Realizing Outstanding Energy Storage Performance in KBT-Based Lead-Free Ceramics via Suppressing Space Charge Accumulation.

The great potential of K1/2Bi1/2TiO3 (KBT) for dielectric energy storage ceramics is impeded by its low dielectric breakdown strength, thereby limiting its utilization of high polarization. This study develops a novel composition, 0.83KBT-0.095Na1/2Bi1/2ZrO3-0.075 Bi0.85Nd0.15FeO3 (KNBNTF) ceramics, demonstrating outstanding energy storage performance under high electric fields up to 425 kV cm-1: a remarkable recoverable energy density of 7.03 J cm-3, and a high efficiency of 86.0%. The analysis reveals that the superior dielectric breakdown resistance arises from effective mitigation of space charge accumulation at the interface, influenced by differential dielectric and conductance behaviors between grains and grain boundaries. Electric impedance spectra confirm the significant suppression of space charge accumulation in KNBNTF, attributable to the co-introduction of Na1/2Bi1/2ZrO3 and Bi0.85Nd0.15FeO3. Phase-field simulations reveal the emergence of a trans-granular breakdown mode in KNBNTF resulting from the mitigated interfacial polarization, impeding breakdown propagation and increasing dielectric breakdown resistance. Furthermore, KNBNTF exhibits a complex local polarization and enhances the relaxor features, facilitating high field-induced polarization and establishing favorable conditions for exceptional energy storage performance. Therefore, the proposed strategy is a promising design pathway for tailoring dielectric ceramics in energy storage applications.

Association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and vitamin D dietary supplementation and risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among adults with hypertension.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between vitamin D status and mortality among adults with hypertension remains unclear. METHODS: This prospective cohort study involved a sample of 19,500 adults with hypertension who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2001 to 2018. We utilized a weighted COX proportional hazard model to assess the association between vitamin D status and mortality. This statistical model calculates hazard ratios (HR) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). RESULTS: The study indicated that lower serum 25(OH)D concentration was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality among individuals with hypertension. Specially. Those with concentrations between 25.0 and 49.9 nmol/L (HR = 1.71, 95%CI = 1.22-2.40) and less than 25.0 nmol/L (HR = 1.97, 95%CI = 1.15-3.39) had higher hazard ratios for all-cause mortality. Individuals with hypertension who took vitamin D supplements had a lower risk of all-cause mortality, but not the risk of CVD mortality (HR 0.75, 95%CI 0.54-1.03), compared to those who did not supplement (HR = 0.76, 95%CI = 0.61-0.94). Subgroup analysis further revealed that vitamin D supplementation was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality among individuals without diabetes (HR = 0.65, 95%CI = 0.52-0.81) and individuals without CVD (HR = 0.75, 95%CI = 0.58-0.97), and a decreased risk of CVD mortality among individuals without diabetes (HR = 0.63, 95%CI = 0.45-0.88) and without CVD (HR = 0.61, 95%CI = 0.40-0.92). Furthermore, higher-dose vitamin D supplementation was also associated with a greater reduction in all-cause mortality among hypertensive individuals, and there was the potential synergistic effect of combining normal-dose calcium and vitamin D supplementation, showing a superior effect on mortality compared to low-dose supplementation in adults with hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective cohort study demonstrated a significant association between lower serum 25 (OH)D concentration and increased all-cause mortality among adults with hypertension. Furthermore, the study found that vitamin D supplementation had a strong and significantly positive correlation with reduced all-cause and CVD mortality among hypertensive individuals without diabetes or CVD. This positive correlation suggests that vitamin D supplementation could potentially be an effective strategy to reduce the risk of mortality in this specific group of people.

Association between phthalates and sleep problems in the U.S. adult females from NHANES 2011-2014.

There is little research on the relationship between phthalates exposure and sleep problems in adult females, with existing studies only assessing the association between exposure to individual phthalates with sleep problems. We aimed to analyse the relationship between phthalates and sleep problems in 1366 US females aged 20 years and older from the 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) by age stratification. Multivariate logistic regression showed that the fourth quartile of MECPP increased the risk of sleep problems in females aged 20-39 compared with the reference quartile (OR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.14, 3.08). The WQS index was significantly associated with the sleep problems in females aged 20-39. In the BKMR, a positive overall trend between the mixture and sleep problems in females aged 20-39. In this study, we concluded that phthalates might increase the risk of sleep problems in females aged 20-39.

Long noncoding RNA as a potential diagnostic tool for prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To identify consistently expressed lncRNAs and suitable lncRNAs with high sensitivity and specificity from multiple independent studies as potential biomarkers for PCa diagnostics. METHODS: We searched multiple electronic databases including PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CNKI, CQVIP, Wanfang, and CBMdisc for studies published up to July 2022. The quality of the included studies was assessed by two independent reviewers based on the QUADAS-2 tool using Review Manager 5.3. A vote-counting method was used based on the ranking of potential molecular biomarkers. The top-ranked lncRNAs were further assessed for diagnostic value using Meta-disc version 1.4 software. RESULTS: Among the 26 included studies, 2 circulating lncRNAs (PCA3 and MALAT-1) were reported 3 or more times in PCa patients versus non-PCa patients. In further analysis, the areas under the curve of the summary receiver operating characteristic curves for PCA3 and MALAT-1 distinguishing PCa patients were 0.775 and 0.771, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the current evidence, PCA3 and MALAT-1 are reliable lncRNAs for the diagnosis of PCa.

Exploring the chemical composition, medicinal benefits, and antioxidant activity of Plumula nelumbinis essential oil from different habitats in China.

Plumula nelumbinis, a widely used traditional Chinese medicine known for its calming and nerve-soothing properties, contains essential oil as a primary component. However, research on P. nelumbinis essential oil (PNEO) is limited. This study aimed to investigate PNEO components, network target analysis, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses, and antioxidant activity of P. nelumbinis from ten different habitats. GC-MS analysis identified 14 compounds in the essential oil, with CP12 (ß-Sitosterol) having the highest concentration. Five compounds were identified for the first time in P. nelumbinis, with three of them reported for the first time in the Nelumbo. Network target analysis revealed 185 potential targets for 11 compounds and GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that PNEO was mainly located in the plasma membrane and could regulate a variety of molecular functions. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the essential oil was primarily enriched in pathways related to cancer and the nervous system. PNEO demonstrated strong antioxidant activity, with N8 (Fujiannanping) showing the highest ABTS scavenging capacity and N7 (Hunanxiangtan) showing the highest DPPH radical scavenging capacity. Cell experiments showed that CP4, CP5 and CP10 had protective effects against H2O2-induced oxidative damage. The study suggests that P. nelumbinis from different regions may have slightly different pharmacological effects due to the presence of unique compounds, and further research is necessary to explore the potential therapeutic benefits of PNEO.

Circulating exosomal mRNA signatures for the early diagnosis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: There are no proven tumor biomarkers for the early diagnosis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) thus far. This study aimed to identify novel biomarkers of ccRCC based on exosomal mRNA (emRNA) profiling and develop emRNA-based signatures for the early detection of ccRCC. METHODS: Four hundred eighty-eight participants, including 226 localized ccRCCs, 73 patients with benign renal masses, and 189 healthy controls, were recruited. Circulating emRNA sequencing was performed in 12 ccRCCs and 22 healthy controls in the discovery phase. The candidate emRNAs were evaluated with 108 ccRCCs and 70 healthy controls in the test and training phases. The emRNA-based signatures were developed by logistic regression analysis and validated with additional cohorts of 106 ccRCCs, 97 healthy controls, and 73 benign individuals. RESULTS: Five emRNAs, CUL9, KMT2D, PBRM1, PREX2, and SETD2, were identified as novel potential biomarkers of ccRCC. We further developed an early diagnostic signature that comprised KMT2D and PREX2 and a differential diagnostic signature that comprised CUL9, KMT2D, and PREX2 for RCC detection. The early diagnostic signature displayed high accuracy in distinguishing ccRCCs from healthy controls, with areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs) of 0.836 and 0.830 in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The differential diagnostic signature also showed great performance in distinguishing ccRCCs from benign renal masses (AUC = 0.816), including solid masses (AUC = 0.810) and cystic masses (AUC = 0.832). CONCLUSIONS: We established and validated novel emRNA-based signatures for the early detection of ccRCC and differential diagnosis of uncertain renal masses. These signatures could be promising and noninvasive biomarkers for ccRCC detection and thus improve the prognosis of ccRCC patients.

A turn-off fluorescence probe based on terpyridine for pH monitoring.

A new pH-dependent fluorescence probe 2,8-bis((E)-4-([2,2':6',2″-terpyridin]-4'-yl)styryl)-6H,12H-5,11-methanodibenzo[b,f][1,5]diazocine (TBPTP) based on Tröger's base (TB) bound to terpyridine was designed and synthesized. Photophysical properties and titration experiments of TBPTP were investigated by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. TBPTP exhibited high sensitivity in an acidic environment with the working pH range 7.2-2.5, especially having a good liner response to pH changes in the range 2.5-4.3, which suggested that TBPTP is a good candidate for pH monitoring.

Context matters for attractiveness bias.

To fully understand the attractiveness bias, we propose that contextual factors or affordances should be integrated into the mating-based evolutionary account of Maestripieri et al. We review examples highlighting the role of contextual factors in the perception of attractiveness and in attractiveness bias. These suggest contextual factors differentially afford the development of preference for attractive others into observed habits of mind.

Soil stability characteristics of mulberry lands at hydro-fluctuation belt in the Three Gorges Reservoir area, China.

The hydro-fluctuation belt in the Three Gorges Reservoir area is a typical seasonal and artificial wetland system and ecologically fragile zone. Using the widely existing mulberry forest lands in the hydro-fluctuation belt as an example and the 180-m water-level forest land as a control, this paper analyzes the soil stability of mulberry forestlands at different water levels in the hydro-fluctuation belt by analyzing and comparing the changes between soil physical and mechanical properties. The results indicated that (1) water-level changes, such as rising, flooding, draining, and exposure, affect the soil structure in mulberry forestlands. The soil agglomeration statuses for the soil layers decreased from 180 > 175 > 170 > 165 m, and the soil agglomeration statuses at a depth of 0∼20 cm decreased by 43.79, 44.95, and 57.45% compared with the control. (2) The soil water stability index decreased as follows: 180 > 170 > 175 > 165 m, which only accounted for 50.00, 47.73, and 40.91% of the control. In addition, the soil water stability indexes for the topsoils at various water levels were 1.87 (180 m), 1.67 (175 m), 2.92 (170 m), and 1.86 (165 m) times greater than those of the subsoils; thus, the resistance to hydraulic dispersion and disintegration were greater in the topsoil than in the subsoil. (3) The soil aggregate stability index decreased from 180 > 165 > 170 > 175 m and by 22.75, 23.53, and 35.29% compared with the control. (4) The soil shear strengths (composed of the cohesive force C and the internal friction angle φ) of the topsoils at water levels of 175, 170, and 165 m were significantly lower than in the control, and the internal friction angles decreased by 10.52, 19.08, and 43.25% and the cohesive force decreased by 9.88, 16.36, and 27.51%, respectively. The stability of the soil structure was greatly influenced by the soil clay content, soil organic matter content, and waterlogging duration. The study results could provide scientific support for soil and water conservation in the hydro-fluctuation belt and for biological filter construction in the Three Gorges Reservoir area to control the transport of sediment and non-point source pollutants.

Biomimetic gradient scaffolds for the tissue engineering and regeneration of rotator cuff enthesis.

Rotator cuff tear is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders, which often results in recurrent shoulder pain and limited movement. Enthesis is a structurally complex and functionally critical interface connecting tendon and bone that plays an essential role in maintaining integrity of the shoulder joint. Despite the availability of advanced surgical procedures for rotator cuff repair, there is a high rate of failure following surgery due to suboptimal enthesis healing and regeneration. Novel strategies based on tissue engineering are gaining popularity in improving tendon-bone interface (TBI) regeneration. Through incorporating physical and biochemical cues into scaffold design which mimics the structure and composition of native enthesis is advantageous to guide specific differentiation of seeding cells and facilitate the formation of functional tissues. In this review, we summarize the current state of research in enthesis tissue engineering highlighting the development and application of biomimetic scaffolds that replicate the gradient TBI. We also discuss the latest techniques for fabricating potential translatable scaffolds such as 3D bioprinting and microfluidic device. While preclinical studies have demonstrated encouraging results of biomimetic gradient scaffolds, the translation of these findings into clinical applications necessitates a comprehensive understanding of their safety and long-term efficacy.

Cell Sheet Technology: An Emerging Approach for Tendon and Ligament Tissue Engineering.

Tendon and ligament injuries account for a substantial proportion of disorders in the musculoskeletal system. While non-operative and operative treatment strategies have advanced, the restoration of native tendon and ligament structures after injury is still challenging due to its innate limited regenerative ability. Cell sheet technology is an innovative tool for tissue fabrication and cell transplantation in regenerative medicine. In this review, we first summarize different harvesting procedures and advantages of cell sheet technology, which preserves intact cell-to-cell connections and extracellular matrix. We then describe the recent progress of cell sheet technology from preclinical studies, focusing on the application of stem cell-derived sheets in treating tendon and ligament injuries, as well as highlighting its effects on mitigating inflammation and promoting tendon/graft-bone interface healing. Finally, we discuss several prerequisites for future clinical translation including the selection of appropriate cell source, optimization of preparation process, establishment of suitable animal model, and the fabrication of vascularized complex tissue. We believe this review could potentially provoke new ideas and drive the development of more functional biomimetic tissues using cell sheet technology to meet the needs of clinical patients.

Putting all your eggs in one basket: life-history strategies, bet hedging, and diversification.

Diversification of resources is a strategy found everywhere from the level of microorganisms to that of giant Wall Street investment firms. We examine the functional nature of diversification using life-history theory-a framework for understanding how organisms navigate resource-allocation trade-offs. This framework suggests that diversification may be adaptive or maladaptive depending on one's life-history strategy and that these differences should be observed under conditions of threat. In three studies, we found that cues of mortality threat interact with one index of life-history strategy, childhood socioeconomic status (SES), to affect diversification. Among those from low-SES backgrounds, mortality threat increased preferences for diversification. However, among those from high-SES backgrounds, mortality threat had the opposite effect, inclining people to put all their eggs in one basket. The same interaction pattern emerged with a potential biomarker of life-history strategy, oxidative stress. These findings highlight when, and for whom, different diversification strategies can be advantageous.

Sustaining Livelihoods or Saving Lives? Economic System Justification in the Time of COVID-19.

An ongoing debate in the United States relating to COVID-19 features the purported tension between containing the coronavirus to save lives or opening the economy to sustain livelihoods, with ethical overtones on both sides. Proponents of opening the economy argue that sustaining livelihoods should be prioritized over virus containment, with ethicists asking, "What about the risk to human life?" Defendants of restricting the spread of the virus endorse saving lives through virus containment but contend with the ethical concern "What about people's livelihoods and individual freedoms?" A commonly held belief is that political ideology drives these differential preferences: liberals are more focused on saving lives, whereas conservatives favor sustaining livelihoods with no additional government intervention in the free-market economy. We examine these lay beliefs among US residents in four studies and find that economic system justification (ESJ), an ideology that defends the prevailing economic system when under threat, is a reliable psychological predictor beyond political ideology. Specifically, compared to those who scored low on ESJ, people who scored high on ESJ judged China as more justified in downplaying the spread of virus to protect its interest in the global free-market economy, supported in-person over online learning, viewed shelter in place as less desirable, and perceived the opening of the Texas economy as more legitimate. We also find that multiple psychological mechanisms might be at work-resistance to market interventions, perceived legitimacy of opening the economy, perceived seriousness of the health crisis, and violation of human rights. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10551-022-05091-4.

Relationship between phthalates exposures and hyperuricemia in U.S. general population, a multi-cycle study of NHANES 2007-2016.

BACKGROUND: Phthalates exposure might cause kidney damage and a potential risk for hyperuricemia. However, direct evidence on phthalates and hyperuricemia is somewhat limited. OBJECTIVE: To examine associations between 10 phthalates metabolites and hyperuricemia in a large-scale representative of the U.S. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 6865 participants aged over 20 from NHANES 2007-2016 was performed. All participants had complete data on ten phthalate metabolites (MECPP, MnBP, MEHHP, MEOHP, MiBP, cx-MiNP, MCOP, MCPP, MEP, MBzP), hyperuricemia, and covariates. We used multivariable logistics regression, restricted cubic splines (RCS) model, and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models to assess single, nonlinear, and mixed relationships between phthalate metabolites and hyperuricemia. As a complement, we also assessed the relationship between phthalate metabolites and serum uric acid (SUA) levels. RESULTS: The multivariable logistics regression showed that MECPP, MEOHP, MEHHP, MBzP, and MiBP were generally positively associated with hyperuricemia (PFDR < 0.05), especially in MiBP (Q3 (OR (95 %): 1.31 (1.02, 1.68)) and Q4 (OR (95 %): 1.68 (1.27, 2.24)), compared to Q1). All ten phthalate metabolites had a linear dose-response relationship with hyperuricemia in the RCS model (P for non-linear >0.05). BKMR showed that mixed phthalate metabolites were associated with a higher risk of hyperuricemia, with MBzP contributing the most (groupPIP = 0.999, condPIP = 1.000). We observed the consistent results between phthalate metabolites and SUA levels in three statistical models. The relationship between phthalate metabolites and hyperuricemia remained in the sensitivity analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that exposure to phthalates, individually or jointly, might increase the risk of hyperuricemia. Since hyperuricemia influences on the quality of life, more explorations are needed to confirm these findings.

Associations of single and multiple organophosphate pesticide exposure with female infertility in the USA: data from the 2015-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Substantial evidence has shown that organophosphate pesticide (OPP) exposure altered the reproductive system functions, such as prolonged menstrual cycles, sexual hormone imbalance, and changes in ovarian weight. However, the association of OPP exposure with female infertility is unclear. We explored the relationships of four single OPP metabolites and their mixed exposure with self-reported infertility among women aged 20-50 in the USA using the data from two cycles (2015-2016 and 2017-2018) of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) by multiple logistic regression, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), and quantile g-computation (QGC). Eventually, 659 females were included in our study. Among these females, 77 participants were ever infertile. Multiple logistic regression showed that the odds ratios (ORs) in the second and third tertiles of dimethylphosphate (DMP) for female infertility were 2.53 (95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.20-5.32, P value = 0.016) and 2.96 (95%CI: 1.18-7.47, P value = 0.023) compared to the lowest tertile after adjusting for all covariates (P for trend = 0.022). A significantly positive association between the mixed OPP metabolites and infertility was observed in the BKMR model, in which DMP had the highest posterior inclusion probability (PIP = 0.741). The QGC model showed similar results, in which OPP metabolite mixtures increased the risk of female infertility, with DMP as a significantly positive contributor to the outcome. This study revealed the potential harm of OPP mixtures for female infertility in the USA, and DMP played the most critical role in female infertility risk among all OPP metabolites.

One stimulus-induced two-step photophysical response with high contrast and tunable switching time for dynamic displaying.

One stimulus-induced two-step photophysical response, especially with tunable switching time, is a great challenge for organic chromophores. Herein, a polymorphic material 2,7-DCF could undergo in situ two sequential dual-channel responses upon dichloromethane fuming. Both the appearance color and the fluorescence change from red to yellow to deep red with high contrast. The first step corresponds to a fast amorphous-to-crystalline transformation, while the second is a slow solid-state cocrystallization process. Based on single crystal structures and theoretical calculations, such distinct color changes are mainly attributed to conformation twisting and the electron coupling with incorporated solvent molecule through C-H⋅⋅⋅O interaction. Importantly, the second slow photophysical response could be drastically sped up by seeding strategy, or be totally inhibited. Such characteristics pave a way for the potential applications in dynamic anti-counterfeiting and data encryption. Based on the two-step transformation, polymorph 2,7-DCF-a could achieve a successive four-level response to external stimuli. In contrast, polymorph 2,7-DCF-d exhibits a stepwise hypsochromic fluorescence shift over 100 nm. This study would significantly promote the development of stimuli-sensitive systems from "one stimulus, one-step response" to "one stimulus, two or multi-step response".

Temporal Trends in the Incidence and Mortality of Major Reproductive-Related Cancers in Women in Guangzhou From 2010 to 2020: A Joinpoint and Age-Period-Cohort Study.

Objective: To understand the temporal trends of cancer incidence and mortality in women in Guangzhou during the past 11 years and provide clues for future research. Methods: Data were obtained from the Guangzhou Cancer and Death Registry. Average annual percentage changes (AAPCs) in age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) and age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) were obtained by joinpoint regression. The age-period-cohort (APC) model was generated to quantify the effects of age, period, and cohort. Results: The ASIRs for cervical (AAPC = -4.3%) and ovarian (AAPC = -3.2%) cancers showed a downward trend during 2010-2020, and that for uterine cancer showed an upward trend. The ASMRs of breast (APC = 5.0%) and cervical (APC = 8.8%) cancers increased. The APC model highlights different age, period, and birth cohort effects depending on the cancer site. Conclusion: The ASIRs for cervical and ovarian cancers among women in Guangzhou showed a decreasing trend during the period. The APC model showed mortality for 4 cancers increased with age. Incidence and mortality decreased with increasing birth cohort. Annual reproductive cancer screening is recommended for women of appropriate age to reduce the disease burden.

Establishment of a risk score model for bladder urothelial carcinoma based on energy metabolism-related genes and their relationships with immune infiltration.

Bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA) is a common malignant tumor of the human urinary system, and a large proportion of BLCA patients have a poor prognosis. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find more efficient and sensitive biomarkers for the prognosis of BLCA patients in clinical practice. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data and clinical information were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas, and 584 energy metabolism-related genes (EMRGs) were obtained from the Reactome pathway database. Cox regression analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analysis were applied to assess prognostic genes and build a risk score model. The estimate and cibersort algorithms were used to explore the immune microenvironment, immune infiltration, and checkpoints in BLCA patients. Furthermore, we used the Human Protein Atlas database and our single-cell RNA-seq datasets of BLCA patients to verify the expression of 13 EMRGs at the protein and single-cell levels. We constructed a risk score model; the area under the curve of the model at 5 years was 0.792. The risk score was significantly correlated with the immune markers M0 macrophages, M2 macrophages, CD8 T cells, follicular helper T cells, regulatory T cells, and dendritic activating cells. Furthermore, eight immune checkpoint genes were significantly upregulated in the high-risk group. The risk score model can accurately predict the prognosis of BLCA patients and has clinical application value. In addition, according to the differences in immune infiltration and checkpoints, BLCA patients with the most significant benefit can be selected for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

The Association between Prenatal Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Exposure and Neurobehavioral Problems in Offspring: A Meta-Analysis.

Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) during pregnancy has been suggested to be associated with neurobehavioral problems in offspring. However, current epidemiological studies on the association between prenatal PFAS exposure and neurobehavioral problems among offspring, especially attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), are inconsistent. Therefore, we aimed to study the relationship between PFAS exposure during pregnancy and ADHD and ASD in offspring based on meta-analyses. Online databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science, were searched comprehensively for eligible studies conducted before July 2021. Eleven studies (up to 8493 participants) were included in this analysis. The pooled results demonstrated that exposure to perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) was positively associated with ADHD in the highest quartile group. Negative associations were observed between perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and ADHD/ASD, including between perfluorononanoate (PFNA) and ASD. There were no associations found between total PFAS concentration groups and neurobehavioral problems. The trial sequential analyses showed unstable results. Our findings indicated that PFOA and PFOS exposure during pregnancy might be associated with ADHD in offspring and that prenatal PFOS and PFNA exposure might be associated with ASD in offspring. According to the limited evidence obtained for most associations, additional studies are required to validate these findings.

Association between co-exposure of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among the US adults: results from the 2013-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Although existing epidemiological studies have reported the relationship between single polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), little is known about the impact of PAH mixture exposure on COPD. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the associations of single and mixed exposures to PAHs with COPD in US adults using data from NHANES 2013-2016 by fitting three statistical methods, including multiple logistic regression, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), and quantile-based g-computation (qgcomp) models. This study included 1836 participants aged 40 and older. Multiple logistic regression showed that 2-FLU, 1-PHE, 1-PYR, and 2&3-PHE increased the risk of COPD after adjusting for all covariates. The BKMR model identified positive trends between PAH mixture and the risk of COPD in all adults and males when all PAHs were at or above their 55th percentile compared to all PAHs at their 50th percentile. The qgcomp model suggested that PAH co-exposure increased the risk of COPD (OR:1.44, 95%CI:1.09, 1.90) when each quartile increased in PAH mixture concentration, with 2-FLU having the highest weight. The combined impact also be observed in men. In conclusion, PAHs co-exposure was associated with a higher risk of COPD, especially in males, with the positive impact of 2-FLU being the most important.