Derivation of Pluripotent Stem Cells with In Vivo Embryonic and Extraembryonic Potency.

Of all known cultured stem cell types, pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) sit atop the landscape of developmental potency and are characterized by their ability to generate all cell types of an adult organism. However, PSCs show limited contribution to the extraembryonic placental tissues in vivo. Here, we show that a chemical cocktail enables the derivation of stem cells with unique functional and molecular features from mice and humans, designated as extended pluripotent stem (EPS) cells, which are capable of chimerizing both embryonic and extraembryonic tissues. Notably, a single mouse EPS cell shows widespread chimeric contribution to both embryonic and extraembryonic lineages in vivo and permits generating single-EPS-cell-derived mice by tetraploid complementation. Furthermore, human EPS cells exhibit interspecies chimeric competency in mouse conceptuses. Our findings constitute a first step toward capturing pluripotent stem cells with extraembryonic developmental potentials in culture and open new avenues for basic and translational research. VIDEO ABSTRACT.

A dominant autoinflammatory disease caused by non-cleavable variants of RIPK1.

Activation of RIPK1 controls TNF-mediated apoptosis, necroptosis and inflammatory pathways1. Cleavage of human and mouse RIPK1 after residues D324 and D325, respectively, by caspase-8 separates the RIPK1 kinase domain from the intermediate and death domains. The D325A mutation in mouse RIPK1 leads to embryonic lethality during mouse development2,3. However, the functional importance of blocking caspase-8-mediated cleavage of RIPK1 on RIPK1 activation in humans is unknown. Here we identify two families with variants in RIPK1 (D324V and D324H) that lead to distinct symptoms of recurrent fevers and lymphadenopathy in an autosomal-dominant manner. Impaired cleavage of RIPK1 D324 variants by caspase-8 sensitized patients' peripheral blood mononuclear cells to RIPK1 activation, apoptosis and necroptosis induced by TNF. The patients showed strong RIPK1-dependent activation of inflammatory signalling pathways and overproduction of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines compared with unaffected controls. Furthermore, we show that expression of the RIPK1 mutants D325V or D325H in mouse embryonic fibroblasts confers not only increased sensitivity to RIPK1 activation-mediated apoptosis and necroptosis, but also induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF. By contrast, patient-derived fibroblasts showed reduced expression of RIPK1 and downregulated production of reactive oxygen species, resulting in resistance to necroptosis and ferroptosis. Together, these data suggest that human non-cleavable RIPK1 variants promote activation of RIPK1, and lead to an autoinflammatory disease characterized by hypersensitivity to apoptosis and necroptosis and increased inflammatory response in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, as well as a compensatory mechanism to protect against several pro-death stimuli in fibroblasts.

Single-cell immune profiling of mouse liver aging reveals Cxcl2+ macrophages recruit neutrophils to aggravate liver injury.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Immune cells play a crucial role in liver aging. However, the impact of dynamic changes in the local immune microenvironment on age-related liver injury remains poorly understood. We aimed to characterize intrahepatic immune cells at different ages to investigate key mechanisms associated with liver aging. APPROACH AND RESULTS: We carried out single-cell RNA sequencing on mouse liver tissues at 4 different ages, namely, the newborn, suckling, young, and aged stages. The transcriptomic landscape, cellular classification, and intercellular communication were analyzed. We confirmed the findings by multiplex immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry, in vitro functional experiments, and chimeric animal models. Nine subsets of 89,542 immune cells with unique properties were identified, of which Cxcl2+ macrophages within the monocyte/macrophage subset were preferentially enriched in the aged liver. Cxcl2+ macrophages presented a senescence-associated secretory phenotype and recruited neutrophils to the aged liver through the CXCL2-CXCR2 axis. Through the secretion of IL-1ß and TNF-α, Cxcl2+ macrophages stimulated neutrophil extracellular traps formation. Targeting the CXCL2-CXCR2 axis limited the neutrophils migration toward the liver and attenuated age-related liver injury. Moreover, the relationship between Cxcl2+ macrophages and neutrophils in age-related liver injury was further validated by human liver transplantation samples. CONCLUSIONS: This in-depth study illustrates that the mechanism of Cxcl2+ macrophage-driven neutrophil activation involves the CXCL2-CXCR2 axis and provides a potential therapeutic strategy for age-related liver injury.

Application of improved GalNAc conjugation in development of cost-effective siRNA therapies targeting cardiovascular diseases.

N-Acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)-conjugated small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapies have received approval for treating both orphan and prevalent diseases. To improve in vivo efficacy and streamline the chemical synthesis process for efficient and cost-effective manufacturing, we conducted this study to identify better designs of GalNAc-siRNA conjugates for therapeutic development. Here, we present data on redesigned GalNAc-based ligands conjugated with siRNAs against angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3) and lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)), two target molecules with the potential to address large unmet medical needs in atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. By attaching a novel pyran-derived scaffold to serial monovalent GalNAc units before solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis, we achieved increased GalNAc-siRNA production efficiency with fewer synthesis steps compared to the standard triantennary GalNAc construct L96. The improved GalNAc-siRNA conjugates demonstrated equivalent or superior in vivo efficacy compared to triantennary GalNAc-conjugated siRNAs.

NHH promotes Sepsis-associated Encephalopathy with the expression of AQP4 in astrocytes through the gut-brain Axis.

Sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) is a significant cause of mortality in patients with sepsis. Despite extensive research, its exact cause remains unclear. Our previous research indicated a relationship between non-hepatic hyperammonemia (NHH) and SAE. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between NHH and SAE and the potential mechanisms causing cognitive impairment. In the in vivo experimental results, there were no significant abnormalities in the livers of mice with moderate cecal ligation and perforation (CLP); however, ammonia levels were elevated in the hippocampal tissue and serum. The ELISA study suggest that fecal microbiota transplantation in CLP mice can reduce ammonia levels. Reduction in ammonia levels improved cognitive dysfunction and neurological impairment in CLP mice through behavioral, neuroimaging, and molecular biology studies. Further studies have shown that ammonia enters the brain to regulate the expression of aquaporins-4 (AQP4) in astrocytes, which may be the mechanism underlying brain dysfunction in CLP mice. The results of the in vitro experiments showed that ammonia up-regulated AQP4 expression in astrocytes, resulting in astrocyte damage. The results of this study suggest that ammonia up-regulates astrocyte AQP4 expression through the gut-brain axis, which may be a potential mechanism for the occurrence of SAE.

14-Electron Redox Chemistry Enabled by Salen-Based π-Conjugated Framework Polymer Boosting High-Performance Lithium-Ion Storage.

A paucity of redox centers, poor charge transport properties, and low structural stability of organic materials obstruct their use in practical applications. Herein, these issues have been addressed through the use of a redox-active salen-based framework polymer (RSFP) containing multiple redox-active centers in π-conjugated configuration for applications in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Based on its unique architecture, RSFP exhibits a superior reversible capacity of 671.8 mAh g-1 at 0.05 A g-1 after 168 charge-discharge cycles. Importantly, the lithiation/de-lithiation performance is enhanced during operation, leading to an unprecedented reversible capacity of 946.2 mAh g-1 after 3500 cycles at 2 A g-1. The structural evolution of RSFP is studied ex situ using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, revealing multiple active C═N, C─O, and C═O sites and aromatic sites such as benzene rings. Remarkably, the emergence of C═O originated from C─O is triggered by an electrochemical process, which is beneficial for improving reversible lithiation/delithiation behavior. Furthermore, the respective strong and weak binding interactions between redox centers and lithium ions, corresponding to theoretical capacities of 670.1 and 938.2 mAh g-1, have been identified by density functional theory calculations manifesting 14-electron redox reactions. This work sheds new light on routes for the development of redox-active organic materials for energy storage applications.

Immunological dynamic characteristics in acute myeloid leukemia predict the long-term outcomes and graft-versus host-disease occurrences post-transplantation.

To investigate the relationship between immune dynamic and graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) risk, 111 initial diagnostic acute myeloid leukemia patients were reviewed. The flow cytometry data of 12 major lymphocyte subsets in bone marrow (BM) from 60 transplant patients at four different time points were analyzed. Additionally, 90 immune subsets in peripheral blood (PB) of 11 post-transplantation on day 100 were reviewed. Our results demonstrated that transplant patients had longer OS compared to non-transplant patients (P < 0.001). Among transplant patients, those who developed GVHD showed longer OS than those without GVHD (P < 0.05). URD donors and CMV-negative status donors were associated with improved OS in transplant patients (P < 0.05). Importantly, we observed a decreased Th/Tc ratio in BM at initial diagnostic in patients with GVHD compared to those without GVHD (P = 0.034). Receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated that a low Th/Tc ratio predicted an increased risk of GVHD with a sensitivity of 44.44% and specificity of 87.50%. Moreover, an increased T/NK ratio in BM of post-induction chemotherapy was found to be associated with GVHD, with a sensitivity of 75.76% and specificity of 65.22%. Additionally, we observed a decreased percentage of NK1 (CD56-CD16+NK) in PB on day 100 post-transplantation in the GVHD group (P < 0.05). These three indicators exhibit promising potential as specific and useful biomarkers for predicting GVHD. These findings provide valuable insights for the early identification and management of GVHD risk, thereby facilitating the possibility of improving patient outcomes.

Prospective Investigation of Optical Genome Mapping for Prenatal Genetic Diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Optical genome mapping (OGM) is a novel assay for detecting structural variants (SVs) and has been retrospectively evaluated for its performance. However, its prospective evaluation in prenatal diagnosis remains unreported. This study aimed to prospectively assess the technical concordance of OGM with standard of care (SOC) testing in prenatal diagnosis. METHODS: A prospective cohort of 204 pregnant women was enrolled in this study. Amniotic fluid samples from these women were subjected to OGM and SOC testing, which included chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) and karyotyping (KT) in parallel. The diagnostic yield of OGM was evaluated, and the technical concordance between OGM and SOC testing was assessed. RESULTS: OGM successfully analyzed 204 cultured amniocyte samples, even with a cell count as low as 0.24 million. In total, 60 reportable SVs were identified through combined OGM and SOC testing, with 22 SVs detected by all 3 techniques. The diagnostic yield for OGM, CMA, and KT was 25% (51/204), 22.06% (45/204), and 18.14% (37/204), respectively. The highest diagnostic yield (29.41%, 60/204) was achieved when OGM and KT were used together. OGM demonstrated a concordance of 95.56% with CMA and 75.68% with KT in this cohort study. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that OGM can be effectively applied in prenatal diagnosis using cultured amniocytes and exhibits high concordance with SOC testing. The combined use of OGM and KT appears to yield the most promising diagnostic outcomes.

Potential therapeutic strategies for osteoarthritis via CRISPR/Cas9 mediated gene editing.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is an incapacitating and one of the most common physically degenerative conditions with an assorted etiology and a highly complicated molecular mechanism that to date lacks an efficient treatment. The capacity to design biological networks and accurately modify existing genomic sites holds an apt potential for applications across medical and biotechnological sciences. One of these highly specific genomes editing technologies is the CRISPR/Cas9 mechanism, referred to as the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, which is a defense mechanism constituted by CRISPR associated protein 9 (Cas9) directed by small non-coding RNAs (sncRNA) that bind to target DNA through Watson-Crick base pairing rules where subsequent repair of the target DNA is initiated. Up-to-date research has established the effectiveness of the CRISPR/Cas9 mechanism in targeting the genetic and epigenetic alterations in OA by suppressing or deleting gene expressions and eventually distributing distinctive anti-arthritic properties in both in vitro and in vivo osteoarthritic models. This review aims to epitomize the role of this high-throughput and multiplexed gene editing method as an analogous therapeutic strategy that could greatly facilitate the clinical development of OA-related treatments since it's reportedly an easy, minimally invasive technique, and a comparatively less painful method for osteoarthritic patients.

Persistent increase of accumbens cocaine ensemble excitability induced by IRK downregulation after withdrawal mediates the incubation of cocaine craving.

The incubation phenomenon, cue-induced drug craving progressively increasing over prolonged withdrawal, accounts for persistent relapse, leading to a dilemma in the treatment of cocaine addiction. The role of neuronal ensembles activated by initial cocaine experience in the incubation phenomenon was unclear. In this study, with cocaine self-administration (SA) models, we found that neuronal ensembles in the nucleus accumbens shell (NAcSh) showed increasing activation induced by cue-induced drug-seeking after 30-day withdrawal. Inhibition or activation of NAcSh cocaine-ensembles suppressed or promoted craving for cocaine, demonstrating a critical role of NAcSh cocaine-ensembles in incubation for cocaine craving. NAcSh cocaine-ensembles showed a specific increase of membrane excitability and a decrease of inward rectifying channels Kir2.1 currents after 30-day withdrawal. Overexpression of Kir2.1 in NAcSh cocaine-ensembles restored neuronal membrane excitability and suppressed cue-induced drug-seeking after 30-day withdrawal. Expression of dominant-negative Kir2.1 in NAcSh cocaine-ensembles enhanced neuronal membrane excitability and accelerated incubation of cocaine craving. Our results provide a cellular mechanism that the downregulation of Kir2.1 functions in NAcSh cocaine-ensembles induced by prolonged withdrawal mediates the enhancement of ensemble membrane excitability, leading to incubation of cocaine craving.

Tuning Na-Ion Diffusion in MXene/Graphene Oxide Heterostructures: An Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Study.

The development of heterostructured anode materials provides an effective approach for enhancing the electrochemical performance of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). In this work, ab initio molecular dynamics simulations and first-principles calculations are employed to investigate the Na-ion intercalation and diffusion in MXene/graphene oxide heterostructures. The influence of graphene oxidation on interlayer spacing, Na-ion diffusion kinetics, and transport mechanisms is examined at an atomic scale. It has been observed that oxygen functional groups can increase the interspacing between adjacent layers, thereby improving the initial embedding of Na ions. However, overoxidation causes an obstructive effect on the ionic conduction channels. An appropriate oxidation degree enables optimal Na-ion migration kinetics while retaining structural integrity. Our simulation results provide crucial insights into the rational design of high-performance MXene-based anodes for SIBs with excellent capacity and cycling stability.

Association of sleep duration and sleep quality with gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnant women after treatment with assisted reproductive technology: A birth cohort study.

Maternal sleep is closely related to subsequent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in natural pregnancies. However, whether this connection exists in pregnant women conceiving with the help of assisted reproductive technology (ART) has not been confirmed. Hence, in this study, we evaluated whether early pregnancy sleep duration or sleep quality is associated with gestational diabetes mellitus in ART-pregnant women, as well as the influence of maternal age on this association. This prospective birth cohort study included 856 pregnant women who successfully conceived with the help of ART treatment. The sleep parameters of ART-pregnant women were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in early pregnancy. We explored the association between sleep and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus using an unconditional binary logistic regression model. Different models were constructed to examine the robustness of the estimation by incorporating different confounding factors. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that sleep duration of more than 10 h among ART-pregnant women was significantly associated with the risk of GDM, and the association between sleep duration and gestational diabetes mellitus varied by maternal age. We found an increased risk of subsequent gestational diabetes mellitus with increasing sleep duration only in pregnant women aged <35 years. Additionally, no statistically significant association between sleep quality and gestational diabetes mellitus was found in this study. In conclusion, excessive sleep duration (≥10 h) is associated with a high risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnant women who conceived with the help of assisted reproductive technology, and maternal age may modify this effect.

Prognostic and clinicopathological value of osteopontin expression in non-small cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis and systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Although Osteopontin (OPN) has been reported to be associated with many different human cancers, the data on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are not definitive. This study aimed to explore the prognostic effect of OPN expression and clinicopathological characteristics in patients with NSCLC. METHODS: This study followed all aspects of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) report. PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library were searched to identify the relative studies. The pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to estimate the prognostic value of the OPN in patients with NSCLC. The odds ratio (OR) was calculated to represent the relationship between OPN expression and clinicopathological parameters. RESULTS: A total of fifteen studies with 2173 participants were finally included. The results revealed that high expression of OPN was significantly associated with poorer overall survival (OS) (HR = 1.89; 95%CI = 1.68-2.11; p < 0.001). Moreover, a significant correlation was observed between increased OPN expression and poorly differentiated (well and moderately differentiated vs. poorly differentiated; pooled OR = 0.38; 95% CI = 0.23-0.64; p < 0.001), lymph node metastasis (absence vs. presence; pooled OR = 0.49; 95%CI = 0.32-0.74; p < 0.001), and distant metastasis (absence vs. presence; pooled OR = 0.18; 95%CI = 0.11-0.29; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis implies that OPN might be a valuable biomarker for a poor prognosis and poor clinicopathological outcomes for patients with NSCLC.

Our findings suggest that osteopontin is an important biomarker for poor prognosis and poor clinicopathological outcome in Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.Increased expression of osteopontin in NSCLC patients is associated not only with poorer survival but also with tumor differentiation, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis.This may be due to that osteopontin promotes multiple pathological processes including cancer cell proliferation, invasion, tumor progression, and metastasis in NSCLC.

Ultrastable Copper Iodide Hybrid with Intrinsic Greenish White-Light Emission by Incorporating an Anionic Inorganic Functional Unit into an Extended Structure.

Incorporating a functional unit into the multidimensional coordination polymer skeleton is an efficient way to improve the stability of materials and expand their application. In this paper, anionic copper iodide inorganic functional modules are incorporated into one-dimensional extended chains by using a unique bidentate cationic organic ligand. Benefiting from the ionic extended structure, the resulting hybrid possesses a remarkable stability with a decomposition temperature as high as 300 °C. Meanwhile, the hybrid material exhibits intrinsic greenish white-light emission with a high photoluminescent quantum yield of 70%. The emission was investigated by temperature-dependent emission spectra, which proved to be the result of the synergistic effect of two energy states. The novel synthetic strategy provides an efficient route for the development of functional organic metal halides.

Structural identification of single boron-doped graphdiynes by computational XPS and NEXAFS spectroscopy.

Boron-doped graphdiyne (B-GDY) material exhibits an excellent performance in electrocatalysis, ion transport, and energy storage. However, accurately identifying the structures of B-GDY in experiments remains a challenge, hindering further selection of suitable structures with the most ideal performance for various practical applications. In the present work, we employed density functional theory (DFT) to simulate the X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine-structure (NEXAFS) spectra of pristine graphdiyne (GDY) and six representative single boron-doped graphdiynes at the B and C K-edges to establish the structure-spectroscopy relationship. A notable disparity in the C 1s ionization potentials (IPs) between substituted and adsorbed structures is observed upon doping with a boron atom. By analyzing the C and B 1s NEXAFS spectra on energy positions, spectral widths, spectral intensities, and different spectral profiles, we found that the six single boron-doped graphdiyne configurations can be sensitively identified. Moreover, this study provides a reliable theoretical reference for distinguishing different single boron-doped graphdiyne structures, enabling accurate selection of B-GDY structures for diverse practical applications.

Theory-guided unraveling of the mechanism underlying Cu1.0/Mn1.0-ZnO with dual reaction centers for enhanced peroxymonosulfate activation.

Developing efficient catalytic systems for water contamination removal is a topic of great interest. However, the use of heterogeneous catalysts faces challenges due to insufficient active sites and electron cycling. In this study, results from first-principles calculations demonstrate that dual reaction centers (DRCs) are produced around the Cu and Mn sites in Cu1.0/Mn1.0-ZnO due to the electronegativity difference. Experimental results reveal the material with DRCs greatly enhances electron transfer efficiency and significantly impacts the oxidation and reduction of peroxymonosulfate (PMS). In addition, the self-consistent potential correction (SCPC) method was introduced to correct the energy and charge of charged periodic systems simulating a catalytic process, resulting in more precise catalytic results. Specifically, the material exhibits a preference for adsorbing negatively charged PMS anions at electron-deficient Mn sites, facilitating PMS oxidation for the generation of 1O2, and PMS reduction around the electron-rich Cu for the formation of •OH and SO4•-. The major reactive oxygen species is 1O2, showcasing effective performance in various degradation systems. Overall, our work provides novel insights into the persulfate-based heterogeneous catalytic oxidation process, paving the way for the development of high-performance catalytic systems for water purification.

Melanin-Concentrating Hormone Is Associated With Delayed Neurocognitive Recovery in Older Adult Patients With Preoperative Sleep Disorders Undergoing Spinal Anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: Aging and preoperative sleep disorders are the main risk factors affecting postoperative cognitive outcomes. However, the pathogenesis of delayed neurocognitive recovery after surgery remains ambiguous, and there is still a lack of potential biomarkers for delayed neurocognitive recovery in older adult patients with preoperative sleep disorders. Our study aimed to explore the relationship between melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) and delayed neurocognitive recovery early after surgery in older adult patients with preoperative sleep disorders. METHODS: In this monocentric prospective observational study, 156 older adult patients (aged 65 years or older) with preoperative sleep disorders undergoing elective total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) were included at an academic medical center in Inner Mongolia, China, from October 2021 to November 2022, and all patients underwent spinal anesthesia. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was applied to assess the preoperative sleep quality of all patients, and preoperative sleep disorders were defined as a score of PSQI >5. We measured the levels of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) MCH and plasma MCH of all patients. The primary outcome was delayed neurocognitive recovery early after surgery. All patients received cognitive function assessment through the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) 1 day before and 7 days after surgery (postoperative day 7 [POD7]). Delayed neurocognitive recovery was defined as a score of POD7 MoCA <26. The potential confounders included variables with P < .2 in the univariate logistic analysis, as well as the important risk factors of delayed neurocognitive recovery reported in the literature. Multivariable logistic regression model based on the Enter method assessed the association of MCH and delayed neurocognitive recovery in older adult patients with preoperative sleep disorders. RESULTS: Fifty-nine (37.8%) older adult patients with preoperative sleep disorders experienced delayed neurocognitive recovery at POD7. Increase in CSF MCH levels (odds ratio [OR] for an increase of 1 pg/mL = 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-1.23, P < .001) and decrease in plasma MCH levels (OR for an increase of 1 pg/mL = 0.92, 95% CI, 0.86-0.98, P = .003) were associated with delayed neurocognitive recovery, after adjusting for age, sex, education, baseline MoCA scores, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade, and coronary heart disease (CHD). CONCLUSIONS: In older adult patients with preoperative sleep disorders, MCH is associated with the occurrence of delayed neurocognitive recovery after surgery. Preoperative testing of CSF MCH or plasma MCH may increase the likelihood of identifying the high-risk population for delayed neurocognitive recovery in older adult patients with preoperative sleep disorders.

Maternal cardiovascular health in early pregnancy and the risk of congenital heart defects in offspring.

BACKGROUND: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the predominant birth defect. This study aimed to explore the association between maternal cardiovascular health (CVH) and the CHD risk in offspring. METHODS: We used the prospective data from the Fujian Birth Cohort Study, collected from March 2019 to December 2022 on pregnant women within 14 weeks of gestation. Overall maternal CVH was assessed by seven CVH metrics (including physical activity, smoking, sleep duration, body mass index, blood pressure, total cholesterol, and fasting plasma glucose), with each metric classified as ideal, intermediate or poor with specific points. Participants were further allocated into high, moderate and low CVH categories based on the cumulative CVH score. The association with offspring CHD was determined with log-binominal regression models. RESULTS: A total of 19810 participants aged 29.7 (SD: 3.9) years were included, with 7846 (39.6%) classified as having high CVH, 10949 (55.3%) as having moderate CVH, and 1015 (5.1%) as having low CVH. The average offspring CHD rate was 2.52%, with rates of 2.35%, 2.52% and 3.84% across the high, moderate and low CVH categories, respectively (P = 0.02). Adjusted relative risks (RRs) of having offspring CHD were 0.64 (95% CI: 0.45-0.90, P = 0.001) for high CVH and 0.67 (95% CI: 0.48-0.93, P = 0.02) for moderate CVH compared to low CVH. For individual metrics, only ideal total cholesterol was significantly associated with lower offspring CHD (RR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.59-0.83, P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Pregnant women of high or moderate CVH categories in early pregnancy had reduced risks of CHD in offspring, compared to those of low CVH. It is important to monitor and improve CVH during pre-pregnancy counseling and early prenatal care.

Compliant 3D frameworks instrumented with strain sensors for characterization of millimeter-scale engineered muscle tissues.

Tissue-on-chip systems represent promising platforms for monitoring and controlling tissue functions in vitro for various purposes in biomedical research. The two-dimensional (2D) layouts of these constructs constrain the types of interactions that can be studied and limit their relevance to three-dimensional (3D) tissues. The development of 3D electronic scaffolds and microphysiological devices with geometries and functions tailored to realistic 3D tissues has the potential to create important possibilities in advanced sensing and control. This study presents classes of compliant 3D frameworks that incorporate microscale strain sensors for high-sensitivity measurements of contractile forces of engineered optogenetic muscle tissue rings, supported by quantitative simulations. Compared with traditional approaches based on optical microscopy, these 3D mechanical frameworks and sensing systems can measure not only motions but also contractile forces with high accuracy and high temporal resolution. Results of active tension force measurements of engineered muscle rings under different stimulation conditions in long-term monitoring settings for over 5 wk and in response to various chemical and drug doses demonstrate the utility of such platforms in sensing and modulation of muscle and other tissues. Possibilities for applications range from drug screening and disease modeling to biohybrid robotic engineering.

Early-Stage Fault Diagnosis of Motor Bearing Based on Kurtosis Weighting and Fusion of Current-Vibration Signals.

To solve the problem of a low signal-to-noise ratio of fault signals and the difficulty in effectively and accurately identifying the fault state in the early stage of motor bearing fault occurrence, this paper proposes an early fault diagnosis method for bearings based on the Differential Local Mean Decomposition (DLMD) and fusion of current-vibration signals. This method uses DLMD to decompose the current signal and vibration signal, respectively, and weights the decomposed product function (PF) according to the kurtosis value to reconstruct the signal, and then fuses the reconstructed signals to obtain the current-vibration fusion signal after normalization, and then analyzes the fusion signal spectrally through the Hilbert envelope spectrum. Finally, the fusion signal is analyzed by the Hilbert envelope spectrum, and a clear fault characteristic frequency is obtained. The experimental results demonstrate that compared to traditional bearing fault diagnosis methods, the proposed method significantly improves the signal-to-noise ratio of fault signals, effectively enhances the sensitivity of early-stage fault detection in motor bearings, and improves the accuracy of fault identification.