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As well as being a popular vegetable crop worldwide, waxy corn represents an important amylopectin source. However, little is known about the breeding history and flavor characteristics of this crop. In this study, comparative-omic analyses between 318 diverse waxy corn and 507 representative field corn inbred lines revealed that many metabolic pathways and genes exhibited characteristics of selection during the breeding history of waxy corn, contributing to the divergence between waxy and field corn. We show that waxy corn is not only altered in its glutinous property, but that sweetness, aroma, and palatability are all significantly affected. A substantial proportion (43%) of flavor-related metabolites have pleiotropic effects, impacting both flavor and yield characteristics and 27% of these metabolites are related to antagonistic outcomes on yield and flavor. Furthermore, we demonstrated, through multiple concrete examples, how yield and quality are coordinately or antagonistically regulated at the genetic level. In particular, we identified some sweet molecules such as DIMBOA and raffinose, that do not participate in the starch biosynthesis pathway, as potential targets for breeding a new type of "sweet-waxy" corn. Our findings shed light on the historical selection of waxy corn and demonstrate the genetic and metabolic basis of waxy corn flavor, thereby collectively providing valuable resources and knowledge for future crop breeding for improved nutritional quality., (Copyright © 2024 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Kernel dehydration rate (KDR) is a crucial production trait that affects mechanized harvesting and kernel quality in maize; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we identified a quantitative trait locus (QTL), qKDR1, as a non-coding sequence that regulates the expression of qKDR1 REGULATED PEPTIDE GENE (RPG). RPG encodes a 31 amino acid micropeptide, microRPG1, which controls KDR by precisely modulating the expression of two genes, ZmETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE3-like 1 and 3, in the ethylene signaling pathway in the kernels after filling. microRPG1 is a Zea genus-specific micropeptide and originated de novo from a non-coding sequence. Knockouts of microRPG1 result in faster KDR in maize. By contrast, overexpression or exogenous application of the micropeptide shows the opposite effect both in maize and Arabidopsis. Our findings reveal the molecular mechanism of microRPG1 in kernel dehydration and provide an important tool for future crop breeding., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests Y.Y., W.L., Yuanfang Liu, J.X., L.Z., and Jianbing Yan are authors on patent applications related to this work. J.X. is employed by WIMI Biotechnology Co., Ltd., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The role of gut microbiome in acute kidney injury (AKI) is increasing recognized. Caloric restriction (CR) has been shown to enhance the resistance to ischemia/reperfusion injury to the kidneys in rodents. Nonetheless, it is unknown whether intestinal microbiota mediated CR protection against ischemic/reperfusion-induced injury (IRI) in the kidneys. Herein, we showed that CR ameliorated IRI-elicited renal dysfunction, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation, along with enhanced intestinal barrier function. In addition, gut microbiota depletion blocked the favorable effects of CR in AKI mice. 16S rRNA and metabolomics analysis showed that CR enriched the gut commensal Parabacteroides goldsteinii (P. goldsteinii) and upregulated the level of serum metabolite dodecafluorpentan. Intestinal colonization of P. goldsteinii and oral administration of dodecafluorpentan showed the similar beneficial effects as CR in AKI mice. RNA sequencing and experimental data revealed that dodecafluorpentan protected against AKI-induced renal injury by antagonizing oxidative burst and NFκB-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation. In addition, we screened and found that Hamaudol improved renal insufficiency by boosting the growth of P. goldsteinii. Our results shed light on the role of intestinal microbiota P. goldsteinii and serum metabolites dodecafluorpentan in CR benefits to AKI., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: To establish a three-dimensional finite element model of the lumbar spine and investigate the impact of different fixation techniques on the biomechanical characteristics of oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF)., Methods: The study aimed to establish and validate a comprehensive three-dimensional model of the lower lumbar spine (L3-S1) using the finite element method. L4-L5 was selected as the surgical segment, and four distinct OLIF surgical models were constructed: Stand-alone (SA), unilateral cortical bone trajectory screw (UCBT), bilateral cortical bone trajectory screw (BCBT), and bilateral pedicle screw (BPS). The models were underwent a pure moment of 10N·m to simulate lumbar extension, flexion, left bending, right bending, left and right rotation movements. Subsequently, the range of motion (ROM), cage stress, and fixation stress were calculated., Results: In the L3-L5 segment, the BCBT group showed the most limited range of motion (ROM) under exercise load, indicating superior stability within this group. The ROM and cage stress values were found to be highest in the SA group. In contrast, the cage and internal fixation stress in the BPS group were observed to be lowest (9.91 ~ 53.83MPa, 44.93 ~ 84.85 MPa). With the exception of right bending and right rotation, the UCBT group demonstrated higher levels of internal fixation stress (102.20 ~ 164.62 MPa)., Conclusions: The study found that OLIF-assisted internal fixation improved segmental stability and reduced cage stress. The BPS group had advantages over the CBT group in preventing endplate damage and reducing the risk of cage subsidence. However, BCBT group has distinct merits in maintaining surgical segment stability, distributing stress load on the spinal motor unit, and reducing the likelihood of adjacent segment degeneration (ASD)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Vascular calcification (VC) arises from the accumulation of calcium salts in the intimal or tunica media layer of the aorta, contributing to higher risk of cardiovascular events and mortality. Despite this, the mechanisms driving VC remain incompletely understood. We previously described that nesfatin-1 functioned as a switch for vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) plasticity in hypertension and neointimal hyperplasia. In this study, we sought to investigate the role and mechanism of nesfatin-1 in VC. The expression of nesfatin-1 was measured in calcified VSMCs and aortas, as well as in patients. Loss- and gain-of-function experiments were evaluated the roles of nesfatin-1 in VC pathogenesis. The transcription activation of nesfatin-1 was detected using a mass spectrometry. We found higher levels of nesfatin-1 in both calcified VSMCs and aortas, as well as in patients with coronary calcification. Loss-of-function and gain-of-function experiments revealed that nesfatin-1 was a key regulator of VC by facilitating the osteogenic transformation of VSMCs. Mechanistically, nesfatin-1 promoted the de-ubiquitination and stability of BMP-2 via inhibiting the E3 ligase SYTL4, and the interaction of nesfatin-1 with BMP-2 potentiated BMP-2 signaling and induced phosphorylation of Smad, followed by HDAC4 phosphorylation and nuclear exclusion. The dissociation of HDAC4 from RUNX2 elicited RUNX2 acetylation and subsequent nuclear translocation, leading to the transcription upregulation of OPN, a critical player in VC. From a small library of natural compounds, we identified that Curculigoside and Chebulagic acid reduced VC development via binding to and inhibiting nesfatin-1. Eventually, we designed a mass spectrometry-based DNA-protein interaction screening to identify that STAT3 mediated the transcription activation of nesfatin-1 in the context of VC. Overall, our study demonstrates that nesfatin-1 enhances BMP-2 signaling by inhibiting the E3 ligase SYTL4, thereby stabilizing BMP-2 and facilitating the downstream phosphorylation of SMAD1/5/9 and HDAC4. This signaling cascade leads to RUNX2 activation and the transcriptional upregulation of MSX2, driving VC. These insights position nesfatin-1 as a potential therapeutic target for preventing or treating VC, advancing our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying this critical cardiovascular condition., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Point-of-care testing (POCT) is commonly used in epidemiological surveys due to its various advantages, such as portability and immediate test results. The CardioChek ® PA analyser 3-in-1 lipid panel measures total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. This study tested the reliability and diagnostic accuracy of the CardioChek ® PA analyser using a 3-in-1 lipid panel., Methods: A cross-sectional study design with quota sampling was used. A total of 203 respondents aged 18 years and above from a research centre in the Ministry of Health, Malaysia, were recruited. Venous blood was sent to the laboratory and tested with Siemens Atellica CH, while a POCT analyser was used for capillary blood measurements. Intraclass coefficient correlation (ICC) analysis was employed to determine the agreement between capillary and venous blood parameters. The diagnostic performance of the evaluated tests was evaluated using STATA version 12., Results: The agreement between capillary and laboratory venous blood was moderate (0.64-0.67) for TC and HDL, good (0.75) for LDL and excellent (0.91) for TG). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were as follows: TC, 57.1%, 94.3%, 92.3% and 64.8%; TG, 76.0%, 100%, 100%, and 96.6%; HDL, 96.2%, 83.2%, 47.2% and 99.3%; and LDL, 81.0%, 100%, 100% and 68.3%, respectively., Conclusions: The CardioChek ® PA analyser showed acceptable diagnostic accuracy for screening high-risk individuals more often in places where laboratories are inaccessible. It could also be used in clinical settings where patients would benefit from swift treatment decisions., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Ear length (EL) is a key trait that greatly contributes to yield in maize. Although dozens of EL quantitative trait loci have been mapped, very few causal genes have been cloned, and the molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. Our previous study showed that YIGE1 is involved in sugar and auxin pathways to regulate ear inflorescence meristem (IM) development and thus affects EL in maize. Here, we reveal that YIGE2, the paralog of YIGE1, regulates maize ear development and EL through auxin pathway. Knockout of YIGE2 causes a significant decrease of auxin level, IM length, floret number, EL, and grain yield. yige1 yige2 double mutants had even shorter IM and ears implying that these two genes redundantly regulate IM development and EL. The genes controlling auxin levels are differential expressed in yige1 yige2 double mutants, leading to lower auxin level. These results elucidated the critical role of YIGE2 and the redundancy between YIGE2 and YIGE1 in maize ear development, providing a new genetic resource for maize yield improvement., (© 2024 Society for Experimental Biology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

This study aims to assess the quality of evidence for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy with traditional Chinese medicine based on the systematic reviews/Meta-analyses of relevant studies. CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, Web of Science, EMbase, and Cochrane Library were searched for the systematic reviews/Meta-analyses of traditional Chinese medicine interventions in diabetic retinopathy published from the inception to November 2023. A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2(AMSTAR2) scale was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. An evidence map was built to present the information on intervention measures, the number of studies included in the systematic reviews/Meta-analyses, research conclusions, and methodological quality assessment results. A total of 51 studies were included. Traditional Chinese medicine interventions accounted for a large proportion of the intervention measures, followed by Chinese patent medicines. The treatment methods mainly included tonifying deficiency, activating blood, and resolving stasis. According to the AMSTAR2 scale assessment results, the descriptions of funding information for included studies, lists of excluded articles, and preliminary research protocols were particularly lacking. The evidence map showed that 48, 2, and 1 studies concluded with beneficial effects, possible beneficial effects, and unclear effects, respectively. On the whole, traditional Chinese medicine demonstrated definite efficacy in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy, while the evidence pre-sents moderate to low quality. It is suggested that higher-quality studies remain to be carried out to provide more evidence.

Objective: To reveal the overall sperm retrieval rate (SRR) and range in patients with azoospermia factor c (AZFc) microdeletion azoospermia by microdissection testicular sperm extraction (mTESE) and discuss the differences of preoperative patient factors among studies with various SRRs., Patients and Methods: We searched PubMed, Web of Science and Embase until February 2023. All studies reporting SRRs by mTESE and required parameters of patients with AZFc microdeletions were included. The primary outcome was the SRR and, if available, the pregnancy rate (PR) and live-birth rate (LBR) after intracytoplasmic sperm injection were also investigated as secondary outcomes., Results: Eventually 11 cohort studies were included in this review. A total number of 441 patients underwent mTESE and in 275 of them sperm was obtained, reaching an overall SRR of 62.4%. The SRRs among studies had a wide range from 25.0% to 85.7%. The studies reporting higher SRRs generally had older mean ages, and higher follicle-stimulating hormone and testosterone levels. Only four studies provided practical data on pregnancies and live-born children of patients with AZFc microdeletions, so the overall PR and LBR were unavailable., Conclusions: The overall SRR of patients with AZFc microdeletion azoospermia was 62.4%. The effect of patient factors in SR needs further evidence in future work., (© 2023 BJU International.)

Lung cancer is the main cause of cancer deaths around the world. Nitrosamine 4-(methyl nitrosamine)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) is a tobacco-specific carcinogen of lung cancer. Abundant evidence implicates long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in tumorigenesis. Yet, the effects and mechanisms of lncRNAs in NNK-induced carcinogenesis are still unclear. In this study, we discovered that NNK-induced transformed Beas-2B cells (Beas-2B-NNK) showed increased cell migration and proliferation while decreasing rates of apoptosis. RNA sequencing and differentially expressed lncRNAs analyses showed that lncRNA PSMB8-AS1 was obviously upregulated. Interestingly, silencing the lncRNA PSMB8-AS1 in Beas-2B-NNK cells reduced cell proliferation and migration and produced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase along with a decrease in CDK1 expression. Conclusively, our results demonstrate that lncRNA PSMB8-AS1 could promote the malignant characteristics of Beas-2B-NNK cells by regulating CDK1 and affecting the cell cycle, suggesting that it may supply a new prospective epigenetic mechanism for lung cancer.

Background: Kidney transplantation is a critical treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD), with health-promoting lifestyle (HPL) significantly impacting patient outcomes. HPL involves behaviors like regular exercise, balanced nutrition, stress management, and habit modification. However, few studies have analyzed the HPL of renal transplant recipients, addressing a significant gap in current research., Objective: This study aimed to determine the predictors of HPL in renal transplant recipients using the Chinese Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP)., Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled renal transplant recipients completing the revised Chinese HPLP at organ transplant center in a tertiary hospital in Hunan Province of China between May 2022 and July 2022., Results: A total of 450 patients were included, comprising 256 males (56.9%), with a mean age of 44.85 ± 10.57 years. The mean score of self-actualization, health responsibility, interpersonal support, physical activity, stress management, nutrition, and overall HPLP were 15.27 ± 5.03 (possible range: 0-24), 11.41 ± 4.18 (possible range: 0-24), 11.61 ± 3.13 (possible range: 0-18), 7.53 ± 3.79 (possible range: 0-18), 12.68 ± 3.61 (possible range: 0-21), 11.17 ± 2.41 (possible range: 0-15), and 69.66 ± 16.98 (possible range: 0-120), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that urban residence (OR = 2.061, 95% CI: 1.350-3.148, P = 0.001), non-smoking after transplantation (OR = 2.010, 95% CI: 1.123-3.600, P = 0.019) and two post-transplant complications (OR=0.387, 95% CI: 0.218-0.689, P = 0.001)., Conclusion: Although renal transplant recipients exhibit a moderate level of HPL, targeted interventions are essential to improve these behaviors. These interventions should focus especially on individuals from rural households, post-transplant smokers, and those experiencing post-transplant complications, to enhance their quality of life and clinical outcomes., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interest in this work., (© 2024 Chen et al.)

Eleven new highly oxygenated eremophilane-type sesquiterpenoids were isolated from the whole plant of Synotis solidaginea, including two pairs of C-8 S/R epimers. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analysis and the absolute configurations of 1 and 9 were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray crystallography using Cu Kα radiation. All the isolates were tested for the inhibition of LPS-stimulated NO production in macrophage-like mouse monocytic leukemia RAW264.7 cells. Compound 1 exhibited weak inhibitory effects with an IC 50 of 71.2 μM., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing financial interest in this article., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Rechargeable aqueous-zinc ion batteries (AZIB) have notable benefits in terms of high safety and low cost. Nevertheless, the challenges, such as dendrite growth, zinc anode corrosion, and hydrogen evolution reaction, impede its practical implementation. Hence, this study proposes the introduction of an economical ErCl 3 electrolyte additive to stabilize the Zn anode surface and address the aforementioned issues. The introduced Er 3+ will cover the raised zinc dendrite surface and weaken the "tip effect" on the surface of the zinc anode via the "electrostatic shielding" effect. Simultaneously, the introduced Cl - can reduce the polarization of the zinc anode. Due to the synergistic effect of Er 3+ and Cl - , the zinc anode corrosion, dendrite growth and hydrogen evolution have been efficiently inhibited. As a result, the Zn||Zn-symmetric battery using ErCl 3 additive can stably cycle for 1100 h at 1 mA cm -2 , 1 mAh cm -2 , and exhibit a high average coulomb efficiency (99.2 %). Meanwhile, Zn||MnO 2 full battery based on ErCl 3 -added electrolyte also demonstrates a high reversible capacity of 157.1 mAh/g after 500 cycles. Obviously, the capacity decay rate of the full battery is also improved, only 0.113 % per cycle. This study offers a straightforward and economically efficient method for stabilizing the zinc anode and realizing high-performance AZIBs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A comprehensive understanding of inflorescence development is crucial for crop genetic improvement, as inflorescence meristems give rise to reproductive organs and determine grain yield. However, dissecting inflorescence development at the cellular level has been challenging owing to a lack of specific marker genes to distinguish among cell types, particularly in different types of meristems that are vital for organ formation. In this study, we used spatial enhanced resolution omics-sequencing (Stereo-seq) to construct a precise spatial transcriptome map of the developing maize ear primordium, identifying 12 cell types, including 4 newly defined cell types found mainly in the inflorescence meristem. By extracting the meristem components for detailed clustering, we identified three subtypes of meristem and validated two MADS-box genes that were specifically expressed at the apex of determinate meristems and involved in stem cell determinacy. Furthermore, by integrating single-cell RNA transcriptomes, we identified a series of spatially specific networks and hub genes that may provide new insights into the formation of different tissues. In summary, this study provides a valuable resource for research on cereal inflorescence development, offering new clues for yield improvement., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Block polymer micelles have been proven highly biocompatible and effective in improving drug utilization for delivering atorvastatin calcium. Therefore, it is of great significance to measure the stability of drug-loading nano micelles from the perspective of block polymer molecular sequence design, which would provide theoretical guidance for subsequent clinical applications. This study aims to investigate the structural stability of drug-loading micelles formed by two diblock/triblock polymers with various block sequences through coarse-grained dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations. From the perspectives of the binding strength of poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) in nanoparticles, hydrophilic bead surface coverage, and the morphological alteration of nanoparticles induced by shear force, the ratio of hydrophilic/hydrophobic sequence length has been observed to affect the stability of nanoparticles. We have found that for diblock polymers, PEG3kda-PLLA2kda has the best stability (corresponding hydrophilic coverage ratio is 0.832), while PEG4kda-PLLA5kda has the worst (coverage ratio 0.578). For triblock polymers, PEG4kda-PLLA2kda-PEG4kda has the best stability (0.838), while PEG4kda-PLLA5kda-PEG4kda possesses the worst performance (0.731), and the average performance on stability is better than nanoparticles composed of diblock polymers., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Rhodopsin-mediated autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (RHO-adRP) causes progressive vision loss and is potentially incurable, accounting for 25% of adRP cases. Studies on RHO-adRP mechanism were at large based on the biochemical and cellular properties, especially class-3. Nonetheless, the absence of an appropriate model for class-3 RHO-adRP has impeded comprehensive exploration. Here, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were generated from a healthy control and two sibling RP patients with the same point mutation, c.403C>T (p.R135W). The first three-dimensional (3D) retinal organoid model of a class-3 RHO point mutation from patient-derived iPSCs was generated. Significant defects were observed in rod photoreceptors in terms of localization, morphology, transcriptional profiling and single cell resolution, to better understand the human disease resulting from RHO mutations from a developmental perspective. This first human model of class-3 RHO-adRP provides a representation of patient's retina in vitro and displays features of RHO-adRP retinal organoids relevant for therapeutic development., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Shame has an important impact on the mental health and quality of life of patients. The shame in patients with ureterostomy after cystectomy remains unclear. This survey aimed to evaluate the status quo and influencing factors of shame in patients with ureterostomy after cystectomy, to provide support for the clinical care. Patients with ureterostomy after cystectomy treated in the wound stomy clinic of a third-class hospital from 1 June 2022 to 31 July 2023 were included. General data questionnaire and social impact scale (SIS) were used for data collection. Univariate and multiple linear regression analysis were performed to evaluate the influencing factors of shame in patients with ureterostomy after cystectomy. One hundred and sixty four patients with ureterostomy after cystectomy were included. The total score of shame in patients with ureterostomy was (60.75 ± 6.31), which was in the high level. Age (r = 0.442), home place (r = 0.427), per capita monthly household income (r = 0.605), self-care ability (r = 0.597) and complications of stoma (r = 0.542) were correlated with the SIS score in patients with ureterostomy after cystectomy (all p < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analyses indicated that age, home place, per capita monthly household income, self-care ability and complications of stoma were the influencing factors of SIS score in patients with ureterostomy after cystectomy (all p < 0.05). The five variables explained 64.5% of the patients' sense of shame variation. Patients with ureterostomy after cystectomy have a serious sense of shame in the early stage after operation and there are many influencing factors. Health care providers should take early nursing interventions targeted on those influencing factors to reduce the patients' sense of shame., (© 2024 The Authors. International Wound Journal published by Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Helicobacter pylori (HP) infections affect approximately one-third of children worldwide. In China, the incidence of HP infection in children ranges from approximately 30% to 60%. In addition to damaging the gastrointestinal tract mucosa, HP infection in children can negatively affect their growth and development, hematology, respiratory and hepatobiliary system, skin, nutritional metabolism, and autoimmune system. However, the rate of HP eradication also fell considerably from the previous rate due to the presence of drug-resistant HP strains and the limited types of antibiotics that can be used in young patients. Vitamin D3 (VitD3) is a steroid hormone that can reduce inflammation in the stomach mucosa induced by HP and can alleviate and eradicate HP through a variety of pathways and mechanisms, including immune regulation and the stimulation of antimicrobial peptide (AMP) secretion and Ca 2+ influx, to reestablish lysosomal acidification; thus, these results provide new strategies and ideas for the eradication of drug-resistant HP strains., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2024 Ma et al.)

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is gradually becoming a huge threat to public health. With complex working characteristics, female nurses had been found with high risk of NAFLD. To develop and validate a prediction model to predict the prevalence of NAFLD based on demographic characteristics, work situation, daily lifestyle and laboratory tests in female nurses., Methods: This study was a part of the Chinese Nurse Cohort Study (The National Nurse Health Study, NNHS), and data were extracted from the first-year follow data collected from 1st June to 1st September 2021 by questionnaires and physical examination records in a comprehensive tertiary hospital. The questionnaires included demographic characteristics, work situation and daily lifestyle. Logistic regression and a nomogram were used to develop and validate the prediction model., Results: A total of 824 female nurses were included in this study. Living situation, smoking history, monthly night shift, daily sleep time, ALT/AST, FBG, TG, HDL-C, UA, BMI, TBil and Ca were independent risk factors for NAFLD occurance. A prediction model for predicting the prevalence of NAFLD among female nurses was developed and verified in this study., Conclusion: Living situation, smoking history, monthly night shift, daily sleep time, ALT/AST, FBG, TG, UA, BMI and Ca were independent predictors, while HDL-C and Tbil were independent protective indicators of NAFLD occurance. The prediction model and nomogram could be applied to predict the prevalence of NAFLD among female nurses, which could be used in health improvement., Trial Registration: This study was a part of the Chinese Nurse Cohort Study (The National Nurse Health Study, NNHS), which was a ambispective cohort study contained past data and registered at Clinicaltrials.gov ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04572347 ) and the China Cohort Consortium ( http://chinacohort.bjmu.edu.cn/project/102/ )., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Although years have passed since the implementation of China's universal two-child policy, the effectiveness of this policy remains unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we, here, assessed the impact of the two-child policy on total live births, preterm births, and multiple live births., Methods: Data identifying pregnancies resulting in at least one live birth between April 1 2013 and December 31 2018 were collected from the Hospital Quality Monitoring System database. Using an interrupted time-series analysis, we estimated immediate level changes and long-term trends in total, preterm (birth before 37 weeks' gestation), and multiple live births that had occurred after July 2016, when the universal two-child policy had taken effect., Results: A total of 8,273,622 live births were reported during the study time frame. The number of live births (p = 0.277), preterm births (p = 0.052), and multiple births (p = 0.856) per month slightly increased immediately after July 2016, but these increases did not meet statistical significance. Further, all three outcomes showed a significant downward trend that lasted until the end of 2018 (p < 0.0001 for all). Among all live births, the percentage of preterm births remained stable (p = 0.101), while the percentage of multiple live births that were preterm significantly increased (trend change = 0.21% per month, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.28, p < 0.0001). The percentage of live multiple births among all live births significantly decreased (p for trend = 0.0039)., Conclusions: Overall, our data reveal a transient baby boom, as well as an increase in the proportion of live multiple births that were preterm, after China's two-child policy took effect. The latter should be noted by healthcare professionals due to the high risk of complications and special medical care required by preterm babies., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The relationship between erythrocyte membrane n -3 PUFA and breast cancer risk is controversial. We aimed to examine the associations of erythrocyte membrane n -3 PUFA with odds of breast cancer among Chinese women by using a relatively large sample size. A case-control study was conducted including 853 newly diagnosed, histologically confirmed breast cancer cases and 892 frequency-matched controls (5-year interval). Erythrocyte membrane n -3 PUFA were measured by GC. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline were used to quantify the association between erythrocyte membrane n -3 PUFA and odds of breast cancer. Erythrocyte membrane α -linolenic acid (ALA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and total n -3 PUFA were inversely and non-linearly associated with odds of breast cancer. The OR values (95 % CI), comparing the highest with the lowest quartile (Q), were 0·57 (0·43, 0·76), 0·43 (0·32, 0·58) and 0·36 (0·27, 0·49) for ALA, DPA and total n -3 PUFA, respectively. Erythrocyte membrane EPA and DHA were linearly and inversely associated with odds of breast cancer ((EPA: OR Q4 v . Q1 (95 % CI) = 0·59 (0·45, 0·79); DHA: OR Q4 v . Q1 (95 % CI) = 0·50 (0·37, 0·67)). The inverse associations were observed between ALA and odds of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, and between DHA and oestrogen receptor+ breast cancer. This study showed that erythrocyte membrane total and individual n -3 PUFA were inversely associated with odds of breast cancer. Other factors, such as menopause and hormone receptor status, may warrant further investigation when examining the association between n -3 PUFA and odds of breast cancer.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is one of the most common chronic complications of diabetes. As a new detection method for DPN, corneal confocal microscopy (CCM) is characterised by rapid, non-invasive, sensitive, and quantitative characteristics, as well as good repeatability. By detecting changes in the corneal nerves, DPN can be diagnosed early, and the severity of neuropathy evaluated. It is currently an ideal DPN evaluation method and has good clinical application prospects. This paper reviews the application and progress of CCM in the evaluation of DPN and summarises the evaluation methods of CCM, corneal nerve, and DPN to provide new ideas for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of DPN.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a pervasive problem among men, often shrouded in silence and stigma. This manuscript analysed the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019 data to identify the prevalence of moderate to severe ED among men aged 18 and above in Malaysia and describe its associated factors. Self-administered questionnaire on ED utilised a locally validated International Index of Erectile Function. Variables on sociodemographics, risky lifestyles and comorbidities were obtained via an interviewer-administered questionnaire. The prevalence was determined using complex sampling analysis, and logistic regression was used to determine the associated factors of ED. A sample of 2403 men aged ≥ 18 participated, with a moderate to severe ED prevalence was 31.6% (95% CI 28.8, 34.6). The mean (± SD) of the total score of IIEF-5 for overall respondents was 18.16 (± 4.13). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between moderate to severe ED among men aged 60 years and above, single or divorcee, men without formal, primary, and secondary education, non-government employees, unemployed, and retiree, as well as physically inactive men. Focused public health interventions are necessary to improve education in sexual health, increase health promotion programs, and promote healthy ageing across the population., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background and Purpose: Efforts to improve nurses' physical and mental health are critical to ensuring the safety and quality of the healthcare system. Long-term studies targeting the relevancy of nurses' occupation characteristics with health conditions remain insufficient. This study aimed to examine the relationship between nurses' night shift and sleep problems and metabolic abnormalities risk., Methods: This study was a part of the National Nurse Health Study, an ambispective cohort study in China, in 2021. Based on an integration physical examination data system, this study carried out a retrospective analysis of 730 nurses from 2018 to 2020 and combined with a questionnaire survey in 2021. The STROBE guidelines were adopted for reporting., Results: In the 23 (23.0, 24.0) months follow-up, higher night shift load was associated with more sleep problems such as shortened sleep duration, sleep disorders, poor sleep quality, and sleep deprivation. Moreover, night shift load was associated with chronic diseases risk factors, increasing body mass index and body fat, with more night shift density, increasing the occurrence of low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high triglyceride, triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio, and serum uric acid., Conclusion: The night shift load has become an occupational health concern, contributing to chronic diseases relevant metabolic risk factors and negative influence on sleep health. Focus on the strategies to improve the sleep quality of nurses undergoing night shift work, optimize work scheduling and ongoing monitor the relevant risk factors are essential to enhance the stability and well-being of the nursing workforce., Clinical Trials Registration Information: NCT04572347, on October 1, 2020. https://www., Clinicaltrials: gov/ct2/show/NCT04572347., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The origins of maize were the topic of vigorous debate for nearly a century, but neither the current genetic model nor earlier archaeological models account for the totality of available data, and recent work has highlighted the potential contribution of a wild relative, Zea mays ssp. mexicana . Our population genetic analysis reveals that the origin of modern maize can be traced to an admixture between ancient maize and Zea mays ssp. mexicana in the highlands of Mexico some 4000 years after domestication began. We show that variation in admixture is a key component of maize diversity, both at individual loci and for additive genetic variation underlying agronomic traits. Our results clarify the origin of modern maize and raise new questions about the anthropogenic mechanisms underlying dispersal throughout the Americas.

Background and Purpose: The management of older aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH) cases is a clinical challenge. This study aimed to analyse the survival and functional outcomes in older aSAH patients (age ≥ 70 years) to provide evidence for making treatment decisions for such patients., Methods: We performed a 2-year follow-up analysis of the Chinese Multi-Centre Cerebral Aneurysm Database for older patients suffering from aSAH from 2017 to 2020. A survival analysis was used to investigate the mean survival and hazard ratios for death. Binary logarithmic regression was performed to investigate the odds ratio for independent survival and dependent survival., Results: A total of 1,136 consecutive older patients with aSAH were assessed in this study, and 944 patients (83.1%) were followed up. The overall mean survival was 37.79 ± 1.04 months. A total of 380 (40.25%) patients died within 2 years after aSAH. In survival analysis, the predictors of mortality were older age, intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) history, Hunt-Hess (H-H) grade, World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) grade and operative treatment decreased the risk of mortality compared to conservative treatment. In binary logarithmic regression, the predictors of dependent survival were hypertension, diabetes, WFNS grade., Conclusions: The risk for 2-year mortality after aSAH increases markedly with older age, ICH history, H-H grade and WFNS grade. Risk factors for 2-year dependent survival were associated with hypertension, diabetes and WFNS grade in older patients with aSAH. Operative treatment markedly decreased mortality but did not significantly decrease the morbidity of dependent survival compared to conservative treatment., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Selection of the upper instrumented vertebra (UIV) is crucial for surgical treatment of degenerative lumbar scoliosis (DLS), given the relevance of UIV in postoperative proximal adjacent segment degeneration (pASD). Our previous research found that selection of UIV not lower than (≤) the first coronal reverse vertebra (FCRV), which marks the turning point of Hounsfield unit (HU) asymmetry, could significantly reduce pASD. However, the degree of HU asymmetry can vary among patients, suggesting a demand for more individualized UIV selection criteria, which we aimed to develop using quantitative HU measurement in the current study., Methods: We included 153 consecutive patients with DLS. Quantitative measurement of HU of both sides of the vertebrae of these patients was performed on three planes of CT reconstruction for average values and determination of FCRV. Pre- and postoperative X-ray plain films were examined for radiological measurements and determination of pASD. Further, 35 patients with lumbar disc herniation and without significant scoliosis were also included as the reference group, and their bilateral HU was measured., Results: In all 153 patients, those with UIV ≤ FCRV had a significantly lower rate of pASD (9.4% vs. 24.6%, P = 0.011). The difference between HU of the left and right sides of the FCRV (dF) could range from close to 0-59.4. The difference between HU of the left and right sides of the vertebrae in the reference group had an average value of 5.21. In 101 dF ≥ 5 DLS patients, those with UIV ≤ FCRV had a significantly lower rate of pASD (7.6% vs. 28.6%, P = 0.005), while this rate was insignificant in the other 52 dF < 5 patients (13.3% vs. 18.2%, P = 0.708). No other general, radiological, or operative parameter was found to have significant influence on the occurrence of pASD., Conclusions: Selection of UIV ≤ FCRV can significantly reduce the risk of pASD for patients with DLS with dF ≥ 5. Trial Registration Not applicable, since this is an observational study., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Insulin aspart (IAsp) and insulin degludec (IDeg), as the third generation of insulin, have a faster onset time or a more durable action period, which may simulate the secretion of insulin under physiological conditions. Microneedles (MNs) are transdermal delivery devices that may allow diabetic patients to easily deploy transdermal insulin therapy while considerably reducing injection pain. In this study, we investigated the combination of dissolving MNs with IAsp or IDeg therapy as an alternative to daily multiple insulin injections, aiming to improve glycemic control and patient compliance. Mechanical properties of the MNs, structural stability of insulin encapsulated in the MNs, and transdermal application characteristics were studied to assess the practicality of insulin-loaded MNs for diabetes therapy. In vivo experiments conducted on diabetic rats demonstrated that the IAsp- and IDeg-loaded MNs have comparable blood glucose control abilities to that of subcutaneous injections. In addition, the therapeutic properties of insulin-loaded MNs under diverse dietary conditions and application strategies were further investigated to provide new information to support future clinical trials. Taken together, the proposed MNs have the potential to improve balances between glycemic control, hypoglycemia risk, and convenience, providing patients with simpler regimens. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: 1. The fabricated functional insulin-loaded dissolving microneedles closely matched the glucose rise that occurs in response to meals, demonstrating promising alternatives for multiple daily insulin injections. 2. The hypoglycemic properties of insulin microneedles were investigated under diverse dietary conditions and application strategies, yielding new information to support future clinical trials. 3. Molecular dynamics simulations were utilized to study the interactions between the insulin and microneedle matrix materials, providing a strategy for theoretically understanding drug stability as well as the release mechanism of drug-loaded microneedles., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Circulating n -3 PUFA, which integrate endogenous and exogenous n -3 PUFA, can be better used to investigate the relationship between n -3 PUFA and disease. However, studies examining the associations between circulating n -3 PUFA and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk were limited, and the results remained inconclusive. This case–control study aimed to examine the association between serum n -3 PUFA and CRC risk in Chinese population. A total of 680 CRC cases and 680 sex- and age-matched (5-year interval) controls were included. Fatty acids were assayed by GC. OR and 95 % CI were calculated using multivariable logistic regression after adjustment for potential confounders. Higher level of serum α-linolenic acid (ALA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), DHA, long-chain n -3 PUFA and total n -3 PUFA were associated with lower odds of CRC. The adjusted OR and 95 % CI were 0·34 (0·24, 0·49, P for trend < 0·001) for ALA, 0·57 (0·40, 0·80, P for trend < 0·001) for DPA, 0·48 (0·34, 0·68, P for trend < 0·001) for DHA, 0·39 (0·27, 0·56, P for trend < 0·001) for long-chain n -3 PUFA and 0·31 (0·22, 0·45, P for trend < 0·001) for total n -3 PUFA comparing the highest with the lowest quartile. However, there was no statistically significant association between EPA and odds of CRC. Analysis stratified by sex showed that ALA, DHA, long-chain n -3 PUFA and total n -3 PUFA were inversely associated with odds of CRC in both sexes. This study indicated that serum ALA, DPA, DHA, long-chain n -3 PUFA and total n -3 PUFA were inversely associated with odds of having CRC in Chinese population.

Background: From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic until mid-October 2020, Malaysia recorded ~15,000 confirmed cases. But there could be undiagnosed cases due mainly to asymptomatic infections. Seroprevalence studies can better quantify underlying infection from SARS-CoV-2 by identifying humoral antibodies against the virus. This study was the first to determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in  Malaysia's general population, as well as the proportion of asymptomatic and undiagnosed infections., Methods: This cross-sectional seroprevalence study with a two-stage stratified random cluster sampling design included 5,131 representative community dwellers in Malaysia aged ≥1 year. Data collection lasted from 7 August to 11 October 2020 involving venous blood sampling and interviews for history of COVID-19 symptoms and diagnosis. Previous SARS-CoV-2 infection was defined as screened positive using the Wantai SARS-CoV-2 Total Antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and confirmed positive using the GenScript SARS-CoV-2 surrogate Virus Neutralization Test. We performed a complex sampling design analysis, calculating sample weights considering probabilities of selection, non-response rate and post-stratification weight., Results: The overall weighted prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was 0.49% (95%CI 0.28-0.85) (N = 150,857). Among the estimated population with past infection, around 84.1% (95%CI 58.84-95.12) (N = 126 826) were asymptomatic, and 90.1% (95%CI 67.06-97.58) (N = 135 866) were undiagnosed., Conclusions: Our study revealed a low pre-variant and pre-vaccination seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Malaysia up to mid-October 2020, with a considerable proportion of asymptomatic and undiagnosed cases. This led to subsequent adoption of SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid test kits to increase case detection rate and to reduce time to results and infection control measures., Competing Interests: All authors declared no conflict of interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: In 2022, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) updated its recommendation regarding hepatitis B vaccination and advised vaccination for all adults aged 19-59 regardless of risk factors and those 60 years and older with risk factors. Adults 60 years and older without known risk factors may also be vaccinated. Our project aimed to spread awareness of the updated hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination guideline and improve HBV vaccination rates among veterans in a resident-based primary care clinic., Methods: Preintervention data were collected from October to December 2021 and post intervention data were collected from March to May 2022; patients seen in the clinic during these months were included. Patients were considered immune against HBV if they had positive anti-hepatitis B surface antigen and susceptible to infection if the hepatitis B panel was negative. Interventions included educating each resident group regarding current guidelines via multifaceted modalities. In addition, a reminder for checking hepatitis B status was embedded in the veterans affairs (VA) electronic medical record., Results: In the preintervention period from October to December 2021, a total of 1242 veterans were seen. 532 veterans had previous screening for hepatitis B immunity in the chart with 378 veterans negative for hepatitis B surface antibody. Of those 378 veterans, only 35 were vaccinated against hepatitis B during the time period studied. In the postintervention period, 1174 veterans were seen and 559 had prior hepatitis B immunity screening with 430 veterans negative for hepatitis B surface antibody. Of the 430 veterans with no immunity against HBV, 123 received hepatitis B vaccination during the time period studied, which is an increase of greater than 20% in the number of veterans vaccinated., Discussion: Our data suggest that HBV vaccination rate was suboptimal among the veteran population. A low-cost intervention could be beneficial in integrating new vaccination guidelines in the VA standard of care. Increased awareness of the updated HBV vaccination guideline would likely help to achieve the goal of full vaccination among the veteran population., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Previous studies have shown that metabolic diseases are risk factors for thyroid disease; most studies are cross-sectional design. We aimed to evaluate the causal relationship between thyroid and metabolic diseases in a cohort of Chinese nurses., Methods: We conducted an ambispective cohort study of the National Nurses' Health Study. Thyroid disease data based on ultrasonography from 2017 to 2021 were collected. We described thyroid disease incidence and the risk factors associated with a cluster of metabolic factors. We used the Mann‒Whitney U test, repeated-measures ANOVA and multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression to analyze the data., Results: A total of 1529 female nurses without thyroid disease were enrolled in 2017, of which, complete data were available for 1269 nurses. In 2018-2020, thyroid nodule incidence ranged from 32.8%-46.3%, thyroiditis incidence was 13.4%-14.3%, and goiter incidence was 4.1%-29.1%, thyroid adenoma and thyroid tumors incidence were 0.1%-0.5% and 1%-1.5%. We also found that NAFLAD was an independent risk factor for thyroid adenoma ( p = .003). The age at diagnosis was an independent risk factor for goiter ( p <. 001) and thyroid nodules ( p < .001). Fasting blood glucose was an independent risk factor for thyroid tumors ( p = .004). The age at diagnosis ( p = .003), Body Mass Index ( p = .006) and menopause ( p = .031) were risk factors for thyroiditis., Conclusion: Thyroid disease incidence among nurses is increasing. Age at diagnosis, BMI, fasting blood glucose, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease are independent risk factors for different types of thyroid disease. This study provides evidence for future studies to further explore the pathogenesis and prevention of thyroid diseases.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is increasing worldwide. Although there is currently no completely curative treatment, helminthic therapy shows certain therapeutic potential for UC. Many studies have found that Trichinella spiralis (T.s) has a protective effect on UC, but the specific mechanism is still unclear., Methods: Balb/c mice drank dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) to induce acute colitis and then were treated with T.s. In vitro experiments, the LPS combination with ATP was used to induce the pyroptosis model, followed by intervention with crude protein from T.s (T.s cp). Additionally, the pyroptosis agonist of NSC or the pyroptosis inhibitor vx-765 was added to intervene to explore the role of pyroptosis in DSS-induced acute colitis. The degree of pyroptosis was evaluated by western blot, qPCR and IHC, etc., in vivo and in vitro., Results: T.s intervention significantly inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation and GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis by downregulating the expression of pyroptosis-related signatures in vitro (cellular inflammatory model) and in vivo (DSS-induced UC mice model). Furthermore, blockade of GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis by the caspase-1 inhibitor vx-765 has a similar therapeutic effect on DSS-induced UC mice with T.s intervention, thus indicating that T.s intervention alleviated DSS-induced UC in mice by inhibiting GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis., Conclusion: This study showed that T.s could alleviate the pathological severity UC via GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis, and it provides new insight into the mechanistic study and application of helminths in treating colitis., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. Colonoscopy is the gold standard for colorectal cancer screening. However, the colonoscopy participation rate in China is much lower than that in Europe and the United States. As only non-sedated colonoscopies are offered in colorectal cancer screening programs in China, the absence of sedation may contribute to this gap., Methods: To explore the effect of free and partially participant-paid sedated colonoscopy on improving colorectal screening participation, we conducted a cross-sectional study under the framework of the Cancer Screening Program in Urban China in Xuzhou from May 2017 to December 2020. The Quanshan district was set as the control group and provided free non-sedated colonoscopy, the Yunlong district was set as a partial cost coverage group and offered partially participant-paid sedated colonoscopy, and the Gulou district was set as the full cost coverage group and offered free sedation colonoscopies. Multivariate logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis of colonoscopy participation and colorectal lesion detection rates between the groups., Results: From May 2017 to May 2020, 81,358 participants were recruited and completed questionnaire, 7,868 subjects who met high-risk conditions for CRC were invited to undergo colonoscopy. The colonoscopy participation rates in the control group, partially cost coverage, and full cost coverage groups were 17.33% (594/3,428), 25.66% (542/2,112), and 34.41% (801/2,328), respectively. Subjects in the partial and full cost coverage groups had 1.66-fold (95% CI: 1.48-1.86) and 2.49-fold (95% CI: 2.23-2.76) increased rates compared with those in the control group. The adjusted PARs for the partially and the full cost coverage group was 9.08 (95% CI: 6.88-11.28) and 18.97 (95% CI: 16.51-21.42), respectively. The detection rates of CAN in the control, partial-cost coverage, and full-cost coverage groups were 3.54% (21/594), 2.95% (16/542), and 5.12% (41/801), respectively. There were no significant differences in the detection rates between the group. However, sedated colonoscopy increases costs., Conclusion: Sedated colonoscopy increased colonoscopy participation rates in both the partial and full cost-covered groups. A partial cost coverage strategy may be a good way to increase colorectal cancer participation rates and quickly establish a colorectal cancer screening strategy in underfunded areas., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Zhuo, Kong, Chen, Ma, Cai, Pan, Wang, Gao, Lu, Li, Zhao, Mackay, Dong, Zhuo and Dong.)

Objective: Previous studies have demonstrated that eating time and habits play key roles in human health. However, there is a paucity of research on the epidemiology of eating window and eating habits in China. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between eating window and eating habits among adults in mainland China and explore the factors influencing these parameters., Design: Cross-sectional study., Setting: A questionnaire comprising demographic data, metabolic index, eating window and eating habits was administered via the Internet., Participants: 1596 adults from mainland China., Results: Eating window of all participants was 13.03 ± 2.02 h (mean ± standard deviation [SD]), which was longer than previously reported in smaller more controlled studies from China. Area of residence and occupation were significant factors influencing eating window after controlling for other factors (area of residence: β, -0.499; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.897 to -0.101, p = 0.014; occupation: β, -0.309, 95% CI, -0.496 to -0.121, p = 0.001). Participants typically commenced eating at 08:00 h (interquartile range [IQR]: 8:00-9:00) and ceased eating at 20:00 h (IQR: 20:00-22:00). Regular meals which mean two or three meals per day regularly constituted the dominant eating pattern of participants (n = 1233, 77.3%) and 819 (51.1%) participants preferred cooking for themselves., Conclusion: This study revealed that eating window of adults in China generally around 13 h. Area of residence and occupation were the main factors influencing eating window. Our data provide a foundation for future studies on eating window and eating habits in China., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Statement of Problem: Previous studies have classified the sagittal root position of the maxillary anterior teeth and measured buccal plate thickness to aid treatment planning. A thin labial wall and buccal concavity may cause buccal perforation, dehiscence, or both in maxillary premolars. However, data on the restoration-driven principle to classify the maxillary premolar region are lacking., Purpose: The purpose of this clinical study was to investigate the occurrence of labial bone perforation and implantation into the maxillary sinus between various tooth-alveolar classifications with respect to the crown axis in maxillary premolars., Material and Methods: Cone beam computed tomography images of 399 participants (1596 teeth) were analyzed to determine the probability of labial bone perforation and implantation into the maxillary sinus when associated with variables that included tooth position and tooth-alveolar classification., Results: The morphology in the maxillary premolars was classified as straight, oblique, or boot-shaped. The first premolars were 62.3% straight, 37.0% oblique, and 0.8% boot-shaped, and labial bone perforation occurred in 4.2% (21 of 497) of the straight, 54.2% (160 of 295) of the oblique, and 83.3% (5 of 6) of the boot-shaped first premolars when the virtual implant was 3.5×10 mm. When the virtual tapered implant was 4.3×10 mm, labial bone perforation occurred in 8.5% (42 of 497) of the straight, 68.5% (202 of 295) of the oblique, and 83.3% (5 of 6) of the boot-shaped first premolars. The second premolars were 92.4% straight, 7.5% oblique, and 0.1% boot-shaped, and labial bone perforation occurred in 0.5% (4 of 737) of the straight, 33.3% (20 of 60) of the oblique, and 0% (0 of 1) of the boot-shaped, respectively, when the virtual tapered implant was 3.5×10 mm; and labial bone perforation occurred in 1.3% (10/737) of the straight, 53.3% (32/60) of the oblique, and 100% (1/1) of the boot-shaped second premolars when the virtual tapered implant was 4.3×10 mm., Conclusions: When an implant is placed in the long axis of a maxillary premolar, the tooth position and tooth-alveolar classification should be considered when assessing the risk of labial bone perforation. Attention should be paid to the implant direction, diameter, and length in the oblique and boot-shaped maxillary premolars., (Copyright © 2023 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bacterial keratitis (BK) is an ophthalmic infection caused by bacteria and poses a risk of blindness. Numerous drugs have been used to treat BK, the majority suffered from limited effect owing to their backward antimicrobial and delivery efficacy. Herein, we evaluated the antibacterial effect of a cationic carbon-based nanomaterial, i.e., imidazole-modified graphene quantum dots (IMZ-GQDs), which exhibits disinfection rates of >90% against three typical Gram-positive strains within 3 h owing to the loss of membrane integrity and decline in membrane potential. For ocular application, we further developed IMZ-GQDs-loaded dissolving microneedle patches (IMZ-GQDs MNs) via a typical two-step micromolding method. IMZ-GQDs MNs showed sufficient dissolution and penetration for intrastromal delivery in vitro and successfully overcome the rabbit corneal epithelial layer in vivo. The excellent biocompatibility of IMZ-GQDs MNs was demonstrated both in cell and animal models, and they exhibited low cytotoxicity, low invasiveness and low ocular irritation. The topical application of IMZ-GQDs MNs has the benefits of both high antibacterial activity and effective drug delivery, thereby leading to the resolution of Staphylococcus aureus-induced BK in rabbits in 7 days. Therefore, IMZ-GQDs MNs is a promising approach for BK treatment, which is safe and efficient., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: All authors disclose that there is no competing interest. All authors had no potential conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article.

Human retinal organoid transplantation could potentially be a treatment for degenerative retinal diseases. How the recipient retina regulates the survival, maturation, and proliferation of transplanted organoid cells is unknown. We transplanted human retinal organoid-derived cells into photoreceptor-deficient mice and conducted histology and single-cell RNA sequencing alongside time-matched cultured retinal organoids. Unexpectedly, we observed human cells that migrated into all recipient retinal layers and traveled long distances. Using an unbiased approach, we identified these cells as astrocytes and brain/spinal cord-like neural precursors that were absent or rare in stage-matched cultured organoids. In contrast, retinal progenitor-derived rods and cones remained in the subretinal space, maturing more rapidly than those in the cultured controls. These data suggest that recipient microenvironment promotes the maturation of transplanted photoreceptors while inducing or facilitating the survival of migratory cell populations that are not normally derived from retinal progenitors. These findings have important implications for potential cell-based treatments of retinal diseases., Competing Interests: Conflict of interests M.S.S. is/was a paid advisor to Revision Therapeutics, Johnson & Johnson, Third Rock Ventures, Bayer Healthcare, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, W. L. Gore & Associates, Deerfield, Trinity Partners, Kala Pharmaceuticals, Janssen, and Acucela. M.S.S. has received sponsored research support from Bayer for other research. S.B. receives research support from Genentech, is a co-founder and shareholder in CDI Labs, LLC, and is/was a consultant for Third Rock Ventures and Tenpoint Therapeutics. M.S.S. and R.J.J are co-founders and shareholders in Agnos Therapeutics. These arrangements have been reviewed and approved by the Johns Hopkins University in accordance with its conflict-of-interest policies. M.S.S., S.B., J.Q., R.J.J., Y.V.L., C.P.S., M.V.C.-S., M.F.-B., S.A.-D., and K.V.L. are named as inventors on patents or patent applications assigned to their respective universities., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The real structure and in situ evolution of catalysts under working conditions are of paramount importance, especially for bifunctional electrocatalysis. Here, we report asymmetric structural evolution and dynamic hydrogen-bonding promotion mechanism of an atomically dispersed electrocatalyst. Pyrolysis of Co/Ni-doped MAF-4/ZIF-8 yielded nitrogen-doped porous carbons functionalized by atomically dispersed Co-Ni dual-metal sites with an unprecedented N8V4 structure, which can serve as an efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting. More importantly, the electrocatalyst showed remarkable activation behavior due to the in situ oxidation of the carbon substrate to form C-OH groups. Density functional theory calculations suggested that the flexible C-OH groups can form reversible hydrogen bonds with the oxygen evolution reaction intermediates, giving a bridge between elementary reactions to break the conventional scaling relationship., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Helicobacter pylori (HP) is a major cause of upper digestive tract diseases. However, the relationship between HP infection and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels in children has not been fully elucidated. This study investigated the levels of 25(OH)D in children of different ages and with varying degrees of HP infection and immunological features as well as the correlations between 25(OH)D levels in children infected with HP and their ages and degrees of infection., Materials and Methods: Ninety-four children who underwent upper digestive endoscopy were divided into an HP-positive group without peptic ulcers (Group A), an HP-positive group with peptic ulcers (Group B) and an HP-negative control group (Group C). The serum levels of 25(OH)D and immunoglobulin and the percentages of lymphocyte subsets were determined. HP colonization, the degree of inflammation, and the degree of activity were further evaluated by HE staining and immunohistochemical staining in gastric mucosal biopsy., Results: The 25(OH)D level of the HP-positive groups (50.93 ± 16.51 nmol/L) was significantly lower than that of the HP-negative group (62.89 ± 19.18 nmol/L). The 25(OH)D level of Group B (47.79 ± 14.79 nmol/L) was lower than that of Group A (51.53 ± 17.05 nmol/L) and was significantly lower than that of Group C (62.89 ± 19.18 nmol/L). The 25(OH)D level decreased with increasing age, and there was a significant difference between Group C subjects who were ≤5 years old and those who were aged 6-9 years and ≥10 years. The 25(OH)D level was negatively correlated with HP colonization ( r  = -0.411, P  < 0.01) and the degree of inflammation ( r  = -0.456, P  < 0.01). The percentages of lymphocyte subsets and immunoglobulin levels among Groups A, B and C were not significantly different., Conclusions: The 25(OH)D level was negatively correlated with HP colonization and the degree of inflammation. As the age of the children increased, the level of 25(OH)D decreased, and the susceptibility to HP infection increased., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2023 Ma, Dai, Chu, Zhuo, Chen, Cheng, Wu and Yuan.)

Objective: To investigate the role of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the prognosis of prostate cancer (PCa)., Methods: The studies related to C-reactive protein and prostate cancer were searched by computer, including PubMed and Web of Science. The retrieval time was from the establishment of the database to August 2022. QUADAS score was employed to assess the studies' quality, funnel plot was employed to analyze the bias of the included studies, and RevMan and STATA statistical software programs were used to draw forest maps to represent the analysis results., Results: In the initial examination, 432 articles were obtained. After removing the duplicate articles, reading the abstract and theme, and then reading the full text, 12 articles finally met the inclusion criteria. The results revealed that serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were associated with overall survival (OS) in patients with PCa (OR = 1.47 [1.19, 1.82], P < 0.05), and patients with high CRP levels had an increased risk of developing prostate cancer (HR = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.23, 0.29). However, there was no obvious difference in circulating CRP levels between patients with prostate cancer and healthy controls ( P > 0.05)., Conclusions: CRP levels are associated with PCa patients' OS. High CRP levels have an elevated incidence of PCa, but there was no obvious distinction in circulating CRP levels between patients with prostate cancer and healthy controls. Therefore, C-reactive protein has certain reference value for judging the prognosis of prostate cancer., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Tian Liu and Lin Zhuo.)

Lung cancer is the most aggressive cancer with the highest mortality and incidence rates worldwide. MicroRNAs have been identified as potential targets for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment. However, the modulatory role of miR-514b-5p in NSCLC progression is little known. In the present study, miRNA expression datasets for NSCLC were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Ontology Omnibus databases. Gene expression was assessed using a quantitative real-time PCR, and western blot analysis and immunohistochemical staining was used to determine protein expression. Gain and loss of function experiments were performed to investigate the impact of miR-514b-5p and small glutamine-rich tetratricopeptide repeat-containing protein beta (SGTB) on cell proliferation and apoptosis. RNA immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase assays were performed to analyse the target gene of miR-514b-5p. The biological roles of miR-514b-5p were lastly evaluated using nude mouse tumorigenicity assays in vivo. We found that miR-514b-5p was dramatically increased in NSCLC tissues and higher miR-514b-5p expression was associated with poorer overall survival in NSCLC patients. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-514b-5p promoted NSCLC cell growth and suppressed apoptosis by inducing the activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT and p38 signalling pathways. Mechanistically, dual-luciferase and the RNA immunoprecipitation results highlighted that SGTB was a target gene of miR-514b-5p. Moreover, overexpression of SGTB reduced cell division and promoted apoptosis in vitro through blocking the PI3K/AKT and p38 signalling pathways. Our findings indicated that miR-514b-5p contributes to carcinoma progression in NSCLC via the PI3K/AKT and p38 signalling pathways by targeting SGTB and this could be a promising diagnostic and therapeutic target for the treatment of NSCLC., (© 2022 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.)

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and dementia cause heavy health burden in mainland China, where few studies have investigated the association between glucose-lowering agents and dementia risk. We aimed to assess the association between use of thiazolidinediones (TZDs) and dementia incidence in a mainland Chinese population with T2DM., Methods: A retrospective cohort of T2DM patients who were new users of TZDs or alpha glucosidase inhibitors (AGIs) was assembled using the Yinzhou Regional Health Care Database. A Cox model with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) for controlling potential founding was applied to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of the association between use of TZDs and dementia risk., Results: A total of 49 823 new users of AGIs and 12 752 new users of TZDs were included in the final cohort. In the primary analysis, the incidence of dementia was 195.7 and 78.2 per 100 000 person-years in users of AGIs and TZDs respectively. TZD use was associated with a reduced risk of incident dementia after adjusting for potential confounding using IPTW, with a HR of 0.51 (95% CI, 0.38-0.67). The results in various subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were consistent with the findings of the primary analysis., Conclusions: Use of TZDs is associated with a decreased risk of dementia incidence in a mainland Chinese population with T2DM., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Diabetes published by Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Background: Excision repair cross-complementing group 1 ( ERCC1 ) was considered a potential candidate gene for ischemic stroke, and its polymorphisms might be associated with the susceptibility to ischemic stroke., Methods: A total of 513 patients with ischemic stroke and 550 control subjects were recruited. The expression levels of ERCC1 messenger RNA (mRNA) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and its protein in plasma were detected by quantitative real-time PCR ( qPCR ) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA ), respectively. Rs3212986 polymorphism of ERCC1 was detected by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism ( RFLP-PCR ) and was confirmed by sequencing. The association between the ERCC1 rs3212986 polymorphism or its expression and ischemic stroke was further analyzed., Results: The ERCC1 mRNA level in patients with ischemic stroke was lower than that in the control group ( P < 0.05). However, the ERCC1 protein level in patients with ischemic stroke was higher than that in the control group ( P < 0.05). The A allele of rs3212986 was associated with increased ischemic stroke risk (OR = 1.287, 95% CI = 1.076-1.540, P = 0.006). The association between rs3212986 polymorphism and ischemic stroke susceptibility was found in both recessive (OR = 2.638, 95% CI = 1.744-3.989, P < 0.001) and additive models (OR = 1.309, 95% CI = 1.028-1.667, P = 0.031), respectively. Similar results were obtained in the recessive model (OR = 2.015, 95% CI = 1.087-3.704, P = 0.026) after adjusting for demographic information and other variables. Additionally, the level of ERCC1 mRNA in the CC/CA genotype was higher than that in the AA genotype ( P < 0.05)., Conclusion: It was suggested that the ERCC1 rs3212986 polymorphism was associated with ischemic stroke susceptibility in a Chinese Han population and that an A allele of rs3212986 was related to increased ischemic stroke risk. The altered ERCC1 expression level caused by the rs3212986 polymorphism might participate in the pathophysiological process of ischemic stroke., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Deng, Ke, Chen, Gao, Zhao, Zhang, Liu, Xiang, Wang, Ma and Liu.)

Background: Few studies have reported the burden of generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP), a severe and potentially life-threatening skin disease, especially at a national level., Objectives: The aim of this study is to estimate the nationwide burden of GPP in China and make a systemic review of the published data., Methods: We conducted a population-based study using Urban Basic Medical Insurance in China from 2012 to 2016. GPP cases were identified by primary diagnoses including the international classification of Diseases codes (ICD-10: L40.1 and ICD-9: 694.3). A systematic review was conducted using relevant databases up to January 2022., Results: The crude prevalence and incidence of GPP in 2016 were 1.403 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.115-1.691) and 0.629 (95% CI: 0.483-0.775) per 100,000 person-years, respectively. The rates were higher in males than in females for both prevalence (1.429 vs. 1.135) and incidence (0.635 vs. 0.520). The prevalence and incidence showed a bimodal age distribution, with the first peak occurring in the 0- to 3-year age-group and the second peak occurring in the 30- to 39-year age-group. The per capita total cost per year for 1 patient with GPP was 609.26 (± 45.77) US dollars. Seven studies were identified in a systematic review, according to which the prevalence (per 100,000) of GPP tended to be higher in Asian countries (0.746-8.178 in Japan and 12.230 in Korea) than in France (0.176), Sweden (6.25), and Brazil (0.7)., Conclusions: This is the largest study concerning the disease burden of GPP, and in this study, the prevalence seemed to be higher in Asia. Although the direct economic burden of GPP did not seem high during the study period, the future usage of biologics and the humanistic burden should also be considered for policy-related decision-making., (© 2023 S. Karger AG, Basel.)