IH exposure (3 – 7 days) induced significant increases in renal inflammatory response and antioxidant levels along with a reduction of the spontaneous content of mal- ondialdehyde while long-term IH exposure (8 weeks) induced a significant decrease of antioxidant levels and significant increases of renal inflammation, oxidative damage, cell death, and fibrosis. This study suggests that IH induces a hormetic response, i.e.: short term IH exposure is able to induce a protective response to protect the kidney from oxidative damage while long-term IH exposure is able to induce a damage effect on the kidney

The Main Progress of Perovskite Solar Cells in 2020–2021

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) emerging as a promising photovoltaic technology with high efficiency and low manufacturing cost have attracted the attention from all over the world. Both the efficiency and stability of PSCs have increased steadily in recent years, and the research on reducing lead leakage and developing eco-friendly lead-free perovskites pushes forward the commercialization of PSCs step by step. This review summarizes the main progress of PSCs in 2020 and 2021 from the aspects of efficiency, stability, perovskite-based tandem devices, and lead-free PSCs. Moreover, a brief discussion on the development of PSC modules and its challenges toward practical application is provided

Fire behaviour and design of hybrid fibre reinforced high-performance concrete columns subjected to uniaxial bending

This paper presents an experimental programme and a fire design model on hybrid fibre reinforced high-performance concrete (HPC) columns under ISO 834 heating curve. To date, there are very few experimental works on HPC columns subjected to eccentric loading under fire conditions. Therefore, a total of six specimens are tested to investigate the effects of load eccentricity and slenderness ratio on spalling and structural behaviour of HPC columns. Material properties including compressive strength, residual flexural strength and spalling behaviour under unstressed state but subject to transient heating are presented to get an overview of the performance of HPC. Following that, the test results of column specimens are discussed in terms of temperature distribution, mid-height deflection, axial deformation, failure mode and fire endurance. No spalling is observed in all the specimens owing to the synergistic effect of hybrid polypropylene and steel fibres. Test results show that mid-height deflection and axial contraction increase with an increase of load eccentricity. A simplified fire design model incorporating fibre reinforced concrete design is adopted based on 500 °C isotherm method. The model is verified with test data and it shows that 400 °C isotherm depth could provide safe and accurate predictions for HPC columns.Ministry of National Development (MND)National Research Foundation (NRF)This material is based on research/work supported by the Singapore Ministry of National Development and National Research Foundation Singapore under L2 NIC Award No. L2NICCFP1-2013-4

Maintenance of a living understory enhances soil carbon sequestration in subtropical orchards.

Orchard understory represents an important component of the orchards, performing numerous functions related to soil quality, water relations and microclimate, but little attention has been paid on its effect on soil C sequestration. In the face of global climate change, fruit producers also require techniques that increase carbon (C) sequestration in a cost-effective manner. Here we present a case study to compare the effects of understory management (sod culture vs. clean tillage) on soil C sequestration in four subtropical orchards. The results of a 10-year study indicated that the maintenance of sod significantly enhanced the soil C stock in the top 1 m of orchard soils. Relative to clean tillage, sod culture increased annual soil C sequestration by 2.85 t C ha(-1), suggesting that understory management based on sod culture offers promising potential for soil carbon sequestration. Considering that China has the largest area of orchards in the world and that few of these orchards currently have sod understories, the establishment and maintenance of sod in orchards can help China increase C sequestration and greatly contribute to achieving CO2 reduction targets at a regional scale and potentially at a national scale

Hetero-Element-Doped Molybdenum Oxide Materials for Energy Storage Systems

In order to meet the growing demand for the electronics market, many new materials have been studied to replace traditional electrode materials for energy storage systems. Molybdenum oxide materials are electrode materials with higher theoretical capacity than graphene, which was originally used as anode electrodes for lithium-ion batteries. In subsequent studies, they have a wider application in the field of energy storage, such as being used as cathodes or anodes for other ion batteries (sodium-ion batteries, potassium-ion batteries, etc.), and electrode materials for supercapacitors. However, molybdenum oxide materials have serious volume expansion concerns and irreversible capacity dropping during the cycles. To solve these problems, doping with different elements has become a suitable option, being an effective method that can change the crystal structure of the materials and improve the performances. Therefore, there are many research studies on metal element doping or non-metal doping molybdenum oxides. This paper summarizes the recent research on the application of hetero-element-doped molybdenum oxides in the field of energy storage, and it also provides some brief analysis and insights

Therapeutic Effect of MG132 on the Aortic Oxidative Damage and Inflammatory Response in OVE26 Type 1 Diabetic Mice

The present study tested whether MG132 increases vascular nuclear factor E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) expression and transcription to provide a therapeutic effect on diabetes-induced pathogenic changes in the aorta. To this end, three-month-old OVE26 diabetic and age-matched control mice were intraperitoneally injected with MG-132, 10 μg/kg daily for 3 months. OVE26 transgenic type 1 diabetic mice develop hyperglycemia at 2-3 weeks of age and exhibit albuminuria at 3 months of age with mild increases in TNF-α expression and 3-NT accumulation in the aorta. Diabetes-induced significant increases in the wall thickness and structural derangement of aorta were found in OVE26 mice with significant increases in aortic oxidative and nitrosative damage, inflammation, and remodeling at 6 months of diabetes, but not at 3 months of diabetes. However, these pathological changes seen at the 6 months of diabetes were abolished in OVE26 mice treated with MG-132 for 3 months that were also associated with a significant increase in Nrf2 expression in the aorta as well as transcription of downstream genes. These results suggest that chronic treatment with low-dose MG132 can afford an effective therapy for diabetes-induced pathogenic changes in the aorta, which is associated with the increased Nrf2 expression and transcription

Soil carbon stock in four subtropical orchards as affected by understory management (UM), orchard type (OT), and their interaction.

<p>Values are means + SE of three replications. <i>F</i> values and <i>P</i> values are from two-way ANOVAs. <i>P</i> values <0.05 are shown in bold.</p

Bowel symptoms and self-care strategies of survivors in the process of restoration after low anterior resection of rectal cancer

Abstract Background The purpose of this research is to identify the bowel symptoms and self-care strategies for rectal cancer survivors during the recovery process following low anterior resection surgery. Methods A total of 100 participants were investigated under the structured interview guide based on the dimensions of “symptom management theory”. Results 92% of participants reported changes in bowel habits, the most common being the frequent bowel movements and narrower stools, which we named it finger-shaped consistency stools. The 6 most frequently reported bowel symptoms were excessive flatus (93%), clustering (86%), urgency (77%), straining (62%), bowel frequency (57%) and anal pendant expansion (53%). Periodic bowel movements occurred in 19% participants. For a group of 79 participants at 6 to 24 months post-operation, 86.1% reported a significant improvement of bowel symptoms. Among 68 participants of this subgroup with significant improvements, 70.5% participants reported the length of time it took was at least 6 months. Self-care strategies adopted by participants included diet, bowel medications, practice management and exercise. Conclusions It is necessary to educate patients on the symptoms experienced following low anterior resection surgery. Through the process of trial and error, participants have acquired self-care strategies. Healthcare professionals should learn knowledge of such strategies and help them build effective interventions

Effects of understory management on the economic costs (A) and benefits (B) in three subtropical orchards.

<p>Effects of understory management on the economic costs (A) and benefits (B) in three subtropical orchards.</p