Stainless steel welders are exposed to heavy filler metals. We evaluated the concentration of these metals in whole blood and urine, and the relevant biochemical parameters in relation to the total chromosomal aberrations (CAs), chromatid-type (CTA-type, CTAs) and chromosome-type (CSA-type, CSAs), in 117 welders and control individuals. Statistically higher concentrations of the total Cr, Ni and Mn were observed in whole blood and urine of welders, and the concentrations were higher in welders who smoked. On the contrary, concentrations of urinary heavy metals Cr and Mn adjusted for creatinine were significantly higher in the control groups. A statistically higher frequency of total CAs was observed in the whole group of welders, and also in the non-smoking welders, as compared to controls. The frequency of total CAs significantly correlated with the concentration of Cr, Ni and Mn in whole blood (R=0.61, P˂0.0001, R=0.33, P˂0.0001 and R=0.66, P˂0.0001, respectively), with urinary concentrations of Ni and Mn (R=0.27, P=0.003 and R=0.28, P=0.003, respectively) and with urinary concentrations of Cr, Ni and Mn adjusted for creatinine (R=0.22, P=0.029, R=0.26, P=0.005 and R=0.20, P=0.030, respectively). Likewise, the frequency of CTA-types significantly correlated with the concentration of Cr and Mn in whole blood (R=0.31, P=0.0007 and R=0.34, P=0.0002). The frequency of CSA-types significantly correlated with concentrations of Cr, Ni and Mn in whole blood (R=0.43, P˂0.0001, R=0.38, P˂0.0001 and R=0.46, P˂0.0001, respectively). The statistically higher values of serum creatinine and total bilirubin were detected in all welders, as well as in smokers when compared to the corresponding controls. The exposure to heavy metals in welders increased the frequencies of CAs and altered the balance between urinary excretion of heavy metals and their possible accumulation.

This study focuses on FSMPs for oncologic patients, specifically analyzing the toxicological profiles of nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), and selenium (Se) within these products available in Polish pharmacies. The presence of these elements was quantified using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results indicated variations in the concentrations of Ni, Cr, and Se across different FSMP samples, with some products exceeding the acceptable limits set by regulatory guidelines. The study highlights the potential health risks associated with nickel exposure, including dermatitis and carcinogenesis, and the complex roles of chromium and selenium, which can be both beneficial and harmful depending on their levels. Our findings reveal significant variability in the elemental content across different FSMP products, i.e.: Ni: 0.155 - 25.488 μg/portion, Cr: 0.076 - 28.726 μg/portion and Se: 0.083 - 20.304 μg/portion). Notably, selenium levels in FSMPs showed considerable discrepancies compared to manufacturers\' declarations, averaging only about 20% of the stated values. Regulatory assessments based on the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) and Permitted Daily Exposure (PDE) descriptors indicated that the estimated weekly intake of Ni, Cr, and Se from these FSMPs did not exceed the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) values. However, the highest Ni content was 30.58% of the PTWI, raising concerns about potential health risks, including dermatitis and carcinogenesis. The results for Cr underscored the necessity for careful monitoring due to its potential toxic effects. Selenium, despite its essential role, showed levels inadequate to meet the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), potentially impacting its intended health benefits.

Here we present an effective nickel-catalyzed carbonylative cross-coupling for direct access to alkyl aryl ketones from readily accessible redox-activated tetrachlorophthalimide esters and aryl boronic acids. The methodology, which is run employing only 2.5 equivalents of CO and simple Ni(II) salts as the metal source, exhibits a broad substrate scope under mild condition. Furthermore, this carbonylation chemistry provides an easy switch between isotopologues for stable (13CO) and radioactive (14CO) isotope labeling, allowing its adaptation to the late-stage isotope labeling of pharmaceutically relevant compounds. Based on DFT calculations as well as experimental evidence, a catalytic cycle is proposed involving a carbon-centered radical formed via nickel(I)-induced outer-sphere decarboxylative fragmentation of the redox-active ester.

Previous studies have found a possible association between nickel and metabolic syndrome (MetS), but with conflicting results. No studies have determined whether nickel exposure increases the prevalence of MetS in the general U.S. population. Therefore, we used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to assess the association between urinary nickel and MetS. Since urinary nickel levels were presented as a skewed distribution, they were normalized using a logarithmic transformation. Weighted multivariate logistic models, restricted cubic spline, threshold effect analysis, and subgroup analyses were used to examine the association between urinary nickel concentration and the risk of MetS and its components. Based on data from 1577 participants, individuals in the second, third, and fourth quartiles of urinary nickel had an adjusted OR for MetS of 1.42 (95% CI: 0.88, 2.28), 2.00 (95% CI: 1.22, 3.28), and 1.68 (95% CI: 1.05, 2.70), respectively, representing an inverted \"L\"-shaped nonlinear dose-response relationship with an inflection point at 0.2141 ng/L. Patients over the age of 40, males, less educated, and smokers are more susceptible to nickel exposure. In addition, there were significant associations between nickel and most components of the MetS, with the strongest to weakest correlations being high fasting glucose, reduced high-density lipoprotein, abdominal obesity, and elevated blood pressure; however, there was no significant correlation between nickel and hyperlipidemia. In conclusion, environmental nickel exposure increases the prevalence of MetS in U.S. adults, particularly in males over 40 years of age, those with less education, and smokers.

Kumada cross-coupling reaction is useful for producing biphenyls, where nickel and copper have been widely investigated as catalysts but mainly homogeneous ones. In this study, we investigated ultrasound-assisted-Kumada cross-coupling reaction over the heterogeneous catalysts in which Ni2+, Cu2+, or both was immobilized on aminopropylsilane-functionalized-SiO2-TiO2 prepared in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The presence of CTAB effectively prevented the particle growth and therefore SiO2-TiO2 fine particles with high surface area (502 m2 g-1) were formed. The Ni2+-immobilized catalyst showed high catalytic activity for the ultrasound-assisted-Kumada cross-coupling reaction of a wide variety of substrates and was reusable three times. Performing the reaction under ultrasound irradiation was very effective in significantly accelerating the reaction rate compared with the conventional mechanical method. In contrast to Ni2+, Cu2+ was deposited on the support as crystalline Cu(OH)2 and the resulting catalysts with Cu2+ and Ni2+-Cu2+ were less active and less stable under the reaction conditions.

Water pollution with heavy metals owing to industrial and agricultural activities have become a critical dilemma to humans, plants as well as the marine environment. Therefore, it is of great importance that the carcinogenic heavy metals present in wastewater to be eliminated through designing treatment technologies that can remove multiple pollutants. A novel green magnetic nano-composite called (Carbonized Chitosan-Fe3O4-SiO2) was synthesized using Co-precipitation method to adsorb a mixture of heavy metal ions included; cobalt (Co2+), nickel (Ni2+) and copper (Cu2+) ions from aqueous solutions. The novelty of this study was the synthesis of a new nano-composite which was green with magnetic properties to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Its magnetic properties made it separated easily from solutions after accomplishment of the adsorption process using a magnet. Extended Freundlich isotherm was the best fitted model with maximum adsorption capacity of the metal ions mixture 2908.92 mg/g. Different experimental parameters have been studied included the initial concentration for a mixture of nickel, cobalt and copper metal ions (0.05-0.1 molar), dosage of adsorbent (0.5-3.5 g/L) and contact time (6-90 min) to investigate their changing effect on the removal percents of the heavy metal ions mixture from aqueous solutions. The experimental adsorption percent of cobalt ion ranged from 1.58 to 64.28%, nickel ion adsorption percent ranged from 10.68 to 94.12% and copper ion adsorption percent ranged from 4.41 to 76.23% at pH = 9 were based on the combination of the adsorption process parameters.

Understanding the interaction between heavy metals and soil microbiomes is essential for maintaining ecosystem health and functionality in the face of persistent human-induced challenges. This study investigated the complex relationships between heavy metal contamination and the functional characteristics of soil microbial communities in the tidal soils of Hangzhou Bay, a region experiencing substantial environmental pressure due to its proximity to densely populated and industrialized regions. The north-shore sampling site showed moderate contaminations (mg/kg) of total arsenic (16.61 ± 1.13), cadmium (0.3 ± 0.05), copper (31.28 ± 1.23), nickel (37.44 ± 2.74), lead (34.29 ± 5.99), and zinc (120.8 ± 5.96), which are 1.29-2.94 times higher than the geochemical background values in Hangzhou Bay and adjacent areas. In contrast, the south-shore sampling site showed slightly higher levels of total arsenic (13.76 ± 1.35) and cadmium (0.13 ± 0.02) than the background values. Utilizing metagenomic sequencing, we decoded microbial functional genes essential for nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and methane biogeochemical cycles. Although soil available nickel content was relatively low at 1 mg/kg, it exhibited strong associations with diverse microbial genes and biogeochemical pathways. Four key genes-hxlB, glpX, opd, and phny-emerged as pivotal players in the interactions with available nickel, suggesting the adaptability of microbial metabolic responses to heavy metal. Additionally, microbial genera such as Gemmatimonas and Ilumatobacter, which harbored diverse functional genes, demonstrated potential interactions with soil nickel. These findings highlight the importance of understanding heavy metal-soil microbiome dynamics for effective environmental management strategies in the tidal soils of Hangzhou Bay, with the goal of preserving ecosystem health and functionality amidst ongoing anthropogenic challenges.

In this paper, a versatile heterogeneous nanocatalyst was fabricated employing a self-assembly technique. To commence, Fe3O4 MNPs were coated with a thin layer of SiO2 using the stobbers method. Subsequently, the surface was further functionalized with 3-CPMS, followed by a reaction with a Schiff base. Finally, nickel NPs were deposited on the surface through in situ deposition, forming the Fe3O4@SiO2@3-CPMS@L-Ni magnetic nanocatalyst. The architecture of this magnetic nanocatalyst was meticulously characterized through an array of sophisticated techniques: XRD, FT-IR, SEM, TEM, BET and VSM. The XRD diffraction pattern confirmed the presence of Fe3O4 MNPs, SiO2, and Ni peaks, providing evidence for successful synthesis. Moreover, the successful functionalization with a Schiff base was demonstrated by the presence of an azomethane peak in the FTIR spectra of the synthesized nanocatalyst. The fabricated nanocatalyst was adeptly utilized for the reduction of 4-NP, NB, and MO demonstrating a remarkably elevated rate of catalytic efficacy. Moreover, this catalyst was effortlessly retrievable through the application of an external magnet, and it maintained its catalytic prowess across at least six consecutive cycles. The utilization of water as an environmentally friendly solvent, coupled with the utilization of abundant and cost-effective nickel catalyst instead of the costly Pd or Pt catalysts, along with the successful recovery and scalability of the catalyst, render this method highly advantageous from both environmental and economic perspectives for the reduction of 4-NP, NB, and MO.

OBJECTIVE: The movement trend of the posterior teeth and the distribution of the periodontal membrane stress were studied by using three-dimensional digital technology.
METHODS: CBCT data of 88 patients admitted to our hospital from June 2017 to June 2022 were selected, and input into Mimics20.0 software for preliminary extraction of all parts and stored with STL files; then the data were repaired and optimized through Geomagic Studio 2014 software. With the help of normal phase extension, the invisible appliance and periodontal membrane were constructed. Finally, the six FEM models were simulated and observed by the current teeth in different groups. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 21.0 software package.
RESULTS: The effect force of the largest periodontal membrane was distributed in the neck of the tooth, followed by the apical area, with the maximum effect force value in the NA group. In all accessory groups, the periodontal membrane maximum paradigm isoeffect force values of all patients in the accessory vertical rectangular group were significantly smaller than the values obtained in the horizontal rectangular group.
CONCLUSIONS: The design of orthodontic tooth accessories has a strong inhibition effect on the position movement of anterior teeth during recovery, which improves the accuracy of tooth three-dimensional movement to a certain extent. Meanwhile, the normal equivalent stress of the periodontal membrane of patients in the initial application of the invisible appliance without brackets is large.