Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on Body Mass Index: a three-year follow up study in 6,156 Chinese college students.

Background: The novel coronavirus disease 2019 as the most pervasive and consequential pandemic in recent years, has exerted significant impacts on human health, including aspects related to body weight. Objectives: This study aims to assess the influence of the lockdown measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic on Chinese college students' Body Mass Index (BMI) through a three-year cohort study. Methods: We recruited 6156 college students (n = 4,248, 69% male, and n = 1,908, 31% female, with an average age of 18.68 ± 0.86 yr.) from a University in China to participate in this three-year cohort study. All of the subjects took the same physical fitness tests from 2019 to 2021 (pre-lockdown, during lockdown and post-lockdown). Participants' height and weight data were objectively measured by Tongfang Health Fitness Testing Products 5000 series. A paired t-test was performed in the analysis. Results: During the lockdown, there is 4.2% increase of BMI among the college student (p<0.001). Moreover, males had a greater overall mean BMI rate increase of 4.74% (p<0.001) than females (2.86%, p<0.001). After the lockdown, there is 0.94% increase of BMI among the college student (p<0.001). However, females had a greater overall mean BMI rate increase of 1.49% (p<0.001) than males (0.72%, p<0.001). During this period, the obese and overweight group's growth rate from 2019 to 2020 was smaller than the normal and underweight group, which were 2.94% (p<0.001), 3.90% (p<0.001), 4.44% (p<0.001) and 5.25% (p<0.001), respectively. Conclusion: BMI increased both during and post-lockdown periods among Chinese college students. However, during the lockdown, participants with higher BMI groups appeared to have a diminished BMI growth rate compared to those with lower BMI. After the lockdown, participants with higher BMI levels appeared to have an augmented BMI growth rate. Public policy action is needed to increase the level of physical activity of Chinese college students and take action to improve students' physical fitness performance after the lockdown.

Genome-centric metagenomics and methanogenic pathway analysis for acclimated anaerobic digestion of chicken manure with high ammonia stressed under thermophilic condition.

Thermophilic anaerobic digestion (AD) of animal manure offers various environmental benefits but the process requires a microbial community acclimatized to high ammonia. In current study, a lab-scale continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) fed with chicken manure was operated under thermophilic condition for 450 days in total. Results showed that the volumetric methane production decreased from 445 to 328 and sharply declined to 153 mL L-1·d-1 with feeding total solid (TS) step increased from 5% to 7.5% and 10%, respectively. While, after a long-term stop feeding for 80 days, highly disturbed reactor was able to recover methane generation to 739 mL L-1·d-1 at feeding TS of 10%. Isotope analysis indicted acetate converted to methane through the syntrophic acetate oxidation and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis (SAO-HM) pathway increased from 33% to 63% as the concentration of ammonium increased from 2493 to 6258 mg L-1. Significant different in the genome expression of the SAO bacterial from 0.09% to 1.23%, combining with main hydrogenotrophic partners (Methanoculleus spp. and Methanothermobacter spp.) contented of 2.1% and 99.9% during inhibitory and recovery stages, respectively. The highly expressed KEGG pathway in level 3 (enzyme genes) for the Recovery sludge combining with the extraordinary high abundance of genera Halocella sp. suggested that Halocella sp. might be a highly efficient hydrolytic and acidogenic microorganism and enhance the process of SAO during carbon metabolic flow to methane. This report will be a basis for further study of AD studies on high nitrogen content of poultry manure.

Melt-spun polylactide/ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer fiber.

Polylactide/ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (PLA/EVOH) blends and fibers with different weight ratios were prepared by melt blending, and two-step melt spinning, respectively. PLA and EVOH in PLA/EVOH blends were immiscible. When EVOH content was ≤60 %, EVOH with the average diameter of about 3 µm was dispersed in PLA matrix uniformly. The dual continuous phases could be observed in PLA/EVOH blend with 70 wt% EVOH. When the EVOH content was ≥80 %, the spherical PLA phase with the diameter of 0.25 to 1 µm was dispersed in EVOH matrix. The introduction of EVOH as nucleating agent could promote the crystallization of PLA. Both PLA and EVOH components in PLA/EVOH blends formed individual crystal phases. The viscosity of PLA/EVOH blend with 5 % EVOH was lower than that of neat PLA. The viscosity of PLA/EVOH blends with the EVOH content of ≥10 % was much higher than that of neat PLA, which showed obvious shear thinning behavior. With the increase of EVOH content, the shear thinning behavior became obvious and the critical shear rate decreased gradually. The drawn PLA/EVOH fibers with the tensile strength of ≥16 cN/tex exhibited good mechanical properties. In addition, the introduction of EVOH could improve the hydrophilicity of PLA fibers.

Quantitative profiling of m6A at single base resolution across the life cycle of rice and Arabidopsis.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) plays critical roles in regulating mRNA metabolism. However, comprehensive m6A methylomes in different plant tissues with single-base precision have yet to be reported. Here, we present transcriptome-wide m6A maps at single-base resolution in different tissues of rice and Arabidopsis using m6A-SAC-seq. Our analysis uncovers a total of 205,691 m6A sites distributed across 22,574 genes in rice, and 188,282 m6A sites across 19,984 genes in Arabidopsis. The evolutionarily conserved m6A sites in rice and Arabidopsis ortholog gene pairs are involved in controlling tissue development, photosynthesis and stress response. We observe an overall mRNA stabilization effect by 3' UTR m6A sites in certain plant tissues. Like in mammals, a positive correlation between the m6A level and the length of internal exons is also observed in plant mRNA, except for the last exon. Our data suggest an active m6A deposition process occurring near the stop codon in plant mRNA. In addition, the MTA-installed plant mRNA m6A sites correlate with both translation promotion and translation suppression, depicting a more complicated regulatory picture. Our results therefore provide in-depth resources for relating single-base resolution m6A sites with functions in plants and uncover a suppression-activation model controlling m6A biogenesis across species.

Research on Detection Efficiency of Imaging Plates for Alpha Particles Using Two Types of Imaging Plate.

ABSTRACT: Imaging plates can measure isotopes with alpha decay (such as radon and its progeny, americium, and so on). However, the detection efficiency of imaging plates is affected by alpha particle energy, types of imaging plates, and the overlapping effect. In this study, simulations were performed to analyze the relationship between detection efficiency and these three influence factors. The research findings suggest that BAS-TR and BAS-MS are well-suited for the detection of alpha particles with energy levels below 6.83 MeV and above, respectively. The track overlap effect correction method proposed in this study is applicable to both BAS-TR and BAS-MS image plates. The measurement results of radon progeny demonstrate that the correction method enhances the detection efficiency from 0.203 to 0.288. This study presents a valuable approach for selecting the appropriate image plate and correcting the track overlap effect in the measurement of alpha radioactive material concentration and other related information.

Effectiveness and safety of robot-assisted versus fluoroscopy-assisted pedicle screw implantation in scoliosis surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of robot-assisted versus fluoroscopy-assisted pedicle screw implantation in scoliosis surgery. The study was registered in the PROSPERO (CRD42023471837). Two independent researchers searched PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. The outcomes included operation time, pedicle screw implantation time, blood loss, number of fluoroscopic, accuracy of pedicle screw position, hospital stays, postoperative hospital stays, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, Scoliosis Research Society-22(SRS-22), cobb angle, cobb angle correction rate, sagittal vertical axis (SVA), and complications. Eight papers involving 473 patients met all the criteria. There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding the reduction in operation time. The effect of reducing the pedicle screw implantation time in the RA group was significant (WMD = -1.28; 95% CI: -1.76 to -0.80; P < 0.00001). The effect of reducing the blood loss in the RA group was significant (WMD=-105.57; 95% CI: -206.84 to -4.31; P = 0.04). The effect of reducing the number of fluoroscopic in the RA group was significant (WMD=-5.93; 95% CI: -8.24 to -3.62; P < ). The pedicle screw position of Grade A was significantly more in the RA group according to both the Gertzbein-Robbins scale and the Rampersaud scale. Compared with the FA group, the difference in the hospital stays in the RA group was not statistically significant, but the effect of reducing the postoperative hospital stays in the RA group was significant (WMD = -2.88; 95% CI: -4.13 to -1.63; P < 0.00001). The difference in the VAS, JOA, SRS-22, Cobb angle and Cobb angle correction rate, SVA, and complications between the two groups was not statistically significant. The robot-assisted technique achieved statistically significant results in terms of pedicle screw placement time, blood loss, number of fluoroscopies, accuracy of pedicle screw position, and postoperative hospital stay.

Structure and properties of chlorogenic acid-loaded polylactide fiber prepared by melt spinning.

Polylactide/chlorogenic acid (PLA/CGA) blends with different weight ratios were prepared by melt mixing, and corresponding PLA/CGA fibers were produced via a two-step melt spinning process. For PLA/CGA blends, CGA was distributed uniformly in the PLA matrix. The intermolecular interactions between CGA and PLA existed. The viscosity of PLA/CGA blends was much lower than that of neat PLA. With the increase of CGA content, the viscosity of PLA/CGA blends decreased. As the CGA content increased, the crystallinity of both PLA/CGA blends and fibers decreased. In addition, the tensile strength of PLA/CGA fibers was slightly lower than that of neat PLA fiber. For PLA/CGA fibers, the 6-fold drawn PLA/CGA fiber with 3 % CGA owned the highest tensile strength of 420 MPa. The ultraviolet (UV) resistance of PLA/CGA fibers were enhanced significantly by the introduction of CGA. When the CGA content was not <3 %, the UV transmittance of PLA/CGA fibers was <8 %. Moreover, PLA/CGA fibers exhibited good antioxidant properties. PLA/CGA fibers with 10 % CGA owned the highest antioxidant rate of >90 %. In addition, the 6-fold drawn PLA/CGA fiber with 10 % CGA presented excellent release performance with a 7-day cumulative CGA release rate of 19 %.

Remote Evaluation of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia: Protocol for a Feasibility and Acceptability Mixed Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: Sleep disturbances are a potentially modifiable risk factor for neurodegenerative dementia secondary to Alzheimer disease (AD) and Lewy body disease (LBD). Therefore, we need to identify the best methods to study sleep in this population. OBJECTIVE: This study will assess the feasibility and acceptability of various wearable devices, smart devices, and remote study tasks in sleep and cognition research for people with AD and LBD. METHODS: We will deliver a feasibility and acceptability study alongside a prospective observational cohort study assessing sleep and cognition longitudinally in the home environment. Adults aged older than 50 years who were diagnosed with mild to moderate dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to probable AD or LBD and age-matched controls will be eligible. Exclusion criteria include lack of capacity to consent to research, other causes of MCI or dementia, and clinically significant sleep disorders. Participants will complete a cognitive assessment and questionnaires with a researcher and receive training and instructions for at-home study tasks across 8 weeks. At-home study tasks include remote sleep assessments using wearable devices (electroencephalography headband and actigraphy watch), app-based sleep diaries, online cognitive assessments, and saliva samples for melatonin- and cortisol-derived circadian markers. Feasibility outcomes will be assessed relating to recruitment and retention, data completeness, data quality, and support required. Feedback on acceptability and usability will be collected throughout the study period and end-of-study interviews will be analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Recruitment started in February 2022. Data collection is ongoing, with final data expected in February 2024 and data analysis and publication of findings scheduled for the summer of 2024. CONCLUSIONS: This study will allow us to assess if remote testing using smart devices and wearable technology is a viable alternative to traditional sleep measurements, such as polysomnography and questionnaires, in older adults with and without MCI or dementia due to AD or LBD. Understanding participant experience and the barriers and facilitators to technology use for research purposes and remote research in this population will assist with the development of, recruitment to, and retention within future research projects studying sleep and cognition outside of the clinic or laboratory. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/52652.

Phase-Transition-Promoted Thermoelectric Textiles Based on Twin Surface-Modified CNT Fibers.

With the fast development of new science and technology, wearable devices are in great demand in modern human daily life. However, the energy problem is a long-lasting issue to achieve real smart, wearable, and portable devices. Flexible thermoelectric generators (TEGs) based on thermoelectric conversion systems can convert body waste heat into electricity with excellent flexibility and wearability, which shows a new direction to solving this issue. Here in this work, polyethylenimine (PEI) and gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) twin surface-modified carbon nanotube fibers (CNTFs) were designed and prepared to fabricate thermoelectric textiles (TET) with high performance, good air stability, and high-efficiency power generation. To better utilize the heat emitted by the human body, microencapsulated phase change materials (MPCM) were coated on the hot end of the TET to achieve the phase-transition-promoted TET. MPCM-coated TET device could generate 25.7% more energy than the untreated control device, which indicates the great potential of the phase-transition-promoted TET.

Effectiveness and safety of robot-assisted versus fluoroscopy-assisted cortical bone trajectory screw instrumentation in spinal surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Robot-assisted (RA) technology has been shown to be a safe aid in spine surgery, this meta-analysis aims to compare surgical parameters and clinical indexes between robot-assisted cortical bone trajectory (CBT) and fluoroscopy-assisted (FA) cortical bone trajectory in spinal surgery. We searched databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure. The study selection process was guided by the PICOS (Patient/Problem, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Study Design) strategy. The risk of bias in non-randomized comparative studies was assessed using the risk of bias in non-randomized studies of interventions (ROBINS-I) tool. We performed this meta-analysis using RevMan 5.3 software (Cochrane Collaboration, Copenhagen, Denmark), and the level of statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Six articles involving 371 patients and 1535 screws were included in this meta-analysis. RA-CBT outperformed FA-CBT in terms of various parameters, such as accuracy of pedicle screw position (both Gertzbein-Robbins scale and Ding scale), avoidance of superior facet joint violation (FJV), and reduction of neurological injury. Our meta-analysis offered a thorough evaluation of the efficacy and safety of RA-CBT in spinal surgery. The findings revealed that RA-CBT produced statistically significant results in terms of pedicle screw position accuracy and superior facet joint violation prevention. In terms of surgical parameters and clinical indexes, future research and clinical practice should investigate the efficacy of RA-CBT further. The study was registered in the PROSPERO (CRD42023466280).

Hardware algorithm design and validation for nuclear radiation imaging based on Monte Carlo simulation.

The nuclear radiation imaging technology, aimed at illustrating the position and distribution of radioactive sources, has undergone extensive research. By relying on a simulated radiation imaging system for data acquisition, we can significantly expedite the development cycle of these imaging instruments. Establishing simulated experimental scenarios and radiation imaging systems is of paramount significance in obtaining output signals for algorithmic testing and validation. This study is divided into two parts: simulation and hardware algorithm. In the simulation part, precise simulation of scintillation light transport in a crystal was achieved using the GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulation toolkit. A LaBr3(Ce) detector system was simulated by digitizing photon interactions. In the hardware algorithm part, a positioning algorithm based on a fully connected neural network was implemented and optimized using a heterogeneous distributed storage approach. The system validated and assessed the FPGA-based neural network gamma camera positioning algorithm, demonstrating significant consistency with computer-generated images in capturing the shape and dispersion of radioactive sources (planar, multi-point, and ring-shaped).

Differentiable Design Galleries: A Differentiable Approach to Explore the Design Space of Transfer Functions.

The transfer function is crucial for direct volume rendering (DVR) to create an informative visual representation of volumetric data. However, manually adjusting the transfer function to achieve the desired DVR result can be time-consuming and unintuitive. In this paper, we propose Differentiable Design Galleries, an image-based transfer function design approach to help users explore the design space of transfer functions by taking advantage of the recent advances in deep learning and differentiable rendering. Specifically, we leverage neural rendering to learn a latent design space, which is a continuous manifold representing various types of implicit transfer functions. We further provide a set of interactive tools to support intuitive query, navigation, and modification to obtain the target design, which is represented as a neural-rendered design exemplar. The explicit transfer function can be reconstructed from the target design with a differentiable direct volume renderer. Experimental results on real volumetric data demonstrate the effectiveness of our method.

A systematic review on adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in individuals with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease dementia.

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is highly prevalent in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). The gold standard treatment for OSA is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Long-term, well-powered efficacy trials are required to understand whether CPAP could slow cognitive decline in individuals with MCI/AD, but its tolerability in this group remains uncertain. The present review investigates CPAP adherence among individuals with OSA and MCI/AD. Electronic searches were performed on 8 databases. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. Six independent studies and four secondary analyses included 278 unique participants (mean age = 72.1 years). In five of the retained studies, around half of participants (45% N = 85 MCI, 56% N = 22 AD) were adherent to CPAP, where ≥4 h use per night was considered adherent. Three of the retained studies also reported average CPAP use to range between 3.2 and 6.3 h/night. CPAP adherence in individuals with MCI and AD is low, albeit similar to the general elderly population. Reporting adherence in future studies as both average duration as well as using a binary cut-off would improve our understanding of the optimum CPAP use in dementia clinical trials and care.

Glucose microenvironment sensitive degradation of arginine modified calcium sulfate reinforced poly(lactide-co-glycolide) composite scaffolds.

Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) and calcium sulfate composites are promising biodegradable biomaterials but are still challenging to use in people with high levels of blood glucose or diabetes. To date, the influence of glucose on their degradation has not yet been elucidated and thus calls for more research attention. Herein, a novel calcium sulfate whisker with L-arginine was used to effectively tune its crystal morphology and was employed as a reinforced phase to construct the PLGA-based composite scaffolds (ArgCSH/PLGA) with a sleeve porous structure. ArgCSH/PLGA showed excellent elastic modulus and strength in the compression and bending models. Moreover, an in vitro immersion test showed that ArgCSH/PLGA possessed degradation and redeposition behaviors sensitive to glucose concentration, and the adsorbed Arg played a crucial role in the degradation process. The subsequent cell functional evaluation showed that ArgCSH could effectively protect cells from damage caused by AGEs and promote osteogenic differentiation. The corresponding degradation products of ArgCSH/PLGA displayed the ability to regulate osteoblast bone differentiation and accelerate matrix mineralization. These findings provide new insights into the interaction between biomaterials and the physiological environment, which may be useful in expanding the targeted choice of efficient bone graft biodegradable materials for diabetic osteoporosis.

PVDF Nanofiber Modified with ZnO Nanowires/Polydopamine for the Treatment of Sewage Containing Heavy Metals, Organic Dyes, and Bacteria.

In various countries worldwide, the issue of wastewater contamination poses a significant threat due to its intricate composition of heavy metals, organic dyes, and microorganisms, thereby complicating the purification process. Consequently, researchers have expressed considerable interest in materials capable of eliminating organic, heavy metal, and microbial pollutants. This study focuses on the fabrication of a water purification membrane (PDA/ZnO-NWs/PVDF) with a hierarchical structure and the ability to remove multiple pollutants. The membrane was created by modifying poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanofiber with zinc oxide nanowires (ZnO-NWs) and reinforcing it with polydopamine (PDA). The experimental results demonstrate that the PDA/ZnO-NWs/PVDF membrane exhibits a range of functionalities, including long-lasting superhydrophilicity, Cu(II) adsorption, photocatalytic degradation, and antibacterial ability. The manipulation of the DA synthesis procedure allows for the adjustment of the wettability, adsorption, and photocatalytic and antibacterial activities of the PDA/ZnO-NWs/PVDF composite. According to the Langmuir isotherm, the maximum Cu(II) adsorption capacity of the PDA/ZnO-NWs/PVDF membrane is determined to be 65.75 mg/g, which is significantly higher (27.26 mg/g) than that of the ZnO-NWs/PVDF membrane (38.49 mg/g). The PDA/ZnO-NWs/PVDF composite exhibited a notable degradation capacity toward rhodamine B under natural sunlight, reaching a maximum of 5.97 mg/g. Additionally, the degradation rate achieved during daylight hours was as high as 90.42%. Furthermore, the antibacterial efficacy of the PDA/ZnO-NWs/PVDF composite against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria approached 100%. This work presents a promising approach for the treatment of wastewater containing various coexisting contaminants.

Reviewing the evolutive ACQ-to-AIE transformation of photosensitizers for phototheranostics.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) represents an emerging noninvasive treatment technique for cancers and various nonmalignant diseases, including infections. During the process of PDT, the physical and chemical properties of photosensitizers (PSs) critically determine the effectiveness of PDT. Traditional PSs have made great progress in clinical applications. One of the challenges is that traditional PSs suffer from aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) due to their discotic structures. Recently, aggregation-induced emission PSs (AIE-PSs) with a twisted propeller-shaped conformation have been widely concerned because of high reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation efficiency, strong fluorescence efficiency, and resistance to photobleaching. However, AIE-PSs also have some disadvantages, such as short absorption wavelengths and insufficient molar absorption coefficient. When the advantages and disadvantages of AIE-PSs and ACQ-PSs are complementary, combining ACQ-PSs and AIE-PSs is a "win-to-win" strategy. As far as we know, the conversion of traditional representative ACQ-PSs to AIE-PSs for phototheranostics has not been reviewed. In the review, we summarize the recent progress on the ACQ-to-AIE transformation of PSs and the strategies to achieve desirable theranostic applications. The review would be helpful to design more efficient ACQ-AIE-PSs in the future and to accelerate the development and clinical application of PDT.

Remote evaluation of sleep to enhance understanding of early dementia due to Alzheimer's Disease (RESTED-AD): an observational cohort study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Sleep and circadian rhythm disorders are well recognised in both AD (Alzheimer's Disease) dementia and MCI-AD (Mild Cognitive Impairment due to Alzheimer's Disease). Such abnormalities include insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, decreased sleep efficiency, increased sleep fragmentation and sundowning. Enhancing understanding of sleep abnormalities may unveil targets for intervention in sleep, a promising approach given hypotheses that sleep disorders may exacerbate AD pathological progression and represent a contributory factor toward impaired cognitive performance and worse quality of life. This may also permit early diagnosis of AD pathology, widely acknowledged as a pre-requisite for future disease-modifying therapies. This study aims to bridge the divide between in-laboratory polysomnographic studies which allow for rich characterisation of sleep but in an unnatural setting, and naturalistic studies typically approximating sleep through use of non-EEG wearable devices. It is also designed to record sleep patterns over a 2 month duration sufficient to capture both infradian rhythm and compensatory responses following suboptimal sleep. Finally, it harnesses an extensively phenotyped population including with AD blood biomarkers. Its principal aims are to improve characterisation of sleep and biological rhythms in individuals with AD, particularly focusing on micro-architectural measures of sleep, compensatory responses to suboptimal sleep and the relationship between sleep parameters, biological rhythms and cognitive performance. METHODS/DESIGN: This observational cohort study has two arms (AD-MCI / mild AD dementia and aged-matched healthy adults). Each participant undergoes a baseline visit for collection of demographic, physiological and neuropsychological information utilising validated questionnaires. The main study period involves 7 nights of home-based multi-channel EEG sleep recording nested within an 8-week study period involving continuous wrist-worn actigraphy, sleep diaries and regular brief cognitive tests. Measurement of sleep parameters will be at home thereby obtaining a real-world, naturalistic dataset. Cognitive testing will be repeated at 6 months to stratify participants by longitudinal disease progression. DISCUSSION: This study will generate new insights particularly in micro-architectural measures of sleep, circadian patterns and compensatory sleep responses in a population with and without AD neurodegenerative change. It aims to enhance standards of remotely based sleep research through use of a well-phenotyped population and advanced sleep measurement technology.

Effects of green space on physical activity and body weight status among Chinese adults: a systematic review.

Background: Green space may provide many benefits to residents' health behaviors and body weight status, but the evidence is still relatively scattered among Chinese adults. The purpose of this study was to review the scientific evidence on the effects of green space on physical activity (PA) and body weight status among Chinese adults. Methods: A keyword and reference search was conducted in Pubmed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO. Studies examining the associations between green space and PA, body mass index (BMI) among Chinese adults were included. The quality of the included literature was evaluated using the National Institutes of Health's Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Study Quality Assessment Tool. Results: A total of 31 studies were included that met the inclusion criteria, including 25 studies with a cross-sectional design, 3 studies with a longitudinal design, and 3 studies with an experimental design. Street-level green view index and green space accessibility were found to be positively associated with PA, but negatively associated with BMI. In most studies, there was a correlation between green space ratio in local areas and BMI. In addition, green space interventions were effective in increasing PA and decreasing BMI among Chinese adults. In contrast, further evidence is needed to support the association between the design characteristics of green space and PA and BMI. Conclusion: Preliminary evidence suggests that green space has a positive effect on PA and BMI among Chinese adults. However, there are contradictory findings, and future studies adopting longitudinal and quasi-experimental studies are needed to further explore the causal relationship between green space and PA and BMI to provide a relevant theoretical basis for policymakers.

Overexpression of LaGRAS enhances phosphorus acquisition via increased root growth of phosphorus-deficient white lupin.

The GRAS transcription factors play an indispensable role in plant growth and responses to environmental stresses. The GRAS gene family has extensively been explored in various plant species; however, the comprehensive investigation of GRAS genes in white lupin remains insufficient. In this study, bioinformatics analysis of white lupin genome revealed 51 LaGRAS genes distributed into 10 distinct phylogenetic clades. Gene structure analyses revealed that LaGRAS proteins were considerably conserved among the same subfamilies. Notably, 25 segmental duplications and a single tandem duplication showed that segmental duplication was the major driving force for the expansion of GRAS genes in white lupin. Moreover, LaGRAS genes exhibited preferential expression in young cluster root and mature cluster roots and may play key roles in nutrient acquisition, particularly phosphorus (P). To validate this, RT-qPCR analysis of white lupin plants grown under +P (normal P) and -P (P deficiency) conditions elucidated significant differences in the transcript level of GRAS genes. Among them, LaGRAS38 and LaGRAS39 were identified as potential candidates with induced expression in MCR under -P. Additionally, white lupin transgenic hairy root overexpressing OE-LaGRAS38 and OE-LaGRAS39 showed increased root growth, and P concentration in root and leaf compared to those with empty vector control, suggesting their role in P acquisition. We believe this comprehensive analysis of GRAS members in white lupin is a first step in exploring their role in the regulation of root growth, tissue development, and ultimately improving P use efficiency in legume crops under natural environments.

Retigabine promotes ketamine's antidepressant effect in the forced swim test in male and female C57BL/6J mice.

Ketamine has been increasingly used as a rapid-onset antidepressant in specific clinical settings. However, as a psychedelic reagent, the potential of physical and psychological dependence limits its clinical use. Here, we added retigabine, a KCNQ channel opener, as an adjunctive treatment to observe its effect on ketamine's antidepressant property in a forced swim test in both male and female C57BL/6 J mice. Behavioral data demonstrated that intraperitoneal injection of ketamine exhibited a dose-dependent effect on animals' immobility performance in the forced swim test. Adding retigabine was sufficient to induce a remarkable antidepressant effect in mice treated with a relatively lower dose of ketamine which failed to be antidepressant when administrated separately. When simultaneously gave retigabine, ketamine's antidepressant effect in the forced swim test was significantly enhanced with a prolonged effective duration. Together, these results from both male and female mice indicated that adjunctive treatment with retigabine was an alternative to promote the antidepressant effect of ketamine, thus holding the possibility of encountering its possible physical and psychological dependence.