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AimsThis investigation explored the potential correlation between serum vitamin D concentration and diabetic kidney disease (DKD) among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).MethodsThis cross-sectional study assessed 4,570 patients with T2DM drawn from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) dataset. Restricted cubic splines were utilized to examine the dose–response relationship between serum vitamin D levels and the risk of DKD in patients with T2DM. Serum vitamin D concentrations were divided into quartiles for multivariable logistic regression analysis to evaluate the association between varying serum vitamin D levels and DKD risk in patients with T2DM. Additionally, sex-stratified analyses were conducted to determine consistency of the results. The influence of vitamin D concentrations on mortality risk was assessed using a Cox regression model.ResultsOf the patients with T2DM, 33% were diagnosed with DKD. Restricted cubic spline plots revealed a U-shaped relationship between vitamin D levels and DKD risk, with a protective effect noted in the mid-range, indicating optimal serum vitamin D concentrations between 59.6 nmol/L and 84.3 nmol/L. The multivariate Cox regression analysis suggested that higher VID levels were associated with a reduced mortality risk, particularly in male patients.ConclusionThe regulation and monitoring of serum vitamin D levels within an optimal range may play a pivotal role in the prevention of DKD in patients with T2DM. Public health strategies should emphasize the regular monitoring of vitamin D levels, especially among populations at elevated risk, to mitigate the progression of DKD and decrease the associated mortality rates.

Abstract Cardiac hypertrophy is a key factor driving heart failure (HF), yet its pathogenesis remains incompletely elucidated. Mettl1‐catalyzed RNA N7‐methylguanosine (m7G) modification has been implicated in ischemic cardiac injury and fibrosis. This study aims to elucidate the role of Mettl1 and the mechanism underlying non‐ischemic cardiac hypertrophy and HF. It is found that Mettl1 is upregulated in human failing hearts and hypertrophic murine hearts following transverse aortic constriction (TAC) and Angiotensin II (Ang II) infusion. YY1 acts as a transcriptional factor for Mettl1 during cardiac hypertrophy. Mettl1 knockout alleviates cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction upon pressure overload from TAC or Ang II stimulation. Conversely, cardiac‐specific overexpression of Mettl1 results in cardiac remodeling. Mechanically, Mettl1 increases SRSF9 expression by inducing m7G modification of SRSF9 mRNA, facilitating alternative splicing and stabilization of NFATc4, thereby promoting cardiac hypertrophy. Moreover, the knockdown of SRSF9 protects against TAC‐ or Mettl1‐induced cardiac hypertrophic phenotypes in vivo and in vitro. The study identifies Mettl1 as a crucial regulator of cardiac hypertrophy, providing a novel therapeutic target for HF.

Introduction: The ankle-foot exoskeleton has been demonstrated to help users resist anterior perturbation in the horizontal pelvis plane. However, its effects on perturbations in other directions remain unclear. This paper focuses on how the ankle-foot exoskeleton helps people resist perturbations coming from forward directions within the fan-shaped region in the pelvis horizontal plane.Methods: Firstly, we proposed and validated a hypothesis that the human torque ratio of inversion to plantar flexion torque would change with the perturbation directions of anterior (dir0) and 45° deviating from anterior to left (dir45). Subsequently, based on the regulation demand, we developed an ankle-foot exoskeleton that can adjust the torque ratio delivered to the human body by controlling the forces on two cross-arranged cables. Finally, we evaluated and compared the assistance performance of three powered assistive modes (NM, medBD, and latBD) with the unpowered one (UN) by setting different force pairs in two cables.Results: The results showed that, with the assistance, the margin of stability was increased and the standard deviations of ankle-foot segmental movements were decreased. Meanwhile, the biological inversion torque has a significant difference among the three assistive modes. Compared to the UN, the latBD was shown to reduce the biological inversion torque by 15.8% and 13.7% in response to the dir0 and dir45 perturbations, respectively, while the reductions for the NM and medBD were smaller. It was also observed that the torque ratios, generated by the human and the exoskeleton in latBD mode, differed by about 0.1 under dir0 and 0.08 under dir45, while the physiologically similarity of the exoskeleton torque ratio in NM and medBD modes were smaller. Based on the above results, we found that the more physiologically similar the exoskeleton torque ratio, the better the assistive performance.Discussion: The findings demonstrated that the torque-ratio-adjustable exoskeleton could support human resistance to perturbations coming from forward directions within a fan-shaped region in the pelvis horizontal plane and indicated that the exoskeleton’s torque ratio should be carefully modulated to match the ratio of the human under various environmental conditions for better assistive performance.

Background: Ticks are ectoparasites that feed on blood and pose a threat to both the livestock industry and public health due to their ability to transmit pathogens through biting. However, the impact of factors such as bloodmeal and geographic regions on the bacterial microbiota of Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis remains poorly understood. Methods: In this study, we used the v3-v4 region of the 16S rRNA gene to sequence the microbiota of Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis from eight groups (HY_M, YS_M, XH_M, LD_M, BM_M, LD_F_F, LD_F, and BM_F_F) in Qinghai Province. Results: Significant differences in bacterial richness were observed between LD_F_F, BM_F_F, and LD_F (P

Objective: To characterize the clinical and imaging features of circumscribed choroidal hemangioma (CCH), and to evaluate individualized treatment efficiency of photodynamic therapy (PDT), transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT), or their combination, followed by retrobulbar injection of betamethasone on CCH resolvement. Methods: Forty-nine patients with CCHs who underwent PDT, TTT or PDT+TTT treatments were retrospectively analyzed. Their treatment efficacy was compared by analyzing the change of best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), subretinal fluid (SRF) and CCH lesion characteristics. Results: PDT, TTT and PDT+TTT were respectively administrated in 17, 11 and 21 patients. No significant difference in age, gender, affected eyes and tumor location across the three groups. Baseline BCVA were 0.41 ± 0.28, 0.62 ± 0.30 and 0.24 ± 0.24 for PDT, TTT and PDT+TTT groups, respectively (F = 6.572, P = 0.003). CCH treated by three strategies showed significant difference in maximum tumor basal diameter, SRF areas and macula involvement prior to the treatment (P < 0.05). Patients receiving PDT+TTT exhibited larger tumor basal diameter, more SRF, higher ratio of macular involvement than other groups. A total of 38 (77.6 %) cases had good visual acidity with final BCVA ≥0.5 after treatments. PDT and PDT+TTT treatment groups acquired more vision improvement (0.27 ± 0.23 and 0.31 ± 0.26) in BCVA than TTT group (0.09 ± 0.13). All SRF were resolved within two weeks of treatment and no recurrent SRF were found. Conclusion: The three treatments showed good performance in improving visual function and controlling SRF, and individualized treatment should be selected primarily by the tumor location, and then the tumor size and presence of SRF.

Background & Aims: There are no studies investigating the direct effects of elevated xanthine oxidase (XO) on lipid metabolism disorders. Here, we aimed to clarify the role of XO in lipid metabolism in a prospective cohort study and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Methods: The association between serum XO activity and metabolic associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) was examined in Cox proportional hazard models in a population-based cohort of 3,358 participants (20–75 years) at baseline. In addition, mouse models were used to investigate the underlying mechanism for the association between overexpression of XO and the lipid metabolism disorders. Results: After an average 5.8 years of follow up, we found elevated serum XO activity was associated with an increased risk of developing MASLD (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.08; 95% CI: 1.44–3.01; p-trend

This study investigated the effects of different types of short video addiction on social adaptation. The aim of this study was to identify the various types of short video addiction among freshmen and the correlations with career adaptability, insomnia, and depressive symptoms. We recruited 931 freshmen and used latent profile analysis to classify participants based on different characteristics of short video addiction. Based on the results of a short video addiction questionnaire, participants were found to exhibit distinct answer patterns, categorized into five types. Class 1 exhibited minimal signs of addiction. Class 2 displayed fluctuations with stronger tendencies towards withdrawal or escape. Class 3 demonstrated a moderate inability to control cravings for short videos. Class 4 showed fluctuations but with less anxiety and feelings of lost. Finally, Class 5 presented the most pronounced symptoms of short video addiction. Freshmen with varying degrees of short video addiction exhibited significant differences in career adaptability, sleep quality, and depressive symptoms. Class 1 students showed strong career adaptability and sound sleep, whereas Class 5 students had the highest depression rates. Overall, our findings suggest that the characteristics of short video addiction in first-year students also indicate poor social adaptation, which is mainly manifested as weak career adaptability, decreased sleep quality, and depressive symptoms. One way to guide first-year students to adapt to campus life is for educators to provide timely interventions for students with severe short video addiction.

Immune dysfunction is a primary culprit behind spontaneous miscarriage (SM). To address this, immunosuppressive agents have emerged as a novel class of tocolytic drugs, modulating the maternal immune system's tolerance towards the embryo. Rapamycin (PubChem CID:5284616), a dual-purpose compound, functions as an immunosuppressive agent and triggers autophagy by targeting the mTOR pathway. Its efficacy in treating SM has garnered significant research interest in recent times. Autophagy, the cellular process of self-degradation and recycling, plays a pivotal role in numerous health conditions. Research indicates that autophagy is integral to endometrial decidualization, trophoblast invasion, and the proper functioning of decidual immune cells during a healthy pregnancy. Yet, in cases of SM, there is a dysregulation of the mTOR/autophagy axis in decidual stromal cells or immune cells at the maternal-fetal interface. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have highlighted the potential benefits of low-dose rapamycin in managing SM. However, given mTOR's critical role in energy metabolism, inhibiting it could potentially harm the pregnancy. Moreover, while low-dose rapamycin has been deemed safe for treating recurrent implant failure, its potential teratogenic effects remain uncertain due to insufficient data. In summary, rapamycin represents a double-edged sword in the treatment of SM, balancing its impact on autophagy and immune regulation. Further investigation is warranted to fully understand its implications.

Age-related skeletal muscle weakness deteriorate the prognosis of underlying diseases. Previous studies revealed that crude polysaccharides of Helvella leucopus (HLP) exhibited immunomodulatory, anti-aging and antioxidant activities. We studied the effect of HLP on myogenic differentiation of mouse myoblasts (C2C12). Cellular immunofluorescence staining was used to observe the changes of C2C12 myotubes after different doses of HLP intervention. qRT-PCR was conducted to quantitatively analyze the mRNA expression levels of myogenesis, mitochondrial quality control and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1-alpha (PGC1-α) after HLP treatment. Western blotting was conducted to quantitatively analyze the protein expression levels after HLP treatment. The increased differentiation of myoblasts and MyHC levels were found. It is worth noting that the expression of MFN2, Drp1 in mitochondrial dynamic of C2C12 cell-derived muscle fibers were observed to be increased. HLP stimulates myogenic differentiation in C2C12 cells which is associated with increased levels of genes involved in mitochondrial dynamics.

To address the limitations of natural enzymes, more and more artificial enzymes have been developed. As the most appropriate candidate, metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and MOFs-based derivatives have generated extensive interest due to their remarkable properties and potential applications in enzymes mimicry. In this work, Ce/Cu mixed metal oxides-carbon composite (CeCuOx/C) was synthesized through a simple oxidation method with bimetallic MOFs CeCu-BTC as precursors. It was found that the prepared CeCuOx/C possess four different enzyme-like activities, including peroxidase, oxidase, laccase and phosphatase mimetic activities. The kinetics parameters and potential influence factors of enzyme-like activities were studied and CeCuOx/C exhibited high catalytic activity, excellent stability, and reusability. Additionally, a cysteine detecting method was established via oxidase-like activity of CeCuOx/C. The linear response to the cysteine was in the range of 50 to 900 μM, and the limit of detection was 3.24 μM. The spiking recoveries were in the range 93.5–100.2 % for cysteine in artificial human urine samples and the relative standard deviations were found within the ranges of 1.2–2.9 %. This work presents a new approach for the design of multi-enzyme mimics and develops the potential of CeCuOx/C for biological sensing.

Due to their tunable acidity, shape selectivity, and excellent stability, zeolites are of great importance as solid acid materials in industrial catalysis. Tuning the properties of the acid sites in zeolites allows for the rational design and fabrication of catalysts for target reactions. Dimethyl ether (DME) carbonylation, a critical chain-growth reaction for C1 resource utilization, is selectively catalyzed by the Brønsted acid sites within the eight-membered rings (8-MRs) of mordenite (MOR). It is anticipated that strengthening the Brønsted acidity—particularly in 8-MRs—will improve the catalytic performance of MOR. In this work, density functional theory (DFT) calculations are first employed and the results used to design a modified MOR with stannum (Sn) and to predict the corresponding changes in acidity. Guided by the theoretical studies, a series of Sn-modified MOR are synthesized via a defect-engineering and subsequent heteroatom-substitution strategy. After partial desilication, isolated tetrahedral Sn species in an open configuration are successfully synthesized for the first time, within which tetrahedrally coordinated Al sites are preserved. An acidic characterization is used to confirm that the acidity of the Brønsted acid sites is enhanced by the introduction of the Sn species; as a result, the sample exhibits excellent activity in DME carbonylation reaction. Kinetic and DFT studies reveal that this strengthened acidity facilitates the adsorption of DME and reduces the activation barriers of DME dissociation and acetyl formation, accounting for the improved activity. The work demonstrates mechanistic insights into the promoting effects of strong acidity on DME carbonylation and offers a promising strategy to precisely control the acidic strength of zeolites.

Coal mining can cause the deformation, fracture, and movement of overlying strata from bottom to top, leading to surface subsidence and other problems. This is a mechanical process, so it is urgent to develop a movement theoretical model based on the mechanical mechanism of rock fracture. Firstly, this paper reviews some theoretical models of rock movement worldwide, and then focuses on our research progress in the field of overall rock movement theoretical models in recent years. Based on the mechanical analysis of the fracture morphology of different layers of rock and the results of similar simulation tests, an “analogous hyperbola” model for the overall movement of mining induced overlying strata was proposed, the focus of the model was approximately located in the layer of the main key stratum of the overlying strata. Furthermore, the overall model of “analogous hyperbola” inside and outside the strata movement was established, and the expression and physical significance parameter system for the internal and external movement of mining overlying rocks were provided. The evolution law of the “hyperbolic like” model for the overall movement of rock layers was analyzed based on different occurrence conditions of overlying rocks and coal seams. On this basis, further extending the two-dimensional “analogous hyperbola” model to the three-dimensional “analogous hyperboloid” model, the three-dimensional movement model of “analogous hyperboloid” in the whole space of mining overburden was established, which includes “quasi-single-leaf” and “quasi-double-leaf” hyperboloids. This theoretical model is based on the research of many predecessors and scholars in China, from the perspective of systems science, it considers the overall movement law of rock layers. A preliminary theoretical model framework of the “analogous hyperbola (hyperboloid)” theory for the overall movement of mining overburden has been formed, hoping to provide a theoretical guidance for scientific coal mining in China.

Anticancer chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide (CTX) is accompanied by toxic side effects such as bone marrow suppression and intestinal mucosal injury, which seriously affects the treatment tolerance and prognosis of patients. In recent years, polysaccharides have been used as detoxifying and synergistic adjuncts for antitumor drugs due to their anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and immunoregulatory activities. This paper systematically summarizes polysaccharide purification technologies, elaborates on the detoxification mechanism of polysaccharides on CTX from multiple perspectives such as immunomodulation, antioxidation, intestinal protection, liver and kidney protection, and reproductive system protection, and discusses the synergistic effect of polysaccharides with CTX by directly or indirectly killing tumors. Furthermore, the regulatory pathways of polysaccharides in cancer chemotherapy are summarized from two aspects: toxicity reduction and efficacy enhancement. We hope that this review could provide a reference for research on the mechanism of action of polysaccharides in reducing the toxicity and enhancing the efficacy of CTX, and provide new directions for reducing the toxic side effects of CTX.

Abstract Background Purple non-heading Chinese cabbage [Brassica campestris (syn. Brassica rapa) ssp. chinensis] has become popular because of its richness in anthocyanin. However, anthocyanin only accumulates in the upper epidermis of leaves. Further studies are needed to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the specific accumulation of it. Results In this study, we used the laser capture frozen section method (LCM) to divide purple (ZBC) and green (LBC) non-heading Chinese cabbage leaves into upper and lower epidermis parts (Pup represents the purple upper epidermis, Plow represents the purple lower epidermis, Gup represents the green upper epidermis, Glow represents the green lower epidermis). Through transcriptome sequencing, we found that the DIHYDROFLAVONOL 4-REDUCTASE-encoding gene BcDFR, is strongly expressed in Pup but hardly in others (Plow, Gup, Glow). Further, a deletion and insertion in the promoter of BcDFR in LBC were found, which may interfere with BcDFR expression. Subsequent analysis of gene structure and conserved structural domains showed that BcDFR is highly conserved in Brassica species. The predicted protein-protein interaction network of BcDFR suggests that it interacts with almost all functional proteins in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. Finally, the results of the tobacco transient expression also demonstrated that BcDFR promotes the synthesis and accumulation of anthocyanin. Conclusions BcDFR is specifically highly expressed on the upper epidermis of purple non-heading Chinese cabbage leaves and regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis and accumulation. Our study provides new insights into the functional analysis and transcriptional regulatory network of anthocyanin-related genes in purple non-heading Chinese cabbage.

Abstract Background Residential mobility is believed to influence the occurrence and development of cancer; however, the results are inconclusive. Furthermore, limited studies have been conducted on Asian populations. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between residential mobility and liver cancer risk among Chinese women. Methods We enrolled 72,818 women from urban Shanghai between 1996 and 2000, and then followed them until the end of 2016. Cox regression models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to assess the association between residential mobility and liver cancer risk. A linear trend test was conducted by ranking variables. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted, excluding participants with follow-up times of less than 2 years, to prevent potential bias. Results During the 1,269,765 person-years of follow-up, liver cancer was newly diagnosed in 259 patients. Domestic migration (HR = 1.47, 95% CI, 1.44–1.50), especially immigration to Shanghai (HR = 1.47, 95% CI, 1.44–1.50) was associated with an increased risk of liver cancer. In addition, migration frequency, age at initial migration and first immigration to Shanghai had linear trends with an increased liver cancer risk (P trend

Abstract Background To assess the age and timeline distribution of ocular axial length shortening among myopic children treated with photobiomodulation therapy in the real world situations. Methods Retrospective study of photobiomodulation therapy in Chinese children aged 4 to 13 years old where axial length measurements were recorded and assessed to determine effectiveness at two age groups (4 ∼ 8 years old group and 9 ∼ 13 years old group). Data was collected from myopic children who received photobiomodulation therapy for 6 ∼ 12 months. Effectiveness of myopia control was defined as any follow-up axial length ≤ baseline axial length, confirming a reduction in axial length. Independent t-test was used to compare the effectiveness of the younger group and the older group with SPSS 22.0. Results 342 myopic children were included with mean age 8.64 ± 2.20 years and baseline mean axial length of 24.41 ± 1.17 mm. There were 85.40%, 46.30%, 71.20% and 58.30% children with axial length shortening recorded at follow-up for 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months, respectively. With respect to the axial length shortened eyes, the mean axial length difference (standard deviation) was − 0.039 (0.11) mm, -0.032 (0.11) mm, -0.037 (0.12) mm, -0.028 (0.57) mm at 1, 3, 6, and 12-month follow-up, respectively. Greater AL shortening was observed among the older group who had longer baseline axial lengths than the younger group (P