Influence of Low Loadings of Cellulose Nanocrystals on the Simultaneously Enhanced Crystallization Rate, Mechanical Property, and Hydrophilicity of Biobased Poly(butylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate).

In this research, fully biobased composites consisting of poly(butylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PBF) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) were successfully prepared through a common solution and casting method. The influence of CNC on the crystallization behavior, mechanical property, and hydrophilicity of PBF was systematically investigated. Under different crystallization processes, the crystallization of PBF was obviously promoted by CNC as a biobased nucleating agent.

Differences in soil Cd immobilization and blockage of rice Cd uptake by biochar derived from crop residue and bone - A 2-year field experiment.

Biochar is widely recognized as an effective amendment for soils contaminated with cadmium (Cd). However, the properties and elemental compositions of biochar derived from different feedstocks may significantly impact the transfer of Cd in the soil-rice system. This study conducted a two-year field trial in Cd-contaminated paddy soil.

A water-soluble Gd(III)-based fluorescence/-MR dual-modality probe for HS sensing.

We present a water-soluble fluorescence/MR dual-modality probe NBD[Gd] for HS detection. It showed 88.4% of fluorescence quenching and a 36% reduction in upon exposure to HS.

Iron-modified biochars and their aging reduce soil cadmium mobility and inhibit rice cadmium uptake by promoting soil iron redox cycling.

Iron (Fe) modified biochar has been widely used for cadmium (Cd) contaminated soil remediation. However, the accompanying anions introduced during the modification process potentially affect the behavior of Cd in soil. In this study, we investigated the distinct Cd immobilization mechanisms by Fe(SO) modified biochar (FSBC) and Fe(NO) modified biochar (FNBC) in a two-year pot experiment.

The Serum NLRP1 Level and Coronary Artery Calcification: From Association to Development of a Risk-Prediction Nomogram.

Background: To investigate the correlation between inflammasomes and coronary artery calcification (CAC), and develop and validating a nomogram for predicting the risk of CAC in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: A total of 626 patients with CAD at the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into the calcification group and the non-calcification group based on the assessment of coronary calcification.

The Relationship Between the Serum NLRP3 and Adiponectin Levels and Coronary Lesions in Patients with Unstable Angina with Type 2 Diabetes.

Objective: To investigate the Levels of Nucleotide-binding, leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) and Adiponectin (APN) and their relationship with the severity of coronary artery disease in patients with Unstable Angina (UA) and Type 2 Diabetes (T2D).

Methods: Two hundred and thirty-one patients with UA were diagnosed by CAG in the Department of Cardiology of the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from July 2022 to May 2023 were included, and 74 healthy subjects were included as the control group. The levels of NLRP3 and APN in each group were detected by ELISA and the Gensini score in each patient according to the results of CAG.

Crystallization Behavior and Mechanical Property of Biodegradable Poly(butylene succinate--2-methyl succinate)/Cellulose Nanocrystals Composites.

Biodegradable poly(butylene succinate--2-methyl succinate) (PBSMS)/cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) composites were successfully prepared at low CNC loadings with the aims of improving crystallization and mechanical properties and extending the practical application of PBSMS. CNC is finely dispersed in the PBSMS matrix without obvious aggregations. The low content of CNC obviously promoted the crystallization behavior of PBSMS under different conditions.

Polyacrylamide/sodium alginate/sodium chloride photochromic hydrogel with high conductivity, anti-freezing property and fast response for information storage and electronic skin.

Photochromic hydrogels have promising prospects in areas such as wearable device, information encryption technology, optoelectronic display technology, and electronic skin. However, there are strict requirements for the properties of photochromic hydrogels in practical engineering applications, especially in some extreme application environments. The preparation of photochromic hydrogels with high transparency, high toughness, fast response, colour reversibility, excellent electrical conductivity, and anti-freezing property remains a challenge.

Analysis of blood methylation quantitative trait loci in East Asians reveals ancestry-specific impacts on complex traits.

Methylation quantitative trait loci (mQTLs) are essential for understanding the role of DNA methylation changes in genetic predisposition, yet they have not been fully characterized in East Asians (EAs). Here we identified mQTLs in whole blood from 3,523 Chinese individuals and replicated them in additional 1,858 Chinese individuals from two cohorts. Over 9% of mQTLs displayed specificity to EAs, facilitating the fine-mapping of EA-specific genetic associations, as shown for variants associated with height.

Spermidine attenuates monocrotaline-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension in rats by inhibiting purine metabolism and polyamine synthesis-associated vascular remodeling.

Ensuring the homeostatic integrity of pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs) is essential for combatting pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), as it equips the cells to withstand microenvironmental challenges. Spermidine (SPD), a potent facilitator of autophagy, has been identified as a significant contributor to PAECs function and survival. Despite SPD's observed benefits, a comprehensive understanding of its protective mechanisms has remained elusive.

Hydroxy-Safflower Yellow A Mitigates Vascular Remodeling in Rat Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

Purpose: The underlying causes of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) often remain obscure. Addressing PAH with effective treatments presents a formidable challenge. Studies have shown that Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) has a potential role in PAH, While the mechanism underlies its protective role is still unclear.

One independent or many independent? The relationship among self-construal, number of brand endorsers, and brand attitudes.

Introduction: It was common for brands to use different numbers of endorsers in marketing practice. Nevertheless, research on brand endorsers' quantity has not yielded a uniform consensus. The previous research about brand endorsers mainly focuses on the appeal of endorsement, brand category, and endorser characteristics, paying less attention to the impact of cultural factors, particularly self-construal.

Microvascular abnormalities induced by hand-transmitted vibration reflects in finger systolic blood pressure: a cross-sectional study in China.

Objective: Local vibration can cause microcirculatory abnormalities such as blood stasis and symmetrical intermittent digital artery vasospasm. Finger SBP (FSBP) measurement is a potential way of assessing vascular components. This study aims to comprehensively investigate the relationship between the occurrence of the vibration-induced white finger (VWF) and changes in FSBP and then set the application value of FSBP measurements in the early diagnosis of VWF.

COLOCdb: a comprehensive resource for multi-model colocalization of complex traits.

Large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have provided profound insights into complex traits and diseases. Yet, deciphering the fine-scale molecular mechanisms of how genetic variants manifest to cause the phenotypes remains a daunting task. Here, we present COLOCdb (https://ngdc.

TargetGene: a comprehensive database of cell-type-specific target genes for genetic variants.

Annotating genetic variants to their target genes is of great importance in unraveling the causal variants and genetic mechanisms that underlie complex diseases. However, disease-associated genetic variants are often located in non-coding regions and manifest context-specific effects, making it challenging to accurately identify the target genes and regulatory mechanisms. Here, we present TargetGene (https://ngdc.

PharmGWAS: a GWAS-based knowledgebase for drug repurposing.

Leveraging genetics insights to promote drug repurposing has become a promising and active strategy in pharmacology. Indeed, among the 50 drugs approved by FDA in 2021, two-thirds have genetically supported evidence. In this regard, the increasing amount of widely available genome-wide association studies (GWAS) datasets have provided substantial opportunities for drug repurposing based on genetics discoveries.

Chitosan-Based Self-Healing Hydrogel: From Fabrication to Biomedical Application.

Biocompatible self-healing hydrogels are new-generation smart soft materials that hold great promise in biomedical fields. Chitosan-based self-healing hydrogels, mainly prepared via dynamic imine bonds, have attracted broad attention due to their mild preparation conditions, excellent biocompatibility, and self-recovery ability under a physiological environment. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the design and fabrication of chitosan-based self-healing hydrogels, and summarize their biomedical applications in tissue regeneration, customized drug delivery, smart biosensors, and three/four dimensional (3D/4D) printing.

Novel loci for ocular axial length identified through extreme-phenotype genome-wide association study in Chinese populations.

Purpose: To investigate genetic loci associated with ocular axial length (AL) in the Chinese population.

Methods: A genome-wide association study meta-analysis was conducted in totalling 2644 Chinese individuals from 3 cohorts: the Guangzhou cohort (GZ, 537 high myopes and 151 hyperopes), Wenzhou cohort (334 high myopes and 6 hyperopes) and Guangzhou Twin Eye Study (1051 participants with normally distributed AL). Functional mapping was performed to annotate the significant signals, possible tissues and cell types by integrating available multiomics data.

Poly(vinyl alcohol) Modified via the Hantzsch Reaction for Biosafe Antioxidant Self-Healing Hydrogel.

Efficient routes for the preparation of functional self-healing hydrogels from functional polymers are needed. In this study, we developed a strategy to effectively produce a vanillin-modified poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA-vanillin) through the Hantzsch reaction. This polymer was cross-linked with a phenylboronic acid-containing polymer (PB) that was also prepared using the Hantzsch reaction to fabricate a hydrogel through borate ester linkages under mild conditions (25 °C, pH ∼ 7.

Vinculin Identified as a Potential Biomarker in Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome Based on iTRAQ and LC-MS/MS-Based Proteomic Analysis.

Local vibration can induce vascular injuries, one example is the hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) caused by hand-transmitted vibration (HTV). Little is known about the molecular mechanism of HAVS-induced vascular injuries. Herein, the iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation) followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) proteomics approach was applied to conduct the quantitative proteomic analysis of plasma from specimens with HTV exposure or HAVS diagnosis.

The Relationship between the Serum NLRP1 Level and Coronary Lesions in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: The pathogenesis of coronary artery disease is complex, and inflammation is one of the regulatory factors. The nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor protein 1 (NLRP1) plays an important role in the cellular inflammatory response, cell apoptosis, cell death, and autoimmune diseases. Whether the level of NLRP1 is related to the severity of coronary artery stenosis in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) has not been reported.

A Strategy for Accessing Trifluoromethyl Carbinol-Containing Chromones from -Hydroxyaryl Enaminones and Trifluoroacetaldehyde/Ketone Derivatives.

Herein, we present a practical strategy for the direct construction of structurally diverse trifluoromethyl carbinol-containing compounds, especially CF-substituted tertiary alcohol with chromone derivatives from easily available -hydroxyaryl enaminones and trifluoroacetaldehyde/ketone derivatives under metal-free conditions. This reaction features a broad substrate scope with good yields and is easily scaled up. Notably, a one-pot in two-steps reaction of obtained products with amidines is also developed to provide a series of multi-substituted pyrimidine derivatives bearing two unique hydroxyls and one trifluoromethyl containing functional units.

Combining genome-wide association studies highlight novel loci involved in human facial variation.

Standard genome-wide association studies (GWASs) rely on analyzing a single trait at a time. However, many human phenotypes are complex and composed by multiple correlated traits. Here we introduce C-GWAS, a method for combining GWAS summary statistics of multiple potentially correlated traits.

KLF9 Aggravates Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Cardiomyopathy by Inhibiting PPARγ/NRF2 Signalling.

Aims: Krüppel-like Factor 9 (KLF9) is a transcription factor that regulates multiple disease processes. Studies have focused on the role of KLF9 in the redox system. In this study, we aimed to explore the effect of KLF9 on diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Brain Catalog: a comprehensive resource for the genetic landscape of brain-related traits.

A broad range of complex phenotypes are related to dysfunctions in brain (hereafter referred to as brain-related traits), including various mental and behavioral disorders and diseases of the nervous system. These traits in general share overlapping symptoms, pathogenesis, and genetic components. Here, we present Brain Catalog (https://ngdc.