Acute Impact of Nonoptimal Ambient Temperatures on Plasma Levels of 3000 Proteins in Chinese Adults.

Nonoptimal ambient temperatures (i.e., cold and heat) are leading environmental determinants of major diseases worldwide, but the underlying pathological mechanisms are still poorly understood.

Associations of long-term nitrogen dioxide exposure with a wide spectrum of diseases: a prospective cohort study of 0·5 million Chinese adults.

Background: Little evidence is available on the long-term health effects of nitrogen dioxide (NO) in low-income and middle-income populations. We investigated the associations of long-term NO exposure with the incidence of a wide spectrum of disease outcomes, based on data from the China Kadoorie Biobank.

Methods: This prospective cohort study involved 512 724 Chinese adults aged 30-79 years recruited from ten areas of China during 2004-08.

Nepal Family Cohort study: a study protocol.

Introduction: The Nepal Family Cohort study uses a life course epidemiological approach to collect comprehensive data on children's and their parents' environmental, behavioural and metabolic risk factors. These factors can affect the overall development of children to adulthood and the onset of specific diseases. Among the many risk factors, exposure to air pollution and lifestyle factors during childhood may impact lung development and function, leading to the early onset of respiratory diseases.

CRISPR PERSIST-On enables heritable and fine-tunable human gene activation.

Current technologies for upregulation of endogenous genes use targeted artificial transcriptional activators but stable gene activation requires persistent expression of these synthetic factors. Although general "hit-and-run" strategies exist for inducing long-term silencing of endogenous genes using targeted artificial transcriptional repressors, to our knowledge no equivalent approach for gene activation has been described to date. Here we show stable gene activation can be achieved by harnessing endogenous transcription factors ( s) that are normally expressed in human cells.

MOSAIC enables saturation mutagenesis of genes and CRISPR prime editing guide RNA optimization in human cells.

CRISPR prime editing offers unprecedented versatility and precision for the installation of genetic edits . Here we describe the development and characterization of the Multiplexing Of Site-specific Alterations for Characterization ( ) method, which leverages a non-viral PCR-based prime editing method to enable rapid installation of thousands of defined edits in pooled fashion. We show that MOSAIC can be applied to perform saturation mutagenesis screens of: (1) the fusion gene, successfully identifying known and potentially new imatinib drug-resistance variants; and (2) the untranslated region (UTR), re-confirming non-coding regulatory elements involved in transcriptional initiation.

Active Compliance Smart Control Strategy of Hybrid Mechanism for Bonnet Polishing.

Compliance control strategies have been utilised for the ultraprecision polishing process for many years. Most researchers execute active compliance control strategies by employing impedance control law on a robot development platform. However, these methods are limited by the load capacity, positioning accuracy, and repeatability of polishing mechanisms.

Characterising personal, household, and community PM exposure in one urban and two rural communities in China.

Background: Cooking and heating in households contribute importantly to air pollution exposure worldwide. However, there is insufficient investigation of measured fine particulate matter (PM) exposure levels, variability, seasonality, and inter-spatial dynamics associated with these behaviours.

Methods: We undertook parallel measurements of personal, household (kitchen and living room), and community PM in summer (May-September 2017) and winter (November 2017-Janauary 2018) in 477 participants from one urban and two rural communities in China.

Long-term ambient air pollution exposure and cardio-respiratory disease in China: findings from a prospective cohort study.

Background: Existing evidence on long-term ambient air pollution (AAP) exposure and risk of cardio-respiratory diseases in China is mainly on mortality, and based on area average concentrations from fixed-site monitors for individual exposures. Substantial uncertainty persists, therefore, about the shape and strength of the relationship when assessed using more personalised individual exposure data. We aimed to examine the relationships between AAP exposure and risk of cardio-respiratory diseases using predicted local levels of AAP.

Association between incense burning and prenatal depressive symptoms: evidence from the Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study.

This study aimed to examine the association of incense burning alone, a source of indoor air pollution, and jointly with passive smoking, with prenatal depressive symptoms. Information on incense exposure and depressive symptoms were collected at both early and late pregnancy using questionnaires in the Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study. Mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to assess the associations of incense exposure separately, and together with passive smoking, with prenatal depressive symptoms.

Backbone amides are determinants of Cl selectivity in CLC ion channels.

Chloride homeostasis is regulated in all cellular compartments. CLC-type channels selectively transport Cl across biological membranes. It is proposed that side-chains of pore-lining residues determine Cl selectivity in CLC-type channels, but their spatial orientation and contributions to selectivity are not conserved.

Timing of infant formula introduction in relation to BMI and overweight at ages 1 and 3 years: the Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study (BIGCS).

Mounting evidence suggests that the first few months of life are critical for the development of obesity. The relationships between the timing of solid food introduction and the risk of childhood obesity have been examined previously; however, evidence for the association of timing of infant formula introduction remains scarce. This study aimed to examine whether the timing of infant formula introduction is associated with growth -scores and overweight at ages 1 and 3 years.

PIP-dependent coupling of voltage sensor and pore domains in K7.2 channel.

Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP) is a signaling lipid which regulates voltage-gated K7/KCNQ potassium channels. Altered PIP sensitivity of neuronal K7.2 channel is involved in KCNQ2 epileptic encephalopathy.

Long-term solid fuel use and risks of major eye diseases in China: A population-based cohort study of 486,532 adults.

Background: Over 3.5 billion individuals worldwide are exposed to household air pollution from solid fuel use. There is limited evidence from cohort studies on associations of solid fuel use with risks of major eye diseases, which cause substantial disease and economic burden globally.

Effectiveness of indoor air purification intervention in improving cardiovascular health: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Indoor air purifiers are increasingly marketed for their health benefits, but their cardiovascular effects remain unclear. We systematically reviewed and meta-analysed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the cardiovascular effects of indoor air purification interventions in humans of all ages. We searched Embase, Medline, PubMed, and Web of Science from inception to 22 August 2020.

Estimating ambient air pollutant levels in Suzhou through the SPDE approach with R-INLA.

Spatio-temporal models of ambient air pollution can be used to predict pollutant levels across a geographical region. These predictions may then be used as estimates of exposure for individuals in analyses of the health effects of air pollution. Integrated nested Laplace approximations is a method for Bayesian inference, and a fast alternative to Markov chain Monte Carlo methods.

Joint Associations Between Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference With Atrial Fibrillation in Men and Women.

Background Associations between adiposity and atrial fibrillation (AF) might differ between sexes. We aimed to determine precise estimates of the risk of AF by body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) in men and women. Methods and Results Between 2008 and 2013, over 3.

Development and Pilot Test of a Culturally Relevant Toolkit to Enhance Advance Care Planning With Chinese American Patients.

Background: First-generation Chinese American patients have low engagement in advance care planning (ACP). Among the causes may be clinician uncertainty about traditional cultural values.

Aim: Based on a survey identifying barriers to ACP among older ethnic Chinese American patients, we created a toolkit to support clinicians in culturally relevant ACP practices and conducted a pilot test to evaluate usability, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes.

PrimeDesign software for rapid and simplified design of prime editing guide RNAs.

Prime editing (PE) is a versatile genome editing technology, but design of the required guide RNAs is more complex than for standard CRISPR-based nucleases or base editors. Here we describe PrimeDesign, a user-friendly, end-to-end web application and command-line tool for the design of PE experiments. PrimeDesign can be used for single and combination editing applications, as well as genome-wide and saturation mutagenesis screens.

Prevalence of Psychological Symptoms in Community-Dwelling Chinese American Patients with Chronic Cancer Pain.

Cancer is common among older Chinese American immigrants. Psychological distress may be associated with cancer pain, yet prior studies have not examined this relationship. We conducted a secondary analysis of 514 Chinese Americans with cancer-related pain.

Increasing trends in incidence of preterm birth among 2.5 million newborns in Guangzhou, China, 2001 to 2016: an age-period-cohort analysis.

Background: The incidence of preterm birth (PTB, < 37 weeks of gestation) has been increasing in China and many other countries in recent years. However, the causes of the increase were not well understood. The current study aims to examine the contribution of maternal age, period of delivery, and maternal birth cohorts to long-term trends in preterm birth in Guangzhou, China.

The prevalence of psychological consequences of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

A systematic review and a meta-analysis were conducted to examine the overall prevalence of psychological health outcomes during COVID-19. Seven databases were systematically searched to include studies reporting on at least one psychological outcome. The pooled prevalence of primary psychological outcomes was 26% (95%CI: 21-32).