Involvement of brassinosteroids and abscisic acid in spikelet degeneration in rice under soil drying during meiosis.

Spikelet degeneration in rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a serious physiological defect, and can be regulated by soil moisture status and phytohormones. This study investigated the possibility that brassinosteroids (BRs) in collaboration with abscisic acid (ABA) are involved in mediating the effect of soil drying during meiosis on spikelet degeneration in rice. Three rice cultivars were field grown and three irrigation regimes including well watered (WW), moderate soil drying (MD), and severe soil drying (SD) were imposed during meiosis. MD significantly decreased spikelet degeneration in comparison with WW, due mainly to the alleviation in oxidative damage via enhancing ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle activity in young panicles, and SD exhibited the opposite effects. Enhanced AsA-GSH cycle strength, decreased oxidative stress, and spikelet degeneration rate were closely associated with the synergistically elevated BR and ABA levels in young panicles in MD. In contrast, low BR and excessive ABA levels led to an increase in spikelet degeneration in SD. The three cultivars exhibited the same tendencies. The intrinsic link among AsA-GSH cycle, oxidative stress, spikelet degeneration rate, and BR and ABA levels was further verified by using transgenic rice lines and chemical regulators. BRs or ABA play a unique role in regulating spikelet degeneration. Synergistically increased BR and ABA levels in MD could work together to strengthen AsA-GSH cycle activity, leading to a reduction in oxidative damage and spikelet degeneration. On the other hand, a severe imbalance between low BR and excessive ABA levels may have contributed to the opposite effects in SD.

A novel colorectal cancer screening framework with feature interpretability to identify high-risk populations for colonoscopy.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Risk assessment is of paramount importance for the detection and treatment of colorectal cancer. We developed and validated a feature interpretability screening framework to identify high-risk populations and recommend colonoscopy for them. METHODS: We utilized a training cohort consisting of 1 252 605 participants who underwent colonoscopies in Shanghai from 2013 to 2015 to develop the screening framework. We incorporated Shapley additive explanation values into feature selection to provide interpretability for the framework. Two sampling methods were separately employed to mitigate potential model bias caused by class imbalance. Furthermore, we employed various machine learning algorithms to construct risk assessment models and compared their performance. We tested the screening models on an external validation cohort of 359 462 samples and conducted comprehensive evaluation and statistical analysis of the validation results. RESULTS: The external validation results demonstrated that the models in the proposed framework achieved sensitivity over 0.734, specificity over 0.790, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve ranging from 0.808 to 0.859. In the predictions of the best-performing model, the prevalence rates of colorectal cancer were 0.059% and 1.056% in the low- and high-risk groups, respectively. If colonoscopies were performed only on the high-risk group predicted by the model, only 14.36% of total colonoscopies would be needed to detect 74.86% of colorectal cancer cases. CONCLUSIONS: We developed and validated a novel framework to identify populations at high risk for colorectal cancer. Those classified as high risk should undergo colonoscopy for further diagnosis.

Analysing the causal relationship between potentially protective and risk factors and cutaneous melanoma: A Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: Previous observational studies reported altered melanoma risks in relation to many potential factors, such as coffee intake, smoking habits and photodamage-related conditions. Considering the susceptibility of epidemiological studies to residual confounders, there remains uncertainty about the actual causal roles of these reported factors in melanoma aetiology. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate the causal association between cutaneous melanoma (CM) and previously reported factors: coffee intake, alcohol consumption, lifetime smoking, socioeconomic status (SES), ease of skin tanning, childhood sunburn and facial ageing, providing insight into its underlying aetiology and preventative strategies. METHODS: We utilized a two-sample MR analysis on data from the largest meta-analysis summary statistics of confirmed cutaneous melanoma including 30,134 patients. Genetic instrumental variables were constructed by identifying single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that associate with corresponding factors. Inverse variance weighted (IVW) was the primary MR method. For sensitivity and heterogeneity, MR Egger, weighted median, simple mode, weighted mode and MR Egger intercept tests were examined. RESULTS: Cutaneous melanoma risks were found to be elevated in association with a predisposition towards ease of skin tanning (IVW: OR = 2.842, 95% CI 2.468-3.274, p < 0.001) and with childhood sunburn history (IVW: OR = 6.317, 95% CI 4.479-8.909, p < 0.001). Repeated MR after removing potential confounders and outliers demonstrated resolved horizontal pleiotropy and statistically significant results that closely mirrored the initial findings. Other potential factors, such as coffee intake, alcohol consumption, smoking and socioeconomic status (SES), indicated insignificant effects on melanoma risk in the analysis, and therefore, our Mendelian randomization study does not support their roles in modifying melanoma risks. CONCLUSIONS: Our extensive MR analysis provides strong evidence of the causative role of ease of skin tanning and childhood sunburn history in elevating melanoma risk. Curtailing ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure may be the single best preventative strategy to reduce melanoma risk.

Ambient air pollution and hospital visits for peptic ulcer disease in China: A three-year analysis.

BACKGROUND: Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) continued to be a source of significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recently, it has been reported that exposure to air pollution is a potential risk factor for PUD, but evidence on the association still remains inconsistent. METHODS: We performed an ecological study to examine the association between short-term exposure to air pollution and daily hospital visits for PUD in Yinzhou, China from January 1st, 2017 to December 31st, 2019. Distributed lag nonlinear models were used to estimate the nonlinear and lag-response effects of air pollutants. Subgroup analyses stratified by sex, age and season were conducted to examine the effect modifications. RESULTS: Overall, we found that short-term exposure to air pollution including SO2, NO2, CO, O3 and PM2.5 was significantly associated with hospital visits for PUD among all subjects. The lag-response effects of SO2, NO2 and O3 varied at different concentrations and lag days. The cumulative risk ratios of CO and PM2.5 showed nearly linear adverse effects and increased to maxima of 2.68 (95% CI: 1.49-4.78) and 2.40 (95% CI: 1.36-4.24) with their ranges from the references to the maximum concentrations, respectively. Moreover, the cumulative risks of particulate matters on hospital visits for PUD increased significantly in cold seasons, but not in warm seasons. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings could provide growing evidence regarding the adverse health effects of air pollution on PUD, thereby strengthening the hypothesis that air pollutants have harmful impacts on digestive system.

Air pollution, surrounding green, road proximity and Parkinson's disease: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Though growing evidence has linked air pollution to Parkinson's disease (PD), the results remain inconsistent. Less is known about the relevance of road proximity and surrounding green. We aimed to investigate the individual and joint associations of air pollution, road proximity and surrounding green with the incidence of PD in a prospective cohort study. METHODS: We used data from a prospective cohort of 47,516 participants recruited from July 2015 to January 2018 in Ningbo, China. Long-term exposure to particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5) and ≤10 µm (PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) estimated by land-use regression models, road proximity and surrounding green assessed by Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were calculated based on the residential address for each participant. Cox proportional hazard models were used to analyze the individual and joint effects of air pollution, road proximity, and surrounding green on PD. RESULTS: In single-exposure models, PM2.5, PM10, NO2 and road proximity was associated with increased risk of PD (e.g. Hazard Ratio (HR) = 1.51, 95%CI:1.02, 2.24 per interquartile range (IQR) increase for PM2.5) while surrounding green was associated with decreased risk of PD (e.g. HR = 0.80, 95%CI:0.65, 0.98 per IQR increase for NDVI in 300 m buffer). In two-exposure models, the associations of PM2.5 and surrounding green persisted while the associations of NO2 and road proximity attenuated towards unity. CONCLUSIONS: We found that PM2.5 were associated with increased risk of incident PD while surrounding green was associated with decreased risk of PD. Future studies about PD etiology may benefit from including multiple environmental exposures to address potential joint associations.

HDL-C, longitudinal change and risk of mortality in a Chinese cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentration and variability are both important factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. We aimed to explore the associations of HDL-C and longitudinal change in HDL-C with risk of mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS: We recruited a total of 69,163 participants aged ≥40 years and had medical examination records of HDL-C during 2010-2014 from the Yinzhou District, Ningbo, China. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models. We observed a non-linear association of HDL-C with risks of non-accidental and CVD mortality. Compared with the moderate concentration group (1.4-1.6 mmol/L), HDL-C <1 mmol/L was associated with a higher risk of non-accidental mortality (HR: 1.13 (95% CI: 1.01-1.27)) and both HDL-C <1 mmol/L and ≥2 mmol/L were associated with a higher risk of CVD mortality (HRs: 1.23 (95% CI: 1.01-1.50) and 1.37 (95% CI: 1.03-1.82), respectively). Compared with the stable group ([-0.1, +0.1 mmol/L]), a large decrease ([-0.5, -0.3 mmol/L]) and very large decrease (<-0.5 mmol/L) in HDL-C were associated with a higher risk of non-accidental mortality (HRs: 1.40 (95% CI: 1.21-1.63) and 1.78 (95% CI: 1.44-2.20), respectively). Similar results were observed for CVD mortality and cancer mortality. CONCLUSION: Extremely low or high HDL-C and a large decrease or very large decrease in HDL-C were associated with a higher risk of cause-specific mortality. Monitoring of HDL-C may have utility in identifying individuals at higher risk of mortality.

Effect of COVID-19 on hospital visits in Ningbo, China: an interrupted time-series analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Unprecedented rigorous public health measures were implemented during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic, but it is still unclear how the intervention influenced hospital visits for different types of diseases. We aimed to evaluate the impact of the intervention on hospital visits in Yinzhou District, Ningbo, Zhejiang province, China. METHODS: We conducted an interrupted time-series analysis from 1 January 2017 to 6 September 2020 based on the Yinzhou Health Information System in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. The beginning of the intervention was on 23 January 2020, and thus, there were 160 weeks before the intervention and 32 weeks after the implementation of the intervention. Level changes between expected and observed hospital visits in the post-intervention period were estimated using quasi-Poisson regression models. RESULTS: Compared with the expected level, there was an estimated decrease of -22.60% (95% confidence interval (CI): -27.53%, -17.36%) in the observed total hospital visits following the intervention. Observed hospital visits for diseases of the respiratory system were found to be decreased dramatically (-62.25%; 95% CI: -65.62%, -58.60%). However, observed hospital visits for certain diseases were estimated to be increased, including diseases of the nervous system (+11.17%; 95% CI: +3.21%, +19.74%); diseases of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (+27.01%; 95% CI: +17.89%, +36.85%); certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (+45.05%; 95% CI: +30.24%, +61.56%); and congenital malformation deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (+35.50%; 95% CI: +21.24%, +51.45%). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provided scientific evidence that cause-specific hospital visits evolve differently following the intervention during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Association of long-term exposure to ambient air pollution with the incidence of sleep disorders: A cohort study in China.

BACKGROUND: Sleep disorders have been verified to be associated with adverse health outcomes. Recent studies have linked ambient air pollution to sleep disorders. However, evidence with large sample size and especially prospective studies is very limited. METHODS: We used data from a prospective cohort study established from 2015 to 2018 in Ningbo, China. Participants were followed-up after baseline survey through linkage to the regional Health Information System (HIS). Sleep disorders were defined based on International Classification of Disease 10 (ICD-10). Spatial-temporal land-use regression (LUR) models were used to estimate the annual exposure to particulate matter with diameter ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5), ≤ 10 µm (PM10) and nitrogen dioxides (NO2). The associations between long-term exposure to air pollutants and prevalence of sleep disorders were examined using logistic regression models, and Cox regression models for the effects of air pollution on the incidence of sleep disorders. A generalized weighted quantile sum (gWQS) regression was used in the multipollutant analysis. RESULTS: A total of 38,775 participants were included in the final analysis. Based on baseline data, we observed significant positive associations between air pollution exposure and increased odds of prevalent sleep disorders (Odds Ratio (OR)= 1.48, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.41-1.55 for PM2.5; OR= 1.47,95%CI:1.38-1.57 for PM10; OR= 1.38, 95%CI:1.31-1.46 for NO2). In the longitudinal analysis, hazard ratios for incident sleep disorders associated with per interquartile range (IQR) increase in PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 were 1.14 (1.03, 1.25), 1.13 (1.01, 1.27) and 1.13 (1.04, 1.23), respectively. A gWQS regression analysis showed significant association between air pollution mixture and incident sleep disorders (OR=1.11, 95%CI: 1.03-1.20). CONCLUSIONS: Long-term exposure to PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 were associated with increased risk of sleep disorders in a Chinese population. Our findings could provide evidence for a more general role in the adverse health impact of air pollution.

The Great Imitator: Atypical Cutaneous Manifestations of Primary Syphilitic Chancre.

Objective To analyze the reasons of misdiagnosis of primary syphilitic chancre and strengthen the understanding of atypical features of this disease. Methods A case series of twenty-seven challenging primary syphilis patients who were not immediately recognized as chancre was included in our study. The clinical data including the patients' age, sex, skin lesions, HIV status, syphilis serologic test results, treatment, and follow-up results were collected. Hematoxylin-eosin and immunohistochemistry staining of skin biopsy sections were reviewed. Results Four female cases with extragenital chancres presenting as erythema or erosive skin lesions on the nipple were misdiagnosed as Paget's disease or eczema. The disorder of missed or misdiagnosed male cases manifested as syphilitic balanitis or multiple chancres on the penis root and adjacent pubis rather than coronal sulcus or frenum. Patients with nonreactive nontreponemal tests at initial presentation were also easily missed or misdiagnosed. Conclusion Primary syphilis presenting as multiple lesions rather than a single chancre, at atypical locations, or with a nonreactive nontreponemal test result, tends to be missed or misdiagnosed.

Association between visit-to-visit variability of HbA1c and cognitive decline: a pooled analysis of two prospective population-based cohorts.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between visit-to-visit variability in HbA1c and cognitive function decline in the elderly population. METHODS: We performed a pooled analysis of two prospective population-based cohorts (the Health Retirement Study [HRS] and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing [ELSA]). Cognitive function, including memory and executive function, were assessed at baseline and every 2 years, while HbA1c levels were assessed at baseline and every 4 years. Visit-to-visit variability (VVV) in HbA1c was calculated using the CV, SD and variation independent of the mean (VIM) during the follow-up period. Linear mixed models were used to evaluate the association between HbA1c variability and cognitive function decline with adjustment for demographics, mean HbA1c, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, BMI, baseline hypertension, baseline diabetes status and HDL-cholesterol. RESULTS: The study enrolled 6237 participants (58.23% women, mean age 63.38 ± 8.62 years) with at least three measurements of HbA1c. The median follow-up duration was 10.56 ± 1.86 years. In the overall sample, compared with the lowest quartile of HbA1c variability, participants in the highest quartile of HbA1c variability had a significantly worse memory decline rate (-0.094 SD/year, 95% CI -0.185, -0.003) and executive function decline rate (-0.083 SD/year, 95% CI -0.125, -0.041), irrespective of mean HbA1c values over time. Among individuals without diabetes, each 1-SD increment in HbA1c CV was associated with a significantly higher rate of memory z score decline (-0.029, 95% CI -0.052, -0.005) and executive function z score decline (-0.049, 95% CI -0.079, -0.018) in the fully adjusted model. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: We observed a significant association between long-term HbA1c variability and cognitive decline among the non-diabetic population in this study. The effect of maintaining steady glucose control on the rate of cognitive decline merits further investigation.

Regression-based normative data for social health scale for the elderly (short version) in eastern China.

BACKGROUNDS: Social Health Scale for the Elderly short version (SHSE-S) is a psychometrically sound instrument that comprehensively assesses the social health status of older adults in China. The aim of the present study was to establish continuous normative data of SHSE-S. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter cross-sectional study among 31 communities in eastern China. Older adults aged 60 years and above were invited to participate in the study. Each participant was interviewed in-person to finish a structured questionnaire. The SHES-S score was calculated and standardized for each participant. We split the sample into generation and validation datasets and compared the distribution of SHSE-S score between two datasets. Multivariable linear regression was used to assess the SHSE-S score and demographic variables. Regression-based norms were built using a four-step process. RESULTS: A total of 6089 participants (51.2% females) aged 60 years old and above (mean age = 71.3, SD = 8.0) were enrolled as the normative sample. No significant difference was found between the distribution of SHSE-S standardized score in the generation (N = 2392) and validation (N = 3697) datasets. Multivariable linear regression showed that females, higher education levels were positive indicators while aging, living alone, divorced or never married, multimorbidity were negative factors. The regression-based norm which taking demographic factors into account was established and a user-friendly worksheet was also provided to facilitate the scoring and norming of the SHSE-S. CONCLUSIONS: The population-based regression norm of SHSE-S can be a useful tool for assessing the social health status of the Chinese elderly population.

Association between social health status and health-related quality of life among community-dwelling elderly in Zhejiang.

BACKGROUND: Population aging is an inevitable trend and previous studies have showed the relationship between social health related factors and health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) in the elderly. The objective of this study is to investigate the association of social health status with HR-QOL among community-dwelling elderly in Zhejiang. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was based on community-dwelling elderly individuals from July 2018 to September 2018 in Zhejiang, China. HR-QOL was measured by the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12). Social health status was estimated by the long-form of the Social Health Scale for the Elderly (SHSE-L) and classified into three categories (poor, moderate and good). Multivariable linear regression models were conducted to evaluate the association between social health status and HR-QOL (PCS, MCS and SF-12 total score). RESULTS: A total of 2952 elderly participants were included in this study. The mean age was 70.68 ± 7.75 years (mean ± SD); of the eligible participants, more than half (50.4%) were females; the mean scores were 48.10 ± 8.49, 47.70 ± 7.09 and 47.90 ± 5.86 for PCS, MCS and SF-12 total score, separately. Results from the multivariable models showed that social health status was positively related to HR-QOL after adjusting for covariates. Compared with individuals with a poor social health status, those who had a moderate or good social health status were more likely to report better HR-QOL (for moderate social health status: ß = 1.90(95%CI: 1.09, 2.71) for PCS, ß = 1.78(1.08, 2.48) for MCS, ß = 1.84(1.29, 2.39) for SF-12 total score; for good social health status: ß = 3.29(2.24, 4.34) for PCS, ß = 3.10(2.12, 4.01) for MCS, ß = 3.20(2.48, 3.91) for SF-12 total score). CONCLUSION: In our study, we found that social health status was positively associated with HR-QOL among the elderly in Zhejiang. Our findings could provide valuable information for decision-makers to develop interventions to improve the HR-QOL of the elderly.

Intra-individual variability of total cholesterol is associated with cardiovascular disease mortality: A cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The relationship between serum total cholesterol (TC) and mortality remains inconsistent. Additionally, intra-individual variability of cholesterol has been of increasing interest as a new indicator for health outcomes. We aimed to examine the association between TC and its variability and risk of mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a retrospective cohort study with 122,645 individuals aged over 40 years in Ningbo, China. The intra-individual variability was calculated using four metrics including standard deviation, coefficient variation, variation independent of mean and average successive variability. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated for the associations of baseline and variability in TC with risk of mortality by Cox proportional hazards regression models. During 591,585.3 person-years of follow-up, 4563 deaths (including 1365 from cardiovascular disease, 788 from stroke and 1514 from cancer) occurred. A U-shaped association was observed for baseline TC level and risk of total, cardiovascular and cancer mortality, with lowest mortality at 5.46 mmol/L, 5.04 mmol/L and 5.51 mmol/L, respectively. As compared with subjects with TC variability in the lowest quartile, individuals in the highest quartile had 21% higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.40), and 41% higher risk of CVD mortality (HR = 1.41, 95%CI: 1.10 to 1.81). CONCLUSION: Both too low and too high baseline TC level were associated with higher risk of total, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality. Variability of TC could be a risk factor of total and CVD mortality, independent of mean TC level. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Highly stretchable carbon nanotube transistors with ion gel gate dielectrics.

Field-effect transistors (FETs) that are stretchable up to 50% without appreciable degradation in performance are demonstrated. The FETs are based on buckled thin films of polyfluorene-wrapped semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the channel, a flexible ion gel as the dielectric, and buckled metal films as electrodes. The buckling of the CNT film enables the high degree of stretchability while the flexible nature of the ion gel allows it to maintain a high quality interface with the CNTs during stretching. An excellent on/off ratio of >10(4), a field-effect mobility of 10 cm(2) · V(-1) · s(-1), and a low operating voltage of <2 V are achieved over repeated mechanical cycling, with further strain accommodation possible. Deformable FETs are expected to facilitate new technologies like stretchable displays, conformal devices, and electronic skins.

Semiconducting carbon nanotube aerogel bulk heterojunction solar cells.

Using a novel two-step fabrication scheme, we create highly semiconducting-enriched single-walled carbon nanotube (sSWNT) bulk heterojunctions (BHJs) by first creating highly porous interconnected sSWNT aerogels (sSWNT-AEROs), followed by back-filling the pores with [6,6]-phenyl-C(71)-butyric acid methyl ester (PC(71)BM). We demonstrate sSWNT-AERO structures with density as low as 2.5 mg cm(-3), porosity as high as 99.8%, and diameter of sSWNT fibers ≤ 10 nm. Upon spin coating with PC(71)BM, the resulting sSWNT-AERO-PC(71)BM nanocomposites exhibit highly quenched sSWNT photoluminescence, which is attributed to the large interfacial area between the sSWNT and PC(71)BM phases, and an appropriate sSWNT fiber diameter that matches the inter-sSWNT exciton migration length. Employing the sSWNT-AERO-PC(71)BM BHJ structure, we report optimized solar cells with a power conversion efficiency of 1.7%, which is exceptional among polymer-like solar cells in which sSWNTs are designed to replace either the polymer or fullerene component. A fairly balanced photocurrent is achieved with 36% peak external quantum efficiency (EQE) in the visible and 19% peak EQE in the near-infrared where sSWNTs serve as electron donors and photoabsorbers. Our results prove the effectiveness of this new method in controlling the sSWNT morphology in BHJ structures, suggesting a promising route towards highly efficient sSWNT photoabsorbing solar cells.

Photoexcitation dynamics of coupled semiconducting carbon nanotube thin films.

Carbon nanotubes are a promising means of capturing photons for use in solar cell devices. We time-resolved the photoexcitation dynamics of coupled, bandgap-selected, semiconducting carbon nanotubes in thin films tailored for photovoltaics. Using transient absorption spectroscopy and anisotropy measurements, we found that the photoexcitation evolves by two mechanisms with a fast and long-range component followed by a slow and short-range component. Within 300 fs of optical excitation, 20% of nanotubes transfer their photoexcitation over 5-10 nm into nearby nanotube fibers. After 3 ps, 70% of the photoexcitation resides on the smallest bandgap nanotubes. After this ultrafast process, the photoexcitation continues to transfer on a ~10 ps time scale but to predominantly aligned tubes. Ultimately the photoexcitation hops twice on average between fibers. These results are important for understanding the flow of energy and charge in coupled nanotube materials and light-harvesting devices.

Interaction between body mass index and family history of cancer on the risk of female breast cancer.

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 < 24 kg/m2 and no family history of cancer, women with BMI of ≥ 24 kg/m2 and a family history of cancer had a higher risk for breast cancer with HR 2.06 (95% CI 1.39, 3.06). There was an additive interaction between BMI and family history of cancer on breast cancer incidence, with the RERI being 0.29 (95% CI 0.08, 0.51) and the AP being 0.37 (95% CI 0.08, 0.66). The coexistence of obesity and cancer family history may exacerbate breast cancer incidence risk, highlighting the importance of weight management in women with a family history of cancer.

Large-Scale Proteome Profiling Identifies Biomarkers Associated with Suspected Neurosyphilis Diagnosis.

Neurosyphilis (NS) is a central nervous system (CNS) infection caused by Treponema pallidum (T. pallidum). NS can occur at any stage of syphilis and manifests as a broad spectrum of clinical symptoms. Often referred to as "the great imitator," NS can be easily overlooked or misdiagnosed due to the absence of standard diagnostic tests, potentially leading to severe and irreversible organ dysfunction. In this study, proteomic and machine learning model techniques are used to characterize 223 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples to identify diagnostic markers of NS and provide insights into the underlying mechanisms of the associated inflammatory responses. Three biomarkers (SEMA7A, SERPINA3, and ITIH4) are validated as contributors to NS diagnosis through multicenter verification of an additional 115 CSF samples. We anticipate that the identified biomarkers will become effective tools for assisting in diagnosis of NS. Our insights into NS pathogenesis in brain tissue may inform therapeutic strategies and drug discoveries for NS patients.

A Bibliometric Analysis of Melanoma Treated with Vaccinations Research from 2013 to 2023: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUNDS: Melanoma is a malignant tumor that originates from melanocytes and is known for its aggressive behavior and high metastatic potential. In recent years, vaccine therapy has emerged as a promising approach for the treatment of melanoma, offering targeted and individualized immunotherapy options. In this study, we conducted a bibliometric analysis to assess the global research trends and impact of publications related to melanoma and vaccine therapy. METHODS: We retrieved relevant literature from the Web of Science database from the past decade (2013-2023) using keywords such as "melanoma", "vaccine therapy", and "cancer vaccines". We used bibliometric indicators including publication trends, citation analysis, co-authorship analysis, and journal analysis to evaluate the research landscape of this field. RESULTS: After screening, a total of 493 publications were included in the analysis. We found that melanoma and vaccine therapy have gained significant attention in the field of cancer immunotherapy, as evidenced by the numerous research output and increasing citation impact. The United States, China, and their organizations are the leading countries/institutes in terms of publication output, and collaborative research networks are prominent in this field. Clinical trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of vaccination treatment in melanoma patients are the focus of research. CONCLUSIONS: This study provide valuable insights into the novel research landscape of vaccine treatment of melanoma, which could inform future research directions and facilitate knowledge exchange among researchers in this field.

Telomere length is associated with increased risk of cutaneous melanoma: a Mendelian randomization study.

RESULTS: The MR analysis using two TL GWAS datasets revealed strong and consistent evidence that long TL is causally associated with an increased risk of CM. The analysis of the Codd et al. dataset found that long TL significantly predicted an elevated risk of CM (IVW OR = 2.411, 95% CI 2.092-2.780, P = 8.05E-34). Similarly, the analysis of the Li et al. dataset yielded consistent positive results across all MR methods, providing further robustness to the causal relationship (IVW OR = 2.324, 95% CI 1.516-3.565, P = 1.11E-04). The study provides evidence for a causal association between TL and CM susceptibility, indicating that longer TL increases the risk of developing CM and providing insight into the unique telomere biology in melanoma pathogenesis. Telomere maintenance pathways may be a potential target for preventing and treating CM.