Construction and application of "organ-system-centered" undergraduate nursing professional training model.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to construct an organ system-centered undergraduate nursing professional training model and explore its application effect. METHODS: This study is divided into two steps. In the early stage, literature review and expert consultation were used to establish the training mode (curriculum and assessment standard) of nursing undergraduate specialty based on organ system reform. Secondly, a cross-sectional survey method was used to investigate the training quality of nursing students who graduated from Jinzhou Medical University from 2007 to 2017 under this model. RESULTS: A five-module curriculum system was established, including general courses, public basic courses, professional education courses, expanding elective courses and concentrated practical teaching. Under the teaching reform of organ system, the nursing graduates of Jinzhou Medical University, who are mainly employed in public hospitals, are generally not satisfied with their jobs, salaries, contents and prospects. Their overall satisfaction with their alma mater is very high; Graduates have certain independent core competence; Employers are basically satisfied with graduates. CONCLUSION: The training mode of undergraduate nursing specialty based on organ system reform basically meets the training requirements and objectives.

Label-Free Raman Spectroscopy for Assessing Purity and Maturation of hiPSC-Derived Cardiac Tissue.

I. BACKGROUND: Human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) derived cardiomyocytes (CMs) have been utilized in drug toxicity evaluation, drug discovery, and treating heart failure patients, showing substantial effects. Ensuring the quality, purity, and maturation of hiPSC-CMs during large-scale production is crucial. There is a growing demand for a novel method to characterize cell molecular profiles without labels and without causing damage. II. METHODS: In this study, we employed label-free Raman microscopy to evaluate hiPSC-derived CMs. The study involved the characterization of cell molecular profiles without labels and without causing damage. The correlation between Raman spectroscopy of specific components, such as cytochrome c and myoglobin, and CM purity and maturation following hiPSC differentiation was investigated. Additionally, the validation of this correlation was performed by assessing mixtures of commercially available CMs (iCell cardiomyocytes2) and fibroblasts at various ratios as well as hiPSC-derived CMs with different efficiencies. Furthermore, CMs were matured using rapid pacing of traveling waves, and the Raman profiles of matured CMs were compared to those of immature ones. III. RESULTS: Raman spectroscopy indicated that the cytochrome c and myoglobin showed correlation with the purity and maturation of CMs following differentiation of hiPSCs. This correlation was validated through experiments involving different CM-fibroblast mixtures and hiPSC-derived CMs with varying efficiencies. Moreover, matured CMs exhibited markedly different Raman profiles compared to immature ones, indicating the potential of Raman imaging as a tool for assessing CM maturation. IV. CONCLUSIONS: We discovered that Raman spectroscopy of certain components, such as cytochrome c and myoglobin, correlates with the CM purity and maturation following hiPSC differentiation. The findings of this study highlight the potential of label-free Raman microscopy as a nondestructive, high-content, and time-efficient method for quality control of hiPSC-derived CMs. This approach could significantly contribute to ensuring the quality and maturity of hiPSC-CMs for various applications in drug discovery and regenerative medicine.

Salivary Protein Sfapyrase of Spodoptera frugiperda Stimulates Plant Defence Response.

Plants have developed various resistance mechanisms against herbivorous insects through prolonged coevolution. Plant defence responses can be triggered by specific compounds present in insect saliva. Apyrase, a known enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) into adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and inorganic phosphorus, has recently been identified in some herbivorous insects. However, whether insect salivary apyrase induces or inhibits plant responses remains poorly understood. In this study, we identified an apyrase-like protein in the salivary proteome of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, named Sfapyrase. Sfapyrase was primarily expressed in the salivary gland and secreted into plants during insect feeding. Transient expression of Sfapyrase in tobacco and maize enhanced plant resistance and resulted in decreased insect feeding. Knockdown of Sfapyrase through RNA interference led to increased growth and feeding of S. frugiperda. Furthermore, we showed that Sfapyrase activates the jasmonic acid signalling pathway and promotes the synthesis of secondary metabolites, especially benzoxazinoids, thereby enhancing resistance to S. frugiperda. In summary, our findings demonstrated that Sfapyrase acts as a salivary elicitor, inducing maize jasmonic acid defence responses and the production of insect-resistant benzoxazinoids. This study provides valuable insights into plant-insect interactions and offers potential targets for developing innovative insect pest management strategies.

Association of phthalates exposure and sex steroid hormones with late-onset preeclampsia: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between phthalates exposure and estrogen and progesterone levels, as well as their role in late-onset preeclampsia. METHODS: A total of 60 pregnant women who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited. Based on the diagnosis of preeclampsia, participants were divided into two groups: normotensive pregnant women (n = 30) and pregnant women with late-onset preeclampsia (n = 30). The major metabolites of phthalates (MMP, MEP, MiBP, MBP, MEHP, MEOHP, MEHHP) and sex steroid hormones (estrogen and progesterone) were quantified in urine samples of the participants. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in the levels of MMP, MEP, MiBP, MBP, MEHP, MEOHP, and MEHHP between women with preeclampsia and normotensive pregnant women (P > 0.05). The urinary estrogen showed a negative correlation with systolic blood pressure (rs= -0.46, P < 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (rs= -0.47, P < 0.001). Additionally, the urinary estrogen and progesterone levels were lower in women with preeclampsia compared to those in normotensive pregnant women (P < 0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors, we observed a significant association between reduced urinary estrogen levels and an increased risk of preeclampsia (aOR = 0.09, 95%CI = 0.02-0.46). Notably, in our decision tree model, urinary estrogen emerged as the most crucial variable for identifying pregnant women at a high risk of developing preeclampsia. A positive correlation was observed between urinary progesterone and MEHP (rs = 0.36, P < 0.05) in normotensive pregnant women. A negative correlation was observed between urinary estrogen and MEP in pregnant women with preeclampsia (rs= -0.42, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Phthalates exposure was similar in normotensive pregnant women and those with late-onset preeclampsia within the same region. Pregnant women with preeclampsia had lower levels of estrogen and progesterone in their urine, while maternal urinary estrogen was negatively correlated with the risk of preeclampsia and phthalate metabolites (MEP). TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registration ID in Clinical Trials: NCT04369313; registration date: 30/04/2020.

Multidisciplinary management of ulcerative colitis complicated by immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated colitis with life-threatening gastrointestinal hemorrhage: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) inhibitors are immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) that have demonstrated significant efficacy in treating various advanced malignant tumors. While most patients tolerate treatment well, several adverse drug reactions, such as fatigue, myelosuppression, and ICI-associated colitis, have been reported. CASE SUMMARY: This case involved a 57-year-old male patient with ulcerative colitis complicated by hepatocarcinoma who underwent treatment with tirelizumab (a PD-1 inhibitor) for six months. The treatment led to repeated life-threatening lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage. The patient received infliximab, vedolizumab, and other salvage procedures but ultimately required subtotal colectomy due to uncontrollable massive lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Currently, postoperative gastrointestinal bleeding has stopped, the patient's stool has turned yellow, and his full blood cell count has returned to normal. CONCLUSION: This case highlights the necessity of early identification, timely and adequate treatment of ICI-related colitis, and rapid escalation to achieve the goal of improving prognosis.

Individual and combined effects of famine exposure and obesity parameters on type 2 diabetes in middle-aged and older adults: A population-based cross-sectional study.

Malnutrition early in life may have adverse effects on health later in life. The relationship between malnutrition and obesity parameters (body mass index [BMI] and waist circumference [WC]) and type 2 diabetes is inconsistent. This study aimed to identify the effects of famine exposure and obesity parameters on type 2 diabetes individually or in combination among middle-aged and older adults in China. Data were extracted from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study Wave1 in 2011. The sample involved 13,065 adults aged 45 to 90. The t- or F test was employed to compare age among groups. The chi-square test was utilized to compare baseline characteristics according to the categorical WC levels/BMI levels/famine exposure and examine between-group differences in type 2 diabetes (diabetes and non-diabetes). Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated by logistic regression models to estimate the individual and combined associations of BMI/WC levels and famine exposure with the prevalence of type 2 diabetes. In this study, 1559 (11.93%) individuals were exposed to Chinese famine during their fetal stage, 5132 (39.28%) and 4428 (33.89%) in childhood and adolescence/adulthood, respectively. Among BMI measurements, 3780 (28.93%) were overweight, and 1487 (11.38%) were obese, whereas WC measurements showed that 5408 (41.39%) were obesity. In addition, 831 (45.48%) males and 996 (54.52%) females reported type 2 diabetes. In multivariable-adjusted regression models, obesity parameters and famine exposure were independently associated with type 2 diabetes prevalence among all participants (P < .001). In the interaction analysis, there existed a trend of higher odds for prevalence of type 2 diabetes across all groups compared to the combination of no-exposed and normal BMI/WC level group (the most increase in odds, adolescence/adulthood-exposed group with central obesity in WC levels: OR 4.51 (95% CI = 3.42-5.95); adolescence/adulthood-exposed group with obesity in BMI levels: OR 5.84 (95% CI = 4.11-8.30; P for interaction <.001). The findings for females exhibited similar to the overall participants, when by gender stratification. Our results suggest famine exposure and obesity parameters have positive combined effects on type 2 diabetes in middle-aged and older adults in China.

Novel PATL2 variants cause female infertility with oocyte maturation defect.

PURPOSE: Oocyte maturation defect (OOMD) is a rare cause of in vitro fertilization failure characterized by the production of immature oocytes. Compound heterozygous or homozygous PATL2 mutations have been associated with oocyte arrest at the germinal vesicle (GV), metaphase I (MI), and metaphase II (MII) stages, as well as morphological changes. METHODS: In this study, we recruited three OOMD cases and conducted a comprehensive multiplatform laboratory investigation. RESULTS: Whole exome sequence (WES) revealed four diagnostic variants in PATL2, nonsense mutation c.709C > T (p.R237*) and frameshift mutation c.1486_1487delinsT (p.A496Sfs*4) were novel mutations that have not been reported previously. Furthermore, the pathogenicity of these variants was predicted using in silico analysis, which indicated detrimental effects. Molecular dynamic analysis suggested that the A496S variant disrupted the hydrophobic segment, leading to structural changes that affected the overall protein folding and stability. Additionally, biochemical and molecular experiments were conducted on cells transfected with wild-type (WT) or mutant PATL2 (p.R237* and p.A496Sfs*4) plasmid vectors. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrated that PATL2A496Sfs*4 and PATL2R237* had impacts on protein size and expression level. Interestingly, expression levels of specific genes involved in oocyte maturation and early embryonic development were found to be simultaneously deregulated. The findings in our study expand the variation spectrum of the PATL2 gene, provide solid evidence for counseling on future pregnancies in affected families, strongly support the application of in the diagnosis of OOMD, and contribute to the understanding of PATL2 function.

Anti-adipogenesis and anti-obesity potential of alliin mediated by modulating glycolipid metabolism via activating PPARγ signaling.

Garlic exhibits hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, and cardiovascular benefits. The inconsistent results of garlic preparations on adipogenesis have caused more confusion in the public and academia. The compounds responsible for the anti-adipogenesis effect of garlic remain unknown. The present study aimed to verify the real anti-adipogenesis and anti-obesity component in garlic and explored its possible effects in metabolic syndrome. We verified the real anti-adipogenesis and anti-obesity components of garlic in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and a 10-week-high fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. In vitro, two water-soluble and four typical lipid-soluble compounds of garlic were tested for their anti-adipogenesis. Then, the water-soluble compound, alliin, and two processing methods produced garlic oils, were evaluated in vivo study. Mice received oral administration of alliin (25 mg/kg) and garlic oils (15 mg/kg) daily for 8 weeks. Serum lipids, parameters of obesity, and indicators involved in regulating glycolipid metabolism were examined. Our findings confirmed that both water-soluble and lipid-soluble organosulfur compounds of garlic contributed to garlic's anti-adipogenesis effect, in which water-soluble sulfides, especially alliin, exhibited greater potency. Alliin possessed potent effects of anti-obesity and improvement in glucose and lipid metabolism in HFD-induced obese mice. Alliin mediated these effects partly attributed to its modulation of enzymatic activities within glycolipid metabolism and activating PPARγ signaling pathway. In contrast to odorous lipid-soluble sulfides, alliin is odorless, stable, and safe, and is an ideal nutraceutical or even medicinal candidates for the treatment of metabolic diseases. Alliin could be used to standardize the quality of garlic products.

Photocatalytic NO x removal and recovery: progress, challenges and future perspectives.

The excessive production of nitrogen oxides (NO x ) from energy production, agricultural activities, transportation, and other human activities remains a pressing issue in atmospheric environment management. NO x serves both as a significant pollutant and a potential feedstock for energy carriers. Photocatalytic technology for NO x removal and recovery has received widespread attention and has experienced rapid development in recent years owing to its environmental friendliness, mild reaction conditions, and high efficiency. This review systematically summarizes the recent advances in photocatalytic removal, encompassing NO x oxidation removal (including single and synergistic removal and NO3 - decomposition), NO x reduction to N2, and the emergent NO x upcycling into green ammonia. Special focus is given to the molecular understanding of the interfacial nitrogen-associated reaction mechanisms and their regulation pathways. Finally, the status and the challenges of photocatalytic NO x removal and recovery are critically discussed and future outlooks are proposed for their potential practical application.

KDM4C represses liver fibrosis by regulating H3K9me3 methylation of ALKBH5 and m6A methylation of snail1 mRNA.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to disclose the molecular mechanism of snail1 in liver fibrosis. METHODS: Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) was used to induce a liver fibrosis model in mice whereby serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were evaluated, and liver pathological alternations were assessed. Rat hepatic stellate cells (HSC-T6) were irritated with transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1, followed by assessment of cell viability and migration. The levels of snail1, ALKBH5, and lysine specific demethylase 4C (KDM4C) were quantified by immunohistochemistry, western blot, or reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, in addition to α-smooth muscle actin (SMA), anti-collagen type I α1 (COL1A1), vimentin, and E-cadherin. Photoactivatable ribonucleoside-enhanced crosslinking and immunoprecipitation and RNA stability were evaluated to determine the relationship between ALKBH5 and snail1. Changes in KDM4C-bound ALKBH5 promoter and enrichment of histone H3 lysine 9 trimethylation (H3K9me3) at the ALKBH5 promoter were determined using chromatin immunoprecipitation. RESULTS: In fibrosis mice, snail1 was upregulated while ALKBH5 and KDM4C were downregulated. KDM4C overexpression reduced serum ALT and AST levels, liver injury, and α-SMA, COL1A1 and VIMENTIN expressions but increased E-cadherin expression. However, the aforementioned trends were reversed by concurrent overexpression of snail1. In HSC-T6 cells exposed to TGF-ß1, ALKBH5 overexpression weakened cell viability and migration, downregulated α-SMA, COL1A1 and VIMENTIN, upregulated E-CADHERIN, and decreased m6A modification of snail1 and its mRNA stability. KDM4C increased ALKBH5 expression by lowering H3K9me3 level, but inhibited HSC-T6 cell activation by regulating the ALKBH5/snail1 axis. CONCLUSION: KDM4C decreases H3K9me3 methylation to upregulate ALKBH5 and subsequently inhibits snail1, ultimately impeding liver fibrosis.

Obesity and lipid indices as predictors of depressive symptoms in middle-aged and elderly Chinese: insights from a nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Depressive symptoms are one of the most common psychiatric disorders, with a high lifetime prevalence rate among middle-aged and elderly Chinese. Obesity may be one of the risk factors for depressive symptoms, but there is currently no consensus on this view. Therefore, we investigate the relationship and predictive ability of 13 obesity- and lipid-related indices with depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly Chinese. METHODS: The data were obtained from The China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Our analysis includes individuals who did not have depressive symptoms at the baseline of the CHARLS Wave 2011 study and were successfully follow-up in 2013 and 2015. Finally, 3790 participants were included in the short-term (from 2011 to 2013), and 3660 participants were included in the long-term (from 2011 to 2015). The average age of participants in short-term and long-term was 58.47 years and 57.88 years. The anthropometric indicators used in this analysis included non-invasive [e.g. waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), and a body mass index (ABSI)], and invasive anthropometric indicators [e.g. lipid accumulation product (LAP), triglyceride glucose index (TyG index), and its-related indices (e.g. TyG-BMI, and TyG-WC)]. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to examine the predictive ability of various indicators for depressive symptoms. The association of depressive symptoms with various indicators was calculated using binary logistic regression. RESULTS: The overall incidence of depressive symptoms was 20.79% in the short-term and 27.43% in the long-term. In males, WC [AUC = 0.452], LAP [AUC = 0.450], and TyG-WC [AUC = 0.451] were weak predictors of depressive symptoms during the short-term (P < 0.05). In females, BMI [AUC = 0.468], LAP [AUC = 0.468], and TyG index [AUC = 0.466] were weak predictors of depressive symptoms during the long-term (P < 0.05). However, ABSI cannot predict depressive symptoms in males and females during both periods (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The research indicates that in the middle-aged and elderly Chinese, most obesity- and lipid-related indices have statistical significance in predicting depressive symptoms, but the accuracy of these indicators in prediction is relatively low and may not be practical predictors.

The bidirectional relationship between activities of daily living and frailty during short-and long-term follow-up period among the middle-aged and older population: findings from the Chinese nationwide cohort study.

Objective: Frailty and activities of daily living (ADL) disability are common conditions among older population. Studies on the bidirectional relationship between frailty and ADL are limited. The current study examined the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between frailty and ADL in middle-aged and older Chinese individuals. Methods: The data was collected through the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), conducted in 2011, 2013, and 2015, encompassing 17,284 individuals aged ≥45 years. We excluded individuals without follow-up data. 2,631 participants finished the baseline survey. The definition of ADL disability encompasses difficulty in engaging in either basic activities of daily living (BADL) or instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Frailty was assessed according to the Fried criteria. Logistic regression was utilized to examine odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for assessing the cross-sectional relationships between ADL with frailty at baseline. The prediction effects were explored using Cox proportional hazards analysis, testing hazard ratios (HRs) and 95%CIs. Results: In cross-sectional analysis, BADL [OR = 6.660 (4.519-9.815)], IADL [OR = 5.950 (4.490-7.866)], and ADL [OR = 5.658 (4.278-7.483)] exhibited significant associations with frailty; frailty demonstrated significant associations with BADL [OR = 6.741 (4.574-9.933)], IADL [OR = 6.042 (4.555-8.016)] and ADL [OR = 5.735 (4.333-7.591)]. In longitudinal analysis, IADL and ADL were significantly associated with frailty in participants without baseline frailty in the short-term period [IADL: HR = 1.971 (1.150-3.379), ADL: HR = 1.920 (1.146-3.215)], IADL exhibited a significant association with frailty in the long-term period [HR = 2.056 (1.085-3.895)]. There was no significant link observed between frailty and an elevated risk of disability onset in BADL, IADL and ADL during the short-term period. When considering the long-term perspective, frailty exhibited a significant association with an elevated risk of disability onset in BADL [HR= 1.820 (1.126-2.939)] and IADL [HR = 1.724 (1.103-2.694)]. Conclusion: In middle-aged and older adults, ADL and IADL disability predicted frailty after 2-year follow-up, IADL disability predicted frailty after 4-year follow-up. Moreover, frailty did not predict BADL, IADL and ADL disability after 2-year follow-up. However, frailty predicted BADL and IADL disability after 4-year follow-up.

Tumor Microenvironment Specific Regulation Ca-Fe-Nanospheres for Ferroptosis-Promoted Domino Synergistic Therapy and Tumor Immune Response.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated emerging treatments exhibit unique advantages in cancer therapy in recent years. While the efficacy of ROS-involved tumor therapy is greatly restricted by complex tumor microenvironment (TME). Herein, a dual-metal CaO2@CDs-Fe (CCF) nanosphere, with TME response and regulation capabilities, are proposed to improve ROS lethal power by a multiple cascade synergistic therapeutic strategy with domino effect. In response to weak acidic TME, CCF will decompose, accompanied with intracellular Ca2+ upregulated and abundant H2O2 and O2 produced to reverse antitherapeutic TME. Then the exposed CF cores can act as both Fenton agent and sonosensitizer to generate excessive ROS in the regulated TME for enhanced synergistic CDT/SDT. In combination with calcium overloading, the augmented ROS induced oxidative stress will cause more severe mitochondrial damage and cellular apoptosis. Furthermore, CCF can also reduce GPX4 expression and enlarge the lipid peroxidation, causing ferroptosis and apoptosis in parallel. These signals of damage will finally initiate damage-associated molecular patterns to activate immune response and to realize excellent antitumor effect. This outstanding domino ROS/calcium loading synergistic effect endows CCF with excellent anticancer effect to efficiently eliminate tumor by apoptosis/ferroptosis/ICD both in vitro and in vivo.

Development of composite functional tissue sheets using hiPSC-CMs and hADSCs to improve the cardiac function after myocardial infarction.

Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) have been widely used in therapy of ischemic heart disease. However, there are still remaining issues that limit the therapeutic efficacy, such as immune rejection and low retention of hiPSC-CMs. Human adipose mesenchymal stromal cells (hADSCs) have been reported to be able to regulate the immune response, promote angiogenesis and promote the maturation of hiPSC-CMs. In this study, we co-cultured these two types of cells on fiber scaffold made of biodegradable poly (D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) polymer for several days to develop a composited 3D cardiac tissue sheet. As expected, the cells formed 231.00 ± 15.14 µm thickness tissue, with improved organization, alignment, ECM condition, contractile ability, and paracrine function compared to culture hiPSC-CMs only on PLGA fiber. Furthermore, the composited 3D cardiac tissue sheet significantly promoted the engraftment and survival after transplantation. The composited 3D cardiac tissue sheet also increased cardiac function, attenuated ventricular remodeling, decreased fibrosis, and enhanced angiogenesis in rat myocardial infarction model, indicating that this strategy wound be a promising therapeutic option in the clinical scenario.

Optimal obesity- and lipid-related indices for predicting type 2 diabetes in middle-aged and elderly Chinese.

To investigate the screening and predicting functions of obesity- and lipid-related indices for type 2 diabetes (T2D) in middle-aged and elderly Chinese, as well as the ideal predicted cut-off value. This study's data comes from the 2011 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). A cross-sectional study design was used to investigate the relationship of T2D and 13 obesity- and lipid-related indices, including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-height ratio (WHtR), visceral adiposity index (VAI), a body shape index (ABSI), body roundness index (BRI), lipid accumulation product (LAP), conicity index (CI), Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI), triglyceride- glucose index (TyG index) and its correlation index (TyG-BMI, TyG-WC, TyG-WHtR). The unadjusted and adjusted correlations between 13 indices and T2D were assessed using binary logistic regression analysis. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to determine the usefulness of anthropometric indices for screening for T2D and determining their cut­off value, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC). The study comprised 9488 people aged 45 years or above in total, of whom 4354 (45.89%) were males and 5134 (54.11%) were females. Among them were 716 male cases of T2D (16.44%) and 870 female cases of T2D (16.95%). A total of 13 obesity- and lipid-related indices were independently associated with T2D risk after adjusted for confounding factors (P < 0.05). According to ROC analysis, the TyG index was the best predictor of T2D among males (AUC = 0.780, 95% CI 0.761, 0.799) and females (AUC = 0.782, 95% CI 0.764, 0.799). The AUC values of the 13 indicators were higher than 0.5, indicating that they have predictive values for T2D in middle-aged and elderly Chinese. The 13 obesity- and lipid-related indices can predict the risk of T2D in middle­aged and elderly Chinese. Among 13 indicators, the TyG index is the best predictor of T2D in both males and females. TyG-WC, TyG-BMI, TyG-WHtR, LAP, and CVAI all outperformed BMI, WC, and WHtR in predicting T2D.

Localized High-Concentration Sulfone Electrolytes with High-Voltage Stability and Flame Retardancy for Ni-Rich Lithium Metal Batteries.

The localized high-concentration electrolyte (LHCE) propels the advanced high-voltage battery system. Sulfone-based LHCE is a transformative direction compatible with high energy density and high safety. In this work, the application of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulphonyl)imide and lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) in the LHCE system constructed from sulfolane and 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl-2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropyl ether (TTE) is investigated. The addition of diluent causes an increase of contact ion pairs and ionic aggregates in the solvation cluster and an acceptable quantity of free solvent molecules. A small amount of LiFSI as an additive can synergistically decompose with TTE on the cathode and participate in the construction of both electrode interfaces. The designed electrolyte helps the Ni-rich system to cycle firmly at a high voltage of 4.5 V. Even with high mass load and lean electrolyte, it can keep a reversible specific capacity of 91.5% after 50 cycles. The constructed sulfone-based electrolyte system exhibits excellent thermal stability far beyond the commercial electrolytes. Further exploration of in-situ gelation has led to a quick conversion of the designed liquid electrolyte to the gel state, accompanied by preserved stability, which provides a direction for the synergistic development of LHCE with gel electrolytes.

Four-years change of BMI and waist circumference are associated with metabolic syndrome in middle-aged and elderly Chinese.

The purpose of the study was to determine whether changes in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) in middle-aged and elderly Chinese are associated with metabolic syndrome. In this cohort investigation, 3697 middle-aged and elderly people aged 45 or over were recruited from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). The National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (2005) defined metabolic syndrome (MetS). With Cox regression analysis, we calculated hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for MetS based on BMI-WC change categories. To assess the prevalence of MetS, the changes in BMI and WC levels were classified into four quartiles based on their relative and absolute changes. In subjects whose BMI and WC decreased (HR = 0.338; 95% CIs 0.264, 0.433) as well as those whose BMI increased and their WC decreased (HR = 0.375; 95% CIs 0.228, 0.499), metabolic syndrome risk was significantly lower compared with those with increases in both BMI and WC. Regarding the absolute changes in BMI, the lowest percentile of BMI was significantly lower in both males (HR = 0.302; 95% CIs 0.204, 0.448) and females (HR = 0.486; 95% CIs 0.354, 0.667) for the risk of metabolic syndrome. Similar results were observed in the absolute changes in WC, with the lowest quantile of WC having a significant impact on MetS risk in males (HR = 0.170; 95% CIs 0.107, 0.270) and females (HR = 0.303; 95% CIs 0.217, 0.424). The risk of metabolic syndrome was significantly associated with changes in BMI and WC in middle-aged and elderly Chinese. A reduced BMI and WC are associated with lower metabolic syndrome risks in middle-aged and elderly people.

Genetic analysis of seven patients with inherited ichthyosis and Nagashima­type palmoplantar keratoderma.

Inherited ichthyosis comprises a series of heterogeneous dermal conditions; it mainly manifests as widespread hyperkeratosis, xerosis and scaling of the skin. At times, overlapping symptoms require differential diagnosis between ichthyosis and several other similar disorders. The present study reports seven patients with confirmed or suspected to be associated with ichthyosis by conducting a thorough clinical and genetic investigation. Genetic testing was conducted using whole­exome sequencing, with Sanger sequencing as the validation method. The MEGA7 program was used to analyze the conservation of amino acid residues affected by the detected missense variants. The enrolled patients exhibited ichthyosis­like but distinct clinical manifestations. Genetic analysis identified diagnostic variations in the FLG, STS, KRT10 and SERPINB7 genes and clarified the carrying status of each variant in the respective family members. The two residues affected by the detected missense variants remained conserved across multiple species. Of note, the two variants, namely STS: c.452C>T(p.P151L) and c.647_650del(p.L216fs) are novel. In conclusion, a clear genetic differential diagnosis was made for the enrolled ichthyosis­associated patients; the study findings also extended the mutation spectrum of ichthyosis and provided solid evidence for the counseling of the affected families.

Insights into Reactive Oxygen Species Production-Scavenging System Involved in Sugarcane Response to Xanthomonas albilineans Infection under Drought Stress.

Plants must adapt to the complex effects of several stressors brought on by global warming, which may result in interaction and superposition effects between diverse stressors. Few reports are available on how drought stress affects Xanthomonas albilineans (Xa) infection in sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids). Drought and leaf scald resistance were identified on 16 sugarcane cultivars using Xa inoculation and soil drought treatments, respectively. Subsequently, four cultivars contrasting to drought and leaf scald resistance were used to explore the mechanisms of drought affecting Xa-sugarcane interaction. Drought stress significantly increased the occurrence of leaf scald and Xa populations in susceptible cultivars but had no obvious effect on resistant cultivars. The ROS bursting and scavenging system was significantly activated in sugarcane in the process of Xa infection, particularly in the resistant cultivars. Compared with Xa infection alone, defense response via the ROS generating and scavenging system was obviously weakened in sugarcane (especially in susceptible cultivars) under Xa infection plus drought stress. Collectively, ROS might play a crucial role involving sugarcane defense against combined effects of Xa infection and drought stress.