Association between walking pace and risks of major chronic diseases in individuals with hypertension based on a prospective study in UK Biobank: Involvement of inflammation.

OBJECTIVE: Walking pace is associated with risks of major chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) in the general population. However, whether increasing walking pace could reduce risks of major chronic diseases in individuals with hypertension remains to be explored, and the underlying mechanism potentially mediated by low-grade inflammation is also unclear. METHODS: A total of 160,470 participants with hypertension were included based on the UK Biobank. The relationships of the walking pace and low-grade inflammation with risks of major chronic diseases in individuals with hypertension were assessed by the Cox proportional hazards model. Mediation analyses were performed to investigate the contribution of low-grade inflammation to the association between walking pace and risks of major chronic diseases. RESULTS: Individuals with hypertension at the brisk walking pace had decreased risks of overall cancer and site-specific cancers (liver, lung, and endometrial cancers), all CVD events (angina, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, myocardial infarction, peripheral vascular disease and stroke), and T2DM (hazard ratios: 0.42-0.91). Increasing low-grade inflammation was associated with higher risks of aforementioned diseases except liver cancer and atrial fibrillation. Furthermore, low-grade inflammation partially mediated associations of the walking pace with risks of lung cancer, T2DM, and all CVD events (except atrial fibrillation), with mediation proportion of 2.0%-9.8%. CONCLUSIONS: Brisk walking pace was linked to reduced risks of major chronic diseases in individuals with hypertension, partially mediated by low-grade inflammation. Improving walking pace may be beneficial for health in individuals with hypertension.

Joint association of biological aging and lifestyle with risks of cancer incidence and mortality: A cohort study in the UK Biobank.

BACKGROUND: Aging is a risk factor for cancer incidence and mortality. Biological aging can reflect the aging degree of the body better than chronological age and can be aggravated by unhealthy lifestyle factors. We aimed to assess the joint effect of biological aging and lifestyle with risks of cancer incidence and mortality. METHODS: This study included a total of 281,889 participants aged 37 to 73 from the UK Biobank database. Biological age was derived from chronological age and 9 clinical blood indicators, and lifestyle score was constructed by body mass index, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and diet. Multivariate Cox hazard proportional regression model was used to analyze the independent and joint association of biological aging and lifestyle with risks of cancer incidence and mortality, respectively. RESULTS: Over a median follow-up period of 12.3 years, we found that older biological age was associated with increased risks of overall cancer, digestive system cancers, lung, breast and renal cancers incidence and mortality (HRs: 1.12-2.25). In the joint analysis of biological aging and lifestyle with risks of cancer incidence and mortality, compared with unhealthy lifestyle and younger biological age, individuals with healthy lifestyle and older biological age had decreased risks of incidence (8% âˆ¼ 60%) and mortality (20% âˆ¼ 63%) for overall, esophageal, colorectal, pancreatic and lung cancers. CONCLUSIONS: Biological aging may be an important risk factor for cancer morbidity and mortality. A healthier lifestyle is more likely to mitigate the adverse effects of biological aging on overall cancer and some site-specific cancers.

Association of total and different food-derived advanced glycation end-products with risks of all-cause and cause-specific mortality.

Background: advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), formed through a series of non-enzymatic reactions, can promote inflammation and oxidative stress. Their accumulation in the body has been linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer. However, the association of total AGEs and AGEs from different food sources with risks of all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality is still unknown. Methods: we conducted a prospective cohort study of a nationally representative sample of 22 124 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III (1988-1994) and NHANES 2003-2006. A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was utilized to calculate total and different food-derived AGE intake. Associations between various dietary AGE scores and the risk of all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality were assessed by weighted Cox proportional hazard regression models. Results: over a median follow-up period of 27.1 years, we found that in the general population, AGE scores of both baked foods and meat were risk factors for all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality. Specially, higher AGE scores in total and those derived from 10 of the 13 food groups were statistically associated with an increased risk of CVD mortality. Egg-, fruit-, and vegetable-derived AGE scores were positively correlated with the risk of cancer mortality. Additionally, there were positive multiplicative and additive interactions between smoking and meat-derived AGE scores on all-cause mortality. Conclusions: high amounts of AGE consumption is associated with an increased risk of CVD mortality, and meat and baked food-derived AGEs were positively linked to all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortalities. Adherence to unhealthy lifestyles, such as smoking, may increase mortality from leading causes in individuals with AGE-enriched diet habits.

Association between diabetes at different diagnostic ages and risk of cancer incidence and mortality: a cohort study.

Background: Different ages for diagnosis of diabetes have diverse effects on risks of cardiovascular disease, dementia, and mortality, but there is little evidence of cancer. This study investigated the relationship between diabetes at different diagnostic ages and risks of cancer incidence and mortality in people aged 37-73 years. Methods: Participants with diabetes in the UK Biobank prospective cohort were divided into four groups: ≤40, 41-50, 51-60, and >60 years according to age at diagnosis. A total of 26,318 diabetics and 105,272 controls (1:4 randomly selected for each diabetic matched by the same baseline age) were included. We calculated the incidence density, standardized incidence, and mortality rates of cancer. Cox proportional hazard model was used to examine the associations of diabetes at different diagnostic ages with cancer incidence and mortality, followed by subgroup analyses. Results: Compared to corresponding controls, standardized incidence and mortality rates of overall and digestive system cancers were higher in diabetes diagnosed at age 41-50, 51-60, and >60 years, especially at 51-60 years. Individuals diagnosed with diabetes at different ages were at higher risk to develop site-specific cancers, with a prominently increased risk of liver cancer since the diagnosis age of >40 years. Significantly, participants with diabetes diagnosed at 51-60 years were correlated with various site-specific cancer risks [hazard ratio (HR) for incidence: 1.088-2.416, HR for mortality: 1.276-3.269]. Moreover, for mortality of digestive system cancers, we observed an interaction effect between smoking and diabetes diagnosed at 51-60 years. Conclusion: Our findings highlighted that the age at diagnosis of diabetes, especially 51-60 years, was critical risks of cancer incidence and mortality and may represent a potential preventative window for cancer.

One-dimensional and three-dimensional long-range orientated superstructures of PbSe nanocrystals.

We report the 1D linear, 2D square, 2D honeycomb, and 3D topo-epitaxy long-range superstructures of oriented attached PbSe NCs. In particular, we discovered novel 1D linear and 3D superstructures, which implied different formation mechanisms compared with the PbSe superstructures previously reported. Our study not only demonstrates stronger design capability for oriented-attached PbSe superstructures, but also reveals important information about the interfacial behavior of the PbSe NCs during the self-assembly.

Plant-based dietary patterns, genetic predisposition and risk of colorectal cancer: a prospective study from the UK Biobank.

BACKGROUND: Plant-based dietary patterns may affect colorectal cancer (CRC) related outcomes, while risks differ in the quality of plant foods. We aimed to examine the association of plant-based diet quality with risks of CRC incidence and mortality and whether this association was modified by genetic risk. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 186,675 participants free of cancer when the last dietary recall was completed. We calculated three plant-based diet indices (PDIs), i.e., the overall plant-based diet index (PDI), the healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI), and the unhealthful plant-based diet index (uPDI) representing adherence to plant-based diets with diverse quality. Genetic risk was characterized using a weighted polygenic risk score (PRS), capturing overall risk variants associated with CRC. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidential intervals (CI) were estimated by the cause-specific Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Over a follow-up of 9.5 years, 2163 cases and 466 deaths from CRC were documented. The HR of CRC incidence was 0.88 (95% CI, 0.81-0.96) and 0.91 (95% CI, 0.84-0.99) per 10-score increase in PDI and hPDI, respectively. Compared to the lowest quartile, PDI, hPDI, and uPDI in the highest quartile were associated with a 13% decrease, a 15% decrease, and a 14% increase in risk of incident CRC, respectively. We found a joint association of genetic risk and PDIs with incident CRC, with the highest hazard observed in those carrying higher PRS and adhering to lower-quality PDIs. The inverse association of PDI and hPDI with CRC mortality was pronounced in males. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that better adherence to overall and healthful plant-based diets was associated with a lower risk of CRC, whereas an unhealthful plant-based diet was associated with a higher CRC risk. Consumption of a higher-quality plant-based diet combined with decreased genetic risk conferred less susceptibility to CRC. Our findings highlighted the importance of food quality when adhering to a plant-based dietary pattern for CRC prevention in the general population.

Plasma One-Carbon Metabolism-Related Micronutrients and the Risk of Breast Cancer: Involvement of DNA Methylation.

Findings of epidemiologic studies focusing on the association between one-carbon metabolism-related micronutrients and breast cancer risk, along with the involvement of DNA methylation, have been inconsistent and incomprehensive. We conducted a case-control study in China including 107 paired participants and comprehensively detected 12 plasma one-carbon metabolism-related micronutrients. Genomic DNA methylation was measured using an 850 K chip and differential methylation probes (DMPs) were identified. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to estimate the associations between plasma micronutrients and the odds of breast cancer. The mediation of selected DMPs in micronutrient breast cancer associations was examined using mediation analyses. An inverse association of plasma folate, methionine cycling-related micronutrients (methionine, S-adenosylmethionine, and S-adenosylhomocysteine), and all micronutrients in the choline metabolism and enzymatic factor groups, and a positive association of methionine cycling-related cysteine with breast cancer risk were observed. Nine micronutrients (methionine, cysteine, SAM, folate, choline, betaine, P5P, vitamins B2, and B12) were related to global or probe-specific methylation levels (p < 0.05). The selected DMPs mediated the micronutrient breast cancer associations with an average mediation proportion of 36.43%. This study depicted comprehensive associations between circulating one-carbon metabolism-related micronutrients and breast cancer risk mediated by DNA methylation.

Association between the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score and cancer in middle-aged and older adults: Involvement of inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is associated with increased risk of common cancers. However, evidence of cancer risk in individuals with different diabetes risk is still scarce, and the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC) and risks of cancer incidence and mortality in a prospective study, and to explore whether low-grade inflammation partially mediated the association. METHODS: A total of 330,384 participants aged 37 to 73 at baseline from the UK Biobank database was included in this study. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to examine the relationship of the FINDRISC and low-grade inflammation with risks of cancer incidence and mortality. Then, we estimated the contribution of higher FINDRISC to risks of overall and site-specific cancers. In addition, the role of low-grade inflammation in the association between FINDRISC and cancer risks was investigated through mediation analysis. RESULTS: The increased FINDRISC was dose-dependently associated with higher incidence and mortality risks of overall cancer and an overwhelming majority of site-specific cancers. The higher FINDRISC was a strong contributor to incidence of eighteen site-specific cancers and mortality of fourteen site-specific cancers, with a population-attributable risk of 8.1 %-39.1 %, 14.2 %-39.7 %, respectively. Additionally, low-grade inflammation mainly mediated the association between the FINDRISC and risks of incidence and mortality of overall cancer, colorectal cancer, etc. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlighted the higher FINDRISC as critical risk factors of cancer incidence and mortality, partially mediated by low-grade inflammation. Individuals with increased risk of diabetes are also needed to be concerned about cancer prevention.

Versatile fabrication of metal sulfide supraparticles by an in situ decomposition-assembly strategy.

Supraparticles (SPs) are of great importance in both fundamental and applied studies due to their emerging collective properties, synergistic effects, and various applications. Metal sulfide nanomaterials are of vital importance in biomedicine, catalysis, battery materials, and other fields. Herein, an in situ decomposition-assembly strategy for the versatile fabrication of metal sulfide SPs is developed. In the fabrication, cysteine molecules and metal cations first react and form coordination polymers, which are then decomposed by heating to produce small-sized metal sulfide nanocrystals. Driven by elimination of the high surface energy of NCs generated by thermal decomposition and the van der Waals attraction, the resulting nanocrystals in situ self-assemble each other and form SP products. In addition to homogeneous Cu2S, CdS, and ZnS products, the proposed system can even be extended to fabricate hybrid Cu2S/Fe2O3 SPs. Furthermore, the SP size can be easily tuned from 10 to 100 nm by adjusting the proportion of cysteine and metal ions. The SPs not only exhibit various properties including photothermal conversion, fluorescence, and magnetism, depending on their composition, but can also combine these properties by the formation of hybrid structures.

Modulation of Nano-superstructures and Their Optical Properties.

Self-assembly, which enables spontaneous arrangement of objects, is of particular importance for nanomaterials in both fundamental and applied research fields. Multiple types of nanoparticle superstructures have been successfully built in highly controllable and efficient manners through balancing the nanoscale interactions. Uniform and proper arrangement of nanoparticles inside the assembled superstructures is essential to exhibit their constant, reliable, and homogeneous functionalities. To be specific, the long-range ordered superlattices not only succeed with their building blocks' intrinsic property, but also, more importantly, can display collective properties that are absent both in individual nanoparticles and in their bulk states. One of the most attractive aspects of nanomaterials is their exceptional optical properties that have tremendous application potential in multidisciplinary fields. In this regard, constructing the superstructures from optical nano units like noble metal nanostructures, semiconductor nanoparticles, or hybrid nanomaterials is critical for attaining the unique optical properties and exploring their practical applications in multiple fields including photonics, optoelectronics, optical sensing, photocatalysis, etc. In this Account, we provide guidelines for self-assembly strategies to fabricate the superstructures and discuss the optical properties that the superstructures display. In the first part, we categorize and discuss the key factors that strongly affect the self-assembly process and determine the configurational and integral quality of the superstructures. On one hand, the diversity and designability of nanoparticles offer the intrinsic complexity of the building blocks, including geometry, size, composition, and surface ligand, which efficiently tailors the assembly process and superstructure configuration. On the other hand, multiple factors originating from the introduction of extrinsic features are recognized to facilitate the metastable or dynamic self-assembly process. Such extrinsic features include both matter like DNA origami, peptides, small molecules, etc. and nonmatter involved with electric fields, magnetic fields, light, temperature, etc. In the second part, we introduce the state-of the art progress on the collective optical performances of the assembled superstructures, including (1) chiral optics, such as circular dichroism and circularly polarized luminescence, (2) plasmonic properties and related applications, and (3) luminescence related optics and their applications. Finally, we summarize the existing problems and main challenges briefly, and some future directions of this field are proposed. We envision that, with deep understanding of the assembly mechanism and development of the synthetic and surface chemistry, rational modulation of nanoassemblies will be the trend of this field, which is beneficial to achieve the emerging collective performances and create new generation devices with advanced functions.

Room-temperature superionic-phase nanocrystals synthesized with a twinned lattice.

The engineering of nanoscale features enables the properties of solid-state materials to be tuned. Here, we show the tunable preparation of cuprous sulfide nanocrystals ranging in internal structures from single-domain to multi-domain. The synthetic method utilizes in-situ oxidation to grow nanocrystals with a controlled degree of copper deficiency. Copper-deficient nanocrystals spontaneously undergo twinning to a multi-domain structure. Nanocrystals with twinned domains exhibit markedly altered crystallographic phase and phase transition characteristics as compared to single-domain nanocrystals. In the presence of twin boundaries, the temperature for transition from the ordered phase to the high-copper-mobility superionic phase is depressed. Whereas the superionic phase is stable in the bulk only above ca. 100 °C, cuprous sulfide nanocrystals of ca. 7 nm diameter and a twinned structure are stable in the superionic phase well below ambient temperature. These findings demonstrate twinning to be a structural handle for nanoscale materials design and enable applications for an earth-abundant mineral in solid electrolytes for Li-S batteries.

Shape-dependent ordering of gold nanocrystals into large-scale superlattices.

Self-assembly of individual building blocks into highly ordered structures, analogous to spontaneous growth of crystals from atoms, is a promising approach to realize the collective properties of nanocrystals. Yet the ability to reliably produce macroscopic assemblies is unavailable and key factors determining assembly quality/yield are not understood. Here we report the formation of highly ordered superlattice films, with single crystalline domains of up to half a millimetre in two dimensions and thickness of up to several microns from nanocrystals with tens of nanometres in diameter. Combining experimental and computational results for gold nanocrystals in the shapes of spheres, cubes, octahedra and rhombic dodecahedra, we investigate the entire self-assembly process from disordered suspensions to large-scale ordered superlattices induced by nanocrystal sedimentation and eventual solvent evaporation. Our findings reveal that the ultimate coherence length of superlattices strongly depends on nanocrystal shape. Factors inhibiting the formation of high-quality large-scale superlattices are explored in detail.

Nanodiamond-based nanostructures for coupling nitrogen-vacancy centres to metal nanoparticles and semiconductor quantum dots.

The ability to control the interaction between nitrogen-vacancy centres in diamond and photonic and/or broadband plasmonic nanostructures is crucial for the development of solid-state quantum devices with optimum performance. However, existing methods typically employ top-down fabrication, which restrict scalable and feasible manipulation of nitrogen-vacancy centres. Here, we develop a general bottom-up approach to fabricate an emerging class of freestanding nanodiamond-based hybrid nanostructures with external functional units of either plasmonic nanoparticles or excitonic quantum dots. Precise control of the structural parameters (including size, composition, coverage and spacing of the external functional units) is achieved, representing a pre-requisite for exploring the underlying physics. Fine tuning of the emission characteristics through structural regulation is demonstrated by performing single-particle optical studies. This study opens a rich toolbox to tailor properties of quantum emitters, which can facilitate design guidelines for devices based on nitrogen-vacancy centres that use these freestanding hybrid nanostructures as building blocks.

Controlled synthesis of non-epitaxially grown Pd@Ag core-shell nanocrystals of interesting optical performance.

Pd@Ag core-shell nanocrystals are synthesized through a seed mediated method. Ag shells are found to be grown in a non-epitaxial growth manner, with lots of defects to release the strain originating from lattice mismatch.

Synthesis of Au@Ag core-shell nanocubes containing varying shaped cores and their localized surface plasmon resonances.

We have synthesized Au@Ag core-shell nanocubes containing Au cores with varying shapes and sizes through modified seed-mediated methods. Bromide ions are found to be crucial in the epitaxial growth of Ag atoms onto Au cores and in the formation of the shell's cubic shape. The Au@Ag core-shell nanocubes exhibit very abundant and distinct localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) properties, which are core-shape and size-dependent. With the help of theoretical calculation, the physical origin and the resonance mode profile of each LSPR peak are identified and studied. The core-shell nanocrystals with varying shaped cores offer a new rich category for LSPR control through the plasmonic coupling effect between core and shell materials.

Shape-dependent electrocatalytic activity of monodispersed gold nanocrystals toward glucose oxidation.

We systematically explore the shape-dependent catalytic activities of Au nanocrystals toward glucose oxidation in alkaline electrolytes, which is strongly dependent on the shape of the Au nanocrystals. The {100}-bounded cubic Au nanocrystals are significantly more active than the {110}-bounded rhombic dodecahedral and {111}-bounded octahedral Au nanocrystals.