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Both body mass index (BMI) and family history of cancer are established risk factors for female breast cancer. However, few studies explored the potential interaction between both factors. We assessed the association of BMI and its interaction with family cancer history on the risk of female breast cancer in Shanghai, China. Based on a population-based prospective cohort study started from 2008 to 2012 with 15,055 Chinese female participants in Minhang district, Shanghai. Cox regression models were used to estimate the association of BMI and its interaction with a family history of cancer on breast cancer risk. The additive interaction was evaluated by the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) and the attributable proportion due to interaction (AP), and the multiplicative interaction was assessed by the product term (BMI* family history of cancer) in the Cox regression model. Compared with BMI of

Abstract The correlation between the Cobb angle and the sagittal spinal curvature (SSC) in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) has been reported in some previous studies, but few studies have reported on the relation of coronal wedge deformity (CWD) with sagittal curvature. This study aims to investigate the correlation between CWD and SSC in AIS patients. A retrospective analysis was conducted in 122 AIS patients treated at our hospital from January 2018 to November 2023. Correlation analysis was performed on the Cobb angle, total wedge angle(TW), apical vertebral wedge angle (APW), upper end-vertebral wedge angle (UW), lower end-vertebral wedge angle (LW), total affected structures, average wedge angle(AW), total vertebral wedge angle (TVW), average vertebral wedge angle (AVW), Vertebral Wedge Angle ratio (VWR), total disc wedge angle (TDW), average disc wedge angle (ADW), and disc wedge angle ratio (DWR). Furthermore, out of all cases which underwent lateral spinal radiographs, a correlation analysis between thoracic kyphosis (TK), lumbar lordosis (LL) and CWD was carried out on 102 patients. The Cobb angle exhibited a significant positive correlation with multiple CWD parameters (P 0.05). In mild and moderate AIS patients, CWD parameters were positively correlated with the Cobb angle and negatively correlated with thoracic SSC. This may indicate that it’s necessary to correct sagittal thoracic curvature when rectifying scoliosis in clinic. This research would not only provide new insights for clinical practice but also offer important evidence for early diagnosis and intervention.

Abstract The relationship between the oxidative balance score (OBS) and the serum Klotho level has yet to be defined. We sought to investigate the potential relationship between OBS and the serum Klotho level in the U.S. population aged 40–79 years. This study included 8,145 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) database spanning from 2007 to 2016. The OBS consisted of the dietary OBS and the lifestyle OBS, based on 16 dietary components and 4 lifestyle components. Weighted multiple linear regressions were performed to explore the association between OBS and serum Klotho level. Furthermore, nonlinear relationships were analyzed through the application of restricted cubic splines (RCS). In the multivariate linear regression model with adjustment for such as demographics, economic income and dietary intake, a higher OBS was associated with a higher serum Klotho, with the beta estimate and 95%CI of 2.85 (1.03–4.68, p 0.05). The association between OBS and serum Klotho level was consistent across age, sex, education, marital status, energy intake and poverty income ratio (PIR) (P interaction>0.05). The study reported significant association between OBS and klotho, indicating that adherence to antioxidant behaviors may be linked to slower aging and better health.

Abstract FAR-RED IMPAIRED RESPONSE 1 (FAR1) is a class of transposase-derived transcription factors that play a very important role in the initiation of the photosensitive pigment A (phyA) signaling pathway. Despite their importance, the understanding of the function of FAR1 genes in quinoa is still limited, especially regarding how they affect the spike sprouting response. Quinoa has gained global attention in recent years for its health benefits and potential for sustainable agriculture. In our study, the CqFAR1 gene set in quinoa was characterized using HMMER (PF03101) and BLAST analyses, and 87 genes were identified. The 87 CqFAR1 genes were systematically classified into five groups that showed a high degree of conservation in gene structure and motif composition. Tissue expression profiles of the CqFAR1 gene indicated that the CqFAR1 gene plays a key role throughout the growth and development of quinoa, especially at mid (leaf) and end (spike) stages. By RT-qPCR analysis, we observed significant differences in the expression of the CqFAR1 gene at different developmental stages. Notably, the CqFAR1 gene showed significant expression enhancement at the early stage of quinoa spike sprouting. The results are useful for understanding the role of the CqFAR1 gene in quinoa growth and development and provide theoretical support for quinoa breeding.

Abstract In the context of advancing medical procedures, postoperative infections in cancer patients, particularly those involving multidrug-resistant organisms, have become a significant clinical concern. This study aims to comprehensively and systematically evaluate the effectiveness of infection prevention and control for multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) in postoperative cancer patients using Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA). This study was conducted in a tertiary A-level cancer specialty hospital in China, employing Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to assess the risks of hospital infections. Intervention measures were implemented for high-risk and medium-high-risk factors. Through the hospital’s infection information system, data on patients who underwent surgical treatment from 2017 to 2022 were extracted. Data from 2017 to 2019 served as the control group, and data from 2020 to 2022 as the intervention group, to compare the changes in hospital infection incidence and MDRO infection incidence before and after the intervention. Categorical data were described in terms of frequency and percentage. The chi-square test was utilized for statistical inference to assess the differences in infection rates before and after the intervention. Prior to the intervention (2017–2019), the incidence rate of hospital infections was 1.66%, which decreased to 1.22% after the intervention (2020–2022), showing a statistically significant difference (χ2 = 48.83, P

Abstract Vascular calcification is the main cause of death in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The study aims to investigate the risk factor affecting coronary artery calcification (CAC), and the relationship between serum hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) levels and CAC in non-dialysis CKD patients. One hundred and twenty-three patients were selected in the final analysis. Spearman rank correlation analysis assessed the correlation between HIF-1α levels and CAC scores. Logistic regression analysis was utilized to assess potential risk variables associated with CAC. A ROC curve was drawn to analyze the diagnostic value of HIF-1α in non-dialysis CKD patients with CAC. Compared to the non-CAC group, the CAC group was older age, with a higher proportion of males, smokers, hypertension and diabetes, lower eGFR and HDL-C, and higher SBP and HIF-1α levels. As the HIF-1α levels went up, the proportion of patients with VC increased, as well as Agatston scores. Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that HIF-1α levels were positively correlated with VC and Agatston scores. Logistic regression analysis indicated that being male (OR = 0.242, P = 0.036), older age (OR = 1.093, P

Abstract Liver cirrhosis, a common liver disease, currently lacks specific targeted therapies. This study investigates the potential therapeutic effects of serum circulating proteins on cirrhosis from a genetic perspective, and identified six associated plasma proteins (SERPINA1, PSG5, NCAN, APOE, ADH1B, GM2A). To search for therapeutic drugs associated with circulating proteins, databases such as DrugBank and DGIdb are utilized. Phenome-wide Mendelian Randomization analysis of the six significantly associated proteins revealed that GM2A exhibited no notable side effects as a therapeutic target for cirrhosis, SERPINA1 may offer additional therapeutic benefits for cholelithiasis and emphysema. ADH1B serves as a potential drug target that could simultaneously reduce the risk of alcohol-related disorders and hypertension. Furthermore, PSG5 and APOE might increase the risk of cardiovascular and neurological diseases, and NCAN has the potential to additionally reduce the risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease NAFLD. In conclusions, this study substantiates, from a genetic perspective, the potential therapeutic target role of six plasma proteins in cirrhosis, while comprehensively evaluating their side effects.

Abstract Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by an insidious onset. Despite the emphasis on motor symptom-based diagnosis, there remains an unmet clinical need for effective diagnostic approaches during the prodromal phase of PD. Recent advances in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and bulk transcriptomic analyses of PD patients open avenues for identifying potential diagnostic biomarkers. A comprehensive cell trajectory analysis was conducted using scRNA-seq datasets to identify gene expressions associated with the cellular transition from healthy to PD-associated states. Integration of scRNA-seq datasets with weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) allowed extraction of pyroptosis-associated differentially expressed genes (PDEGs). Using LASSO logistic regression, support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) and random forest methods, we developed a diagnostic model centred on PDEGs. In addition, immunoinfiltration, inflammatory signalling pathways and intercellular communication were detected by scRNA-seq analyses. In PD patients, the number of cells including metencephalic-like cells, excitatory neurons, inhibitory neurons and MHB-like cells was significantly reduced, whereas the proportion of astrocytes and microglia, immunoinfiltration and inflammatory signalling pathways were upregulated compared to healthy individuals. Using scRNA-seq and WGCNA analyses, two pyroptosis-related diagnostic genes, POLR2K and TIMM8B, were identified and a diagnostic model based on them was constructed, which showed promising performance upon validation. This study established a pyroptosis-related diagnostic model for PD through the analyses of scRNA-seq combined with bulk transcriptome data, which improved the understanding of the role of PDEGs in PD and provided new insights into the diagnostic strategies for this neurodegenerative disease.

Abstract During coal mining operations, the coal will be deformed and damaged due to multiple mining disturbances (MMD), often resulting in disasters, like rock burst. To understand the evolution rules of coal deformation under MMD and its final fracture characteristics after impact dynamic load loading, reduce the adverse effects of mining disturbances, and improve disaster prevention and control capabilities, quasi-static uniaxial cyclic loading-unloading (L-U) and dynamic axial compression tests were conducted on large-sized coal-like samples. During the tests, three-dimensional (3D) laser scanning and acoustic emission (AE) monitoring technology were utilized to accurately capture the full-field deformation and AE response data, facilitating a systematic analysis of deformation and fracture characteristics. The results show that: (1) Under the cyclic L-U effect induced by MMD, each loading cycle causes compression deformation with partial recovery during unloading, presenting an overall “wavy” variation trend. (2) The maximum load is the most critical factor affecting the damaged coal deformation, with smaller load resulting in less overall sample deformation. (3) After the impact dynamic loading, the damaged samples suffered large-scale impact splitting failure, with the compressive-shear layer failure mainly occurred inside the holes. (4) Lower loading during cyclic L-U process correlate with reduced damage degree, and smaller debris particles with a higher fractal dimension when impact failure occurs, indicating a more severe impact failure. (5) With multiple cycles of L-U, the cracks inside the sample gradually extend and expand from around the hole to the outside. The greater the load and the number of cycles, the more serious the crack damage will be. (6) In the practical mining process, it is crucial to reinforce roadway interiors while minimizing low-loading cyclic disturbances induced by MMD. The study has obtained the deformation evolution rules and failure characteristics of coal under MMD, providing a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of corresponding engineering disasters.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) improves cognitive function by stimulating neurogenesis and neuroplasticity. We hypothesize that higher plasma BDNF levels are protective against cognitive toxicity among adolescent and young adult cancer patients (15-39 years old). In a prospective, longitudinal study, we recruited 74 newly diagnosed cancer and 118 age-matched non-cancer controls who completed the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function questionnaire (FACT-Cog) and blood draws. Plasma BDNF was quantified using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Genomic DNA from buffy coat was genotyped for BDNF Val66Met. Most cancer participants were diagnosed with breast (24%) and head/neck (22%) cancers. After adjusting for sociodemographic variables (age, gender, race, marital status, education years), cancer participants had lower BDNF levels (ng/mL) at baseline (median: 10.7 vs 21.6, p