Toxicological effects of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate on dandelions: Insights into physiological, metabolic, and molecular docking perspectives.

Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) is one of the most widely used plasticizers in plastic manufacturing. However, the toxicological effects of DEHP on dandelions remain poorly understood. This study comprehensively analyzed and explored the response mechanisms of dandelions to 1, 10, 50, and 100 mg L-1 DEHP influencing the morphophysiological growth, metabolomics, and molecular docking. DEHP reduced chlorophyll synthesis, inhibited plant growth, and induced oxidative-state-associated stress, which was manifested by the excessive production of reactive oxygen species, an increase in antioxidant enzyme activities, and enhanced synthesis of some osmoregulatory compounds, including proline and soluble protein. An analysis of the integrated biological response index showed that the toxicity was dose-dependent. Molecular docking demonstrated that DEHP could bind stably to three enzymes, and the binding energy was peroxidase (POD) > catalase (CAT) > superoxide dismutase (SOD). Metabolomics revealed that metabolite abundance and metabolic pathways were altered by DEHP, with 88 and 72 primary metabolites identified in shoots and roots, respectively. Amino acid, sugar, and organic acid metabolism were severely disturbed, with the most significant effects being on carbohydrate metabolism, valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosynthesis. Our study elucidated the influence of DEHP exposure on dandelions, providing new insights into the toxicity mechanisms and toxicological risk assessment.

Age-related differences in the number of chronic diseases in association with trajectories of depressive symptoms: a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The number of chronic diseases has been associated with changes in depressive symptoms over time among middle-aged and older adults. This study aimed to explore the association between the number of chronic diseases and trajectories of depressive symptoms and the role of age in this association. METHODS: A total of 12,974 middle-aged and older Chinese adults (≥ 45 years) participated in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in waves 2011, 2013, 2015, 2018, and 2020. The number of chronic diseases was determined by self-reported hospital diagnosis of hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, cancer, chronic lung diseases, liver disease, heart diseases, stroke, kidney diseases, digestive diseases, emotional, nervous, or psychiatric problems, memory-related disease, arthritis or rheumatism, asthma, and then obtaining the total number of chronic diseases. Depressive symptoms were measured by the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10). Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) was adopted to capture the trajectories of depressive symptoms over time. Multinomial logistic regressions were conducted to examine the association between the number of chronic diseases and trajectories of depressive symptoms and the role of age in this association. RESULTS: Four distinct trajectories of depressive symptoms were observed in 34.68% individuals in mild, 40.76% in moderate, 19.41% in increasing, and 5.15% in severe group. Compared to participants without chronic diseases, those with one, two, three or more chronic diseases had a 1.81, 3, and 7.49-fold higher risk of developing severe depressive symptom trajectory, respectively. Moreover, the association between the number of chronic diseases and severe depressive symptoms trajectory differed by age (45-59 and ≥ 60 years) (P for interaction < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Participants with middle age may play a promoting role in the association between the number of chronic disease and severe depressive symptoms. The severe depressive symptoms intervention may be more beneficial for middle-aged adults.

Age and estimated glomerular filtration rate in Chinese older adults: a cohort study from 2014 to 2020.

Objectives: This study aimed to fill the data gap of the course of renal function decline in old age and explore changes in renal function across different health states with increasing age. Methods: This observational, retrospective, single-center cohort study included 5,112 Chinese older adults (3,321 men and 1,791 women, range 60-104 years). The individual rate of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline was analyzed using linear mixed-effects model to account for repeated measures over the years. Results: The median age was 66 years, median BMI was 24.56 kg/m2, and median eGFR was 89.86 mL/min.1.73 m2. For every 1-year increase in age, women's eGFR decreased by 1.06 mL/min/1.73 m2 and men's by 0.91 mL/min/1.73 m2. We observed greater age-related eGFR decline in men and women with high systolic blood pressure (SBP). Men with high triglyceride (TG), high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), had greater age-related eGFR decline. In women, different BMI groups showed significant differences in age-related eGFR decline, with the highest decline in those with obesity. Additionally, participants with normal baseline eGFR had a faster age-related decline than those with low baseline eGFR. Conclusion: The eGFR declined linearly with age in Chinese older adults, with women exhibiting a slightly faster decline than men. Both men and women should be cautious of SBP. Older adults with normal baseline renal function experienced a faster eGFR decline. Men with high TG, LDL-C, and low HDL-C levels, as well as obese women, should be vigilant in monitoring renal function.

Transcription factor FoAce2 regulates virulence, vegetative growth, conidiation, and cell wall homeostasis in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense.

Fusarium wilt of banana, caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), is a serious fungal disease that affects banana plants globally. To explore the virulence mechanisms of this pathogen, we created a null mutation of the transcription factor gene FoAce2 (encoding F. oxysporum angiotensin converting enzyme 2). Deletion of FoAce2 resulted in slower growth, decreased aerial mycelia and conidiation, and a significant decrease in fungal virulence against banana hosts relative to those of the wild-type (WT) fungus. Additionally, transmission electron microscopy showed that the cell wall was thicker in the FoAce2 deletion mutants. Consistent with this finding, the cell wall glucose level was decreased in the ΔFoAce2 mutants compared with that in the WT and complemented strain, ΔFoAce2-C1. Complementation with the WT FoAce2 gene fully reversed the mutant phenotypes. Analysis of the transcriptome of ΔFoAce2 and the WT strain showed alterations in the expression levels of many genes associated with virulence and growth. Thus, FoAce2 appears to be essential for Foc virulence, cell wall homeostasis, conidiation, and vegetative growth.

Exposure to workplace sexual harassment and risk of cardiometabolic disease: a prospective cohort study of 88 904 Swedish men and women.

AIMS: Exposure to work-related sexual harassment may increase the risk for certain adverse behavioural and emotional outcomes but less is known about its association with somatic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes. This study investigated the prospective association of work-related sexual harassment and risk of cardiometabolic diseases. METHODS AND RESULTS: This cohort study included 88 904 Swedish men and women in paid work who responded to questions on workplace sexual harassment in the Swedish Work Environment Survey (1995-2015) and were free from cardiometabolic diseases at baseline. Cardiometabolic diseases (CVD and type 2 diabetes) were identified from the National Patient Register and Causes of Death Register through linkage. Cox proportional hazard regression was used, adjusting for socio-demographic, work-related psychosocial, and physical exposure at baseline. Overall, 4.8% of the participants (n = 4300) reported exposure to workplace sexual harassment during the previous 12 months. After adjustment for sex, birth country, family situation, education, income, and work-related factors, workplace sexual harassment was associated with increased incidence of CVD [hazard ratio (HR) 1.25, 95% confidence interval 1.03-1.51] and type 2 diabetes (1.45, 1.21-1.73). The HR for CVD (1.57, 1.15-2.15) and type 2 diabetes (1.85, 1.39-2.46) was increased for sexual harassment from superior or fellow workers, and sexual harassment from others was associated with type 2 diabetes (1.39, 1.13-1.70). The HR for both CVD (1.31, 0.95-1.81) and type 2 diabetes (1.72, 1.30-2.28) was increased for frequent exposure. CONCLUSION: The results of this study support the hypothesis that workplace sexual harassment is prospectively associated with cardiometabolic diseases. Future research is warranted to understand causality and mechanisms behind these associations.

We investigated if workers in Sweden who had experienced sexual harassment at work had a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes than workers who had not experienced sexual harassment at work.The experience of workplace sexual harassment was associated with an increased risk of both cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The risk was highest among those workers who had frequently experienced sexual harassment.Our results suggest that preventive measures directed towards elimination of sexual harassment may contribute to a reduction in cardiovascular disease and diabetes in the population.

The role of familial factors and neuroticism in the association between exposure to offensive behaviors at work and long-term sickness absence due to common mental disorders - a prospective twin study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate associations between exposure to work-related violence/threats and harassment, and future sickness absence (SA) due to common mental disorders (CMDs), taking familial factors (shared genetics and early-life environment) and neuroticism into account. METHODS: The study sample included 8795 twin individuals from the Swedish Twin Project of Disability Pension and Sickness Absence (STODS), including survey data from the Study of Twin Adults: Genes and Environment (STAGE). Self-reported work-related violence and/or threats as well as work-related harassment (including bullying) and national register data on SA due to CMDs were analyzed using standard logistic regression, and conditional logistic regression among complete twin pairs discordant on exposures. Individuals were followed for a maximum of 13 years. Interactions between neuroticism and exposures were assessed using both multiplicative and additive interaction analyses. RESULTS: Exposure to work-related violence/threats was associated with higher odds of SA due to CMDs when adjusting for age, sex, marital status, children, education, type of living area, work characteristics, and symptoms of depression and burnout (OR 2.11, 95% CI 1.52-2.95). Higher odds of SA due to CMDs were also found for exposure to harassment (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.10-2.11) and a combined indicator of exposure to violence/threats and/or harassment (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.52-2.59), compared with the unexposed. Analyses of twins discordant on exposure, using the unexposed co-twin as reference, showed reduced ORs. These ORs were still elevated but no longer statistically significant, potentially due to a lack of statistical power. No multiplicative interaction was found between neuroticism and exposure to work-related violence/threats, or harassment. However, a statistically significant additive interaction was found between neuroticism and exposure to violence/threats, indicating higher odds of SA due to CMDs in the group scoring lower on neuroticism. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to work-related offensive behaviors was associated with SA due to CMDs. However, the results indicated that these associations may be partly confounded by familial factors. In addition, an interaction between exposure and neuroticism was suggested. Thus, when possible, future studies investigating associations and causality between offensive behaviors at work and mental health-related outcomes, should consider familial factors and neuroticism.

Association of workplace violence and bullying with later suicide risk: a multicohort study and meta-analysis of published data.

BACKGROUND: Workplace offensive behaviours, such as violence and bullying, have been linked to psychological symptoms, but their potential impact on suicide risk remains unclear. We aimed to assess the association of workplace violence and bullying with the risk of death by suicide and suicide attempt in multiple cohort studies. METHODS: In this multicohort study, we used individual-participant data from three prospective studies: the Finnish Public Sector study, the Swedish Work Environment Survey, and the Work Environment and Health in Denmark study. Workplace violence and bullying were self-reported at baseline. Participants were followed up for suicide attempt and death using linkage to national health records. We additionally searched the literature for published prospective studies and pooled our effect estimates with those from published studies. FINDINGS: During 1 803 496 person-years at risk, we recorded 1103 suicide attempts or deaths in participants with data on workplace violence (n=205 048); the corresponding numbers for participants with data on workplace bullying (n=191 783) were 1144 suicide attempts or deaths in 1 960 796 person-years, which included data from one identified published study. Workplace violence was associated with an increased risk of suicide after basic adjustment for age, sex, educational level, and family situation (hazard ratio 1·34 [95% CI 1·15-1·56]) and full adjustment (additional adjustment for job demands, job control, and baseline health problems, 1·25 [1·08-1·47]). Where data on frequency were available, a stronger association was observed among people with frequent exposure to violence (1·75 [1·27-2·42]) than occasional violence (1·27 [1·04-1·56]). Workplace bullying was also associated with an increased suicide risk (1·32 [1·09-1·59]), but the association was attenuated after adjustment for baseline mental health problems (1·16 [0·96-1·41]). INTERPRETATION: Observational data from three Nordic countries suggest that workplace violence is associated with an increased suicide risk, highlighting the importance of effective prevention of violent behaviours at workplaces. FUNDING: Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare, Academy of Finland, Finnish Work Environment Fund, and Danish Working Environment Research Fund.

Workplace Psychosocial Resources and Risk of Sleep Disturbances Among Employees.

Importance: Workplace psychosocial resources naturally tend to cluster in some work teams. To inform work-related sleep health promotion interventions, it is important to determine the associations between clustering of workplace resources and sleep disturbances when some resources are high while others are low and to mimic an actual intervention using observational data. Objective: To examine whether clustering of and changes in workplace psychosocial resources are associated with sleep disturbances among workers. Design, Setting, and Participants: This population-based cohort study used data from the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (2012-2018), the Work Environment and Health in Denmark study (2012-2018), and the Finnish Public Sector Study (2008-2014), collected biennially. Statistical analysis was conducted from November 2020 to June 2022. Exposure: Questionnaires were distributed measuring leadership quality and procedural justice (ie, vertical resources) as well as collaboration culture and coworker support (ie, horizontal resources). Resources were divided into clusters of general low, intermediate vertical and low horizontal, low vertical and high horizontal, intermediate vertical and high horizontal, and general high. Main Outcomes and Measures: Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs were reported from logistic regression models for the associations between the clustering of resources and concurrent and long-term sleep disturbances. Sleep disturbances were measured by self-administered questionnaires. Results: The study identified 114 971 participants with 219 982 participant-observations (151 021 [69%] women; mean [SD] age, 48 [10] years). Compared with participants with general low resources, other groups showed a lower prevalence of sleep disturbances, with the lowest observed in the general high group concurrently (OR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.37-0.40) and longitudinally after 6 years (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.48-0.57). Approximately half of the participants (27 167 participants [53%]) experienced changes in resource clusters within 2 years. Improvements in vertical or horizontal dimensions were associated with reduced odds of persistent sleep disturbances, and the lowest odds of sleep disturbances was found in the group with improvements in both vertical and horizontal dimensions (OR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.46-0.62). A corresponding dose-response association with sleep disturbances was observed for decline in resources (eg, decline in both dimensions: OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.54-1.97). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study of workplace psychosocial resources and sleep disturbances, clustering of favorable resources was associated with a lower risk of sleep disturbances.

Long noncoding RNA SNHG15: A promising target in human cancers.

As oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes, lncRNAs played an important role in tumorigenesis and the progression of human cancers. The lncRNA SNHG15 has recently been revealed to be dysregulated in malignant tumors, suggesting the aberrant expression of which contributes to clinical features and regulates various oncogenic processes. We have selected extensive literature focused on SNHG15 from electronic databases, including studies relevant to its clinical significance and the critical events in cancer-related processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy, metastasis, and drug resistance. This review summarized the current understanding of SNHG15 in cancer, mainly focusing on the pathological features, known biological functions, and underlying molecular mechanisms. Furthermore, SNHG15 has been well-documented to be an effective diagnostic and prognostic marker for tumors, offering novel therapeutic interventions in specific subsets of cancer cells.

Sex-related differences in the hypertriglyceridemic-waist phenotype in association with hyperuricemia: a longitudinal cohort study.

BACKGROUND: There is limited longitudinal evidence supporting the association between the hypertriglyceridemic-waist (HTGW) phenotype and hyperuricemia. This study aimed to examine the longitudinal relationship between hyperuricemia and the HTGW phenotype among males and females. METHODS: A total of 5562 hyperuricemia-free participants aged 45 or over from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (mean age: 59.0) were followed for 4 years. The HTGW phenotype was defined as having elevated triglyceride levels and enlarged waist circumference (cutoffs for males: 2.0 mmol/L and 90 cm; females: 1.5 mmol/L and 85 cm). Hyperuricemia was determined by uric acid cutoffs (males: 7 mg/dl; females: 6 mg/dl. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess the association between the HTGW phenotype and hyperuricemia. The joint effect of the HTGW phenotype and sex on hyperuricemia was quantified, and the multiplicative interaction was assessed. RESULTS: During the four-year follow-up, 549 (9.9%) incident hyperuricemia cases were ascertained. Compared with those with normal levels of triglycerides and waist circumference, participants with the HTGW phenotype had the highest risk of hyperuricemia (OR: 2.67; 95% CI: 1.95 to 3.66), followed by an OR of 1.96 (95% CI: 1.40 to 2.74) for only higher triglyceride levels and 1.39 (95% CI: 1.03 to 1.86) for only greater waist circumference. The association between HTGW and hyperuricemia was more prominent among females (OR = 2.36; 95% CI: 1.77 to 3.15) than males (OR = 1.29; 95% CI: 0.82 to 2.04), with evidence of a multiplicative interaction (P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Middle-aged and older females with the HTGW phenotype may at the highest risk of hyperuricemia. Future hyperuricemia prevention interventions should be primarily targeted for females with the HTGW phenotype.

Anlotinib combined with osimertinib reverses acquired osimertinib resistance in NSCLC by targeting the c-MET/MYC/AXL axis.

Favorable clinical evidence suggests that the next trend in new treatments for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) will be combination therapies. However, inevitable epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) resistance greatly limits the clinical efficacy of patients carrying EGFR-activating mutants. In this study, we found a patient with clinical osimertinib resistance who regained a positive response after osimertinib plus anlotinib treatment. Two osimertinib-resistant cell lines were constructed, and AXL conferred resistance to osimertinib in NSCLC cell lines. The combined effects of anlotinib and osimertinib restored sensitivity to osimertinib in two osimertinib-resistant NSCLC cell lines and in xenografts. Moreover, anlotinib inhibits the phosphorylation of AXL in both resistant cell lines. Mechanistically, we confirmed that MYC binds to the promoter of AXL to promote its transcription in NSCLC cells, and we demonstrated that anlotinib combined with osimertinib treatment enhances the anti-tumor effect by inactivating the c-MET/MYC/AXL axis to reverse osimertinib resistance in NSCLC. In conclusion, our results provide strong support that this combination therapy may be effective in enhancing the efficacy of treatments in patients with advanced NSCLC.

Association between subjective cognitive complaints, balance impairment and disability among middle-aged and older adults: Evidence from a population-based cohort study.

AIM: To quantify the association between subjective cognitive complaints and balance impairment in relation to the occurrence of disability. METHODS: In total, 6885 adults aged ≥45 who participated in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were followed for 7 years. Subjective cognitive complaints were evaluated by self-reported memory problems. Balance impairment was tested by side-by-side stand, semi-tandem stand and full tandem stand. Disability was measured by activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Multivariate logistic regression models were applied to test the joint effect between baseline subjective cognitive complaints and balance impairment on disability. The multiplicative interaction was examined. RESULTS: A joint effect of experiencing both subjective cognitive complaints and balance impairment was identified, showing a 1.63-fold higher risk of ADL and IADL disability than those experienced by neither of the two (odds ratio = 1.63, 95% confidence interval: 1.36-1.95). There was evidence of multiplicative interaction (P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Among middle-aged and older people, the coexistence of subjective cognitive complaints and balance impairment may lead to a higher disability risk, which is much higher than the simple sum of the two individual effects. Future interventions are required to target these symptoms simultaneously to reduce the risks of disability. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2022; 22: 1025-1031.

HEY1-mediated cisplatin resistance in lung adenocarcinoma via epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Lung cancer is one of the most common malignancies and the leading cause of cancer-related death in the world. In patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma who are negative for driver gene mutations, platinum-based chemotherapy represented by cisplatin remain the standard of care. Therefore, studying the mechanism behind inevitable cisplatin resistance in lung adenocarcinoma is still important. In this study, the potentially related differential expression gene for cisplatin resistance in lung adenocarcinoma was screened in the GEO database. The expression level of HEY1 in cell lines of lung adenocarcinoma was detected and HEY1 expression was up-regulated in cisplatin-resistant lung adenocarcinoma tissues and cell lines A549/DDP. Patients with high HEY1 expression have poor prognosis after cisplatin therapy. Gain and loss function assays uncovered that HEY1 could regulate the cisplatin sensitivity of NSCLC cells. In vivo experiments have confirmed that silence of HEY1 expression can induce cisplatin resistance, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) changes occur during this process. Mechanically, HEY1 silencing significantly up-regulated E-cadherin expression and down-regulated Vimentin in A549/DDP cells. While up-regulation of HEY1 resulted in down-regulation of E-cadherin and up-regulation of Vimentin in A549 cells. Immunohistochemical experiments confirmed that E-cadherin was significantly decreased, and Vimentin expression was significantly up-regulated in cisplatin-resistant lung adenocarcinoma tissues. HEY1 can mediate the occurrence of cisplatin-acquired resistance in lung adenocarcinoma, and the possible mechanism is to regulate the EMT. The results of this study can provide a new direction and target for clinical research on the reversal of cisplatin resistance in lung adenocarcinoma.

Rumen Microbiome Reveals the Differential Response of CO2 and CH4 Emissions of Yaks to Feeding Regimes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Shifts in feeding regimes are important factors affecting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from livestock farming. However, the quantitative values and associated drivers of GHG emissions from yaks (Bos grunniens) following shifts in feeding regimes have yet to be fully described. In this study, we aimed to investigate CH4 and CO2 emissions differences of yaks under different feeding regimes and their potential microbial mechanisms. Using static breathing chamber and Picarro G2508 gas concentration analyzer, we measured the CO2 and CH4 emissions from yaks under traditional grazing (TG) and warm-grazing and cold-indoor feeding (WGCF) regimes. Microbial inventories from the ruminal fluid of the yaks were determined via Illumina 16S rRNA and ITS sequencing. Results showed that implementing the TG regime in yaks decreased their CO2 and CH4 emissions compared to the WGCF regime. The alpha diversity of ruminal archaeal community was higher in the TG regime than in the WGCF regime. The beta diversity showed that significant differences in the rumen microbial composition of the TG regime and the WGCF regime. Changes in the rumen microbiota of the yaks were driven by differences in dietary nutritional parameters. The relative abundances of the phyla Neocallimastigomycota and Euryarchaeota and the functional genera Prevotella, Ruminococcus, Orpinomyces, and Methanobrevibacter were significantly higher in the WGCF regime than in the TG regime. CO2 and CH4 emissions from yaks differed mainly because of the enrichment relationship of functional H2- and CO2-producing microorganisms, hydrogen-consuming microbiota, and hydrogenotrophic methanogenic microbiota. Our results provided a view that it is ecologically important to develop GHG emissions reduction strategies for yaks on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau based on traditional grazing regime.

Genome-wide analysis of CNVs in three populations of Tibetan sheep using whole-genome resequencing.

Copy number variation (CNV), an important source of genomic structural variation, can disturb genetic structure, dosage, regulation and expression, and is associated with phenotypic diversity and adaptation to local environments in mammals. In the present study, 24 resequencing datasets were used to characterize CNVs in three ecotypic populations of Tibetan sheep and assess CNVs related to domestication and adaptation in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. A total of 87,832 CNV events accounting for 0.3% of the sheep genome were detected. After merging the overlapping CNVs, 2777 CNV regions (CNVRs) were obtained, among which 1098 CNVRs were shared by the three populations. The average length of these CNVRs was more than 3 kb, and duplication events were more frequent than deletions. Functional analysis showed that the shared CNVRs were significantly enriched in 56 GO terms and 18 KEGG pathways that were mainly concerned with ABC transporters, olfactory transduction and oxygen transport. Moreover, 188 CNVRs overlapped with 97 quantitative trait loci (QTLs), such as growth and carcass QTLs, immunoglobulin QTLs, milk yield QTLs and fecal egg counts QTLs. PCDH15, APP and GRID2 overlapped with body weight QTLs. Furthermore, Vst analysis showed that RUNX1, LOC101104348, LOC105604082 and PAG11 were highly divergent between Highland-type Tibetan Sheep (HTS) and Valley-type Tibetan sheep (VTS), and RUNX1 and LOC101111988 were significantly differentiated between VTS and Oura-type Tibetan sheep (OTS). The duplication of RUNX1 may facilitate the hypoxia adaptation of OTS and HTS in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, which deserves further research in detail. In conclusion, for the first time, we represented the genome-wide distribution characteristics of CNVs in Tibetan sheep by resequencing, and provided a valuable genetic variation resource, which will facilitate the elucidation of the genetic basis underlying the distinct phenotypic traits and local adaptation of Tibetan sheep.

Preparation of Pd Nanoparticles Stabilized by Modified Montmorillonite for Efficient Hydrodeoxygenation of Lignin-Derived Phenolic Compounds in Water.

Developing a new and efficient catalytic route for the production of alkanes by upgrading the aqueous phenolic biofuels still remains a challenge. Here, we designed and synthesized a bifunctional catalyst that uses natural montmorillonite (MMT) as support and combines metal active sites and BrÓ§nsted acid sites in the MMT via ion exchange and reduction roasting process. The catalytic activity of the as-synthesized Pd-MMT (H+) was evaluated by the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of a series of lignin-derived phenolic compounds in water. Our model reaction study reveals that the HDO of phenol undergoes an initial hydrogenation of aromatic rings to produce cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone, followed by the dehydration of cyclohexanol to provide intermediate cyclohexene and a final hydrogenation of cyclohexene to create a cyclohexane product. The combination of high metal catalytic activity and BrÓ§nsted acidity in Pd-MMT (H+) synergistically accelerated the HDO of phenol. Furthermore, good catalytic activity and recycling ability were also observed for other lignin-derived phenolic compounds.

Catalytic Oxidative Cleavage of C(OH)-C Bonds in Lignin Model Compounds to Carboxylic Acids by Fe(NO3)3.9H2O/NaI/DMSO.

The secondary C(OH)-C bonds are abundant in biomass such as lignin and cellulose. Thus, selective cleavage of the C(OH)-C bonds into value chemicals attracted much attention. Molecular iodine has received considerable attention as an inexpensive and readily available catalyst to yield the corresponding products in excellent yields with high selectivity, but it is highly corrosive and toxic, making its use somewhat unattractive. In this study, I2 was generated in situ from Fe(NO3)3.9H2O/NaI, which was further combined with Fe(NO3)3.9H2O to catalyze the oxidation process. In the reaction, the H2O molecule from the reaction and Fe(NO3)3.9H2O attacked the phenylglyoxal to form benzaldehyde, which was further oxidized to benzoic acid. Aryl primary and secondary benzylic alcohols from lignin were successfully transformed into aryl carboxylic acids by Fe(NO3)3.9H2O/NaI/DMSO. The catalytic system was green and efficient, avoiding the usage of toxic and corrosive molecular I2. From the experiments, it was clear that the yield of the product from the substrates with an electron-donating group was higher than that of electron-withdrawing substituted substrates, which was similar to the aryl secondary alcohols. Aryl alkyl ketones were also successfully conducted by the Fe(NO3)3.9H2O/NaI/DMSO catalytic system.

The Response of Ruminal Microbiota and Metabolites to Different Dietary Protein Levels in Tibetan Sheep on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Ruminal microbiota and metabolites play crucial roles in animal health and productivity. Exploring the dynamic changes and interactions between microbial community composition and metabolites is important for understanding ruminal nutrition and metabolism. Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries) are an important livestock resource on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), and the effects of various dietary protein levels on ruminal microbiota and metabolites are still unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the response of ruminal microbiota and metabolites to different levels of dietary protein in Tibetan sheep. Three diets with different protein levels (low protein 10.1%, medium protein 12.1%, and high protein 14.1%) were fed to Tibetan sheep. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS) were used to study the profile changes in each group of ruminal microbes and metabolites, as well as the potential interaction between them. The rumen microbiota in all groups was dominated by the phyla Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes regardless of the dietary protein level. At the genus level, Prevotella_1, Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group and Prevotellaceae_UCG-001 were dominant. Under the same forage-to-concentrate ratio condition, the difference in the dietary protein levels had no significant impact on the bacterial alpha diversity index and relative abundance of the major phyla and genera in Tibetan sheep. Rumen metabolomics analysis revealed that dietary protein levels altered the concentrations of ruminal amino acids, carbohydrates and organic acids, and significantly affected tryptophan metabolism (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis of the microbiota and metabolites revealed positive and negative regulatory mechanisms. Overall, this study provides detailed information on rumen microorganisms and ruminal metabolites under different levels of dietary protein, which could be helpful in subsequent research for regulating animal nutrition and metabolism through nutritional interventions.

Secular Difference in Body Mass Index From 2014 to 2020 in Chinese Older Adults: A Time-Series Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Body mass index (BMI) is the most widely used parameter to assess the body weight status. Both the increase of BMI (overweight and obesity) and decrease of BMI (underweight) has been associated with high risk of adverse outcome, such as stroke, disability, and even death. However, recent data on secular differences in BMI in the Chinese aged population are limited. The present study provides robust new evidence about the evolving epidemic of obesity among aged adults in China. Objective: Evaluating secular difference in BMI in a group of Chinese older adults. Materials and Methods: We analyzed 7 continuous survey years (2014-2020), including 50,192 Chinese aged participants (25,505 men and 24,687 women, aged 71.9 ± 6.1 years, age range: 65-99 years). Information on sex, age, height, and body weight, was collected based on medical history. Participants were classified into four groups: underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2), normal weight (18.5 kg/m2 ≤ BMI < 25 kg/m2), overweight (25 kg/m2 ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m2), and obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2). Linear regressions were used to assess the secular difference in BMI. Sex and age differences were also evaluated by stratified analyses. Results: From 2014 to 2020, age-adjusted mean BMI increased by 0.3 kg/m2 (95% CI: 0.1, 0.5 kg/m2) in men, and 0.5 kg/m2 (95% CI: 0.2, 0.7 kg/m2) in women. Age-standardized prevalence of underweight decreased from 3.0 to 2.3% in men, and from 3.0 to 2.1% in women. Age-standardized prevalence of overweight increased in both men (from 40.1 to 41.7%) and women (from 37.8 to 39.8%), and so as obesity (men: from 4.1 to 6.1%; women: from 5.8 to 8.7%). Conclusion: Our results confirmed that BMI gradually increased from 2014 to 2020. The age-adjusted mean BMI increased by 0.3 kg/m2 in older men, and 0.5 kg/m2 in older women. The age- and sex-standardized prevalence of overweight and obesity significantly increased, especially in 70-79-year age group, while the prevalence of underweight decreased. The combination of a balanced-diet and physical exercise is needed to maintain optimal BMI range for the aged population.