Sun Exposure and Vitamin D Status as Northeast Asian Migrants Become Acculturated to Life in Australia

Vitamin D deficiency is more common in Northeast‐Asian immigrants to western countries than in the local population; prevalence equalizes as immigrants adopt the host country's culture. In a community‐based study of 100 Northeast‐Asian immigrants in Canberra, Australia, we examined predictors of vitamin D status, its association with indicators of acculturation (English language use; time since migration) and mediators of that association. Participants completed a sun and physical activity diary and wore an electronic ultraviolet radiation (UVR) dosimeter for 7 days. Skin colour was measured by reflectance spectrophotometry. Serum concentrations of 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and cardio‐metabolic biomarkers were measured on fasting blood. In a multiple linear regression model, predictors for 25(OH)D concentration were season of blood collection, vitamin D supplementation, UVR exposure, body mass index, physical activity and having private health insurance (R² = 0.57). Greater acculturation was associated with lower risk of vitamin D deficiency (de‐seasonalized 25(OH)D level <50 nmol L^?1) (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR): 0.22 [95%CI 0.04–0.96]); this association was statistically mediated by physical activity and time outdoors. Vitamin D deficiency was associated with higher total cholesterol levels (>5.0 mmol L^?1) (AOR: 7.48 [95%CI 1.51–37.0]). Targeted public health approaches are required to manage the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in migrants retaining a traditional lifestyle.     

Migration Modeling as a Valuable Tool for Exposure Assessment and Risk Characterization of Polyethylene Terephthalate Oligomers

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one of the most widely used food contact materials due to its excellent mechanical properties and recyclability. Migration of substances from PET and assessment of compliance are usually determined by experimental testing, which can be challenging depending on the migrants of interest. Low concentrations and missing reference standards, among other factors, have led to inadequate investigation of the migration potential of PET oligomers. Migration modeling can overcome such limitations and is therefore a suitable starting point for exposure and risk assessment. In this study, the activation energy-based (E_A) model and the A_P model were used to systematically evaluate the migration potential of 52 PET oligomers for 12 different application scenarios. Modeling parameters and conditions were evaluated to investigate their impact and relevance on the assessment of realistic exposures. Obtained results were compared with safety thresholds known from the concept of toxicological thresholds of concern. This allowed the evaluation and identification of oligomers and/or applications where migration or exposure levels may be associated with a potential risk because they exceed these safety thresholds. Overall, this study demonstrated that migration modeling can be a high-throughput, fast, flexible, and suitable approach for comprehensive exposure assessment.     

Vitamin D3在儿童桥本甲状腺炎的水平及对IL-4、IFN-γ的影响

通过体外实验,直接从T细胞水平,在1α,25(OH)2D3的干预下,分别以IFN-γ、IL-4作为Th1、Th2的代表,分析人周围血单个核细胞(PBMC)中IFN-γ和IL-4在HT中的细微变化以及血清25(OH)D3水平,探讨1α,25(OH)2D3对HT细胞因子的影响。以27例HT患儿为研究对象,17名健康儿童作对照,采集静脉血,部分用于分离其PBMC,并用PHA活化T细胞并培养,设1α,25(OH)2D3干预组和对照组,收集培养上清液。ELISA检测上清液IL-4、IFN-γ水平。同时另一部分静脉血分离出血清,并提取25(OH)D3,用放射免疫法(RIA)测定其水平。结果表明,HT组25(OH)D3水平显著低于健康对照,分别为(21.85±5.73)ng/mL和(27.56±7.46)ng/mL(P<0.01),且HT组PBMC产生IFN-γ水平显著高于健康对照,分别为(2 146.15±355.01)pg/mL和(1 462.00±101.52)pg/mL(P<0.01),而IL-4的表达显著低于健康对照,分别为(52.26±7.17)pg/mL和(59.32±4.21)pg/mL(P<0.01)。1α,25(OH)2D3干预后HT患儿IFN-γ表达显著下调,为(1 536.00±243.95)pg/mL(P<0.01),IL-4的变化不明显。提示HT患儿的25(OH)D3水平严重不足,1α,25(OH)2D3能通过抑制HT增强的IFN-γ分泌,纠正Th1、Th2细胞因子失衡,理论上1,α25(OH)2D3可改善儿童HT Th1、Th2细胞因子失衡。     

Minimum Exposure Limits and Measured Relationships Between the Vitamin D,Erythema and International Commission on Non‐Ionizing Radiation Protection Solar Ultraviolet

The International Commission on Non‐Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) has established guidelines for exposure to ultraviolet radiation in outdoor occupational settings. Spectrally weighted ICNIRP ultraviolet exposures received by the skin or eye in an 8 h period are limited to 30 J m^?2. In this study, the time required to reach the ICNIRP exposure limit was measured daily in 10 min intervals upon a horizontal plane at a subtropical Australian latitude over a full year and compared with the effective Vitamin D dose received to one‐quarter of the available skin surface area for all six Fitzpatrick skin types. The comparison of measured solar ultraviolet exposures for the full range of sky conditions in the 2009 measurement period, including a major September continental dust event, show a clear relationship between the weighted ICNIRP and the effective vitamin D dose. Our results show that the horizontal plane ICNIRP ultraviolet exposure may be used under these conditions to provide minimum guidelines for the healthy moderation of vitamin D, scalable to each of the six Fitzpatrick skin types.     

Nanopolyaniline Coupled with an Anticorrosive Graphene as a 3D Film Electrocatalyst for Efficient Oxidation of Toluene Methyl C−H Bonds and Hydrogen Production at Low Voltage

A graphene-wrapped polyaniline nanoparticles film embedded in carbon cloth (CC/PANI/G) was fabricated and used as a 3D anodic electrocatalyst for oxidation of toluene methyl C−H groups. The methyl C−H bonds can be oxidized effectively at the CC/PANI/G anode with 99.9 % toluene conversion at a low applied voltage of only 1.0 V, which implies low energy input. Importantly, 86.6 % of toluene methyl C−H groups were converted to benzoyl groups (C=O), and hydrogen was produced efficiently at the cathode. The electrocatalytic efficiency at the CC/PANI/G anode was higher at lower voltage (1.0 V) than at higher voltage (1.5 V), and more hydrogen was produced at the corresponding cathode. The synergistic effect between the dynamic redox chemistry of nanoPANI and the excellent conductivity and anticorrosive action of graphene determined the high electrocatalytic efficiency of the oxidation of toluene methyl C−H groups at the CC/PANI/G anode. Owing to the chemical bonding between graphene and PANI, the anticorrosive CC/PANI/G anodic electrocatalyst was durable and effective for oxidation of toluene methyl C−H groups in acidic environment. This approach provides advanced electrode materials for transforming stable chemical bonds (C−H) into useful functional groups (C=O), which will be beneficial for the synthesis of organic intermediates with coupled hydrogen production.     

A 2D Cd(II)-MOF as a multifunctional luminescencent sensor for nitroaromatics,iron(III) and chromate ions

A Cd(II)-MOF, {[Cd(L)(4,4′-bipy)]·H₂O·DMF}_n (1) (L = nicotinic acid (2,4-dihydroxybenzylidene)-hydrazide and 4,4′-bipy = 4,4′-bipyridine), has been synthesized and characterized by microanalyses, FTIR, TGA, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Additionally, powder X-ray diffraction was performed to check the phase purity of the synthesized compound. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction reveals that 1 has a 2D grid network. Photoluminescent sensing of nitrobenzene, Fe(III) and CrO₄^2? ions indicates that 1 could be a candidate for developing selective luminescent sensors for these species. Theoretical calculations have been performed to gain insight into the possible mechanism of quenching effect in emission on addition of nitrobenzene in 1 which supports the mechanism operating through ground state charge transfer between 1 and nitrobenzene.     

Impregnated ruthenium on magnetite as a recyclable catalyst for the N-alkylation of amines, sulfonamides, sulfinamides, and nitroarenes using alcohols as electrophiles by a hydrogen autotransfer process

Various impregnated metallic salts on magnetite have been prepared, including cobalt, nickel, copper, ruthenium, and palladium salts, as well as a bimetallic palladium-copper derivative. Impregnated ruthenium catalyst is a versatile, inexpensive, and simple system for the selective N-monoalkylation of amino derivatives with poor nucleophilic character, such as aromatic and heteroaromatic amines, sulfonamides, sulfinamides, and nitroarenes, using in all cases alcohols as the initial source of the electrophile, through a hydrogen autotransfer process. In the case of sulfinamides, this is the first time that these amino compounds have been alkylated following this strategy, allowing the use of chiral sulfinamides and secondary alcohols to give the alkylated compound with a diastereomeric ratio of 92:8. In these cases, after alkylation, a simple acid deprotection gave the expected primary amines in good yields. The ruthenium catalyst is quite sensitive, and small modifications of the reaction medium can change the final product. The alkylation of amines using potassium hydroxide renders the N-monoalkylated amines, and the same protocol using sodium hydroxide yields the related imines. The catalyst can be easily removed by a simple magnet and can be reused up to ten times, showing the same activity.     

Immobilization of Hexacyanoferrate on a Gold Self-Assembled Monolayer, and its Application as a Sensor for Ascorbic Acid

Hexacyanoferrate (II/III) (HCF) was immobilized on a gold electrode modified with cysteamine (CSTE). The Au/CSTE/HCF/PLL electrode was prepared with layer-by-layer (LBL) technique with HCF and poly-d-lysine (PLL). The Au/CSTE/HCF/PLL electrode presented the electrocatalytic activity for ascorbic acid oxidation. The maximum electrocatalytic current was reached at 0.28 V vs SCE in 0.01 mol L⁻¹ TRIS buffer, at pH 7.0. The Au/CSTE/HCF/PLL electrode response was stable under various oxidation–reduction cycles in TRIS medium, showing that the system is very stable. The solution pH has no effect on the anodic peak potential and anodic peak current in the range from 4 up to 10. The intensity of the anodic peak current varied with the concentration of ascorbic acid from 1 up to 910 μmol L⁻¹, with a sensitivity of 62.9 nA cm⁻² L μmol⁻¹, a detection limit of 0.65 μmol L⁻¹ and a quantification limit of 2.2 μmol L⁻¹. The developed sensor was successfully applied for ascorbic acid determination in pharmaceutical samples. The results compared to those obtained with a reference method were statistically the same with 95% of confidence level.     

Theoretical study on the electronic,structural, properties and reactivity of a series of mono-, di-, tri- and tetrachlorothiophenes as well as corresponding radical cation forms as monomers for conducting polymers

In this paper, electrical and structural properties of mono-, di-, tri- and tetrachlorothiophenes and their radical cations have been studied using the density functional theory and B3LYP method with 6-311++G** basis set. The effects of the number and position of the substituent of chlorine atoms on the properties of the thiophene ring for all chlorothiophenes and their radical cations have been studied. Vibrational frequencies, nuclear chemical shielding constants, spin-density distribution, size and direction of dipole moment vector, ionization potential, electric polarizabilities and NICS values of these compounds have been calculated as well. The analysis of these data showed that double bonds in 3-chlorothiophene are more delocalized and it is the best possible candidate monomer among all chlorothiophenes for the synthesis of corresponding conducting polymers with modified characteristics.     

Fluoroboric acid adsorbed on silica gel as a new and efficient catalyst for acylation of phenols, thiols, alcohols, and amines

Fluoroboric acid supported on silica gel efficiently catalyzes acylation of structurally diverse phenols, alcohols, thiols, and amines under solvent free conditions. Acid-sensitive alcohols are smoothly acylated without competitive side reactions.     

Investigation Driven by Network Pharmacology on Potential Components and Mechanism of DGS,a Natural Vasoprotective Combination,for the Phytotherapy of Coronary Artery Disease

Phytotherapy offers obvious advantages in the intervention of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), but it is difficult to clarify the working mechanisms of the medicinal materials it uses. DGS is a natural vasoprotective combination that was screened out in our previous research, yet its potential components and mechanisms are unknown. Therefore, in this study, HPLC-MS and network pharmacology were employed to identify the active components and key signaling pathways of DGS. Transgenic zebrafish and HUVECs cell assays were used to evaluate the effectiveness of DGS. A total of 37 potentially active compounds were identified that interacted with 112 potential targets of CAD. Furthermore, PI3K-Akt, MAPK, relaxin, VEGF, and other signal pathways were determined to be the most promising DGS-mediated pathways. NO kit, ELISA, and Western blot results showed that DGS significantly promoted NO and VEGFA secretion via the upregulation of VEGFR2 expression and the phosphorylation of Akt, Erk1/2, and eNOS to cause angiogenesis and vasodilation. The result of dynamics molecular docking indicated that Salvianolic acid C may be a key active component of DGS in the treatment of CAD. In conclusion, this study has shed light on the network molecular mechanism of DGS for the intervention of CAD using a network pharmacology-driven strategy for the first time to aid in the intervention of CAD.     

Perchloric acid adsorbed on silica gel as a new,highly efficient,and versatile catalyst for acetylation of phenols,thiols, alcohols,and amines

Perchloric acid adsorbed on silica gel efficiently catalyses acetylation of structurally diverse phenols, alcohols, thiols, and amines under solvent free conditions.     

Nanomagnetic hydrogel based on chitosan,hyaluronic acid,and glucose oxidase as a nanotheranostic platform for simultaneous therapeutic and imaging applications

Theranostic platform including therapeutic agent and diagnostics factor is of great interest in the current cancer treatment research. In this study, we constructed a pH-responsive nanomagnetic hydrogel based on chitosan, hyaluronic acid, and glucose oxidase (NMH-CsHA-GOx) as a platform, which represents good performance both as a nanomedicine and as a dual-modal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent. The NMH-CsHA-GOx is a hybrid catalyst that catalyzes a cascade reaction that results in the production of hydroxyl radicals. This leads to the apoptosis and death of cancer cells under the mildly acidic TME. Moreover, the ultrasmall superparamagnetic Fe₃O₄ NPs act as the T₁-weighted and T₂-weighted (dual-modal) MRI contrast agents that can be used to identify the cancer cells. The r₁ = 6.37, r₂ = 27.07/mM/s, and r₂/r₁ ratio were obtained from MRI relaxivity measurements. The NMH-CsHA-GOx was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The morphology of the hydrogel and nanomagnetic hydrogel were characterized by Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The size and distribution of Fe₃O₄NPs were studied by Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray elemental mapping, respectively. The analysis confirmed the very small size of the Fe₃O₄ NPs (5–12 nm), which were dispersed uniformly. The NMH-CsHA-GOx represents high selectivity between normal cells (L929 mouse fibroblast cell line) and tumor cells (MCF-7 breast cancer cell line). The pH-sensitive NMH-CsHA-GOx, can produce a controlled amount of hydroxyl radical under the mildly acidic TME.