Triglyceride-glucose index predicts postoperative delirium in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative delirium (POD) is more prevalent among elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Insulin resistance (IR) can be assessed using the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, a novel biomarker. This study aims to investigate the predictive potential of the TyG index for POD in elderly patients with T2DM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Elderly patients (≥ 65) with T2DM who underwent non-neurosurgery and non-cardiac surgery were enrolled. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between the TyG index and POD. Additionally, subgroup analyses were performed to compare the sex-specific differences in the predictive ability of the TyG index for POD. RESULTS: A total of 4566 patients were included in this retrospective cohort. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined the optimal cut-off value for the TyG index to be 8.678. In the univariate model, a TyG index > 8.678 exhibited an odds ratio (OR) of 1.668 (95% CI: 1.210-2.324, P = 0.002) for predicting POD. In the multivariate regression models, the ORs were 1.590 (95% CI: 1.133-2.252, P < 0.008), 1.661 (95% CI: 1.199-2.325, P < 0.003), and 1.603 (95% CI: 1.137-2.283, P = 0.008) for different models. Subgroup analyses demonstrated that the predictive ability of the TyG index was more pronounced in females compared to males. CONCLUSION: The TyG index shows promise as a novel biomarker for predicting the occurrence of POD in elderly surgical patients with T2DM.

Adaptively resettable microfluidic patch for sweat rate and electrolytes detection.

Skin-interfaced microfluidic patch has become a reliable device for sweat collection and analysis. However, the intractable problems of emptying the microchannel for reuse, and the channel's volumetric capacity limited by the size of the patch, directly hinder the practical application of sweat sensors. Herein, we report an adaptively resettable microfluidic sweat patch (Art-Sweat patch) capable of continuously monitoring both sweat rate (0.2-4.0 µL min-1) and total ionic charge concentration (10-200 mmol L-1). We develop a platform with a vertical and horizontal microchannel combined strategy, enabling repeatedly filling sweat and emptying the microchannel for autonomously resetting and detecting. The variation in the emptied volume is designed to be adaptively identified by the sensor, resulting in enhanced stability and an enlarged volumetric capacity of over 300 µL. By integrating with self-designed wireless transmission modules, the proposed Art-Sweat patch shows product-level wearability and high performance in monitoring variations in regional sweat rate and concentration for hydration status assessment.

Insights from the neural guidance factor Netrin-1 into neurodegeneration and other diseases.

Netrin-1 was initially discovered as a neuronal growth cue for axonal guidance, and its functions have later been identified in inflammation, tumorigenesis, neurodegeneration, and other disorders. We have recently found its alterations in the brains with Alzheimer's disease, which might provide important clues to the mechanisms of some unique pathologies. To provide better understanding of this promising molecule, we here summarize research progresses in genetics, pathology, biochemistry, cell biology and other studies of Netrin-1 about its mechanistic roles and biomarker potentials with an emphasis on clinical neurodegenerative disorders in order to expand understanding of this promising molecular player in human diseases.

Overcoming the barrier of orbital-free density functional theory for molecular systems using deep learning.

Orbital-free density functional theory (OFDFT) is a quantum chemistry formulation that has a lower cost scaling than the prevailing Kohn-Sham DFT, which is increasingly desired for contemporary molecular research. However, its accuracy is limited by the kinetic energy density functional, which is notoriously hard to approximate for non-periodic molecular systems. Here we propose M-OFDFT, an OFDFT approach capable of solving molecular systems using a deep learning functional model. We build the essential non-locality into the model, which is made affordable by the concise density representation as expansion coefficients under an atomic basis. With techniques to address unconventional learning challenges therein, M-OFDFT achieves a comparable accuracy to Kohn-Sham DFT on a wide range of molecules untouched by OFDFT before. More attractively, M-OFDFT extrapolates well to molecules much larger than those seen in training, which unleashes the appealing scaling of OFDFT for studying large molecules including proteins, representing an advancement of the accuracy-efficiency trade-off frontier in quantum chemistry.

The effect of social pension on health-related quality of life of the rural older people: a panel study from China.

BACKGROUND: Social pensions, social assistance systems for older people in rural areas, have been put into place in many nations and have positively impacted health. The long-term health consequences of social pension programs in China are uncertain. The aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term health consequences of the new rural social pension (NRSP) for the rural older people in China. METHODS: Based on the 2011 and 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, we compared the scores on eight Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) subscales of the rural older people before and after participation in the NRSP. The propensity score matching and difference-in-difference methods were used in data analysis. We also conducted a heterogeneity analysis for subgroups with different characteristics and pension enrolment times. RESULTS: The NRSP significantly enhanced scores on physical functioning, role-physical, and self-rated mental health of old rural participants by 1.90 (p < 0.01), 2.05 (p < 0.01), and 2.93 (p < 0.05), respectively. After excluding newly enrolled individuals, the beneficial health effects of the NRSP remained significant. There were no significant changes due to NRSP in the other five scores on the HRQoL subscale of the rural older people. The NRSP had more health benefits for older people in underdeveloped areas without formal schooling. CONCLUSIONS: The NRSP reduced health disparities and had long-term benefits on the physical and mental health of the rural older people. We suggest continuously expanding the NRSP throughout rural China and further improving the social support system to enhance the overall quality of life of the rural older people. Comparable social pension programs aimed at underprivileged groups could also be conducted in other low- or middle-income nations.

Concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in vegetables from Sydney and Newcastle, Australia.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in 53 fruit and vegetable samples collected from a local wholesale and retail market in Sydney and a local supermarket in Newcastle. As there is limited information about PFAS levels in vegetables on the market, this study aimed to fill this gap and assess potential risks for humans through consumption of these vegetables. METHODS: QuEChERS extraction - a solid-phase extraction method, a portmanteau word formed from 'quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe' - followed by enhanced matrix removal-lipid cleaning and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis were used to detect 30 PFASs in vegetables. RESULTS: PFOA was detected in 7 out of the 53 samples, with concentrations of 0.038-1.996 ng g-1 fresh weight; PFOS was detected in 2 samples only, with concentrations ranging from 0.132 to 0.911 ng g-1 fresh weight. PFHxS was not detected in any sample in this study. PFOA and PFOS concentrations measured in vegetables in this study constituted daily intake of 2.03 ng kg-1 body weight (BW) and 1.98 ng kg-1 BW, respectively, according to recommended daily vegetable intake and BW data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most sensitive population group is girls of 4-8 years of age. These estimated exposure levels represent up to 1.3% of the tolerable daily intake for PFOA (160 ng kg-1 BW) and 9.9% for PFOS (20 ng kg-1 BW) according to Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Consumption of the vegetables from the study locations poses a marginal risk to human health. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Insight into the Critical Role of Oxygen Vacancies and V=O Bonds Length in V2O5 for Advanced Zinc Ion Storage.

Due to the larger sizes and stronger positive polarity of Zn2+ than dominant univalent ions, Zn2+ sluggish diffusion within V2O5 host electrodes is an essential issue in developing aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) of higher energy densities. Herein, a high-performance V2O5 cathode was developed through subtly synthesizing and tuning V2O5 with oxygen vacancies-enriched and elongated apical V=O1 bond by altering the gradient concentration of hydrazine hydrate in the gas-solid reaction system. This strategy can enhance both intrinsic and extrinsic conductivity to a large extent. The electrochemical testing demonstrated the oxygen vacancies-enriched and elongated apical V=O1 bond can not only increase the intrinsic electronic conductivity of V2O5, but also induce additional pseudocapacitance to enhance the Zn2+ diffusion kinetics. We used infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy to characterize the change in the bond length structure of V2O5. Simultaneously, the long-term cyclability (capacity retention of 76.9 % after 1200 cycles at 4.0 A g-1) and rate capabilities (218 mAh g-1 at 4.0 A g-1) are promoted as well. We believe that our work might shed light on the bond length engineering of V2O5 and provide insights for the reasonable designing of novel cathodes for practical rechargeable ZIBs.

Effects of Particle Size on the Gas Uptake Kinetics and Physical Properties of Type III Porous Liquids.

Type III porous liquids (PLs) consist of porous solid particles dispersed in a size-excluded liquid phase and are attracting much attention as novel media for applications such as gas separation. However, the effects of fundamental variables such as particle size on their physical properties are currently largely unknown. Here we study the effects of particle size in a series of porous liquids based on solid Al(OH)(fumarate) (a microporous metal-organic framework, MOF) with particle sizes of 60 nm, 200-600 nm, or 800-1000 dispersed in liquid polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Properties examined include physical stability of the dispersion, viscosity, total CO2 uptake, and kinetics of CO2 uptake. As expected, both physical stability and viscosity decreased with increasing particle size. Unexpectedly, total gravimetric gas uptake also varied with particle size, being greatest for the largest particles, which we ascribe to larger particles having a lower relative content of surface-bound FMA ligands. Various models for the gas uptake kinetic data were considered, specifically adsorption reaction models such as pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and Elovich models. In contrast to pure PDMS, which showed first-order kinetics, all PLs fit best to the Elovich model confirming that their uptake mechanism is more complex than for a simple liquid. Adsorption diffusion models, specifically Weber and Morris' intraparticle model and Boyd's model, were also applied which revealed a three-step process in which a combination of diffusion through a surface layer and intraparticle diffusion were rate-limiting. The rate of gas uptake follows the order PDMS < PL1 < PL2 < PL3, showing that the porous liquids take up gas more rapidly than does PDMS and that this rate increases with particle size. Overall, the study suggests that for high gas uptake and fast uptake kinetics, large particles may be preferred. Also, the fact that large particles resulted in low viscosity may be advantageous in reducing the pumping energy needed in flow separation systems. Therefore, the work suggests that finding ways to stabilize PLs with large particles against phase separation could be advantageous for optimizing the properties of PLs toward applications.

The association between smoking and family health with the mediation role of personality among Chinese people: nationwide cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: There may be unexplored interactions between family health, personality, and smoking that could help provide new perspectives on tobacco control. OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between the health of one's family and their smoking habits, as well as investigate the potential influence of personality on this relationship. METHODS: For this cross-sectional investigation, a national survey conducted in China in 2022 recruited a total of 21,916 individuals. The Family Health Scale was utilized to assess the health of the family. The 10-item Big Five Inventory scale was utilized to assess the Big five personality traits. The relationship between big five personality, family health, and smoking were investigated using binary and linear logistic regression. The indirect effects mediated by Big five personality were analyzed using mediation analysis with Sobel tests, and the indirect effects were composited using the Karlson-Holm-Breen method. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of smoking in the study population was 14.87%, 26.19% for males and 3.54% for females. Urban and rural smoking prevalence was 13.81% and 16.10% respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed a significant negative relationship between smoking and family health (odds ratio 0.964, 95% CI 0.959, 0.970, P < 0.001) with covariates controlled. The Karlson-Holm-Breen composition facilitated the connection between extraversion (47.81%) and nervousness (52.19%). CONCLUSIONS: Preventive interventions for smoking behavior should prioritize family health and the Big five personality as significant areas to focus on. According to this study, in addition to implementing various interventions for different personalities, family health should be strengthened to reduce smoking behavior.

Comparative neuroimaging of sex differences in human and mouse brain anatomy.

In vivo neuroimaging studies have established several reproducible volumetric sex differences in the human brain, but the causes of such differences are hard to parse. While mouse models are useful for understanding the cellular and mechanistic bases of sex-specific brain development, there have been no attempts to formally compare human and mouse neuroanatomical sex differences to ascertain how well they translate. Addressing this question would shed critical light on the use of the mouse as a translational model for sex differences in the human brain and provide insights into the degree to which sex differences in brain volume are conserved across mammals. Here, we use structural magnetic resonance imaging to conduct the first comparative neuroimaging study of sex-specific neuroanatomy of the human and mouse brain. In line with previous findings, we observe that in humans, males have significantly larger and more variable total brain volume; these sex differences are not mirrored in mice. After controlling for total brain volume, we observe modest cross-species congruence in the volumetric effect size of sex across 60 homologous regions (r=0.30). This cross-species congruence is greater in the cortex (r=0.33) than non-cortex (r=0.16). By incorporating regional measures of gene expression in both species, we reveal that cortical regions with greater cross-species congruence in volumetric sex differences also show greater cross-species congruence in the expression profile of 2835 homologous genes. This phenomenon differentiates primary sensory regions with high congruence of sex effects and gene expression from limbic cortices where congruence in both these features was weaker between species. These findings help identify aspects of sex-biased brain anatomy present in mice that are retained, lost, or inverted in humans. More broadly, our work provides an empirical basis for targeting mechanistic studies of sex-specific brain development in mice to brain regions that best echo sex-specific brain development in humans.

Convolutional Neural Network-Driven Impedance Flow Cytometry for Accurate Bacterial Differentiation.

Impedance flow cytometry (IFC) has been demonstrated to be an efficient tool for label-free bacterial investigation to obtain the electrical properties in real time. However, the accurate differentiation of different species of bacteria by IFC technology remains a challenge owing to the insignificant differences in data. Here, we developed a convolutional neural networks (ConvNet) deep learning approach to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of the IFC toward distinguishing various species of bacteria. First, more than 1 million sets of impedance data (comprising 42 characteristic features for each set) of various groups of bacteria were trained by the ConvNet model. To improve the efficiency for data analysis, the Spearman correlation coefficient and the mean decrease accuracy of the random forest algorithm were introduced to eliminate feature interaction and extract the opacity of impedance related to the bacterial wall and membrane structure as the predominant features in bacterial differentiation. Moreover, the 25 optimized features were selected with differentiation accuracies of >96% for three groups of bacteria (bacilli, cocci, and vibrio) and >95% for two species of bacilli (Escherichia coli and Salmonella enteritidis), compared to machine learning algorithms (complex tree, linear discriminant, and K-nearest neighbor algorithms) with a maximum accuracy of 76.4%. Furthermore, bacterial differentiation was achieved on spiked samples of different species with different mixing ratios. The proposed ConvNet deep learning-assisted data analysis method of IFC exhibits advantages in analyzing a huge number of data sets with capacity for extracting predominant features within multicomponent information and will bring about progress and advances in the fields of both biosensing and data analysis.

Exploring Deactivation Reasons of Biomass-Based Phosphorus-Doped Carbon as a Metal-Free Catalyst in the Catalytic Dehydroaromatization of n-Heptane.

Catalytic dehydroaromatization of n-alkanes into high-value aromatics has garnered extensive interest from both academia and industry. Our group has previously reported that phosphorus-doped carbon materials exhibit high selectivity for C-H bond activation in the dehydroaromatization of n-hexane. In this study, using n-heptane as a probe, we synthesized biomass-based phosphorus-doped carbon catalysts to investigate the impact of hydrogen heat treatment and carbon deposition on catalyst structure. Despite achieving an initial conversion of n-heptane at approximately 99.6%, with a toluene selectivity of 87.9%, the catalyst activity fell quickly. Moreover, longer hydrogen treatment time and higher hydrogen concentrations were found to accelerate catalyst deactivation. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and N2 adsorption measurements (BET) indicated that a small amount of coke deposition was not the primary cause of catalyst deactivation. Temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia gas (NH3-TPD) revealed a significant decrease in acid-active functional groups. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and solid-state 31P NMR spectroscopy confirmed the reduction of active central phosphorus species. These results suggest that catalyst deactivation primarily arises from the decrease in acidity and the partial reduction of phosphorus-containing groups, leading to a substantial loss of active sites. This work contributes new perspectives to understanding the properties and design improvements of metal-free carbon catalysts.

College students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices of garbage sorting and their associations: a cross-sectional study of several universities in Beijing, China.

Background: In recent years, the Chinese government has placed growing emphasis on environmental development. The implementation of effective waste separation practices in schools is crucial for establishing an ecological civilization in China. Objective: The present study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of waste separation among Chinese university students and to understand the demographic factors influencing the KAP of the interviewed students. These sociodemographic factors include gender, age, education, and family environment. Methods: Based on the KAP theoretical model and the Lewin behavioral model (LBM), this study developed its questionnaire on college students' KAP of rubbish sorting. A survey was conducted on 1,282 college students from five colleges and universities in Beijing. A one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple linear stepwise regression analyzes were employed to explore the factors influencing college students' KAP scores on waste sorting. The questionnaire's reliability and validity were effectively verified through two rounds of Delphi expert consultation. Results: The scores for KAP dimensions were 55.64, 69.18, and 54.8%, respectively. The overall KAP score of university students in waste classification was 46.93 ± 9.93, with a percentage score of 62.57%. More than half of the college students lack a clear understanding of waste classification. Grade, gender, major, highest family education, and family economic status all influence college students' KAP scores on waste classification. There is a notable deficiency in school education regarding waste classification, with only 30.7% reporting having received such education. Conclusion: This study unveils the overall KAP score of waste separation among Chinese college students, which is marginally acceptable. The interviewed students exhibit a positive attitude and a willingness to participate in waste separation. However, there is room for improvement in both knowledge and practices. A lack of knowledge about waste sorting emerges as the primary influence on individual-level practices. Consideration should be given to enhancing education and management of waste separation among college students, emphasizing the cultivation of an eco-conscious culture, and guiding students to establish correct ecological values.

The recent advance and prospect of natural source compounds for the treatment of heart failure.

Heart failure is a continuously developing syndrome of cardiac insufficiency caused by diseases, which becomes a major disease endangering human health as well as one of the main causes of death in patients with cardiovascular diseases. The occurrence of heart failure is related to hemodynamic abnormalities, neuroendocrine hormones, myocardial damage, myocardial remodeling etc, lead to the clinical manifestations including dyspnea, fatigue and fluid retention with complex pathophysiological mechanisms. Currently available drugs such as cardiac glycoside, diuretic, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, vasodilator and ß receptor blocker etc are widely used for the treatment of heart failure. In particular, natural products and related active ingredients have the characteristics of mild efficacy, low toxicity, multi-target comprehensive efficacy, and have obvious advantages in restoring cardiac function, reducing energy disorder and improving quality of life. In this review, we mainly focus on the recent advance including mechanisms and active ingredients of natural products for the treatment of heart failure, which will provide the inspiration for the development of more potent clinical drugs against heart failure.

Visceral adiposity associated with incidence and development trajectory of cardiometabolic diseases: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: There is a lack of literature concerning the effects of visceral adipose on the development of first cardiometabolic disease (FCMD) and its subsequent progression to cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) and mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS: 423,934 participants from the UK Biobank with different baseline disease conditions were included in the analysis. CMM was defined as the simultaneous presence of coronary heart disease, T2D, and stroke. Visceral adiposity was estimated by calculating the visceral adiposity index (VAI). Multistate models were used to assess the effect of visceral adiposity on the development of CMM. During a median follow-up of 13.5 years, 50,589 patients had at least one CMD, 6131 were diagnosed with CMM, whereas 24,634 patients died. We observed distinct roles of VAI with respect to different disease transitions of CMM. HRs (95 % CIs) of high VAI were 2.35 (2.29-2.42) and 1.64 (1.50-1.79) for transitions from healthy to FCMD and from FCMD to CMM, and 0.97 (0.93-1.02) for all-cause mortality risk from healthy, FCMD and CMM, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides the first evidence that visceral adipose may contribute to the development of FCMD and CMM in healthy participants. However, visceral adipose may confer resistance to all-cause mortality in participants with existing CMD or CMM. A better understanding of the relationship between visceral adipose and CMM can focalize further investigations on patients with CMD with high levels of visceral fat and help take targeted preventive measures to reduce the medical burden on individual patients and society.

Bacteroidaceae, Bacteroides, and Veillonella: emerging protectors against Graves' disease.

Background: Graves' disease (GD) is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism, and its pathogenesis remains incompletely elucidated. Numerous studies have implicated the gut microbiota in the development of thyroid disorders. This study employs Mendelian randomization analysis to investigate the characteristics of gut microbiota in GD patients, aiming to offer novel insights into the etiology and treatment of Graves' disease. Methods: Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was employed to assess the causal relationship between Graves' disease and the gut microbiota composition. Gut microbiota data were sourced from the international consortium MiBioGen, while Graves' disease data were obtained from FINNGEN. Eligible single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected as instrumental variables. Multiple analysis methods, including inverse variance-weighted (IVW), MR-Egger regression, weighted median, weighted mode, and MR-RAPS, were utilized. Sensitivity analyses were conducted employing MR-Egger intercept test, Cochran's Q test, and leave-one-out analysis as quality control measures. Results: The Mendelian randomization study conducted in a European population revealed a decreased risk of Graves' disease associated with Bacteroidaceae (Odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 0.89 [0.89 ~ 0.90], adjusted P value: <0.001), Bacteroides (OR: [95% CI]: 0.555 [0.437 ~ 0.706], adjusted P value: <0.001), and Veillonella (OR [95% CI]: 0.632 [0.492 ~ 0.811], adjusted P value: 0.016). No significant evidence of heterogeneity, or horizontal pleiotropy was detected. Furthermore, the preliminary MR analysis identified 13 bacterial species including Eubacterium brachy group and Family XIII AD3011 group, exhibiting significant associations with Graves' disease onset, suggesting potential causal effects. Conclusion: A causal relationship exists between gut microbiota and Graves' disease. Bacteroidaceae, Bacteroides, and Veillonella emerge as protective factors against Graves' disease development. Prospective probiotic supplementation may offer a novel avenue for adjunctive treatment in the management of Graves' disease in the future.

Effects of Feather Hydrolysates Generated by Probiotic Bacillus licheniformis WHU on Gut Microbiota of Broiler and Common carp.

Due to the ever-increasing demand for meat, it has become necessary to identify cheap and sustainable sources of protein for animal feed. Feathers are the major byproduct of poultry industry, which are rich in hard-to-degrade keratin protein. Previously we found that intact feathers can be digested into free amino acids, short peptides, and nano-/micro-keratin particles by the strain Bacillus licheniformis WHU in water, and the resulting feather hydrolysates exhibit prebiotic effects on mice. To explore the potential utilization of feather hydrolysate in the feed industry, we investigated its effects on the gut microbiota of broilers and fish. Our results suggest that feather hydrolysates significantly decrease and increase the diversity of gut microbial communities in broilers and fish, respectively. The composition of the gut microbiota was markedly altered in both of the animals. The abundance of bacteria with potentially pathogenic phenotypes in the gut microbial community of the fish significantly decreased. Staphylococcus spp., Pseudomonas spp., Neisseria spp., Achromobacter spp. were significantly inhibited by the feather hydrolysates. In addition, feather hydrolysates significantly improved proteolytic activity in the guts of broilers and fish. In fish, the expression levels of ZO-1 and TGF-α significantly improved after administration of feather hydrolysates. The results presented here suggest that feather hydrolysates generated by B. licheniformis WHU could be an alternative protein source in aquaculture and could exert beneficial effects on fish.

Clinical features and risk factors for postoperative recurrence in patients with Cushing's syndrome of different etiologies.

The clinical characteristics of Cushing's syndrome (CS) vary with etiology, and few studies have investigated the risk factors affecting CS recurrence after surgery. This retrospective study involved 202 patients diagnosed with CS between December 2012 and December 2022. The patients were divided into three groups according to etiology: Cushing's disease (CD), adrenocortical adenoma (ACA), and ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) syndrome (EAS). Of the patients with CS, 41.9% had hypokalemia and 15.0% had hypophosphatemia. The cortisol levels were negatively correlated with blood potassium, blood chlorine, and blood phosphorus. Moreover, 22.4% of patients had an abnormal heart structure, 11.2% had centripetal remodeling, 5.6% had centripetal hypertrophy, and 5.6% had centrifugal hypertrophy. The overall recurrence rate of CS caused by pituitary tumors and adrenal adenoma was 25.7%. The recurrence times were longer in the ACA group versus the CD group, in patients < 50 years of age versus in patients ≥ 50 years old group, and in patients with CD with tumors ≥ 1 cm versus tumors < 1 cm. Age, preoperative cortisol level, postoperative cortisol level, and absolute neutrophil value were closely related to postoperative recurrence, and etiology was an independent predictor of tumor recurrence in patients with CS. The results of this study showed that CS caused by different etiologies showed different clinical manifestations, blood electrolyte characteristics, and that CS could affect patient cardiac structure and function. Etiology is an independent predictor of tumor recurrence in patients with CS.

Microplastics exposure causes the senescence of human lung epithelial cells and mouse lungs by inducing ROS signaling.

Microplastics (MPs) are environmental pollutants and can be inhaled by humans to threaten health. The lung tissue, responsible for the gas exchange between the body and the environment, is vulnerable to MPs exposure. However, from the perspective of cellular senescence, the effect of MPs on lung cells and tissues has not yet been deeply dissected. In this study, we reported that all the four typical MPs exhibited the significant biological effects in term of inducing senescence of human lung derived cells A549 and BEAS-2B in vitro. We further found that polyvinyl chloride (PVC) increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in A549 cells and that PVC-induced senescent characteristics could be largely reversed by antioxidant treatment. Importantly, intratracheal instillation of PVC MPs in mice could effectively impair their physical function, induce the increased systemic inflammation level, cause the accumulation of senescent cells. Our study demonstrates that MPs induce senescence in human lung epithelial cells and mouse lungs by activating ROS signaling, and provides new insight into the potential pathogenesis of MPs on lung diseases.

Transcriptional cartography integrates multiscale biology of the human cortex.

The cerebral cortex underlies many of our unique strengths and vulnerabilities, but efforts to understand human cortical organization are challenged by reliance on incompatible measurement methods at different spatial scales. Macroscale features such as cortical folding and functional activation are accessed through spatially dense neuroimaging maps, whereas microscale cellular and molecular features are typically measured with sparse postmortem sampling. Here, we integrate these distinct windows on brain organization by building upon existing postmortem data to impute, validate, and analyze a library of spatially dense neuroimaging-like maps of human cortical gene expression. These maps allow spatially unbiased discovery of cortical zones with extreme transcriptional profiles or unusually rapid transcriptional change which index distinct microstructure and predict neuroimaging measures of cortical folding and functional activation. Modules of spatially coexpressed genes define a family of canonical expression maps that integrate diverse spatial scales and temporal epochs of human brain organization - ranging from protein-protein interactions to large-scale systems for cognitive processing. These module maps also parse neuropsychiatric risk genes into subsets which tag distinct cyto-laminar features and differentially predict the location of altered cortical anatomy and gene expression in patients. Taken together, the methods, resources, and findings described here advance our understanding of human cortical organization and offer flexible bridges to connect scientific fields operating at different spatial scales of human brain research.