Associations of environmental factors with neurodegeneration: An exposome-wide Mendelian randomization investigation.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) remain a global health challenge. Previous studies have reported potential links between environmental factors and NDDs, however, findings remain controversial across studies and elusive to be interpreted as evidence of robust causal associations. In this study, we comprehensively explored the causal associations of the common environmental factors with major NDDs including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple sclerosis (MS), based on updated large-scale genome-wide association study data through two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. Our results indicated that, overall, 28 significant sets of exposure-outcome causal association evidence were detected, 12 of which were previously underestimated and newly identified, including average weekly beer plus cider intake, strenuous sports or other exercises, diastolic blood pressure, and body fat percentage with AD, alcohol intake frequency with PD, apolipoprotein B, systolic blood pressure, and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) with ALS, and alcohol intake frequency, hip circumference, forced vital capacity, and FEV1 with MS. Moreover, the causal effects of several environmental factors on NDDs were found to overlap. From a triangulation perspective, our investigation provided insights into understanding the associations of environmental factors with NDDs, providing causality-oriented evidence to establish the risk profile of NDDs.

Night shift work, genetic risk, and the risk of depression: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Genetic factors and night shift work both contribute to the risk of depression, but whether the association of night shift work with depression varies by genetic predisposition remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: To assess whether night shift work is associated with a higher risk of depression regardless of genetic predisposition. METHODS: We used data from the UK biobank of 247,828 adults aged 38-71 free of depression at baseline from March 13, 2006, to October 1, 2010. Genetic predisposition to depression was assessed using polygenic risk scores (PRS) weighted sums of genetic variant indicator variables and classified as low (lowest tertile), intermediate (tertile 2), and high (highest tertile). Night shift work exposures were collected using a touchscreen questionnaire and were divided into four categories. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 12.7 years, 7315 participants developed depression. Compared with day workers, HRs (95 % CIs) of depression were 1.28 (1.19-1.38) for shift work, but never or rarely night shifts, 1.32 (1.20-1.45) for irregular night shifts, and 1.20 (1.07-1.34) for permanent night shifts. Considering lifetime employment and compared with never shift workers, >8 nights/month (HR: 1.40; 95 % CI: 1.19-1.66) and <10 years (HR: 1.30; 95 % CI: 1.09-1.54) of night shift work were associated with a higher risk of depression. In joint effect analyses, compared to participants with low genetic predisposition and day workers, the HRs (95 % CIs) of depression were 1.49 (1.32-1.69) in those with high genetic predisposition and shift work, but never or rarely night shifts, and 1.36 (1.20-1.55) for those with high genetic predisposition and irregular/permanent night shifts. In addition, there was neither multiplicative nor additive interaction between genetic predisposition and night shift work on the risk of depression. CONCLUSIONS: Night shift work was associated with an increased risk of depression regardless of genetic risk.

Impact of COVID-19 on risks and deaths of non-communicable diseases in the Western Pacific region.

Countries and areas in the Western Pacific region (WPR) experienced the COVID-19 pandemic and took various preventive measures, which affected non-communicable diseases (NCDs) risks and mortality. Due to differences in COVID-19 prevention measures and other characteristics such as culture, religions, political systems, socioeconomic development, lifestyles, and health care systems, the effects of COVID-19 on NCDs varied greatly among WPR countries. Most countries had an increased all-cause and NCDs mortality during the pandemic, but some developed countries, including New Zealand, Singapore and Australia reported decreased mortality. The pandemic and the preventive measures increased NCD risk factors including unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity and sleep disorders. The effects varied by socioeconomic status and health conditions. COVID-19 related stress, food shortages, and confined lifestyle had immediate detrimental effects on NCDs, and also affected pregnancy outcomes with long-term effects on NCDs risks in coming years.

Significance of Epitaxial Growth of PtO2 on Rutile TiO2 for Pt/TiO2 Catalysts.

TiO2-supported Pt species have been widely applied in numerous critical reactions involving photo-, thermo-, and electrochemical-catalysis for decades. Manipulation of the state of the Pt species in Pt/TiO2 catalysts is crucial for fine-tuning their catalytic performance. Here, we report an interesting discovery showing the epitaxial growth of PtO2 atomic layers on rutile TiO2, potentially allowing control of the states of active Pt species in Pt/TiO2 catalysts. The presence of PtO2 atomic layers could modulate the geometric configuration and electronic state of the Pt species under reduction conditions, resulting in a spread of the particle shape and obtaining a Pt/PtO2/TiO2 structure with more positive valence of Pt species. As a result, such a catalyst exhibits exceptional electrocatalytic activity and stability toward hydrogen evolution reaction, while also promoting the thermocatalytic CO oxidation, surpassing the performance of the Pt/TiO2 catalyst with no epitaxial structure. This novel epitaxial growth of the PtO2 structure on rutile TiO2 in Pt/TiO2 catalysts shows its potential in the rational design of highly active and economical catalysts toward diverse catalytic reactions.

Effects of the family customised online FOCUS programme on patients with heart failure and their informal caregivers: a multicentre, single-blind, randomised clinical trial.

Background: Living with heart failure can severely affect the physical and mental health of patients with heart failure and their caregivers. Available dyadic self-care interventions for heart failure are scarce, especially in China. We aimed to develop and test the family FOCUS programme. Methods: This single-blind, randomised, controlled study was conducted at four hospitals in Tianjin, China. Patients with heart failure (aged at least 18 years) and their caregiver (dyads) were randomly assigned to either the intervention (n = 71) or control (n = 71) group in a 1:1 ratio. The primary outcomes of this study were patient self-care, with three specific dimensions (self-care maintenance, symptom perception, and self-care management), and caregiver contribution to self-care, mirroring these three dimensions. The outcomes were assessed at baseline (T0) and 4 (T1), 12 (T2), and 24 (T3) weeks post-discharge, respectively. This work is registered on ChiCTR, ChiCTR2100053168. Findings: Between May 20, 2022, and September 30, 2022, 142 dyads with heart failure were enrolled. The intervention group exhibited dropout rates of 6%, 8.5%, and 18.3% at 4, 12, and 24 weeks after discharge, while the control group showed 9.9%, 12.3%, and 25.4%. Compared with the control group, patients in the intervention group reported improved self-care maintenance (ß: 8.5, 95% CI: 0.7, 16.4) and management (ß: 7.2, 95% CI: 0.1, 14.3) at T1, as well as improved symptom perception at both T1 (ß: 9.7, 95% CI: 1.5, 17.9) and T2 (ß: 9.6, 95% CI: 0.6, 18.6). Furthermore, caregiver contributions to self-care maintenance, self-care management, and symptom perception (excluding T3) exhibited significant improvements at all timepoints. Interpretation: Although the significant improvements in patients' self-care were not long-lasting, this study suggested that the family FOCUS programme consistently enhanced caregivers' contributions to self-care. Future work could explore the effect of the family FOCUS programme on families with multiple chronic conditions. Funding: The National Natural Science Foundation of China.

Association of plant-based diets with total and cause-specific mortality across socioeconomic deprivation level: a large prospective cohort.

PURPOSE: Current evidence on the association between plant-based diet indices (PDIs) and mortality is inconsistent. We aimed to investigate the association of PDIs with all-cause and cause-specific mortality and to examine whether such associations were modified by socioeconomic deprivation level. METHODS: A total of 189,003 UK Biobank participants with at least one 24-h dietary assessment were included. All food items were categorised into three groups, including healthy plant foods, less healthy plant foods, and animal foods. Three PDIs, including the overall PDI (positive scores for all plant-based food intake and inverse scores for animal-based foods), the healthful PDI (hPDI) (positive scores only for healthy plant food intake and inverse scores for others), and the unhealthful PDI (uPDI) (positive scores only for less healthy plant food intake and inverse scores for others), were calculated according to the quantities of each food subgroup in three categories. The Townsend deprivation index was used as the indicator of socioeconomic deprivation level. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) of PDIs for all-cause and cause-specific mortality. The modification effects of socioeconomic deprivation levels on these associations were evaluated. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 9.6 years, 9335 deaths were documented. Compared with the lowest quintile, the highest quintile of overall PDI was associated with adjusted HRs of 0.87 (95% CI 0.81-0.93) for all-cause mortality and 0.77 (0.66-0.91) for cardiovascular mortality. Compared with the lowest quintile, the highest quintile of hPDI was associated with lower risks of all-cause mortality (0.92, 0.86-0.98), and death caused by respiratory disease (0.63, 0.47-0.86), neurological disease (0.65, 0.48-0.88), and cancer (0.90, 0.82-0.99). Compared with the lowest quintile, the highest quintile of uPDI was associated with an HR of 1.29 (1.20-1.38) for all-cause mortality, 1.95 (1.40-2.73) for neurological mortality, 1.54 (1.13-2.09) for respiratory mortality, and 1.16 (1.06-1.27) for cancer mortality. The magnitudes of associations of hPDI and uPDI with mortality were larger in the most socioeconomically deprived participants (the highest tertile) than in the less deprived ones (p-values for interaction were 0.039 and 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that having a high overall PDI and hPDI were related to a reduced risk of death, while the uPDI was linked to a higher risk of death. Sticking to a healthy plant-based diet may help decrease mortality risks across socioeconomic deprivation levels, especially for those who are the most socioeconomically deprived.

The RING-Type Domain-Containing Protein GNL44 Is Essential for Grain Size and Quality in Rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Grain size in rice (Oryza sativa L.) shapes yield and quality, but the underlying molecular mechanism is not fully understood. We functionally characterized GRAIN NUMBER AND LARGE GRAIN SIZE 44 (GNL44), encoding a RING-type protein that localizes to the cytoplasm. The gnl44 mutant has fewer but enlarged grains compared to the wild type. GNL44 is mainly expressed in panicles and developing grains. Grain chalkiness was higher in the gnl44 mutant than in the wild type, short-chain amylopectin content was lower, middle-chain amylopectin content was higher, and appearance quality was worse. The amylose content and gel consistency of gnl44 were lower, and protein content was higher compared to the wild type. Rapid Visco Analyzer results showed that the texture of cooked gnl44 rice changed, and that the taste value of gnl44 was lower, making the eating and cooking quality of gnl44 worse than that of the wild type. We used gnl44, qgl3, and gs3 monogenic and two-gene near-isogenic lines to study the effects of different combinations of genes affecting grain size on rice quality-related traits. Our results revealed additive effects for these three genes on grain quality. These findings enrich the genetic resources available for rice breeders.

Predictive value of lung function measures for cardiovascular risk: a large prospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Although lung function measures are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD), the added predictive values of these measures remain unclear. METHODS: From the UK Biobank, 308 415 participants free of CVD with spirometry parameters were included. The CVD outcomes included were defined by QRISK3, the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) and the European Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) prediction models, respectively. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the associations of lung function measures with CVD outcomes. The predictive capability was determined by the decision curve analyses. RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 12.5 years, 21 885 QRISK3 events, 12 843 ACC/AHA events and 2987 SCORE events were recorded. The associations of spirometry parameters with CVD outcomes were L-shaped. Restrictive and obstructive impairments were associated with adjusted HRs of 1.84 (95% CI: 1.65 to 2.06) and 1.72 (95% CI: 1.55 to 1.90) for SCORE CVD, respectively, compared with normal spirometry. Similar associations were seen for QRISK3 CVD (restrictive vs normal, adjusted HR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.25 to 1.36; obstructive vs normal, adjusted HR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.15 to 1.25) and ACC/AHA CVD (restrictive vs normal, adjusted HR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.31 to 1.47; obstructive vs normal, adjusted HR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.19 to 1.33). Using models that integrated non-linear forced expiratory volume in 1 s led to additional 10-year net benefits per 100 000 persons of 25, 43 and 5 for QRISK3 CVD at the threshold of 10%, ACC/AHA CVD at 7.5% and SCORE CVD at 5.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Clinicians could consider spirometry indicators in CVD risk assessment. Cost-effectiveness studies and clinical trials are needed to put new CVD risk assessment into practice.

Associations of sugar-sweetened, artificially sweetened, and naturally sweet juices with Alzheimer's disease: a prospective cohort study.

Epidemiological studies of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have provided controversial findings. Furthermore, little is known about the association between pure fruit/vegetable juices and AD. The present study aims to estimate the associations of SSBs, ASBs, and pure fruit/vegetable juices with AD, and to evaluate the theoretical effects of replacing SSBs and ASBs with the different consumption of pure fruit/vegetable juices on the risk of AD. This prospective cohort study of the UK Biobank included 206,606 participants aged 39-72 years free of dementia at baseline between 2006 and 2010. Dietary intake of SSBs, ASBs, and pure fruit/vegetable juices (naturally sweet juices) were collected using a 24-h dietary recall questionnaire completed between 2009 and 2012. Incident AD was identified by medical and mortality records. Cox proportional hazard models and substitution models were conducted to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 699 cases of AD were identified over a median follow-up of 9.5 years. The consumption of SSBs and ASBs (> 2 units/d) were associated with a higher risk of AD. However, participants who drank > 1-2 units/d of pure fruit/vegetable juices were associated with a lower risk of AD. In substitution models, replacing SSBs with an equivalent consumption of pure fruit/vegetable juices could be associated with a risk reduction of AD.

Associations between an obesity-related dietary pattern and incidence of overall and site-specific cancers: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: A dietary pattern (DP) may impact on cancer incidence more strongly than individual foods, but this association remains uncertain. Here, we aimed to broadly explore the associations of an obesity-related DP with overall and 19 site-specific cancers. METHODS: This study included 114,289 cancer-free participants with at least two dietary assessments. A total of 210 food items were classified into 47 food groups, and the mean amount of each food group was used in reduced-rank regression to derive the obesity-related DP. Cox regressions were conducted to explore the associations of the obesity-related DP with overall and 19 site-specific cancers. The parallel mediation model was constructed to quantify the mediating roles of potential mediators. RESULTS: During a median follow-up period of 9.4 years, 10,145 (8.9%) incident cancer cases were documented. The derived-DP was characterized by a higher intake of beer and cider, processed meat, high sugar beverages, red meat, and artificial sweetener, and a lower intake of fresh vegetables, olive oil, tea, and high fiber breakfast cereals. Observational analysis showed that a higher obesity-related DP Z-score was linearly associated with an increased risk of overall cancer (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.04 per 1-SD increase, corrected P < 0.001). For site-specific cancer, positive linear associations for six cancer sites (oral, colorectal, liver, lung, endometrium, and thyroid) and nonlinear associations for six cancer sites (esophagus, malignant melanoma, prostate, kidney, bladder, and multiple myeloma) were observed. The paralleled mediation analysis suggested that the association between the obesity-related DP and overall cancer is mediated by the body mass index (BMI), the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), C-reactive protein, high-density lipoproteins (HDLs), and triglycerides. CONCLUSIONS: The developed obesity-related DP is strongly associated with overall and multiple cancer sites. Our findings highlight the complicated and diverse associations between an obesity-related DP and cancers and provide clues for future research directions.

Association of Plant-Based Diet Indices and Abdominal Obesity with Mental Disorders among Older Chinese Adults.

We aimed to explore the correlation between plant-based diet indices and abdominal obesity with depression and anxiety among older Chinese adults. This study used a cross-sectional design using data from the 2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). We used a simplified food frequency questionnaire to evaluate the overall plant-based diet index (PDI), the healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI), and the unhealthful plant-based diet index (uPDI) separately, based on the potential health effects of the foods. Waist circumference (WC) was used to define abdominal obesity. The 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10) and the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) were applied to estimate depression symptoms and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Multi-adjusted binary logistic regression models were conducted to explore the effects of the three plant-based diet indices, abdominal obesity status, and their interaction on depression and anxiety. We enrolled a total of 11,623 participants aged 83.21 ± 10.98 years, of which 3140 (27.0%) participants had depression and 1361 (11.7%) had anxiety. The trend in the prevalence of depression/anxiety across increasing quartiles of the plant-based diet indices was statistically significant after controlling for potential confounders (p-trend < 0.05). Abdominal obesity was related to a lower prevalence of depression (OR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.77-0.95) and anxiety (OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.69-0.90) compared with non-abdominal obesity. The protective effects of the PDI and hPDI against depression (OR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.41-0.64; OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.48-0.73, respectively) and anxiety (OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.57-1.00; OR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.39-0.70, respectively) were more pronounced in non-abdominally obese participants. The harmful effects of the uPDI against depression (OR = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.42-2.23) and anxiety (OR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.16-2.10) were more pronounced in non-abdominally obese participants. In addition, a significant interaction between the plant-based diet indices and abdominal obesity was observed in terms of causing the prevalence of depression and anxiety. Consuming more of a healthful plant-based diet and less of an animal-based diet is related to a lower prevalence of depression and anxiety. A healthful plant-based diet plays a vital role in non-abdominally obese individuals.

Hybrid Biomimetic Membrane Coated Particles-Mediated Bacterial Ferroptosis for Acute MRSA Pneumonia.

Acute methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pneumonia is one of the most frequently seen lung infection diseases with high morbidity and mortality. It is urgent to explore an efficient antibacterial strategy owing to the increase of drug resistance, virulence, and pathogenicity of MRSA. It was found that Fe3O4 can induce ferroptosis in MRSA, but its effect was inhibited by glutathione (GSH) to a certain extent, while cinnamaldehyde (CA) can enhance ferroptosis by consuming GSH. As a bacterial quorum sensing (QS) inhibitor, CA can suppress the QS system and further exert its antibacterial and antibiofilm effects. Here, we developed an Fe3O4-based ferroptosis inducer to promote ferroptosis in MRSA, interrupt the QS, destroy biofilm, and thus effectively treat acute MRSA pneumonia. We used sodium alginate (SA) to wrap Fe3O4 and CA to form particles, and then coated the surface with a hybrid biomimetic membrane composed of an erythrocyte membrane and platelet membrane to obtain lung targeted antibacterial particles (mFe-CA). Under ultrasonic (US) stimulation, mFe-CA can efficiently release Fe3O4 and CA, thereby synergically inducing MRSA death with the characteristics of ferroptosis, including mass ROS production, lipid peroxidation, GSH depletion, and respiratory chain suppression. Furthermore, mFe-CA + US can inhibit the QS system, remove biofilms, and reduce strain virulence. In the mouse model of MRSA pneumonia, mFe-CA + US treatment markedly advanced the survival rate of the mice, reduced the bacterial load in the lungs, and alleviated the inflammatory damage, but there was no obvious toxicity. This study proposes an antibacterial substitute to induce ferroptosis of MRSA, which may provide a foreground for overcoming microbial drug resistance and fighting biofilm-associated infections and also provides a target and theoretical basis for clinical treatment of acute MRSA pneumonia.

Association between behavioural risks and Alzheimer's disease: Elucidated with an integrated analysis of gene expression patterns and molecular mechanisms.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains a global health challenge. Previous studies have reported linkages between AD and multiple behavioural risk exposures, however, the underlying biological mechanisms and crucial genes of gene expression patterns driven by behavioural risks on the onset or progression of AD remains ambiguous. In this study, we performed an integrated analysis on the influence of behavioural risks including smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and non-healthy dietary pattern on AD with a comprehensive strategy. Our results demonstrated that multiple behavioural risk exposures could independently or collectively influence diverse hierarchical levels of gene expression patterns through multiple biological mechanisms such as Wnt, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), nuclear factor (NF)-κB, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt, and insulin (INS) signalling pathways-mediated pathological processes, thereby prodromally or intermediately impacting AD. Our study provided insights into understanding the association of behavioural risk exposures with AD and informative support for further studies.

NECAB3 promotes the migration and invasion of liver cancer cells through HIF-1α/RIT1 signaling pathway.

Liver cancer is a prevalent malignant tumor with high mortality worldwide, making it urgent to explore new targets for liver cancer therapy. N-terminal EF-hand calcium binding protein 3 (NECAB3) is a new recognized regulator of cancer, while its role in liver cancer remained elusive. Thus, the study clarified the action of NECAB3 on liver cancer development and explored the detailed mechanism. We found that NECAB3 was enhanced in liver cancer. Knockdown of NECAB3 restrained liver cancer cell migration and invasion. Besides, knockdown of NECAB3 suppressed the activation of the hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α)/Ras like without CAAX 1 (RIT1) pathway. Furthermore, NECAB3 regulated liver cancer migration and invasion through modulating RIT1 expression. Moreover, downregulation of NECAB3 suppressed liver cancer tumor growth in vivo. In conclusion, NECAB3 was upregulated in liver cancer. Knockdown of NECAB3 suppressed aggressive phenotype of liver cancer via modulating the HIF-1α/RIT1 axis, providing a possible target for liver cancer therapy.

Structure and function of the highly homologous deubiquitinases ubiquitin specific peptidase 25 and 28: Insights into their pathophysiological and therapeutic roles.

Deubiquitination is the reverse process of ubiquitination, an important protein post-translational modification. Deubiquitination is assisted by deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs), which catalyze the hydrolysis and removal of ubiquitin chains from targeted proteins and play an important role in regulating protein stability, cell signaling transduction, and programmed cell death. Ubiquitin-specific peptidases 25 and 28 (USP25 and USP28), important members of the USP subfamily of DUBs, are highly homologous, strictly regulated, and closely associated with various diseases, such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Recently, the development of inhibitors targeting USP25 and USP28 for disease treatment has garnered extreme attention. Several non-selective and selective inhibitors have shown potential inhibitory effects. However, the specificity, potency, and action mechanism of these inhibitors remain to be further improved and clarified. Herein, we summarize the structure, regulation, emerging physiological roles, and target inhibition of USP25 and USP28 to provide a basis for the development of highly potent and specific inhibitors for the treatment of diseases, such as colorectal cancer, breast cancer and so on.

The association of obesity-related dietary patterns and main food groups derived by reduced-rank regression with cardiovascular diseases incidence and all-cause mortality: findings from 116,711 adults.

PURPOSE: Research about using reduced-rank regression (RRR) to simultaneously study the effects of both individual and combined consumption of foods on cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is scarce. METHODS: This study included 116,711 CVD-free participants (a median of 11.8 year follow-up) with 2 or more 24-h online dietary assessments. A total of 210 food items were classified into 45 food groups, and the mean amount of each food group was used in RRR to derive dietary patterns (DPs) explaining the maximum shared variation in obesity-related indicators. The associations of DPs and its main food groups (|factor loading| [Formula: see text] 0.2) with the incident CVD and all-cause mortality were examined by Cox model. In cross-sectional analyses, the associations of DP scores with cardiometabolic risk factors (biomarkers) were examined by linear regression. RESULTS: The derived DP was characterized by higher intakes of beer and cider, high-sugar beverages, processed meat, red meat, artificial sweetener, and crisps, chips and savory snacks, and lower intakes of olive oil, high fiber breakfast cereals, tea, and vegetable. Compared to the lowest dietary score quintile, those in the highest were associated with higher risks of total CVD (adjusted-HR: 1.45, 95% CI 1.33-1.57) and all-cause mortality (adjusted-HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.18-1.45). We observed consumption alone of these food groups had a consistent but limited health effect on total CVD and all-cause death incidence. These associations were modified by age and sex. Higher DP scores were related to adverse biomarkers profiles. CONCLUSIONS: We developed obesity-related DPs prospectively associated with increased risks of CVD and all-cause mortality.

Association of time spent in outdoor light and genetic susceptibility with the risk of type 2 diabetes.

To explore the joint association of time spent in outdoor light and genetic susceptibility with the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). A total of 395,809 individuals of European ancestry with diabetes-free at baseline in the UK Biobank were included. Time spent in outdoor light on a typical day in summer or winter was obtained from the questionnaire. T2D genetic risk was quantified via the polygenic risk score (PRS) and divided into three levels based on tertiles (lower, intermediate, and higher). T2D cases were ascertained according to the hospital records of diagnoses. After the median follow-up of 12.55 years, the association of outdoor light time and T2D risk demonstrated a nonlinear (J-shaped) trend. Compared to individuals with an average of 1.5-2.5 h/day of outdoor light, individuals who spent <1.5 h/day or >2.5 h/day in outdoor light both had an elevated risk of T2D, and the risk of T2D related to <1.5 h/day outdoor light time was much higher (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.10, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.06 to 1.15). After combining with PRS, in comparison with the lower PRS - average 1.5-2.5 h/day outdoor light group (reference), the higher PRS - <1.5 h/day outdoor light group had the highest T2D risk (HR = 2.74, 95 % CI: 2.55 to 2.94), the higher PRS - >2.5 h/day outdoor light group also had a higher risk of T2D (HR = 2.58, 95 % CI: 2.43 to 2.74). The interaction between average outdoor light time and genetic susceptibility for T2D was statistically significant (Paverage for interaction <0.001). We found that optimal outdoor light time may modify the genetic risk for T2D. This suggests the T2D risk related to genetic factors could be prevented by spending optimal outdoor light time.

A spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunneling microscope in vector magnetic field.

Cryogenic scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/STS) performed in a high vector magnetic field provide unique possibilities for imaging surface magnetic structures and anisotropic superconductivity and exploring spin physics in quantum materials with atomic precision. Here, we describe the design, construction, and performance of a low-temperature, ultra-high-vacuum (UHV) spectroscopic-imaging STM equipped with a vector magnet capable of applying a field of up to 3 T in any direction with respect to the sample surface. The STM head is housed in a fully bakeable UHV compatible cryogenic insert and is operational over variable temperatures ranging from ∼300 down to 1.5 K. The insert can be easily upgraded using our home-designed 3He refrigerator. In addition to layered compounds, which can be cleaved at a temperature of either ∼300, ∼77, or ∼4.2 K to expose an atomically flat surface, thin films can also be studied by directly transferring using a UHV suitcase from our oxide thin-film laboratory. Samples can be treated further with a heater and a liquid helium/nitrogen cooling stage on a three-axis manipulator. The STM tips can be treated in vacuo by e-beam bombardment and ion sputtering. We demonstrate the successful operation of the STM with varying the magnetic field direction. Our facility provides a way to study materials in which magnetic anisotropy is a key factor in determining the electronic properties such as in topological semimetals and superconductors.

Probing the Roles of Indium Oxides on Copper Catalysts for Enhanced Selectivity during CO2-to-CO Electrochemical Reduction.

The electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) provides an alternative protocol to producing industrial chemicals with renewable electricity sources, and the highly selective, durable, and economic catalysts should expedite CO2RR applications. Here, we demonstrate a composite Cu-In2O3 catalyst in which a trace amount of In2O3 decorated on Cu surface greatly improves the selectivity and stability for CO2-to-CO reduction as compared to the counterparts (Cu or In2O3), realizing a CO faradaic efficiency (FECO) of 95% at -0.7 V (vs RHE) and no obvious degradation within 7 h. In situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy reveals that In2O3 undergoes the redox reaction and preserves the metallic state of Cu during the CO2RR process. Strong electronic interaction and coupling occur at the Cu/In2O3 interface which serves as the active site for selective CO2RR. Theoretical calculation confirms the roles of In2O3 in preventing oxidation and altering the electronic structure of Cu to assist COOH* formation and demote CO* adsorption at the Cu/In2O3 interface.

Scoring model to predict postoperative neurological deterioration in spinal schwannoma.

Background: Spinal schwannomas (SSs) are benign tumors affecting the nerve sheath, accounting for 25% of spinal nerve root tumors. Surgery represents the mainstay of treatment for SS patients. Following surgery, approximately 30% of patients experienced developed new or worsening neurological deterioration, which probably represented an inevitable complication of nerve sheath tumor surgery. The objective of this study was to identify the rates of new or worsening neurological deterioration in our center and accurately predict the neurological outcomes of patients with SS by developing a new scoring model. Methods: A total of 203 patients were retrospectively enrolled at our center. Risk factors associated with postoperative neurological deterioration were identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis. ß-coefficients for independent risk factors were used to define a numerical score to generate a scoring model. The validation cohort at our center was used to verify the accuracy and reliability of the scoring model. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the performance of the scoring model. Results: In this study, five measured variables were selected for the scoring model: duration of preoperative symptoms (1 point), radiating pain (2 points), tumor size (2 points), tumor site (1 point), and dumbbell tumor (1 point). The scoring model divided the spinal schwannoma patients into three categories: low risk (0-2 points), intermediate risk (3-5 points), and high risk (6-7 points), with predicted risks of neurological deterioration of 8.7%, 36%, and 87.5%, respectively. And the validation cohort confirmed the model with the predicted risks of 8.6%, 46.4%, and 66.6%, respectively. Conclusion: The new scoring model might intuitively and individually predict the risk of neurological deterioration and may aid individualized treatment decision-making for SS patients.