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Background Elder abuse is a global public health issue, with a yearly increase in its prevalence. As elder abuse often occurs covertly and is difficult to be detected and identified, effective assessment tools are prerequisites for detecting and stopping elder abuse. Objective To systematically review the studies on elder abuse assessment tools. Methods From January 10 to 24, 2021, we conducted a comprehensive search of 11 databases (PubMed, CHINAL, PsycINFO, EmBase, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CQVIP, Wanfang Data, CNKI, and Taiwan Scholar Database) to identify eligible studies of elder abuse assessment tools published up to December 31, 2020. Literature screening and data extraction were performed by two researchers, separately, and then were cross-checked. Methodological quality was evaluated, an authenticity assessment tool for scale measurement properties. Results A total of 29 studies were included, involving 19 elder abuse assessment tools, 18 of which were questionnaires in English and the other one was a questionnaire in Chinese. According to the evaluation content, these tools could be classified into two types: the risk of elder abuse (7) and elder abuse (12) . In particular, Assessment Tool for Domestic Elder Abuse, the Family Violence Against Older Women, and Family Caregivers' Misbehavior toward Elderlies on Hemodialysis belonging to the elder abuse type could be used to assess the severity of abuse. Conclusion As elder abuse has gradually attracted wide attention, the international community has developed various types of assessment tools targeting different groups, institutions and cultural backgrounds. Researchers should appropriately select assessment tools according to research objectives, participants, and research institutions, and should develop elder abuse assessment tools for Chinese older people in accordance with China's conditions and cultural background.

Carbon materials supported Fe-based catalysts possess great potential for the thermal-catalytic hydrogenation of CO2 into valuable chemicals, such as alkenes and oxygenates, due to the excellent active sites' accessibility, appropriate interaction between the active site and carbon support, as well as the excellent capacities in C-O bond activation and C-C bond coupling. Even though tremendous progress has been made to boost the CO2 hydrogenation performance of carbon-supported Fe-based catalysts, e.g., additives modification, the choice of different carbon materials (graphene or carbon nanotubes), electronic property tailoring, etc., the effect of carbon support porosity on the evolution of Fe-based active sites and the corresponding catalytic performance has been rarely investigated. Herein, a series of porous carbon samples with different porosities are obtained by the K2CO3 activation of petroleum pitch under different temperatures. Fe-based active sites and the alkali promoter Na are anchored on the porous carbon to study the effect of carbon support porosity on the physicochemical properties of Fe-based active sites and CO2 hydrogenation performance. Multiple characterizations clarify that the bigger meso/macro-pores in the carbon support are beneficial for the formation of the Fe5C2 crystal phase for C-C bond coupling, therefore boosting the synthesis of C2+ chemicals, especially C2+ alcohols (C2+OH), while the limited micro-pores are unfavorable for C2+ chemicals synthesis owing to the sluggish crystal phase evolution and reactants' inaccessibility. We wish our work could enrich the horizon for the rational design of highly efficient carbon-supported Fe-based catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The physical abilities of older adults decline with age, making them more susceptible to micronutrient deficiency, which may affect their sleep quality. Objectives: This study aimed to construct a risk correlative model for sleep disorders in Chinese older adults based on blood micronutrient levels. Methods: In this matched case-control study, we recruited 124 participants with sleep disorders and 124 matched controls from the Tianjin Elderly Nutrition and Cognition cohort in China. Micronutrient levels in whole blood were measured using the dried blood spot technique. We compared the differences in micronutrient levels between the two groups and also constructed a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) model and nomogram for sleep disorders. Results: In comparison to the control group, the sleep disorders group showed lower levels of blood vitamin A, vitamin E (VE), folate, magnesium, copper, iron, and selenium (Se) in the univariate analysis (p < 0.05). The ROC curve analysis indicated that the combination of VE + folate + Se may have an excellent diagnostic effect on sleep disorders, with an area under the curve of 0.964. This VE + folate + Se was integrated into a nomogram model to demonstrate their relationship with sleep disorders. The consistency index of the model was 0.88, suggesting that the model assessed sleep disorders well. Conclusions: The sleep disorders risk correlative model constructed by the levels of VE, folate, and Se in whole blood might show good performance in assessing the risk of sleep disorders in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: It is uncertain whether folic acid (FA) combined with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) could improve cognitive performance. This study evaluated the effects of a 12-month FA and DHA supplementation, in combination or alone, on cognitive function, DNA oxidative damage, and mitochondrial function in participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial recruited MCI participants aged 60 years and older. Two hundred and eighty participants were randomly divided in equal proportion into four groups: FA + DHA (FA 800 μg/d + DHA 800 mg/d), FA (800 μg/d), DHA (800 mg/d), and placebo groups daily orally for 12 months. The primary outcome was cognitive function evaluated by the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-RC). Cognitive tests and blood mechanism-related biomarkers were determined at baseline and 12 months. Results: During the 12-month follow-up, scores of full intelligence quotient (βDHA: 1.302, 95% CI: 0.615, 1.990, p < 0.001; βFA: 1.992, 95% CI: 1.304, 2.679, p < 0.001; βFA+DHA: 2.777, 95% CI: 2.090, 3.465, p < 0.001), verbal intelligence quotient, and some subtests of the WAIS-RC were significantly improved in FA + DHA and single intervention groups compared to the placebo group. Moreover, the FA and DHA intervention combination was superior to either intervention alone (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, FA, DHA, and their combined use significantly decreased 8-OHdG level and increased mitochondrial DNA copy number compared to the placebo (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Supplementation of FA and DHA, alone or combined, for 12 months can improve cognitive function in MCI participants, possibly through mitigating DNA oxidative damage and enhancing mitochondrial function. Combined supplementation may provide more cognitive benefit than supplementation alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexokinase (HK) catalyzes the first irreversible rate-limiting step in glycolysis that converts glucose to glucose-6-phosphate. HK1 is ubiquitously expressed in the brain, erythrocytes, and other tissues where glycolysis serves as the major source of ATP production. Spermatogenic cell-specific type 1 hexokinase (HK1S) is expressed in sperm but its physiological role in male mice is still unknown. In this study, we generate Hk1s knockout mice using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to study the gene function in vivo. Hk1s mRNA is exclusively expressed in testes starting from postnatal day 18 and continuing to adulthood. HK1S protein is specifically localized in the outer surface of the sperm fibrous sheath (FS). Depletion of Hk1s leads to infertility in male mice and reduces sperm glycolytic pathway activity, yet they have normal motile parameters and ATP levels. In addition, by using in vitro fertilization (IVF), Hk1s deficient sperms are unable to fertilize cumulus-intact or cumulus-free oocytes, but can normally fertilize zona pellucida-free oocytes. Moreover, Hk1s deficiency impairs sperm migration into the oviduct, reduces acrosome reaction, and prevents capacitation-associated increases in tyrosine phosphorylation, which are probable causes of infertility. Taken together, our results reveal that HK1S plays a critical role in sperm function and male fertility in mice. Author summary: About 8%-12% of couples worldwide are infertile, and male infertility is associated with about half of these cases. Common defects of male infertility include low sperm count, reduced sperm motility, abnormal sperm morphology, and unexplained male infertility with normal sperm parameters but infertility. The cause of over 50% of male infertility cases remains unidentified. Research on male reproduction has helped to unravel male infertility. In this study, we used a knockout mouse model to study the function of HK1S in the male mouse reproductive system. We showed that depletion of Hk1s leads to infertility in male mice but with normal sperm morphology and motility. These phenotypes are similar to patients with unexplained male infertility. Furthermore, HK1S is essential for sperm glycolysis. Hk1s deficiency in mice results in decreased glycolysis activity and leads to impaired sperm migration into the oviduct, reduced acrosome reaction, and defective capacitation-associated increase in tyrosine phosphorylation. These results suggested that HK1S is necessary for male fertility in mice. Our study suggests a new avenue for the development of new therapeutic strategies for male infertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Eight zwitterionic rare earth metal complexes stabilized by amino‐bridged tris(phenolato) ligands bearing quaternary ammonium side‐arms were synthesized and characterized. These complexes were used as single‐component catalysts for the cycloaddition of CO2 and epoxides, and their catalytic activities are obviously higher than those of their binary analogues. Further studies revealed that the halide anions (Cl–, Br–, I–) and the metal complexes influenced the catalytic activity, and the lanthanum complex bearing iodide anion showed the highest catalytic activity for this addition reaction. A variety of mono‐substituted epoxides were converted to cyclic carbonates in good to excellent yields (55%—99%) with high selectivity (> 99%) at 30 °C and 1 bar CO2, whereas internal epoxides required higher both reaction temperatures (60—120 °C) and catalyst loading (2 mol%) for high yields. The catalyst was recyclable for four times without noticeable loss of catalytic activity. Based on the results of kinetic studies and in situ IR reactions, a plausible reaction mechanism was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The policies regarding the mandatory fortification of food with folic acid (FA) may impact the effectiveness of folate-based B vitamin treatment on cognitive function in older adults. We critically and systematically review the literature to assess whether food fortification policies affect folate-based B vitamin treatment efficacy on cognition function in older adults. Electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and CNKI, were searched for "Cognitive Function", "Folate", and "Older Adults". The study had specific criteria for inclusion, which were as follows: (1) the studies should initially have randomized controlled trials that were conducted on older adults aged 60 or above; (2) the studies must assess the relationship between folate status and cognitive performance; and (3) the studies should clarify the policies regarding food fortification with FA. This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) reporting guidelines. Two reviewers independently extracted all the data, and any discrepancies were resolved by consensus. All the data collected were compiled, compared, and analyzed critically. Random effects models were used to assess the effects of interventions. The systematic review included fifty-one articles involving 42,768 participants. Of these, the 23 articles were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis on the effects of folate-based B vitamin supplementation on cognitive function showed a significant overall impact (Z = 3.84; p = 0.0001; SMD, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.09, 0.28). Further analysis revealed that FA food fortification policies were not implemented in countries where folate-based B vitamin supplementation improved cognitive impairment in older adults (Z = 3.75; p = 0.0002; SMD, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.13, 0.40). However, the FA intervention did not have significant outcomes in areas where FA food fortification policies were mandatory (Z = 0.75; p = 0.45; SMD, 0.03; 95% CI, −0.06, 0.13). Supplementing with oral folic acid, alone or in combination, has been linked to improved cognitive performance in older adults. While mandatory FA fortification has the improved folic acid status, additional folate-based B vitamin supplements do not appear to influence cognitive function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]