Association between dietary choline intake and asthma and pulmonary inflammation and lung function: NHANES analysis 2009-2018.

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition, and choline may alleviate airway inflammation and oxidative stress but studies on the association between dietary choline and asthma remain limited. The purpose of this study is to investigate the associations between dietary choline intake and asthma, as well as pulmonary inflammation and lung function in children and adults. METHODS: In our research, we employed the data of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2009 to 2018, including 7,104 children and 16,580 adults. We used fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) to assess pulmonary inflammation and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), the FEV1/FVC ratio, peak expiratory flow rate (PEF), predicted FEV1% and predicted FVC% to assess lung function. Binary logistic regression, linear regression, and the restricted cubic splines were used to analyze the associations between dietary choline intake and asthma and pulmonary inflammation and lung function. RESULTS: In children, we observed the positive associations between the natural logarithmic transformation of choline (ln-choline) and ln-FEV1 [ ß:0.011; 95%CI: (0.004,0.018)] and ln-FVC [ ß:0.009; 95%CI: (0.002,0.016)]. In adult males, the ln-choline was positively associated with ln-FEV1[ ß:0.018; 95%CI: (0.011,0.024)], ln-FVC [ ß:0.020; 95%CI: (0.014,0.026)], ln-PEF [ ß:0.014; 95%CI: (0.007,0.022)], ln-predicted FEV1% [ ß: 0.007; 95%CI: (0.001, 0.013)] and ln-predicted FVC%[ ß: 0.010; 95%CI: (0.005, 0.015)] and negatively associated with FENO [ ß: -0.029; 95%CI: (-0.049, -0.009)]. In unadjusted and partially adjusted models, adult females with ln-choline in the highest quartile had 25.2% (95%CI:9.4-38.3%) and 23.8% (95%CI:7.6-37.1%) decreased odds of asthma compared to those with the lowest quartile group. In the dose-response relationships of dietary choline and pulmonary inflammation and lung function indicators in adults, there existed threshold and saturation effects. CONCLUSION: The associations between dietary choline and lung function indicators such as FEV1 and FVC are positive in children and adults. The association between dietary choline and pulmonary inflammation is negative only in adults.

Association between plasma trans fatty acids and serum α-klotho levels in adults in the United States of America: an analysis of the NHANES 2009-2010 datasets.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore the potential associations between trans fatty acid (TFA) and α-klotho levels. METHODS: Datasets from the 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analysed for this study. Multivariable linear regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses were performed to examine the relationships between plasma TFA and serum α-klotho levels. RESULTS: A total of 1,205 participants were included, with a geometric mean (GM) of 803.60 (95% CI: 787.45, 820.00) pg/mL for serum α-klotho levels. RCS analysis revealed L-shaped relationships between TFA and α-klotho levels. The inflection points for palmitelaidic acid (PA), vaccinic acid (VA), elaidic acid (EA), and total TFA levels were 4.55, 20.50, 18.70, and 46.40 µmol/L, respectively. Before reaching the inflection point, serum α-klotho levels were negatively correlated with plasma PA, VA, EA and total TFA levels, with ß values (95% CI) of -0.15 (-0.24, -0.06), -0.16 (-0.23, -0.09), -0.14 (-0.22, -0.05) and - 0.19 (-0.27, -0.11), respectively. Linolelaidic acid (LA) levels exhibited an inverse and linear association with α-klotho levels ( Pnonlinearity=0.167, Poverall<0.001). L-shaped relationships between TFA and α-klotho levels were also observed in the subgroups of participants who were aged < 65 years, were male, did not exercise, were ex-smokers, and were overweight/obese. CONCLUSIONS: L-shaped correlations between plasma PA, VA, EA, and total TFA levels and serum α-klotho levels were observed among adults in the United States.

Associations of perfluoroalkyl substances with metabolic-associated fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: NHANES 2017-2018.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the potential effects of perfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) in serum on MAFLD, NAFLD, and liver fibrosis. METHODS: Our sample included 696 participants (≥ 18 years) from the 2017-2018 NHANES study with available serum PFASs, covariates, and outcomes. Using the first quartile of PFAS as the reference group, we used weighted binary logistic regression and multiple ordered logistic regression used to analyze the relationship between PFAS and MAFLD, NAFLD, and liver fibrosis and multiple ordinal logistic regression to investigate the relationship between PFAS and MAFLD, NAFLD, and liver fibrosis and calculated the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval for each chemical. Finally, stratified analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed according to gender, age, BMI, and serum cotinine concentration. RESULTS: A total of 696 study subjects were included, including 212 NAFLD patients (weighted 27.03%) and 253 MAFLD patients (weighted 32.65%). The quartile 2 of serum PFOA was positively correlated with MAFLD and NAFLD (MAFLD, OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.05-4.98; NAFLD, OR 2.37, 95% CI 1.03-5.47). PFAS were not significantly associated with liver fibrosis after adjusting for potential confounders in MAFLD and NAFLD. Stratified analysis showed that PFOA was strongly associated with MAFLD, NAFLD, and liver fibrosis in males and obese subjects. In women over 60 years old, PFHxS was also correlated with MAFLD, NAFLD, and liver fibrosis. CONCLUSION: The serum PFOA was positively associated with MAFLD and NAFLD in US adults. After stratified analysis, the serum PFHxS was correlated with MFALD, NAFLD, and liver fibrosis.

Dietary calcium is inversely associated with hepatitis B virus infection: an analysis of US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2020.

BACKGROUND: There have been studies on the relationship between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and diet. We hypothesized HBV infection is related to dietary calcium intake, but the evidence is limited. This study aimed to examine whether dietary calcium intake is independently related to HBV infection in the United States population. METHODS: A total of 20,488 participants aged over 20 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), conducted from 2007 to 2020, were included in this study. Pearson correlation was used to test the association between dietary calcium and serum calcium. The relationships of HBV infection with dietary calcium and serum calcium were assessed by logistic regression models. RESULTS: There was a weak correlation between dietary calcium and serum calcium (r = 0.048). Logistic regression models indicated that HBV infection had a linear negative correlation with dietary calcium (OR 0.37; 95%CI 0.19, 0.76). For each additional 10 mg dietary calcium, the possibility of HBV infection was reduced by 63%. Hepatitis B positive participants had lower serum calcium content than negative participants. Stratified analysis shown the linear relationship between calcium and HBV infection varied among sex, race/ethnicity, and body mass index. CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrated HBV infection was linearly and inversely correlated with dietary calcium. The current study is expected to offer a fresh perspective on reducing HBV infection.

Heatwave characteristics complicate the association between PM2.5 components and schizophrenia hospitalizations in a changing climate: Leveraging of the individual residential environment.

BACKGROUND: In the era characterized by global environmental and climatic changes, understanding the effects of PM2.5 components and heatwaves on schizophrenia (SCZ) is essential for implementing environmental interventions at the population level. However, research in this area remains limited, which highlights the need for further research and effort. We aim to assess the association between exposure to PM2.5 components and hospitalizations for SCZ under different heatwave characteristics. METHODS: We conducted a 16 municipalities-wide, individual exposure-based, time-stratified, case-crossover study from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2020, encompassing 160736 hospitalizations in Anhui Province, China. Daily concentrations of PM2.5 components were obtained from the Tracking Air Pollution in China dataset. Conditional logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between PM2.5 components and hospitalizations. Additionally, restricted cubic spline models were used to identify protective thresholds of residential environment in response to environmental and climate change. RESULTS: Our findings indicate a positive correlation between PM2.5 and its components and hospitalizations. Significantly, a 1 µg/m3 increase in black carbon (BC) was associated with the highest risk, at 1.58% (95%CI: 0.95-2.25). Exposure to heatwaves synergistically enhanced the impact of PM2.5 components on hospitalization risks, and the interaction varied with the intensity and duration of heatwaves. Under the 99th percentile heatwave events, the impact of PM2.5 and its components on hospitalizations was most pronounced, which were PM2.5 (2-4d: 4.59%, 5.09%, and 5.09%), sulfate (2-4d: 21.73%, 23.23%, and 25.25%), nitrate (2-4d: 17.51%, 16.93%, and 20.31%), ammonium (2-4d: 27.49%, 31.03%, and 32.41%), organic matter (2-4d: 32.07%, 25.42%, and 24.48%), and BC (2-4d: 259.36%, 288.21%, and 152.52%), respectively. Encouragingly, a protective effect was observed when green and blue spaces comprised more than 17.6% of the residential environment. DISCUSSION: PM2.5 components and heatwave exposure were positively associated with an increased risk of hospitalizations, although green and blue spaces provided a mitigating effect.

Association of outdoor artificial light at night with metabolic syndrome and the modifying effect of tree and grass cover.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies show that outdoor artificial light at night (ALAN) is linked to metabolic hazards, but its association with metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association of outdoor ALAN with MetS in middle-aged and elderly Chinese. METHODS: From 2017-2020, we conducted a cross-sectional study in a total of 109,452 participants living in ten cities of eastern China. MetS was defined by fasting blood glucose (FG), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), blood pressure (BP), and waist circumference (WC). In 2021, we followed up 4395 participants without MetS at the baseline. Each participant's five-year average exposure to outdoor ALAN, as well as their exposure to green space type, were measured through matching to their address. Generalized linear models were used to assess the associations of outdoor ALAN with MetS. Stratified analyses were performed by sex, age, region, physical activity, and exposure to green space. RESULTS: In the cross-sectional study, compared to the first quantile (Q1) of outdoor ALAN exposure, the odds ratios (ORs) of MetS were 1.156 [95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.111-1.203] and 1.073 (95 %CI: 1.021-1.128) respectively in the third and fourth quantiles (Q3, Q4) of outdoor ALAN exposure. The follow-up study found that, compared to the first quantile (Q1) of outdoor ALAN exposure, the OR of MetS in Q4 of ALAN exposure was 1.204 (95 %CI: 1.019-1.422). Adverse associations of ALAN with MetS components, including high FG, high TG, and obesity, were also found. Greater associations of ALAN with MetS were found in males, the elderly, urban residents, those with low frequency of physical activity, and those living in areas with low levels of grass cover and tree cover. CONCLUSIONS: Outdoor ALAN exposure is associated with an increased MetS risk, especially in males, the elderly, urban residents, those lacking physical activity, and those living in lower levels of grass cover and tree cover.

Association between ambient air pollution and thyroid hormones levels: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Growing studies have focused on the effects of ambient air pollution on thyroid hormones (THs), but the results were controversial. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted by pooling current evidence on this association. METHODS: Four databases were searched for studies examining the associations of particulate matter [diameter ≤10 µm (PM10) or ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)] and gaseous [sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO)] pollutants with THs levels. Random effects models were used to pool the changes in THs levels with increasing air pollutant concentrations. Subgroup analyses were constructed by region, design, sample size, pollutant concentrations, evaluated methods, and potential risk exposure windows. RESULTS: A total of 14 studies covering 357,226 participants were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results showed significant associations of exposure to PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, and CO with decreases in free thyroxine (FT4) with percent changes (PC) ranging from -0.593 % to -3.925 %. PM2.5, NO2, and CO were negatively associated with levels of FT4/FT3 (PC: from -0.604 % to -2.975 %). In addition, results showed significant associations of PM2.5 with hypothyroxinemia and high thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Subgroup analyses indicated that PM2.5 and NO2 were significantly associated with FT4 in studies of Chinese, and similar significant findings were found in studies of PM2.5 and FT4/FT3 in areas with higher concentrations of air pollutants and larger samples. PM2.5 exposure in the first trimester was found to be associated with lower FT4 levels in pregnant women. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that exposure to air pollution is associated with changes in THs levels. Enhanced management of highly polluted areas, identification of harmful components and sources of PM, and protection from harmful exposures in early pregnancy may be of great public health importance for the population's thyroid function.

Directed evolution of TetR for constructing sensitive and broad-spectrum tetracycline antibiotics whole-cell biosensor.

Antibiotic abuse is the main reason for the drug resistance of pathogenic bacteria, posing a potential health risk. Antibiotic surveillance is critical for preventing antibiotic contamination. This study aimed to develop a sensitive and broad-spectrum whole-cell biosensor for tetracycline antibiotics (TCs) detection. Wild-type TCs-responsive biosensor was constructed by introducing a tetracycline operon into a sfGFP reporter plasmid. Using error-prone PCR, mutation libraries containing approximately 107 variants of the tetracycline repressor (TetR) gene were generated. The tigecycline-senstive mutants were isolated using high-throughput flow cytometric sorting. After 2 rounds of directed evolution, a mutant epS2-22 of TerR was isolated and assembled as a TCs biosensor. The epS2-22 biosensor was more sensitive and broad-spectrum than the wild-type biosensors. The detection limits of the epS2-22 biosensor for seven TCs were 4- to 62-fold lower than the wild-type biosensor (no response to tigecycline). Meanwhile, the epS2-22 biosensor had a shorter detection time and a stronger signal output than the wild type. In addition, the evolved epS2-22 biosensor showed excellent performance in detecting low traces of TCs in environmental water. These results suggest that directed evolution is a powerful tool for developing high-performance whole-cell biosensors, and the evolved epS2-22 biosensors have the potential for wider applications in real-world TCs detection.

Decreasing expression of Prohibitin-2 lowers the oncogenicity of renal cell carcinoma cells by suppressing eIF4E-mediated oncogene translation via MNK inhibition.

Prohibitin-2 (PHB2) serves as a key signalling protein that is connected with diverse cellular functions. PHB2 overexpression frequently occurs in cancers and is closely related to tumorigenesis. So far, the connection between PHB2 and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has not been discussed yet. The purpose of this study was to explore the expression and biological function of PHB2 in RCC and to uncover the underlying mechanisms. High level of PHB2 was found in RCC tissues, and this overexpression was linked to a worse overall survival rate for RCC patients. In RCC cell, the lowering of PHB2 generated tumour-inhibiting effects in RCC cells such as proliferation retardation, cell cycle arrest, suppression of the capacity for metastasis, and chemosensitivity enhancement. Mechanistically, PHB2 mediated the activation of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) and the translation of oncogenic proteins via the regulation of MNK. The inhibition of MNK diminished the effects of PHB2 on eIF4E-medited oncogene translation. The overexpression of eIF4E reversed PHB2-reduction-evoked tumour-inhibiting effects. Moreover, RCC cells with decreasing PHB2 exhibited a weakened ability to form xenografts in vivo. In conclusion, these findings show that PHB2 is pivotal for RCC progression and suggest that inhibiting MNK/eIF4E by decreasing PHB2 is a potential pathway for the treatment of RCC.

Long-Term Survival and Prognostic Factors After Laparoscopic Radical Nephrectomy.

Purpose: Our study aims to investigate the long-term survival and prognostic factors of patients after laparoscopic radical nephrectomy. Methods: Totally, 245 patients with renal cell carcinoma in our hospital from January 2015 to February 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. The 5-year survival status of patients with renal cell carcinoma was under analysis and further based on univariate analysis, and its influencing factors were analyzed by Cox regression. Results: The average 5-year follow-up time of 245 patients with renal cell carcinoma was (4.88 ± 0.52) years. The mortality of 1 year, 3 years and 5 years were 2.45% (5/245), 6.35% (16/245) and 9.80% (24/245), respectively. The survival rates were 97.55% (239/245), 93.06% (228/245) and 90.61% (222/245). Univariate analysis showed that age, tumor diameter, hematuria, TNM stage and postoperative recurrence may be the influencing factors of 5-year survival of patients with renal cell carcinoma (P < .05). However, the following parameters, including gender, course of disease, and other clinical complications were not related to the 5-year survival of patients with renal cell carcinoma (P > .05). the influencing factors of 5-year survival status of patients with renal cell carcinoma were age, tumor diameter, hematuria, TNM stage, and postoperative recurrence. Conclusion: The study revealed the long-term survival of patients with renal cell carcinoma may be associated with age, tumor diameter, hematuria, TNM stage and postoperative recurrence.

[Sleep patterns of infants and young children and their association with breastfeeding: a study based on K-means clustering]. / 基于K-meansèšç±»åˆ†æžçš„å©´å¹¼å„¿ç¡çœ æ¨¡å¼åŠä¸Žæ¯ä¹³å–‚å »å ³ç³»çš„ç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the sleep patterns and characteristics of infants and young children and the association between sleep patterns and breastfeeding. METHODS: A general information questionnaire, Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire (BISQ), and a questionnaire on feeding were used to investigate the sleep quality and feeding patterns of 1 148 infants and young children aged 7-35 months. The K-means clustering method was used to identify sleep patterns and characteristics. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between sleep patterns and breastfeeding. RESULTS: Three typical sleep patterns were identified for the 1 148 infants and young children aged 7-35 months: early bedtime and long sleep time; short sleep latency and moderate sleep time; late bedtime, prolonged sleep latency, and insufficient sleep time. The third pattern showed sleep disorders. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that compared with formula feeding, exclusive breastfeeding within 6 months after birth reduced the risk of sleep disorder patterns by 69% (OR=0.31, 95%CI: 0.11-0.81). The risk of sleep disorder patterns was reduced by 40% (OR=0.60, 95%CI: 0.38-0.96) in the infants receiving breastfeeding for 4-6 months compared with those receiving breastfeeding for 1-3 months. CONCLUSIONS: There are different sleep patterns in infants and young children, and breastfeeding can reduce the development of sleep disorder patterns.

[Efficacy of biofeedback and electrical stimulation therapy combined with Sabale capsules for chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome].

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect of biofeedback and electrical stimulation therapy (BFES) combined with Sabale capsules (SC) on chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). METHODS: A total of 140 outpatients meeting CP/CPPS diagnostic and research criteria in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University were randomly divided into groups A (blank control), B (BFES intervention), C (SC intervention) and D (BFES+SC intervention), 35 cases in each group. The patients in group A were left untreated, while those in groups B, C and D received BFES, SC and BFES+SC, respectively, all for 12 weeks. Then the patients were followed up at 30 days after treatment and the urinary flow rate and NIH-CPSI scores were obtained and compared with the baseline. RESULTS: In comparison with the baseline, the total NIH-CPSI scores after intervention were significantly decreased in groups B, (ï¼»27.30 ± 2.44ï¼½ vs ï¼»19.43 ± 2.33ï¼½), C (ï¼»26.77 ± 2.54ï¼½ vs ï¼»19.40 ± 2.75ï¼½) and D (ï¼»27.67 ± 3.69ï¼½ vs ï¼»15.57 ± 1.94ï¼½) (all P < 0.05), and so were the individual item scores in pain or discomfort (ï¼»12.50 ± 1.94ï¼½ vs ï¼»9.40 ± 2.01ï¼½, ï¼»11.93 ± 1.64ï¼½ vs ï¼»9.23 ± 1.96ï¼½, and ï¼»12.33 ± 2.20ï¼½ vs ï¼»7.50 ± 1.55ï¼½), urination symptoms (ï¼»6.07 ± 1.57ï¼½ vs ï¼»3.83 ± 1.05ï¼½, ï¼»5.97 ± 1.33ï¼½ vs ï¼»3.77 ± 1.14ï¼½, and ï¼»6.20 ± 1.88ï¼½ vs ï¼»2.87 ± 0.94ï¼½), quality of life (QOL) (ï¼»8.73 ± 1.62ï¼½ vs ï¼»6.20 ± 1.42ï¼½, ï¼»8.87 ± 1.25ï¼½ vs ï¼»6.40 ± 1.59ï¼½, and ï¼»9.13 ± 1.70ï¼½ vs ï¼»5.20 ± 1.40ï¼½) (all P < 0.05), while the maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) was remarkably increased (ï¼»15.72 ± 2.38ï¼½ vs ï¼»19.73 ± 2.85ï¼½, ï¼»16.20 ± 2.44ï¼½ vs ï¼»19.46 ± 2.48ï¼½, and ï¼»15.83 ± 2.52ï¼½ vs ï¼»22.49 ± 2.76ï¼½) (all P < 0.05), and so was the average urinary flow rate (Qavg) (ï¼»9. 282 ± 1.52ï¼½ vs ï¼»11.27 ± 1.95ï¼½, ï¼»8.97 ± 1.25ï¼½ vs ï¼»11.16 ± 1.74ï¼½, and ï¼»9.20 ± 1.36ï¼½ vs ï¼»13.50 ± 2.30ï¼½) (all P < 0.05). The decrease in NIH-CPSI total and item scores and increase in Qmax and Qavg after treatment were more significant in group D than in B and C (P < 0.05), but showed no statistically significant difference between groups B and C (P > 0.05). Nor was any significant change observed in the above parameters in group A after treatment ( P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Biofeedback and electrical stimulation therapy combined with Sabale capsules can alleviate urination dysfunction, pelvic floor tension myalgia and other symptoms and significantly improve the QOL of CP/CPPS patients.

[Individualized whole-course management in prostatic puncture biopsy: Application and efficiency].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the application of individualized whole-course management (IWCM) in prostatic puncture biopsy. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical data on 280 cases of ultrasound-guided transrectal prostatic puncture biopsy performed in our department from June 2016 to October 2017. We assigned the patients to an observation group (P = 140) and a control group (P = 140), the former given IWCM － preoperative education, intraoperative nursing care and postoperative guidance for complication prevention, while the latter going through only the routine procedures of preoperative talk and assigning of operation agreement. We compared the incidence of postoperative complications, blood pressure change and heart rate fluctuation of the patients and their satisfaction with IWCM. RESULTS: Prostatic puncture operations were successfully completed in all the patients. Compared with the controls, the patients in the observation group showed a significantly lower incidence rate of postoperative complications (P < 0.05), less significant fluctuation in blood pressure and heart rate intra- and postoperatively (P < 0.05), lower intraoperative pain scores (P < 0.05), and higher satisfaction with IWCM (80% ［112/140］ vs 95.7% ［134/140］, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Preoperative education, intraoperative nursing care and postoperative guidance for complication prevention can reduce the incidence of postoperative complications and improve the satisfaction of the patients undergoing ultrasound-guided prostate puncture.

Multi-Dopant Engineering in Perovskite Cs2SnCl6: White Light Emitter and Spatially Luminescent Heterostructure.

Bi3+/Te4+ co-doped Cs2SnCl6 with dual emission spectrum (i.e., 450 and 575 nm) was achieved by a modified solution method, which can overcome the phase separation in the previous method for Cs2SnCl6 crystal growth. The two emission peaks arising from the two dopants Bi3+ and Te4+ have distinct photoluminescence (PL) lifetimes. Thus, the control of dopant ratio or PL delay time will regulate the PL intensity ratio between 450 and 575 nm peaks leading to adjustable emission color. The energy transfer between the two emission centers, which is confirmed by the optical spectra and PL lifetime, has a critical distance around 7.8 nm with a maximum of 50% transfer efficiency. The Bi3+/Te4+ co-doped Cs2SnCl6 with superior stability in water and aqua regia was fabricated into a single-phase white light-emitting diode. In the meantime, various luminescent heterostructures were obtained by epitaxial Cs2SnCl6 crystal growth with different dopants, which can broaden the study of composition engineering in halide perovskites.

Se4P4nanoparticles confined within porous carbon as a lithium-ion battery anode with superior electrochemical performance.

The exploration of advanced anode materials through rational structure/phase design is the key to developing high-performance rechargeable batteries. Herein, tetraphosphorus tetraselenide (Se4P4) nanoparticles confined within porous carbon (named SeP@C) are developed for lithium-ion batteries. The designed SeP@C shows a set of structural/compositional advantages as lithium-ion battery anodes including high electrical conductivity, low ion diffusion barrier, and relieved lithiation stress. Consequently, the SeP@C electrode displays superior comprehensive lithium storage performance, e.g., high reversible capacity (640.8 mA h g-1at 0.1 A g-1), excellent cycling stability (500 cycles with respective capacity retention of over or nearly 100%), and good rate capability, representing a comparable lithium storage performance in reported phosphide-based anodes. More significantly, it shows excellent energy storage properties in lithium-ion full cells which can light up 85 red LEDs for over 3.2 h. This work offers an advanced electrode construction guidance of phosphorous-based anodes for the development of high-performance energy storage devices.

Integrin ß5 enhances the malignancy of human colorectal cancer by increasing the TGF-ß signaling.

Increased integrin ß5 (ITGB5) expression is associated with the progression and metastasis of several types of cancers. However, whether upregulated ITGB5 expression can act as a prognostic factor for colorectal cancer (CRC) remains controversial. In this study, we aimed to identify the role ITGB5 plays during the pathogenesis of human CRC and explore the underlying molecular mechanism. Here, we show that ITGB5 expression is upregulated in CRC and is significantly associated with exacerbated CRC malignancy and an unfavourable overall survival rate among CRC patients. ITGB5 silencing significantly inhibited the proliferation and invasion of human CRC cell lines (HCT116 and HT29) in vitro and suppressed the growth and metastasis of implanted CRC tumours in vivo. Mechanistically, upregulated ITGB5 expression enhanced transforming growth factor ß/Smad signalling and facilitated the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in CRC cells. Together, such findings indicate that ITGB5 acts as an oncogenic factor to enhance the malignancy of CRC and suggest that ITGB5 may be a therapeutic target.

TUG1 knockdown inhibits the tumorigenesis and progression of prostate cancer by regulating microRNA-496/Wnt/ß-catenin pathway.

Our study aimed to further investigate the roles and molecular mechanisms of lncRNA taurine upregulated gene 1 (TUG1) in the development and progression of PC. RT-qPCR assay was carried out to measure expression of TUG1, miR-496, together with ß-catenin, cyclin D1 and c-myc. Protein levels of ß-catenin, cyclin D1 and c-myc were detected by western blot assay. Cell proliferative ability was assessed by colony formation assay and CCK-8 assay. Cell migratory and invasive capacities were evaluated by Transwell migration and invasion assay. The interaction between miR-496 and TUG1 was explored by bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay. Mouse xenograft experiments were performed to further investigate the roles and molecular basis of TUG1 in the tumorigenesis of PC in vivo. TUG1 was highly expressed in PC tissues and cells (DU145 and PC3). TUG1 knockdown inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion in DU145 and PC3 cells. Moreover, TUG1 suppressed miR-496 expression by direct interaction. TUG1 overexpression abrogated miR-96-mediated antiproliferation, anti-migration and anti-invasion effects in DU145 and PC3 cells. TUG1 knockdown inactivated Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway by upregulating miR-496 in DU145 and PC3 cells. Additionally, TUG1 knockdown inhibited DU145 cells derived PC xenograft growth by upregulating miR-496 and inactivating Wnt/ß-catenin signaling in vivo. TUG1 knockdown suppressed PC cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro and curbed PC xenograft growth in vivo by regulating miR-496/Wnt/ ß-catenin signaling pathway, deepening our understanding on etiology of PC.

Single-photon upconversion in 6-pentaceneone crystal from bulk to ultrathin flakes.

Phonon-assisted single-photon upconversion, which was not previously reported in organic materials, has been demonstrated in the 6-pentaceneone crystal through the linear pumping power dependent anti-Stokes photoluminescence (ASPL), nanoseconds PL lifetime and quenched ASPL at low temperature. Furthermore, the 6-pentaceneone crystal can be mechanically exfoliated to ultrathin flakes and it exhibits thickness-dependent photoluminescence.

A meta-analysis on the association of genetic polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme and coronary artery disease in the chinese population.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between genotype insertion or deletion polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene (ACE) and susceptibility to coronary artery disease (CAD) in Chinese Han population. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive search for the OR value of contrast between the group of genotype insertion or deletion polymorphism of the ACE and the group of CAD as an effective index. A meta-analysis (Stata 12.0) was used to test the heterogeneity of the results, combine the values for effect, conduct sensitivity analysis, and basic evaluation. RESULTS: A total of 638 studies were found on the association between polymorphisms of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene and CAD, of which 44 studies met the inclusion criteria. In total, our study included 5619 cases and 4865 controls. The heterogeneity test of each study (P < 0.001) was carried out using a random effect model. The OR value of DD/ID+II was 1.95, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) (1.66-2.29). The OR value of II/DI+DD was 0.63, 95%CI (0.55-0.72). The funnel figure is basically symmetrical and the results of the sensitivity analysis were stable. CONCLUSION: The DD genotype of the angiotensin converting enzyme gene may be a weaker risk factor for CAD in the Chinese Han population.

A meta-analysis on the association of genetic polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme and coronary artery disease in the chinese population

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between genotype insertion or deletion polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene (ACE) and susceptibility to coronary artery disease (CAD) in Chinese Han population. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive search for the OR value of contrast between the group of genotype insertion or deletion polymorphism of the ACE and the group of CAD as an effective index. A meta-analysis (Stata 12.0) was used to test the heterogeneity of the results, combine the values for effect, conduct sensitivity analysis, and basic evaluation. RESULTS: A total of 638 studies were found on the association between polymorphisms of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene and CAD, of which 44 studies met the inclusion criteria. In total, our study included 5619 cases and 4865 controls. The heterogeneity test of each study (P < 0.001) was carried out using a random effect model. The OR value of DD/ID+II was 1.95, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) (1.66-2.29). The OR value of II/DI+DD was 0.63, 95%CI (0.55-0.72). The funnel figure is basically symmetrical and the results of the sensitivity analysis were stable. CONCLUSION: The DD genotype of the angiotensin converting enzyme gene may be a weaker risk factor for CAD in the Chinese Han population.

RESUMO OBJETIVO: Investigar a associação entre o polimorfismo de inserção ou deleção do genótipo do gene da enzima conversora da angiotensina (ACE) e a susceptibilidade da etnia Han chinesa para a doença arterial coronariana (DAC). Métodos: Foi realizada uma pesquisa abrangente para o valor de OR (Odds Ratio) de contraste entre o grupo de polimorfismo de inserção ou deleção do genótipo do gene da enzima conversora da angiotensina (ACE) e o grupo de doença arterial coronariana (DAC) como um índice de eficácia. Uma meta-análise (Stata 12,0) foi utilizada para testar a heterogeneidade dos resultados, combinar os valores de eficácia, realizar análises de sensibilidade e de avaliação básica. RESULTADOS: Um total de 638 estudos foram encontrados sobre a associação entre polimorfismos do gene da enzima conversora da angiotensina e doença arterial coronariana, dos quais 44 satisfaziam os critérios de inclusão. Nosso estudo incluiu 6246 casos e 5713 controles. O teste de heterogeneidade de cada estudo (p < 0,001) foi realizado seguindo o modelo de efeito randômico. O valor de OR para DD/ID+II foi 1,95, com 95% de intervalo de confiança de (95%CI) (1,66-2,29). O valor de OR para II/DI+DD foi 0,63, com 95% IC (0,55-0,72). A figura do funil é basicamente simétrica e os resultados da análise de sensibilidade foram estáveis. CONCLUSÃO: O genótipo DD do gene da enzima conversora da angiotensina podem ser um fator de risco mais fraco para doença coronariana na população chinesa Han.