Rising frequency of ozone-favorable synoptic weather patterns contributes to 2015-2022 ozone increase in Guangzhou.

Objective weather classification methods have been extensively applied to identify dominant ozone-favorable synoptic weather patterns (SWPs), however, the consistency of different classification methods is rarely examined. In this study, we apply two widely-used objective methods, the self-organizing map (SOM) and K-means clustering analysis, to derive ozone-favorable SWPs at four Chinese megacities in 2015-2022. We find that the two algorithms are largely consistent in recognizing dominant ozone-favorable SWPs for four Chinese megacities. In the case of classifying six SWPs, the derived circulation fields are highly similar with a spatial correlation of 0.99 between the two methods, and the difference in the mean frequency of each SWP is less than 7%. The six dominant ozone-favorable SWPs in Guangzhou are all characterized by anomaly higher radiation and temperature, lower cloud cover, relative humidity, and wind speed, and stronger subsidence compared to climatology mean. We find that during 2015-2022, the occurrence of ozone-favorable SWPs days increases significantly at a rate of 3.2 day/year, faster than the increases in the ozone exceedance days (3.0 day/year). The interannual variability between the occurrence of ozone-favorable SWPs and ozone exceedance days are generally consistent with a temporal correlation coefficient of 0.6. In particular, the significant increase in ozone-favorable SWPs in 2022, especially the Subtropical High type which typically occurs in September, is consistent with a long-lasting ozone pollution episode in Guangzhou during September 2022. Our results thus reveal that enhanced frequency of ozone-favorable SWPs plays an important role in the observed 2015-2022 ozone increase in Guangzhou.

Exposure of individuals aged 18-44 years to personal care products in Beijing, China: Exposure profiles, possible influencing factors, and risk assessment.

Personal care products (PCPs) are a class of emerging pollutants that have attracted public concern owing to their harmful effects on humans and the environment. Biomonitoring data is valuable for insight the levels of PCPs in the human body and can be crucial for identifying potential health hazards. To gain a better understanding of timely exposure profiles and health risk of reproductive-age population to PCPs, we determined six parabens, six benzophenone-type ultraviolet filters, and three disinfectants in 256 urine samples collected from young adults aged 18-44 years in Beijing, China. The urinary levels of benzophenone-3 (BP-3) and 4-hydroxybenzophenone (4-OHBP) were significantly higher in summer compared to winter, suggesting these compounds have different seasonal usage patterns. Moreover, the total concentration of 15 PCPs in female was 430 ng/mL, approximately two times higher than that in male. P­chloro-m-xylenol (PCMX), as a new type of antibacterial agent, has the greatest level among all target analytes, indicating the increasingly use of this antibacterial alternative recently. Five potential influencing factors that lead to the elevated exposure level of PCPs were identified. Over 19% of the target population had a high hazard index value (greater than 1) which was attributed to exposure to propyl paraben (PrP), benzophenone-1 (BP-1), BP-3 and PCMX, indicating that PCPs may pose a relatively high exposure risk at environmental levels that should be a cause for concern.

Simulation model to assess the validity of the clinical portfolio diet score used in the PortfolioDiet.app for dietary self-tracking: a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial in hyperlipidemic adults.

Introduction: The Portfolio Diet combines cholesterol-lowering plant foods for the management of cardiovascular disease risk. However, the translation of this dietary approach into clinical practice necessitates a user-friendly method for patients to autonomously monitor their adherence. Objective: This study aimed to develop and validate the clinical-Portfolio Diet Score (c-PDS) as a food-based metric to facilitate self-tracking of the Portfolio Diet. Methods: Using a simulation model to estimate the c-PDS, the validity was assessed in a secondary analysis of a completed trial of the Portfolio Diet in 98 participants with hyperlipidemia over 6 months. Concurrent and predictive validity of the estimated c-PDS were assessed against the reference measure (weighed 7-day diet records) and concomitant changes in LDL-C from baseline to 6 months. Bland-Altman analysis was used to assess the limits of agreement between the two methods. Results: The c-PDS was positively correlated with dietary adherence as measured using the 7-day diet records (r = 0.94, p < 0.001). The c-PDS was negatively correlated with change in LDL-C (r = -0.43, p < 0.001) with a 1-point increase in the c-PDS being associated with a - 0.04 mmol/L (CI:-0.06,-0.03; p < 0.001) or a 1.09% reduction in LDL-C. Visual evaluation of the Bland-Altman plots showed reasonable agreement. Conclusion: These findings indicate good validity of the c-PDS for primary prevention in adults with hyperlipidemia. The predictive validity findings have informed the goals and messaging within the PortfolioDiet.app, a digital health application for delivering the Portfolio Diet. Future research will assess the effectiveness of the intended combination of the c-PDS and the PortfolioDiet.app in supporting behavior change.

Can Long-Term Care Insurance Change Eldercare Patterns? Evidence from China.

Long-term Care Insurance (LTCI), providing care services and economic compensation to older adults with activity limitations, plays a crucial role in addressing the care needs of older adults and easing the burden on family caregivers. This article is based on the 2011-2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and uses China's LTCI pilot program as a quasi-experiment to examine the impact of LTCI on older adults' care patterns in China. It employs a staggered difference-in-differences (staggered DID) methodology to model the economic support, living arrangements and care, and spiritual comfort provided to older adults. Results indicate that LTCI significantly enhances the economic and emotional independence of older adults. On the one hand, LTCI effectively decreases the economic and emotional dependence of older adults on their children. On the other hand, LTCI raises the likelihood that older adults rely on social institutions and personnel for care. Additionally, LTCI is associated with achieving higher life satisfaction. Interestingly, the impact of LTCI varies significantly across sub-samples of different types of older adults and different policy regulations. Overall, findings indicate that LTCI shifts older adults' care patterns from family to socialized care, thereby reducing children's caregiving burden.

Distribution, community structure and assembly patterns of phytoplankton in the northern South China Sea.

A cruise was conducted in the summer of 2023 from the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) to the adjacent waters of the Xisha Islands in the northern South China Sea (NSCS) to investigate the distribution, community structure, and assembly patterns of eukaryotic and prokaryotic phytoplankton using high-throughput sequencing (HTS) and microscopic observation. Dinophyta were the most abundant phylum in the eukaryotic phytoplankton community based on HTS, accounting for 92.17% of the total amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). Syndiniales was the most abundant order among eukaryotic phytoplankton, whereas Prochlorococcus was the most abundant genus within cyanobacteria. The alpha diversity showed the lowest values in the PRE area and decreased gradually with depth, while cyanobacteria exhibited higher alpha diversity indices in the PRE and at depths ranging from 75 m to 750 m. The morphological results were different from the data based on HTS. Diatoms (37 species) dominated the phytoplankton community, with an average abundance of 3.01 × 104 cells L-1, but only six species of dinoflagellate were observed. Spearman correlation analysis and redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that the distribution and community structure of phytoplankton were largely influenced by geographical location and environmental parameters in the NSCS. The neutral community model (NCM) and null model indicated that deterministic processes played a significant role in the assembly of eukaryotic phytoplankton, with heterogeneous selection and homogeneous selection accounting for 47.27 and 29.95%, respectively. However, stochastic processes (over 60%) dominated the assembly of cyanobacteria and undominated processes accounted for 63.44%. In summary, the formation of eukaryotic phytoplankton was mainly influenced by environmental factors and geographic location, but the assembly of cyanobacteria was shaped by both stochastic processes, which accounted for over 60%, and environmental selection in the NSCS.

Non-native species in marine protected areas: Global distribution patterns.

Marine protected areas (MPAs) across various countries have contributed to safeguarding coastal and marine environments. Despite these efforts, marine non-native species (NNS) continue to threaten biodiversity and ecosystems, even within MPAs. Currently, there is a lack of comprehensive studies on the inventories, distribution patterns, and effect factors of NNS within MPAs. Here we show a database containing over 15,000 occurrence records of 2714 marine NNS across 16,401 national or regional MPAs worldwide. To identify the primary mechanisms driving the occurrence of NNS, we utilize model selection with proxies representing colonization pressure, environmental variables, and MPA characteristics. Among the environmental predictors analyzed, sea surface temperature emerged as the sole factor strongly associated with NNS richness. Higher sea surface temperatures are linked to increased NNS richness, aligning with global marine biodiversity trends. Furthermore, human activities help species overcome geographical barriers and migration constraints. Consequently, this influences the distribution patterns of marine introduced species and associated environmental factors. As global climate change continues to alter sea temperatures, it is crucial to protect marine regions that are increasingly vulnerable to intense human activities and biological invasions.

Identifying Patterns in Long Term CGM and Insulin Data - An Explorative Study.

The increased utilization of continuous glucose monitors (CGM) and smart insulin pens (SIP) among people with type 2 diabetes generates significant health data. This study explored possible patterns in long term CGM and SIP data.

Tracking Usage Patterns of a Mobile Application for Dementia Risk Assessment in Elderly Individuals.

Among elderly individuals, dementia stands as a prominent contributor to disability. However, multidomain lifestyle interventions have emerged as a promising approach for enhancing cognition. Taking a progressive step, integrating digital elements such as a mobile intervention application for elderly participants becomes crucial. Hence, it's crucial to identify the usage patterns of intervention features. Our aim was to implement a usage tracking mechanism and analyze usage trends and feature preferences over the initial six months of a clinical trial across various clinical sites, comparing intervention and control groups. Our findings reveal the differences in usage between the groups and highlight the most used features.

The association between weekly exercise patterns and acceleration of aging: Evidence from a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Acceleration of aging is a major challenge in public health. Previous studies have focused on the associations between specific types of exercise or overall levels of physical activity with accelerated aging, with less attention given to the weekly exercise patterns. OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between weekly exercise patterns and acceleration of aging among American adults. METHODS: We extracted data from the 2015-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), involving 9850 participants aged ≥20 with comprehensive records on exercise and phenotypic age. Hierarchical clustering categorized participants into three groups based on weekly exercise time and days: cluster 1 (Rare or No Exercise), cluster 2 (Moderate Frequency, Moderate Duration) and cluster 3 (Moderate Frequency, Long Duration). Acceleration of aging was defined as the phenotypic age advance >0. RESULTS: After full adjustment, weekly exercise time and days showed the significant non-linear negative correlation with accelerated aging. The risk of accelerated aging was lowest when weekly exercise days reached five and the weekly exercise time reached three hours. Both cluster 2 and cluster 3 were significantly negatively correlated with acceleration of aging. No significant differences were observed in the association with accelerated aging between cluster 2 and cluster 3. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the importance of targeted exercise programs for healthy aging. They also emphasize the need for public health initiatives to integrate regular physical activity into daily routines to improve the longevity and well-being of American adults.

Treatment patterns in patients with newly diagnosed COPD in the USA.

BACKGROUND: Prompt and effective management with maintenance therapy (single or dual bronchodilator therapy) is recommended after the initial diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to maintain lung function and prevent exacerbations. Contrary to guideline-based recommendations, most patients are not prescribed maintenance treatment at initial diagnosis. The current study assessed the pharmacologic treatment patterns and outcomes of newly diagnosed patients with COPD in the USA. METHODS: This retrospective, noninterventional study used de-identified data from the Inovalon Insights' database (Commercial, Medicaid Managed Care, and Medicare Advantage-insured individuals) between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2021. The "patient journey" from initial diagnosis was followed over a 4-year period. The primary outcome measure was the number of moderate or severe exacerbations. Secondary outcome measures included the cumulative incidence of exacerbations, mean cumulative count of moderate and severe exacerbations, rates of moderate and severe exacerbations in patients who remained untreated after diagnosis in 12-month time periods for 4 years, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, and pharmacologic treatment patterns. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 238,158 newly diagnosed patients with COPD (female [52.9%]; mean age 63.8 years). The majority of patients with COPD had Medicaid as their primary insurance (46.2%). Overall, during the 4-year follow-up period, 32.9% of the patients had at least one moderate or severe exacerbation, and 25.8% and 13.8% experienced moderate and severe exacerbations, respectively. At diagnosis, 86.2% of the patients were untreated and most remained untreated by the end of the follow-up (63.8%). Most patients (62.0%) received long-acting beta-agonist (LABA)/inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) as their initial treatment at diagnosis, and LABA/ICS continued to be the most common initial treatment during the 4-year period (64.0% at year 1; 58.0% at year 4). CONCLUSIONS: Most patients with COPD were not treated at initial diagnosis and remained untreated during follow-up. Our data highlight a lack of adherence to recommendations for clinical practice.

Effectiveness of nurse-led heart failure clinic: A systematic review.

Objectives: Heart failure is a stage of various cardiovascular diseases and constitutes a growing major public health problem worldwide. Nurse-led heart failure clinics play an important role in managing heart failure. All nurse-led heart failure clinic services are clinic-based. We conducted a systematic review to describe the contents and impact of nurse-led heart failure clinics. Methods: A review of nurse-led heart failure clinic research was undertaken in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. The search was initially conducted on October 23, 2022 and updated on November 21, 2023. Articles were appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute Appraisal criteria by two independent reviewers. This review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022352209). Results: Twelve articles were included in this systematic review. The nurse-led heart failure clinic contents were: medication uptitration, educational counselling, evidence-based transitional care, psychosocial support, physical examination and mental well-being assessment, therapy monitoring and adjustment, follow-up, and phone consultations. Most studies reported largely positive clinical outcomes in nurse-led heart failure clinics. Four studies examined the quality of life and reported conflicting results; four studies examined medication titration efficacy, and the results were generally positive. Only two studies examined cost-effectiveness. Conclusions: Nurse-led heart failure clinics have shown a largely positive impact on patient outcomes, quality of life, and medication titration efficacy. More randomised controlled trials and other studies are needed to obtain more robust conclusions.

Visitation patterns of endangered grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) in a forest clearing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus), once abundant, has become increasingly threatened due to the combined effects of capture for the global pet trade and habitat loss. Although grey parrots are well studied in captivity, effective conservation efforts require a better understanding of their ecological requirements in the wild. The aim of this paper is to quantify grey parrot behaviours across the annual cycle. To do that, we studied groups of grey parrots gathering in a natural forest clearing in the Nkuba Conservation Area, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Using parrot counts and focal sampling, combined with descriptive statistics, we found that an average of 40 grey parrots visited the clearing each day, following a regular pattern in which they first perched in the trees surrounding the clearing, vocalizing loudly, until the group landed in the clearing to feed, drink and interact with each other. Generalized linear models (GLMs) and generalized additive models (GAMs) showed that the time at which parrots arrived, landed at, and left clearings was influenced by the weather, seasonality and the month of the year. We also found that parrots shortened their visits when disturbed by predators or the presence of humans. Although the underlying mechanisms for grey parrot visits to forest clearings remains unclear, the consistency of this behaviour observed elsewhere in Africa and the feeding observed in the clearing in this study suggest that these area support important foraging habitat for the wild grey parrots. Therefore, ensuring the availability of such clearings is paramount to the long-term survival of the species. We suggest that future efforts to protect grey parrots in their native habitats focus on identifying clearings visited by parrots, monitoring these clearings and allowing parrots to visit them without disturbance or risk of capture.

Concept and Implementation of a Novel Continuous Glucose Monitoring Solution With Glucose Predictions on Board.

The recently CE-marked continuous real-time glucose monitoring (rtCGM) solution Accu-Chek® (AC) SmartGuide Solution was developed to enable people with diabetes mellitus (DM) to proactively control their glucose levels using predictive technologies. The comprehensive solution consists of three components that harmonize well with each other. The CGM device is composed of a sensor applicator and a glucose sensor patch whose data are transferred to the connected smartphone by Bluetooth® Low Energy. The user interface of the CGM solution is powered by the AC SmartGuide app delivering current and past glucose metrics, and the AC SmartGuide Predict app providing a glucose prediction suite enabled by artificial intelligence (AI). This article describes the innovative CGM solution.

Enhancing the Capabilities of Continuous Glucose Monitoring With a Predictive App.

BACKGROUND: Despite abundant evidence demonstrating the benefits of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in diabetes management, a significant proportion of people using this technology still struggle to achieve glycemic targets. To address this challenge, we propose the Accu-Chek® SmartGuide Predict app, an innovative CGM digital companion that incorporates a suite of advanced glucose predictive functionalities aiming to inform users earlier about acute glycemic situations. METHODS: The app's functionalities, powered by three machine learning models, include a two-hour glucose forecast, a 30-minute low glucose detection, and a nighttime low glucose prediction for bedtime interventions. Evaluation of the models' performance included three data sets, comprising subjects with T1D on MDI (n = 21), subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2D) on MDI (n = 59), and subjects with T1D on insulin pump therapy (n = 226). RESULTS: On an aggregated data set, the two-hour glucose prediction model, at a forecasting horizon of 30, 45, 60, and 120 minutes, achieved a percentage of data points in zones A and B of Consensus Error Grid of: 99.8%, 99.3%, 98.7%, and 96.3%, respectively. The 30-minute low glucose prediction model achieved an accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, mean lead time, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC AUC) of: 98.9%, 95.2%, 98.9%, 16.2 minutes, and 0.958, respectively. The nighttime low glucose prediction model achieved an accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and ROC AUC of: 86.5%, 55.3%, 91.6%, and 0.859, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The consistency of the performance of the three predictive models when evaluated on different cohorts of subjects with T1D and T2D on different insulin therapies, including real-world data, offers reassurance for real-world efficacy.

Measuring psychotherapist functioning with the Therapist Work Involvement Scales (TWIS): reliability, factor structure, and measurement invariance.

OBJECTIVES: The Therapist Work Involvement Scales (TWIS) is a self-report research instrument that enables a multilayered description of psychotherapists' experiences when treating clients. The TWIS was created in a comprehensive study of close to 5,000 psychotherapists, and has been used in multiple studies. The aim of the current paper is to clarify the organization and statistical characteristics of the TWIS, and to present an updated version for longitudinal and cross-sectional research. METHODS: Collection of a large sample of psychotherapy trainees made possible the use of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to evaluate the dimensions and structure of therapists' process experiences, assessing reliabilities, measurement invariance over gender, item statistics, and correlations with other measures to show concurrent and predictive validity. RESULTS: The CFAs largely confirmed the factor structure of four of the five facets, and of the global super-factors. The global factors of Healing Involvement and Stressful Involvement each showed substantial correlations with therapists' attachment style and professional growth, and were used to describe four practice patterns that typify the experiences of therapists. CONCLUSION: The results have shown the TWIS to be a statistically sound, multidimensional research instrument enabling therapists to describe their experience in current therapeutic work.

Land use and urbanization indirectly control riverine CH4 and CO2 emissions by altering nutrient input.

Urban rivers are recognized as significant sources of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Despite this, the influence of land use and urbanization on carbon emissions across rural-urban rivers at the watershed scale has been insufficiently explored. This study utilized in-situ surveys of the Liao River in northern China to investigate the spatial and temporal variations of CH4 and CO2 emissions and their relationship with urbanization and its potential controlling factors. The findings revealed that CH4 emissions peaked in fall, whereas CO2 emissions were highest in summer. The average fluxes of CH4 and CO2 at the water-gas interface were 1387.22 ± 2474.98 µmol·m-2·d-1 and 52.78 ± 54.44 mmol·m-2·d-1, respectively. Water quality parameters accounted for 80.49 % of the total variation in CH4 and CO2 concentrations and fluxes. Structural equation modeling indicated that TN, TP, DTC, and conductivity had direct effects on riverine CH4 and CO2 emissions, with standardized direct effects of 0.50 and 0.49, respectively. Nutrient input emerged as the primary driver, increasing CH4 and CO2 concentrations and fluxes, particularly in urban-adjacent river sections likely receiving higher nutrient loads. This study underscores that land use and urbanization indirectly influence riverine CH4 and CO2 emissions by modifying nutrient inputs. Effective land use management and nutrient input control are recommended strategies to mitigate riverine CH4 and CO2 emissions.

The MIND diet, brain transcriptomic alterations, and dementia.

INTRODUCTION: Dietary patterns are associated with dementia risk, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. METHODS: We used RNA sequencing data from post mortem prefrontal cortex tissue and annual cognitive evaluations from 1204 participants in the Religious Orders Study and Memory and Aging Project. We identified a transcriptomic profile correlated with the MIND diet (Mediterranean-Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) among 482 individuals who completed ante mortem food frequency questionnaires; and examined its associations with cognitive health in the remaining 722 participants. RESULTS: We identified a transcriptomic profile, consisting of 50 genes, correlated with the MIND diet score (p = 0.001). Each standard deviation increase in the transcriptomic profile score was associated with a slower annual rate of decline in global cognition (ß = 0.011, p = 0.003) and lower odds of dementia (odds ratio = 0.76, p = 0.0002). Expressions of several genes (including TCIM and IGSF5) appeared to mediate the association between MIND diet and dementia. DISCUSSION: A brain transcriptomic profile for healthy diets revealed novel genes potentially associated with cognitive health. HIGHLIGHTS: Why healthy dietary patterns are associated with lower dementia risk are unknown. We integrated dietary, brain transcriptomic, and cognitive data in older adults. Mediterranean-Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet intake is correlated with a specific brain transcriptomic profile. This brain transcriptomic profile score is associated with better cognitive health. More data are needed to elucidate the causality and functionality of identified genes.

Biogeographic patterns and community assembly mechanisms of bacterial community in the upper seawater of seamounts and non-seamounts in the Eastern Indian Ocean.

Seamounts are widespread underwater topographic features in the ocean that exert an influential role in shaping the microbial biogeographic distribution. Nevertheless, research on the differences in microbial biogeographic distribution between seamount and non-seamount upper water column is still lacking, particularly in the Indian Ocean where studies are limited. In the present study, a total of 45 seawater samples were collected from the water column (5-200 m) of seamounts (HS) and non-seamounts (E87 transect) regions in the Eastern Indian Ocean (EIO) for the analysis of microbial biogeographic patterns and community assembly processes. The results indicated that bacterial community diversity did not differ significantly between the HS and E87 transect regions; however, the community composition was significantly different. Additionally, bacterial community diversity, composition, as well as structure were more affected by depth than by region. Community diversity tended to increase with depth in E87 transect region, while it tended to decrease in HS region. A distance decay analysis also demonstrated that bacterial communities were more influenced by environmental and depth distances than geographic distances. In the assembly of bacterial communities on HS and E87 transect regions, as well as at different depths, stochastic processes, particularly dispersal limitation, were found to be predominant. These findings enhance our comprehension of bacterial community characteristics in the upper seawater of seamounts and non-seamounts regions in the EIO and offer insights into the assembly processes shaping microbial communities at varying depths. IMPORTANCE: By comparing the bacterial diversity, composition, and structure in the upper seawater of seamount and non-seamount areas, we provide valuable insights into the influential role of seamounts in shaping microbial biogeography. The finding that the depth had a more significant impact on bacterial community characteristics than region underscores the importance of considering vertical stratification when examining microbial distributions. Moreover, the dominance of stochastic processes, particularly dispersal limitation, in governing community assembly across both seamount and non-seamount areas offers critical implications for the mechanisms underlying microbial biogeographic patterns in these dynamic ocean environments. This study expands the current knowledge and lays the groundwork for further investigations into the complex interactions between oceanographic features, environmental gradients, and microbial community dynamics in the Indian Ocean.

Periconceptional Dietary Quality and Metabolic Syndrome at 3 Years Postpartum.

BACKGROUND: The period around pregnancy is a critical window in the primordial prevention of cardiovascular disease, but little is known about the role of dietary patterns in cardiometabolic health. Our objective was to determine the association between alignment of periconceptional diet with the 2020 to 2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the risk of metabolic syndrome. METHODS AND RESULTS: We used data from the Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: monitoring mothers-to-Be Heart Health Study, a pregnancy cohort study that followed pregnant participants to a median of 3 years postpartum (n=4423). Usual dietary intake in the 3 months around conception was estimated from a Food Frequency Questionnaire. Alignment with the Dietary Guidelines was measured using the Healthy Eating Index-2020, where higher scores represent greater alignment. Postpartum metabolic syndrome was defined using the American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute guideline. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome at 3 years postpartum was 20%. After adjusting for confounders, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was flat up to a periconceptional Healthy Eating Index-2020 total score of ≈60, and then declined steeply as scores increased. Compared with a Healthy Eating Index-2020 score of 60, having scores of 70, 80, and 90 were associated with 2, 4, and 7 fewer cases of metabolic syndrome per 100 individuals, respectively (prevalence differences: -0.02 [95% CI, -0.03, 0]; -0.04 [-0.08, -0.1]; -0.07 [-0.13, -0.02]). CONCLUSIONS: Dietary interventions around conception and systems-level changes to support high diet quality may be important for improving postpartum cardiometabolic health, and helping to reverse or slow the decline in women's cardiometabolic health.

Refractory wastewater shapes bacterial assembly and key taxa during long-term acclimatization.

Bacterial assembly and key taxa during long-term acclimatization in refractory wastewater treatment systems is of paramount importance for optimizing system performance and improving management strategies. Therefore, this study employed high-throughput sequencing, coupled with machine learning models and statistical analysis approaches, to comprehensively elucidate key features of bacterial communities and assembly processes in pesticide wastewater treatment systems. A nine-month monitoring showed substantial variation in diversity and composition of bacterial community between two interconnected biological treatment units (designated as BA and PA). Dynamics of bacterial communities in both units were similar. Moreover, water quality played crucial roles in regulating the bacterial community structure of activated sludge, which were primarily driven by deterministic patterns. Homogeneous selection contributed to 62.85 % and 64.43 % of the variations in BA and PA samples, respectively. Additionally, network analysis revealed significant modularity in bacterial compositions in both groups. Linear regression analysis identified major bacterial modules associated with metabolism and degradation functions. Notably, Module 2 in PA samples has significant positive correlations with functions related to metabolism of nucleotide, amino acid, and xenobiotics, as well as benzoate degradation. Furthermore, key taxa in ecological modules identified by Random Forest model, such as Pseudomonas, Sphingobium, and PHOS-HE28, were dominant populations with metabolism and degradation functions. Particularly, Sphingobium, appeared to be a potential multifunctional degrading bacterium, related to amino acid and xenobiotics metabolism, as well as fatty acid, valine, leucine, isoleucine, fluorobenzoate, and aminobenzoate degradation. These findings are important for developing operating strategies to maintain stable system performance during refractory wastewater treatment.