High-entropy polymer produces a giant electrocaloric effect at low fields.

More than a decade of research on the electrocaloric (EC) effect has resulted in EC materials and EC multilayer chips that satisfy a minimum EC temperature change of 5 K required for caloric heat pumps1-3. However, these EC temperature changes are generated through the application of high electric fields4-8 (close to their dielectric breakdown strengths), which result in rapid degradation and fatigue of EC performance. Here we report a class of EC polymer that exhibits an EC entropy change of 37.5 J kg-1 K-1 and a temperature change of 7.5 K under 50 MV m-1, a 275% enhancement over the state-of-the-art EC polymers under the same field strength. We show that converting a small number of the chlorofluoroethylene groups in poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorofluoroethylene) terpolymer into covalent double bonds markedly increases the number of the polar entities and enhances the polar-nonpolar interfacial areas of the polymer. The polar phases in the polymer adopt a loosely correlated, high-entropy state with a low energy barrier for electric-field-induced switching. The polymer maintains performance for more than one million cycles at the low fields necessary for practical EC cooling applications, suggesting that this strategy may yield materials suitable for use in caloric heat pumps.

Intrinsic-strain-induced ferroelectric order and ultrafine nanodomains in SrTiO3.

Nano ferroelectrics holds the potential application promise in information storage, electro-mechanical transformation, and novel catalysts but encounters a huge challenge of size limitation and manufacture complexity on the creation of long-range ferroelectric ordering. Herein, as an incipient ferroelectric, nanosized SrTiO3 was indued with polarized ordering at room temperature from the nonpolar cubic structure, driven by the intrinsic three-dimensional (3D) tensile strain. The ferroelectric behavior can be confirmed by piezoelectric force microscopy and the ferroelectric TO1 soft mode was verified with the temperature stability to 500 K. Its structural origin comes from the off-center shift of Ti atom to oxygen octahedron and forms the ultrafine head-to-tail connected 90° nanodomains about 2 to 3 nm, resulting in an overall spontaneous polarization toward the short edges of nanoparticles. According to the density functional theory calculations and phase-field simulations, the 3D strain-related dipole displacement transformed from [001] to [111] and segmentation effect on the ferroelectric domain were further proved. The topological ferroelectric order induced by intrinsic 3D tensile strain shows a unique approach to get over the nanosized limitation in nanodevices and construct the strong strain-polarization coupling, paving the way for the design of high-performance and free-assembled ferroelectric devices.

Household Air Pollution Interventions to Improve Health in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: An Official American Thoracic Society Research Statement.

Background: An estimated 3 billion people, largely in low- and middle-income countries, rely on unclean fuels for cooking, heating, and lighting to meet household energy needs. The resulting exposure to household air pollution (HAP) is a leading cause of pneumonia, chronic lung disease, and other adverse health effects. In the last decade, randomized controlled trials of clean cooking interventions to reduce HAP have been conducted. We aim to provide guidance on how to interpret the findings of these trials and how they should inform policy makers and practitioners.Methods: We assembled a multidisciplinary working group of international researchers, public health practitioners, and policymakers with expertise in household air pollution from within academia, the American Thoracic Society, funders, nongovernmental organizations, and global organizations, including the World Bank and the World Health Organization. We performed a literature search, convened four sessions via web conference, and developed consensus conclusions and recommendations via the Delphi method.Results: The committee reached consensus on 14 conclusions and recommendations. Although some trials using cleaner-burning biomass stoves or cleaner-cooking fuels have reduced HAP exposure, the committee was divided (with 55% saying no and 45% saying yes) on whether the studied interventions improved measured health outcomes.Conclusions: HAP is associated with adverse health effects in observational studies. However, it remains unclear which household energy interventions reduce exposure, improve health, can be scaled, and are sustainable. Researchers should engage with policy makers and practitioners working to scale cleaner energy solutions to understand and address their information needs.

Body mass index, waist circumference, and mortality in subjects older than 80 years: a Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Emerging evidence has raised an obesity paradox in observational studies of body mass index (BMI) and health among the oldest-old (aged ≥80 years), as an inverse relationship of BMI with mortality was reported. This study was to investigate the causal associations of BMI, waist circumference (WC), or both with mortality in the oldest-old people in China. METHODS: A total of 5306 community-based oldest-old (mean age 90.6 years) were enrolled in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) between 1998 and 2018. Genetic risk scores were constructed from 58 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with BMI and 49 SNPs associated with WC to subsequently derive causal estimates for Mendelian randomization (MR) models. One-sample linear MR along with non-linear MR analyses were performed to explore the associations of genetically predicted BMI, WC, and their joint effect with all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, and non-CVD mortality. RESULTS: During 24 337 person-years of follow-up, 3766 deaths were documented. In observational analyses, higher BMI and WC were both associated with decreased mortality risk [hazard ratio (HR) 0.963, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.955-0.971 for a 1-kg/m2 increment of BMI and HR 0.971 (95% CI 0.950-0.993) for each 5 cm increase of WC]. Linear MR models indicated that each 1 kg/m2 increase in genetically predicted BMI was monotonically associated with a 4.5% decrease in all-cause mortality risk [HR 0.955 (95% CI 0.928-0.983)]. Non-linear curves showed the lowest mortality risk at the BMI of around 28.0 kg/m2, suggesting that optimal BMI for the oldest-old may be around overweight or mild obesity. Positive monotonic causal associations were observed between WC and all-cause mortality [HR 1.108 (95% CI 1.036-1.185) per 5 cm increase], CVD mortality [HR 1.193 (95% CI 1.064-1.337)], and non-CVD mortality [HR 1.110 (95% CI 1.016-1.212)]. The joint effect analyses indicated that the lowest risk was observed among those with higher BMI and lower WC. CONCLUSIONS: Among the oldest-old, opposite causal associations of BMI and WC with mortality were observed, and a body figure with higher BMI and lower WC could substantially decrease the mortality risk. Guidelines for the weight management should be cautiously designed and implemented among the oldest-old people, considering distinct roles of BMI and WC.

Metabolic obesity phenotypes and all-cause mortality among the Chinese oldest-old population: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The obesity paradox has been reported among older adults. However, whether the favorable effect of obesity is dependent on metabolic status remains largely unknown. We aimed to explore the association of metabolic obesity phenotypes and their changes with all-cause mortality among the Chinese oldest-old population. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 1207 Chinese oldest old (mean age: 91.8 years). Metabolic obesity phenotypes were determined by central obesity and metabolic status, and participants were classified into metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO), metabolically healthy non-obesity (MHN), and metabolically unhealthy non-obesity (MUN). The hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated by Cox regression models. RESULTS: During 5.3 years of follow-up, 640 deaths were documented. Compared with non-obesity, obesity was associated with a decreased mortality risk among participants with metabolically healthy (HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.63-0.91) while this association was insignificant among metabolically unhealthy. Compared to MHO, MHN (HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.06-1.53) and MUN (HR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.10-2.02) were significantly associated with an increased mortality risk. Compared to those with stable MHO, those transited from MHO to MUO demonstrated a higher mortality risk (HR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.06-3.11). CONCLUSIONS: MHO predicts better survival among the Chinese oldest-old population. These findings suggest that ensuring optimal management of metabolic health is beneficial and taking caution in weight loss based on the individual body weight for the metabolically healthy oldest-old adults.

Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Risk of Disability in Activities of Daily Living among the Oldest-Old: An Observational and Mendelian Randomization Study.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency and disability are both prevalent among older adults. However, the association between them has rarely been investigated in the oldest-old subjects (aged ≥80 y), and the causality remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to elucidate the causal effect of vitamin D on the incident risk of disability in activities of daily living (ADL) among Chinese oldest-old based on the 2012-2018 Chinese Healthy Ageing and Biomarkers Cohort Study. METHODS: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations and ADL status at baseline and follow-up interviews were documented. Cox regression models were applied among 1427 oldest-old (mean age, 91.2 y) with normal baseline ADL status. One sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses were performed on a subset of 941 participants with qualified genetic data, using a 25(OH)D-associated genetic risk score as the genetic instrument. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 3.4 y, 231 participants developed disability in ADL. Serum 25(OH)D concentration was inversely associated with the risk of disability in ADL [per 10 nmol/L increase hazard ratio (HR) 0.85; 95% CI: 0.75, 0.96]. Consistent results from MR analyses showed that a 10 nmol/L increment in genetically predicted 25(OH)D concentration corresponded to a 20% reduced risk of ADL disability (HR 0.80; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.94). Nonlinear MR demonstrated a monotonic declining curve, with the HRs exhibiting a more pronounced reduction among individuals with 25(OH)D concentrations below 50 nmol/L. Subgroup analyses showed that the associations were more distinct among females and those with poorer health conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Our study supports an inverse causal relationship between serum 25(OH)D concentration and the risk of disability in ADL among Chinese oldest-old. This protective effect was more distinct, especially for participants with vitamin D deficiency. Appropriate measures for improving vitamin D might help reduce the incidence of physical disability in this specific age group.

Mediating Role of Liver Dysfunction in the Association between Arsenic Exposure and Diabetes in Chinese Adults: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study of China National Human Biomonitoring (CNHBM) 2017-2018.

Inconsistent results have been reported regarding the association between low-to-moderate arsenic (As) exposure and diabetes. The effect of liver dysfunction on As-induced diabetes remains unclear. The cross-sectional study included 10,574 adults from 2017-2018 China National Human Biomonitoring. Urinary total As (TAs) levels were analyzed as markers of As exposure. Generalized linear mixed models and restricted cubic splines models were used to examine the relationships among TAs levels, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) concentrations, and diabetes prevalence. Mediating analysis was performed to assess whether liver dysfunction mediated the association between TAs and diabetes. Overall, the OR (95% CI) of diabetes in participants in the second, third, and fourth quartiles of TAs were 1.08 (0.88, 1.33), 1.17 (0.94, 1.45), and 1.52 (1.22, 1.90), respectively, in the fully adjusted models compared with those in the lowest quartile. Serum ALT was positively associated with TAs and diabetes. Additionally, mediation analyses showed that ALT mediated 4.32% of the association between TAs and diabetes in the overall population and 8.86% in the population without alcohol consumption in the past year. This study suggested that alleviating the hepatotoxicity of As could have implications for both diabetes and liver disease.

Associations of Serum Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances with Hyperuricemia in Adults: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

There has been widespread concern about the health hazards of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which may be the risk factor for hyperuricemia with evidence still insufficient in the general population in China. Here, we conducted a nationwide study involving 9,580 adults aged 18 years or older from 2017 to 2018, measured serum concentrations of uric acid and PFAS (PFOA, PFOS, 6:2 Cl-PFESA, PFNA, PFHxS) in participants, to assess the associations of individual PFAS with hyperuricemia, and estimated a joint effect of PFAS mixtures. We found positive associations of higher serum PFAS with elevated odds of hyperuricemia in Chinese adults, with the greatest contribution from PFOA (69.37%). The nonmonotonic dose-response (NMDR) relationships were observed for 6:2 Cl-PFESA and PFHxS with hyperuricemia. Participants with less marine fish consumption, overweight, and obesity may be the sensitive groups to the effects of PFAS on hyperuricemia. We highlight the potential health hazards of legacy long-chain PFAS (PFOA) once again because of the higher weights of joint effects. This study also provides more evidence about the NMDR relationships in PFAS with hyperuricemia and emphasizes a theoretical basis for public health planning to reduce the health hazards of PFAS in sensitive groups.

Associations of environmental cadmium exposure with kidney damage: Exploring mediating DNA methylation sites in Chinese adults.

Environmental exposure is widely recognized as the primary sources of Cadmium (Cd) in the human body, and exposure to Cd is associated with kidney damage in adults. Nevertheless, the role of DNA methylation in Cd-induced kidney damage remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the epigenome-wide association of environmental Cd-related DNA methylation changes with kidney damage. We included 300 non-smoking adults from the China in 2019. DNA methylation profiles were measured with Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip array. Linear mixed-effect model was employed to estimate the effects of urinary Cd with DNA methylation. Differentially methylated positions (DMPs) associated with urinary Cd were then tested for the association with kidney damage indicators. The mediation analysis was further applied to explore the potential DNA methylation based mediators. The prediction model was developed using a logistic regression model, and used 1000 bootstrap resampling for the internal validation. We identified 27 Cd-related DMPs mapped to 20 genes after the adjustment of false-discovery-rate for multiple testing among non-smoking adults. 17 DMPs were found to be associated with both urinary Cd and kidney damage, and 14 of these DMPs were newly identified within the Chinese. Mediation analysis revealed that DNA methylation of cg26907612 and cg16848624 mediated the Cd-related reduced kidney damage. In addition, ten variables were selected using the LASSO regression analysis and were utilized to develop the prediction model. It found that the nomogram model predicted the risk of kidney damage caused by environmental Cd with a corrected C-index of 0.779. Our findings revealed novel DMPs associated with both environmental Cd exposure and kidney damage among non-smoking adults, and developed an easy-to-use nomogram-illustrated model using these novel DMPs. These findings could provide a theoretical basis for formulating prevention and control strategies for kidney damage from the perspective of environmental pollution and epigenetic regulation.

Personal exposure to airborne organic pollutants and lung function changes among healthy older adults.

Epidemiological evidence on the impact of airborne organic pollutants on lung function among the elderly is limited, and their underlying biological mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Herein, a longitudinal panel study was conducted in Jinan, Shandong Province, China, involving 76 healthy older adults monitored over a span of five months repetitively. We systematically evaluated personal exposure to a diverse range of airborne organic pollutants using a wearable passive sampler and their effects on lung function. Participants' pulmonary function indicators were assessed, complemented by comprehensive multi-omics analyses of blood and urine samples. Leveraging the power of interaction analysis, causal inference test (CIT), and integrative pathway analysis (IPA), we explored intricate relationships between specific organic pollutants, biomolecules, and lung function deterioration, elucidating the biological mechanisms underpinning the adverse impacts of these pollutants. We observed that bis (2-chloro-1-methylethyl) ether (BCIE) was significantly associated with negative changes in the forced vital capacity (FVC), with glycerolipids mitigating this adverse effect. Additionally, 31 canonical pathways [e.g., high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) signaling, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway, epithelial mesenchymal transition, and heme and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) biosynthesis] were identified as potential mechanisms. These findings may hold significant implications for developing effective strategies to prevent and mitigate respiratory health risks arising from exposure to such airborne pollutants. However, due to certain limitations of the study, our results should be interpreted with caution.

Blood mercury mediates the associations between fish consumption and serum uric acid levels among Chinese adults: A nationally representative study.

Fish consumption can increase purine load in human body, and the enrichment of mercury in fish may affect the glomerular filtration function, both resulting in increased serum uric acid (SUA) levels. The data of blood mercury (BHg), fish consumption frequency and SUA levels of 7653 participants aged 18 years or older was from China National Human Biomonitoring (2017-2018). The associations between fish consumption frequency, ln-transformed BHg and SUA levels were explored through weighted multiple linear regressions. The mediating effect of BHg levels between fish consumption frequency and SUA levels was evaluated by mediation analysis. We found that both the fish consumption frequency and BHg were positively associated with SUA levels in both sexes. Compared to participants who had never consumed fish, participants who consumed fish once a week or more had higher SUA levels [ß (95% confidence interval, CI): 20.39 (2.16, 38.62) in males; ß (95% CI): 10.06 (0.76, 19.37) in females] and ln-transformed BHg [ß (95% CI): 0.97 (0.61, 1.34) in males; ß (95% CI): 0.84 (0.63, 1.05) in females]. Each 1-unit increase in ln-transformed BHg, the SUA levels rose by 4.78 (95% CI: 0.01, 9.54) µmol/L for males and 3.81 (95% CI: 1.60, 6.03) µmol/L for females. The association between fish consumption with SUA levels was mediated by ln-transformed BHg with the percent mediated of 34.66% in males and 26.58% in females. It revealed that BHg played mediating roles in the elevation of SUA levels caused by fish consumption. This study's findings could promote the government to intervene in mercury pollution in fish, so as to ensure the safety of fish consumption.

Heavy metals and metalloids exposure and liver function in Chinese adults - A nationally representative cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: In China, the effects of heavy metals and metalloids (HMMs) on liver health are not consistently documented, despite their prevalent environmental presence. OBJECTIVE: Our research assessed the association between HMMs and liver function biomarkers in a comprehensive sample of Chinese adults. METHODS: We analyzed data from 9445 participants in the China National Human Biomonitoring survey. Blood and urine were evaluated for HMM concentrations, and liver health was gauged using serum albumin (ALB), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) metrics. Various statistical methods were employed to understand the relationship between 11 HMMs and liver function, adjusting for multiple factors. We also explored interactions with alcohol intake, gender, and age. RESULTS: Among HMMs, selenium in blood [weighted geometric mean (GM) = 95.56 µg/L] and molybdenum in urine (GM = 46.44 µg/L) showed the highest concentrations, while lead in blood (GM = 21.92 µg/L) and arsenic in urine (GM = 19.80 µg/L) had the highest levels among risk HMMs. Manganese and thallium consistently indicated potential risk factor to liver in both sample types, while selenium displayed potential liver protection. Blood HMM mixtures were negatively associated with ALB (ß = -0.614, 95% CI: -0.809, -0.418) and positively with AST (ß = 0.701, 95% CI: 0.290, 1.111). No significant associations were found in urine HMM mixtures. Manganese, tin, nickel, and selenium were notable in blood mixture associations, with selenium and cobalt being significant in urine. The relationship of certain HMMs varied based on alcohol consumption. CONCLUSION: This research highlights the complex relationship between HMM exposure and liver health in Chinese adults, particularly emphasizing metals like manganese, thallium, and selenium. The results suggest a need for public health attention to low dose HMM exposure and underscore the potential benefits of selenium for liver health. Further studies are essential to establish causality.

Association between dietary diversity changes and frailty among Chinese older adults: findings from a nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Dietary diversity has been suggested as a potential preventive measure against frailty in older adults, but the effect of changes in dietary diversity on frailty is unclear. This study was conducted to examine the association between the dietary diversity score (DDS) and frailty among older Chinese adults. METHODS: A total of 12,457 adults aged 65 years or older were enrolled from three consecutive and nonoverlapping cohorts from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (the 2002 cohort, the 2005 cohort, and the 2008 cohort). DDS was calculated based on nine predefined food groups, and DDS changes were assessed by comparing scores at baseline and the first follow-up survey. We used 39 self-reported health items to assess frailty. Cox proportional hazard models were performed to examine the association between DDS change patterns and frailty. RESULTS: Participants with low-to-low DDS had the highest frailty incidence (111.1/1000 person-years), while high-to-high DDS had the lowest (41.1/1000 person-years). Compared to the high-to-high group of overall DDS pattern, participants in other DDS change patterns had a higher risk of frailty (HRs ranged from 1.25 to 2.15). Similar associations were observed for plant-based and animal-based DDS. Compared to stable DDS changes, participants with an extreme decline in DDS had an increased risk of frailty, with HRs of 1.38 (1.24, 1.53), 1.31 (1.19, 1.44), and 1.29 (1.16, 1.43) for overall, plant-based, and animal-based DDS, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Maintaining a lower DDS or having a large reduction in DDS was associated with a higher risk of frailty among Chinese older adults. These findings highlight the importance of improving a diverse diet across old age for preventing frailty in later life.

Social isolation and likelihood of becoming centenarians: evidence from the Chinese longitudinal healthy longevity survey.

BACKGROUND: Social isolation, defined as an individual's lack of social connections, is particularly prevalent among older adults. However, its association with health outcomes among the oldest-old population (aged 80 and above) was understudied. AIMS: To examine the association between social isolation and the likelihood of becoming a centenarian among the oldest-old people in China, aiming to provide novel insights into promoting healthy aging and longevity. METHODS: Using data from The Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, conducted in 22 provinces in mainland China since 1998, we performed a community-based, prospective nested case-control study. The primary outcome was survival to the age of 100 by 2018 (the end of follow-up). Information on social isolation and other covariates was collected via a questionnaire at baseline. The degree of social isolation was categorized as low, moderate, and high. Included (n = 5,716) were 1,584 identified centenarians and 4,132 controls (deceased before reaching 100 years), matched by age, sex, and year of entry. A conditional logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association between social isolation and the likelihood of becoming a centenarian, adjusting for demographic factors, lifestyle factors, chronic disease, potential disability, optimistic attitude, and perceived loneliness. RESULTS: Individuals with the highest social isolation score had lower odds of becoming centenarians (adjusted OR:0.82; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.98), relative to those with the least social isolation (P-value < 0.05), and this association persisted in sensitivity analyses. The association was more pronounced among ever smokers, compared to never smokers (P-value = 0.001). We did not observe significant interactions between social isolation and other covariates (P-value > 0.05 for all). CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the inverse association between social isolation and the likelihood of becoming a centenarian, emphasizing the need for public health initiatives to combat isolation in the older population.

Vitamin B12 is associated negatively with anemia in older Chinese adults with a low dietary diversity level: evidence from the Healthy Ageing and Biomarkers Cohort Study (HABCS).

OBJECTIVE: The associations between plasma vitamin B12 level and anemia under different dietary patterns in elderly Chinese people are poorly understood. We aimed to examine the associations between plasma vitamin B12 levels and anemia under different dietary patterns in adults aged 65 years and older in nine longevity areas in China. METHODS: A total of 2405 older adults completed a food frequency questionnaire at the same time as a face-to-face interview. The dietary diversity score (DDS) was assessed based on the food frequency questionnaire, with the low DDS group referring to participants with a DDS score ≤ 4 points. Vitamin B12 levels were divided into two groups of high (>295 pg/mL) and low (≤ 295 pg/mL) with the median used as the cut-off point. Sub-analyses were also performed on older adults divided into tertiles of vitamin B12 levels: low (< 277 pg/mL), medium (277-375 pg/mL) and high (> 375 pg/mL) to study the association of these levels with anemia. RESULTS: Six hundred ninety-five (28.89%) of these people were diagnosed with anemia and had a mean age of 89.3 years. Higher vitamin B12 levels were associated with a decreased risk of anemia (multi-adjusted OR, 0.59, [95% CI, 0.45 ~ 0.77] P < 0.001) in older adults with a low DDS, whereas no significant association between vitamin B12 levels and anemia was found in older adults with a high DDS in a full-model after adjustment for various confounding factors (multi-adjusted OR, 0.88, [95% CI, 0.65 ~ 1.19], P = 0.41). CONCLUSION: The relationship between vitamin B12 levels and the prevalence of anemia was significant only when the level of dietary diversity in the older adults was relatively low. The dietary structure of the population should be taken into consideration in combination in order to effectively improve anemia status by supplementing vitamin B12.

Leisure-time activities and disability among Chinese community-dwelling oldest old: evidence from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Study.

With the acceleration of population aging, disability in older adults is a growing public health problem; however, little is known about the role of specific leisure-time activities in affecting disability. This study prospectively examined the association of leisure-time activities with disability among the Chinese oldest old. A total of 14 039 adults aged 80 years or older (median age of 89.8 years) were enrolled from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey from 1998 to 2014. Disability was defined as the presence of concurrent impairment in activities of daily living and physical performance. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the associations between leisure-time activities and disability. During a mean of 4.2 years (2.7 years) of follow-up, 4487 participants developed disability. Compared with participants who never engaged in leisure-time activities, participants who engaged in almost daily activities, including gardening, keeping domestic animals or pets, playing cards or mahjong, reading books or newspapers, and watching TV or listening to the radio had a lower risk of disability, with HRs of 0.78 (0.69-0.88), 0.64 (0.58-0.70), 0.74 (0.63-0.86), 0.74 (0.65-0.84), and 0.84 (0.77-0.90), respectively. Moreover, the risk of disability gradually decreased with participation in an increasing number of those leisure-time activities (P for trend <0.001). Frequent engagement in leisure-time activities was associated with a lower risk of disability among the Chinese oldest old. This study highlights the importance of incorporating a broad range of leisure-time activities into the daily lives of older adults.

Analysis of changes in social isolation, loneliness, or both, and subsequent cognitive function among older adults: Findings from a nationwide cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: The study aimed to investigate the associations of changes in social isolation, loneliness, or both, with cognitive function. METHODS: Data were from 7299 older adults in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. We defined four change patterns (no, incident, transient, and persistent) for social isolation and loneliness, and created nine-category variable to represent the joint changes. Tobit regression models and Cox models were performed. RESULTS: Incident, transient, and persistent social isolation or loneliness may accelerate cognitive decline (p < 0.05). Incident, transient, and persistent social isolation were associated with higher cognitive impairment risk, while only persistent loneliness was associated with higher cognitive impairment risk (p < 0.001). Notably, short-term or persistent social isolation was associated with accelerated cognitive decline and incident cognitive impairment, regardless of different loneliness change status (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION: Short-term or persistent social isolation and persistent loneliness may be a salient risk factor for cognitive decline and cognitive impairment. HIGHLIGHTS: Incident, transient, and persistent social isolation were associated with accelerated cognitive decline and higher cognitive impairment risk. Persistent loneliness was associated with accelerated cognitive decline and higher cognitive impairment risk. Short-term or persistent social isolation with concurrent different loneliness change status accelerated cognitive decline and higher cognitive impairment risk.

Morphotropic Phase Boundary in Polarized Organic Piezoelectric Materials.

Designing the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) has been the most sought-after approach to achieve high piezoelectric performance of piezoelectric materials. However, MPB has not yet been found in the polarized organic piezoelectric materials. Here, we discover MPB with biphasic competition of ß and 3/1-helical phases in the polarized piezoelectric polymer alloys (PVTC-PVT) and demonstrate a mechanism to induce MPB using the compositionally tailored intermolecular interaction. Consequently, PVTC-PVT exhibits a giant quasistatic piezoelectric coefficient of >32 pC/N while maintaining a low Young's modulus of 182 MPa, with a record-high figure of merit of piezoelectricity modulus of about 176 pC/(N·GPa) among all piezoelectric materials.

A review on the application of the exposome paradigm to unveil the environmental determinants of age-related diseases.

Age-related diseases account for almost half of all diseases among adults worldwide, and their incidence is substantially affected by the exposome, which is the sum of all exogenous and endogenous environmental exposures and the human body's response to these exposures throughout the entire lifespan. Herein, we perform a comprehensive review of the epidemiological literature to determine the key elements of the exposome that affect the development of age-related diseases and the roles of aging hallmarks in this process. We find that most exposure assessments in previous aging studies have used a reductionist approach, whereby the effect of only a single environmental factor or a specific class of environmental factors on the development of age-related diseases has been examined. As such, there is a lack of a holistic and unbiased understanding of the effect of multiple environmental factors on the development of age-related diseases. To address this, we propose several research strategies based on an exposomic framework that could advance our understanding-in particular, from a mechanistic perspective-of how environmental factors affect the development of age-related diseases. We discuss the statistical methods and other methods that have been used in exposome-wide association studies, with a particular focus on multiomics technologies. We also address future challenges and opportunities in the realm of multidisciplinary approaches and genome-exposome epidemiology. Furthermore, we provide perspectives on precise public health services for vulnerable populations, public communications, the integration of risk exposure information, and the bench-to-bedside translation of research on age-related diseases.