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Aim: To explore the link between the RBP4 rs3758539 genotype and metabolic syndrome risk factors and whether the impact of this genetic variation displays any potential race discrepancy. Materials and Methods: This meta‐analysis followed the PRISMA guidelines and was registered with PROSPERO (registration no. CRD42023407999). PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Airiti Library and CINAHL databases were used for the study search until October 2023. We evaluated the methodological quality using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist and determined the correlation using a random‐effects meta‐analysis. Results: The results indicated that individuals with the rs3758539 GA/AA genotype had a higher risk profile, including lower high‐density lipoprotein levels [correlation: −0.045, 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.080 to −0.009, p =.015, I2 = 46.9%] and higher body mass index (correlation: 0.117, 95% CI: 0.036‐0.197, p =.005, I2 = 82.0%), body fat (correlation: 0.098, 95% CI: 0.004‐0.191, p =.041, I2 = 64.0%), and low‐density lipoprotein levels (correlation: 0.074, 95% CI: 0.010‐0.139, p =.024, I2 = 0%), of developing metabolic syndrome than those with the GG genotype. The subgroup analysis maintained a significantly positive correlation between the rs3758539 GA/AA genotype and body mass index (correlation: 0.163, 95% CI: 0.031‐0.289, p =.016, I2 = 88.9%) but a negative correlation with high‐density lipoprotein levels (correlation: −0.047, 95% CI: −0.087 to −0.006, p =.025, I2 = 65.7%) in the Asian group only. Conclusion: The current meta‐analysis supports a significant link between the RBP4 rs3758539 GA/AA genotype and the metabolic syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The efficacy of selenium supplementation was elusive for polycystic ovary syndrome. This meta-analysis aimed to explore the efficacy of selenium supplementation for polycystic ovary syndrome. Methods: PubMed, EMbase, Web of science, EBSCO, Cochrane library database, CNKI, Chongqing VIP database and Wanfang databases have been searched through July 2022 and we included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting the effect of selenium supplementation versus placebo in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. Results: Five RCTs were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with placebo group for polycystic ovary syndrome, selenium supplementation was associated with significantly reduced total testosterone (SMD=-0.42; 95% CI=-0.78 to −0.06; p = 0.02) and cholesterol (SMD=-0.71; 95% CI=-1.41 to −0.02; p = 0.04), but revealed no remarkable influence on SHBG (SMD=-0.52; 95% CI=-1.29 to 0.25; p = 0.19), triglyceride (SMD=-1.45; 95% CI=-3.62 to 0.73; p = 0.19), LDL (SMD=-0.17; 95% CI=-0.72 to 0.37; p = 0.53), FPG (SMD=-0.95; 95% CI=-3.72 to 1.82; p = 0.50) or HOMA-IR (SMD=-0.51; 95% CI=-3.79 to 2.77; p = 0.76). Conclusions: Selenium supplementation may be able to improve the metabolic response for polycystic ovary syndrome, and this finding should be interpreted with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a transmitter power amplifier (PA), the electrical output characteristics of gallium nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) are closely related to the drain current versus drain voltage (${I}_{d}$ – ${V}_{d}$) characteristics. Any abnormalities in the ${I}_{d}$ – ${V}_{d}$ characteristics will seriously affect device performance. Therefore, many groups have investigated the kink effect of GaN HEMTs. One of the commonly used measurement methods of the kink effect is the ${I}_{d}$ – ${V}_{d}$ forward and reverse sweep. In this study, we used the same method for Al2O3/Si3N4–AlGaN/GaN metal–insulator–semiconductor HEMT (MIS HEMT) devices. We found that not only did the kink effect occurred but ${I}_{d}$ also increased abnormally during the reverse sweep and after a series of electrical measurements. At the end of the forward sweep, impact ionization caused by a high ${V}_{d}$ generated electron–hole pairs and some holes accumulated under the gate region, which caused the negative shift of the threshold voltage (${V}_{\text{Th}}$), leading to an abnormal increase in ${I}_{d}$ during the reverse sweep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypertension is a major risk factor for stroke, atherosclerosis, and other cardiovascular diseases, and obesity is a major risk factor for hypertension. The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate sex differences in the correlations among obesity-related indices and incident hypertension in a large Taiwanese cohort. We included 21,466 enrollees in the Taiwan Biobank and followed them for 4 years. Of the 21,466 patients enrolled in this study, 6899 (mean age, 49.6 ± 10.9 years) were male and 14,567 (mean age, 49.7 ± 10.0 years) were female. Data on visceral adiposity index (VAI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), lipid accumulation product (LAP), conicity index (CI), body roundness index (BRI), body mass index (BMI), body adiposity index (BAI), and abdominal volume index (AVI) were collected and analyzed. The results showed that all of the studied obesity-related indices were significantly associated with incident hypertension. Among them, WHtR was the strongest predictor of hypertension in both sexes. In addition, interactions between VAI, LAP, CI, BMI, and AVI with sex on incident hypertension were also statistically significant. CI and AVI were more strongly associated with hypertension in the men than in the women, while VAI, LAP, and BMI were more strongly associated with hypertension in the women. In conclusion, the studied obesity-related indices were found to be predictors of incident hypertension, and there were differences in the associations between the male and female participants. Our findings may imply that reducing body weight may be associated with a lower risk of developing hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and cardiovascular (CV) biomarkers are correlated with clinical cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in patients with kidney disease. However, limited studies evaluated the relationship between baPWV and CV biomarkers in hemodialysis patients. This study investigated the relationship between circulating CV biomarkers and baPWV in patients on hemodialysis. Hemodialysis patients were enrolled between August 2016 and January 2017 for the measurement of baPWV, traditional CV biomarkers, including high-sensitivity troponin-T (hsTnT) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and novel CV biomarkers, including Galectin-3, Cathepsin D, placental growth factor, Endocan-1, and Fetuin-A. The independent association was assessed by multivariate-adjusted linear regression analysis to control for potential confounders. The final analysis included 176 patients (95 men and 81 women) with a mean age of 60 ± 11 y old. After adjusting for age and sex, hsTnT (p < 0.01), NT-proBNP (p = 0.01), Galectin-3 (p = 0.03), and Cathepsin D (p < 0.01) were significantly directly correlated with baPWV. The direct correlation with baPWV existed in multivariable linear regression models with a β of 0.1 for hsTnT and 0.1 for Cathepsin D. The direct relationship between baPWV and CV biomarkers, particularly with hsTnT and Cathepsin D, may be helpful for risk stratification of hemodialysis patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context Diet may be one of the modifiable environmental factors that could reduce depressive symptoms or abate the development of depression without side effects. However, previous reviews mainly focused on general adult populations. Objective The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to explore the association between healthy dietary patterns and depression risk in older adults. Data Sources Eight databases were searched up to September 2019. The inclusion criteria were older adults aged ≥ 65 years, healthy dietary patterns, depression assessed by a physician or by validated screening tools, and quantitative study design. Data Extraction Data were extracted independently by 2 researchers, and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guideline was followed. Data Analysis Meta-analysis was conducted by calculating the pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% CIs. A total of 18 eligible studies were meta-analyzed. Results showed that a healthy dietary pattern is associated with a reduced risk of depression in older adults (OR, 0.85; 95%CI, 0.78–0.92; P  <   0.001). There was high heterogeneity (I 2 = 64.9%; P  <   0.001) among the studies. Subgroup analyses indicated that sample size and depression screening tools were the main sources of study heterogeneity. Conclusions An inverse association between healthy dietary patterns and depression risk in older adults was found. However, the high heterogeneity among the studies should be considered. Systematic Review Registration PROSPERO registration no. CRD 42020169195. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to previous research, supercritical fluid nitridation (SCFN) treatment yields only a limited improvement in AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors due to the additional water molecules generated during the SCFN treatment, which reacts with dangling bonds of AlGaN/GaN causing undesirable oxidation, thereby affecting the reliability of the device. In this study, we performed an annealing (ANL) treatment post the SCFN treatment to obtain an ANL-SCFN device with improved electrical performance, owing to the fact that the ANL treatment decreases the gate current leakage and increases the reliability of the device. Furthermore, to verify the decrease in the number of defects in the AlGaN layer of the device after ANL, we conducted a reliability analysis of the negative bias voltage stress (NBS) to observe the deterioration in the output of the device. Previous studies state that the electrons generated through NBS trap the defects in the AlGaN layer, thereby decreasing the electrical properties of the device. However, this study showed that the degradation of the ANL-SCFN device reduced significantly after the NBS analysis, considering the amount of OFF-state leakage decreased due to the ANL treatment, which improved the switching characteristics of the device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past, gate turn-off (GTO) thyristors were commonly used to either increase the length of the drift region or reduce the doping concentration to increase high-voltage and high-power applications. However, this results in an on-resistance (Ron) increase. In this study, we applied a supercritical fluid (SCF) treatment to devices which has the advantage of high permeability and low-temperature processing to passivate SiC-GTO bulk defects. After the proposed defect passivation, the breakdown voltage has been improved by 8% without increasing on-state resistance. In addition, the leakage current has also been suppressed more than 30% in average. This study also uses electrical analysis to understand the characteristics of the devices after SCF treatment, and then discusses the passivation mechanism of materials of the devices from this treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common global health issue. Previous studies have revealed a higher prevalence of GERD in females than in males, however few studies have investigated sex differences in the risk factors associated with GERD. Therefore, the aim of this population-based study was to examine sex differences in the risk factors for GERD in a large cohort of over 120,000 Taiwanese participants. Methods: We enrolled 121,583 participants (male: 43,698; female: 77,885; mean age 49.9 ± 11.0 years) from the Taiwan Biobank. The presence of GERD was ascertained using self-reported questionnaires. Sex differences in the risk factors associated with GERD were examined using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results: The overall prevalence of GERD was 13.7%, including 13.0% in the male participants and 14.1% in the female participants (p < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed that older age, hypertension, smoking history, alcohol history, low fasting glucose, and low uric acid were significantly associated with GERD in the male participants. In the female participants, older age, diabetes, hypertension, smoking history, alcohol history, low systolic blood pressure, low fasting glucose, high hemoglobin, high total cholesterol, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low uric acid were significantly associated with GERD. Significant interactions were found between sex and age (p < 0.001), diabetes (p < 0.001), smoking history (p < 0.001), fasting glucose (p = 0.002), triglycerides (p = 0.001), HDL-C (p = 0.001), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (p = 0.002) on GERD. Conclusions: Our results showed a higher prevalence of GERD among females compared to males. Furthermore, sex differences were identified in the risk factors associated with GERD, and older age, diabetes, smoking history, and low HDL-C were more closely related to GERD in females than in males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is unclear whether the combined effects of exercise and nutrition are better than those of exercise alone or nutrition alone in older adults with sarcopenia. This paper assesses the comparative effects of exercise, nutrition, and the combination of exercise and nutrition on muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance in older adults with sarcopenia. In this systematic review and network meta-analysis, 11 electronic databases were searched up to November 2020. Inclusion criteria were: (1) adults aged 65 years and older with sarcopenia; (2) interventions of exercise, nutrition, or the combination of both; (3) the outcomes include at least one of the following: muscle mass, muscle strength (hand grip and knee extension strength), or physical performance (gait speed and dynamic balance); and (4) randomized control trials. For each outcome measurement, a network meta-analysis was conducted to determine the direct and indirect effects of each intervention compared with each of the other interventions. A total of 26 studies were included in the network meta-analysis. Compared with the control group, exercise alone and the combination of exercise and nutrition significantly increased handgrip strength (1.12 kg, 95% CI: 0.12, 2.11; 2.03 kg, 95% CI: 1.10, 2.97) and improved dynamic balance (-1.76 seconds, 95% CI: -2.24, -1.28; -1.02 seconds, 95% CI: -1.64, -0.39). Both exercise alone and the combination of exercise and nutrition have beneficial effects on muscle strength and physical performance in older adults with sarcopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates one of the process or element doping methods used to enhance the reliability of resistive random access memory (RRAM). A supercritical fluid process combines the advantages of the high permeability of gas with the solubility of liquids, and this novel process introduces water molecules into the supercritical fluid for oxidation in order to improve the resistance of random storage. In terms of reliability of the memory, while previous research has used an oxygen plasma treatment to improve RRAM device performance, this work performed a comparison of the two methods and found that the supercritical oxidation treatment can reduce the forming voltage by 25% and produce superior electrical operation, with an endurance test exhibiting an increase to 108 cycles and an improvement of 102. The material analysis confirmed that, during the resistance switching process, the switching layer was more oxidized after this novel supercritical oxidation, resulting in the reduction of operating current and improved reliability compared with the plasma oxidation device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dyslipidemia is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), however the relationship between dyslipidemia and mortality in patients with moderate to severe CKD remains controversial. Non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol has been reported to be a more accurate predictor of clinical outcomes than conventional lipid measurements. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate associations between non-HDL cholesterol and the risk of overall and cardiovascular mortality in patients with CKD stage 3–5. We enrolled 429 pre-dialysis patients with stage 3 to 5 CKD from May 2006 to January 2010. The patients were divided into four groups according to quartiles of non-HDL cholesterol. The patients were followed until death or until January 2020. During a median 11.6 years of follow-up, there were 78 (18.2%) deaths overall and 32 (7.5%) cardiovascular deaths. In adjusted models, the patients in quartile 1 (hazard ratio [HR] 3.368; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.388–8.176; p = 0.007), quartile 3 (HR 3.666; 95% CI 1.486–9.044; p = 0.005), and quartile 4 (HR 2.868; 95% CI 1.136–7.240; p = 0.026) of non-HDL cholesterol had a higher risk of overall mortality (vs. quartile 2). In addition, the patients in quartile 1 (HR 19.503; 95% CI 2.185–174.0925 p = 0.008), quartile 3 (HR 28.702; 95% CI 2.990–275.559; p = 0.004), and quartile 4 (HR 11.136; 95% CI 1.126–110.108; p = 0.039) had a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality (vs. quartile 2). Our study showed a U-shaped relationship between non-HDL cholesterol and the risk of overall and cardiovascular mortality in patients with CKD stage 3–5. Assessing non-HDL cholesterol may help to identify subjects at high-risk of adverse outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Energy requirements must be estimated before nutritional care can be provided for patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). However, the recommended caloric intake for patients has not been conclusively determined because of insufficiently large sample sizes. Method. This cross-sectional observational study recruited patients undergoing long-term HD from multiple centers as well as people in the general population without chronic kidney disease. People from both groups were matched by sex and age. Resting energy expenditure (REE) was estimated using an indirect calorimeter. Two commonly used equations for estimating REE and daily energy requirement recommended by the National Kidney Foundation's Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (K/DOQI) were chosen. Results. This study had 154 HD patients and 33 matched HD–control group pairs. Age (r = −0.36, p < 0.01) and dry body weight after dialysis (r = 0.54, p < 0.01) were identified as the primary factors affecting total energy expenditure (TEE). When compared with measured energy expenditure, the recommended equations for evaluating energy expenditure, namely, the Harris–Benedict, Schoenfeld, and K/DOQI-recommended equations, were biased and imprecise for HD patients of different sexes and body sizes. Moreover, the TEEs of HD patients (26.8 ± 5.5 kcal/kg/day) and the matched control patients (25.3 ± 5.1 kcal/kg/day) did not significantly differ. Conclusions. Age and dry body weight are the main factors affecting the energy expenditure of HD patients. Furthermore, predicting the energy expenditure of HD patients by measuring the energy expenditure of their sedentary counterparts in the general population with the same sex, age range, and weight may yield better results than using traditional equations for predicting TEE. In East Asian populations, the TEE values were 32 and 30 kcal/kg dry weight for those aged <65 and ≥65 years, respectively. Future prospective cohort studies with larger sample sizes are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The alternate healthy eating index has been associated with depression. However, results reported in the literature are inconsistent. The present meta-analysis determined the association between the AHEI or AHEI-2010 and depression in adults without chronic disease. Methods: Nine electronic databases and the reference lists of identified studies were systematically searched for studies published up to December 2016. Articles examining the association between depression and the AHEI or AHEI-2010 in adults were included. Results: We identified eight observational studies with 10 effect sizes involving a total of 38,360 participants. When both the AHEI and AHEI-2010 were considered, the dietary index score was associated with a significant reduction in depression risk (odds ratio OR=0.70, 95% confidence interval CI=0.57–0.87). However, the subgroup analysis indicated that the AHEI-2010 (OR=0.69, 95% CI=0.56–0.89), but not the AHEI (OR=0.60, 95% CI=0.30–1.17), was significantly associated with reduced odds of depression. The heterogeneity among the included studies was significantly high (Q=48.9, P<0.01, I2=81.60%). Discussion: Our findings suggest that the AHEI-2010 is associated with a reduction in depression risk. However, well-designed randomized controlled trials must be conducted to confirm the causal relationship between the AHEI-2010 and depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Learning Bayesian networks identify the presence pattern of in situ blue concrete. • Indoor radon measurements and environmental inventories are used for modeling. • Conditional probability and causal relationship of radioactive concrete are computed. • Predictive inference estimates the presence of radioactive concrete in buildings. • The method can advise risk-based inspection in potentially contaminated buildings. The undesirable legacy of radioactive concrete (blue concrete) in post-war dwellings contributes to increased indoor radon levels and health threats to occupants. Despite continuous decontamination efforts, blue concrete still remains in the Swedish building stock due to low traceability as the consequence of lacking systematic documentation in technical descriptions and drawings and resource-demanding large-scaled radiation screening. The paper aims to explore the predictive inference potential of learning Bayesian networks for evaluating the presence probability of blue concrete. By integrating blue concrete records from indoor radon measurements, pre-demolition audit inventories, and building registers, it is possible to estimate buildings with high probabilities of containing blue concrete and encode the dependent relationships between variables. The findings show that blue concrete is estimated to be present in more than 30% of existing buildings, more than the current expert assumptions of 18–20%. The probability of detecting blue concrete depends on the distance to historical blue concrete manufacturing plants, building class, and construction year, but it is independent of floor area and basements. Multifamily houses and buildings built between 1960 and 1968 or nearby manufacturing plants are more likely to contain blue concrete. Despite heuristic, the data-driven approach offers an overview of the extent and the probability distribution of blue concrete-prone buildings in the regional building stock. The paper contributes to method development for pattern identification for hazardous building materials, i.e., blue concrete, and the trained models can be used for risk-based inspection planning before renovation and selective demolition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many adults with diabetes mellitus are unaware worldwide. The study objectives aimed to evaluate the risk of dialysis within 5 years of diagnosis between patients with newly diagnosed diabetes with and without diabetes-related complications. A retrospective longitudinal nationwide cohort study was conducted. Patients diagnosed with diabetes between 2005 and 2013 were followed up until 2018. They were categorized based on the presence or absence of complications, the number of complications, and the diabetes complications severity index (DCSI) scores. Dialysis outcomes were determined through the Registry of Catastrophic Illness from the National Health Insurance Research Database. Among the analyzed patients, 25.38% had complications at diagnosis. Patients with complications at diagnosis had a significantly higher risk of dialysis within 5 years (adjusted hazard ratio: 9.55, 95% confidence interval CI 9.02–10.11). Increasing DCSI scores and the number of complications were associated with higher dialysis risks. Patients with one complication had a 7.26-times higher risk (95% CI 6.83–7.71), while those with ≥ 3 complications had a 36.12-times higher risk (95% CI 32.28–40.41). In conclusion, newly diagnosed diabetes patients with complications face an increased risk of dialysis within 5 years. The severity and number of complications are directly linked to the risk of dialysis within this timeframe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many adults with diabetes mellitus are unaware worldwide. The study objectives aimed to evaluate the risk of dialysis within 5 years of diagnosis between patients with newly diagnosed diabetes with and without diabetes-related complications. A retrospective longitudinal nationwide cohort study was conducted. Patients diagnosed with diabetes between 2005 and 2013 were followed up until 2018. They were categorized based on the presence or absence of complications, the number of complications, and the diabetes complications severity index (DCSI) scores. Dialysis outcomes were determined through the Registry of Catastrophic Illness from the National Health Insurance Research Database. Among the analyzed patients, 25.38% had complications at diagnosis. Patients with complications at diagnosis had a significantly higher risk of dialysis within 5 years (adjusted hazard ratio: 9.55, 95% confidence interval CI 9.02–10.11). Increasing DCSI scores and the number of complications were associated with higher dialysis risks. Patients with one complication had a 7.26-times higher risk (95% CI 6.83–7.71), while those with ≥ 3 complications had a 36.12-times higher risk (95% CI 32.28–40.41). In conclusion, newly diagnosed diabetes patients with complications face an increased risk of dialysis within 5 years. The severity and number of complications are directly linked to the risk of dialysis within this timeframe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In adolescence, life satisfaction is an early indicator of later psychological well‐being. However, researchers know little about how daily family relationships shape adolescent life satisfaction. The current study examined the day‐to‐day associations between parent–adolescent relationships and life satisfaction, and whether adolescent emotion dysregulation moderated these associations. Methods: A total of 191 adolescents (Mage = 12.93, SDage = 0.75, 53% female) recruited from junior high schools in Taiwan participated in a 10‐day daily diary protocol. We conducted multilevel analyses to examine within‐family and between‐family processes. Results: At the within‐family level, adolescents reported higher life satisfaction on days when parent–adolescent closeness was higher, but lower life satisfaction on days when parent–adolescent conflict was higher. At the between‐family level, higher parent–adolescent closeness was associated with greater life satisfaction on average, while parent–adolescent conflict was not related to adolescent life satisfaction. Cross‐level interactions indicated that within‐family changes in parent–adolescent closeness and conflict were only associated with life satisfaction for adolescents with higher levels of emotion dysregulation, indicating emotion dysregulation may intensify the role of daily parent–adolescent relationships in shaping adolescent life satisfaction. Conclusions: This study expands current literature and provides novel evidence that changes in day‐to‐day parent–adolescent relationships have important implications for adolescent life satisfaction, especially for youth higher in emotion dysregulation. The findings underscore the importance of evaluating family and individual characteristics to better support adolescent well‐being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peroxynitrite (ONOO − ) is an important species involved in many physiopathological processes. Progresses have been made in developing novel fluorescent probes to detect peroxynitrite with relatively high sensitivity and specificity. Herein, we report the synthesis, characterization and biological applications of a new boronate-based fluorescent probe, 4-MB. The studies showed that 4-MB exhibits a dual ratiometric and calorimetric response toward peroxynitrite due to ONOO − -triggered oxidative reaction. A possible mechanism of the oxidation reaction was proposed and the reaction product was isolated and characterized using different spectroscopic methods. We have thoroughly demonstrated the utility of 4-MB for intracellular peroxynitrite imaging. Further, we showed that 4-MB can be potentially employed to visualize exogenous and endogenous peroxynitrite in RAW264.7 macrophages, EAhy926 cells, zebrafish and in live tissues from a high-fat diet-induced obese mouse model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In the general population, a higher Alternate Healthy Eating Index ( AHEI)-2010 score is related to decreased cardiovascular disease ( CVD) risk. Few studies have described the dietary patterns that reduce the risk of CVD or coronary heart disease ( CHD) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2 DM) patients. In the present study, the association between the American Diabetes Association ( ADA)-recommended dietary pattern, AHEI-2010 , and CVD risk factors and the CVD incidence over 52 months in T2 DM patients was evaluated. Methods The ADA score was developed from the ADA dietary recommendations. In this prospective study, the 24-h dietary recall of 124 adult T2 DM patients without nephropathy or chronic kidney disease was collected. The CVD risk factors were collected at baseline and at 6-month follow-up. Results Compared with lower ADA and AHEI-2010 score participants, the higher score participants exhibited a significantly lower waist circumference, serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level and 10-year risk of CHD. Participants with higher ADA dietary scores had a significantly reduced risk of central obesity and systolic blood pressure >140 mmHg. Higher AHEI-2010 scores were significantly related to a reduced risk of serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol > 100 mg dL-1. Seven participants had their first-ever CVD during the follow-up period, although neither ADA score, nor AHEI-2010 score could predict CVD incidence. Conclusions The ADA-recommended dietary pattern and a higher AHEI-2010 score might both exhibit reduced risk factors of CVD in T2 DM patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this cross-sectional study, we hypothesized that hemodialysis patients consuming greater processed meat is associated with hypertension risk, which can be partly explained by the high sodium content in processed meat. From September 2013 to May 2014, one hundred and four patients requiring chronic hemodialysis treatment were recruited from hemodialysis centers. Data on systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure before receiving dialysis, and 3-day dietary records of the recruited patients were collected. HD patients with systolic and diastolic blood pressures greater than140 mmHg and higher than 90 mmHg, respectively, were considered hypertension risk. Protein foods were divided into 4 categories: red meat, white meat, soybeans, and processed meat (e.g., sausage and ham). In a model adjusted for energy intake and hypertension history, additional servings of processed meats was positively associated to systolic blood pressure >140 mmHg (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 2.1 [1.0–4.3]), and diastolic blood pressure > 90 mmHg (odds ratio: 2.5 [1.2–5.5]). After adjustment for dietary sodium contents or body mass index (BMI), most associations were substantially attenuated and were no longer significant. In systolic blood pressure greater than140 mmHg, one serving per day of red meats (β = -1.22, P < .05) and white meats (β = -0. 75, P = .05) was associated with a reduced risk compared with one serving per day of processed meats. Similarly, compared with one serving per day of processed meat, a reduced risk of diastolic blood pressure higher than 90 mmHg was associated with one serving per day of red meat (β = -1. 59, P < .05), white meat (β = -0. 62, P < .05). Thus, in these hemodialysis patients, intake of processed meat is significantly positively associated with higher blood pressure risk, and both sodium contents in processed meat and BMI significantly contributes to this association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combined use of rhodium and cinchona-based squaramide has first been introduced for asymmetric relay catalysis, enabling a highly enantioselective semipinacol rearrangement/Michael addition cascade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Icilin is recognized as a chemical agonist of nociceptors and can activate TRPM8 channels. However, whether this agent has any effects on immune cells remains unknown. In this study, the effects of icilin on ion currents were investigated in RAW 264.7 murine macrophage-like cells. Icilin (1-100 μM) increased the amplitude of nonselective (NS) cation current (INS) in a concentration-dependent manner with an EC50 value of 8.6 μM. LaCl3 (100 μM) or capsazepine (30 μM) reversed icilin-induced INS; however, neither apamin (200 nM) nor iberiotoxin (200 nM) had any effects on it. In cell-attached configuration, when the electrode was filled with icilin (30 μM), a unique population of NS cation channels were activated with single-channel conductance of 158 pS. With the use of a long-lasting ramp pulse protocol, increasing icilin concentration produced a left shift in the activation curve of NS channels, with no change in the slope factor of the curve. The probability of channel opening enhanced by icilin was increased by either elevated extracellular Ca2+ or application of ionomycin (10 μM), while it was reduced by BAPTA-AM (10 μM). Icilin-stimulated activity is associated with an increase in mean open time and a reduction in mean closed time. Under current-clamp conditions, icilin caused membrane depolarization. Therefore, icilin interacts with the TRPM8-like channel to increase INS and depolarizes the membrane in these cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Neuro-2a (N2a) cells are derived from spontaneous neuroblastoma of mouse and capable to differentiate into neuronal-like cells. Recently, P2X7 receptor has been shown to sustain growth of human neuroblastoma cells but its role during neuronal differentiation remains unexamined. We characterized the role of P2X7 receptors in the retinoic acid (RA)-differentiated N2a cells. RA induced N2a cells differentiation into neurite bearing and neuronal specific proteins, microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) and neuronal specific nuclear protein (NeuN), expressing neuronal-like cells. Interestingly, the RA-induced neuronal differentiation was associated with decreases in the expression and function of P2X7 receptors. Functional inhibition of P2X7 receptors by P2X7 receptor selective antagonists, 5′-triphosphate, periodate-oxidized 2′,3′-dialdehyde ATP (oATP), brilliant blue G (BBG) or A438079 induced neurite outgrowth. In addition, RA and oATP treatment stimulated the expression of neuron-specific class III beta-tubulin (TuJ1), and knockdown of P2X7 receptor expression by siRNA induced neurite outgrowth. To elucidate the possible mechanism, we found the levels of basal intracellular Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) were decreased in either RA- or oATP-differentiated or P2X7 receptor knockdown N2a cells. Simply cultured N2a cells in low Ca2+ medium induced a 2-fold increase in neurite length. Treatment of N2a cells with ATP hydrolase apyrase and the P2X7 receptors selective antagonist oATP or BBG decreased cell viability and cell number. Nevertheless, oATP but not BBG decreased cell proliferation and cell cycle progression. These results suggest for the first time that decreases in expression/function of P2X7 receptors are involved in neuronal differentiation. We provide additional evidence shown that the ATP release-activated P2X7 receptor is important in maintaining cell survival of N2a neuroblastoma cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often have cardiac functional and structural abnormalities which can lead to adverse cardiovascular outcomes. In this study, we investigated associations between diabetes mellitus (DM) and cardiac functional and structural parameters in patients with CKD focusing on aortic root diameter (ARD). We also investigated associations of renal outcomes with DM and cardiac functional and structural characteristics. We enrolled 419 patients with CKD stage 3–5 were enrolled. ARD was normalized to body surface area (BSA) (ARD/BSA), and the rate of decline in renal function was assessed by the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) slope (mL/min/1.73 m2/year). ARD/BSA ≥2.1 cm/m2 in men or ≥2.2 cm/m2 in women was defined as indicating aortic root dilatation. The patients with DM had lower ARD/BSA, higher left atrial dimension (LAD), lower left ventricular ejection fraction, lower ratio of peak early transmitral filling wave velocity to peak late transmitral filling wave velocity, and higher left ventricular relative wall thickness, than those without DM. After multivariable analysis, DM (vs. non-DM; coefficient β, −0.060; p = 0.018) was significantly associated with low ARD/BSA. Significantly fewer patients with DM had aortic root dilatation compared to those without DM (14.3% vs. 23.1%, p = 0.022). In the patients with DM, there were significant associations between a high left ventricular mass index (LVMI) (per 1 g/m2, β, −0.016; p = 0.040) and high LAD (per 1 cm; β, −1.965; p < 0.001) with a low eGFR slope. However, other parameters, including ARD/BSA, were not associated with eGFR slope. Furthermore, there were no associations between eGFR slope and any of the echocardiographic parameters in the patients without DM. Aortic root dilatation was attenuated in the patients with DM, but it was not associated with a decline in renal function. However, high LAD and LVMI were associated with rapid renal function decline in the CKD patients with DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Developed a drought analysis framework using SPI for parameter determination. • Copula and a Poisson process with long-term nonstationarity were integrated. • Proposed framework is able to applied in forecasting/generating synthetic droughts. • Helpful in issues associated with droughts and its preparedness. Droughts have been occurring with increased frequency and bringing with them considerable losses. Due to its nature, the best approach to monitoring and assessing droughts is in terms of stochastic theories. As a consequence, this study applied SPI in the hydrological drought detection, and examine/interpret drought-related phenomena. The 3-month SPI is used to decide the drought development and terminate phases based on the coincidence of hydrological drought and anomalies in precipitation. Four primary characteristics were determined to clarify the descriptions of drought magnitude and occurrence: duration, deficit, occurrence time and recurrence year. A stochastic process of drought is established to take account these characteristics using the copula function and a Poisson process as well as non-stationarity. Case study on the Shihmen and Zengwen reservoir watersheds in Taiwan revealed that hydrological drought events often coincide with meteorological drought, but some inconsistencies due to unusual hydrological hysteresis in rainfall and runoff. Our analysis raised several issues, including the choice of drought identification parameters and SPI time scale/ threshold, which should take into account anthropogenic activity and hydrological characteristics. A positive correlation between drought duration and drought deficit and a negative correlation between them and occurrence time were identified. It was also observed that subsequent drought event may be more severe due to the partial recovery of hydrological condition. In terms of non-stationarity, our results do not show strong evidence of long-term trend for drought characteristics. Some limitations could be due to the percentile-to-percentile basis of copula. This issue may need to be examined using non-stationary copula analysis or time-variant correlation-covariance models. In the end, we demonstrated that this framework can apply in forecasting drought conditions and generating synthetic droughts for use in the formulation of water resources management strategies and the development of drought preparedness plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Hyperuricemia is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and this may lead to poor cardiovascular (CV) outcomes. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess associations among serum uric acid (UA) and echocardiographic parameters, ankle-brachial index (ABI), and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) in patients with CKD. Methods. A total of 418 patients with CKD were included. The echocardiographic measurements included left atrial diameter (LAD), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and the ratio of observed to predict left ventricular mass (LVM). ABI, baPWV and medical records were obtained. Results. Multivariable forward logistic regression analysis showed that a high UA level was significantly associated with LAD > 47 mm (odds ratio [OR], 1.329; p = 0.002), observed/predicted LVM > 128% (OR, 1.198; p = 0.008) and LVEF < 50% (OR, 1.316; p = 0.002). No significant associations were found between UA and ABI < 0.9 or baPWV > 1822 cm/s. Multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis showed that a high UA level correlated with high LAD (unstandardized coefficient β, 0.767; p < 0.001), high observed/predicted LVM (unstandardized coefficient β, 4.791; p < 0.001) and low LVEF (unstandardized coefficient β, −1.126; p = 0.001). No significant associations between UA and low ABI and high baPWV were found. Conclusion. A high serum UA level was associated with a high LAD, high observed/predicted LVM and low LVEF in the patients with CKD. A high serum UA level may be correlated with abnormal echocardiographic parameters in patients with stage 3–5 CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often have structural abnormalities of the heart due to pressure and volume overload. The aim of this study was to evaluate associations between echocardiographic parameters and renal outcomes (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] slope and progression to dialysis) in patients with stage 3–5 CKD. This longitudinal study enrolled 419 patients. Changes in renal function were assessed using the eGFR slope. Rapid renal progression was defined as an eGFR slope < −3 mL/min/1.73 m2/year, and the renal endpoint was defined as commencing dialysis. Increased left atrial diameter (LAD), ratio of left ventricular mass to body surface area (LVM/BSA), ratio of LVM to height2.7 (LVM/ht2.7), and ratio of observed to predicted LVM (o/p LVM) were associated with eGFR slope in an adjusted model, but left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was not. Furthermore, LAD ≥ 4.7 cm, LVM/BSA > 115 g/m2 in males and > 95 g/m2 in females, and LVM/ht2.7 > 48 g/ht2.7 in males and > 44 g/ht2.7 in females were correlated with progression to dialysis, but o/p LVM and LVEF were not. The maximum change in χ2 change to predict renal outcomes was observed for LAD, followed by LVM/BSA and LVM/ht2.7. A large LAD and increased LVM, regardless of how it was measured (LVM/BSA, LVM/ht2.7 and o/p LVM), were correlated with adverse renal outcomes in patients with CKD stage 3–5. LAD had superior prognostic value to LVM and LVEF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor-interacting protein with a forkhead-associated domain (TIFA), a key regulator of inflammation, may be involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). A total of 48 PAH patients (age 50.1 ± 13.1 years, 22.9% men), 25 hypertensive subjects, and 26 healthy controls were enrolled. TIFA protein expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and plasma interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were measured. Pulmonary arterial hemodynamics were derived from right heart catheterization. PAH patients had the highest expression of TIFA, TNF-α, and IL-1β. TIFA protein expression was significantly associated with IL-1β (r = 0.94; P < 0.001), TNF-α (r = 0.93; P < 0.001), mean pulmonary artery pressure (r = 0.41; P = 0.006), and pulmonary vascular resistance (r = 0.41; P = 0.007). TIFA protein expression could independently predict the presence of PAH (odds ratio [95% confidence interval per-0.1 standard deviation]: 1.72 [1.37–2.16]; P < 0.001) and outperformed echocardiographic estimation. Ex vivo silencing of TIFA protein expression in PBMCs led to the suppression of the cellular expression of IL-1β and TNF-α. IL-1β and TNF-α mediated 80.4% and 56.6% of the causal relationship between TIFA and PAH, respectively, supporting the idea that TIFA protein is involved in the pathogenesis of PAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is a regular and recurring climatic phenomenon. Because of climate change and the increasing water demand, we have experienced higher drought deficit and severity in recent years. To evaluate the impact of the trend of drought, this study aims to develop an improved framework for streamflow drought analysis and simulation of the future conditions. Based on our proposed framework based on Copulas and Poisson process, this study firstly analyzes historical inflow data to estimate statistical parameters of drought. Secondly, we calculate three defined indices of the drought, drought duration, drought deficit, and interval time between droughts respectively. With statistical test, these three indices are found to be correlated. Following, the marginal distributions of these indices are estimated. Accordingly, this study constructs a stochastic model by three-dimensional Gaussian copulas to simulate the occurrence of drought events. In addition, to more appropriately simulate drought occurrences, a Poisson process is applied in this study to describe the occurrence between drought events. This simulation is based on the stationary assumption in current stage. In the future, we will consider the influence of climate change and simulate drought events under non-stationary condition. The results of this work can be utilized to support the decision or policy making processes in drought management.Keywords: drought analysis, copulas, poisson process [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expatriates play a critical role in the long‐term success of global organizations; however, expatriate assignments are risky endeavors, and not all employees are keen on such opportunities. Thus, it is critical that we examine the antecedents of employee willingness to expatriate. In this first such meta‐analysis, we drew on data from 55 studies (published in English and Traditional Chinese), and identified 22 antecedents. Results indicate that education, self‐efficacy, prior international experience, language skills, cultural intelligence, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, openness to experience, the importance of assignment value, financial support and career support were positively related to employee willingness to expatriate. Some societal differences were identified. We then discuss implications and offer future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parenting programs are the most common intervention for preventing the lethal form of child maltreatment, abusive head trauma (AHT). However, certain results of the effects of these programs have not yet been compared across studies. A systematic review with meta-analysis is warranted to quantitively synthesize the available evidence to identify effective elements and strategies of the programs for preventing AHT. This review aims to estimate AHT preventive parenting programs' pooled effect on the reduction of AHT incidence, the improvement of parental knowledge, and the increased use of safe strategies in response to infants' inconsolable crying. Studies published in English and Mandarin were searched and retained if they were randomized control trials (RCTs) or with a quasi-experimental design, included an AHT preventive parenting program, and provided data that quantified targeted outcomes. Eighteen studies were included in this review. AHT preventive parenting programs had a pooled effect on improving parents' knowledge and increasing the use of safe coping strategies in response to inconsolable crying but not on the incidence of AHT and parents' emotional self-regulation. Subgroup analyses showed that the intervention effects were mostly present across study designs or measurements and emerged in the reduction of AHT incidence compared with historical controls. The findings suggest that AHT preventive parenting programs enhance parenting knowledge and skills to provide safe care for infants. Further efforts to evaluate AHT parenting programs on the reduction of AHT incidence are necessary for decision-making on allocating and disseminating interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between sibling history, parental history and simultaneous sibling and parental history of diabetes, and the presence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components. Our study comprised 5000 participants from Taiwan Biobank until April, 2014. The participants were stratified into four groups according to sibling and/or parental family history (FH) of DM. MetS was defined as having 3 of the following 5 abnormalities based on the standard of the NCEP ATP III and modified criteria for Asians. The prevalence of MetS and its traits was estimated and compared among the four familial risk strata. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed participants with sibling FH of DM [vs. no FH of DM; odds ratio (OR) 1.815; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.293 to 2.548; p = 0.001], participants with parental FH of DM (vs. no FH of DM; OR 1.771; 95% CI 1.468 to 2.135; p < 0.001), and participants with simultaneous sibling and parental FH of DM (vs. no FH of DM; OR 2.961; 95% CI 2.108 to 4.161; p < 0.001) were significantly associated with MetS. A synergistic effect of sibling FH of DM and parental FH of DM on the association of MetS was also observed. In a nationally representative sample of Taiwan adults, a simultaneous sibling and parental history of diabetes shows a significant, independent association with MetS and its components, except for abdominal obesity. The association highlights the importance of obtaining stratified FH information in clinical practice and may help to identify individuals who should be targeted for screening and early prevention of MetS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Vascular calcification is common and associated with unfavorable outcomes among patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Nevertheless, little is known whether the progression of vascular calcification outweighs the baseline calcification in association with overall and cardiovascular (CV) mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Methods. This study included 140 maintenance HD patients. Vascular calcification was assessed using the aortic arch calcification (AoAC) score measured from chest radiographs at the baseline and the second year of follow-up. Progression of vascular calcification (ΔAoAC) was defined as the difference between the two measurements of AoAC. The association of ΔAoAC with overall and CV mortality was evaluated using multivariate Cox regression analysis. Results. During the mean follow-up period of 5.8 years, there were 49 (35%) overall mortality and 27 (19.3%) CV mortality. High brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity was positively correlated with ΔAoAC, whereas old age was negatively correlated with ΔAoAC. In multivariate adjusted Cox analysis, increased ΔAoAC (per 1 unit), but not baseline AoAC, was significantly associated with overall mortality (HR, 1.183; 95% CI, 1.056–1.327; p = 0.004) and CV mortality (HR, 1.194; 95% CI, 1.019–1.398; p = 0.028). Conclusion. Progression of AoAC outperformed the baseline AoAC in association with increased risk of overall and CV mortality in HD patients. A regular follow-up of chest radiograph and AoAC score assessments are simple and cost-effective to identify the high-risk individuals of unfavorable outcomes in maintenance HD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Peripheral neuropathy is a common neurological complication in uremic patients, and quantitative sensory testing (QST) is effective for diagnosis of small fiber neuropathy. Malnutrition and arterial stiffness are prevalent in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). The associations of small fiber neuropathy with nutritional status and arterial stiffness remain uncertain in maintenance HD patients. Methods. A total of 152 HD patients were included. Geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI), an indicator of nutritional status, was calculated by serum albumin and actual and ideal body weight. Arterial stiffness was defined as brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity baPWV > 1400 cm / s. Small fiber neuropathy was assessed by an abnormal QST threshold of cold and warm sensation in patients' hands or feet. Multivariate forward logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the associations among abnormal QST threshold, GNRI, and arterial stiffness. Results. baPWV and prevalence of abnormal QST threshold were significantly higher in diabetic patients. Multivariate logistic analyses revealed that older age (OR, 1.081; 95% CI, 1.026–1.139, p = 0.003) and male gender (OR, 4.450; 95% CI, 1.250–15.836, p = 0.021) were associated with abnormal warm threshold of hands. Furthermore, diabetes (OR, 3.966; 95% CI, 1.351–11.819, p = 0.012) and lower GNRI (per 1 unit increase, OR, 0.935, 95% CI, 0.887–0.985, p = 0.012) were associated with abnormal cold threshold of feet. Arterial stiffness (OR, 5.479, 95% CI, 1.132–22.870, p = 0.020) and higher calcium-phosphorus product (OR, 1.071, 95% CI, 1.013–1.132, p = 0.015) were associated with abnormal warm threshold of feet. Conclusions. Lower GNRI and arterial stiffness were significantly associated with small fiber neuropathy in patients undergoing HD. Malnutrition risk and vascular factors might play important roles in small fiber neuropathy among patients undergoing HD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The ratio of early mitral inflow velocity to the global diastolic strain rate (E/E'sr) and global longitudinal systolic strain (GLS) of the left ventricle (LV) are emerging indices of diastolic and systolic functions, respectively, for the LV. Their prognostic significance in the prediction of mortality and cardiovascular (CV) outcomes remains underexplored in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Methods. This prospective study included 190 maintenance HD patients. The E/E'sr ratio and GLS were assessed using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. The clinical outcomes included overall mortality, CV mortality, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). The associations between the E/E'sr ratio, GLS, and clinical outcomes were evaluated using multivariate Cox regression analysis. The incremental values of the E/E'sr ratio and GLS in outcome prediction were assessed by χ2 changes in Cox models. Results. Over a median follow-up period of 3.7 years, there were 35 overall deaths, 16 CV deaths, and 45 MACE. Impaired diastolic function with a higher E/E'sr ratio was associated with overall mortality (HR, 1.484; 95% CI, 1.201−1.834; p<0.001), CV mortality (HR, 1.584; 95% CI, 1.058–2.371; p=0.025), and MACE (HR, 1.205; 95% CI, 1.040−1.397; p=0.013) in multivariate adjusted Cox analysis. Worsening GLS was associated with overall mortality (HR, 1.276; 95% CI, 1.101−1.480; p=0.001), CV mortality (HR, 1.513; 95% CI, 1.088−2.104; p=0.014), and MACE (HR, 1.214; 95% CI, 1.103−1.337; p<0.001). The E/E'sr ratio and GLS had better outcome prediction than the E to early diastolic mitral annular velocity (E/E') ratio and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Moreover, adding the E/E'sr ratio and GLS to Cox models containing relevant clinical and conventional echocardiographic parameters improved the prediction of overall mortality (p<0.001), CV mortality (p<0.001), and MACE (p<0.001). Conclusion. The E/E'sr ratio and GLS, as emerging indices of LV diastolic and systolic functions, significantly predict mortality and CV outcomes and outperform conventional echocardiographic parameters in outcome prediction in HD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have an increased risk of both impaired cognitive function and peripheral artery disease (PAD) than the general population. The association between PAD and dementia is recognized, but there are limited studies in patients with ESRD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between ankle-brachial index (ABI) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and cognitive impairment in patients receiving hemodialysis (HD). We enrolled 136 prevalent HD patients (mean age 59.3±10.5 years, 55.9% male). Cognitive performance was measured using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) by trained psychiatrists. Associations between the cognitive function and ABI and baPWV were assessed using multiple linear regression analysis. Compared with HD patients with ABI≥0.9, patients with ABI<0.9 had lower MoCA score (p=0.027) and lower CASI score but did not achieve significant level (p=0.056). In the multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis, ABI (per 0.1) was independently positively associated with the MoCA score (β coefficient=0.62, p=0.011) and the CASI score (β coefficient=1.43, p=0.026). There is a negative association between baPWV (per 100 cm/s) and CASI (β coefficient=−0.70, p=0.009). In conclusion, a low ABI or high baPWV was associated with a lower cognitive function in HD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Fluid overload is common and associated with morbidity and mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease. The relationship between fluid overload and cardiac function is complex, and whether fluid overload is associated with adverse outcomes in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) independently of systolic and diastolic function of the left ventricle (LV) remains unclear. Methods: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between overhydration and all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) mortality after adjusting for LV function in 178 maintenance HD patients. The relative hydration status (overhydration/ extracellular water, ∆HS) was measured using a body composition monitor, and then used to assess the fluid status. A ∆HS ≥7% was defined as fluid overload. Global left ventricular longitudinal systolic strain (GLS), and the early filling and early diastolic mitral annular velocity (E/E') ratio were assessed using speckle-tracking and tissue Doppler echocardiography. Results: During a mean follow-up period of 2.7 years, 24 patients died, including 11 CV deaths. An increased ∆HS was significantly associated with all-cause and CV mortality in the univariate analysis. This prognostic significance remains after multivariate adjusting for GLS and E/E' ratio for all-cause (HR, 1.123; 95% CI, 1.063–1.186; p-value < 0.001) and CV (HR, 1.088; 95% CI, 1.005–1.178; p-value =0.037) mortality. Moreover, ∆HS significantly improved the prognostic value beyond conventional clinical and echocardiographic parameters. Conclusion: A higher ∆HS was independently associated with increased all-cause and CV mortality after adjusting for systolic and diastolic function of the LV. This suggests that ∆HS may be a relevant target for improving outcomes in maintenance HD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of hyperuricemia in Taiwan is high, and hyperuricemia has been associated with a risk of developing several diseases. Although the traditional risk factors for hyperuricemia are well known, the relationship between heavy metals and hyperuricemia is still undefined. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between hyperuricemia and heavy metals. A total of 2447 participants (977 males and 1470 females) residing in southern Taiwan were enrolled, and levels of the following heavy metals were measured: lead in blood, and nickel, chromium, manganese, arsenic (As), copper, and cadmium in urine. Hyperuricemia was defined as a serum uric acid level greater than 7.0 mg/dL (416.5 μmol/L) in men and 6.0 mg/dL (357 μmol/L) in women. The participants were divided into two groups: those without hyperuricemia (n = 1821; 74.4%) and those with hyperuricemia (n = 626; 25.6%). Multivariate analysis showed that only high urine As (log per 1 μg/g creatinine; odds ratio, 1.965; 95% confidence interval, 1.449 to 2.664; p < 0.001), young age, male sex, high body mass index, high hemoglobin, high triglycerides, and low estimated glomerular filtration rate were significantly associated with hyperuricemia. In addition, the interactions between Pb × Cd (p = 0.010), Ni × Cu (p = 0.002), and Cr × Cd (p = 0.001) on hyperuricemia were statistically significant. Increasing levels of Pb and Cr yielded an increased prevalence of hyperuricemia, and the effect was progressively greater for increasing Cd. Moreover, increasing levels of Ni yielded an increased prevalence of hyperuricemia, and the effect was progressively greater for increasing Cu. In conclusion, our results show that high urine As is associated with hyperuricemia, and some interactions of heavy metals on hyperuricemia are noted. We also found that young age, male sex, high BMI, high hemoglobin, high triglycerides, and low eGFR were significantly associated with hyperuricemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoporosis is a common disease, and the prevalence is increasing in patients with chronic respiratory diseases, with important implications with regard to fractures, hospitalization, and death. Due to inconsistent data and a lack of large cohort follow-up studies on the association between lung function and osteoporosis, the aim of this study was to investigate this issue. We enrolled and followed for a median of 4 years a total of 9059 participants with no history of smoking, bronchitis, emphysema, or asthma from the Taiwan Biobank. Spirometry data, including forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC), were used to assess lung function. Changes in the calcaneus ultrasound T-score (ΔT-score) were calculated as follow-up T-score—baseline T-score. A ΔT-score ≤ −3 (median value of ΔT-score) meant a fast decline in T-score. Multivariable analysis showed that lower values of FEV1 (β, 0.127, p < 0.001), FVC (β, 0.203, p < 0.001), and FEV1/FVC (β, 0.002, p = 0.013) were significantly associated with a low baseline T-score. In addition, after follow-up, higher values of FEV1 (odds ratio (OR), 1.146, p = 0.001), FVC (OR, 1.110, p = 0.042), and FEV1/FVC (OR, 1.004, p = 0.002) were significantly associated with ΔT-score ≤ −3. FEV1/FVC < 70% (OR, 0.838, p < 0.001) was significantly associated with ΔT-score ≤ −3. In conclusion, lower FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC were associated with a low baseline T-score, and higher FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC were associated with a rapid decline in T-score in follow-up. This suggests that lung disease may be associated with bone mineral density in the Taiwanese population with no history of smoking, bronchitis, emphysema, or asthma. Further research is needed to establish causality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gut dysbiosis can induce chronic inflammation and contribute to atherosclerosis and vascular calcification. The aortic arch calcification (AoAC) score is a simple, noninvasive, and semiquantitative assessment tool to evaluate vascular calcification on chest radiographs. Few studies have discussed the relationship between gut microbiota and AoAC. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the microbiota composition between patients with chronic diseases and high or low AoAC scores. A total of 186 patients (118 males and 68 females) with chronic diseases, including diabetes mellitus (80.6%), hypertension (75.3%), and chronic kidney disease (48.9%), were enrolled. Gut microbiota in fecal samples were analyzed by sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, and differences in microbial function were examined. The patients were divided into three groups according to AoAC score, including 103 patients in the low AoAC group (AoAC ≤ 3), 40 patients in the medium AoAC group (3 < AoAC ≤ 6), and 43 patients in the high AoAC group (AoAC > 6). Compared to the low AoAC group, the high AoAC group had a significantly lower microbial species diversity (Chao1 index and Shannon index) and increased microbial dysbiosis index. Beta diversity showed that the microbial community composition was significantly different among the three groups (p = 0.041, weighted UniFrac PCoA). A distinct microbial community structure was found in the patients with a low AoAC, with an increased abundance at the genus level of Agathobacter, Eubacterium coprostanoligenes group, Ruminococcaceae UCG-002, Barnesiella, Butyricimonas, Oscillibacter, Ruminococcaceae DTU089, and Oxalobacter. In addition, there was an increased relative abundance of class Bacilli in the high AoAC group. Our findings support the association between gut dysbiosis and the severity of AoAC in patients with chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents chemical equations related to the enantioselective semipinacol rearrangement/Michael addition cascade reaction under rhodium/chiral urea relay catalysis condition published in the journal "Organic Letters" in 2013.

Background: n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) might be useful nutritional strategy for treating patients with sarcopenia. We evaluated the effect of the intake of dietary n-3 PUFAs on the skeletal muscle mass (SMM), appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM), and its determinants in patients receiving standard hemodialysis (HD) treatment for the management of end stage renal disease. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data of 111 HD patients were analyzed. Anthropometric and bioelectrical impedance measurements used to estimate the muscle mass were performed the day of dialysis immediately after the dialysis session. Routine laboratory and 3-day dietary data were also collected. The cutoff value of adequate intake (AI) for both n-3 PUFAs and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) was 1.6 g/day and 1.1 g/day for men and women, respectively. Results: The mean age, mean dietary n-3 PUFAs intake, ALA intake, ratio of n-6/n-3 PUFAs intake, SMM, and ASM of patients were 61.4 ± 10.4 years, 2.0 ± 1.3 g/day, 1.5 ± 1.0 g/day, 9.5 ± 6.7 g/day, 23.9 ± 5.5 kg, and 17.5 ± 4.5 kg, respectively. A higher SMM and ASM significantly observed in patients who achieved an AI of n-3 PUFAs. Similar trends appeared to be observed among those patients who achieved the AI of ALA, but the difference was not significantly, except for ASM (P = 0.047). No relevant differences in demographics, laboratory and nutritional parameters were observed, regardless of whether the patients achieved an AI of n-3 PUFAs. Multivariate analysis showed that the BMI and equilibrated Kt/V were independent determinants of the muscle mass. Moreover, the ratio of n-6/n-3 PUFAs was an independent risk determinant of reduced ASM in HD patients. Conclusion: Patients with an AI of n-3 PUFAs had better total-body SMM and ASM. A higher dietary ratio of n-6/n-3 PUFAs seemed to be associated with a reduced muscle mass in HD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have reported inconsistent results regarding the associations between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and obesity-related indices and bone mineral density (BMD). However, no previous studies have reported these associations among hemodialysis (HD) patients. The aims of this study were to investigate associations between MetS and its components and BMD T-score in HD patients and also between obesity-related indices and BMD T-score in HD patients with and without MetS. MetS was defined according to the Adult Treatment Panel III for Asians, and BMD T-score was calculated using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Eight obesity-related indices were evaluated, including lipid accumulation product (LAP), visceral adiposity index (VAI), body adiposity index, conicity index (CI), body roundness index (BRI), abdominal volume index (AVI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), waist–hip ratio, and body mass index (BMI). One hundred and sixty-four patients undergoing HD were enrolled, and the prevalence of MetS was 61.6%. MetS was significantly associated with high lumbar spine and total hip T-scores. Regarding the MetS components, abdominal obesity and low HDL-C were significantly associated with high lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip T-scores; hypertriglyceridemia was significantly associated with high lumbar spine and total hip T-scores; hyperglycemia was significantly associated with a high lumbar spine T-score, whereas high blood pressure was not associated with T-score at any site. In the patients with MetS, BMI, WHtR, AVI, and BRI were significantly associated with T-score at all sites, and high CI, VAI, and LAP were also related to a high lumbar T-score. However, these indices were not associated with T-score at any site in patients without MetS. This study demonstrated positive associations between MetS and its five components and BMD T-score among HD patients. MetS, abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, and low HDL-cholesterol were associated with low risk of osteoporosis among the HD patients. Furthermore, we found that some obesity-related indices were associated with BMD T-score among HD patients with MetS but not in those without MetS. Our study highlights the importance of BMI, WHtR, AVI, and BRI in predicting the risk of osteoporosis among HD patients with MetS. In clinical practice, they can be easily calculated through simple anthropometric measurements and routine laboratory examinations and be used to quickly and conveniently assess the risk of osteoporosis among HD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effect of oxygen flow rates on the performance of the resistive random access memory (RRAM) of indium-tin-oxide (ITO)/ITO(O2)/TiN configuration. By using a co-sputtering deposition system with oxygen gas at different flow rates, oxygen-rich ITO thin films, such as the RRAM switching layer, can be realized. The relationship between oxygen flow rates and electrical characteristics is provided in this research. Further, the material analyses indicate that the oxygen exhibits different bonding characteristics. As a result, the device with the lower oxygen flow rate has better electrical characteristics and reliability. In addition, to explain the experimental results, the Schottky emission conduction mechanism for the high-resistance state and the Ohmic conduction mechanism for the low-resistance state are determined through the current fitting results, and appropriate models are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is an increasing global health issue. Peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD) is a common complication of diabetes, and it is a complex and costly disease. The association between type 2 DM and obesity is well known, however, the relationship between obesity and PAOD in patients with type 2 DM has yet to be elucidated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine associations between obesity-related indices and PAOD in patients with type 2 DM. A total of 1872 outpatients with type 2 DM were recruited from two hospitals in southern Taiwan. An ankle–brachial index (ABI) < 0.9 in either leg was considered to indicate the presence of PAOD. The following obesity-related indices were investigated: conicity index (CI), waist–hip ratio (WHR), body roundness index (BRI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), abdominal volume index, a body shape index (ABSI), visceral adiposity index (VAI), lipid accumulation product (LAP), body adiposity index, body mass index and triglyceride–glucose index. Overall, 4.1% of the enrolled patients had an ABI < 0.9. High values of the following obesity-related indices were significantly associated with a low ABI: WHtR (p = 0.045), VAI (p = 0.003), CI (p = 0.042), BRI (p = 0.021) and ABSI (p = 0.043). Furthermore, WHR (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.661), CI (AUC = 0.660) and LAP (AUC = 0.642) had the best performance (all p < 0.001) to predict PAOD. In conclusion, high WHtR, BRI, CI, VAI and BAI values were associated with a low ABI in the enrolled patients, and WHR, CI and LAP were the most powerful predictors of PAOD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have suggested that there may be common pathogenic pathways linking osteoporosis and metabolic syndrome (MetS) due to the multiple risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease caused by MetS. However, results on the association between MetS and bone health are inconsistent and sometimes contradictory. In this study, we aimed to investigate the associations between the effects of MetS risk factors and bone mineral density (BMD) T-score in a longitudinal study of 27,033 participants from the Taiwan Biobank with a follow-up period of 4 years. BMD of the calcaneus was measured in the non-dominant foot using ultrasound in the Taiwanese population. The overall prevalence rates of MetS were 16.7% (baseline) and 21.2% (follow-up). The participants were stratified into four groups according to the status of MetS (no/yes at baseline and follow-up). We investigated associations between MetS and its five components (baseline, follow-up) with BMD ΔT-score and found that the (no, yes) MetS group, (no, yes) abdominal obesity group, (no, yes) hypertriglyceridemia group, and (no, yes) low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol group had the lowest ΔT-score. Furthermore, in the (no, yes) MetS group, high Δwaist circumference (p = 0.009), high Δtriglycerides (p = 0.004), low ΔHDL cholesterol (p = 0.034), and low Δsystolic blood pressure (p = 0.020) were significantly associated with low ΔT-score, but Δfasting glucose was not. In conclusion, in this large population-based cohort study, our data provide evidence that the development of MetS is strongly associated with increased rates of BMD loss in the Taiwanese population. This suggests that the prevention of MetS should be taken into consideration in the prevention of osteoporosis in the Taiwanese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates an improvement in memory characteristics through depositing an In2O3 layer as an oxygen ion reservoir in the switching layer (SL) of resistive random access memory (RRAM). The deposition of In2O3, denoted as Pt/HfO2/In2O3/TiN device, provides better memory characteristics including lower forming voltage (VF), set/reset voltage (VSET/VRESET), larger memory window, and higher resistances with higher uniformity at low resistance state (LRS) and high resistance state (HRS), compared to the devices without the In2O3 deposition, denoted as Pt/HfO2/TiN device. The conduction mechanisms, verified through fitting current–voltage (I - V) curves, are consistent with the results of a varied temperature I - V experiment. Finally, a physical model is proposed to explain our observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acoustic cardiography can provide simultaneous electrocardiography and acoustic cardiac data to assess the electronic and mechanical heart functions. The aim of this study was to assess whether changes in acoustic cardiographic parameters (ACPs) before and after hemodialysis (HD) are associated with overall and cardiovascular (CV) mortality in HD patients. A total of 162 HD patients was enrolled and ACPs were measured before and after HD, including left ventricular systolic time (LVST), systolic dysfunction index (SDI), third (S3) and fourth (S4) heart sounds, and electromechanical activation time (EMAT). During a follow-up of 2.9 years, 25 deaths occurred with 16 from CV causes. Multivariate analysis showed that high △SDI (per 1; hazard ratio [HR], 2.178; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.189–3.990), high △EMAT (per 1%; HR, 2.218; 95% CI 1.382–3.559), and low △LVST (per 1 ms; HR, 0.947; 95% CI 0.912–0.984) were independently associated with increased overall mortality. In addition, high △EMAT (per 1%; HR, 2.141; 95% CI 1.117–4.102), and low △LVST (per 1 ms; HR, 0.777; 95% CI 0.637–0.949) were associated with increased CV mortality. In conclusion, the changes in ACPs before and after HD may be a useful clinical marker and stronger prognostic marker of overall and CV mortality than ACPs before HD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]