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Asthenozoospermia (AZS) is the primary cause of infertility in males. The radial spoke (RS) is an axonemal structure, connecting the peripheral doublet microtubules with the central pair of microtubules. This T‐shaped multiprotein complex functions as a mechanochemical sensor to promote sperm motility. LRRC23 is a novel subunit of the RS complex that is necessary for flagellar assembly and movement in mice. However, the importance of LRRC23 in modulating RS formation in humans remains unclear. Here, we identified a homozygous nonsense mutation in LRRC23 (c.376C>T:p. Arg126X) in an infertile AZS patient whose parents were consanguineous. We verified the adversity of this novel mutation because of its ability to disrupt LRRC23 synthesis and impair RSs integrity. Furthermore, we demonstrated an interaction between LRRC23 and RSPH3 in vitro, indicating that LCCR23 is associated with RS in humans. Meanwhile, the LRRC23‐mutant patient had a good prognosis following intracytoplasmic sperm injection. This study provides strong preliminary evidence that LRRC23 defects are potential causative factors of AZS in humans, which expands our knowledge for improved genetic counseling and better reproductive recommendations for patients with AZS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dalian is the most important farming region in China for the economically important kelp Undaria pinnatifida and there are several major hatcheries for seedling production of this alga in this region. The excess zoospores are discharged from the hatchery to the sea after the seeding process is completed. They are expected to have the potential to colonize the rocky reefs nearby and form a population in the wild. We discovered a subtidal wild population (W22) near the outlet of discharged seawater of a nearby hatchery in Dalian in 2022. Its origin was unclear. The sporophytes of W22 are characterized with some desirable economic traits and thus have the potential to be exploited for breeding purpose. Identification of its origin will be helpful for its better exploitation in the breeding program. In the present study we used informative mitochondrial sequences and nuclear microsatellites to analyze the genetic relationship of W22 with the farmed populations produced in the nearby hatchery and other wild populations from Dalian. The results showed that W22 was genetically close to other subtidal wild populations and some wild populations on the cultivation rafts, but highly differentiated from the farmed populations. We thereby confirm that W22 has not been founded recently by the zoospores discharged from the nearby hatchery and suggest that it has been derived from the introduced stocks from Korea in 1930s. The very limited pedigree of farmed populations detected in W22 suggests that it has not been impacted by the zoospores discharged from the hatchery. This study represents a case of successfully determining the origin of a newly discovered wild seaweed population through genetic analyses based on informative DNA markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different from the traditional knowledge about kelp, three sexual phenotypes (female, male, and monoecious) exist in the haploid gametophytes of Undaria pinnatifida. However, the sex‐determining mechanisms remain unknown. Genetic linkage mapping is an efficient tool to identify sex‐linked regions. In the present study, we resequenced a segregating gametophyte family based on the male genome of U. pinnatifida. A high‐density genetic linkage map was constructed using 9887 SNPs, with an average distance of 0.41 cM between adjacent SNPs. On the basis of this genetic map and using the composite interval mapping method, we identified 62 SNPs significantly linked with the sexual phenotype. They were located at a position of 67.67 cM on the linkage group 23, corresponding to a physical range of 14.67 Mbp on the HiC_Scaffold_23 of the genome. Reanalysis of the previous specific length amplified fragment sequencing data according to the reference genome led to the identification of a sex‐linked genomic region that encompassed the above‐mentioned 14.67 Mbp region. Hence, this overlapped genomic range was likely the sex‐determining region. Within this region, 129 genes were retrieved and 39 of them were annotated with explicit function, including the potential male sex‐determining gene‐encoding high mobility group (HMG) domain protein. Relative expression analysis of the HMG gene showed that its expression was higher in male gametophytes during the vegetative phase and monoecious gametophytes during both the vegetative and gametogenesis phases, but significantly lower in male gametophytes during the gametogenesis phase. These results provide a foundation for deciphering the sex‐determining mechanism of U. pinnatifida. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mobile communication, automatic modulation recognition of mobile signals has always attracted attention. In the more and more complex electronic environment, the researchers are trying their best to deal with the communication signals, the study of this part can be used in the reality of the war environment, and it has the most important significance for the complex environment. The color time-frequency images of one-dimensional signals can be obtained by using the smooth pseudo-Wigner distributed time-frequency algorithm, at the same time, color time-frequency diagram contains rich texture information, so this paper proposes a mobile signal modulation recognition algorithm based on multimodal feature fusion. The features extracted from the two modes of the time-frequency diagram are fused to realize the signal recognition. The results of the simulations show that if compared with the other algorithms which were not consider the connections between different characters, the algorithm of this paper can improve the result in some way at low SNR. In order to solve the problems that they were less consider about the connections between different characters of the signals, this paper used the convolutional neural network to solve this kind of problem. The results of the simulation experiments show that the TF-CNN and TF-Resnet of this paper have better performance at low signal-to-noise ratio, they can achieve the high precision signal automatic modulation recognition and classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) had been widely used in adsorption, but nanoscale MOFs always caused secondary pollution which attributed to the difficultly of removing from water completely. To solve the problem, nanoscale metal‐organic framework MIL‐53(Fe) was uniformly grown onto carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) fiber to obtain MIL‐53(Fe)/CE fiber, and the loading content of MIL‐53(Fe) reached to 60.6 wt %. The MIL‐53(Fe)/CE fiber exhibited excellent adsorption capacity for congo red (CR) and medium orange 1 (MO1), which the removal was 99.4 % and 96.8 %. In addition, the composite could release nearly all adsorbed dyes after 1 h, which had the potential of recycling. The adsorption content of pure MIL‐53(Fe) for MO1 was about 68.4 % after 4 cycles, and the composite reached to 82.4 % after 9 cycles, implying the desirable reusability of composite. The MIL‐53(Fe)/CE fiber displayed potential application prospects in dye adsorption because of its ideal separation property, fast dye releasing and good recyclability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Murine myeloid cells are developed from hemopoietic stem/progenitor cells. Different types of progenitor cells have variable differentiation potentials. Among the ten main types of cells differentiated from lymphoid progenitor cells, regulatory T cells (Tregs), an important cell subpopulation regulating immune and inflammatory responses, arise from the hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow. Tregs then differentiate into T lymphocytes and migrate to the thymus and finally generate Treg subsets, which are subsequently activated and regulated by inflammatory cytokines in the peripheral blood. Tregs also have different phenotypes and immunomodulatory functions. The cytokine interleukin-2/interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2/IL-2R) pathway is an important regulatory signaling pathway of Tregs. Besides, different types of CD4+ and CD8+ cells have different immune effects in the absence of IL-2. IL-2R consists of three subunits, α chain (CD25), β chain (CD122), and γ chain (CD132). Different subunit combinations have different effects on the activation of immune cells. Multiple studies have shown that IL2RA deficiency has various effects on the immune function in mice. This article reviews the subunit composition and signaling pathway of IL-2R, the classification of Tregs in a murine myeloid cell line and the regulatory effect of IL-2/IL-2R on them, the regulatory impact and signaling mechanism of IL-2/IL-2R on CD4+/CD8+ lymphocyte differentiation, the primary manifestations and molecular mechanism of immune dysfunction in IL-2- and IL-2R-deficient mice, soluble IL-2Rα as a biomarker for diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic efficacy of treatment in immune system disorders, and the development and clinical application of IL-2 mutants. [Display omitted] • Cytokine IL-2/IL-2R pathway is an important regulatory signaling pathway of Tregs, CD4+ and CD8+. • The subunits of IL-2R shares the same binding site yet still impacting immune cells by differents combination forms. • This article reviews immune dysfunction's primary manifestations and molecular mechanism in IL-2- and IL-2R-deficient mice. • sIL-2Rα is a biomarker for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment efficacy in immune system disorders. • This article reviews the latest development and clinical application of IL-2 mutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale farming of Undaria pinnatifida is conducted in northern China. Conspicuous natural populations of this alga are distributed on rocky shores in this region. However, the genetic relationship between U. pinnatifida from China and native populations in other countries remains largely uncertain. We obtained sequences for the mitochondrial cox3 and tatC–tLeu regions and the internal transcribed spacer one of nuclear ribosomal DNA from representative natural and farmed populations of U. pinnatifida in China. We analyzed genetic diversity, and evaluated the genetic relationship between Chinese populations and Japanese and Korean populations. The mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences revealed high genetic diversity in most Chinese populations. Unique mitochondrial haplotypes were detected in the Gouqi Island population consistent with historical records of a native population on the island. Phylogenetic analyses derived from the mitochondrial DNA sequences revealed that the Chinese samples were classifiable as the Continental and Northern Japan types. All natural populations from rocky reefs in northern China were grouped with the Continental type and all farmed populations with the Northern Japan type. Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences revealed significant genetic differentiation between the farmed populations and adjacent natural populations from rocky reefs, in agreement with previous results obtained using microsatellites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (MDS) has published research criteria for prodromal Parkinson's disease (pPD), which includes cognitive impairment as a prodromal marker. However, the clinical features of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in pPD remain unknown. Our study aimed to evaluate the frequency and clinical features of mild cognitive impairment of pPD in the elderly in China. Methods: The cross‐sectional community‐based study recruited 2688 participants aged ≥50 years. Subjects were diagnosed with pPD according to the MDS criteria. Overall, 39 pPD and 22 healthy controls underwent comprehensive clinical and neuropsychological assessment. MCI was also diagnosed by the MDS criteria. Next, we investigated the relationship between clinical factors and cognition. Results: Among the 2,663 dementia‐free and Parkinson disease (PD)‐free participants, 55 met the criteria for pPD (2.1%) and 23 pPD met the criteria for MCI. Memory, attention/working memory, and executive function were the most frequent impaired domains, and amnestic MCI multidomain phenotype was the most frequent MCI subtype (69.57%) in pPD. Additionally, correlation analysis revealed that the global cognitive performance was negatively related to UPDRS‐III score (r = −0.456, p = 0.004). Conclusion: MCI, specifically impairment in memory, attention/working memory, and executive domain, is present at the prodromal stage of PD. In addition, cognitive performance is correlated with motor symptoms in pPD. Our results reflect that cognitive profile, combined with motor symptoms, can help clinicians to identify individuals with pPD early, as those would be the optimal candidates for neuroprotective therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of the current study was to investigate associations between spicy food intake and serum lipids levels in Chinese rural population. Design: Information on spicy food flavour and intake frequency was obtained using a two-item questionnaire survey. Dietary data were collected using a validated thirteen-item FFQ. Fasting blood samples were collected and measured for total cholesterol (TC), TAG, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. Multivariate linear and logistic regression models were employed to examine the relationship between spicy food and serum lipids levels according to the spicy food flavour and intake frequency, respectively. Setting: A cross-sectional study in Henan Province. Participants: 38 238 participants aged 18–79 years old. Results: Spicy flavour and intake frequency were consistently associated with decreased TC and non-HDL-cholesterol levels but mildly associated with elevated TAG levels. Each level increment in spicy flavour was inversely associated with high TC (OR: 0·91; 95 % CI 0·88, 0·93) and high non-HDL-cholesterol (OR: 0·88; 95 % CI 0·85, 0·91) but positively associated with high TAG (OR: 1·04; 95 % CI 1·01, 1·07). Similarly, 1-d increment in spicy food intake frequency was also inversely associated with high TC (OR: 0·92; 95 % CI 0·91, 0·94) and high non-HDL-cholesterol (OR: 0·91; 95 % CI 0·89, 0·93) but positively associated with high TAG (OR: 1·04; 95 % CI 1·02, 1·06). Conclusions: Spicy food intake was mildly associated with increased risk of abnormal TAG level, significantly associated with decreased risk of abnormal TC and non-HDL levels. Spicy food intake may be contribute to the management of lipid levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/Introduction: Studies have found that a plant‐based diet was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, but evidence is scarce on such associations in China. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a plant‐based diet is related to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes among Chinese adults. Materials and Methods: A total of 37,985 participants were enrolled from the Henan Rural Cohort Study. An overall plant‐based diet index (PDI) was created by assigning positive and reverse scores to 12 commonly consumed food groups. Multivariate logistic regression models and restricted cubic spline analysis were performed to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Results: After multivariable adjustment, the risk of type 2 diabetes was inversely associated with the PDI (extreme‐quartile OR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.79–0.98; P = 0.027), the risk associated with a 1 standard deviation (SD) increase in PDI was 4% lower (95% CI, 0.93–1.00; P trend = 0.043) for type 2 diabetes. Moreover, the odds of type 2 diabetes was decreased with an increment of PDI after fitting restricted cubic splines (Ptrend < 0.01). Conclusions: Among Chinese populations, diets higher in plant foods and lower in animal foods were associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of high‐energy‐density metal batteries, dendrite growth has become a bottleneck for the further improvement of alkali metal electrodes. In this study, the self‐healing performance of dendrites under "high‐energy conditions" are predicted and verified. Initially, the driving force of self‐healing is analyzed based on surface energy. Theoretically, the activation energy for atom diffusion, which contributes to the resistance of self‐healing, is quantitatively calculated. Moreover, to illustrate self‐healing in Li, Na, and K electrodes, electrochemical curves, in situ optical images, and SEM images are obtained at different temperatures and current densities. Based on the results, it is concluded that K dendrites under "high‐energy conditions" (i.e., at high temperatures and high current densities) possess the highest self‐healing ability and reparability. Consequently, the self‐healing properties of alkali metals under high‐energy conditions are theoretically and experimentally examined and confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyze the 3D morphology and kinematics of 13 open clusters (OCs) located within 500 pc of the Sun, using Gaia EDR 3 and kinematic data from the literature. Members of OCs are identified using the unsupervised machine-learning method StarGO, using five parameters (X, Y, Z,). The OC sample covers an age range of 25 Myr to 2.65 Gyr. We correct the asymmetric distance distribution that is due to parallax error using Bayesian inversion. The uncertainty in the corrected distance for a cluster at 500 pc is 3.0–6.3 pc, depending on the intrinsic spatial distribution of its members. We determine the 3D morphology of the OCs in our sample and fit the spatial distribution of stars within the tidal radius in each cluster with an ellipsoid model. The shapes of the OCs are well described with oblate spheroids (NGC 2547, NGC 2516, NGC 2451A, NGC 2451B, and NGC 2232), prolate spheroids (IC 2602, IC 4665, NGC 2422, Blanco 1, and Coma Berenices), or triaxial ellipsoids (IC 2391, NGC 6633, and NGC 6774). The semimajor axis of the fitted ellipsoid is parallel to the Galactic plane for most clusters. Elongated filament-like substructures are detected in three young clusters (NGC 2232, NGC 2547, and NGC 2451B), while tidal-tail-like substructures (tidal tails) are found in older clusters (NGC 2516, NGC 6633, NGC 6774, Blanco 1, and Coma Berenices). Most clusters may be supervirial and expanding. N-body models of rapid gas expulsion with a star formation efficiency of ≈1/3 are consistent with clusters more massive than 250 M⊙, while clusters less massive than 250 M⊙ tend to agree with adiabatic gas expulsion models. Only five OCs (NGC 2422, NGC 6633, NGC 6774, Blanco 1, and Coma Berenices) show clear signs of mass segregation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although microbial community and function patterns have been extensively studied, little is known about whether the patterns are consistent in different ecosystems and how they are influenced by seasonality or other environmental factors. To test the driving factors of microbial communities and potential functions, we collected soil samples from five forests (mixed broadleaved-Korean pine forest, mixed pine and oak forest, deciduous broadleaved mixed forest, subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest and tropical rainforest) and three grassland ecosystems (meadow steppe, semi-arid grassland and arid grassland) across China in three seasons (spring, summer and autumn). Microbial diversity based on the sequencing of 16S rRNA gene for bacteria and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) genes for fungi were measured, and potential functions represented by soil extracellular enzyme activities (EEAs) were analyzed. The results found that soil EEAs were significantly higher in summer than in spring and autumn, and both bacterial and fungal richness indices showed greater seasonal fluctuations than the diversity. Fungal richness indices were highest in summer in both forest and grassland ecosystems, while the lowest were observed in spring for forest and in autumn for grassland, respectively. In addition, fungal communities were closely related to ecosystem types, while bacterial communities were not significantly different across ecosystems and exhibited a broader habitat niche breadth, but the relative abundance of dominant bacterial phyla showed stronger correlations with environmental variables (including climate, soil properties and nutrients) in grassland than in forest ecosystems. The decoupling of microbial community and EEAs was observed in both forest and grassland ecosystems, indicating the function redundancy of soil microorganisms. The present study provided crucial information about the effects of ecosystem types, seasonality and edaphic factors on soil microbial communities and EEAs, and could advance the understanding of soil potential function responses to environmental changes. [Display omitted] • Microbial richness indices exhibited greater seasonal fluctuations than diversity. • Fungal communities were closely related to ecosystem types. • Bacteria phyla were strongly correlated with environmental variables in grasslands. • Soil enzyme activities were higher in summer than spring and autumn. • Microbial communities and enzyme activities decoupled in forests and grasslands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A metal polyphenol compound Fe-TA (TA is tannin) was applied for surface modification to improve the selective adsorption capacity of UiO-67 on cationic dyes. The modified material UiO-67@Fe-TA, which named UFT-X, exhibited significantly selective adsorption of cationic dye. Then the Freundlich isotherm model and quasi second-order kinetics model were employed to characterize the adsorption of UiO-67@Fe-TA, and the maximum adsorption quantity was 1415.56 mg/g. Furthermore, the adsorption efficiency remained above 80% after 6 cycles. The research provided a strategy of materials design and modification for selective adsorption on mixed dyes. UiO-67 was modified with Fe-TA and the surface of the modified material was negatively charged. It was used for adsorbing cationic dyes and repelling anionic dyes. The modified material UiO-67@Fe-TA exhibited significant selective adsorption of cationic dye. [Display omitted] • The surface of UiO-67 was successfully modified by Fe-TA. • The modification has the advantages of simple, fast and low cost. • The modified material significantly enhanced the selective adsorption of UiO-67 to cationic dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, sodium ion batteries (SIBs) have been widely investigated due to limited lithium resources. Though sodium and lithium elements have similar physical and chemical properties, some decently performing anodes of lithium ion batteries are problematic in SIBs. Hence, it is of great importance to develop suitable anodes for SIBs. In recent works, doped amorphous carbon has been considered a prospective and serviceable anode for the storage of sodium. Nevertheless, there is no commonly accepted explanation for the sodium storage mechanism and doping effect of doped carbon to explain why doping can improve the sodium-storage performance in SIBs. In this study, sodium-storage behavior in electron-rich, element-modified, amorphous carbon is addressed, considering N and P. The affinity of N-doped amorphous carbon is identified by calculating the electron distributions of the N-doped structures. Furthermore, the adsorption energies of sodium in the P-doped amorphous carbon systems are analyzed to elucidate the storage behavior of doping. From the above analysis, the internal structure of co-doped carbon is characterized and pyrrolic N and P-O structures reveal excellent sodium-storage performance. Consequently, hydrothermal treatment is designed to build the precursor of the required P-O structure. Based on the sodium-storage theory, a carbon anode doped with dual electron-rich elements is synthesized successfully, which shows enhanced electrochemical performances in terms of cycle life and capacity in batteries. As a result, these research results fill the theoretical gap of the sodium-storage behavior of electron-rich, element-doped, amorphous carbon and provide the experimental basis for its application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The relationship of spicy food intake with hyperuricemia remains unknown. The objective of this study was to examine the association between spicy food intake and hyperuricemia, and whether this association was mediated by body mass index (BMI) in Chinese rural population.Methods: 38, 027 adults aged 18-79 years were recruited from the Henan Rural Cohort Study. Information on spicy food intake was obtained using a validated questionnaire survey. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to estimate the association between spicy food intake and hyperuricemia, multiple linear regression model was performed to estimate the relationships between spicy food intake, BMI and serum urate level. BMI was used as a mediator to evaluate the mediation effect.Results: After adjusting for potential confounders, compared with no spicy food flavor, the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of mild, middle, and heavy flavor for hyperuricemia were 1.09 (1.00-1.19), 1.10 (0.97-1.24), and 1.21 (1.10-1.46), respectively (Ptrend = 0.017). Similarly, compared with those without intake in spicy food, the multivariable adjusted OR (95% CI) of 1-2 days/week, 3-5 days/week, and 6-7 days/week were 1.15 (1.01-1.31), 1.14 (1.01-1.30) and 1.15 (1.05-1.26), respectively (Ptrend = 0.007). However, when we further controlling for BMI, the associations were substantially attenuated. Furthermore, mediation analysis showed that BMI play a full mediating role in the relationship of spicy food intake with hyperuricemia.Conclusion: Spicy food flavor and intake frequency are positively related with hyperuricemia in Chinese rural population. BMI may play a full mediating role in the relationship.Trial Registration: The Henan Rural Cohort Study registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Register (Registration number: ChiCTR-OOC-15006699 ). Date of registration: 2015-07-06. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2D image-based 3D object retrieval is a novel but challenging task for 3D object retrieval. In this paper, we propose a 2D image-based 3D object retrieval method via joint heterogeneous feature learning and distribution alignment. Specifically, we propose to learn a mapping function in the Grassmann manifold to reduce the divergence of heterogeneous features of 2D images and 3D objects. We further employ the data distribution alignment method to adaptively integrate both marginal and conditional distributions. We embed both terms into the objective function to learn a domain-invariant classifier based on structural risk minimization. The output domain-invariant features of 2D images and 3D objects can be utilized for 2D image-based 3D object retrieval. Since there is lack of large-scale dataset for the evaluation of this task, we build two new datasets, MI3DOR and MI3DOR-2. We compare the proposed method against the representative methods for domain adaption and explore the influence of different components of the objective functions and key parameter. Comparison experiments show the superiority of this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the independent and combined effects of night sleep duration and sleep quality on depressive symptoms.Methods: A total of 28,202 participants (11,236 males and 16,966 females) aged 18-79 years from the Henan Rural Cohort were included in this study. Night sleep duration and sleep quality were defined by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Logistic regression and restricted cubic splines were applied to evaluate the association of night sleep duration and sleep quality with depressive symptoms.Results: A U-shaped dose-response relationship between night sleep duration and depressive symptoms along with a J-shaped relationship between sleep quality and depressive symptoms were observed. Compared with reference group (7-<8 h), shorter sleep duration (<6 h) and longer sleep duration (≥10 h) were associated with increased risk of depressive symptoms in males (short sleep: Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.84, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.34-2.52; long sleep: OR = 1.56, 95% CI, 1.01-2.42) and females (short sleep: OR = 2.19, 95% CI, 1.77-2.70; long sleep: OR = 1.51, 95% CI, 1.10-2.10). Compared with good sleepers, poor sleepers had 4.23-fold (95% CI:3.54-5.06) and 3.87-fold (95% CI: 3.41-4.40) increased odds of depressive symptoms in males and females. Furthermore, participants with longer night sleep duration (≥10 h) and poorer sleep quality had the strongest effect on depressive symptoms (males: OR = 6.64, 95% CI, 3.21-13.74; females: OR = 7.76, 95% CI, 5.00-12.02).Conclusions: Extreme night sleep duration and poor sleep quality were independently and combinedly related to elevated depressive symptoms, suggesting that keeping optimal night sleep duration and good sleep quality maybe benefit for maintaining mental health.Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Register. Registration number: ChiCTR-OOC-15006699. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aims to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) by gender in Chinese rural adults.Methods: A total of 29,993 participants aged from 18 to 79 years from the Henan Rural Cohort Study were included in this study. The Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 (GAD-2) were used to assess MDD and GAD through a face-to-face interview. Multivariate logistic regression model was conducted to analyze the associated factors for MDD and GAD.Results: The age-standardized prevalence of MDD and GAD (and 95%CI) in the total sample were 5.41% (5.17-5.66%) and 4.94% (4.71-5.18%), respectively. Besides, the crude prevalence in women were significantly higher than men for both MDD (6.81% vs. 4.77%) and GAD (6.63% vs. 3.93%) (both P < 0.001). Tetrachoric correlation test showed high comorbidity between MDD and GAD (r = 0.88, P = 0.01). Further analysis revealed that age, sex, marital status, educational level, per capita monthly income, drinking, physical activity, and body mass index were associated with MDD and GAD in the overall sample. Gender difference was found among age groups for MDD (Pinteraction < 0.001).Conclusions: These findings showed that Chinese rural adults were at low risk for prevalence of MDD and GAD. Women had higher prevalence and risks for MDD and GAD compared with men, indicating that women deserved more attention. Gender-specific interventions on the modifiable associated factors are urgently needed to improve the mental conditions for Chinese rural population.Clinical Trial Registration: The Henan Rural Cohort Study has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Register (Registration number: ChiCTR-OOC-15006699). Date of registration: 2015-07-06. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two-item generalized anxiety disorder scale (GAD-2) has been investigated in different populations, but with limited evaluation in the Chinese population. This study aimed to validate the diagnostic accuracy of GAD-2 for identifying GAD through a validation study along with an updated meta-analysis. We recruited 694 adults in 2015 from "the Henan Rural Cohort study" where the GAD-7 questionnaire was adopted as the gold standard diagnosis. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve and Cronbach's α were determined. Furthermore, a meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the GAD-2. In this study, 37 patients [5.33%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.78–7.27%] met the criteria for current GAD. The GAD-2 showed a Cronbach's alpha of 0.806 and an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.954 (95% CI: 0.936–0.968). At a cutoff of 3, GAD-2 had highest Youden's index of 0.845, with a sensitivity of 0.865 and a specificity of 0.980. A total of 13 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) were 0.80, 0.82 and 17.81, respectively, at the optimal cutoff of 3. GAD-2 has acceptable properties for identifying GAD at a cutoff of 3 in the Chinese rural population. • The study aimed to determine the psychometric properties of the GAD-2 questionnaire among a Chinese rural population. • The Chinese version of GAD-2 questionnaire performed very well to screen for GAD with an optimal cutoff of 3. • An additional meta-analysis also validated the diagnostic accuracy of GAD-2 questionnaire for GAD. • Further multi-site studies were encouraged to maximize sample size and promote the generalizability of results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study investigated the association between poor sleep quality and hypertension, and evaluated how the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score correlates with blood pressure and prevalent hypertension.Methods: A total of 27, 912 participants aged 18-79 years from the Henan Rural Cohort Study were included into the current study. PSQI score was classified as <3, 3-, 6-, ≥9. Multivariate logistic regression models and restricted cubic spline with hypertension as a dependent variable were conducted. A meta-analysis was conducted to validate the result of the cross-sectional study.Results: Altogether, 6,085 (21.80%) were poor sleepers and 9,056 (32.44%) suffered from hypertension. The odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence intervals (CIs)) of participants with sleep quality of 3-, 6-, ≥9 were 1.16(1.07-1.26), 1.35(1.21-1.50) and 1.62 (1.39-1.88) compared to the participants with a score of less than 3 among participants excluding undiagnosed hypertension. ORs and 95% CIs per 3 increment score were higher for hypertension (1.16, 1.11-1.21) among total population, (1.18, 1.10-1.27) among men and (1.13, 1.08-1.19) among women. Compared to reference, poor sleep quality was associated with a higher odd of hypertension (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.01-1.17) for total population, (1.14, 1.00-1.30) for men and (1.04, 0.95-1.13) for women. Moreover, the odds of hypertension were increased with increment of PSQI score after fitting restricted cubic splines (Ptrend <0.01). The meta-analysis showed that pooled OR of hypertension was significantly higher for poor sleepers (1.62, 1.03-2.56, I2 = 97.3%, P < 0.001).Conclusions: Higher PSQI score was associated with increased odds of prevalent hypertension in both genders. In addition, poorer sleepers might suffer from hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of poor sleep quality and identify related factors by gender in the Chinese rural population.Methods: Overall, 27424 subjects (10881 males and 16543 females) aged 18-79 years were enrolled from the Henan Rural Cohort Study. Sleep quality was evaluated by the standard Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and global score>5 was classified as poor sleep quality. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A meta-analysis including 14 studies was used to validate the result of the cross-sectional study.Results: The average PSQI score was 3.78 ± 2.72 in total, and the score of females (4.10 ± 2.90) was significantly higher than males (3.29 ± 2.33). The crude and age-standardized prevalences of poor sleep quality were 21.62% and 15.80%, respectively. The crude prevalence in females (25.73%) was significantly higher than males (15.38%). The results of meta-analysis showed that the pooled prevalence of poor sleep quality was 25.0% (18.8%-31.2%) in total sample, 31.7% (24.9%-38.5%) in male, and 38.2% (29.7%-46.7%) in females. Multivariate logistic regression identified that older age, being female, unmarried/divorced/widowed, low education level, low income, drinking, depression and dyslipidemia could increase the odds of poor sleep quality.Conclusions: More than one fifth of the participants in a rural area of China slept poorly and the prevalence in females was significantly higher than males. Effective interventions are urgently needed to improve the sleep quality in resource limited areas.Clinical Trial Registration: The Henan Rural Cohort Study has been registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Register (Registration number: ChiCTR-OOC-15006699). http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=11375. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conflicting evidence exists regarding the magnitude of the association between adult height and risk of stroke, and it is unclear whether this association is different between men and women. The authors carried out a meta-analysis to assess the sex-specific effect of adult height on the risk of stroke and its subtypes. Prospective cohort studies reporting sex-specific risk estimates of height with stroke or reported in a certain sex were included. Summary relative risks for 5-unit increments in height were calculated using random-effects, and dose-response relationships were performed using a restricted cubic spline model. Subgroup analyses, sensitivity analyses, and tests for publication bias were also performed. In all, 20 prospective studies were identified in this study. The summary of relative risks (95% CIs) of stroke for a 5 cm increase in adult height were 0.93 (0.90-0.95) for men and 0.88 (0.83-0.93) for women. There was no significant difference in the effect of height on future stroke risk between men and women (Pinteraction  = 0.085). There was evidence of a nonlinear association between adult height and stroke risk, with steeper inverse associations at lower level of height, but further reductions in risk were observed at greater heights. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses showed that the significant associations were consistent in most stratifications and with various inclusion criteria. In conclusion, higher adult height was significantly associated with lower risk of stroke in both men and women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The risk allele frequency of rs1378942 of c-src tyrosine kinase (CSK) gene is much higher in Asians (~ 0.80) than that in Europeans (~ 0.35), and the association between rs1378942 and blood pressure is controversial in Asians. Thus, the review and meta-analysis was performed to explore the effects of rs1378942 polymorphism on systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) levels and hypertension in Asians. Methods A literature search was conducted in electronic databases up to September 1, 2018. Beta, Odds Ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated to estimate the effects of rs1378942 on SBP, DBP and hypertension. Quanto software was used to estimate the statistical power. Results The results showed that the rs1378942 polymorphism significantly affected blood pressure levels in Asians, the C allele carriers had higher SBP and DBP levels: beta (95%CI): 0.71(0.38–1.04), P = 2.579 × 10−5, I2 = 43.5%, and beta (95%CI): 0.33(0.18–0.49), P = 2.092 × 10−5, I2 = 28.3%, respectively. This association was also found in East Asians, but not in South Asians. Furthermore, no significant association was observed with hypertension: OR (95%CI): 1.10 (0.97–1.25), P =.129, I2 = 81.2%. Conclusion The meta-analysis demonstrates that the C allele of the CSK rs1378942 is associated with higher SBP and DBP levels in East Asians. Highlights • The variation of rs1378942 significantly affects blood pressure levels in Asians; • A racial difference was detected in the association of rs1378942 with blood pressure; • No significant association was observed between rs1378942 and hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to explore the relationship between visceral fat index (VFI) and dyslipidemia and evaluate the efficiency of VFI as a marker for identifying dyslipidemia in Chinese rural adults. The cross-sectional study recruited 35,832 aged 18-79 years eligible participants from The Henan Rural Cohort Study. VFI was measured by bioelectrical impendence methods and classified into sex-specific quartiles. Fasting blood samples were collected. Logistic regression models with VFI as a categorical variable and restricted cubic spline regression models with VFI as a continuous variable were performed to obtain odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve was conducted to evaluate the identifying performance of VFI. The age-standardized prevalence of dyslipidemia was 29.80% and 26.01% in male and female, respectively. Increasing VFI quartiles were significantly positively related to the risk of dyslipidemia and its components (Pfor trend < 0.01). The adjusted ORs (95% CIs) for per 1-SD increase in VFI were 2.11 (2.02-2.20) and 1.52 (1.47-1.56) in male and female, respectively, and dose-response relationships were observed in both genders (Pfor nonlinearity < 0.01). In addition, area under the curves (AUCs) in male (0.697) was larger than in female (0.655) (P < 0.05). VFI was significantly positively related to the risk of dyslipidemia and its components, and the risk was shown to be more prominent in male. Meanwhile, dose-response relationships were observed in both genders. Furthermore, VFI might be a relatively effective marker for identifying dyslipidemia in male, but not in female. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several completely stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) connected in series for corn stover anaerobic digestion was devised to obtain more methane yield and increase conversion rates. Liquid fraction of the digestate (LFD) was recirculated from the second-stage reactor to first-stage reactors to reuse LFD and improve system performance. LFD recirculation didn’t inhibit methane production of serial digestion, and methane and biogas production were increased by 2.3% and 10.8%, respectively. Moreover, LFD recirculation increased pH and alkalinity concentration (AC) and decreased volatile fatty acids (VFAs) concentrations and the ratio of VFAs to AC, which means a significant increase in system stability of anaerobic digestion (AD). Ammonia concentrations gradually increased with LFD recirculation, but was far lower than the inhibition concentration. Microbial analysis indicated that the recirculation increased the richness, but decreased the diversity of both bacterial and archaeal community in the first and second stage of serial system. More specifically, LFD recirculation enriched the dominant bacterial phyla ( Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes ), but had little influence on the dominated archaeal genus ( Methanobacterium ). The results showed that the recirculation of LFD during serial AD was technically suitable by minimizing both discharge of LFD and possible pollution related with discharging LFD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background We examined the independent and cumulative associations of resting heart rate and pulse pressure with metabolic syndrome in Chinese rural population based on epidemiological research. Methods A total of 38,708 participants were derived from the Henan Rural Cohort study. Restricted cubic splines and logistic regression model were used to estimate the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of metabolic syndrome risk in relation to resting heart rate and pulse pressure. Results After adjusting for potential confounders, the odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) of resting heart rate and pulse pressure in the highest quartile with the risk of metabolic syndrome were 1.59 (1.48–1.70) and1.81 (1.67–1.95), respectively. Simultaneously, the cumulative effect analysis indicated that the adjusted the odd ratio of resting heart rate and pulse pressure in the highest quartile was 2.89 (2.40–3.47). Furthermore, there was a significantly additive interaction between resting heart rate and pulse pressure on the risk of metabolic syndrome. Conclusion Increased resting heart rate and pulse pressure are associated with the higher risk of metabolic syndrome as well as the influences of resting heart rate with pulse pressure might cumulatively increase the risk of metabolic syndrome. However, the potential clinical application remains to be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between growth differentiation factor 5 (GDF5), single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs143383 and lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) was investigated. A total of 210 patients with LDD (observation group) and 320 patients without lumbar diseases (control group) diagnosed in Shanghai General Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from August 2013 to March 2017 were randomly selected. Then, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from the blood of each patient, and Taq-man fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technique was used to detect rs143383 in GFD5 gene. The frequency of different genotypes in observation group and control group was counted, and the associations between different SNP genotypes and the incidence of LDD were analyzed. Good genotyping results were found in both LDD patient group and control group. There were no significant differences in distribution frequency of TT and TC genotypes at site rs143383 between LDD patient group and control group (P>0.05), but the distribution frequency of CC genotype at site rs143383 in LDD patient group had a statistically significant difference from that in control group (P<0.05). In dominant models, odds ratio (OR) of (TC+CC/TT) was 1.195 (P=0.532). In recessive models, OR of (CC/TT+TC) was 4.333 (P=0.028). In co-dominant models, ORs of (TC/TT) and (CC/TT) were 0.967 and 4.43, respectively (P=0.99). The differences in 3 genotypes showed no statistical significance among different pathological grades (Grade I to V) (χ²=1.034, P=0.998), and there was no statistically significant difference in T and C (χ²=0.012, P=0.999). Pathological grades in dominant models, recessive models and over dominant models were analyzed, and no statistically significant difference was found (P>0.05). In conclusion, CC mutant type at rs143383 in GDF5 gene has a strong association with the incidence of LDD, and a high prevalence risk, but it has no evident correlation with pathological grades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To assess the relationship between various obesity categories according to body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among Chinese rural adults.Methods: A total of 38,466 eligible participants were derived from The Henan Rural Cohort Study. Structured questionnaires and anthropometric and laboratory measurements were undertaken. Logistic regression was performed by gender.Results: The age-standardized prevalence of T2DM in current study was 3.94% in men and 5.14% in women. Compared with participants with both normal BMI and WC, participants with normal BMI but high WC, high BMI but normal WC, or both high BMI and WC showed elevated risk of T2DM, in addition to being women with high BMI but normal WC. Moreover, when BMI and WC were included in the same multivariate adjusted model, both BMI and WC were significantly associated with increased T2DM risk in men, however, WC but not BMI remained positively associated with T2DM risk in women.Conclusions: In summary, gender-specific differences between obesity measures and T2DM were found. WC was independently associated with increased risk of T2DM regardless of BMI status in women, whereas both BMI and WC showed positive association with T2DM risk in men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have discussed the association between apolipoprotein A5 (APOA5) gene rs2075291 polymorphism and lipid levels, but the results were inconsistent. The meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the reported effects of rs2075291 polymorphism on blood lipid levels, including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in Asians. A literature search was performed in six databases from January 1, 2001 to March 1, 2017. A standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was computed to estimate the effect value. Overall, 10 articles with 19 reports were included and most of them were from Chinese institutions. Pooled results indicated significant effects of rs2075291 on lipid levels in Asians; the carriers of T allele had higher TC and TG levels but lower HDL-C level than the non-carriers, and the corresponding SMD (95% CI) were 0.20 (0.04−0.36), 0.74 (0.54−0.94), and −0.17 (−0.33 to −0.00), respectively. No significant difference was found for the LDL-C level: P = .172. Although results from the meta-analysis suggest that the T allele of the APOA5 rs2075291 is associated with higher TC and TG levels and lower HDL-C levels, large-scale studies considering the gene-gene and gene-environment interaction are needed to further explore the effects of rs2075291 polymorphism on blood lipid levels in different ethnicities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background We explored the association between serum uric acid (SUA) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Chinese rural adults. Methods A total of 16,577 subjects (6354 men and 10,223 women) were from the RuralDiab study. SUA concentration was measured by the enzymatic colorimetric method. A meta-analysis including 12 eligible studies focused on SUA and MetS was preformed to confirm the findings of the cross-sectional study. Results After adjustment for age, educational level, and other covariates, the odds ratio (ORs) for MetS increased smoothly with the increasing SUA concentration in both sexes ( P for no-linear trend > 0.05). The adjusted ORs of MetS comparing the fourth and firstly quartiles were 3.11 [95% CI: 2.58–3.74] in men and 3.64 [95% CI: 3.22–4.11] in women ( P trend  < 0.001). In continuous analysis, each 1 mg/dl increment in SUA concentration was significantly associated with a 41% increased risk of MetS in men and 62% in women. The meta-analysis validated the positive association between SUA and MetS (pooled OR: Men, 1.80 [95% CI: 1.57–2.07]; Women, 2.46 [95% CI: 1.95–3.12]). Conclusion SUA concentration was positively with the prevalence of MetS in Chinese rural population, and more studies are needed to explore the mechanisms of the relationship. What is already known on this topic? Previous studies have explored the association between serum uric acid and metabolic syndrome, but evidence on the strength and consistency of the association remains uncertain and limited, especially in rural population. In addition, the epidemiological research and meta-analysis on the association have not been reported. What does this study add? The results of this study showed that serum uric acid was significantly associated with metabolic syndrome and its components in Chinese rural population. Furthermore, the findings demonstrated that the significant associations varied across sex. In addition, the results of epidemiological research were similar with the meta-analysis, which demonstrates the credible of the results of the epidemiology research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the independent and combined dose-response association of napping and night sleep duration with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among different genders in the rural Chinese population.Methods: For this research, a total of 19,257 participants were enrolled in the Rural Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle (RuralDiab) study. Napping and night sleep duration were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Restricted cubic splines and logistic regression were used to estimate the relationship between napping and night sleep duration with T2DM.Results: A linear dose-response relationship between napping duration and T2DM as well as a U-shaped relationship between night sleep duration and T2DM were found. Compared with those who reported no napping, participants who had a napping duration of ≥91 min were associated with a 19% increase in prevalence of T2DM. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence intervals (CIs)) for T2DM were 1.48 (1.03, 2.14) and 1.50 (1.22, 1.85) for shorter (≤5 h) and longer (>9 h) night sleep duration compared with the referential group. Additionally, the combination of longer napping duration (≥91 min) and night sleep duration (>9 h) increased 104% (95% CI: 45%, 128%) prevalence for T2DM. These associations were not found in males but were evident in females.Conclusions: Longer napping duration and extreme night sleep duration increased the prevalence of T2DM. Meanwhile, longer napping and night sleep duration might be jointly associated with a higher prevalence of T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The safety and efficacy of craniotomy, endoscopic surgery, and stereotactic aspiration for surgical evacuation of spontaneous supratentorial lobar intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is yet uncertain. The present study analyzed the clinical and radiographic data from 99 patients with spontaneous supratentorial lobar ICH, retrospectively, to address this issue. Methods Patients who underwent craniotomy, endoscopy surgery, or stereotactic aspiration were assigned to the craniotomy group ( n = 31), endoscopy surgery group ( n = 32), or stereotactic aspiration group ( n = 36), respectively. The characteristics of all the enrolled patients at the time of admission were assimilated. Also, the therapeutic effects of the three surgical procedures were evaluated based on short-term outcomes within 30 days and long-term outcomes at 6 months after the ictus. Results The results showed that stereotactic aspiration and endoscopic surgery were associated with a superior clinical therapeutic effect in both short-term and long-term outcomes than craniotomy for the treatment of spontaneous supratentorial lobar ICH. Notably, severely affected patients with hematoma volume > 60 mL or Glasgow Coma Scale score 4–8 may benefit more from endoscopic surgery than the two other surgical procedures. Conclusions The current findings demonstrate that both stereotactic aspiration and endoscopic surgery possess an apparent advantage over craniotomy for the evacuation of spontaneous supratentorial lobar ICH. The endoscopic surgery might be more safe and effective with higher evacuation rate, better functional neurological outcomes, and lower complication and mortality rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To collectively evaluate the association of glucose-6-phosphatase catalytic unit 2 (G6PC2) allele variants with elevated fasting glucose (FG) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Design: Meta-analysis Data sources: PubMed, Web of Knowledge and Embase databases. Study selection: Full text articles of studies that identified an association of G6PC2 with T2D and elevated FG. Patient involvement: There was no T2D patient involvement in the analyses on the association of FG with G6PC2, there were T2D patients and non-diabetes patient involvement in the analyses on the association of T2D with G6PC2. Statistical analysis: Random-effects meta-analyses were used to calculate the pool effect sizes. I2 metric and H2 tests were used to calculate the heterogeneity. Begg's funnel plot and Egger’s linear regression test were done to assess publication bias. Results: Of the 423 studies identified, 21 were eligible and included. Data on three loci (rs560887, rs16856187 and rs573225) were available. The G allele at rs560887 in three ethnicities, the C allele at rs16856187 and the A allele at rs573225 all had a positive association with elevated FG. Per increment of G allele at rs560887 and A allele at rs573225 resulted in a FG 0.070 mmol/l and 0.075 mmol/l higher (ß (95% CI) = 0.070 (0.060, 0.079), p = 4.635e-50 and 0.075 (0.065, 0.085), p = 5.856e-48, respectively). With regard to the relationship of rs16856187 and FG, an increase of 0.152 (95% CI: 0.034–0.270; p = 0.011) and 0.317 (95% CI: 0.193–0.442, p = 6.046e-07) was found in the standardized mean difference (SMD) of FG for the AC and CC genotypes, respectively, when compared with the AA reference genotype. However, the G-allele of rs560887 in Caucasians under the additive model and the C-allele of rs16856187 under the allele and dominant models were associated with a decreased risk of T2D (OR (95% CI) = 0.964 (0.947, 0.981), p = 0.570e-4; OR (95% CI) = 0.892 (0.832, 0.956), p = 0.001; and OR (95% CI) = 0.923(0.892, 0.955), p = 5.301e-6, respectively). Conclusions: Our meta-analyses demonstrate that all three allele variants of G6PC2 (rs560887, rs16856187 and rs573225) are associated with elevated FG, with two variants (rs560887 in the Caucasians subgroup and rs16856187 under the allele and dominant model) being associated with T2D as well. Further studies utilizing larger sample sizes and different ethnic populations are needed to extend and confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several completely stirred tank reactors (CSTR) connected in series for anaerobic digestion of corn stover were investigated in laboratory scale. Serial anaerobic digestion systems operated at a total HRT of 40 days, and distribution of HRT are 10 + 30 days (HRT10 + 30 d), 20 + 20 days (HRT20 + 20 d), and 30 + 10 days (HRT30 + 10 d) were compared to a conventional one-step CSTR at the same HRT of 40 d. The results showed that in HRT10 + 30 d serial system, the process became very unstable at organic load of 50 gTS·L −1 . The HRT20 + 20 d and HRT30 + 10 d serial systems improved methane production by 8.3–14.6% compared to the one-step system in all loads of 50, 70, 90 gTS·L −1 . The conversion rates of total solid, cellulose, and hemicellulose were increased in serial anaerobic digestion systems compared to single system. The serial systems showed more stable process performance in high organic load. HRT30 + 10 d system showed the best biogas production and conversions among all systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The consistency and strength of the relationship between napping duration and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remained uncertain, especially in the rural population. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between napping duration and T2DM in a Chinese rural population.Methods: A total of 12663 participants (4365 males and 8298 females) were derived from the RuralDiab study in China. Napping duration was obtained through a standardized questionnaire, and was divided into five categories: no napping (reference), 1∼, 31∼, 61∼, and ≥91 min. Fasting blood glucose was measured. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A meta-analysis including seven studies was conducted to validate the result of the RuralDiab study.Results: The crude and age-standardized prevalence of T2DM were 10.31% and 8.14%, respectively. Compared with no napping, the adjusted OR (95%CI) for napping duration ≥91 min was 1.23 (1.05-1.45). A similar relationship was found only in females aged 45-54 years, but not in males and other age group females. In addition, napping duration was associated with T2DM in a positive dose-dependent manner among females aged 45-54 years (P for trend <0.05). The meta-analysis demonstrated this association, and the pooled OR (95%CI) for the longest napping duration compared with no napping was 1.28 (1.22-1.35).Conclusion: Longer napping duration is associated with higher risk of T2DM in the Chinese rural population, and this association varies across gender and age. Further multi-center prospective researches are needed to confirm the relationship and reveal underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unique Ag nanoparticles/micropores semi-yolk/shell structure of Ag-CC can promote a special deposition mode of "first root-later grow" for K+. Therefore, the K metal composite anode prepared by electrodepositing K on Ag-CC has a smooth and uniform surface, exhibiting excellent dendrite suppression ability and high cycling stability. [Display omitted] • A unique semi-yolk/shell structure (Ag-CC) is prepared through simple method. • Ag-CC possesses excellent potassiophilicity due to the low binding energy with K. • Unique structure of Ag-CC provides "first root-later grow" deposition mode for K. • K@Ag-CC exhibits outstanding structural and electrochemical stability. K metal batteries are one of the most promising designs for high energy density storage. However, dendrite growth and volume expansion of K metal anode severely lower their cycling stability. In this work, Ag nanoparticles/micropores semi-yolk/shell structure on carbon cloth (Ag-CC) is constructed in situ by a facile method. As a 3D potassiophilic skeleton, the uniformly distributed micropores can effectively reduce the local current density, and then the Ag nanoparticles induce homogeneous nucleation of metallic K. Moreover, the unique semi-yolk/shell structure can promote a special deposition mode of "first root-later grow" for K. The composite anode prepared by electrodepositing K on Ag-CC (K@Ag-CC) exhibits excellent dendrite suppression ability and high electrochemical properties in both symmetric and full cells. This design strategy is expected to be a way to promote the commercial application of K metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are increasing numbers of studies investigating the potential link between microRNAs (miRNAs) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk. Based on the prior evidence and the differentially expressed candidate plasma exosome miRNAs in our established discovery study, the current meta-analysis studied miR-126 and miR-122 specifically. The purpose of the present study was to systematically and quantitatively evaluate the relationship of miR-126 and miR-22 expression level with T2DM risk as well as related glucose metabolism parameters. Moreover, the present study was performed based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline (PRISMA 2020 statement). PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure electronic databases were used to identify eligible original studies prior to May 3, 2022. The random-effects models were employed to explore the overall effect estimates [odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI), or correlation coefficient (r, 95% CI)]. The subgroup analyses were conducted to examine the potential sources of heterogeneity. The potential publication bias was assessed by the Begg's funnel plot and Egger's tests. A total of 46 articles were included in the present meta-analysis. The results revealed that higher exposure level of miR-126 was related to lower T2DM risk in 5 analytical epidemiological studies [OR=0.73, 95% CI: (0.55, 0.96)], lower fasting blood glucose (FBG) [N=22, r=-0.26, 95% CI: (-0.42, -0.10)], and lower homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index [N=9, r=-0.28, 95% CI: (-0.52, -0.05)]. Besides, positive correlations were observed between miR-122 expression and FBG [N=10, r=0.34, 95% CI: (0.20, 0.48)], as well as HOMA-IR index [N=9, r=0.40, 95% CI: (0.16, 0.64)]. The relationship of miR-126 and miR-122 expression with T2DM risk and these glucose metabolism parameters may be influenced by study types, sample size, different source and mean age of participants. In conclusion, in the general healthy population, higher miR-126 expression was related to lower T2DM risk, FBG level and HOMA-IR index; higher miR-122 expression was closely correlated with higher FBG level and HOMA-IR index. These findings have notable clinical and public health implications for screening and control glucose metabolic disorders, insulin resistance and T2DM development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein we report a one-step approach to the highly efficient synthesis of graphene oxide/Mn 3 O 4 (GO/Mn 3 O 4 ) hybrids with superior catalytic activities for decomposition of methylene blue (MB) in water. This method exploits the pristine graphene oxide/manganese sulfate (GO/MnSO 4 ) suspension produced by the modified Hummers method as the raw materials, in which GO/MnSO 4 has been in situ converted into GO/Mn 3 O 4 hybrid in combination with KOH and air. This atom-economic reaction produces only K 2 SO 4 crystal as the by-product which meets the standard of green chemistry. For catalystic degradation of MB dye at room temperature, the as-prepared GO/Mn 3 O 4 catalysts result in a significant enhancement in the reaction rate compared to that of the bare Mn 3 O 4 particles with the assistance of H 2 O 2 . Typically, 50 mL of MB (50 mg L −1 ) can be 100% decolorized and 77% mineralized with 10 mg of the GO/Mn 3 O 4 hybrid. Such excellent catalytic performance of the GO/Mn 3 O 4 hybrid is mainly attributed to the synergistic effects of GO, Mn 3 O 4 , H 2 O 2 and MB molecules. Based on the hydroxyl radical experiments, the catalytic activity of GO/Mn 3 O 4 hybrids for degradation of MB is closely related with the amount of the reactive •OH species generated from H 2 O 2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High sleep quality promotes efficient performance in the following day. Sleep quality is influenced by environmental factors, such as temperature, light, sound and smell. Here, we investigated whether differences in the interface pressure distribution on healthy individuals during sleep influenced sleep quality. We defined four types of pressure models by differences in the area distribution and the subjective feelings that occurred when participants slept on the mattresses. One type of model was showed “over-concentrated” distribution of pressure; one was displayed “over-evenly” distributed interface pressure while the other two models were displayed intermediate distribution of pressure. A polysomnography analysis demonstrated an increase in duration and proportion of non-rapid-eye-movement sleep stages 3 and 4, as well as decreased number of micro-arousals, in subjects sleeping on models with pressure intermediately distributed compared to models with over-concentrated or over-even distribution of pressure. Similarly, higher scores of self-reported sleep quality were obtained in subjects sleeping on the two models with intermediate pressure distribution. Thus, pressure distribution, at least to some degree, influences sleep quality and self-reported feelings of sleep-related events, though the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. The regulation of pressure models imposed by external sleep environment may be a new direction for improving sleep quality. Only an appropriate interface pressure distribution is beneficial for improving sleep quality, over-concentrated or -even distribution of pressure do not help for good sleep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The affinity forces for reducing NaK's surface tension are clarified. • The ion priority in the electrode/electrolyte interface is discussed and analyzed. • Future directions of NaK batteries are predicted. Liquid NaK batteries can prevent dendrite growth defects compared with traditional alkaline metal batteries due to their liquid properties. Nevertheless, the application of NaK battery is hindered by the high surface tension and complex interfacial reactions. This review article summarizes the current study and related theories of NaK electrodes, emphasizing the design of electrode structure. The critical factor of reducing the high surface tension of the NaK electrode is regarded to be the affinity force. Electrolyte environment, ion priority, cathode selection are integrated into account in interfacial mechanisms of NaK battery. Here, diverse methods of electrodes fabrication and interfacial reactions are discussed, which provides a wider perspective for applications of NaK electrodes. The outlook not only aims to elaborate the recent advances and research status of NaK electrodes, but also analyses the strategies of forming stable electrodes, intricate interface, and safety issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this letter a novel approach to create nosologic images of the brain using magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) data in an unsupervised way is presented. Different tissue patterns are identified from the MRSI data using nonnegative matrix factorization and are then coded as different primary colors (i.e. red, green, and blue) in an RGB image, so that mixed tissue regions are automatically visualized as mixtures of primary colors. The approach is useful in assisting glioma diagnosis, where several tissue patterns such as normal, tumor, and necrotic tissue can be present in the same voxel/spectrum. Error-maps based on linear least squares estimation are computed for each nosologic image to provide additional reliability information, which may help clinicians in decision making. Tests on in vivo MRSI data show the potential of this new approach. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Certain foods and food groups could positively or negatively impact serum uric acid (SUA) levels. However, evidence on the holistic dietary strategy to prevent and control hyperuricemia (HUA) development remains limited. Objective: The aim of this research work was to explore the association of dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet with SUA levels and odds of HUA among Chinese adults. Methods: This research premise included 66,427 Chinese adults aged 18 and above who were part of the China Adult Chronic Disease and Nutrition Surveillance in 2015. Dietary consumptions were assessed via the household condiment weighing approach and a three-day, 24-hour dietary recall. Total fat, saturated fat, calcium, protein, potassium, cholesterol, magnesium, fiber, and sodium were all adopted to calculate the DASH score (score range, 0–9). The associations of DASH score with SUA levels and odds of HUA were evaluated using multiple linear and logistic regression models, respectively. Results: We established that a higher DASH score was linked with a lower SUA levels (β = − 0.11; 95% CI: − 0.12, − 0.1; p < 0.001) and odds of HUA (OR = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.83, 0.87; p < 0.001) after adjustment for age, sex, ethnicity, education status, marital status, health behaviours and health factors. The association of the DASH diet with odds of HUA was stronger among men (p-interaction = 0.009), non-Han Chinese (p-interaction< 0.001) as well as rural residents (p-interaction< 0.001). Conclusions: Our results illustrate that the DASH diet was remarkably negatively with SUA levels and odds of HUA in the Chinese adult population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The workflow of metabolome-wide association analysis on PFASs exposure was proposed. • Recursive annotation based on pathway increased the number of identified metabolites. • PFAS-associated metabolism in fetuses were distinct from those in pregnant women. • More PFAS related metabolites in steroid hormone biosynthesis were found in fetuses. Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) exist extensively and several of these have been verified to be toxic. Prenatal exposure to PFASs has attracted much attention. Metabolome-wide association analyses can be used to explore the toxicity mechanisms of PFASs by identifying associated biomarkers. To evaluate associations between the metabolites in maternal and cord serum and internal exposure to several common PFASs. Paired maternal and cord serum samples were collected from 84 pregnant women who gave birth between 2015 and 2016. Seven legacy and two novel PFASs were measured. A nontarget metabolomic method and an iterative metabolite annotation based on metabolic pathways were applied to characterize the metabolic profiles. Linear regression adjusted with the false discovery rate and covariates was used to indicate the associations. A total of 279 features in maternal serum and 338 features in cord serum were identified as metabolites associated with PFAS exposure. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) were two PFASs associated with more metabolites, while the two novel chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonic acids (Cl-PFESAs) showed less relevance to the metabolome. With pathway enrichment analysis, we found that three fatty acid metabolisms and retinol metabolism were correlated with PFAS exposure in maternal blood, and that sterol metabolism showed the correlation in both maternal serum and cord serum. We identified metabolites and pathways in pregnant women and fetuses associated with the exposure to several PFAS, indicating a promising application for metabolome-wide association studies. Additional research is needed to confirm causation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial chemotaxis can improve the efficiency of aromatic compound degradation, however, knowledge of how bacteria sense high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (HMW-PAHs), is limited. Here, the chemotactic responses of Novosphingobium pentaromativorans US6-1 to 9 aromatic compounds were investigated. The results showed that US6-1 chemotactically responded to phenanthrene (PHE), pyrene (PYR), benzo[ a ]pyrene (BaP) and their six metabolites. Six methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCPs) were annotated from US6-1 genome, four of which contained putative ligand-binding domains (LBDs). To confirm whether these four MCPs were involved in triggering chemotaxis toward PAHs, the MCP mutants were constructed. Observations showed a loss of the chemotactic responses to benzoate, phthalate, PHE and BaP only in the mutant ∆ mcp03030. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assays further confirmed that MCP03030LBD specifically bound phthalate, PHE, PYR and BaP, while MCP18870LBD bound only PYR. The mutant ∆ mcp03030 -∆ mcp18870 was then constructed and was shown to have lost the chemotactic response to 5 aromatic compounds. Combined with the effects of outer membrane transporter deletion on chemotaxis and MCP deletion on the PAH degradation, our study demonstrated that the chemoreceptors MCP03030 and MCP18870 can recognize PAHs and their metabolites in the periplasm, triggering metabolism-dependent and metabolism-independent chemotaxis, and be linked with HMW-PAH biodegradation. [Display omitted] • The chemoreceptor MCP03030 specifically senses and binds PHE, BaP and the metabolite phthalate. • Chemoreceptors MCP03030 and MCP18870 jointly trigger chemotaxis toward pyrene in US6-1. • Chemotaxis toward PAHs can be metabolism-dependent and metabolism-independent in US6-1. • The sensing of PAHs in periplasm can be promoted by PAH transporters and link PAH degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium leaching is a critical factor in the clogging of leachate collection systems (LCS), a phenomenon that affects landfill stability and operation. The bottom ash (BA) of municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration plants contains large quantities of calcium-based compounds. Landfilling is the main disposal method for BA in China that intensifies the consequences of LCS clogging. The factors influencing BA calcium leaching were investigated using simulated leachate. The results showed that fine BA particles, low pH values, high temperature, and ratios of leachate to BA solids were conducive to calcium leaching. Calcium leaching was found to be higher in actual leachate than in simulated leachate. At pH = 5, the cumulative calcium dissolution ratios (CDRs) were 83.36% and 31.49% after 20 days of leaching in the actual and simulated leachate, respectively; at pH = 6, the values were 50.67% and 12.06%, respectively. The introduction of landfill gas could decrease the calcium dissolution and leaching rates. When the ratio of leachate to BA solid was 20:1 mL/g, the accumulative CDR values were 45.98% (pH = 6) and 5.80% (pH = 8) without landfill gases, and 4.59% (pH = 6) and 0.48% (pH = 8) with landfill gases. These results provide the scientific basis for clogging risk prediction with respect to calcium leaching in the LCS of landfills. BA landfilling in old landfill areas with relatively high leachate pH and low chemical oxygen demand, as well as when leachate mixed with an appropriate amount of landfill gases, could be feasible measures to reduce calcium leaching and further prevent clogging in LCS. • The study investigated impacting factors of Ca leaching from bottom ash in leachate. • Fine particle, low pH, high temperature and L/S ratio were conducive to Ca leaching. • Ca leaching was higher in actual leachate than in acid simulated leachate. • Landfill gas decreased Ca leaching rates from bottom ash in leachate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium–sodium alloy (KNA) is defined as an attractive candidate for energy storage devices in space probes. Nevertheless, high surface tension and fluidity of KNA make the electrode difficult to shape which results in unstable electrochemical properties. In this contribution, a low surface tension and paintable non‐Newtonian fluid state KNA and Super P composite (KNA@C) fabricated by a simple stirring strategy is reported. The formation of hydroxides in the KNA@C composite gives rise to stable liquid alloy–electrolyte and liquid alloy–current collector interfaces. Moreover, the KNA@C coating can be well adhered on the surface of the current collector, and keeps stable under bending, folding, and stretching. In addition, an energy conversion device with stretchable and flexible properties is assembled based on the KNA@C anode. Excitingly, the blub keeps shining even extending the device to more than 200% and twisting it to ±90° repeatedly. This research provides an optimistic prospect to achieve stretchable and flexible dendrite‐free alkali metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]