Interannual variability and spatial diversification of global urban tree cooling effects.

While widespread urban greening is documented, how these efforts translate into changes in a city's cooling potential remains unanswered. Here, we employed multi-satellite observations to assess the spatial dynamics and temporal variations in tree cooling efficiency (TCE) over 550 cities worldwide from 2002 to 2020. Our study identified substantial interannual variability of TCE across cities, especially in developing regions like Africa, Asia, and South America. Conversely, cities in Europe and the United States, characterized by a larger share of urban trees, exhibited a markedly lower degree of year-to-year fluctuations. Despite the prevalent urban vegetation expansion, which may not considerably enhance the cooling capability, we revealed a significant association between the tree cover level and the magnitude of temporal dynamics in TCE. This study highlights that tree cover improvement may play a crucial role in contributing to the stability of tree cooling potential under a changing climate.

Nonlinear relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and lipid profile in Chinese adults.

Background: Previous studies on the liner associations between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and lipid profiles revealed ambiguous findings. The current study therefore tried to elucidate the possible non-linear associations between 25(OH)D and lipid profiles. Methods: This study involved 8,516 adult participants (aged 18-74 years, males N = 3,750, females N = 4,766) recruited from the Dalian health management cohort (DHMC). The risk (OR) for specific dyslipidemias was estimated across the serum 25(OH)D levels and the cut-off value for serum 25(OH)D were determined by using logistic regression, restricted cubic spline, and piecewise linear regression methods, adjusted for age, sex, season, and ultraviolet index. Results: In this study, a high prevalence of 25(OH)D deficiency was observed in the participants (65.05%). The level of 25(OH)D showed the inverse U-shaped correlations with the risks (ORs) of abnormal lipid profile, with inflection points observed at 23.7 ng/ml for hypercholesterolemia, 24.3 ng/ml for hypertriglyceridemia, 18.5 ng/ml for hyper-low-density lipoprotein cholesterolemia, 23.3 ng/ml for hypo-high-density lipoprotein cholesterolemia, 23.3 ng/ml for hyper-non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and 24.3 ng/ml for high remnant cholesterol. The stratified analyses showed that the risk for most dyslipidemias related to deficiency of 25(OH)D was particularly increased among females aged 50-74 (except for hypertriglyceridemia, where the highest risk was among men aged 50-74 years), during winter/spring or under low/middle ultraviolet index environments. Conclusions: Nonlinear inverse U-shaped associations were observed between 25(OH)D levels and abnormal lipid profile. The risk was particularly increased among females aged 50-74, during winter/spring period or under lower ultraviolet index environments. In vitamin D deficient subjects [25(OH)D <20 ng/ml], a positive association of serum vitamin D levels with the risk for dyslipidemia was observed, which needs a further.

Associations between serum ferritin baselines and trajectories and the incidence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Evidence from prospective cohort studies on the relationship between metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and longitudinal changes in serum ferritin (SF) still limited. This study aimed to investigate the associations of SF baselines and trajectories with new-onset MASLD and to present a MASLD discriminant model. METHODS: A total of 1895 participants who attended health examinations at least three times in a hospital in Dalian City between 2015 and 2022 were included. The main outcome was the incidence of MASLD. The associations between SF baselines and trajectories with the risk of MASLD were analyzed by Cox proportional hazards regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. In addition, a MASLD discrimination model was established using logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Among the 1895 participants, 492 developed MASLD during follow-up. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that participants in the low-stable trajectory group had a longer MASLD-free time compared with participants in other groups. Compared with those in the low-stable trajectory group, the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the risk of new-onset MASLD in the medium-high, high-stable and high-high trajectory groups were 1.54(1.18-2.00), 1.77(1.35-2.32) and 1.55(1.07-2.26), respectively (Ptrend < 0.001). The results were robust in subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Multivariate Cox proportional regression showed that SF was an independent risk factor of MASLD (HR = 1.002, 95%CI: 1.000-1.003, P = 0.003). The restricted cubic spline demonstrated a nonlinear relationship between SF and the risk of MASLD. The 8-variable model had high discriminative performance, good accuracy and clinical effectiveness. The ROC curve results showed that AUC was greater than that of the FLI, HSI and ZJU models (all P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Not only a higher baseline SF but also SF changing trajectory are significantly associated with risk of new-onset MASLD. SF could be a predictor of the occurrence of MASLD.

Flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy with a suctioning ureteral access sheath for removing upper urinary calculi under local anesthesia.

Objectives: We aimed to probe the safety and effectiveness of flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy (FURL) with a suctioning ureteral access sheath (S-UAS) for removing upper urinary calculi under local anesthesia (LA). Materials and methods: The clinical data of 56 patients with upper urinary calculi treated by FURL with an S-UAS under LA during the period between September 2019 and November 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. For LA, intramuscular pethidine (1.0-2.0 mg/kg) and phenergan (25 mg) were administered 30 min prior to surgery, and oxybuprocaine hydrochloride gel was administered through the urethra at the start of the surgery. The S-UAS and flexible ureteroscope were used for FURL. Demographic characteristics, stone-related parameters, and clinical outcomes were analyzed. Result: A total of 66 procedures were performed successfully on 46 patients (Group A), who underwent unilateral surgeries, and on 10 patients (Group B) who underwent same-session bilateral surgeries. All 56 patients were operated upon without altering the anesthesia strategy, and none required additional analgesia. The mean stone sizes of the Group A and Group B patients were 20.24 ± 5.45 mm and 29.40 ± 3.89 mm, respectively. The mean operative times of the two groups were 53.04 ± 13.35 min and 90.00 ± 15.81 min, respectively. In Group A, the stone-free rates (SFRs) were 76.1% (35/46) and 85.1% (40/46) at postoperative day 1 and day 30, respectively. In Group B, the SFRs were 80.0% (16/20) and 85.0% (17/20), respectively. Four (8.7%) patients in Group A suffered complications such as fever, stent pain, urosepsis, and steinstrasse. In Group B, one (10%) patient suffered from fever. Conclusion: FURL, combined with an S-UAS under LA, is a feasible option and provides satisfactory clinical outcomes for appropriately selected patients.

Breath-by-breath measurement of exhaled ammonia by acetone-modifier positive photoionization ion mobility spectrometry via online dilution and purging sampling.

Exhaled ammonia (NH3) is an essential noninvasive biomarker for disease diagnosis. In this study, an acetone-modifier positive photoionization ion mobility spectrometry (AM-PIMS) method was developed for accurate qualitative and quantitative analysis of exhaled NH3 with high selectivity and sensitivity. Acetone was introduced into the drift tube along with the drift gas as a modifier, and the characteristic NH3 product ion peak of (C3H6O)4NH4+ (K0 = 1.45 cm2/V·s) was obtained through the ion-molecule reaction with acetone reactant ions (C3H6O)2H+ (K0 = 1.87 cm2/V·s), which significantly increased the peak-to-peak resolution and improved the accuracy of exhaled NH3 qualitative identification. Moreover, the interference of high humidity and the memory effect of NH3 molecules were significantly reduced via online dilution and purging sampling, thus realizing breath-by-breath measurement. As a result, a wide quantitative range of 5.87-140.92 µmol/L with a response time of 40 ms was achieved, and the exhaled NH3 profile could be synchronized with the concentration curve of exhaled CO2. Finally, the analytical capacity of AM-PIMS was demonstrated by measuring the exhaled NH3 of healthy subjects, demonstrating its great potential for clinical disease diagnosis.

Impaired sensitivity to thyroid hormones is associated with hyperuricemia in a Chinese euthyroid population.

Objective: Impaired sensitivity to thyroid hormones has been reported as a common metabolic disorder, and it remains poorly understood whether it interplays with uric acid (UA) metabolism as an established risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). We aimed to investigate the relationship between thyroid hormone sensitivity and elevated UA in a Chinese euthyroid population. Methods: A total of 15,955 euthyroid subjects were included in this study. Thyroid hormone sensitivity indices were calculated, including the thyroid feedback quantile-based index (TFQI), the Chinese-referenced parametric TFQI (PTFQI), the TSH index (TSHI), and the thyrotropin thyroxine resistance index (TT4RI), and the FT3/FT4 ratio. Linear and logistic regression analyses were performed to detect the association between thyroid hormone sensitivity and elevated UA. Results: Subjects with reduced sensitivity to thyroid hormones had increased UA levels in both genders (p for trend < 0.001). Logistic and linear regression analyses showed that higher TFQI, PTFQI, TSHI, and TT4RI were positively associated with elevated UA levels, but negatively associated with the FT3/FT4 ratio. The odds ratio (OR) of the highest versus the first quartile of TFQI was 1.20 (1.05, 1.38) in men and 1.80 (1.46, 2.23) in women (p < 0.001). PTHQI, TSHI, and TT4RI obtained similar results in both genders. Conversely, the highest quartile of the FT3/FT4 ratio was negatively correlated with elevated UA levels [men: OR 0.78 (0.68,0.89), women: OR 0.66 (0.53,0.81)]. Conclusion: Impaired sensitivity to thyroid hormones was associated with elevated UA levels in euthyroid subjects. Our findings shed light on the role of thyroid hormone sensitivity in UA metabolism.

The association of remnant cholesterol (RC) and interaction between RC and diabetes on the subsequent risk of hypertension.

Purpose: Whether elevated remnant cholesterol (RC) is associated with hypertension (HTN) and whether elevated RC interacts with diabetes on the subsequent risk of HTN have not been illustrated. Thus, this study is aimed to investigate the associations and interactions of RC, diabetes, and the management of cardiovascular risk factors with the risk of incident HTN in a Chinese population. Patients and methods: This cohort study included 42,994 individuals who participated in the routine health check-up from April 2016 to August 2020 and follow-ups from April 2017 to August 2021 at the Medical Examination Center of Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital. RC was divided into quintiles as follows: the < 20% group, the 20-39% group, the 40-59% group, the 60-79% group, and the ≥ 80% group. This study finally included 17,006 participants who were free from HTN at baseline. Results: This study had 1,861 (10.90%) HTN occurred, 205 (5.30%) in the first quintile of RC, 335 (8.98%) in the second quintile of RC, 388 (11.17%) in the third quintile of RC, 420 (13.42%) in the fourth quintile of RC, and 513 (17.91%) in the fifth quintile of RC. Compared with participants in the first quintile of RC, participants in the fifth quintile of RC showed a greater risk of HTN events among participants with diabetes [hazard ratio (HR), 4.95; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.05-23.39; P = 0.0432) than among participants without diabetes (HR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.26-2.22, P = 0.0004; P for interaction = 0.0420). Compared with participants without diabetes, participants with diabetes who have the ideal management of RC and other risk factors showed no excess risk of HTN. Conclusions: Elevated RC is significantly predictive of HTN among the diabetic population. RC and diabetes interacted with each other on the subsequent risk of HTN, and the desired management of RC, glucose, and cardiovascular risk factors on HTN risk was quite favorable.

Adipose Tissue Insulin Resistance Is Positively Associated With Serum Uric Acid Levels and Hyperuricemia in Northern Chinese Adults.

Objective: Adipose tissue plays a crucial role in serum uric acid (UA) metabolism, but the relative contribution of adipose tissue insulin resistance (IR) to serum UA levels and hyperuricemia have not explicitly been illustrated. Herein, we aimed to investigate the association between the adipose tissue insulin resistance index (Adipo-IR) and hyperuricemia in this cross-sectional study. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, another widely applied marker to determine systemic IR, was also explored. Methods: A total of 5821 adults were included in this study. The relationship between Adipo-IR or HOMA-IR and serum UA levels was assessed by multivariate linear regression. Binary logistic regression analyses were applied to determine the sex-specific association of the Adipo-IR tertiles and HOMA-IR tertiles with hyperuricemia. Participants were then divided into normal BMI (18.5 ≤ BMI < 24) and elevated BMI (BMI ≥ 24) groups for further analysis. Results: Both Adipo-IR and HOMA-IR were positively correlated with serum UA (P < 0.001). Compared with the lowest tertile, the risks of hyperuricemia increased across Adipo-IR tertiles (middle tertile: OR 1.52, 95%CI 1.24-1.88; highest tertile: OR 2.10, 95%CI 1.67-2.63) in men after full adjustment (P for trend < 0.001). In women, only the highest tertile (OR 2.09, 95%CI 1.52-2.87) was significantly associated with hyperuricemia. Those associations remained significant in participants with normal BMI status. As for HOMA-IR, only the highest tertile showed positive relationships with hyperuricemia in both genders after full adjustment (P for trend < 0.001). The association between HOMA-IR and hyperuricemia disappeared in men with normal BMI status. Conclusions: Adipo-IR was strongly associated with serum UA and hyperuricemia regardless of BMI classification. In men with normal BMI, Adipo-IR, rather than HOMA-IR, was closely associated with hyperuricemia. Altogether, our finding highlights a critical role of adipose tissue IR on serum UA metabolism and hyperuricemia.

Response of dryland vegetation under extreme wet events with satellite measures of greenness and fluorescence.

Extreme wet events in central Australia triggered large vegetation responses that contributed greatly to large global land carbon sink anomalies. There remain significant uncertainties on the extent to which these events over dryland vegetation can be monitored and assessed with satellite data. In this study, we investigated the vegetation responses of the major Australian semiarid biomes to two extreme wet events utilizing multi-satellite observations of (1) solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF), as a proxy for photosynthetic activity and (2) the enhanced vegetation index (EVI), as a measure of canopy chlorophyll or greenness. We related these satellite observations with gross primary productivity (GPP) estimated from eddy covariance tower sites, as a performance benchmark. The C3-dominated Mulga woodland was the most responsive biome to both wet pulses and exhibited the highest sensitivity to soil moisture. The C4-dominated Hummock grassland was more responsive to the 2011 "big wet" event, relative to the later 2016-2017 wet pulse. EVI swiftly responded to the extreme wet events and showed markedly amplified seasonal amplitude, however, there was a time lag as compared with SIF during the post-wet period, presumably due to the relatively slower chlorophyll degradation in contrast with declines in photosynthetic activity. Despite a robust linear SIF-GPP relationship (r2 ranging from 0.59 to 0.85), the spatially coarse SIF derived from the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 (GOME-2) yielded high retrieval noise over the xeric biomes, hindering its capacity to capture thoroughly the dryland vegetation dynamics in central Australia. Our study highlights that synchronous satellite observations of greenness and fluorescence can potentially offer an improved understanding of dryland vegetation dynamics and can advance our ability to detect ecosystem alterations under future changing climates.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Gene C677T Polymorphism-Dietary Pattern Interaction on Hyperhomocysteinemia in a Chinese Population: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background and aim: Hyperhomocysteinemia (Hhcy) has been recognized as a risk factor of several chronic diseases. There is accumulating evidence that both genetic and dietary factors had a notable impact on the risk of Hhcy. The present study aims to investigate the interaction effect on Hhcy between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene C677T polymorphism and dietary intake. Methods: Data were collected in a cross-sectional survey conducted in China; 3,966 participants with complete information on sociodemographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, and dietary intake were included in the analyses. Dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis combined with cluster analysis. Blood samples were collected and MTHFR C677T genotypes were tested. Both the multiplicative statistical model and the additive model were conducted to investigate the interactive effects. Results: Proportions of MTHFR C677T genotypes among participants were 29.2% for TT, 47.4% for CT, and 23.4% for CC. Three dietary patterns were identified, namely, the balanced pattern, the snack pattern, and the high-meat pattern. Compared with the balanced pattern, the other two patterns were associated with an elevated risk of Hhcy [the snack pattern: odds ratio (OR) 1.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0-1.5; the high-meat pattern: OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.6] after adjustment for age group, gender, residential region, and MTHFR C677T genotypes. A multiplicative interaction between the high-meat pattern and MTHFR 677TT genotype was observed, and synergistic effects between both the snack pattern and the high-meat pattern with MTHFR 677TT were identified. Conclusion: Our results indicated that MTHFR C677T polymorphism and dietary patterns had interactive effects on Hhcy among the Chinese population. Subsequent targeted and appropriate dietary guidelines should be recommended for high-risk populations or patients of Hhcy carrying specific genotypes.

Self-adapting extraction of cropland phenological transitions of rotation agroecosystems using dynamically fused NDVI images.

Remote sensing can be used to monitor cropland phenological characteristics; however, tradeoffs between the spatial and temporal resolutions of cloudless satellite images limit the accuracy of their retrieval. In this study, an improved enhanced spatial and temporal adaptive reflectance fusion model (ESTARFM) was applied to human-dominated Xiong'an New Area to develop a self-adapting algorithm automating the extraction of main phenological transition points (greenup, maturity, senescence, and dormancy). The analyses of cropland phenological characteristics were performed utilizing the Softmax classification method. By examining three different phases of fusion images, it was found that the improved ESTARFM was more accurate than the original ESTARFM (correlation coefficient > 0.76; relative root mean square error < 0.25; structural similarity index > 0.79). The reconstructed normalized difference vegetation indexes were consistent with that acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (average discrepancy: 0.1136, median absolute deviation: 0.0110). The greenup, maturity, senescence, and dormancy points were monitored in 5-day resolution and 50-day length on a 30-m grid scale, and their average day of year (DOY) were 67, 119, 127, and 166 for wheat; 173, 224, 232, and 283 for single-season corn; and 189, 227, 232, and 285 for rotation corn, respectively. The corresponding median absolute deviations were 2, 3, 2, and 2 days for wheat; 2, 5, 3, and 4 days for single-season corn; and 2, 5, 2, and 2 days for rotation corn, respectively, while all coefficients of variation did not exceed 6%. The proposed self-adapting approach can be used for identifying the planting modes at grid level in rotation agroecosystems and cropland phenological dynamics on a global or regional scale.

Metabolic status and lifestyle factors associated with gallbladder polyps: a covariance structure analysis.

BACKGROUND: Gallbladder Polyps (GBP) are highly prevalent in China; however, the etiology of GBP has not been clearly defined. This study explored the associations between lifestyle factors and GBP and whether it mediated by metabolic factors or not. METHODS: A total of 487 newly diagnosed GBP cases and 502 healthy controls were involved in this study. A questionnaire was used to investigate the socio-demographic characteristics and lifestyle factors. Food Intake Frequencies Questionnaire was used to obtain the food intake frequencies of seven food categories. Blood was tested for lipid profiles, fasting blood glucose and blood urine acid. A Covariance Structure Analysis was used in the analysis to explore the possible pathways between socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, metabolic factor and GBP. RESULTS: The Covariance Structure Analysis showed that a higher BMI and elevated triglyceride level mediated the association between age and GBP. Lifestyle factors (smoking and drinking) and higher intake frequencies of fatty food (meat and viscera) also linked to higher BMI and higher triglyceride level, respectively, which were associated with GBP. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, age and lifestyle factors might be indirectly related with GBP through BMI and the triglyceride pathway.

Silencing NUDT21 Attenuates the Mesenchymal Identity of Glioblastoma Cells via the NF-κB Pathway.

The proneural (PN) and mesenchymal (MES) subtypes of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are robust and generally consistent with classification schemes. GBMs in the MES subclass are predominantly primary tumors that, compared to PN tumors, exhibit a worse prognosis; thus, understanding the mechanism of MES differentiation may be of great benefit for the treatment of GBM. Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling is critically important in GBM, and activation of NF-κB could induce MES transdifferentiation in GBM, which warrants additional research. NUDT21 is a newly discovered tumor-associated gene according to our current research. The exact roles of NUDT21 in cancer incidence have not been elucidated. Here, we report that NUDT21 expression was upregulated in human glioma tissues and that NUDT21 promoted glioma cell proliferation, likely through the NF-κB signaling pathway. Gene set enrichment analysis, western blotting, and quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction confirmed that NF-κB inhibitor zeta (NFKBIZ) was a downstream target affected by NUDT21 and that the MES identity genes in glioblastoma cells, CHI3L1 and FN1, were also differentially regulated. Our results suggest that NUDT21 is an upstream regulator of the NF-κB pathway and a potential molecular target for the MES subtype of GBM.

Genetic polymorphism of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate is associated with developmental dyslexia in Chinese school-aged populations.

Developmental dyslexia (DD) is a neurodevelopment disorder characterized by reading disabilities without apparent etiologies. Nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) is a structural craniofacial malformation featured by isolated orofacial abnormalities. Despite substantial phenotypic differences, potential linkage between these two disorders has been suggested as prevalence of DD among NSCL/P patients was much higher than that in general populations. Previous neuroimaging studies observed impaired short-term memory in patients with DD and NSCL/P, respectively. Genetic factors have a fundamental role during neurodevelopment and craniofacial morphogenesis but there lacks of evidence to support the linkage between DD and NSCL/P at genetic level. A recent genome-wide association study in Chinese populations identified a number of genetic polymorphisms associated with NSCL/P. Herein, we selected three risk variants of NSCL/P namely rs8049367, rs4791774 and rs2235371, and performed association analysis with DD in a Chinese population consisting 631 elementary school-aged children with 288 dyslexic cases without NSCL/P and 343 healthy controls. After Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons, the T allele of rs8049367 showed significant association with DD (OR=1.41, P=0.0085). It is an intergenic variant between CREBBP and ADCY9 located at 16p13.3. The CREBBP gene was reported to have an essential role during memory formation, although ADCY9 was involved in dental development. In future studies, understanding functional effects of rs8049367 on CERBBP and ADCY9 might contribute to explain underlying etiologies shared by DD and NSCL/P.

Clinical Study of Serum Homocysteine and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Euglycemic Patients.

BACKGROUND Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic liver disease. NAFLD includes a spectrum of hepatic pathologies: simple fatty liver, steatohepatitis and cirrhosis. Insulin resistance may contribute to NAFLD. The liver plays an important role in the production and metabolism of homocysteine (HCY), which is known to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. High HCY level can aggravate NAFLD by increasing the reactive oxygen species and activating oxidative stress. In this study, we investigated the relationship between HCY and NAFLD in euglycemic patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 1143 euglycemic patients were recruited: 519 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and 624 sex and age-matched controls without NAFLD. RESULTS The NAFLD group had significantly higher HCY level (13.78±5.84 vs. 11.96±3.58 mmol/L, p<0.001), as well as higher body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride (TG), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (ALT), glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase (AST), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting insulin (FINS), homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), homeostasis model assessment for beta cell function (HOMA-B), and lower high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). HCY level was positively correlated with HOMA-IR (r=0.239, p<0.001), TG (r=0.356, p<0.001) and negatively correlated with HDL-C (r=-0.161, p<0.001). In the logistic regression analysis, BMI (beta=0.345, p<0.001), HOMA-IR (beta=0.654, p<0.01), TG (beta=0.881, p<0.001), and HCY (beta=0.04, p=0.044) were the predictors of NAFLD. CONCLUSIONS Higher HCY level existed in NAFLD patients and was correlated with the severity of insulin resistance. HCY is an independent risk factor for NAFLD.

ß-RE1-xBixB3O6 (RE = Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Y): Bi(3+) Substitution Induced Formation of Metastable Rare Earth Borates at Ambient Pressure.

There emerge great interests in the syntheses of metastable polyborates; however, most are involved with the high-pressure technique. A facile method to synthesize metastable rare earth borates at ambient pressure is eagerly required for the large-scale production and property investigation. Here we demonstrate the critical role of Bi(3+) substitutions in the stabilization of metastable ß-REB3O6 (RE = Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and Y) at ambient pressure, where the Bi(3+)-to-RE(3+) substitutions would efficiently reduce the synthetic temperatures to 735-820 °C, well below the upper limit of thermodynamically stable window (840-980 °C). Partial solid solutions of ß-RE1-xBixB3O6 were prepared, and the ranges of the solution were also studied experimentally. The thermal behaviors of ß-RE0.8Bi0.2B3O6 were investigated by differential thermal analyses and powder X-ray diffraction, and they were divided into two categories; that is, ß-RE0.8Bi0.2B3O6 (RE = Sm, Eu, Gd) transfers to α-RE0.8Bi0.2B3O6 with further increasing the temperature to 950 °C, while ß-RE0.8Bi0.2B3O6 (RE = Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and Y) decomposes into hexagonal REBO3 and B2O3. In particular, the allowed concentration of Bi(3+) in ß-Gd1-xBixB3O6 was 0.10 ≤ x ≤ 0.25, and these samples show bright blue emissions under UV excitation, which suggests the high efficiency of light absorption and high potential as phosphors with further doping of other activators.

Association study of C-reactive protein associated gene HNF1A with ischemic stroke in Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: Ischemic stroke is a life-threatening condition due to obstructed blood supply of the brain. Elevation of plasma C-reactive protein, an important inflammatory marker, was known to associate with increased risk of ischemic stroke. Previous studies reported association between genetic variants of HNF1A and plasma level of C-reactive protein. The HNF1A gene encodes a hepatocyte transcription factor which might have regulatory effects on C-reactive protein synthesis in liver. Therefore, the C-reactive protein associated gene HNF1A seems to be a promising candidate gene for ischemic stroke. RESULTS: We used HNF1A as a candidate gene of ischemic stroke and evaluated seven common variants of HNF1A for their contribution to ischemic stroke. The association analysis of HNF1A variants with ischemic stroke was performed in a Chinese population with 918 cases and 979 controls. For total ischemic stroke and large vessel disease subtype, none of variants exceeded significant threshold. For small vessel disease subtype of ischemic stroke, the G allele of rs7953249 showed nominal association (OR = 0.82, p = 0.04) after data adjustment for conventional risk factors. However, our preliminary results did not survived bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. CONCLUSIONS: Common genetic variants of HNF1A showed nominal association with small vessel disease subtype of ischemic stroke though not survived bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. The association between HNF1A and ischemic stroke is limited by small effects of individual SNPs. Our study provided additional genetic evidences to understand the role of HNF1A gene and C-reactive protein underlying ischemic stroke.