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Evidence on the associations between long-term exposure to ambient air pollutants (including particle with aerodynamic diameter ≤10 μm (PM 10), particle with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM 2.5), ozone (O 3), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2), and sulfur dioxide (SO 2)) and prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains inconclusive. This study aimed to determine the associations based on a case-control study nested in the Wuhan Chronic Disease Cohort study (WCDCS), a population-based study with baseline survey in 2019. A total of 10,253 residents living in Wuhan were recruited. The 3-year average concentrations of main pollutants (PM 10 , PM 2.5 , O 3 , NO 2 , and SO 2) at residences prior to the survey date were estimated to evaluate the long-term exposures. The generalized linear mixed models were used to investigate the changes in MetS prevalence by an IQR increases in each air pollutant exposure concentrations. Interaction effects between air pollutants and demographic, lifestyle, and dietary factors on MetS were evaluated by including an interactive item in the main model. The prevalence of MetS in Wuhan was 9.8%, and the 3-year exposure concentrations of PM 10 , PM 2.5 , O 3 , NO 2 , and SO 2 were 84.1 μg/m3, 50.5 μg/m3, 55.7 μg/m3, 46.0 μg/m3, and 9.4 μg/m3, respectively. Higher PM 10 , PM 2.5 and O 3 exposure concentrations were associated with an elevated MetS prevalence (e.g. an IQR increase in PM 2.5 , OR = 1.193, 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs): 1.028, 1.385; for O 3 , OR = 1.074, 95%CIs: 1.025, 1.124), whereas NO 2 , and SO 2 were negatively or insignificant correlated with odds of Mets (e.g. an IQR increase in NO 2 , OR = 0.865, 95%CIs: 0.795, 0.941). Males, smokers, alcohol drinkers and individuals who intake fruits occasionally exposure to PM 10 and PM 2.5 were found had a higher risk of developing MetS. Long-term exposure to higher concentrations of ambient air pollutants may elevate the prevalence of MetS in populations in Central China. Susceptible individuals especially those with unhealthy lifestyles had a higher risk for MetS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carrier-free nanodrugs, generated via the straightforward small-molecule self-assembly of anticancer drugs, provide a promising route for cancer chemotherapy. However, their low structural stability, lack of targeting specificity, and poor stimulus responsiveness are still limiting their therapeutic effect. Inspired by Watson-Crick G[triple bond, length as m-dash]C base pairing, the FDA-approved chemo-drug methotrexate (MTX, which can bind with folate receptors) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU, a DNA/RNA synthetase inhibitor) were adopted for direct assembly into self-recognizing MTX-5-FU nanoparticles via "Watson-Crick-like base pairing"-driven precise supramolecular assembly. Sequentially, our synthesized weak acidity-responsive polyethylene glycol (PEG) was inserted onto the nanoparticle surface to temporarily shield the self-targeting function of MTX and prolong the blood circulation time. Once PEG-MTX-5-FU nanoparticles reached the weakly acidic tumor microenvironment, the PEG corona could be cleaved from their surface and then MTX could be re-exposed to recover its self-recognition ability and significantly elevate tumor cell uptake; furthermore, the de-PEGylated MTX-5-FU nanoparticles could respond to the stronger acidity of lysosome, triggering core disassembly and thus the burst release of both MTX and 5-FU. Further in vitro and in vivo studies consistently confirmed that the nanodrugs exhibited preferable accumulation at the tumor sites with highly synergistic chemotherapeutic effects. The supramolecular recognition-inspired, cascade-triggered self-targeting and controlled release of nanodrugs could be a promising strategy to improve synergistic chemotherapy.

Metallacycles with chelating polydentate conjugated-carbon chain ligands are called carbolong complexes, which are expected to have interesting properties. In this work, the preparation of 12-carbon carbolong complexes in which all of the coordinated atoms in the equatorial plane are carbon atoms was studied. With the help of the well-established mechanism, a new approach to prepare coplanar carbolong complexes bearing different organic functional groups was developed by adding different terminal alkynes in sequence. In the presence of HBF 4 , these coplanar carbolong complexes were converted to η 3 -allyl osmapentalene derivatives, which can be produced directly from the reaction of cyclopropaosmapentalene 1 with terminal alkynes in the presence of AgBF 4 under anhydrous conditions. This study offers a new route for the preparation of functional osmium carbolong complexes with excellent photothermal properties, which can be used to prepare photothermal materials., (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)