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Background: Cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CM) is emerging as a global health challenge. This study investigated the potential impact of muscle strength on the risk of CM in middle-aged and older Chinese adults. Methods: In total, 7610 participants were identified from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Muscle strength was measured by absolute, relative grip strength (normalized for body mass index) and chair-rising time which were classified into three categories according to tertiles stratified by gender. Cox proportional hazards models were adopted to evaluate the effect of muscle strength on CM. Results: During follow-up, 235(3.76%) participants from none cardiometabolic diseases (CMD), 140 (19.23%) from diabetes, 119 (21.17%) from heart disease, and 22 (30.56%) from stroke progressed to CM. In participants who had low relative grip strength, CM was more likely to occur in individuals with heart disease at baseline (HR: 1.89, 95%CIs: 1.10 to 3.23). Those with high chair-rising time had a higher risk of CM than those with low chair-rising time in the individuals with diabetes (HR: 1.85, 95%CIs:1.20 to 2.86) and with heart disease (HR: 1.67, 95%CIs:1.04 to 2.70). However, we did not observe an association between muscle strength and CM in participants without CMD or with stroke at baseline. Conclusions: In Chinese middle-aged and older adults, low relative grip strength was associated with a higher risk of CM in individuals with heart disease, while high chair-rising time was associated with a higher risk of CM in individuals with diabetes or heart disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study prepared resistant starch (RS) from waxy corn starch and normal corn starch and analyzed the effects of its molecular and microstructural characteristics on RS content. The RS content of waxy corn resistant starch (RS-WCS) was highest at 57.8%, whereas that of normal corn resistant starch (RS-NCS) was 41.46%. The short-chain amylose contents of RS-WCS and RS-NCS were 47.08% and 37.24%, respectively, proportional to their RS content. Additionally, RS content positively correlated with crystallinity, short-range order degree, and degree of polymerization (DP), exceeding 25. Electron microscopic images, before and after enzymolysis, revealed that RS-WCS was hydrolyzed from the surface to the center by pancreatic α-amylase, while RS-NCS underwent simultaneous hydrolysis at the surface and center. These results indicate that the higher RS content in RS-WCS, compared to RS-NCS, is attributable to the synergistic effects of molecular structure and microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context Sugar alcohols (also called polyols) are regarded as a "healthy" sugar substitute. One of the possible reasons for their safe use in pregnant women is their natural origin and the presence of polyols in maternal and fetal samples during normal human gestation. But little is known about the association between circulating sugar alcohols levels and maternal metabolic disorders during pregnancy. Objective We aimed to detect the concentration of the polyols in participants with and without gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and to investigate the association between maternal serum levels of polyols and GDM, as well as newborn outcomes. Methods A nested population-based case–control study was conducted in 109 women with and without GDM. Maternal concentrations of serum erythritol, sorbitol, and xylitol in the fasting state were quantified using a time of flight mass spectrometry system. Result In women with GDM, serum concentrations of erythritol and sorbitol were higher, but serum concentrations of xylitol were lower than those in women without GDM. Per 1-SD increment of Box–Cox-transformed concentrations of erythritol and sorbitol were associated with the increased odds of GDM by 43% and 155% (95% CI 1.07-1.92 and 95% CI 1.77-3.69), while decreased odds were found for xylitol by 25% (95% CI 0.57-1.00). Additionally, per 1-SD increase of Box–Cox-transformed concentrations of serum sorbitol was associated with a 52% increased odds of large for gestational age newborns controlling for possible confounders (95% CI 1.00-2.30). Conclusion Maternal circulating sugar alcohols levels during pregnancy were significantly associated with GDM. These findings provide the potential roles of polyols on maternal metabolic health during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textiles with outstanding moisture transport characteristics and excellent flammability is of vital importance for human beings. In this work, the poly(arylene sulfide sulfone)–polydopamine/polyphenylene sulfide–polydopamine/poly(arylene sulfide sulfone) (PASS‐PDA/PPS‐PDA/PASS) composite fibric with multigradient porous structures from macro to submicron levels prepared via micrometer and nanometer fibers for water transport and evaporation has been fabricated. The introduction of PDA can effectively improve the hydrophilicity of the composite membrane. Meanwhile, superhydrophobic PASS layer with beaded structure was obtained by electrospray as the inner layer. It is found that PASS‐PDA‐72 fabric exhibited outstanding water diffusion property (spreading diameter = 10.47 cm) and ultrafast the water evaporation (0.20 g h−1). Meanwhile, the beaded‐structure PASS fabrics with high hydrophobicity (water contact angle is 130°C) was selected to absorb water from the surface of human skin and transport it to the other side to evaporate quickly, giving the surface of human skin a comfortable and dry environment. What is more, the PASS‐PDA/PPS‐PDA/PASS composite membrane exhibited excellent thermal stability (Tdmax = 544°C) and flame retardancy, which will have potential for the application in the field of fire protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To assess the excess risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) associated with different criteria for metabolic health, and the interplay of body size, insulin sensitivity and metabolic health with CVD risk. Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective study involving 115 638 participants from the China Cardiometabolic Disease and Cancer Cohort (4C) Study. Metabolic health was defined using three different definitions: (1) insulin sensitivity defined by homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance index; (2) absence of metabolic syndrome according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria; and (3) simultaneous absence of metabolic abnormalities (diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia). The primary endpoint was a composite of incident CVD events comprising the first occurrence of myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, or cardiovascular death. Results: During a mean 3.61‐year follow‐up period, obese individuals with insulin sensitivity (multivariable‐adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.37–2.08), or without metabolic syndrome (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.13–1.89) still exhibited increased CVD risks, when compared to their normal‐weight counterparts. Otherwise, those with obesity but simultaneous absence of metabolic abnormalities demonstrated similar CVD risk compared to normal‐weight individuals (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.53–1.59). CVD risk increased with the number of abnormalities across body mass index categories, regardless of insulin sensitivity. Conclusions: This study emphasizes the need for refined definitions of metabolic health and advocates for meticulous screening for metabolic abnormalities to reduce cardiovascular risks, even in individuals with normal weight and insulin sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Cry1Ab has emerged as a bio‐insecticide to control Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). However, the sublethal effects of Cry1Ab on the physiological changes and molecular level of S. litura have not been well documented. Our aims in this study were to assess the sublethal effect of Cry1Ab on S. litura, including midgut and Malpighian tubules as targets. RESULTS: After sublethal Cry1Ab exposure, distinct histological alterations were mainly observed in the midgut. Furthermore, the results of comparative RNA sequencing and tandem mass tag‐based proteomics showed that, in the midgut, most differential expression genes (DEGs) were up‐regulated and significantly enriched in the serine protease activity pathway, and up‐regulated differential expression proteins (DEPs) were mainly associated with the oxidative phosphorylation pathway, whereas the down‐regulated involved in the ribosome pathways. In the Malpighian tubules, DEGs and DEPs were significantly enriched in the ribosome pathway. We proposed that ribosome may act as a universal target in energy metabolism with other pathways via the results of protein–protein interaction analysis. Further, by verification of the mRNA expression of some Cry protein receptor and detoxification genes after Cry1Ab treatment, it was suggested that the ribosomal proteins (RPs) possibly participate in influencing the Bt‐resistance of S. litura larvae under sublethal Cry1Ab exposure. CONCLUSION: Under sublethal Cry1Ab exposure, the midgut of S. litura was damaged, and the proteotranscriptomic analysis elucidated that Cry1Ab disrupted the energy homeostasis of larvae. Furthermore, we emphasized the potential role of ribosomes in sublethal Cry1Ab exposure. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electronic and optical properties of hydrogenated silicene at different torsion angles are investigated using the density functional theory (DFT). It was found that when silicene was hydrogenated, the Si atoms were pulled out of plane due to covalent interactions between the Si and H atoms, increasing their flexural height to 0.731 Å. Torsional deformation decreases the structural stability of hydrogenated silicene and its adsorption energy decreases with increasing twist angle. Under the effect of torsion deformation, the bandgap of hydrogenated silicene increases and then decreases. The bandgap is 2.168 eV at a torsion angle of 0∘, indicating a wide bandgap semiconductor. Mulliken's charge population analysis shows that charge transfer occurs between Si–H atoms, with Si atoms losing electrons and becoming positively charged and H atoms gaining electrons and becoming negatively charged. From the analysis of optical properties, the torsional deformation induced the maximum absorption and reflection peaks of all the hydrogenated silicene systems to appear in the ultraviolet region. Compared with the system without torsional deformation, these peaks exhibit varying degrees of red and blue shifts. The above findings provide guidance for the application of silicene in nanooptoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To systematically evaluate the whole-transcriptome sequencing data of cholangiocarcinoma (CHOL) to gain more insights into the transcriptomic landscape and molecular mechanism of this cancer, we performed whole-transcriptome sequencing based on the tumorous (C) and their corresponding non-tumorous adjacent to the tumors (CP) from eight CHOL patients. Subsequently, differential expression analysis was performed on the C and CP groups, followed by functional interaction prediction analysis to investigate gene-regulatory circuits in CHOL. In addition, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) for CHOL data was used to validate the results. In total, 2,895 differentially expressed messenger RNAs (dif-mRNAs), 56 differentially expressed microRNAs (dif-miRNAs), 151 differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (dif-lncRNAs), and 110 differentially expressed circular RNAs (dif-circRNAs) were found in CHOL samples compared with controls. Enrichment analysis on those differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to miRNA, lncRNA, and circRNA also identified the function of spliceosome. The downregulated hsa-miR-144-3p were significantly enriched in the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) complex network, which also included 7 upregulated and 13 downregulated circRNAs, 7 upregulated lncRNAs, and 90 upregulated and 40 downregulated mRNAs. Moreover, most of the DEGs and a few of the miRNAs (such as hsa-miR-144-3p) were successfully validated by TCGA data. The genes involved in RNA splicing and protein degradation processes and miR-144-3p may play fundamental roles in the pathogenesis of CHOL.

Abstract Background Fire needle therapy is a characteristic treatment in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). An increasing number of studies have indicated that fire needle treatment for psoriasis provides satisfactory results with few side effects and a low recurrence rate. We herein describe the protocol for a multicenter, randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial that will provide high-quality evidence on the efficacy and safety of fire needle therapy for plaque psoriasis. Methods Ninety-two patients with blood stasis syndrome (BSS) of plaque psoriasis will be enrolled and randomly assigned to receive fire needle therapy (intervention group) or fire needle control therapy (control group) once a week for 4 weeks. The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score will serve as the major efficacy index, while the body surface area (BSA), Physician Global Assessment (PGA) score, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score, patient-reported quality of life (PRQoL), visual analog scale (VAS) score for itching, TCM symptom score, and relapse rate will be assessed as secondary outcomes. The PASI score, BSA, PGA score, and VAS score for itching will be evaluated at baseline and during the 4-week treatment and follow-up periods. DLQI score, PRQoL, and TCM symptom score will be assessed at baseline and during the treatment period. Recurrence will be evaluated during the follow-up period. Safety assessments include vital sign monitoring, routine blood tests, blood biochemistry, routine urine tests, pregnancy tests, physical examinations, and adverse-event recording. SAS software will be used for data analysis. The data network platform will be designed by the data management center of Nanjing Ningqi Medical Technology Co., Ltd. Discussion It is believed that fire needle therapy can activate the meridians, promote blood circulation, and regulate skin immunity. BSS of plaque psoriasis is related to not only immune dysfunction but also poor or stagnant blood flow. We anticipate that the results of the trial described in this protocol will provide strong evidence for the safety and efficacy of fire needle therapy for BSS of plaque psoriasis. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03953885 . Registered on May 15, 2019. Name: Fire Needle Therapy on Plaque Psoriasis with Blood Stasis Syndrome