Effectiveness and safety of early lens extraction during par plana vitrectomy for proliferative diabetes retinopathy with mild cataract: a randomized clinical trial.

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of early lens extraction during pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) compared to those of PPV with subsequent cataract surgery. METHODS: This multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted in three Chinese hospitals on patients with PDR, aged >45y, with mild cataracts. The participants were randomly assigned to the combined (PPV combined with simultaneously cataract surgery, i.e., phacovitrectomy) or subsequent (PPV with subsequent cataract surgery 6mo later) group and followed up for 12mo. The primary outcome was the change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) from baseline to 6mo, and the secondary outcomes included complication rates and medical expenses. RESULTS: In total, 129 patients with PDR were recruited and equally randomized (66 and 63 in the combined and subsequent groups respectively). The change in BCVA in the combined group [mean, 36.90 letters; 95% confidence interval (CI), 30.35-43.45] was significantly better (adjusted difference, 16.43; 95%CI, 8.77-24.08; P<0.001) than in the subsequent group (mean, 22.40 letters; 95%CI, 15.55-29.24) 6mo after the PPV, with no significant difference between the two groups at 12mo. The overall surgical risk of two sequential surgeries was significantly higher than that of the combined surgery for neovascular glaucoma (17.65% vs 3.77%, P=0.005). No significant differences were found in the photocoagulation spots, surgical time, and economic expenses between two groups. In the subsequent group, the duration of work incapacity (22.54±9.11d) was significantly longer (P<0.001) than that of the combined group (12.44±6.48d). CONCLUSION: PDR patients aged over 45y with mild cataract can also benefit from early lens extraction during PPV with gratifying effectiveness, safety and convenience, compared to sequential surgeries.

Epigenetic silencing schlafen-11 sensitizes esophageal cancer to ATM inhibitor.

BACKGROUND: Targeting DNA damage response (DDR) pathway is a cutting-edge strategy. It has been reported that Schlafen-11 (SLFN11) contributes to increase chemosensitivity by participating in DDR. However, the detailed mechanism is unclear. AIM: To investigate the role of SLFN11 in DDR and the application of synthetic lethal in esophageal cancer with SLFN11 defects. METHODS: To reach the purpose, eight esophageal squamous carcinoma cell lines, 142 esophageal dysplasia (ED) and 1007 primary esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) samples and various techniques were utilized, including methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction, CRISPR/Cas9 technique, Western blot, colony formation assay, and xenograft mouse model. RESULTS: Methylation of SLFN11 was exhibited in 9.15% of (13/142) ED and 25.62% of primary (258/1007) ESCC cases, and its expression was regulated by promoter region methylation. SLFN11 methylation was significantly associated with tumor differentiation and tumor size (both P < 0.05). However, no significant associations were observed between promoter region methylation and age, gender, smoking, alcohol consumption, TNM stage, or lymph node metastasis. Utilizing DNA damaged model induced by low dose cisplatin, SLFN11 was found to activate non-homologous end-joining and ATR/CHK1 signaling pathways, while inhibiting the ATM/CHK2 signaling pathway. Epigenetic silencing of SLFN11 was found to sensitize the ESCC cells to ATM inhibitor (AZD0156), both in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION: SLFN11 is frequently methylated in human ESCC. Methylation of SLFN11 is sensitive marker of ATM inhibitor in ESCC.

Structure-Based Optimization of Pyrazinamide-Containing Macrocyclic Derivatives as Fms-like Tyrosine Kinase 3 (FLT3) Inhibitors to Overcome Clinical Mutations.

Secondary mutations in Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3-tyrosine kinase domain (FLT3-TKD) (e.g., D835Y and F691L) have become a major on-target resistance mechanism of FLT3 inhibitors, which present a significant clinical challenge. To date, no effective drugs have been approved to simultaneously overcome clinical resistance caused by these two mutants. Thus, a series of pyrazinamide macrocyclic compounds were first designed and evaluated to overcome the secondary mutations of FLT3. The representative 8v exhibited potent inhibitory activities against FLT3D835Y and FLT3D835Y/F691L with IC50 values of 1.5 and 9.7 nM, respectively. 8v also strongly suppressed the proliferation against Ba/F3 cells transfected with FLT3-ITD, FLT3-ITD-D835Y, FLT3-ITD-F691L, FLT3-ITD-D835Y-F691L, and MV4-11 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines with IC50 values of 12.2, 10.5, 24.6, 16.9, and 6.8 nM, respectively. Furthermore, 8v demonstrated ideal anticancer efficacy in a Ba/F3-FLT3-ITD-D835Y xenograft model. The results suggested that 8v can serve as a promising macrocycle-based FLT3 inhibitor for the treatment of AML.

The lethal K18-hACE2 knock-in mouse model mimicking the severe pneumonia of COVID-19 is practicable for antiviral development.

Animal models of COVID-19 facilitate the development of vaccines and antivirals against SARS-CoV-2. The efficacy of antivirals or vaccines may differ in different animal models with varied degrees of disease. Here, we introduce a mouse model expressing human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). In this model, ACE2 with the human cytokeratin 18 promoter was knocked into the Hipp11 locus of C57BL/6J mouse by CRISPR-Cas9 (K18-hACE2 KI). Upon intranasal inoculation with high (3×105 PFU) or low (2.5×102 PFU) dose of SARS-CoV-2 wildtype (WT), Delta, Omicron BA.1, or Omicron BA.2 variants, all mice showed obvious infection symptoms, including weight loss, high viral loads in the lung, and interstitial pneumonia. 100% lethality was observed in K18-hACE2 KI mice infected by all variants with a delay of endpoint for Delta and BA.1, and a significantly attenuated pathogenicity was observed for BA.2. The pneumonia of infected mice was accompanied by the infiltration of neutrophils and pulmonary fibrosis in the lung. Compared with K18-hACE2 Tg mice and HFH4-hACE2 Tg mice, K18-hACE2 KI mice are more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2. In the antivirals test, REGN10933 and Remdesivir had limited antiviral efficacies in K18-hACE2 KI mice upon the challenge of SARS-CoV-2 infections, while Nirmatrelvir, monoclonal antibody 4G4, and mRNA vaccines potently protected the mice from death. Our results suggest that the K18-hACE2 KI mouse model is lethal and stable for SARS-CoV-2 infection, and is practicable and stringent to antiviral development.

The effects of COVID-19 on the Physical Activity and Recreational Screen Time among Chinese children and adolescents.

Background: The lack of Physical Activity (PA) and prolonged Recreational Screen Time (RST) among children and adolescents has been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, causing this issue to escalate into a crucial public health concern. This study aims to investigate the trends in PA and RST among Chinese children and adolescents from 2019 to 2022, thereby analyzing the short-term and long-term effects of the pandemic on PA and RST among Chinese children and adolescents. Methods: A nationally representative sample of Chinese primary, middle, and high school students was surveyed annually between September and December from 2019 to 2022 using a consistent set of questionnaires. Trends in PA and RST across different school levels, genders, areas (urban/rural), and regions (north/south) were analyzed using Segmented Linear Regression. Results: From 2019 to 2022, the PA and RST of children and adolescents displayed an inverted U-shaped trend, initially increasing and subsequently declining. Specifically, from 2019 to 2021, the PA of children and adolescents significantly increased but dramatically declined from 2021 to 2022. This trend in PA is more pronounced among primary, male, urban, and northern children and adolescent. The RST of children and adolescents increased from 2019 to 2020 but significantly decreased from 2020 to 2022. This trend in RST is more pronounced among primary, urban, and southern children and adolescent. Conclusions: This research unveils the effects of the pandemic on PA and RST in children and adolescents, suggesting short-term beneficial and long-term adverse effects on PA and short-term adverse and long-term beneficial effects on RST. These findings provide a foundation for formulating policies related to children and adolescents' PA and RST during the pandemic.

Impact of Non-Diameter Aortic Indices on Surgical Eligibility: Results from the TITAN: SvS Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVES: Traditional criteria for intervention on an asymptomatic ascending aortic aneurysm has been a maximal aortic diameter of ⩾5.5cm. The 2022 ACC/AHA aortic guidelines adopted cross-sectional aortic area/height ratio, aortic size index (ASI) and aortic height index (AHI) as alternate parameters for surgical intervention. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of using these newer indices on patient eligibility for surgical intervention in a prospective, multicenter cohort with moderate sized ascending aortic aneurysms between 5.0-5.4 cm. METHODS: Patients enrolled from 2018 to 2023 in the randomization or registry arms of the multicenter trial, TITAN: SvS, were included in the study. Clinical data was captured prospectively in an online database. Imaging data were derived from a core CT lab. RESULTS: Among the 329 included patients, 20% were female. Mean age was 65.0 ± 11.6 years and mean maximal aortic diameter was 50.8 ±3.9 mm. In the one third of all patients (n=109) who met any one of the three criteria (i.e., ASI ⩾ 3.08 cm/m2, AHI ⩾ 3.21 cm/m or cross-sectional aortic area/height ⩾ 10 cm2/m), their mean maximal aortic diameter was 52.5 ±0.52 mm. Alternate criteria were most commonly met in females compared to males: 20% versus 2% for ASI (p<0.001), 39% versus 5% for AHI (p<0.001) and 39% versus 21% for cross-sectional aortic area/height (p=0.002), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: One third of patients in Titan:SvS would meet criteria for surgical intervention based on novel parameters vs. the classic definition of diameter⩾5.5cm. Surgical thresholds for ASI, AHI or cross-sectional aortic area/height ratio are more likely to be met in female patients compared to male patients.

Trends of physical activity and recreational screen time among Chinese children and adolescents: a national study from 2017 to 2019.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior among children and adolescents is a growing public health concern. This study aims to examine the trends in Physical Activity (PA) and Recreational Screen Time (RST) amongst children and adolescents in China, considering variations in genders, school levels, areas (urban versus rural), and regions (north versus south). The findings provide a foundation to guide policy and strategy making for future health promotion and development. METHODS: An annual national cross-sectional survey was conducted in China from 2017 to 2019 cumulatively involving 52,503 (48% female) children and adolescents from grades 4 to 12 (aged 12.72 ± 2.12). Data on PA and RST were collected through self-administered questionnaires. Weighted least squares regression was used to analyze the trends and differences in PA and RST among the participants' profiles. RESULTS: There was an annual decreased in PA compliance rate of approximately 3.43% (95% CI: 0.79-6.08%) for primary school students, primarily among males residing in rural areas, and in northern regions. Middle school students experienced a yearly decrease of about 5.23% (95% CI: 2.55-7.92%) in PA compliance across all genders, regions, and urban areas. Similarly, the RST compliance rates for primary school students declined by approximately 3.18% (95% CI: 1.57-4.78%) annually for all genders and areas, but only in the northern regions. CONCLUSIONS: This research highlights a downward trend in PA and RST compliance amongst Chinese children and adolescents, with variations based on school level, gender, area, and region. Urgent policies and interventions are imperative to promote PA while mitigating excessive RST within these populations.

Efficacy and safety of Panax notoginseng saponin injection in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of Panax notoginseng saponin (PNS) injection, when combined with conventional treatment (CT), for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods: Comprehensive searches were conducted in seven databases from inception until 28 September 2023. The search aimed to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) focusing on PNS injection in the context of AMI. This meta-analysis adhered to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, and its protocol was registered with PROSPERO (number: CRD42023480131). Result: Twenty RCTs involving 1,881 patients were included. The meta-analysis revealed that PNS injection, used adjunctively with CT, significantly improved treatment outcomes compared to CT alone, as evidenced by the following points: (1) enhanced total effective rate [OR = 3.09, p < 0.05]; (2) decreased incidence of major adverse cardiac events [OR = 0.32, p < 0.05]; (3) reduction in myocardial infarct size [MD = -6.53, p < 0.05]; (4) lower ST segment elevation amplitude [MD = -0.48, p < 0.05]; (5) mitigated myocardial injury as indicated by decreased levels of creatine kinase isoenzymes [MD = -11.19, p < 0.05], cardiac troponin T [MD = -3.01, p < 0.05], and cardiac troponin I [MD = -10.72, p < 0.05]; (6) enhanced cardiac function, reflected in improved brain natriuretic peptide [MD = -91.57, p < 0.05], left ventricular ejection fraction [MD = 5.91, p < 0.05], left ventricular end-diastolic dimension [MD = -3.08, p < 0.05], and cardiac output [MD = 0.53, p < 0.05]; (7) reduced inflammatory response, as shown by lower levels of C-reactive protein [MD = -2.99, p < 0.05], tumor necrosis factor-α [MD = -6.47, p < 0.05], interleukin-6 [MD = -24.46, p < 0.05], and pentraxin-3 [MD = -2.26, p < 0.05]; (8) improved vascular endothelial function, demonstrated by decreased endothelin-1 [MD = -20.56, p < 0.05] and increased nitric oxide [MD = 1.33, p < 0.05]; (9) alleviated oxidative stress, evidenced by increased superoxide dismutase levels [MD = 25.84, p < 0.05]; (10) no significant difference in adverse events [OR = 1.00, p = 1.00]. Conclusion: This study highlighted the efficacy and safety of adjunctive PNS injections in enhancing AMI patient outcomes beyond CT alone. Future RCTs need to solidify these findings through rigorous methods. Systematic Review Registration: (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/), identifier (CRD42023480131).

A Noncentrosymmetric Metal-Free Borophosphate: Achieving a Large Birefringence and Excellent Stability by Covalent-Linkage.

Organic-inorganic hybrid linear and nonlinear optical (NLO) materials have received increasingly wide spread attention in recent years. Herein, the first hybrid noncentrosymmetric (NCS) borophosphate, (C5H6N)2B2O(HPO4)2 (4PBP), is rationally designed and synthesized by a covalent-linkage strategy. 4-pyridyl-boronic acid (4 PB) is considered as a bifunctional unit, which may effectively improve the optical properties and stability of the resultant material. On the one hand, 4 PB units are covalently linked with PO3(OH) groups via strong B-O-P connections, which significantly enhances the thermal stability of 4PBP (decomposition at 321, vs lower 200 °C of most of hybrid materials). On the other hand, the planar π-conjugated C5H6N units and their uniform layered arrangements represent large structural anisotropy and hyperpolarizability, achieving the largest birefringence (0.156 @ 546 nm) in the reported borophosphates and a second-harmonic generation response (0.7 × KDP). 4PBP also exhibits a wide transparency range (0.27-1.50 µm). This work not only provides a promising birefringent material, but also offers a practical covalent-attachment strategy for the rational design of new high-performance optical materials.

Akirin2 enhances antibacterial ability via interacting with 14-3-3ζ in V. splendidus-challenged Apostichopus japonicus.

Akirin2 is pivotal for regulating host immunological responses in vertebrates, including antibacterial immunity and inflammation. However, the functional significance of Akirin2 in invertebrates remains largely unexplored. In this study, we cloned the complete cDNA sequence of Akirin2 from A. japonicus (AjAkirin2) and elucidated its immunological mechanism upon pathogen infection. The whole AjAkirin2 cDNA sequence spanned 1014 bp, which comprised a 630 bp open reading frame encoding 209 amino acids, a 230 bp 5'-untranslated region (UTR), and a 154 bp 3'-UTR. Spatial expression analysis displayed constitutive expression of AjAkirin2 in all examined tissues. Both mRNA and protein expression abundance of the AjAkirin2 showed considerably high in coelomocytes of sea cucumbers challenged with Vibrio splendidus or stimulated with lipopolysaccharide. In addition, we found that sea cucumbers with 107 CFU/mL V. splendidus infection had a lower survival rate upon AjAkirin2 knockdown. Mechanistically, the result of GST-pull down and co-IP assays indicated that AjAkirin2 directly interacted with Aj14-3-3ζ. Moreover, we also detected that AjAkirin2 positively regulated Aj14-3-3ζ expression in sea cucumber coelomocytes. Furthermore, the knockdown of AjAkirin2 or Aj14-3-3ζ resulted in increasing intracellular bacteria load and suppressed the expression of key genes of the NF-κB signaling pathway (p65 and p105) and inflammatory cytokines including IL-17, VEGF, and MMP-1. In summary, these results confirmed the critical role of AjAkirin2 in mediating innate immune responses against V. splendidus infection via interaction with Aj14-3-3ζ and thereby exerting antibacterial function.

Unraveling Key m6A Modification Regulators Signatures in Postmenopausal Osteoporosis through Bioinformatics and Experimental Verification.

OBJECTIVE: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) show significant potential for osteogenic differentiation. However, the underlying mechanisms of osteogenic capability in osteoporosis-derived BMSCs (OP-BMSCs) remain unclear. This study aims to explore the impact of YTHDF3 (YTH N6-methyladenosine RNA binding protein 3) on the osteogenic traits of OP-BMSCs and identify potential therapeutic targets to boost their bone formation ability. METHODS: We examined microarray datasets (GSE35956 and GSE35958) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) to identify potential m6A regulators in osteoporosis (OP). Employing differential, protein interaction, and machine learning analyses, we pinpointed critical hub genes linked to OP. We further probed the relationship between these genes and OP using single-cell analysis, immune infiltration assessment, and Mendelian randomization. Our in vivo and in vitro experiments validated the expression and functionality of the key hub gene. RESULTS: Differential analysis revealed seven key hub genes related to OP, with YTHDF3 as a central player, supported by protein interaction analysis and machine learning methodologies. Subsequent single-cell, immune infiltration, and Mendelian randomization studies consistently validated YTHDF3's significant link to osteoporosis. YTHDF3 levels are significantly reduced in femoral head tissue from postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) patients and femoral bone tissue from PMOP mice. Additionally, silencing YTHDF3 in OP-BMSCs substantially impedes their proliferation and differentiation. CONCLUSION: YTHDF3 may be implicated in the pathogenesis of OP by regulating the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of OP-BMSCs.

Nuclear size-regulated emergence of topological packing order on growing human lung alveolospheres.

Within multicellular living systems, cells coordinate their positions with spatiotemporal accuracy to form various structures, setting the clock to control developmental processes and trigger maturation. These arrangements can be regulated by tissue topology, biochemical cues, as well as mechanical perturbations. However, the fundamental rules of how local cell packing order is regulated in forming three-dimensional (3D) multicellular architectures remain unclear. Furthermore, how cellular coordination evolves during developmental processes, and whether this cell patterning behavior is indicative of more complex biological functions, is largely unknown. Here, using human lung alveolospheres as a model system, by combining experiments and numerical simulations, we find that, surprisingly, cell packing behavior on alveolospheres resembles hard-disk packing but with increased randomness; the stiffer cell nuclei act as the hard disks surrounded by deformable cell bodies. Interestingly, we observe the emergence of topological packing order during alveolosphere growth, as a result of increasing nucleus-to-cell size ratio. Specifically, we find more hexagon-concentrated cellular packing with increasing bond orientational order, indicating a topological gas-to-liquid transition. Additionally, by osmotically changing the compactness of cells on alveolospheres, we observe that the variations in packing order align with the change of nucleus-to-cell size ratio. Together, our findings reveal the underlying rules of cell coordination and topological phases during human lung alveolosphere growth. These static packing characteristics are consistent with cell dynamics, together suggesting that better cellular packing stabilizes local cell neighborhoods and may regulate more complex biological functions such as organ development and cellular maturation.

Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction of Dictyophora rubrovolvata Volva Proteins: Process Optimization, Structural Characterization, Intermolecular Forces, and Functional Properties.

Dictyophora rubrovolvata volva, an agricultural by-product, is often directly discarded resulting in environmental pollution and waste of the proteins' resources. In this study, D. rubrovolvata volva proteins (DRVPs) were recovered using the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) method. Based on one-way tests, orthogonal tests were conducted to identify the effects of the material-liquid ratio, pH, extraction time, and ultrasonic power on the extraction rate of DRVPs. Moreover, the impact of UAE on the physicochemical properties, structure characteristics, intermolecular forces, and functional attributes of DRVPs were also examined. The maximum protein extraction rate was achieved at 43.34% under the best extraction conditions of UAE (1:20 g/mL, pH 11, 25 min, and 550 W). UAE significantly altered proteins' morphology and molecular size compared to the conventional alkaline method. Furthermore, while UAE did not affect the primary structure, it dramatically changed the secondary and tertiary structure of DRVPs. Approximately 13.42% of the compact secondary structures (α-helices and ß-sheets) underwent a transition to looser structures (ß-turns and random coils), resulting in the exposure of hydrophobic groups previously concealed within the molecule's core. In addition, the driving forces maintaining and stabilizing the sonicated protein aggregates mainly involved hydrophobic forces, disulfide bonding, and hydrogen bonding interactions. Under specific pH and temperature conditions, the water holding capacity, oil holding capacity, foaming capacity and stability, emulsion activity, and stability of UAE increased significantly from 2.01 g/g to 2.52 g/g, 3.90 g/g to 5.53 g/g, 92.56% to 111.90%, 58.97% to 89.36%, 13.85% to 15.37%, and 100.22% to 136.53%, respectively, compared to conventional alkali extraction. The findings contributed to a new approach for the high-value utilization of agricultural waste from D. rubrovolvata.

Associations between remnant cholesterol levels and mortality in patients with diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Dyslipidemia is frequently present in patients with diabetes. The associations of remnant cholesterol and mortality remains unclear in patients with diabetes. AIM: To explore the associations of remnant cholesterol with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with diabetes. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 4740 patients with diabetes who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 through 2018. Remnant cholesterol was used as the exposure variable, and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were considered outcome events. Outcome data were obtained from the National Death Index, and all participants were followed from the interview date until death or December 31, 2019. Multivariate proportional Cox regression models were used to explore the associations between exposure and outcomes, in which remnant cholesterol was modeled as both a categorical and a continuous variable. Restricted cubic splines (RCSs) were calculated to assess the nonlinearity of associations. Subgroup (stratified by sex, age, body mass index, and duration of diabetes) and a series of sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the robustness of the associations. RESULTS: During a median follow-up duration of 83 months, 1370 all-cause deaths and 389 cardiovascular deaths were documented. Patients with remnant cholesterol levels in the third quartile had a reduced risk of all-cause mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.66 (0.52-0.85)]; however, when remnant cholesterol was modeled as a continuous variable, it was associated with increased risks of all-cause [HR (95%CI): 1.12 (1.02-1.21) per SD] and cardiovascular [HR (95%CI): 1.16 (1.01-1.32), per SD] mortality. The RCS demonstrated nonlinear associations of remnant cholesterol with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses did not reveal significant differences from the above results. CONCLUSION: In patients with diabetes, higher remnant cholesterol was associated with increased risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, and diabetes patients with slightly higher remnant cholesterol (0.68-1.04 mmol/L) had a lower risk of all-cause mortality.

Metalation of metal-organic frameworks: fundamentals and applications.

Metalation of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has been developed as a prominent strategy for materials functionalization for pore chemistry modulation and property optimization. By introducing exotic metal ions/complexes/nanoparticles onto/into the parent framework, many metallized MOFs have exhibited significantly improved performance in a wide range of applications. In this review, we focus on the research progress in the metalation of metal-organic frameworks during the last five years, spanning the design principles, synthetic strategies, and potential applications. Based on the crystal engineering principles, a minor change in the MOF composition through metalation would lead to leveraged variation of properties. This review starts from the general strategies established for the incorporation of metal species within MOFs, followed by the design principles to graft the desired functionality while maintaining the porosity of frameworks. Facile metalation has contributed a great number of bespoke materials with excellent performance, and we summarize their applications in gas adsorption and separation, heterogeneous catalysis, detection and sensing, and energy storage and conversion. The underlying mechanisms are also investigated by state-of-the-art techniques and analyzed for gaining insight into the structure-property relationships, which would in turn facilitate the further development of design principles. Finally, the current challenges and opportunities in MOF metalation have been discussed, and the promising future directions for customizing the next-generation advanced materials have been outlined as well.

Association between PEMT rs7946 and blood pressure levels in Chinese adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: This study was to explore blood pressure levels in Chinese adolescents with different genotypes of phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT) gene (PEMT) rs7946, as well as effects of dietary intake on blood pressure levels with different genders and different genotypes of PEMT rs7946. METHODS: PEMT rs7946 genotypes were identified by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism and verified by DNA sequencing. Blood pressure was measured using a standard mercury sphygmomanometer. Dietary intakes were analyzed based on a 3-day diet diary, and dietary components were calculated using computer software. RESULTS: A total of 721 high school students (314 males and 407 females) at the age of 16.86 ±â€…0.59 years were included. The A allele carriers of PEMT rs7946 had increased levels of SBP, DBP, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse pressure (PP) than the GG homozygotes in the female subjects. There were significant interactions between PEMT rs7946 and gender on SBP and MAP levels, regardless of whether an unadjusted or adjusted model was used. When dietary intake was taken into account, fat intake was positively associated with SBP and PP in the male GG homozygotes, while protein intake was positively associated with PP in the female A allele carriers of PEMT rs7946. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that PEMT rs7946 is significantly associated with blood pressure levels in human being. There might be interactions among PEMT rs7946, gender, and dietary intake on blood pressure levels in the adolescent population.