Expansion of a food composition database for the food frequency questionnaire in the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES): a comprehensive database of dietary antioxidants and total antioxidant capacity.

Objectives: This study constructed a comprehensive database of dietary antioxidants and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) to facilitate the estimation of daily antioxidant intake using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). This database was applied to 3 general population-based cohorts (n=195,961) within the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES). Methods: To establish a database of 412 foods derived from recipes of a 106-item FFQ, we followed a pre-established standardized protocol. This included the selection of source databases, matching of foods, substitution of unmatched items with identical foods and input of values, and assessment of coverage. For each food, the TAC was estimated by summing the individual antioxidant capacities, calculated by multiplying the amount of each antioxidant by its vitamin C equivalent antioxidant capacity. Results: We identified 48 antioxidants across 5 classes: retinol, carotenoids, vitamins C and E, and flavonoids, with flavonoids divided into 7 subclasses. TAC values were then established. Coverage exceeded 90.0% for retinol, carotenoids, vitamin C, and vitamin E, while coverage for flavonoids was 60.9%. The daily intakes of 4 antioxidant classes-all but vitamin E-were higher in women than in men. The Ansan-Ansung cohort exhibited the highest levels of dietary TAC, vitamin E, and flavonoids, while the Health Examinees Study cohort displayed the highest values for retinol, carotenoids, and vitamin C. Conclusion: We customized a comprehensive antioxidant database for the KoGES FFQ, achieving relatively high coverage. This expansion could support research investigating the impact of dietary antioxidants on the development of chronic diseases targeted by the KoGES.

Association of healthy lifestyle factors with the risk of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and their comorbidity in Korea: results from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2019-2021.

Objectives: We investigated the association of individual healthy lifestyle factors (HLFs) and their combined healthy lifestyle score (HLS) with hypertension and/or dyslipidemia. Methods: We analyzed data from 10,693 adults aged ≥19 from the 2019 to 2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. HLS was evaluated based on smoking status, alcohol consumption, body mass index (BMI), diet, and physical activity. Using logistic regression models, we estimated odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to evaluate the associations of HLFs and HLS with hypertension, dyslipidemia, and their comorbidity. Results: The prevalence of hypertension alone, dyslipidemia alone, and their comorbidity was 8.69%, 24.6%, and 15.0%, respectively. Multivariable models showed an inverse association of hypertension (OR, 0.37; 95% CI; 0.30-0.46) and dyslipidemia (OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.32-0.41) with healthy BMI. Hypertension was inversely associated with healthy alcohol consumption (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.35-0.61) and diet (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.63-0.99), whereas dyslipidemia was inversely associated with non-smoking (OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.43-0.60). Physical activity was inversely associated with their comorbidity (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.56-0.85). Adherence to HLS was associated with significantly lower odds of hypertension (81%), dyslipidemia (66%), and their conditions (89%) (all ptrend<0.001). Stratified analyses consistently showed inverse associations between HLS and hypertension and/or dyslipidemia independently of demographic factors (pinteractions>0.05). Conclusion: HLFs were associated with lower risk for hypertension and/or dyslipidemia. Obesity may contribute significantly to the risk of these conditions, while relevant HLFs for individual chronic diseases may vary significantly.

Toward the High-Voltage Stability of Layered Oxide Cathodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries: Challenges, Progress, and Perspectives.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have garnered significant attention as ideal candidates for large-scale energy storage due to their notable advantages in terms of resource availability and cost-effectiveness. However, there remains a substantial energy density gap between SIBs and commercially available lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), posing challenges to meeting the requirements of practical applications. The fabrication of high-energy cathodes has emerged as an efficient approach to enhancing the energy density of SIBs, which commonly requires cathodes operating in high-voltage regions. Layered oxide cathodes (LOCs), with low cost, facile synthesis, and high theoretical specific capacity, have emerged as one of the most promising candidates for commercial applications. However, LOCs encounter significant challenges when operated in high-voltage regions such as irreversible phase transitions, migration and dissolution of metal cations, loss of reactive oxygen, and the occurrence of serious interfacial parasitic reactions. These issues ultimately result in severe degradation in battery performance. This review aims to shed light on the key challenges and failure mechanisms encountered by LOCs when operated in high-voltage regions. Additionally, the corresponding strategies for improving the high-voltage stability of LOCs are comprehensively summarized. By providing fundamental insights and valuable perspectives, this review aims to contribute to the advancement of high-energy SIBs.

Association of the Intensive Blood Pressure Target and Cardiovascular Outcomes in the Population With Chronic Kidney Disease: A Retrospective Study in Korea.

BACKGROUND: Recently, the target systolic blood pressure (BP) <120 mm Hg was suggested in the population with chronic kidney disease. We aimed to determine the applicability of intensified BP and to assess the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the population with chronic kidney disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: Participants who were >20 years old and had estimated glomerular filtration rate 15 to 60 mL/min per 1.73 m2 during 2009 to 2011 were included from the database of Korean National Health Insurance Service and were followed up to 2018. Participants were categorized by BP as <120/80 mm Hg; 120 to 129/<80 mm Hg; 130 to 139/80 to 89 mm Hg; ≥140/90 mm Hg. The primary outcome was CVD risk and the secondary outcomes were all-cause mortality and progression to end-stage renal disease followed by subgroup analysis. Among the 45 263 adults with chronic kidney disease, 5196 CVD events were noted. In Cox regression analysis, higher BP was associated with a higher risk for CVD (hazard ratio [HR], 1.15 [95% CI, 1.12-1.19]; P for trend <0.001), end-stage renal disease (HR, 1.29 [95% CI, 1.22-1.37]; P for trend <0.001), and all-cause mortality (HR, 1.09 [95% CI, 1.06-1.13]; P for trend <0.001) than BP <120/80 mm Hg. In subgroup analysis, the association between BP and CVD showed a different trend in participants taking antihypertensives compared with those not using antihypertensive drugs. When comparing BP-treated individuals to untreated individuals, a significant interaction in the association between BP categories and end-stage renal disease was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The new intensive BP target proposed by 2021 Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes should be applied to patients with chronic kidney disease in a personalized and advisory manner.

Analysis of public perception of national obesity management policy.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to provide essential data necessary for shaping future obesity policy directions and strengthening the effectiveness of such measures. METHODS: A literature review and expert meetings were conducted to identify policy objectives that should be included in the comprehensive national obesity management plan. Based on these objectives, a questionnaire was developed, and a survey was conducted nationwide through an online panel targeting citizens aged 15-69. RESULTS: When analyzing the appropriateness of promoting national obesity policies, 38.6% of respondents answered "not appropriate," while only 8.4% answered "appropriate." We also assessed the importance of the four key areas of the national obesity management policy, with 36.9% considering "improvement of lifestyle to prevent obesity" as the most important. Additionally, we analyzed the significance of specific tasks. "Strengthening child and adolescent obesity prevention and management," "enhancing group meal nutrition and hygiene," "strengthening the operation of community-based obesity and exercise clinics," and "advancing an integrated information platform for nutrition, dietary patterns, and physical activity" emerged as pivotal tasks within their respective areas. CONCLUSION: The primary tasks identified as top priorities by the public in this study regarding national obesity policy initiatives can be incorporated into future obesity management strategies. Our approach has the potential to enhance the efficacy of these policies by aligning future obesity policy trajectories with public demands and expectations.

Associations of cumulative average dietary total antioxidant capacity and intake of antioxidants with metabolic syndrome risk in Korean adults aged 40 years and older: a prospective cohort study (KoGES_CAVAS).

OBJECTIVES: Limited and inconsistent prospective evidence exists regarding the relationship of dietary total antioxidant capacity (dTAC) and antioxidant intake with metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk. We evaluated the associations of the cumulative averages of dTAC and antioxidant intake (in 5 classes: retinol, vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, and flavonoids, as well as 7 flavonoid subclasses) with the risk of MetS. METHODS: This study included 11,379 participants without MetS, drawn from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study_CArdioVascular disease Association Study (KoGES_CAVAS). The cumulative average consumption was calculated using repeated food frequency questionnaires. Incidence rate ratios were estimated using a modified Poisson regression model with a robust error estimator. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 5.16 years, and 2,416 cases of MetS were recorded over 58,750 person-years. In men, significant inverse associations were observed in all 5 antioxidant classes, except for the highest quartile of dTAC. In women, dTAC and total flavonoids were not significantly associated with MetS; however, significant L-shaped associations were found for the remaining 4 antioxidant classes. Of the 7 flavonoid subclasses, only flavones in the highest quartile for men and flavan-3-ols in women lacked significant associations with MetS. The inverse associations were not sex-specific, but they were particularly pronounced among participants with a body mass index (BMI) of 23 kg/m2 or higher. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that most antioxidant classes and flavonoid subclasses, unlike dTAC, exhibit a clear beneficial association with MetS in an L-shaped pattern in both men and women, particularly those with a high BMI.

Prospective Associations between Cumulative Average Intake of Flavonoids and Hypertension Risk in the CArdioVascular Disease Association Study (CAVAS).

In this study, we aimed to investigate the prospective associations and their shapes between the dietary intake of total flavonoids and their seven subclasses and hypertension risk in a prospective cohort, the KoGES_CArdioVascular disease Association Study (CAVAS), and to consider obesity status as an additional factor. A total of 10,325 adults aged 40 years and older were enrolled at baseline, and 2159 patients were newly diagnosed with hypertension during a median follow-up of 4.95 years. Cumulative dietary intake was estimated using a repeated food frequency questionnaire. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using modified Poisson models with a robust error estimator. We observed nonlinear inverse associations between total and seven subclasses of flavonoids and hypertension risk, although there was no significant association between total flavonoids and flavones with hypertension risk in the highest quartile. For men, these inverse associations tended to be pronounced in the high BMI group, particularly for anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins [IRR (95% CI) in overweight/obese men: 0.53 (0.42-0.67) for anthocyanins; 0.55 (0.42-0.71) for proanthocyanidins]. Our results suggested that consumption of dietary flavonoids may not be dose-responsive but is inversely associated with hypertension risk, particularly among overweight/obese men.

A novel vector for magnetic resonance imaging-guided chemo-photothermal therapy for cancer.

As an effective strategy for oncotherapy, developing efficacious drug delivery systems for cancer combination therapy remains a major challenge. To improve nanodrug biocompatibility and composite function facilitating their clinical conversion application, a novel nanocarrier was presented by a facile method through conjugating humic acid with gadolinium ions to synthesize HA-Gd with good biocompatibility and dispersity. HA-Gd exhibited high photothermal conversion efficiency up to 38%, excellent photothermal stability, and high doxorubicin (DOX) loading capacity (93%) with pH-responsive release properties. HA-Gd loading DOX showed a combined chemo-photothermal inhibitory effect on tumor cells. Compared with lipid-DOX, HA-Gd-DOX had a more significant inhibitory effect on tumor growth and fewer side effects. T1-weighted MRI contrast toward tumor tissue provided HA-Gd with an MRI-based cancer diagnosis. This study revealed the great potential of humic acids as a novel vector for developing more drug carriers with desirable functions for clinical anticancer therapy.

Relationship between physical activity and depressive symptoms in older Korean adults: moderation analysis of muscular strength.

BACKGROUND: This population-based cross-sectional study examined the associations between physical activity (PA) and lower body muscle strength (LBMS) with late-life depression in a representative sample of older Korean adults aged 65 years and older. METHODS: The data used in the current study (n = 10,097/60% women) were extracted from the 2020 Korea Longitudinal Study on Aging, which is a nationwide population-based survey conducted in Korea. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Geriatric Depression Scale Short-Form. PA and LBMS were evaluated with a self-reported questionnaire and the 5 times sit-to-stand test, respectively. Covariates include age, gender, body mass index, education level, smoking status, alcohol intake, and comorbidity. RESULTS: Insufficient PA had higher odds of depression (odds ratio [OR] = 1.201, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.035-1.393, p = 0.016), even after adjustments for all covariates, compared to sufficient PA. Poor LBMS had higher odds of depression (OR = 2.173, 95% CI = 1.821-2.593, p < 0.001), even after adjustments for all covariates, compared to good LBMS. Particularly, a significant moderation effect of LBMS on the relationship between PA and depressive symptoms was observed (ß = 0.3514 and 95% CI = 0.1294 ~ 0.5733, p < 0.001). Individuals with poor LBMS had a greater odd of depression associated with physical inactivity compared to their counterparts with good LBMS. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study support the importance of promoting muscular strength through regular exercise as a preventive strategy against late-life depression in Korean adults.

Different associations of specific non-alcoholic beverages with elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in Korean adults: results from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2015-2016).

This study examined the associations between specific non-alcoholic beverages and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and their interactions with obesity. The study participants were 4,999 adults aged 19-64 years from the 2015-2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained using multivariable logistic regression analyses. In women, there was an inverse linear trend between coffee and hs-CRP status (p trend = 0.0137), and a positive linear trend for soda was also found (≥1/week vs never or almost never, OR = 1.79, 95% CI 1.23-2.61, p trend = 0.0127). In the stratification analyses, the associa-tions were only observed in obese women. The associations were inverse for coffee and tea but linearly positive for soda in obese women (p trend<0.05). In men, an inverted J-shaped association between commercial fruit juice/drink and hs-CRP status was found; but after stratification by obesity, the association was linear only in obese men (p trend<0.05, OR = 2.44, 95% CI 1.44-4.16 in ≥1/week vs never or almost never). Coffee and tea in women may be beneficially associated with hs-CRP status, but soda in women and commercial fruit juice/drink in men may be adversely, particularly for obese adults.

Replication stress promotes cell elimination by extrusion.

Cell extrusion is a mechanism of cell elimination that is used by organisms as diverse as sponges, nematodes, insects and mammals1-3. During extrusion, a cell detaches from a layer of surrounding cells while maintaining the continuity of that layer4. Vertebrate epithelial tissues primarily eliminate cells by extrusion, and the dysregulation of cell extrusion has been linked to epithelial diseases, including cancer1,5. The mechanisms that drive cell extrusion remain incompletely understood. Here, to analyse cell extrusion by Caenorhabditis elegans embryos3, we conducted a genome-wide RNA interference screen, identified multiple cell-cycle genes with S-phase-specific function, and performed live-imaging experiments to establish how those genes control extrusion. Extruding cells experience replication stress during S phase and activate a replication-stress response via homologues of ATR and CHK1. Preventing S-phase entry, inhibiting the replication-stress response, or allowing completion of the cell cycle blocked cell extrusion. Hydroxyurea-induced replication stress6,7 triggered ATR-CHK1- and p53-dependent cell extrusion from a mammalian epithelial monolayer. We conclude that cell extrusion induced by replication stress is conserved among animals and propose that this extrusion process is a primordial mechanism of cell elimination with a tumour-suppressive function in mammals.

Renal dysfunction is associated with decline of cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults: Korean frailty and aging cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive decline is common in older adults. Similarly, the prevalence of renal dysfunction is also increased in the elderly population. We conducted this study to clarify the relationship between renal dysfunction and decline of cognitive function in community-dwelling elderly population. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was performed using data from the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study, a nationwide cohort study. Total 2847 (1333 men, 1514 women) eligible participants were enrolled for this study. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, mL/min/1.73m2) was calculated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation. Global cognitive function was assessed with the Mini-mental State Examination-Korean version. Other domains of cognitive function were tested with the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's disease and the Frontal Assessment Battery. RESULTS: The mean age of all participants was 76.0 ± 3.9 years and eGFR (all in mL/min/1.73 m2) was 77.5 ± 14.3. And the mean eGFR was 91.7 ± 3.2 in quartile 1, 84.9 ± 1.8 in quartile 2, 76.1 ± 3.7 in quartile 3, and 57.2 ± 10.8 in quartile 4. In baseline characteristics, participants with lower eGFR tend to have lower cognitive function scores than participant with higher eGFR. In linear regression analysis, eGFR was correlated with the word list memory (ß = 0.53, P = 0.005), word list recall (ß = 0.86, P < 0.001), and word list recognition (ß = 0.43, P = 0.030) after adjustment of confounding variables. Moreover, after multivariate adjustment the association with cognitive impairment in quartile 2 was stronger (adjusted OR: 1.535, 95% CI: 1.111-2.120, P = 0.009), and the ORs of cognitive impairment were 1.501 (95% CI: 1.084-2.079, P = 0.014) in quartile 3 and 1.423 (95% CI: 1.022-1.983, P = 0.037) in quartile 4. CONCLUSION: In older adults, the immediate, recent memory, and recognition domains were significantly related to renal function. Also, the mild renal dysfunction was independently associated with impairment of global cognitive function. These results suggest that the early stages of renal dysfunction could be an effective target to prevent worsening of cognitive impairment. Therefore, regular monitoring and early detection of mild renal dysfunction in elderly population might be needed.

Clinical Relevance of Serum Galactose Deficient IgA1 in Patients with IgA Nephropathy.

New biomarkers of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) are needed for non-invasive diagnosis and appropriate treatment. There is emerging evidence that galactose deficient IgA1 (Gd-IgA1) is a pivotal molecule in the pathogenesis of IgAN. However, few studies have investigated the role of Gd-IgA1 as a biomarker in IgAN. In this study, we investigated the clinical relevance of serum Gd-IgA1 levels in patients with IgAN. Two hundred and thirty biopsy-proven IgAN patients, 74 disease controls (patients with non-IgAN nephropathy), and 15 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Levels of serum Gd-IgA1 were measured using an ELISA kit in serum samples obtained the day of renal biopsy. We compared levels of serum Gd-IgA1 according to the type of glomerular disease and analyzed the association between Gd-IgA1 levels and clinical and pathological parameters in patients with IgAN. We then divided IgAN patients into two groups according to Gd-IgA1 level and investigated the predictive value of Gd-IgA1 for progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Serum Gd-IgA1 levels were significantly higher in IgAN patients than disease controls and healthy controls. In patients with IgAN, serum Gd-IA1 levels were significantly correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate, serum IgA level, and tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis. CKD progression was more frequent in IgAN patients with higher serum Gd-IgA1 levels than in those with lower serum Gd-IgA1 levels. Cox proportional hazard models showed that high GdIgA1 level was an independent risk factor for CKD progression after adjusting for several confounders. Our results suggest that serum Gd-IgA1 level is a useful diagnostic and prognostic marker in IgAN patients. Further studies with a larger sample size and longer follow-up duration are needed.

Cypripedium subtropicum (Orchidaceae) employs aphid colony mimicry to attract hoverfly (Syrphidae) pollinators.

In Orchidaceae, pollination is mostly animal-mediated, and one-third of species have evolved a deceptive pollination mechanism without rewards. Cypripedium is a representative lineage of nonrewarding orchids restricted to temperate regions. Cypripedium subtropicum flowers are pollinated by hoverflies and have hairy tufts that visually resemble an aphid colony covered with honey dew. We recorded the behavior of hoverflies on the flowers, determined the breeding system of the species and the structure of hairy tufts, and investigated the roles of hairy tufts and floral volatiles in this specialized pollination by using pollination experiments, scanning electron microscopy, bioassays and chemical analyses. The white hairy tufts covering the sidelobes of the labellum provide edible rewards and serve as crucial visual lures for hoverflies. The flowers emit primarily (E)-ß-farnesene and a smaller amount of ß-pinene that were found to attract hoverflies. Our results suggest that C. subtropicum uses both visual mimicry of an aphid-colonized labellum with a reward and chemical mimicry of aphid alarm pheromones to attract hoverflies for pollination. This is the first described example of a rewarding mimicry system in plants, where the models are animals with their secretions and the reward is similar in nutrients to that of the model mimicked.

Integrative cancer treatment may have a survival benefit in patients with lung cancer: A retrospective cohort study from an integrative cancer center in Korea.

Integrative oncology is being increasingly adopted in mainstream cancer care to strengthen anticancer effects and to control cancer-related symptoms.The objective of this study is to identify the characteristics of patients with lung cancer treated at an integrative cancer center in Korea and to determine the effects of integrative cancer treatment (ICT) on survival outcome in traditional Korean medicine (TKM).We reviewed medical records for lung cancer patients who visited a single integrative clinical setting, East-West Cancer Center, between January 2014 and December 2015. We classified the patients into groups according to their ICT and whether or not they underwent anticancer traditional Korean Medicine treatment with a multiherbal formula containing Panax notoginseng Radix, Cordyceps militaris, P ginseng C.A.Mey., and Boswellia carterii BIRDWOOD (HangAmDan-B), with a herbal formula containing Rhus verniciflua Stoke, or with cultivated wild ginseng pharmacopuncture. A descriptive analysis of the characteristics and a survival analysis using the Kaplan-Meier curves with log rank test and a Cox proportional hazard model were performed.A total of 91 patients were included, and the majority had advanced-stage cancer. Of those patients, 45.1% were in the mono-TKM group and 39.6% were integrative group. Patients with advanced stage had significantly higher mortality than patients with early stage (crude hazard ratio [HR]: 4.41, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.56-12.5; adjusted HR: 6.31, 95% CI: 1.24-32.1). In the unadjusted model, for patients in the integrative group, the mortality rate was reduced by 50% compared to mono-TKM group with statistical significance. After adjusting confounders, the mortality rate of integrative group was reduced by 6% compared to mono-TKM group, suggesting positive effect on survival probability of integrative group.The results suggest that integration of TKM and conventional cancer treatment may have survival benefits in patients with lung cancer. Even though this study has limitations including heterogeneity between treatment groups, the study results suggest that ICT has positive effect on survival probability. To clarify the impacts of ICT for lung cancer and other cancers on survival outcome, further prospective study with a rigorous study design is required in multiclinical setting.

Temporary Workers' Skipping of Meals and Eating Alone in South Korea: The Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 2013-2016.

Available evidence suggests that social disadvantages are inextricably linked to unhealthy eating behaviors. Given that temporary workers face insecure employment and uncertainty in their work's terms and conditions, issues relevant to maintaining healthy eating behavior are likely to be affected. This study investigated the association between temporary employments and, specifically, the status and frequency of meal skipping and of eating alone among temporary and permanent Korean workers. We used data from the 2013-2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A total of 5912 working people were included as the study population. We classified them as temporary workers (n = 3036) and permanent workers (n = 2876). Eating behaviors included meal skipping and eating alone. The rate and frequency of meal skipping and eating alone were higher in temporary workers. After adjustment for potential confounders, the likelihoods for temporary workers' skipping lunch was twice as high (OR = 1.95, 95% CI 1.45-2.63) as for permanent workers. In particular, temporary workers had four-fold-increased odds (OR = 4.12, 95% CI 2.29-7.41) of eating alone three times per day relative to permanent workers. We found that temporary workers were more likely to skip meals and eat alone than were permanent workers.

Monitoring soil biological properties during the restoration of a phosphate mine under different tree species and plantation types.

Open-pit mining activities for minerals and metals have left an international legacy of highly polluted soils and degraded landscapes. Reforestation is usually supposed to restore soil fertility and ecosystem services, and therefore to remediate and recover polluted sites. However, our understanding of the effects of tree species and recovery time on the restoration of abiotic and biotic soil properties remains scarce. In this study, the effects of a series of restoration chronosequence (unrestored control, 10-year, 20-year, and natural forest) and plantation types (nitrogen-fixing broad-leaved Alnus nepalensis and coniferous Cupressus torulosa monocultures, as well as their mixed plantation) on soil physicochemical and biological properties were explored in a phosphate mine. Our results showed that soil quality index (SQI), which integrates important soil physical, chemical, and biological parameters including bulk density, soil organic carbon and microbial biomass, could provide valuable information about soil health. The average SQI values of 20-year plantations were 1.55 times of 10-year plantations, and the mixed plantation was 1.13 and 1.27 times of A. nepalensis and C. torulosa monoculture, respectively. Thus, recovery time, as well as plantation type, were the main determinants of the alterations in key soil conditions during the phosphate mining restoration. At the beginning restoration (10 years), A. nepalensis monoculture performed better than C. torulosa, providing an efficient restoration strategy for early revegetation. The mixed plantation of C. torulosa and A. nepalensis showed the higher moisture and soil organic carbon than did the monocultures, especially after 20 years of revegetation. Hence, our findings address a helpful guideline for selection of tree species and plantation practices, thereby aiding in long-term success of restoration.

Defining the role of Parasutterella, a previously uncharacterized member of the core gut microbiota.

The genus of Parasutterella has been defined as a core component of the human and mouse gut microbiota, and has been correlated with various health outcomes. However, like most core microbes in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), very little is known about the biology of Parasutterella and its role in intestinal ecology. In this study, Parasutterella was isolated from the mouse GIT and characterized in vitro and in vivo. Mouse, rat, and human Parasutterella isolates were all asaccharolytic and producers of succinate. The murine isolate stably colonized the mouse GIT without shifting bacterial composition. Notable changes in microbial-derived metabolites were aromatic amino acid, bilirubin, purine, and bile acid derivatives. The impacted bile acid profile was consistent with altered expression of ileal bile acid transporter genes and hepatic bile acid synthesis genes, supporting the potential role of Parasutterella in bile acid maintenance and cholesterol metabolism. The successful colonization of Parasutterella with a single environmental exposure to conventional adult mice demonstrates that it fills the ecological niche in the GIT and contributes to metabolic functionalities. This experiment provides the first indication of the role of Parasutterella in the GIT, beyond correlation, and provides insight into how it may contribute to host health.

Lipid transporter Spns2 promotes microglia pro-inflammatory activation in response to amyloid-beta peptide.

Accumulating evidence indicates that neuroinflammation contributes to the pathogenesis and exacerbation of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a pleiotropic bioactive lipid that regulates many pathophysiological processes including inflammation. We present evidence here that the spinster homolog 2 (Spns2), a S1P transporter, promotes microglia pro-inflammatory activation in vitro and in vivo. Spns2 knockout (Spns2KO) in primary cultured microglia resulted in significantly reduced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and amyloid-beta peptide 1-42 oligomers (Aß42) when compared with littermate controls. Fingolimod (FTY720), a S1P receptor 1 (S1PR1) functional antagonist and FDA approved drug for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, partially blunted Aß42-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine generation, suggesting that Spns2 promotes microglia pro-inflammatory activation through S1P-signaling. Spns2KO significantly reduced Aß42-induced nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) activity. S1P increased, while FTY720 dampened, Aß42-induced NFκB activity, suggesting that Spns2 activates microglia inflammation through, at least partially, NFκB pathway. Spns2KO mouse brains showed significantly reduced Aß42-induced microglia activation/accumulation and reduced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines when compared with age-matched controls. More interestingly, Spns2KO ameliorated Aß42-induced working memory deficit detected by Y-Maze. In summary, these results suggest that Spns2 promotes pro-inflammatory polarization of microglia and may play a crucial role in AD pathogenesis.