Differences in Thinness- and Muscularity-Oriented Eating and Body Image Disturbances and Psychosocial Well-Being in Chinese Sexual Minority Men Reporting Top, Bottom, and Versatile Sexual Self-Labels.

In addition to describing sexual partner preferences, sexual self-labels in gay and bisexual (henceforth, sexual minority) men, such as top, bottom, and versatile, are associated with psychological characteristics (e.g., gendered personality traits). No research has explored the association between sexual self-labels and eating and body image disturbances in sexual minority men. Research in sexual minority men from China is particularly valuable and needed due to recent rises in rates of eating and body image disturbances and unique, minority-specific stressors experienced by Chinese sexual minority populations. We adopted an online, cross-sectional study in a sample of sexual minority men from China (N = 403; tops, n = 256, bottoms, n = 95, versatiles, n = 52). Bottoms reported higher thinness internalization, lower muscularity internalization, higher body fat dissatisfaction, and higher psychological distress than tops. Bottoms' weight bias internalization was higher than tops' and versatiles' reports and, compared to versatiles, bottoms also reported higher psychosocial impairment related to eating disorder psychopathology. Compared to versatiles, tops reported higher drive for muscularity and muscularity-oriented disordered eating. Adjusting for age, psychological distress, and psychosocial impairment, tops reported higher muscularity internalization than bottoms and higher drive for muscularity and muscularity-oriented disordered eating than both bottoms and versatiles. Findings suggested unique relations between sexual self-labels and eating and body image disturbances in Chinese sexual minority men. Replication and validation of the temporal order between sexual self-labels and eating and body image disturbances is needed, including assessment of social factors (e.g., femmephobia, minority stress) that may help explain the links between sexual self-labels and eating pathology.

miR-744-5p promotes T-cell differentiation via inhibiting STK11.

T cells utilized in adoptive T cell immunotherapy are typically activated in vitro. Although these cells demonstrate proliferation and anti-tumor activity following activation, they often face difficulties in sustaining long-term survival post-reinfusion. This issue is attributed to the induction of T cells into a terminal differentiation state upon activation, whereas early-stage differentiated T cells exhibit enhanced proliferation potential and survival capabilities. In previous study, we delineated four T cell subsets at varying stages of differentiation: TN, TSCM, TCM, and TEM, and acquired their miRNA expression profiles via high-throughput sequencing. In the current study, we performed a differential analysis of miRNA across these subsets, identifying a distinct miRNA, hsa-miR-744-5p, characterized by progressively increasing expression levels upon T cell activation. This miRNA is not expressed in TSCM but is notably present in TEM. Target genes of miR-744-5p were predicted, followed by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses, revealing that these genes predominantly associate with pathways related to the 'Wnt signaling pathway'. We established that miR-744-5p directly targets STK11, influencing its expression. Further, we investigated the implications of miR-744-5p on T cell differentiation and functionality. Overexpression of miR-744-5p in T cells resulted in heightened apoptosis, reduced proliferation, an increased proportion of late-stage differentiated T cells, and elevated secretion of the cytokine TNF-α. Moreover, post-overexpression of miR-744-5p led to a marked decline in the expression of early-stage differentiation-associated genes in T cells (CCR7, CD62L, LEF1, BCL2) and a significant rise in late-stage differentiation-associated genes (KLRG1, PDCD1, GZMB). In conclusion, our findings affirm that miR-744-5p contributes to the progressive differentiation of T cells by downregulating the STK11 gene expression.

HCl/DMSO/HFIP-Mediated Chlorination of Pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines and Other Electron-Rich Heteroarenes.

An efficient oxidative chlorination of pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines has been established using HCl (aq) as the chlorine source and DMSO as the terminal oxidant in HFIP at ambient temperature. A variety of chlorinated pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline derivatives have been prepared readily in 23 to 99% yields. This chlorination strategy can be expanded to the functionalization of other electron-rich heteroarenes including substituted pyrroles, indoles, and naphthols.

Lysosome-Related Genes and RNF19B as Prognostic Markers for Survival and Immunotherapy Efficacy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) poses a considerable worldwide health concern due to its associated high risk of death. The heterogeneity of HCC poses challenges in developing practical risk stratification tools and identifying prognostic markers for personalized targeted treatments. Recently, lysosomes were shown to be crucial contributors to numerous cellular activities, including tumor initiation and immune response regulation. We aimed to construct a reliable prognostic signature based on lysosome-related genes and determine its association with the immune microenvironment. METHODS: We comprehensively analyzed lysosome-related genes in HCC to investigate their influence on patient survival and the tumor immune microenvironment. A prognostic signature comprising 14 genes associated with lysosomes was created to estimate the survival outcomes of individuals with HCC. In addition, we verified the prognostic importance of Ring Finger Protein 19B (RNF19B) in patients with HCC through multiplex immunohistochemistry analysis. RESULTS: Our constructed lysosome-related prediction model could significantly discriminate between HCC patients with good and poor survival outcomes ( P < 0.05). We also found that elevated RNF19B expression was linked to unfavorable prognostic outcomes and showed a connection with specific clinicopathological characteristics. Moreover, it was observed that RNF19B could facilitate the transformation of macrophages into M2-polarized macrophages and showed a significant positive correlation with PD-1 and CTLA-4. DISCUSSION: In summary, our study proposes that the expression of lysosome-related genes is associated with the immune microenvironment, serving as a predictor for HCC patient survival. Meanwhile, RNF19B was identified as a novel prognostic marker for predicting overall survival and immunotherapy effects in patients with HCC.

Exploring the associations between muscularity teasing and eating and body image disturbances in Chinese men and women.

This study described muscularity teasing in both men and women and explored its associations with eating and body image disturbances in adults from China. A total of 900 Chinese adults (50% women) were recruited online. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between muscularity teasing and a battery of measures on eating and body image disturbances. Gender differences in the associations were examined. Men reported more muscularity teasing than women (31.6% men vs. 15.6% women; χ2(1,N = 900) = 31.99, p < .001). Muscularity teasing was significantly and positively correlated with all measures in both men and women. Muscularity teasing explained significant, unique variance in all measures for men and women, except for body fat dissatisfaction in women, beyond covariates (i.e., age, body mass index, and weight teasing). The relationships between muscularity teasing and eating and body image disturbances were generally stronger in men than women. Findings further suggest that muscularity teasing is an important factor related to eating and body image disturbances in men and women, but muscularity teasing might be more detrimental to men's eating behaviors and body image. Future research is needed to further explore the directionality and mechanisms of the links between muscularity teasing and eating and body image disturbances.

TMT-based quantitative proteomics reveals the nutritional and stress resistance functions of anaerobic fungi in yak rumen during passage at different time intervals.

OBJECTIVES: Anaerobic fungi are critical for nutrient digestion in the yak rumen. Although studies have reported the effects of passage at different time intervals on the community structure of yak rumen anaerobic fungi, it is unknown whether passage culture at different time intervals affects the microbial proteins of rumen anaerobic fungi and their functions. METHODS: Mycelium was obtained using the anaerobic continuous batch culture (CBC) of yak rumen fluid at intervals of 3 d, 5 d and 7 d. Quantitative analysis of fungal proteins and functional analysis was performed using tandem mass tagging (TMT) and bioinformatics. RESULTS: A total of 56 differential proteins (DPs) were found in 5 d vs. 3 d and 7 d vs. 3 d. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment indicated that the up-regulated proteins were mainly involved in biological regulation, cellular process, metabolic process, macromolecular complex, membrane, cell part, organelle, binding, catalytic activity and transporter activity. The downregulated proteins were mainly enriched in metabolic process, cell part, binding and catalytic activity. Furthermore, the downregulated proteins in 7 d vs. 3 d were related to membrane and organelle. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment results indicated that DPs were enriched in 14 pathways in 5 d vs. 3 d and 7 d vs. 3 d, mainly including terpenoid backbone biosynthesis, alaine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, arginine biosynthesis, hypotaurine, cyanoamino acid, glutathione, ß-alanine, pyrimidine, purine, galactose and propanate metabolism, steroid biosynthesis, ribosome biogenesis in eukaryotes and aminoacyl tRNA biosynthesis. The DPs were enriched in only 2 pathways in 5 d vs 3 d, lysine biosynthesis and cysteine and methionine metabolism. N-glycan biosynthesis and retinol metabolism are only found in the metabolism of DPs in 7 d vs 3 d. CONCLUSIONS: Yak rumen anaerobic fungal proteins are involved in nutrition and stress tolerance during passage at different time intervals.

Exosomal circRNAs in gastrointestinal cancer: Role in occurrence, development, diagnosis and clinical application (Review).

Gastrointestinal cancer is frequently detected at an advanced stage and has an undesirable prognosis due to the absence of efficient and precise biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Exosomes are small, living­cell­derived vesicles that serve a critical role in facilitating intercellular communication by transporting molecules from donor cells to receiver cells. circular RNAs (circRNAs) are mis­expressed in a variety of diseases, including gastrointestinal cancer, and are promising as diagnostic biomarkers and tumor therapeutic targets for gastrointestinal cancer. The main features of exosomes and circRNAs are discussed in the present review, along with research on the biological function of exosomal circRNAs in the development and progression of gastrointestinal cancer. It also assesses the advantages and disadvantages of implementing these findings in clinical applications.

A New Hyper-Heuristic Multi-Objective Optimisation Approach Based on MOEA/D Framework.

A multi-objective evolutionary algorithm based on decomposition (MOEA/D) serves as a robust framework for addressing multi-objective optimization problems (MOPs). However, it is widely recognized that the applicability of a fixed offspring-generating strategy in MOEA/D can be limited, despite its foundation in the MOEA/D methodology. Consequently, hybrid algorithms have gained popularity in recent years. This study proposes a novel hyper-heuristic approach that integrates the estimation of distribution (ED) and crossover (CX) strategies into the MOEA/D framework based on the view of successful replacement rate (SSR) and attempts to explain the potential reasons for the advantages of hybrid algorithms. The proposed approach dynamically switches from the differential evolution (DE) operator to the covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy (CMA-ES) operator. Simultaneously, certain subproblems in the neighbourhood denoted as B(i) employ the Improved Differential Evolution (IDE) operator to generate new individuals for balancing the high evaluation costs associated with CMA-ES. Numerical experiments unequivocally demonstrate that the suggested approach offers distinct advantages when applied to a three-objective test suite. These experiments also validate a significant enhancement in the efficiency (SRR) of the DE operator within this context. The perspectives and experimental findings, with a focus on the Success Rate Ratio (SRR), have the potential to provide valuable insights and inspire further research in related domains.

Function and biomedical implications of exosomal microRNAs delivered by parenchymal and nonparenchymal cells in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Small extracellular vesicles (exosomes) are important components of the tumor microenvironment. They are small membrane-bound vesicles derived from almost all cell types and play an important role in intercellular communication. Exosomes transmit biological molecules obtained from parent cells, such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, and are involved in cancer development. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), the most abundant contents in exosomes, are selectively packaged into exosomes to carry out their biological functions. Recent studies have revealed that exosome-delivered miRNAs play crucial roles in the tumorigenesis, progression, and drug resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In addition, exosomes have great industrial prospects in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of patients with HCC. This review summarized the composition and function of exosomal miRNAs of different cell origins in HCC and highlighted the association between exosomal miRNAs from stromal cells and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment and the progression of HCC. Finally, we described the potential applicability of exosomal miRNAs derived from mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of HCC.

Screen use while eating is associated with lower intuitive eating and higher disordered eating in Chinese adult men and women.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore the potential associations between screen use while eating and intuitive eating and disordered (thinness-oriented and muscularity-oriented) eating behaviors. METHODS: Analyses included 600 Chinese adults (50% women; Mage = 30.67, SD = 8.08) recruited online. The use of four major screen devices was captured, including cell phones, tablets, computers, and TVs. Three types of eating behaviors were examined, namely intuitive eating, thinness-oriented disordered eating, and muscularity-oriented disordered eating. Pearson correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted separately for men and women to examine the sex-specific associations between screen use while eating and intuitive eating, thinness-oriented disordered eating, and muscularity-oriented disordered eating. RESULTS: In both men and women, more screen use while eating was significantly associated with lower intuitive eating, higher thinness-oriented disordered eating, and higher muscularity-oriented disordered eating, above and beyond total screen time and social media use. DISCUSSION: We found preliminary evidence for the significant links between screen use while eating and intuitive eating and disordered eating. Given the global increases in screen use, continued research is warranted to further explore the role of screen use while eating in the development and maintenance of intuitive eating and disordered eating. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: Much remains unknown regarding screen use while eating and eating behaviors. We found that in both Chinese men and women, more screen use while eating was significantly and uniquely associated with lower intuitive eating, higher thinness-oriented disordered eating, and higher muscularity-oriented disordered eating. Findings highlight the importance of incorporating screen use while eating in future research on intuitive eating and disordered eating.

Muscularity teasing and its relations with muscularity bias internalization, muscularity-oriented body dissatisfaction, and muscularity-oriented disordered eating in Chinese adult men.

Despite increasing research on weight teasing and other forms of appearance teasing, muscularity teasing, which occurs when an individual is victimized due to low muscularity, has not yet received research attention. Given the solid evidence of positive relations between weight teasing and thinness-oriented body dissatisfaction and disordered eating, we aimed to tap into muscularity teasing and examine its relations with muscularity-oriented body dissatisfaction and muscularity-oriented disordered eating (e.g., rigid dietary rules for enhancing muscularity). A sample of 500 Chinese men, aged 18 - 62 years, were recruited online, and they competed questionnaires assessing muscularity teasing, muscularity bias internalization, muscularity-oriented body dissatisfaction, and muscularity-oriented disordered eating. Correlation analyses showed that muscularity teasing was significantly related to muscularity bias internalization (r = 0.55, p < .001), muscularity-oriented body dissatisfaction (r = 0.50, p < .001), and muscularity-oriented disordered eating (r = 0.38, p < .001). Structural equation modelling indicated that muscularity bias internalization and muscularity-oriented body dissatisfaction, as concurrent mediators, fully mediated the relationships between muscularity teasing and muscularity-oriented disordered eating. Findings extend existing knowledge in appearance teasing research to encompass muscularity teasing in order to better understand the etiology of muscularity-oriented body dissatisfaction and muscularity-oriented disordered eating.

Screening of host gut-derived probiotics and effects of feeding probiotics on growth, immunity, and antioxidant enzyme activity of hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus♀ × E. lanceolatus♂).

In recent years, the widespread use of antibiotics in intensive grouper mariculture has resulted in the ineffectiveness of antibiotic treatment, leading to an increasing incidence of diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites, causing serious economic losses. Hence, it is crucial to develop alternative strategies to antibiotics for healthy and sustainable development of the mariculture industry. Here, we aimed to screen host gut-derived probiotics and evaluate its effects on growth and immunity of grouper. In this study, 43 bacterial strains were isolated from the intestine of the hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus♀ × E. lanceolatus♂), and a potential probiotic strain G1-26, which can efficiently secrete amylase, protease, and lipase, was obtained using different screening mediums. Based on 16S rDNA sequencing, the potential probiotic strain G1-26 was identified as Vibrio fluvialis. The results of a biological characteristic evaluation showed that V. fluvialis G1-26 could grow at 25-45 °C, pH 5.5-7.5, salinity 10-40, and bile salt concentration 0-0.030%, and produce amylase, lipase, and protease under different culture conditions. Additionally, V. fluvialis G1-26 is sensitive to many antibiotics and does not exhibit aquatic biotoxicity. Subsequently, hybrid groupers were fed diets containing V. fluvialis G1-26 at different concentrations (0, 106, 108, and 1010 CFU/g) for 60 d. The results showed that V. fluvialis G1-26 at 108 CFU/g did not significantly affect the growth performance of the hybrid grouper (P > 0.05). V. fluvialis G1-26 supplementation at 108 and 1010 CFU/g significantly promoted the relative expression of immune-related genes in hybrid groupers (TLR3, TLR5, IL-1ß, IL-8, IL-10, CTL, LysC, TNF-2, and MHC-2) and improved the activities of alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, total superoxide dismutase, and total protein in the liver. In conclusion, V. fluvialis G1-26, a potential probiotic strain isolated from the intestine of the hybrid grouper, can be used as an effective immunopotentiator at an optimal dose of 108 CFU/g diet. Our results provide a scientific basis for the development and utilization of probiotics in the grouper mariculture industry.

CoNet: Efficient Network Regression for Survival Analysis in Transcriptome-Wide Association Studies-With Applications to Studies of Breast Cancer.

Transcriptome-wide association studies (TWASs) aim to detect associations between genetically predicted gene expression and complex diseases or traits through integrating genome-wide association studies (GWASs) and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) mapping studies. Most current TWAS methods analyze one gene at a time, ignoring the correlations between multiple genes. Few of the existing TWAS methods focus on survival outcomes. Here, we propose a novel method, namely a COx proportional hazards model for NEtwork regression in TWAS (CoNet), that is applicable for identifying the association between one given network and the survival time. CoNet considers the general relationship among the predicted gene expression as edges of the network and quantifies it through pointwise mutual information (PMI), which is under a two-stage TWAS. Extensive simulation studies illustrate that CoNet can not only achieve type I error calibration control in testing both the node effect and edge effect, but it can also gain more power compared with currently available methods. In addition, it demonstrates superior performance in real data application, namely utilizing the breast cancer survival data of UK Biobank. CoNet effectively accounts for network structure and can simultaneously identify the potential effecting nodes and edges that are related to survival outcomes in TWAS.

Influence of Healthy Brand and Diagnosticity of Brand Name on Subjective Ratings of High- and Low-Calorie Food.

Brand names on food packaging and the diagnosticity of brand names have notable effects on consumer preferences. However, their effects on healthy food consumption are not clear. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of healthy brands and the diagnosticity of brand names on consumers' subjective ratings of different calorie foods. In two studies, participants viewed 32 pictures of high- and low-calorie food product packaging from healthy and unhealthy brands and rated their feelings and willingness to pay online. Study 1 used real brand names, and Study 2 used fictional brand names and added press releases to manipulate diagnosticity. The present study demonstrated that participants perceived foods from healthy brands as healthier but less delicious and were more willing to buy low-calorie foods from healthy brands. Moreover, only when the brand name was of high diagnosticity were high-calorie foods rated as more likable, and did the willingness to pay for low-calorie foods increase. Collectively, these findings highlight the influence of the healthy brand on consumers' subjective ratings of food. It is also inspiring for healthy food marketing.

Copper-Based Catalysts for Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Ethylene.

Electrochemical reduction of CO2 into high energy density multi-carbon chemicals or fuels (e. g., ethylene) via new renewable energy storage has extraordinary implications for carbon neutrality. Copper (Cu)-based catalysts have been recognized as the most promising catalysts for the electrochemical reduction of CO2 to ethylene (C2 H4 ) due to their moderate CO adsorption energy and moderate hydrogen precipitation potential. However, the poor selectivity, low current density and high overpotential of the CO2 RR into C2 H4 greatly limit its industrial applications. Meanwhile, the complex reaction mechanism is still unclear, which leads to blindness in the design of catalysts. Herein, we systematically summarized the latest research, proposed possible conversion mechanisms and categorized the general strategies to adjust of the structure and composition for CO2 RR, such as tip effect, defect engineering, crystal plane catalysis, synergistic effect, nanoconfinement effect and so on. Eventually, we provided a prospect of the future challenges for further development and progress in CO2 RR. Previous reviews have summarized catalyst designs for the reduction of CO2 to multi-carbon products, while lacking in targeting C2 H4 alone, an important industrial feedstock. This Review mainly aims to provide a comprehensive understanding for the design strategies and challenges of electrocatalytic CO2 reduction to C2 H4 through recent researches and further propose some guidelines for the future design of copper-based catalysts for electroreduction of CO2 to C2 H4 .

Study on the Nonlinear Behavior and Factors Influencing the Axial Compression of High-Durability Fibrous Concrete Wrapped Steel Tube Composite Members.

Thin-walled steel pipe concrete has better economic performance, but the problem of local buckling is more prominent with a thin-walled steel pipe; meanwhile, thin-walled steel pipe is more sensitive to the environment and the influence of rusting is more prominent. To solve the above problems, this paper proposes new spiral stiffened rib thin-walled steel pipe concrete laminated members to obtain better force and economic performance. Based on axial compression tests on five forms of composite members, this paper studies the nonlinear behavior of the axial compression of this new type of laminated member and the factors influencing it. The following conclusions are obtained. Under the constraint of the spiral ribs, the new composite member has good integrity and each part can ensure cooperative stress; the buckling of the steel pipe is well limited and the mechanical performance is significantly improved. Compared with ordinary thin-walled concrete-filled steel tubular members, the bearing capacity is increased by about 20% and the deformation ability is increased by more than 30%. The nonlinear behavior of the member in compression can be better achieved through finite element analysis. The parametric analysis shows that the pitch and the steel tube width-to-thickness ratio greatly influence the force behavior of the member. In contrast, the spiral rib width-to-thickness ratio and the external reinforcement only need to meet the structural requirements. Finally, based on the superposition theory, the proposed method of calculating the member's axial compressive load-bearing capacity is given and design suggestions are made. The results of this paper can provide some basis for the engineering application of this new combination member.

Network regression analysis for binary and ordinal categorical phenotypes in transcriptome-wide association studies.

Transcriptome-wide association studies aim to integrate genome-wide association studies and expression quantitative trait loci mapping studies for exploring the gene regulatory mechanisms underlying diseases. Existing transcriptome-wide association study methods primarily focus on 1 gene at a time. However, complex diseases are seldom resulted from the abnormality of a single gene, but from the biological network involving multiple genes. In addition, binary or ordinal categorical phenotypes are commonly encountered in biomedicine. We develop a proportional odds logistic model for network regression in transcriptome-wide association study, Proportional Odds LOgistic model for NEtwork regression in Transcriptome-wide association study, to detect the association between a network and binary or ordinal categorical phenotype. Proportional Odds LOgistic model for NEtwork regression in Transcriptome-wide association study relies on 2-stage transcriptome-wide association study framework. It first adopts the distribution-robust nonparametric Dirichlet process regression model in expression quantitative trait loci study to obtain the SNP effect estimate on each gene within the network. Then, Proportional Odds LOgistic model for NEtwork regression in Transcriptome-wide association study uses pointwise mutual information to represent the general relationship among the network nodes of predicted gene expression in genome-wide association study, followed by the association analysis with all nodes and edges involved in proportional odds logistic model. A key feature of Proportional Odds LOgistic model for NEtwork regression in Transcriptome-wide association study is its ability to simultaneously identify the disease-related network nodes or edges. With extensive realistic simulations including those under various between-node correlation patterns, we show Proportional Odds LOgistic model for NEtwork regression in Transcriptome-wide association study can provide calibrated type I error control and yield higher power than other existing methods. We finally apply Proportional Odds LOgistic model for NEtwork regression in Transcriptome-wide association study to analyze bipolar and major depression status and blood pressure from UK Biobank to illustrate its benefits in real data analysis.

Effects of strong coordination bonds at the axial or equatorial positions on magnetic relaxation for pentagonal bipyramidal dysprosium(III) single-ion magnets.

Three pentagonal bipyramidal mononuclear Dy(III) complexes based on amino-substituted nitrophenol and tetradentate amide ligands of formulas [Dy(Hbpen)(OPhNO2NH2Cl)Cl2] (1), [Dy(Hbpen)(OPhNO2NH2)Cl2] (2) and [Dy(Hbpen)(OPhNO2NH2Cl)3] (3) (Hbpen = N,N'-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-ethylenediamine, OPhNO2NH2Cl = 2-amino-6-chloro-4-nitrophenol, and OPhNO2NH2 = 2-amino-4-nitrophenol) were isolated. X-ray diffraction studies illustrate that complexes 1 and 2 with one strongly coordinating phenol ligand at their equatorial positions have a similar structure except for a slight difference in the chloride substituent of the phenol ligand. Complex 3 possesses the same equatorial coordination as 1 but its apical positions are occupied by two other phenol ligands. Magnetic studies show that 1 and 2 are zero-field single-ion magnets (SIMs), and 3 exhibits field-induced SIM behavior. Upon removing the chloride substituent groups from the phenol ligand, the effective energy barrier enhances from 233.7 K (1) to 362.7 K (2) under external dc fields. The stronger quantum tunneling of magnetization observed for 3 in comparison with 1 shows the destructive influence of a strong phenoxyl oxygen ligand field contributing to the transverse component on the magnetic properties. A comparison of complex 2 and the reported Dy(III) analogue [Dy(Hbpen)Cl(OPhBr2NO2)2] with two phenol ligands (2,6-dibromo-4-nitrophenol) in the axial direction leads to the conclusion that the magnetic anisotropy is strongly dependent on the Dy-Ophenoxyl bond lengths. The results provide direct information vital to understanding how the strong coordination environment at the axial or equatorial positions influences the SIM behavior.