Tailoring nondiffracting fields with a non-Markovian phase imprint.

We experimentally generate nondiffracting speckles that carry non-Markovian properties by encoding the wavefront of a monochromatic laser beam with ring-shaped non-Markovian phases. The resulting non-Markovian nondiffracting fields present a ring-shaped pattern and central dark notches, which are analyzed with an expression of the orbital angular momentum spectra of the wavefront possessing ring-shaped non-Markovian phases. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the intensity profiles of these non-Markovian nondiffracting fields exhibit stability over multiple Rayleigh ranges, and their statistical properties could be controlled with the non-Markovianity of the input phase masks. This work presents an approach for simultaneously tailoring the diffracting property and non-Markovianity of optical fields and provides a deeper understanding of non-Markovian processes.

Podocyte-Specific Silencing of Acid Sphingomyelinase Gene to Abrogate Hyperhomocysteinemia-Induced NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Glomerular Inflammation.

Acid Sphingomyelinase has been reported to increase tissue ceramide and thereby mediate hHcy-induced glomerular NLRP3 inflammasome activation, inflammation, and sclerosis. In the present study, we tested whether somatic podocyte-specific silencing of Smpd1 gene attenuates hHcy-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation and associated exosome release in podocytes and thereby suppresses glomerular inflammatory response and injury. In vivo, somatic podocyte-specific Smpd1 gene silencing almost blocked hHcy-induced glomerular NLRP3 inflammasome activation in Podocre mice compared to control littermates. By nanoparticle tracking analysis, floxed Smpd1 shRNA transfection was found to abrogate hHcy-induced elevation of urinary exosome excretion in Podocre mice. In addition, Smpd1 gene silencing in podocytes prevented hHcy-induced immune cell infiltration into glomeruli, proteinuria, and glomerular sclerosis in Podocre mice. In cell studies, we also confirmed that Smpd1 gene knockout or silencing prevented Hcy-induced elevation of exosome release in the primary cultures of podocyte isolated from Smpd1-/- mice or podocytes of Podocre mice transfected with floxed Smpd1 shRNA compared to WT/WT podocytes. Smpd1 gene overexpression amplified Hcy-induced exosome secretion from podocytes of Smpd1trg/Podocre mice, which was remarkably attenuated by transfection of floxed Smpd1 shRNA. Mechanistically, Hcy-induced elevation of exosome release from podocytes was blocked by ASM inhibitor, but not by NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors. Super-resolution microscopy also showed that ASM inhibitor, but not NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors, prevented the inhibition of lysosome-multivesicular body interaction by Hcy in podocytes. In conclusion, our findings suggest that ASM in podocytes plays a crucial role in the control of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and exosome release.

Effects of plyometric training on skill-related physical fitness in badminton players: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Skill-related physical fitness significantly correlates with sports performance. Plyometric training (PT) is an effective method for improving physical fitness in athletes. However, its impact on skill-related physical fitness in badminton players remains uncertain. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of PT on skill-related physical fitness in badminton players. Five electronic databases (Web of Science, PubMed, SCOPUS, MEDLINE, and SPORTSDiscus) were searched until February 2024. A PICOS approach was used to identify inclusion criteria, (1) healthy badminton players, (2) a PT program, (3) an active control group, (4) a measure of skill-related physical fitness before and after PT, and (5) randomized controlled studies. The PEDro scale was used to assess the methodological quality of PT studies, while the level of evidence certainty was determined through the GRADE framework. The calculation of effect sizes (ESs) was based on mean values and standard deviations, and heterogeneity was measured with the I2 statistic. The extended Egger's test was employed to check for publication bias. Eleven studies comprising 445 badminton players were eligible for inclusion. The analysis revealed significant small-to-moderate effects of PT on power (ES = 0.60, p < 0.001), agility (ES = 0.96, p < 0.001), speed (ES = 0.63, p = 0.001), and balance (ES = 0.89; p = 0.013). However, no significant effect was observed for reaction time (ES = 0.56; p = 0.189). The certainty of evidence for outcomes was graded as either low or very low. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that PT improved power, agility, speed, and balance, but not reaction time in badminton players. However, the small number of studies and the very low to low certainty evidence mean that these results need to be interpreted with caution.

Does Motor Imagery Training Improve Service Performance in Tennis Players? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Motor imagery training is a common mental strategy used by tennis players and coaches to improve learning and performance; however, the effect of motor imagery training on service performance in tennis players is questionable. This review aims to consolidate existing research regarding the effects of motor imagery training on the service performance of tennis players. A systematic search was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines, using PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and SPORTDiscus to identify articles published until December 2023. Eligible studies comprised controlled trials that investigated the impact of motor imagery on service performance outcomes in tennis players. The methodological quality of individual studies was assessed using the Cochrane RoB-2 and ROBINS-I tools. GRADE was applied to assess the certainty of the evidence. Nine trials including 548 participants met the inclusion criteria. The results indicated that motor imagery training improved service accuracy and technique but did not affect service speed or return accuracy in tennis players. In conclusion, the certainty of the evidence that motor imagery training may be effective in improving service accuracy and technique in tennis players is low to very low. However, more experimental work is needed to obtain stronger conclusions.

The First High-Quality Genome Assembly of Freshwater Pearl Mussel Sinohyriopsis cumingii: New Insights into Pearl Biomineralization.

China leads the world in freshwater pearl production, an industry in which the triangle sail mussel (Sinohyriopsis cumingii) plays a pivotal role. In this paper, we report a high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly of S. cumingii with a size of 2.90 Gb-the largest yet reported among bivalves-and 89.92% anchorage onto 19 linkage groups. The assembled genome has 37,696 protein-coding genes and 50.86% repeat elements. A comparative genomic analysis revealed expansions of 752 gene families, mostly associated with biomineralization, and 237 genes under strong positive selection. Notably, the fibrillin gene family exhibited gene family expansion and positive selection simultaneously, and it also exhibited multiple high expressions after mantle implantation by transcriptome analysis. Furthermore, RNA silencing and an in vitro calcium carbonate crystallization assay highlighted the pivotal role played by one fibrillin gene in calcium carbonate deposition and aragonite transformation. This study provides a valuable genomic resource and offers new insights into the mechanism of pearl biomineralization.

Characteristics of typical intermediate and semi volatile organic compounds in Shanghai during China International Import Expo event.

To ensure good air quality during the China International Import Expo (CIIE) event, stringent emission-reduction measures were implemented in Shanghai. To assess the efficacy of these measures, this study measured typical categories of intermediate/semi volatile organic compounds (I/SVOCs), including alkanes (C10-C26 n-alkanes and pristane), EPA-priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), alkylnaphthalenes, benzothiazole (BTH) and chlorobenzenes (CBs), at an urban site of Shanghai before and during two CIIE events (2019 and 2020; non-CIIE versus CIIE). The average concentrations of alkanes and PAHs during both 2019 and 2020 CIIE events decreased by approximately 41% and 17%, respectively, compared to non-CIIE periods. However, the decline in BTH and CBs was only observed during CIIE-2019. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from alkanes, PAHs and BTH was evaluated under atmospheric conditions, revealing considerable SOA contributions from dimethylnaphthalenes and BTH. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis further revealed that life-related sources, such as cooking and residential emissions, make a noticeable contribution (21.6%) in addition to the commonly concerned gasoline-vehicle sources (31.5%), diesel-related emissions (20.8%), industrial emissions (18.6%) and ship emissions (7.5%). These findings provide valuable insights into the efficacy of the implemented measures in reducing atmospheric I/SVOCs levels. Moreover, our results highlight the significance of exploring additional individual species of I/SVOCs and life-related sources for further research and policy development.

Compound heterozygous mutations in GRM6 causing complete Schubert-Bornschein type congenital stationary night blindness.

Background: To explore the genetic defects of a Chinese family with complete Schubert-Bornschein type congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB). Methods: A Chinese family with complete Schubert-Bornschein type CSNB was enrolled in this study. The detailed ocular presentations of the patient were recorded. Targeted gene sequencing including 156 genes related to retinal diseases was used to detect the gene mutation. Sanger sequencing was performed to validate the potential pathogenic variants, and segregation analysis was performed on all available family members. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to predict the impact of the mutations. Results: By targeted gene sequencing and Sanger sequencing, we identified compound heterozygous mutations in GRM6: c.152G>T (p.Gly51Val) and c.727delG (p.Val243SerfsX21). Segregation analysis demonstrated that the mother of the proband carried the missense mutation (c.152G>T) while her father carried the frameshift mutation (c.727delG), indicating CSNB was autosomal recessively inherited in this family. Several bioinformatics prediction programs revealed the mutations were "Damaging" or "Disease Causing" and conservation analysis showed both the codons Gly51 and Val243 were highly conserved among species, suggesting the changes were pathogenic. Conclusion: By targeted gene sequencing and Sanger sequencing, we detected compound heterozygous mutations (c.152G>T, p.Gly51Val and c.727delG, p.Val243SerfsX21) in GRM6. The mutations co-segregated with the phenotype of the family members and are considered to be responsible for complete Schubert-Bornschein type CSNB. However, functional experiments in the future are needed to confirm the pathogenicity of the variants and to elucidate their exact molecular mechanisms causing CSNB.

Study on the Compatibility of SBR and Asphalt Base Based on Molecular Simulation.

In the field of highway construction, the application of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR)-modified asphalt has gained popularity across different levels of road surfaces. A crucial aspect in ensuring the efficacy of this modification lies in the compatibility between SBR and the matrix asphalt. To address this, the current study utilizes molecular dynamics simulation as a technique. By establishing a model for the SBR-modified asphalt mixture, the research quantifies the compatibility level between the SBR modifier and the asphalt. The aim is to uncover the underlying mechanisms of compatibility between the SBR modifier and the base asphalt, ultimately contributing to the improvement of the storage stability of SBR-modified asphalt, which holds significant importance. The investigation began with the creation of models for both the base asphalt and the SBR modifier. A model for the SBR-modified asphalt blending system was then formulated based on these initial models. After undergoing geometry optimization and annealing procedures, the model attained its lowest energy state, providing a reliable basis for examining the performance of SBR-modified asphalt. The study proceeded to calculate solubility parameters and interaction energies of the system to evaluate the compatibility between the SBR modifier and the base asphalt at various temperatures. The analysis of these parameters shed light on the compatibility mechanism between the two components. Notably, it was found that at a temperature of 160 ℃, the compatibility was significantly enhanced. The findings were further corroborated through scanning electron microscope and rheological tests. The outcomes of this research offer theoretical guidance for the application of SBR-modified asphalt.

Methane removal efficiencies of biochar-mediated landfill soil cover with reduced depth.

Biochar amendment for landfill soil cover has the potential to enhance methane removal efficiency while minimizing the soil depth. However, there is a lack of information on the response of biochar-mediated soil cover to the changes in configuration and operational parameters during the methane transport and transformation processes. This study constructed three biochar-amended landfill soil covers, with reduced soil depths from 75 cm (C2) to 55 cm (C3) and 45 cm (C4), and the control group (C1) with 75 cm and no biochar. Two operation phases were conducted under two soil moisture contents and three inlet methane fluxes in each phase. The methane removal efficiency increased for all columns along with the increase in methane flux. However, increasing moisture content from 10% to 20% negatively influenced the methane removal efficiency due to mass transfer limitation when at a low inlet methane flux, especially for C1; while this adverse effect could be alleviated by a high flux. Except for the condition with low moisture content and flux combination, C3 showed comparable methane removal efficiency to C2, both dominating over C1. As for C4 with only 45 cm, a high moisture content combined with a high methane flux enabled its methane removal efficiency to be competitive with other soil depths. In addition to the geotechnical reasons for gas transport processes, the evolution in methanotroph community structure (mainly type I methanotrophs) induced by biochar amendment and variations in soil properties supplemented the biological reasons for the varying methane removal efficiencies.

Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR), Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), Monocyte-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (MLR), and Eosinophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (ELR) as Biomarkers in Patients with Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (AECOPD).

Purpose: The study comprehensively evaluated the prognostic roles of the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), basophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (BLR), and eosinophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (ELR) in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). Patients and Methods: Six hundred and nineteen patients with AECOPD and 300 healthy volunteers were retrospectively included into the study. The clinical characteristics of the patients with AECOPD and the complete blood counts (CBCs) of the healthy volunteers were collected. The associations of PLR, NLR, MLR, BLR, and ELR with airflow limitation, hospital length of stay (LOS), C-reactive protein (CRP), and in-hospital mortality in patients with AECOPD were analyzed. Results: Compared with the healthy volunteers, PLR, NLR, MLR, BLR, and ELR were all elevated in COPD patients under stable condition. PLR, NLR, MLR, and BLR were further elevated while ELR was lowered during exacerbation. In the patients with AECOPD, PLR, NLR, and MLR were positively correlated with hospital LOS as well as CRP. In contrast, ELR was negatively correlated with hospital LOS as well as CRP. Elevated PLR, NLR, and MLR were all associated with more severe airflow limitation in AECOPD. Elevated PLR, NLR, and MLR were all associated with increased in-hospital mortality while elevated ELR was associated with decreased in-hospital mortality. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that smoking history, FEV1% predicted, pneumonia, pulmonary heart disease (PHD), uric acid (UA), albumin, and MLR were significant independent predictors ofin-hospital mortality. These predictors along with ELR were used to construct a nomogram for predicting in-hospital mortality in AECOPD. The nomogram had a C-index of 0.850 (95% CI: 0.799-0.901), and the calibration curve, decision curve analysis (DCA), and clinical impact curve (CIC) further demonstrated its good predictive value and clinical applicability. Conclusion: In summary, PLR, NLR, MLR, and ELR served as useful biomarkers in patients with AECOPD.

Potential Role of Bmal1 in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Depression-Like Behavior and its Associated "Inflammatory Storm".

Inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of depression; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Apart from the disordered circadian rhythm in animal models and patients with depression, dysfunction of clock genes has been reported to be involved with the progress of inflammation. This study aimed to investigate the role of circadian clock genes, especially brain and muscle ARNT-like 1 (Bmal1), in the linkage between inflammation and depression. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged rats and BV2 cells were used in the present study. Four intraperitoneal LPS injections of 0.5 mg/kg were administered once every other day to the rats, and BV2 cells were challenged with LPS for 24 h at the working concentration of 1 mg/L, with or without the suppression of Bmal1 via small interfering RNA. The results showed that LPS could successfully induce depression-like behaviors and an "inflammatory storm" in rats, as indicated by the increased immobility time in the forced swimming test and the decreased saccharin preference index in the saccharin preference test, together with hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, hyperactivation of astrocyte and microglia, and increased peripheral and central abundance of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin 6, and C-reactive protein. Moreover, the protein expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1, Copine6, and Synaptotagmin1 (Syt-1) decreased in the hippocampus and hypothalamus, whereas the expression of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 increased. Interestingly, the fluctuation of temperature and serum concentration of melatonin and corticosterone was significantly different between the groups. Furthermore, protein expression levels of the circadian locomotor output cycles kaput, cryptochrome 2, and period 2 was significantly reduced in the hippocampus of LPS-challenged rats, whereas Bmal1 expression was significantly increased in the hippocampus but decreased in the hypothalamus, where it was co-located with neurons, microglia, and astrocytes. Consistently, apart from the reduced cell viability and increased phagocytic ability, LPS-challenged BV2 cells presented a similar trend with the changed protein expression in the hippocampus of the LPS model rats. However, the pathological changes in BV2 cells induced by LPS were reversed after the suppression of Bmal1. These results indicated that LPS could induce depression-like pathological changes, and the underlying mechanism might be partly associated with the imbalanced expression of Bmal1 and its regulated dysfunction of the circadian rhythm.

Outcomes of antiretroviral treatment for 0-14-year-old children living with HIV in Ganzhou, China, 2006-2023.

BACKGROUND: Studies on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in children living with HIV (CLHIV) are limited due to the small population and low accession rate of ART. METHODS: All 0-14-year-old CLHIV admitted to the Ganzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention from January 2006 to June 2023 were included retrospectively. The information of treatment regimens, disease progression, and laboratory tests of the patients under ART were used to explore the outcomes and impacts of long-term ART. The normality of all the data was tested by the Shapiro-Wilk test. RESULTS: From 2006 to 2023, 18 CLHIV were reported in Ganzhou. Among them, 11 received ART and were followed up for 60.0 ± 48.4 months. After receiving ART, the median viral load of them decreased from 89,600 copies/ml to 22 copies/ml (P = 0.007), the median CD4+ T cell count increased from 380.7 cells/µL to 661.9 cells/µL (P = 0.028), and the median CD8+ T cell count decreased from 1065.8 cells/µL to 983.3 cells/µL (P = 0.584). The laboratory test results regarding liver function, renal function, blood cell count, and glucolipid metabolism tended to be within normal reference ranges, and the mean height-for-age z-score and weight-for-age z-score increased. However, all the three CLHIV who received cotrimoxazole developed pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, upper respiratory infection, skin lesions, bacterial pneumonia and/or thrush; the mean body-mass-index-for-age z-score decreased from 0.52 to -0.63. CONCLUSION: For CLHIV, ART could effectively inhibit the replication of HIV and improve the immune function of patients. More studies that focus on ART in CLHIV are urgently needed.

Hydrogeochemical and isotopic evidences of the underlying produced water intrusion into shallow groundwater in an oil production area, Northwest China.

The extensive use of fossil fuels (e.g., oil) poses a hidden danger to groundwater quality. However, inorganic pollution has received limited attention compared to organic pollution. In this study, the potential contaminant sources to shallow groundwater were investigated using hydrochemical (e.g., major and trace elements) and isotopic (δ2H and δ18O) methods at an oil field, northwest China, with emphasis on the identification of produced water (PW; oil production-related water) intrusion. The results showed that the groundwater samples can be chemically and isotopically classified into two groups: Group A (severely polluted) and B (slightly or non- polluted). The hydrochemical characteristics of Group A were similar to that of PW, with a comparable Na+/Cl- ratio and elevated levels of Na+, Ca2+, Cl-, Br-, Sr, Ba, Li, B and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs; volatile and semi-volatile) concentration, but lower HCO3- and SO42- contents, and depleted δ2H and δ18O, which was not suitable for drinking. Groundwater salinity sources involve mineral dissolution (silicate, carbonate and evaporite), cation exchange and anaerobic microbial degradation, as well as deep PW intrusion (especially in Group A). The Cl mixing model showed that PW contributed 13.63-27.78 % to Group A, supported by the results of the isotope mixing model based on δ2H and δ18O (24.43-33.29 %). An overall pollution conceptual model involves three modes: fracturing, surface infiltration, and groundwater lateral runoff. This study validates the effectiveness of Na, Cl, Br, Sr, Ba, Li and B as favorable tracers for monitoring PW intrusion.

Manipulating soil microbial community assembly by the cooperation of exogenous bacteria and biochar for establishing an efficient and healthy CH4 biofiltration system.

Manipulating the methanotroph (MOB) composition and microbial diversity is a promising strategy to optimize the methane (CH4) biofiltration efficiency of an engineered landfill cover soil (LCS) system. Inoculating soil with exogenous MOB-rich bacteria and amending soil with biochar show strong manipulating potential, but how the two stimuli interactively shape the microbial community structure and diversity has not been clarified. Therefore, three types of soils with active CH4 activities, including paddy soil, river wetland soil, and LCS were selected for enriching MOB-dominated communities (abbreviated as B_PS, B_RWS, and B_LCS, respectively). They were then inoculated to LCS which was amended with two distinct biochar. Besides the aerobic CH4 oxidation efficiencies, the evolution of the three microbial communities during the MOB enrichment processes and their colonization in two-biochar amended LCS were obtained. During the MOB enriching, a lag phase in CH4 consumption was observed merely for B_LCS. Type II MOB Methylocystis was the primary MOB for both B_PS and B_LCS; while type I MOB dominated for B_RWS and the major species were altered by gas concentrations. Compared to biochar, a more critical role was demonstrated for the bacteria inoculation in determining the community diversity and function of LCS. Instead, biochar modified the community structures by mainly stimulating the dominant MOB but could induce stochastic processes in community assembly, possibly related to its inorganic nutrients. Particularly, combined with biochar advantages, the paddy soil-derived bacteria consortiums with diverse MOB species demonstrated the potent adaption to LCS niches, not only retaining the high CH4-oxidizing capacities but also shaping a community structure with more diverse soil function. The results provided new insights into the optimization of an engineered CH4-mitigation soil system by manipulating the soil microbiomes with the cooperation of exogenous bacteria and biochar.

PGS-Depot: a comprehensive resource for polygenic scores constructed by summary statistics based methods.

Polygenic score (PGS) is an important tool for the genetic prediction of complex traits. However, there are currently no resources providing comprehensive PGSs computed from published summary statistics, and it is difficult to implement and run different PGS methods due to the complexity of their pipelines and parameter settings. To address these issues, we introduce a new resource called PGS-Depot containing the most comprehensive set of publicly available disease-related GWAS summary statistics. PGS-Depot includes 5585 high quality summary statistics (1933 quantitative and 3652 binary trait statistics) curated from 1564 traits in European and East Asian populations. A standardized best-practice pipeline is used to implement 11 summary statistics-based PGS methods, each with different model assumptions and estimation procedures. The prediction performance of each method can be compared for both in- and cross-ancestry populations, and users can also submit their own summary statistics to obtain custom PGS with the available methods. Other features include searching for PGSs by trait name, publication, cohort information, population, or the MeSH ontology tree and searching for trait descriptions with the experimental factor ontology (EFO). All scores, SNP effect sizes and summary statistics can be downloaded via FTP. PGS-Depot is freely available at http://www.pgsdepot.net.

Maternal antibiotic exposure enhances ILC2 activation in neonates via downregulation of IFN1 signaling.

Microbiota have an important function in shaping and priming neonatal immunity, although the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these effects remain obscure. Here we report that prenatal antibiotic exposure causes significant elevation of group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) in neonatal lungs, in both cell numbers and functionality. Downregulation of type 1 interferon signaling in ILC2s due to diminished production of microbiota-derived butyrate represents the underlying mechanism. Mice lacking butyrate receptor GPR41 (Gpr41-/-) or type 1 interferon receptor IFNAR1 (Ifnar1-/-) recapitulate the phenotype of neonatal ILC2s upon maternal antibiotic exposure. Furthermore, prenatal antibiotic exposure induces epigenetic changes in ILC2s and has a long-lasting deteriorative effect on allergic airway inflammation in adult offspring. Prenatal supplementation of butyrate ameliorates airway inflammation in adult mice born to antibiotic-exposed dams. These observations demonstrate an essential role for the microbiota in the control of type 2 innate immunity at the neonatal stage, which suggests a therapeutic window for treating asthma in early life.

Effects of plyometric training on measures of physical fitness in racket sport athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Over the past decade, the popularity of racket sports has surged. Plyometric training (PT) has been the focus of extensive research because of the proven benefits it provides to athletes. However, there is a lack of systematic reviews and meta-analyses specifically evaluating the impact of PT on physical fitness metrics in racket sport athletes. This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive review and analysis of evidence derived from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the effects of PT on measures of physical fitness among racket sports athletes. Methods: The electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and SPORTDiscus were systematically searched up to June 2023 without placing any restrictions on the publication dates. The PICOS method was adopted to establish the inclusion criteria: (a) healthy athletes who participate in racket sports; (b) a PT program; (c) a control group; (d) assessment of physical fitness components pre- and post-PT; and (e) RCTs. The records' methodological quality was assessed utilizing the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. The certainty in the evidence related to each outcome was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) assessment. A random-effects model was used to calculate effect sizes (ES; Hedges' g) between experimental and control groups. Results: There were 14 eligible studies of moderate-to-high-quality, involving 746 athletes in total. The results revealed small-to-moderate effects (p < 0.05) of PT on muscle power (ES = 0.46), muscle strength (ES = 0.50), sprint speed (ES = 0.45), change of direction ability (ES = 0.76), and reaction time (ES = 0.67), while no clear evidence was found on balance and flexibility. The training-induced changes in muscle power showed no significant difference (p > 0.05) between youth (ES = 0.72) and adults (ES = 0.40). There were also similar muscle power improvements (ES = 0.36-0.54 vs 0.38-0.56, all p > 0.05) for a length of ≤7 weeks with ≤14 total PT sessions vs >7 weeks with >14 total PT sessions, and ≤2 weekly sessions vs >2 sessions. No adverse effects were reported in the included studies regarding the PT intervention. The certainty of evidence varied from very low to moderate. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated that PT has positive effects on important indices of physical fitness among athletes participating in racket sports. Future studies are required to clarify the optimal doses and examine interactions among training variables to further promote the physical fitness of this specific population.

Unraveling the causal genes and transcriptomic determinants of human telomere length.

Telomere length (TL) shortening is a pivotal indicator of biological aging and is associated with many human diseases. The genetic determinates of human TL have been widely investigated, however, most existing studies were conducted based on adult tissues which are heavily influenced by lifetime exposure. Based on the analyses of terminal restriction fragment (TRF) length of telomere, individual genotypes, and gene expressions on 166 healthy placental tissues, we systematically interrogate TL-modulated genes and their potential functions. We discover that the TL in the placenta is comparatively longer than in other adult tissues, but exhibiting an intra-tissue homogeneity. Trans-ancestral TL genome-wide association studies (GWASs) on 644,553 individuals identify 20 newly discovered genetic associations and provide increased polygenic determination of human TL. Next, we integrate the powerful TL GWAS with placental expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) mapping to prioritize 23 likely causal genes, among which 4 are functionally validated, including MMUT, RRM1, KIAA1429, and YWHAZ. Finally, modeling transcriptomic signatures and TRF-based TL improve the prediction performance of human TL. This study deepens our understanding of causal genes and transcriptomic determinants of human TL, promoting the mechanistic research on fine-grained TL regulation.

Supramolecular-Interactions-Modulated Photoluminescence in Indium Bromide-Based Isomers.

Here, two isomeric ionic zero-dimensional indium bromide crystals of α (1)/ß (2)-[OPy][InBr4(Phen)] (OPy = N-octylpyridinium; Phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) have been isolated simply by changing the cooling conditions in solvothermal syntheses. Structural comparisons indicate their different supramolecular interactions, which can be confirmed by Hirshfeld surface analyses. The crystal 2 has additional hydrogen bonds and π-π interactions; as a result, the more compact stacking of 2 could result in a 10-fold higher photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield (PLQY) than that of 1. Density functional theory calculations confirm the electron transition from the inorganic moiety to the organic ligand, which provides a further understanding of the optical process. This work provides a new idea for designing PL indium-based halides by understanding the structure-PL relationship.

Kruppel-like factor 14 ameliorated obesity and related metabolic disorders by promoting adipose tissue browning.

Obesity has been identified as a serious and debilitating disease that threatens human health, but the current treatment strategies still have some shortcomings. Exercise and dieting are difficult for many people to adhere to, and a series of surgical risks and pain brought about by volume reduction have made it difficult for the current weight loss effect to meet human expectations. In this study, we first found that mice with overexpression of the transcription factor Kruppel-like factor 14 (KLF14) in subcutaneous adipose tissue gained weight more slowly while consuming a high-fat diet than did control mice, and these mice also showed reduced insulin resistance and liver lipid deposition abnormalities. Mechanistically, the browning of white adipose tissue was promoted in adipose tissue with KLF14 overexpression; therefore, we preliminarily concluded that KLF14 can improve obesity by promoting the browning of white adipose tissue and energy consumption, thus ameliorating obesity and related metabolic disturbances. In summary, our results revealed that KLF14 may promote white adipose tissue browning, thus ameliorating high-fat diet-induced obesity and hepatic steatosis, as well as serum lipid levels and insulin resistance, thereby achieving a positive effect on metabolism.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our study first explored the role of KLF14 in the development and progression of HFD-induced obesity in male mice. Its beneficial effect on adipose browning and metabolic disorders suggests that KLF14 may provide us a new therapeutic strategy for obesity and related metabolic complications. This health problem is of global concern and needs to be addressed.