Association of childhood and adulthood socioeconomic status with frailty index trajectories: Using five-wave panel data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).

Background: The relationship between childhood and adulthood socioeconomic status (SES) and long-term frailty trajectories is unclear. We aimed to assess the frailty index (FI) dynamic trajectories and examine the associations between childhood and adulthood SES and frailty trajectories.

Methods: We included 7321 participants aged 45 and older from the 2011-2020 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).

Association of life's essential 8 and inflammatory biomarkers with nutritional anemia in UK adults.

Several modifiable health factors in Life's Essential 8 (LE8) are linked to nutritional anemia and can assess overall cardiovascular health (CVH). This study explored the associations of CVH measured by LE8 score with nutritional anemia and iron deficiency anemia (IDA), including the mediating role of inflammatory biomarkers. This prospective cohort study included 181,069 participants from UK Biobank.

Epigenome-wide association study of Chinese monozygotic twins identifies DNA methylation loci associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate.

Background: DNA methylation (DNAm) has been shown in multiple studies to be associated with the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). However, studies focusing on Chinese populations are lacking. We conducted an epigenome-wide association study to investigate the association between DNAm and eGFR in Chinese monozygotic twins.

Dietary Iron Intake and Mental and Behavioral Disorders Due to Use of Tobacco: A UK Biobank Study.

Background: Over 1 billion smokers worldwide, one-third of whom have mental and behavioral disorders, exist. However, factors influencing mental and behavioral disorders due to the use of tobacco remain largely unexplored. This study aims to investigate the relationship between dietary iron intake and mental and behavioral disorders due to the use of tobacco.

Genome-wide analysis in northern Chinese twins identifies twelve new susceptibility loci for pulmonary function.

Background: Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have established association between genetic variants and pulmonary function across various ethnics, whereas such associations are scarcely reported in Chinese adults. Therefore, we conducted an GWAS to explore relationships between genetic variants and pulmonary function among middle-aged Chinese dizygotic twins and further validated the top variants using data from the UK Biobank (UKB).

Methods: In the discovery phase, 139 dizygotic twin pairs were drawn from the Qingdao Twin Registry.

Identifying the Shared Metabolite Biomarkers and Potential Intervention Targets for Multiple Sarcopenia-Related Phenotypes.

The relationship between circulating metabolites and sarcopenia-related phenotypes remains unclear. We explored the causality between circulating metabolites and sarcopenia-related phenotypes. Instrumental variables for the human metabolome were derived from the recently published GWAS, which included 690 plasma metabolites.

Dietary factors and risk for adverse pregnancy outcome: A Mendelian randomization analysis.

This study aims to explore the link between dietary habits and adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs), including preterm birth (PB), preeclampsia (PE), gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), fetal growth restriction (FGR), and spontaneous abortion (SA) through two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR). We accessed publicly available genome-wide association studies' (GWAS) summary statistics for dietary habits and APOs, respectively. We used five MR methods to synthesize MR estimates across genetic instruments.

From darkness to light: Targeting CAFs as a new potential strategy for cancer treatment.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which are the most frequent stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), play a key role in the metastasis of tumor cells. Generally speaking, CAFs in cooperation with tumor cells can secrete various cytokines, proteins, growth factors, and metabolites to promote angiogenesis, mediate immune escape of tumor cells, enhance endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition, stimulate extracellular matrix remodeling, and preserve tumor cell stemness. These activities of CAFs provide a favorable exogenous pathway for tumor progression and metastasis, and a microenvironment that allows rapid growth of tumor cells, which always lead to poor prognosis for patients.

Ovarian carcinosarcoma with lung metastasis characterized by persistent fever: A case report and literature review.

Rationale: Ovarian carcinosarcoma (OCS) is a rare malignant tumor prone to distant metastasis. Primary manifestations include pelvic and/or abdominal pain, bloating, and compression. Nevertheless, it is uncommon for OCS to present primarily with persistent fever.

Portable, smartphone-linked, and miniaturized photonic resonator absorption microscope (PRAM Mini) for point-of-care diagnostics.

We report the design, development, and characterization of a miniaturized version of the photonic resonator absorption microscope (PRAM Mini), whose cost, size, and functionality are compatible with point-of-care (POC) diagnostic assay applications. Compared to previously reported versions of the PRAM instrument, the PRAM Mini components are integrated within an optical framework comprised of an acrylic breadboard and plastic alignment fixtures. The instrument incorporates a Raspberry Pi microprocessor and Bluetooth communication circuit board for wireless control and data connection to a linked smartphone.

Mutations in target gene confers resistance to acetolactate synthase inhibitors in Echinochloa phyllopogon.

Echinochloa phyllopogon is a noxious weed that can harm rice over prolonged periods. Recently, a penoxsulam-resistant variant of E. phyllopogon with a mutation in the acetolactate synthase (ALS) gene was collected in Northeastern China.

Impact of omega-3 fatty acids supplementation on lipid levels in pregnant women with previous pregnancy losses: a retrospective longitudinal study.

Objective: This research aims to investigate the impact of omega-3 fatty acids supplementation on the lipid levels of pregnant women who have experienced pregnancy losses.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed data from pregnant women with previous pregnancy losses from two medical centers. Their lipid profiles were measured at least twice during pregnancy.

Causal effects of female reproductive features on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A mendelian randomization study.

Background And Aims: Epidemiological evidence on the associations between female reproductive features and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is conflicting. To explore their causalities, we conducted a Mendelian randomization (MR) study.

Methods: Summary-level data were obtained, and univariable MR was performed to explore the causalities between female reproductive features and NAFLD.

Digital Immunoassay for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in a Broad Spectrum of Animals.

The ability of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to infect a wide-range of species raises significant concerns regarding both human-to-animal and animal-to-human transmission. There is an increasing demand for highly sensitive, rapid, and simple diagnostic assays that can detect viral infection across various species. In this study, we developed a biosensor assay that adapted a monoclonal-antibody (mAb)-based blocking ELISA format into an Activate Capture + Digital Counting (AC + DC)-based immunoassay.

Associations between oral health and depression and anxiety: A cross-sectional and prospective cohort study from the UK Biobank.

Aim: To investigate the associations between oral health and depression, anxiety and their comorbidity in the UK Biobank cohort.

Materials And Methods: Oral health problems were self-reported at baseline. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were assessed using the Mental Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4) in a cross-sectional study.

An epigenome-wide association study of waist circumference in Chinese monozygotic twins.

Objectives: Central obesity poses significant health risks because it increases susceptibility to multiple chronic diseases. Epigenetic features such as DNA methylation may be associated with specific obesity traits, which could help us understand how genetic and environmental factors interact to influence the development of obesity. This study aims to identify DNA methylation sites associated with the waist circumference (WC) in Northern Han Chinese population, and to elucidate potential causal relationships.

The impact of sunlight exposure on brain structural markers in the UK Biobank.

Sunlight is closely intertwined with daily life. It remains unclear whether there are associations between sunlight exposure and brain structural markers. General linear regression analysis was used to compare the differences in brain structural markers among different sunlight exposure time groups.

Identification of Key Genes and Imbalanced SNAREs Assembly in the Comorbidity of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Depression.

Background: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have increased odds of concurrent depression, indicating that the relationship between PCOS and depression is more likely to be comorbid. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we aimed to use bioinformatic analysis to screen for the genetic elements shared between PCOS and depression.

Mediation role of DNA methylation in association between handgrip strength and cognitive function in monozygotic twins.

Handgrip strength is a crucial indicator to monitor the change of cognitive function over time, but its mechanism still needs to be further explored. We sampled 59 monozygotic twin pairs to explore the potential mediating effect of DNA methylation (DNAm) on the association between handgrip strength and cognitive function. The initial step was the implementation of an epigenome-wide association analysis (EWAS) in the study participants, with the aim of identifying DNAm variations that are associated with handgrip strength.

Epigenome-wide association study identifies DNA methylation loci associated with handgrip strength in Chinese monozygotic twins.

The decline in muscle strength and function with aging is well recognized, but remains poorly characterized at the molecular level. Here, we report the epigenetic relationship between genome-wide DNA methylation and handgrip strength (HGS) among Chinese monozygotic (MZ) twins. DNA methylation (DNAm) profiling was conducted in whole blood samples through Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing method.

Association between famine exposure during infancy and childhood and the risk of chronic kidney disease in adulthood.

Background: Famine exposure in childhood is proven to be associated with multiple chornic disease in adult but has not been studied with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Aims: This study was conducted to identify the relationship between famine exposure during infancy and childhood - specifically, the Chinese famine of 1959-1961 - and the risk of adult-onset chronic kidney disease (CKD) among Chinese individuals.

Methods: This study included 2937 individuals from the Qingdao Diabetes Prevention Program.