Single-Cell Study Unveils Lead Lifespan in Blood Cell Populations Follows a Universal Lognormal Distribution with Individual Skewness.

Lead is a widespread environmental hazard that can adversely affect multiple biological functions. Blood cells are the initial targets that face lead exposure. However, a systematic assessment of lead dynamics in blood cells at single-cell resolution is still absent. Herein, C57BL/6 mice were fed with lead-contaminated food. Peripheral blood was harvested at different days. Extracted red blood cells and leukocytes were stained with 19 metal-conjugated antibodies and analyzed by mass cytometry. We quantified the time-lapse lead levels in 12 major blood cell subpopulations and established the distribution of lead heterogeneity. Our results show that the lead levels in all major blood cell subtypes follow lognormal distributions but with distinctively individual skewness. The lognormal distribution suggests a multiplicative accumulation of lead with stochastic turnover of cells, which allows us to estimate the lead lifespan of different blood cell populations by calculating the distribution skewness. These findings suggest that lead accumulation by single blood cells follows a stochastic multiplicative process.

Higher oxidative balance score is associated with lower kidney stone disease in US adults: a population-based cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: Oxidative balance stress (OBS) was an important indicator for assessing exposure to oxidative stress related to diet and lifestyle. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between OBS and kidney stone disease (KSD). METHODS: Secondary dataset analysis was performed by the study from six survey cycles (2007-2018) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). OBS was the exposure factor and ever had kidney stone (yes or no) was the outcome. Weighted univariate or multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the associations. RESULTS: The prevalence of KSD among participants was 8.6%. OBS showed a significant negative correlation with KSD (OR: 0.98, 95% CI 0.96-0.999), 35% reduction in KSD in the highest OBS quartile compared to the lowest OBS quartile. Dietary OBS was significantly negatively correlated with KSD (OR: 0.98, 95% CI 0.96-0.9998), but not with lifestyle OBS. In addition, OBS had a negative correlation with KSD in females (OR: 0.97, 95% CI 0.94-0.996), non-diabetic participants (OR: 0.98, 95% CI 0.96-0.99), and hypertensive participants (OR: 0.96, 95% CI 0.93-0.99), but OBS was not observed to be associated with KSD in gout participants. Interestingly, this relationship existed in participants aged 30-60 years and a ratio of family income to poverty (PIR) of 1.3-3.5 (all P value < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that OBS was negative associated with KSD, and high OBS might be a protective factor in KSD. Targeting one of the components of OBS might be beneficial.

Antioxidant diet/lifestyle could mitigate the adverse impacts of urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on lung function.

BACKGROUND: Extant research has demonstrated a correlation between exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and impaired lung function. The maintenance of an antioxidant-rich diet/lifestyle positively benefits pulmonary health. However, the potential ameliorative impact of an antioxidant-based diet/lifestyle on PAH-induced detrimental effects remains unclear. METHODS: The study drew upon cross-sectional data encompassing 1615 participants derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007 to 2012. To gauge the maintenance of an antioxidant-rich diet/lifestyle, we employed Oxidative Balance Score (OBS) that incorporates sixteen nutrients and four lifestyle factors. Lung function was evaluated using percent-predicted Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume 1st Second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC, and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO). Our analytical approach entailed the utilization of weighted linear models. RESULTS: Our analysis unveiled interaction effects between urinary monohydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OH-PAHs) and OBS concerning lung function. A one-unit increase in ∑OH-PAH (sum of eight OH-PAHs) was linked to a -0.75% reduction (95% CI: -1.28, -0.22) in FEV1/FVC. Individuals exhibiting low OBS displayed a marked decrease in FEV1/FVC (mean difference = -1.10%; 95% CI: -1.82, -0.39) for each unit increase in ∑OH-PAH, whereas no significant associations were discerned for those with medium or high OBS. Further stratification by gender yielded consistent results. The correlation between ∑OH-PAH and FENO proved statistically significant among participants with low OBS (P = 0.002) and medium OBS (P = 0.001), but non-significant for those with high OBS. Parallel findings emerged when examining percent-predicted FEV1 and FVC. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our study underscores the existence of statistically significant interactions between OH-PAHs and the maintenance of an antioxidant-rich diet and lifestyle concerning lung function. These findings underscore the pivotal role of maintaining an antioxidant-based diet and lifestyle in mitigating the adverse impacts of PAH exposure on lung function.

Higher oxidative balance score was associated with decreased risk of erectile dysfunction: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a prevalent condition that is thought to be significantly impacted by oxidative stress. The oxidative balance score (OBS) has been built to characterize the state of antioxidant/pro-oxidant balance. There is less known regarding the relationship of OBS with ED. METHODS: This study conducted cross-sectional analyses on 1860 males who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2001 to 2004. OBS was constructed by the 16 dietary components and 4 lifestyle factors. Self-reported ED was defined as men who indicated that they "never" or "sometimes" could achieve or keeping an erection adequate for satisfactory intercourse. Multivariate logistic regression models were applied to examine the association between OBS and the risk of ED. RESULTS: Among 1860 participants, the median OBS was 20 (IQR 15-26), and OBS was lower in males with ED vs. those without ED (P = 0.001). The results of our analyses indicated a negative correlation between OBS and ED among male subjects. Specifically, each one-unit increase in the continuous OBS was relate to 3% reduction in the odds of ED after full adjustment. Moreover, when extreme OBS quartiles were compared, the adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for the 4th OBS category was 0.53 (0.32 to 0.88) after full adjustment (P for trend < 0.05). There was also statistical significance in the relationships between dietary/lifestyle OBS with ED, and the association between lifestyle OBS and ED may be even tighter. For each unit increase in lifestyle OBS, the odds of ED decreased by 11% after full adjustment. CONCLUSION: Higher OBS was associated with reduced risk of ED in U.S. males. These findings suggested that adopting an antioxidant-rich diet and engaging in antioxidant-promoting lifestyle behaviors may contribute to a lower incidence of ED. These results provided recommendations for a comprehensive dietary and lifestyle antioxidants for ED patients.

Self-Transformation Strategy Toward Vanadium Dioxide Cathode For Advanced Aqueous Zinc Batteries.

In the lithium-dominated era, rechargeable Zn batteries are emerging as a competitive alternative. However, the sluggish kinetics of ion diffusion and structural destruction of cathode materials have thus far hampered the realization of future large-scale energy storage. Herein, an in situ self-transformation approach is reported to electrochemically boost the activity of a high-temperature, argon-treated VO2 (AVO) microsphere for effective Zn ion storage. The presynthesized AVO with hierarchical structure and high crystallinity allows efficient electrochemical oxidation and water insertion to induce self-phase transformation into V2 O5 ·nH2 O within the first charging process, which leads to rich active sites and fast electrochemical kinetics. Using AVO cathode, an outstanding discharge capacity of 446 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 , high rate capability of 323 mAh g-1 at 10 A g-1 and excellent cycling stability for 4000 cycles at 20 A g-1 with high capacity retention are demonstrated. Importantly, such zinc-ion batteries with phase self-transition can also perform well at high-loading, sub-zero temperature, or pouch cell conditions for practical application. This work not only paves a new route to design in situ self-transformation in energy storage devices, but also broadens the horizons of aqueous zinc-supplied cathodes.

Efficient Zn Metal Anode Enabled by O,N-Codoped Carbon Microflowers.

Zinc metal anodes show great promise for cheap and safe energy storage devices. However, it remains challenging to regulate highly efficient Zn plating/stripping under a high depth of discharge (DOD). Guided by density functional theory calculation, we here synthesized an oxygen- and nitrogen-codoped carbon superstructure as an efficient host for high-DOD Zn metal anodes through rational monomer selection, polymer self-assembly, and structure-preserved carbonization. With microscale 3D hierarchical structures, microcrystalline graphitic layers, and zincophilic heteroatom dopants, a flower-shaped carbon (Cflower) host could guide Zn nucleation and growth in a heteroepitaxial mode, affording horizontal plating with a high Coulombic efficiency (CE) and long life. As a demonstration, the Cflower-hosted Zn anode was paired with both battery and supercapacitor cathodes and delivered large capacity/capacitance, fast rates, long life, and ca. 100% CE even under a high DOD, outclassing hostless Zn-based devices. As they possess cheap, scalable, and efficient features, Cflower hosts hold the potential for practical zinc-metal-based energy devices.

Comparative analysis reveals conservation in genome organization among intestinal Cryptosporidium species and sequence divergence in potential secreted pathogenesis determinants among major human-infecting species.

BACKGROUND: Cryptosporidiosis is a major cause of gastrointestinal diseases in humans and other vertebrates. Previous analyses of invasion-related proteins revealed that Cryptosporidium parvum, Cryptosporidium hominis, and Cryptosporidium ubiquitum mainly differed in copy numbers of secreted MEDLE proteins and insulinase-like proteases and sequences of mucin-type glycoproteins. Recently, Cryptosporidium chipmunk genotype I was identified as a novel zoonotic pathogen in humans. In this study, we sequenced its genome and conducted a comparative genomic analysis. RESULTS: The genome of Cryptosporidium chipmunk genotype I has gene content and organization similar to C. parvum and other intestinal Cryptosporidium species sequenced to date. A total of 3783 putative protein-encoding genes were identified in the genome, 3525 of which are shared by Cryptosporidium chipmunk genotype I and three major human-pathogenic Cryptosporidium species, C. parvum, C. hominis, and Cryptosporidium meleagridis. The metabolic pathways are almost identical among these four Cryptosporidium species. Compared with C. parvum, a major reduction in gene content in Cryptosporidium chipmunk genotype I is in the number of telomeric genes encoding MEDLE proteins (two instead of six) and insulinase-like proteases (one instead of two). Highly polymorphic genes between the two species are mostly subtelomeric ones encoding secretory proteins, most of which have higher dN/dS ratios and half are members of multiple gene families. In particular, two subtelomeric ABC transporters are under strong positive selection. CONCLUSIONS: Cryptosporidium chipmunk genotype I possesses genome organization, gene content, metabolic pathways and invasion-related proteins similar to the common human-pathogenic Cryptosporidium species, reaffirming its human-pathogenic nature. The loss of some subtelomeric genes encoding insulinase-like proteases and secreted MEDLE proteins and high sequence divergence in secreted pathogenesis determinants could contribute to the biological differences among human-pathogenic Cryptosporidium species.

Comparative genomics reveals Cyclospora cayetanensis possesses coccidia-like metabolism and invasion components but unique surface antigens.

BACKGROUND: Cyclospora cayetanensis is an apicomplexan that causes diarrhea in humans. The investigation of foodborne outbreaks of cyclosporiasis has been hampered by a lack of genetic data and poor understanding of pathogen biology. In this study we sequenced the genome of C. cayetanensis and inferred its metabolism and invasion components based on comparative genomic analysis. RESULTS: The genome organization, metabolic capabilities and potential invasion mechanism of C. cayetanensis are very similar to those of Eimeria tenella. Propanoyl-CoA degradation, GPI anchor biosynthesis, and N-glycosylation are some apparent metabolic differences between C. cayetanensis and E. tenella. Unlike Eimeria spp., there are no active LTR-retrotransposons identified in C. cayetanensis. The similar repertoire of host cell invasion-related proteins possessed by all coccidia suggests that C. cayetanensis has an invasion process similar to the one in T. gondii and E. tenella. However, the significant reduction in the number of identifiable rhoptry protein kinases, phosphatases and serine protease inhibitors indicates that monoxenous coccidia, especially C. cayetanensis, have limited capabilities or use a different system to regulate host cell nuclear activities. C. cayetanensis does not possess any cluster of genes encoding the TA4-type SAG surface antigens seen in E. tenella, and may use a different family of surface antigens in initial host cell interactions. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that C. cayetanensis possesses coccidia-like metabolism and invasion components but unique surface antigens. Amino acid metabolism and post-translation modifications of proteins are some major differences between C. cayetanensis and other apicomplexans. The whole genome sequence data of C. cayetanensis improve our understanding of the biology and evolution of this major foodborne pathogen and facilitate the development of intervention measures and advanced diagnostic tools.

Associations of blood cadmium and lead concentrations with all-cause mortality in US adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: Some literature indicates an association between exposure to cadmium and lead and the presence of emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which are the two primary components of COPD. Understanding whether there is a potential association between cadmium and lead exposure and higher mortality rates in individuals with COPD could provide profound insights into the long-term effects of these two metal exposures on human health. METHODS: This study included 2024 patients with COPD in the US from the NHANES from 1999 through 2016 who were followed up to 2019. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to calculate HRs and 95 % CIs for all-cause mortality in relation to blood cadmium and lead concentrations. Plotting Kaplan-Meier curves and Restricted cubic spline curves to visualize results. Furthermore, stratified and sensitivity analyses were conducted. RESULTS: After multivariate adjustment, blood cadmium and blood lead concentrations were independently associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. Compared with the first tertile, the HRs of all-cause mortality associated with the blood cadmium concentration were 1.74 (95 % CI, 1.22-2.49) in the second tertile and 1.89 (95 % CI, 1.31-2.72) in the third tertile. The HRs of all-cause mortality associated with the blood lead concentration were 1.13 (95 % CI, 0.84-1.51) in the second tertile and 1.43 (95 % CI, 1.05-1.93) in the third tertile. CONCLUSION: This study found that increased blood cadmium and blood lead concentrations were associated with increased all-cause mortality in COPD patients. Reducing cadmium and lead exposure could potentially mitigate mortality risk in these individuals. More prospective studies are needed in the future to demonstrate our findings.

The mouse multi-organ proteome from infancy to adulthood.

The early-life organ development and maturation shape the fundamental blueprint for later-life phenotype. However, a multi-organ proteome atlas from infancy to adulthood is currently not available. Herein, we present a comprehensive proteomic analysis of ten mouse organs (brain, heart, lung, liver, kidney, spleen, stomach, intestine, muscle and skin) at three crucial developmental stages (1-, 4- and 8-weeks after birth) acquired using data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry. We detect and quantify 11,533 protein groups across the ten organs and obtain 115 age-related differentially expressed protein groups that are co-expressed in all organs from infancy to adulthood. We find that spliceosome proteins prevalently play crucial regulatory roles in the early-life development of multiple organs, and detect organ-specific expression patterns and sexual dimorphism. This multi-organ proteome atlas provides a fundamental resource for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying early-life organ development and maturation.

Dipole Moment Influences the Reversibility and Corrosion of Lithium Metal Anodes.

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) must have both long cycle life and calendar life to be commercially viable. However, "trial and error" methodologies remain prevalent in contemporary research endeavors to identify favorable electrolytes. Here, a guiding principle for the selection of solvents for LMBs is proposed, which aims to achieve high Coulombic efficiency while minimizing the corrosion. For the first time, this study reveals that the dipole moment and orientation of solvent molecules have significant impacts on lithium metal reversibility and corrosion. Solvents with high dipole moments are more likely to adsorb onto lithium metal surfaces, which also influence the solid electrolyte interphase. Using this principle, the use of LiNO3 is demonstrated as the sole salt in LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2/Li cells can achieve excellent cycling stability. Overall, this work bridges the molecular structure of solvents to the reversibility and corrosion of lithium metal, and these concepts can be extended to other metal-based batteries.

Association of oxidative balance score with sleep quality: NHANES 2007-2014.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress is correlated with sleep quality. A common tool for evaluating dietary and lifestyle exposures to oxidative stress is the Oxidative Balance Score (OBS), with higher OBS suggesting more substantial antioxidant exposures. The relationship between OBS and sleep quality is unclear. Investigating the association between OBS and sleep quality was the purpose of this study. METHODS: To figure out the relationship between OBS and sleep quality, we utilized weighted linear models and weighted logistic regression. Adjusted models were also examined. RESULTS: 6300 participants who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2007 to 2014 were recruited. OBS was negatively associated with sleep disorder (OR: 0.97; 95 % CI: 0.94-0.99), and positively associated with sleep duration (MD: 0.02; 95%CI: 0.01-0.03). Within the range of OBS > 24, each unit increase in OBS will result in a 40 % reduction in sleep disorder, and a 26 % increasement in sleep duration after adjustment (all P for trend <0.05). Dietary and lifestyle components were closely related to sleep quality independently. The relationship between OBS and sleep quality was prominent in the female population under 50 years of age. After stratification by education level, this relationship persisted. LIMITATION: This research was cross-sectional design, and it was not possible to deduce causality. CONCLUSION: Diet and lifestyle might influence sleep quality by modulating oxidative balance. Antioxidant diets and lifestyles were important in reducing sleep problems and our study also provided new ideas for improving sleep quality.

Relationship between urinary tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) and lung function: Evidence from NHANES 2007-2012.

INTRODUCTION: 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL), a metabolite of tobacco-specific nitrosamine (TSNA) 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), is a tobacco-specific carcinogen. Spirometry values (FEV1%, PEF%, etc.) are commonly used as clinical indicators to assess the condition of lung function and the results can be used to diagnose respiratory diseases. However, the relationship between urinary NNAL levels and lung function is unclear. METHODS: We performed a secondary dataset analysis of the three cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2007 to 2012. The association of urinary NNAL with spirometry values was assessed using weighted linear models. In addition, subgroup analyses by gender were also tested. RESULTS: One unit increased in urinary NNAL could result in a 28% decrease of FEV1/FVC% (mean difference, MD= -0.28; 95% CI: -0.39 - -0.17), 44% decrease of FEV1% (MD= -0.44; 95% CI: -0.69 - -0.18), and FEV1/FEV6% and FEV3/FEV6% decreased by 20% and 8%, respectively. Increased urinary NNAL was associated with lower PEF% (MD= -0.85; 95% CI: -1.19 - -0.51), FEF25-75% (MD= -1.40; 95% CI: -1.94 - -0.87), and FENO (MD= -0.67; 95% CI: -0.92 - -0.42). But forced expiratory time (FET) showed an increment (MD=0.10; 95% CI: 0.03-0.16). The FEV1/FEV6% and FEV3/FEV6% showed decreasing trend from the lowest urinary NNAL quartiles to the highest urinary NNAL quartiles, while FET showed an increased trend. PEF%, FEF 25-75%, and FENO showed the same decreasing trend (all p<0.05). In addition, urinary NNAL seemed to affect spirometry values more in males. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary NNAL was negatively correlated with FEV1/FVC%, FEV1%, FEV1/FEV6%, FEV3/FEV6%, PEF%, FEF25-75%, and FENO, which was closely related to lung function.

Associations between the muscle quality index and adult lung functions from NHANES 2011-2012.

Background: The muscle quality index (MQI), as an important component of sarcopenia, is defined as the ratio of muscle strength to muscle mass. Lung function, is a clinical indicator to assess ventilation and air exchange function. This study investigated the relationship between lung function indices and MQI in the NHANES database from 2011 to 2012. Methods: This study included 1,558 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2011 to 2012. Muscle mass and muscle strength were assessed using DXA and handgrip strength, and all participants underwent pulmonary function measurements. Multiple linear regression and multivariable logistic regression were used to assess the correlation between the MQI and lung function indices. Results: In the adjusted model, MQI was significantly correlated with FVC% and PEF%. And, after quartiles of MQI in Q3, where FEV1%, FVC%, and PEF% were all associated with MQI, in Q4, a lower relative risk of a restrictive spirometry pattern was linked to increased MQI. Compared to the lower age group, the relationship between the MQI and lung function indices was more significant in the higher age group. Conclusion: There was an association between the MQI and lung function indices. Furthermore, in the middle-aged and older adult populations, lung function indicators and restrictive ventilation impairment were significantly associated with MQI. This implies that improving lung function through muscle training may be beneficial to this group.

Synergistic Tuning of CoO/CoP Heterojunction Nanowire Arrays as Efficient Bifunctional Catalysts for Alkaline Overall Water Splitting.

Bifunctional electrocatalysts with superior activity and durability are of great importance for electrocatalytic water splitting. Herein, hierarchical structured CoO/CoP heterojunctions are successfully designed as highly efficient and freestanding bifunctional electrocatalysts toward overall water splitting. The unique microstructure combining two-dimensional nanosheets with one-dimensional nanowires enables numerous exposed active sites, shortened ion-diffusion pathways, and enhanced conductivity, significantly improving performance. Such freestanding electrodes achieve high current density over 400 mA cm-2 at low overpotentials and have exceptional electrocatalytic activity as well as long-term durability for both hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions under alkaline conditions. Remarkably, a high current density of 20 mA cm-2 is generated at a low cell voltage of 1.56 V in an alkaline water electrolyzer, originating from synergistic interactions between CoO and CoP exposing active sites and facilitating charge transfer and enhancing kinetics. This work provides new insight into designing low-cost but high-performance bifunctional electrocatalysts for practical water splitting.

Biodegradable Pea Protein Fibril Hydrogel-Based Quasi-Solid-State Zn-Ion Battery.

Zinc-ion batteries show great potential as the next-generation power source due to their nontoxic, low-cost, and safe properties. However, issues with zinc anodes, such as dendrite growth and parasitic hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs), must be addressed to commercialize them. Solutions, such as quasi-solid-state electrolytes made from synthetic polymer hydrogels, have been proposed to improve battery flexibility and energy density. However, most polymers used are nonbiodegradable, posing a challenge to sustainability. In this study, hydrogels made from biodegradable poly(vinyl alcohol) and protein nanofibrils from pea protein, a renewable plant-based source, are used as an electrolyte in aqueous zinc-ion batteries. Results show that the flexible and biodegradable hydrogel can enhance the zinc anode stability and effectively restrict HER. This phenomenon is because of the hydrogen-bond network between nanofibril functional groups and water molecules. In addition, the interaction between functional groups on nanofibrils and Zn2+ constructs ion channels for the even migration of Zn2+, avoiding dendrite growth. The Zn||Zn symmetric cell using the hydrogel electrolyte exhibits a long lifespan of over 3000 h and improved capacity retention in the Zn||AC-I2 hybrid ion batteries by suppressing cathode material dissolution. This study suggests the potential of biodegradable hydrogels as a sustainable and effective solution for biodegradable soft powering sources.

Oxidative balance score was negatively associated with the risk of metabolic syndrome, metabolic syndrome severity, and all-cause mortality of patients with metabolic syndrome.

Background: The oxidative balance score (OBS), an encompassing scoring mechanism for assessing oxidative stress, is formulated based on nutritional and lifestyle components. The emergence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is intricately linked to oxidative stress. Nonetheless, the correlation between OBS and MetS displays variability within distinct cohorts. Objective: We worked on the relationships between OBS and the risk of MetS, MetS severity, and all-cause mortality of MetS patients. Methods: A total of 11,171 adult participants were collected from the U.S. National Health Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2018. Employing survey-weighted logistic models, we evaluated the relationship between OBS and MetS risk. Furthermore, survey-weighted linear models were utilized to investigate the connection between OBS and MetS severity. Among the participants, 3,621 individuals had their survival status recorded, allowing us to employ Cox proportional hazards regression models in order to ascertain the association between OBS and the all-cause mortality within the subset of individuals with MetS. The OBS (where a higher OBS signified an increased prevalence of anti- or pro-oxidant exposures) weighed the 20 factors, while the MetS severity score weighed the five factors. Results: After multivariable adjustment, individuals with elevated OBS were found to exhibit a decreased susceptibility to MetS [odds ratio (OR) 0.95; 95% CI 0.94-0.96]. The adjusted OR was 0.42 (95% CI 0.33-0.53) for MetS risk in the fourth OBS quartile compared with those in the first OBS quartile (P for trend < 0.001). A one-unit increase in OBS was linked to a 3% reduction in MetS severity score by 3% (mean difference, -0.03; 95% CI, -0.04 to -0.03). Moreover, increased OBS correlated with decreased hazard of all-cause mortality risk among MetS subjects (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.93-0.98). These associations retained their strength even subsequent to the introduction of sensitivity analyses. There existed a statistically significant negative correlation between diet/lifestyle OBS and both MetS risk as well as MetS severity. Conclusions: An inverse correlation was observed between OBS and the susceptibility to MetS, MetS severity, and all-cause mortality of MetS patients. Health outcomes for MetS patients were positively related to antioxidant diets and lifestyles.

Fibroblast growth factor 10 alleviates acute lung injury by inhibiting excessive autophagy via Nrf2.

Acute lung injury (ALI) is associated with an increased incidence of respiratory diseases, which are devastating clinical disorders with high global mortality and morbidity. Evidence confirms that fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) play key roles in mediating ALI. Mice were treated with LPS (lipopolysaccharide: 5 mg/kg, intratracheally) to establish an in vivo ALI model. Human lung epithelial BEAS-2B cells cultured in a corresponding medium with LPS were used to mimic the ALI model in vitro. In this study, we characterized FGF10 pretreatment (5 mg/kg, intratracheally) which improved LPS-induced ALI, including histopathological changes, and reduced pulmonary edema. At the cellular level, FGF10 pretreatment (10 ng/mL) alleviated LPS-induced ALI accompanied by reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and inflammatory responses, such as IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-10, as well as suppressed excessive autophagy. Additionally, immunoblotting and co-immunoprecipitation showed that FGF10 activated nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway via Nrf2 nuclear translocation by promoting the interaction between p62 and keap1, thereby preventing LPS-induced ALI. Nrf2 knockout significantly reversed these protective effects of FGF10. Together, FGF10 protects against LPS-induced ALI by restraining autophagy via p62-Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1)-Nrf2 signaling pathway, implying that FGF10 could be a novel therapy for ALI.

Association of oxidative balance score and lung health from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2012.

Background: Oxidative stress is associated with outcomes of chronic lung disease. The oxidative stress-related exposures of diet and lifestyle can be evaluated by the oxidative balance score (OBS), and higher OBS scores indicate more significant antioxidant exposures. But the relationship between OBS and lung health is unknown. Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the association between OBS and lung health (respiratory symptoms, chronic lung disease, and lung function). Methods: A series of models, including weighted linear models, weighted logistic regression, and weighted multinomial logistic regression, were performed to assess the associations of OBS with respiratory symptoms, chronic lung disease, and lung function. The models adjusted by age, race/ethnicity, gender, educational background, poverty-to-income ratio, and dietary energy were also performed. Results: Cross-sectional data of 5,214 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for the years 2007-2012 were analyzed. For every one-unit increase in OBS, the odds of wheezing/chronic bronchitis decreased by 6%. Increased OBS was associated with higher percent-predicted forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (adjusted mean difference (MD), 0.21%; 95% CI: 0.10-0.32) and percent-predicted forced vital capacity (FVC) (adjusted MD, 0.15%; 95% CI: 0.07-0.24). A significantly lower risk of wheezing/chronic bronchitis was found in participants in the second/third/fourth OBS quartile compared to those in the first OBS quartile (all P for trend < 0.05). Moreover, higher percent-predicted FEV1 and FVC were also found in the third quartile and fourth quartile (all P for trend < 0.05). Furthermore, both dietary and lifestyle components were tightly related to pulmonary outcomes. Many associations were maintained after stratified by sex or after sensitivity analyses. Conclusion: Oxidative balance score was negatively correlated with the diagnosis of chronic bronchitis/wheezing/restrictive spirometry pattern and positively correlated with percent-predicted FVC and FEV1. It seems that the higher the OBS score, the better the pulmonary outcomes. The findings highlight the importance of adherence to an antioxidant diet and lifestyle and that it contributes to lung health.

Performance of Machine Learning Algorithms for Predicting Adverse Outcomes in Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

Background: The ability to assess adverse outcomes in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) could improve clinical decision-making to enhance clinical practice, but the studies remain insufficient, and similarly, few machine learning (ML) models have been developed. Objective: We aimed to explore the effectiveness of predicting adverse outcomes in CAP through ML models. Methods: A total of 2,302 adults with CAP who were prospectively recruited between January 2012 and March 2015 across three cities in South America were extracted from DryadData. After a 70:30 training set: test set split of the data, nine ML algorithms were executed and their diagnostic accuracy was measured mainly by the area under the curve (AUC). The nine ML algorithms included decision trees, random forests, extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), support vector machines, Naïve Bayes, K-nearest neighbors, ridge regression, logistic regression without regularization, and neural networks. The adverse outcomes included hospital admission, mortality, ICU admission, and one-year post-enrollment status. Results: The XGBoost algorithm had the best performance in predicting hospital admission. Its AUC reached 0.921, and accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score were better than those of other models. In the prediction of ICU admission, a model trained with the XGBoost algorithm showed the best performance with AUC 0.801. XGBoost algorithm also did a good job at predicting one-year post-enrollment status. The results of AUC, accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score indicated the algorithm had high accuracy and precision. In addition, the best performance was seen by the neural network algorithm when predicting death (AUC 0.831). Conclusions: ML algorithms, particularly the XGBoost algorithm, were feasible and effective in predicting adverse outcomes of CAP patients. The ML models based on available common clinical features had great potential to guide individual treatment and subsequent clinical decisions.