Search

Background Gut microbiota imbalance and sarcopenia are frequently observed in older adults. Gut microbiota and their metabolites are considered risk factors contributing to the heightened risk of sarcopenia, but whether these associations are causal remains unclear. Methods We conducted linkage disequilibrium score regression and 2-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) methods with single-nucleotide polymorphisms sourced from large-scale genome-wide association studies as instrumental variables to examine the causal associations linking gut microbiota with their metabolites to the sarcopenia. Following the MR analysis, subsequent sensitivity analyses were conducted to reinforce the robustness and credibility of the obtained results. Results MR analysis yielded compelling evidence demonstrating the correlation between genetically predicted gut microbiota and metabolites and the risk of sarcopenia. The abundance of Porphyromonadaceae , Rikenellaceae , Terrisporobacter , and Victivallis was found to be associated with walking pace. Our study also found suggestive associations of 12 intestinal bacteria with appendicular lean mass, and of Streptococcaceae , Intestinibacter , Paraprevotella , Ruminococcaceae UCG009 , and Sutterella with grip strength. Specifically, we identified 21 gut microbiota-derived metabolites that may be associated with the risk of sarcopenia. Conclusions Utilizing a 2-sample MR approach, our study elucidates the causal interplay among gut microbiota, gut microbiota-derived metabolites, and the occurrence of sarcopenia. These findings suggest that gut microbiota and metabolites may represent a potential underlying risk factor for sarcopenia, and offer the promise of novel therapeutic focal points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface characteristics of stimuli-responsive Pickering emulsifiers can be modified by external environmental triggers, making them highly versatile in various applications. In this study, we report three novel organic–inorganic composite structure emulsifiers. These emulsifiers were designed with a core of magnetic Fe3O4 particles, surrounded by a protective silica layer, and coated on the exterior with three distinct types of modified chitosan (CS). Experimental results demonstrate that these emulsifiers can stabilize emulsion systems consisting of liquid paraffin and deionized water at a concentration of 0.5 wt%. The unique properties of the modified CS coatings allowed for the controlled demulsification of two types of emulsions by adjusting the proton concentration. Additionally, these emulsifiers exhibited magnetic-responsive demulsification under the control of an external magnetic field. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the design and construction of multi-responsive chitosan-based magnetic Pickering emulsifiers with controllable properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed alkaline earth (MgO, CaO) aluminosilicate glass fibers (MCAS) with and without boron are commonly used as reinforcements in plastic composites, and the fundamental understanding of the thermal and mechanical properties is essential to the design of new glass compositions to satisfy the growing demands in applications from renewable energy to lightweight structural components. In this work, a series of Li2O containing low‐boron MCAS fiber glasses have been studied by using molecular dynamic (MD) simulations with recently developed effective partial charge composition dependent boron potentials. Structural characteristics, such as pair distribution function, bond angle distribution, and neutron/X‐ray diffraction structure factors, were calculated, as well as properties such as elastic moduli and vibrational density of states. The addition of Li2O was found to improve the elastic moduli of the fiber glasses in excellent agreement with experimental results we reported earlier. The simulation results showed that the weakened network connectivity and decrease of tri‐/bridging oxygen have positively affected the lowering of liquid temperature, owing to the transformation to more boron Q2 and silicon/aluminon Q3. It is found that higher oxygen packing density, coordinated aluminum/boron species such as [AlO5] and [BO4] units, larger‐membered oxide rings, and intensified connections of [AlOx] and [SiO4] are the main reasons that lead to improved mechanical properties. MD‐based quantitative structure–property relationship analyses were performed and showed excellent correlations to measured properties, indicating that it is a promising approach to understand glass properties and design new glass compositions for functional applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sarcopenia presenting a critical challenge in population‐aging healthcare. The elucidation of the interplay between brain structure and sarcopenia necessitates further research. The aim of this study is to explore the casual association between brain structure and sarcopenia. Linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) was conducted to estimate the genetic correlations; MR was then performed to explore the causal relationship between Brain imaging‐derived phenotypes (BIDPs) and three sarcopenia‐related traits: handgrip strength, walking pace, and appendicular lean mass (ALM). The main analyses were conducted using the inverse‐variance weighted method. Moreover, weighted median and MR–Egger were conducted as sensitivity analyses. Genetic association between 6.41% of BIDPs and ALM was observed, and 4.68% of BIDPs exhibited causal MR association with handgrip strength, 2.11% of BIDPs were causally associated with walking pace, and 2.04% of BIDPs showed causal association with ALM. Volume of ventromedial hypothalamus was associated with increased odds of handgrip strength (OR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.37) and ALM (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.09). Mean thickness of G‐pariet‐inf‐Angular was associated with decreased odds of handgrip strength (OR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.70 to 0.97) and walking pace (OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.93 to 0.99). As part of the brain structure forward causally influences sarcopenia, which may provide new perspectives for the prevention of sarcopenia and offer valuable insights for further research on the brain‐muscle axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]