Patterning of morphogenetic anisotropy fields.

Orientational order, encoded in anisotropic fields, plays an important role during the development of an organism. A striking example of this is the freshwater polyp Hydra, where topological defects in the muscle fiber orientation have been shown to localize to key features of the body plan. This body plan is organized by morphogen concentration gradients, raising the question how muscle fiber orientation, morphogen gradients and body shape interact. Here, we introduce a minimal model that couples nematic orientational order to the gradient of a morphogen field. We show that on a planar surface, alignment to a radial concentration gradient can induce unbinding of topological defects, as observed during budding and tentacle formation in Hydra, and stabilize aster/vortex-like defects, as observed at a Hydra's mouth. On curved surfaces mimicking the morphologies of Hydra in various stages of development-from spheroid to adult-our model reproduces the experimentally observed reorganization of orientational order. Our results suggest how gradient alignment and curvature effects may work together to control orientational order during development and lay the foundations for future modeling efforts that will include the tissue mechanics that drive shape deformations.

GWAS on birth year infant mortality rates provides evidence of recent natural selection.

Following more than a century of phenotypic measurement of natural selection processes, much recent work explores relationships between molecular genetic measurements and realized fitness in the next generation. We take an innovative approach to the study of contemporary selective pressure by examining which genetic variants are "sustained" in populations as mortality exposure increases. Specifically, we deploy a so-called "regional GWAS" (genome-wide association study) that links the infant mortality rate (IMR) by place and year in the United Kingdom with common genetic variants among birth cohorts in the UK Biobank. These cohorts (born between 1936 and 1970) saw a decline in IMR from above 65 to under 20 deaths per 1,000 live births, with substantial subnational variations and spikes alongside wartime exposures. Our results show several genome-wide significant loci, including LCT and TLR10/1/6, related to area-level cohort IMR exposure during gestation and infancy. Genetic correlations are found across multiple domains, including fertility, cognition, health behaviors, and health outcomes, suggesting an important role for cohort selection in modern populations.

Fat mass and obesity-associated factor (FTO)-mediated N6-methyladenosine regulates spermatogenesis in an age-dependent manner.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent reversible RNA modification in the mammalian transcriptome. It has recently been demonstrated that m6A is crucial for male germline development. Fat mass and obesity-associated factor (FTO), a known m6A demethylase, is widely expressed in human and mouse tissues and is involved in manifold biological processes and human diseases. However, the function of FTO in spermatogenesis and male fertility remains poorly understood. Here, we generated an Fto knockout mouse model using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing techniques to address this knowledge gap. Remarkably, we found that loss of Fto in mice caused spermatogenesis defects in an age-dependent manner, resulting from the attenuated proliferation ability of undifferentiated spermatogonia and increased male germ cell apoptosis. Further research showed that FTO plays a vital role in the modulation of spermatogenesis and Leydig cell maturation by regulating the translation of the androgen receptor in an m6A-dependent manner. In addition, we identified two functional mutations of FTO in male infertility patients, resulting in truncated FTO protein and increased m6A modification in vitro. Our results highlight the crucial effects of FTO on spermatogonia and Leydig cells for the long-term maintenance of spermatogenesis and expand our understanding of the function of m6A in male fertility.

Electrochemical Platform Based on the Bi2Te3 Family of Topological Insulators for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Pathogenic Factors.

Accurate and rapid detection of the causative agent of a disease is of great importance in controlling the spread of the disease. This work developed a biosensor with the Bi2Te3 family of topological insulators for detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virulence factor. The Bi2Te3 family is a three-dimensional topological insulator material with topologically protected surface states; the presence of these surface states facilitates charge transfer between the electrode and electrolyte interface. Compared with the detection performance of Bi2Se3, BiSbTeSe2, and a trivial insulator like Sb2Se3, Bi2Te3 exhibits superior characteristics. A Bi2Te3 electrochemical detection platform is utilized to fabricate a sensor that can detect SARS-CoV-2 DNA, RNA, and antigen for label-free target detection. The concentration range of DNA detection by the biosensor using Bi2Te3 is between 1.0 × 10-15 and 1.0 × 10-10 M, and the detection limit can reach 1.41 × 10-16 M. Furthermore, it exhibits excellent selectivity and maintains good stability even after being stored for 14 days. This study provides a new way to apply topological insulator materials in the field of biosensors and use their unique electronic structure to improve the accuracy and speed of disease detection and diagnosis.

Comparison of the prognostic value of a comprehensive set of predictors in identifying risk of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease among employed adults.

OBJECTIVE: Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is of concern in employed adults, while the crucial indicators in predicting MAFLD are understudied in this population. We aimed to investigate and compare the prediction performance of a set of indicators for MAFLD in employed adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional study recruiting 7968 employed adults was conducted in southwest China. MAFLD was assessed by abdominal ultrasonography and physical examination. Comprehensive indicators of demographics, anthropometric, lifestyle, psychological, and biochemical indicators were collected by questionnaire or physical examination. All indicators were evaluated for importance in predicting MAFLD by random forest. A prognostic model based on multivariate regression model was constructed to obtain a prognostic index. All indicators and prognostic index were compared to evaluate their prediction performance in predicting MAFLD by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration plot, and Decision curve analysis (DCA). RESULTS: Triglyceride Glucose-Body Mass Index (TyG-BMI), BMI, TyG, triglyceride (TG)/high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), and TG ranked the top five important indicators, and TyG-BMI performed the most accurate prediction of MAFLD according to the ROC curve, calibration plot and DCA. The area under the ROC curves (AUCs) of the five indicators were all over 0.7, with TyG-BMI (cut-off value: 218.284, sensitivity: 81.7%, specificity: 78.3%) suggesting the most sensitive and specific indicator. All five indicators showed higher prediction performance and net benefit than the prognostic model. CONCLUSION: This epidemiological study firstly compared a set of indicators to evaluate their prediction performance in predicting MAFLD risk among employed adults. Intervention targeting powerful predictors can be helpful to reduce the MAFLD risk among employed adults.

Association between obese phenotypes and risk of carotid artery plaque among chinese male railway drivers.

BACKGROUND: China has the world's highest rail transportation network density, and the prevalence of obesity among railway workers in China is more than twice that of adults in the world. Carotid artery plaque (CAP) is a simple and noninvasive predictor of early atherosclerosis, while the association between different obese phenotypes and CAP risk among Chinese male railway drivers is unclear. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed among 8,645 Chinese male railway drivers. Obese phenotypes were assessed based on the obesity status (the body mass index ≥ 28 kg/m2 as obesity vs. < 28 kg/m2 as non-obesity) and metabolic status (metabolically healthy vs. metabolically unhealthy). Metabolically unhealthy was defined as the presence of at least one dysfunction, including elevated blood pressure, elevated fasting blood glucose, elevated triglyceride, and reduced high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol. Four obese phenotypes were defined based on the body mass index and metabolic status, i.e., metabolically healthy non-obesity (MHNO), metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO), and metabolically unhealthy non-obesity (MUNO). Multivariable logistic regression was employed to estimate the association between different obese phenotypes and the risk of CAP. Subgroup analysis was performed to examine the variation of the association by age, circadian rhythm disorders, and history of smoking and drinking. RESULTS: The prevalence of CAP among male railway drivers in MHO, MUO, MUNO, and MHNO was 8.75%, 18.67%, 17.82%, and 5.36%, respectively. Compared to those with MHNO, an increased risk for CAP was observed among those with MHO (OR = 2.18, 95% CI: 0.82, 5.10), MUO (OR = 1.78, 95% CI:1.44, 2.21), and MUNO (OR = 2.20, 95% CI: 1.67, 2.89). The subgroup analysis showed that both of the metabolically unhealthy groups (MUNO and MUO) aged < 45 years were prone to a higher risk of CAP (for the MUNO group, OR = 4.27, 95% CI:2.71, 7.10; for the MUO group, OR = 4.00, 95%CI: 2.26, 7.17). CONCLUSION: The obese phenotypes are associated with CAP risk in male railway drivers, especially those with metabolically unhealthy conditions aged < 45 years.

Population changes of Daphnia caused by declined calcium concentration: Evidences from population dynamics and sexual reproduction.

The decline in freshwater calcium has become a new environmental stressor to Daphnia with high calcium demand, however, the population dynamics and sexual reproduction of Daphnia under low calcium stress are still lack of deep understanding. To evaluate the impact of declined calcium on Daphnia from population level, we respectively exposed two clones of Daphnia pulex (CH and SH) to different calcium concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 5.0, 10.0, 25.0 mg L-1) for 30 days and recorded the population indicators. Results showed that total biomass, average dry weight per individual, total number of ephippia, total number of resting eggs of Daphnia pulex CH clone at 1.0 mg L-1 calcium decreased by 75.5%, 34.0%, 83.6%, and 77.6% compared with those at 25 mg L-1 calcium, while SH clone at 1.0 mg L-1 calcium decreased by 64.6%, 26.1%, 94.5%, and 82.2%, respectively. Importantly, Ca content in dry Daphnia pulex population of CH clone at 1.0 and 1.5 mg L-1 calcium decreased by 32.7% and 6.7% compared to those at 25 mg L-1 calcium, and SH clone at 1.0 mg L-1 and 1.5 mg L-1 calcium also decreased by 30.9% and 10.5%, respectively. Furthermore, low calcium significantly decreased the perimeter and surface area of ephippia. Interestingly, observation by scanning electron microscope found that low calcium changed the surface of ephippia. The negative impact of calcium decline on Daphnia population and sexual reproduction will inevitably endanger the persistence of species and genes at meta population level.

Baoshanmycin and a New Furanone Derivative from a Soil-Derived Actinomycete, Amycolatopsis sp. YNNP 00208.

Actinomycetes have being regarded as a treasure reservoir of various bioactive secondary metabolites and devoted many antibiotics in clinicals. Amycolatopsis sp. YNNP 00208 was isolated from a soil sample collected in Gaoligong Mountain area, Yunnan Province, China. Chemical investigation of its fermentation broth led to a new amide, baoshanmycin (1), and a new furanone derivative, 3-(1,3-dihydroxybutyl)-4-methylfuran-2(H)-one (2), together with eight known compounds, including two amides (3-4), four cyclic dipeptides (5-8), and two deoxyribonucleosides (9-10). Their structures were established on basis of the 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopic data, along with the HR-ESI-MS experiments. Baoshanmycin (1) showed moderate antimicrobial activities against Candida albicans, and weak activities against Staphylococcus aureus, multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Listeria monocytogenes, fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans. Baoshanmycin (1) presented strong antioxidant activity and moderate anti-acetylcholinesterase activity. The other compound 3-(1,3-dihydroxybutyl)-4-methylfuran-2(H)-one (2) and the known compounds (3-10) showed moderate antioxidant activity.

VISPR-online: a web-based interactive tool to visualize CRISPR screening experiments.

BACKGROUND: VISPR is an interactive visualization and analysis framework for CRISPR screening experiments. However, it only supports the output of MAGeCK, and requires installation and manual configuration. Furthermore, VISPR is designed to run on a single computer, and data sharing between collaborators is challenging. RESULTS: To make the tool easily accessible to the community, we present VISPR-online, a web-based general application allowing users to visualize, explore, and share CRISPR screening data online with a few simple steps. VISPR-online provides an exploration of screening results and visualization of read count changes. Apart from MAGeCK, VISPR-online supports two more popular CRISPR screening analysis tools: BAGEL and JACKS. It provides an interactive environment for exploring gene essentiality, viewing guide RNA (gRNA) locations, and allowing users to resume and share screening results. CONCLUSIONS: VISPR-online allows users to visualize, explore and share CRISPR screening data online. It is freely available at http://vispr-online.weililab.org , while the source code is available at https://github.com/lemoncyb/VISPR-online .

Koninginin W, a New Polyketide from the Endophytic Fungus Trichoderma koningiopsis YIM PH30002.

A new compound named koninginin W (1) and four known polyketides (2-5) were isolated from endophytic fungus Trichoderma koningiopsis YIM PH30002 of Panax notoginseng. The structures of 1 - 5, including absolute configuration of 1, were elucidated on the detailed analysis of the HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR, and X-ray crystallographic data. Koninginin W (1) presented weak antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Salmonella typhimurium.

Enhancement of Atmospheric Nucleation by Highly Oxygenated Organic Molecules: A Density Functional Theory Study.

New particle formation (NPF) by gas-particle conversion is the main source of atmospheric aerosols. Highly oxygenated organic molecules (HOMs) and sulfuric acid (SA) are important NPF participants. 2-Methylglyceric acid (MGA), a kind of HOMs, is a tracer of isoprene-derived secondary organic aerosols. The nucleation mechanisms of MGA with SA were studied using density functional theory and atmospheric cluster dynamics simulation in this study, along with that of MGA with methanesulfonic acid (MSA) as a comparison. Our theoretical works indicate that the (MGA)(SA) and (MGA)(MSA) clusters are the most stable ones in the (MGA) i(SA) j ( i = 1-2, j = 1-2) and (MGA) i(MSA) j ( i = 1-2, j = 1-2) clusters, respectively. Both the formation rates of (MGA)(SA) and (MGA)(MSA) clusters are quite large and could have significant contributions to NPF. The results imply that the homomolecular nucleation of MGA is unlikely to occur in the atmosphere, and MGA and SA can effectively contribute to heteromolecular nucleation mainly in the form of heterodimers. MSA exhibits properties similar to SA in its ability to form clusters with MGA but is slightly weaker than SA.

MiR-199a/b-3p suppresses migration and invasion of breast cancer cells by downregulating PAK4/MEK/ERK signaling pathway.

MicroRNA-199a/b-3p is downregulated in several types of aggressive cancer, and its decrement significantly correlates with poor survival. Here, we aim to investigate the biological function of miR-199a/b-3p and its regulation of target genes in breast cancer cells with highly metastatic potential. In addition, we found that miR-199a/b-3p expression was much lower in MDA-MB-231, CAL120, and HCC1395 breast cancer cells with highly metastatic potential. Functional assays showed that restored miR-199a/b-3p expression inhibited MDA-MB-231 cell growth, cell-cycle progression, migration, and invasion. In addition, we experimentally demonstrated that PAK4 was the direct target of miR-199a/b-3p, hypo-expression of PAK4 suppressed proliferation, migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells, and overexpression of PAK4 significantly rescued the inhibitory effect of miR-199a/b-3p on MDA-MB-231 cell growth, migration, and invasion. Further, we also observed that miR-199a/b-3p could inactivate the PAK4/MEK/ERK signaling pathway. Thus, miR-199a/b-3p functions as a tumor suppressor and has an important role in breast cancer metastasis through PAK4/MEK/ERK signaling pathway.

Inhibitory effects of toxic Dolichospermum flos-aquae and anatoxin-a on inducible defenses of Daphnia magna.

Cyanobacterial blooms, resulting from serious eutrophication, can produce various cyanotoxins and severely disrupt aquatic ecosystems. Inducible defenses are adaptive traits developed by prey in response to predation risks. However, the effects of the increasing proportion of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins produced during cyanobacterial blooms on the inducible defenses of cladocerans, particularly in terms of behavioral defenses, remain unclear. In this study, we selected Daphnia magna and investigated the defensive traits against predation risks by the predator Rhodeus ocellatus under different ratios of cyanobacteria (Dolichospermum flos-aquae) and green algae (Scenedesmus obliquus), as well as varying concentrations of anatoxin-a (ATX), a cyanotoxin. We recorded the inducible defensive traits involving to morphology, behavior, and offspring production of D. magna. Results showed that the body length of D. magna at sexual maturity and the number of offspring in the first brood were significantly reduced by the presence of D. flos-aquae. Moreover, when the proportion of D. flos-aquae reached 75% and 100%, D. magna did not develop to sexual maturity. Furthermore, D. flos-aquae inhibited the formation of inducible behavioral defense of D. magna, with a stronger inhibitory effect as the proportion of D. flos-aquae increased. In this experiment, the effects of ATX on the morphological traits at sexual maturity and offspring production of D. magna were minor, but ATX still had the potential to inhibit the formation of inducible behavioral defense. We confirmed that changes in the proportion of cyanobacteria and green algae as well as the production of ATX by cyanobacteria during cyanobacterial blooms can affect the growth, development, and inducible defensive traits of cladocerans, potentially altering their population dynamics during such events.

Recrystallized resistant starch by encapsulation with konjac glucomannan: Structural changes, digestibility, and its effect on glucose response and short-term satiety in mice.

The effects of the structure and digestibility of konjac glucomannan (KGM)-recrystallized resistant starch complex (KRS3) on the glycemic response and short-term satiety in mice were investigated. KRS3 samples were prepared by recrystallized debranched starch (RS3) at 50 °C, and then combined with KGM. The RS3 and KRS3 samples displayed an A-type pattern and maintained peak temperature values above 110 °C. With an increase in KGM, the swelling power and apparent viscosity of KRS3 increased. The results of in vitro and in vivo digestion revealed that KRS3 with a resistant starch content ranging from 69.4 % to 78.8 % could effectively maintain postprandial blood glucose levels. KRS3, particularly with 0.5 % KGM, slowed gastric emptying of mice from 82.7 % to 36.6 % and intestinal propulsion rate from 60.9 % to 35.3 %, resulting in strong satiety. RS3 combined with KGM could serve as a new approach to develop RS3 based foods with low glycemic responses and high-satiety.

Effect of humic substances on the fraction of heavy metal and microbial response.

Contamination of soils by Molybdenum (Mo) has raised increasing concern worldwide. Both fulvic acid (FA) and humic acid (HA) possess numerous positive properties, such as large specific surface areas and microporous structure that facilitates the immobilization of the heavy metal in soils. Despite these characteristics, there have been few studies on the microbiology effects of FA and HA. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the Mo immobilization effects of FA and HA, as well as the associated changes in microbial community in Mo-contaminated soils (with application rates of 0%, 0.5% and 1.0%). The result of the incubation demonstrated a decrease in soil pH (from 8.23 ~ 8.94 to 8.05 ~ 8.77). Importantly, both FA and HA reduced the exchangeable fraction and reducible fraction of Mo in the soil, thereby transforming Mo into a more stable form. Furthermore, the application of FA and HA led to an increase in the relative abundance of Actinobacteriota and Firmicutes, resulting in alterations to the microbial community structure. However, it is worth noting that due to the differing structures and properties of FA and HA, these outcomes were not entirely consistent. In summary, the aging of FA and HA in soil enhanced their capacity to immobilization Mo as a soil amendment. This suggests that they have the potential to serve as effective amendments for the remediation of Mo-contaminated soils.

Identification of oxidative stress signatures of lung adenocarcinoma and prediction of patient prognosis or treatment response with single-cell RNA sequencing and bulk RNA sequencing data.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), the most common subtype of lung cancer globally, has seen improved prognosis with advancements in diagnostic, surgical, radiotherapy, and molecular therapy techniques, while its 5-year survival rate remains low. Molecular biomarkers provide prognostic value. Oxidative stress factors, such as reactive nitrogen species and ROS, are crucial in various stages of tumor progression, influencing cell transformation, proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis. ROS demonstrate dual roles, affecting tumor cells, hypoxia sensitivity, and the microenvironment. Comprehensive analysis of oxidative stress in LUAD has not been conducted to date. Therefore, we systematically investigated the regulatory patterns of oxidative stress in LUAD based on oxidative stress-related genes and correlated these patterns with cellular infiltration characteristics of the tumor immune microenvironment. The model utilizes single-factor Cox analysis to screen key differential genes with prognostic value and employs least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) penalized Cox regression analysis to construct a prognostic-related prediction model. Ten candidate genes were selected based on this model. The risk score was constructed using the coefficients and expression levels of these ten genes. Furthermore, the impact of this risk score on overall survival (OS) was determined. Two genes with the most significant differential expression, SFTPB and S100P, were selected through qRT-PCR. Cell experiments including CCK-8, Edu, transwell assays confirmed their effects on lung cancer cells growth, consistent with the results of bioinformatics analysis. These findings suggested that this model held potential clinical value for evaluating the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma.

Exploring the causal relationships and mediating factors between depression, anxiety, panic, and atrial fibrillation: A multivariable Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation is a significant cardiovascular disease, and the increased risk of its occurrence may be influenced by mental disorders. Currently, the causal relationship between them remains controversial. Our aim is to ascertain the relationship between atrial fibrillation and mental disorders including depression, anxiety, and panic, as well as the risk factors mediating this relationship, through the judgment of genetic susceptibility. METHODS: We utilized the summarized statistics from nine large-scale genome-wide association studies (in European populations), including depression (PGC, N = 807,553), anxiety (FinnGen, N = 429,209), panic (PGC, N = 230,878), diabetes (UK Biobank, N = 655,666), smoking (IEU, 607,291), hypertension (UK biobank, N = 463,010), obstructive sleep apnea (IEU, N = 476,853), obesity (UK biobank, N = 463,010), and AF (IEU, N = 1,030,836). By applying bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization and multivariable Mendelian randomization to depression, anxiety, panic, and AF, we analyzed their causal relationships and the independent influence of specific risk factors. Furthermore, a two-step MR approach was used to assess the mediating effects of diabetes, smoking, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and obesity. RESULTS: Results from the Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Inverse Variance Weighted Random Effects Model show: the occurrence of genetically predicted depression is related to an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) (OR: 1.073; [95 % CI: 1.005-1.146] P < 0.05), and panic is more significantly associated than depression (OR: 1.017; [95 % CI: 1.008-1.027] P < 0.001), while anxiety has no causal relationship with the occurrence of AF (OR: 1.023; [95 % CI: 0.960-1.092], P > 0.05), and AF is not significantly related to the occurrence of depression, anxiety, or panic (P > 0.05). After correcting for the other two risk factors using multivariable Mendelian randomization, depression remains significantly related to the occurrence of AF (ß: 0.075; 95 % CI: [0.006, 0.144], P < 0.05), while panic and anxiety are not related to the occurrence of AF. Among them, the risk factors for AF occurrence, hypertension and obesity, are mediators between depression and AF, with mediation proportions of 74.9 % and 14.3 %, respectively. The mediating effects of diabetes, smoking, and obstructive sleep apnea were found to be not statistically significant. The above results are robust after sensitivity analysis. CONCLUSION: Our results identified that the genetic susceptibility to depression is an independent risk factor for the occurrence of AF, and that hypertension and obesity can mediate this process. Panic also poses some risk to the onset of AF. This demonstrates that controlling hypertension and obesity for emotional management is of great importance in preventing the occurrence of AF.

Magnetic fibrin nanofiber hydrogel delivering iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles promotes peripheral nerve regeneration.

Peripheral nerve injury is a debilitating condition that have a profound impact on the overall quality of an individual's life. The repair of peripheral nerve defects continues to present significant challenges in the field. Iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (IONPs) have been recognized as potent nanotools for promoting the regeneration of peripheral nerves due to their capability as biological carriers and their ability to template the hydrogel structure under an external magnetic field. This research used a fibrin nanofiber hydrogel loaded with IONPs (IONPs/fibrin) to promote the regeneration of peripheral nerves in rats. In vitro examination of PC12 cells on various concentrations of IONPs/fibrin hydrogels revealed a remarkable increase in NGF and VEGF expression at 2% IONPs concentration. The biocompatibility and degradation of 2% IONPs/fibrin hydrogel were assessed using the in vivo imaging system, demonstrating subcutaneous degradation within a week without immediate inflammation. Bridging a 10-mm sciatic nerve gap in Sprague Dawley rats with 2% IONPs/fibrin hydrogel led to satisfactory morphological recovery of myelinated nerve fibers. And motor functional recovery in the 2% IONPs/fibrin group was comparable to autografts at 6, 9 and 12 weeks postoperatively. Hence, the composite fibrin hydrogel incorporating 2% IONPs exhibits potential for peripheral nerve regeneration.

Relationship of long-term exposure to air pollutant mixture with metabolic-associated fatty liver disease and subtypes: A retrospective cohort study of the employed population of Southwest China.

BACKGROUND: While evidence suggests that PM2.5 is associated with overall prevalence of Metabolic (dysfunction)-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD), effects of comprehensive air pollutant mixture on MAFLD and its subtypes remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate individual and joint effects of long-term exposure to comprehensive air pollutant mixture on MAFLD and its subtypes. METHODS: Data of 27,699 participants of the Chinese Cohort of Working Adults were analyzed. MAFLD and subtypes, including overweight/obesity, lean, and diabetes MAFLD, were diagnosed according to clinical guidelines. Concentrations of NO3-, SO42-, NH4+, organic matter (OM), black carbon (BC), PM2.5, SO2, NO2, O3 and CO were estimated as a weighted average over participants' residential and work addresses for the three years preceding outcome assessment. Logistic regression and weighted quantile sum regression were used to estimate individual and joint effects of air pollutant mixture on presence of MAFLD. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of MAFLD was 26.6 % with overweight/obesity, lean, and diabetes MAFLD accounting for 92.0 %, 6.4 %, and 1.6 %, respectively. Exposure to SO42-, NO3-, NH4+, BC, PM2.5, NO2, O3and CO was significantly associated with overall MAFLD, overweight/obesity MAFLD, or lean MAFLD in single pollutant models. Joint effects of air pollutant mixture were observed for overall MAFLD (OR = 1.10 [95 % CI: 1.03, 1.17]), overweight/obesity (1.09 [1.02, 1.15]), and lean MAFLD (1.63 [1.28, 2.07]). Contributions of individual air pollutants to joint effects were dominated by CO in overall and overweight/obesity MAFLD (Weights were 42.31 % and 45.87 %, respectively), while SO42- (36.34 %), SO2 (21.00 %) and BC (12.38 %) were more important in lean MAFLD. Being male, aged above 45 years and smoking increased joint effects of air pollutant mixture on overall MAFLD. CONCLUSIONS: Air pollutant mixture was associated with MAFLD, particularly the lean MAFLD subtype. CO played a pivotal role in both overall and overweight/obesity MAFLD, whereas SO42- were associated with lean MAFLD.