Bibliometric research on analysis of links between periodontitis and cardiovascular diseases

BackgroundPeriodontitis (PD) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) rank among the most prevalent pathologies worldwide, and their correlation has been a subject of prolonged investigation. Numerous studies suggest shared etiological factors; however, a definitive causal connection remains unestablished. The objective of this study was to employ bibliometric and visual analyses in order to comprehensively examine the overarching characteristics, focal areas of research, and prospective trends pertaining to the PD-CVD relationship.MethodsWe sourced articles, reviews, and online publications on PD- and CVD- research from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) spanning from January 1, 1993, to May 15, 2023. A triad of analytical tools (R-Bibliometrix, VOSviewer 1.6.19, and CiteSpace 6.2.R3) were utilized to facilitate collaboration network analysis, co-citation analysis, co-occurrence analysis, and citation burst detection.ResultsOut of the 1,116 publications that fulfilled the eligibility criteria in the WoSCC database, the comprehensive characteristics analysis divulged a sustained growth trend in publication frequency. In the cluster analysis of reference co-citation and keyword co-occurrence, prominent themes such as “periodontitis”, “cardiovascular diseases”, “inflammation”, “Porphyromonas gingivalis”, and “atherosclerosis” consistently emerged. Contemporary topics such as “peri-implantitis,” “COVID-19”, “cardiovascular risk factors,” and “endocarditis” were pinpointed as burgeoning research hotspots.ConclusionBased on this bibliometric study, in the field of association studies between PD and CVD, the etiologic mechanisms of both diseases have been intensively studied in the last three decades. Periodontal pathogens might serve as potential initiating factors linking PD and CVD. Inflammation may constitute a significant etiological factor shared by both diseases. Several emerging topics, such as COVID-19 and peri-implantitis, exhibit promising potential. This exhaustive overview casts light on pivotal research arenas, augmenting the field's understanding and stimulating further scholarly investigations

Intertube excitonic coupling in nanotube van der Waals heterostructures

Strong intertube excitonic coupling is demonstrated in 1D van der Waals heterostructures by examining the ultrafast response of radial C/BN/MoS$_2$ core/shell/skin nanotubes to femtosecond infrared light pulses. Remarkably, infrared excitation of excitons in the semiconducting CNTs creates a prominent excitonic response in the visible range from the MoS$_2$ skin, even with infrared photons at energies well below the bandgap of MoS$_2$. Via classical analogies and a quantum model of the light-matter interaction we assign these findings to intertube excitonic correlations. Dipole-dipole Coulomb interactions in the coherent regime produce intertube biexcitons, which persist for tens of femtoseconds, while on longer timescales ($>100$\,ps) hole tunneling -- from the CNT core, through the BN tunnel barrier, to the MoS$_2$ skin -- creates intertube excitons. Charge transfer and dipole-dipole interactions thus play prominent roles on different timescales, and establish new possibilities for the multi-functional use of these new nano-scale coaxial cables

Inconsistent effect of dynamic load waveform on macro- and micro-scale responses of ballast bed characterized in individual cycle: a numerical study

Abstract Cyclic load is widely adopted in laboratory to simulate the effect of train load on ballast bed. The effectiveness of such load equivalence is usually testified by having similar results of key concerns of ballast bed, such as deformation or stiffness, while the consistency of particle scale characteristics under two loading patterns is rarely examined, which is insufficient to well-understand and use the load simplification. In this study, a previous laboratory model test of ballast bed under cyclic load is rebuilt using 3D discrete element method (DEM), which is validated by dynamic responses monitored by high-resolution sensors. Then, train load having the same magnitude and amplitude as the cyclic load is applied in the numerical model to obtain the statistical characteristics of inter-particle contact force and particle movements in ballast bed. The results show that particle scale responses under two loading patterns could have quite deviation, even when macro-scale responses of ballast bed under two loading patterns are very close. This inconsistency indicates that the application scale of the DEM model should not exceed the validation scale. Moreover, it is important to examine multiscale responses to validate the effectiveness of load simplification

Cell therapy could be a potential way to improve lipoprotein lipase deficiency

Abstract Background Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) deficiency is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder characterized by extreme hypertriglyceridemia, with no cure presently available. The purpose of this study was to test the possibility of using cell therapy to alleviate LPL deficiency. Methods The LPL coding sequence was cloned into the MSCV retrovirus vector, after which MSCV-hLPL and MSCV (empty construct without LPL coding sequence) virion suspensions were made using the calcium chloride method. A muscle cell line (C2C12), kidney cell line (HEK293T) and pre-adipocyte cell line (3 T3-L1) were transfected with the virus in order to express recombinant LPL in vitro. Finally, each transfected cell line was injected subcutaneously into nude mice to identify the cell type which could secret recombinant LPL in vivo. Control cells were transfected with the MSCV empty vector. LPL activity was analyzed using a radioimmunoassay. Results After virus infection, the LPL activity at the cell surface of each cell type was significantly higher than in the control cells, which indicates that all three cell types can be used to generate functional LPL. The transfected cells were injected subcutaneously into nude mice, and the LPL activity of the nearby muscle tissue at the injection site in mice injected with 3 T3-L1 cells was more than 5 times higher at the injection sites than at non-injected control sites. The other two types of cells did not show this trend. Conclusion The subcutaneous injection of adipocytes overexpressing LPL can improve the LPL activity of the adjacent tissue of nude mice. This is a ground-breaking preliminary study for the treatment of LPL deficiency, and lays a good foundation for using cell therapy to correct LPL deficiency

Constructing a Triangle Ensemble of Pt Clusters for Enhanced Direct-Pathway Electrocatalysis of Formic Acid Oxidation

The pursuit of operational advancements in direct formic acid fuel cells (DFAFCs) necessitates the development of high-performance platinum (Pt)-based catalysts for formic acid electrooxidation (FAOR). However, FAOR on Pt-based catalysts follows a dual pathway mechanism, in which the direct pathway is a preferred route due to its efficient dehydrogenation process. Conversely, the indirect pathway results in the generation of adsorbed CO species, a process that deleteriously poisons the active sites of the catalyst, with CO species only being oxidizable at higher potentials, causing a significant compromise in catalyst performance. Herein, we have successfully synthesized Pt-C3N4@CNT, where three Pt clusters are precisely dispersed in a triplet form within the C3N4 by virtue of the unique structure of C3N4. The mass activity for the direct pathway (0.44 V) delivered a current density of 1.91 A mgPt−1, while the indirect pathway (0.86 V) had no obvious oxidation peak. The selectivity of Pt-C3N4@CNT catalysts for the direct pathway of FAOR was improved due to the special structure of C3N4, which facilitates the dispersion of Pt tri-atoms in the structure and the electronic interaction with Pt. In this study, we provide a new strategy for the development of highly active and selective catalysts for DFAFCs

Chirality engineering for carbon nanotube electronics

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), tubular nanostructures consisting ofrolled-up graphene, are promising materials for electronic devices atthe nanometre and molecular regimes. Fundamentally, the electronicproperties of CNTs and their junctions depend on global and localchiralities, as defined by quantum boundary conditions along thecircumferential and longitudinal directions. As such, CNTs can behaveas a metal, a semiconductor or a quantum dot in an electronic device.Much of the progress in CNT electronics, going from single resistors andtransistors to complex functional logic and communication devices,thin films and flexible electronics, sensors and intelligent systems, hasbeen achieved through control over the ‘global chirality’ of CNTs —the distribution of chiralities at the macroscale. In this Review, wesummarize approaches to control global and local CNT chiralities bygrowth, separation and transformation strategies. We then discussopportunities and challenges for chirality engineering towardssurpassing the performance of conventional electronic devices, anddevelopment of unconventional CNT quantum electronics includingcoherent quantum transistors and quantum sensors

Enantioselective Construction of Spirocyclic Oxindoles via Tandem Michael/Michael Reactions Catalyzed by Multifunctional Quaternary Phosphonium Salt

The enantioselective construction of five-membered spirocyclic oxindoles via a double Michael cascade reaction is described by using dipeptide-based multifunctional quaternary phosphonium salt catalysts. The desired products were obtained in excellent yields (up to 94%) and good to high stereoselectivities (up to >19:1 dr and 99% ee)