Non-traditional risk factors for atrial fibrillation: epidemiology, mechanisms, and strategies.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) has become the pre-dominant arrhythmia worldwide and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Its pathogenesis is intricately linked to the deleterious impact of cardiovascular risk factors, emphasizing the pivotal imperative for early detection and mitigation strategies targeting these factors for the prevention of primary AF. While traditional risk factors are well recognized, an increasing number of novel risk factors have been identified in recent decades.

Early-life famine exposure, genetic susceptibility and risk of MAFLD in adulthood.

Objectives: Early-famine exposure was reported to be associated with metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD); however, it has not been fully elucidated whether the gene-famine interaction exist in this association. We aimed to investigate the association between early-life famine exposure in different genetic risk stratifications and the risk of MAFLD in adulthood.

Design, Setting, Participants, And Measurements: The study included 8213 participants from the SPECT-China study.

The immune checkpoint molecule B7-H4 regulates β-cell mass and insulin secretion by modulating cholesterol metabolism through Stat5 signalling.

Objective: B7-H4 (B7S1, B7x, VTCN1) is an important immune checkpoint molecule that maintains immune homeostasis and is also expressed in pancreatic β cells. The polymorphism of B7-H4 influences the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes (T2D), suggesting a potential role of B7-H4 in the physiological function of pancreatic β cells and the pathogenesis of T2D.

Methods: β-cell-specific B7-H4 knockout mice (B7-H4 cKO mice) and their wild-type littermates were used to investigate the in vivo effects of B7-H4 on pancreatic β-cell morphology and function.

Lead exposure and physical frailty in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: cross-sectional results from the METAL study.

Purpose: Chronic lead exposure continues to be a global environmental concern. Previous studies reported high levels of lead exposure in people with diabetes. Frailty is one of the vital comorbidities of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); however, researchers have not determined whether lead exposure is a risk factor for frailty in people with T2DM.

Association of night shift work and biological ageing: the mediating role of body mass index.

Background: We aimed to examine whether current and lifetime night shift work is associated with accelerated biological ageing and the potential role of body mass index (BMI) in mediating the association.

Methods: Data were sourced from the UK Biobank cohort. This study included participants who reported detailed information on their current work schedule and had complete data to calculate PhenoAge.

Accelerated biological aging, mediating amino acids, and risk of incident type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study.

Purpose: Aging plays an important role in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). But the association between accelerated biological age and T2DM, and the mechanisms underlying this association remains unclear. Thus, this study aimed to examine the associations of biological aging with T2DM, and explore the potential mediation effect of amino acids.

Nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomics with machine learning for predicting progression from prediabetes to diabetes.

Background: Identification of individuals with prediabetes who are at high risk of developing diabetes allows for precise interventions. We aimed to determine the role of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomic signature in predicting the progression from prediabetes to diabetes.

Methods: This prospective study included 13,489 participants with prediabetes who had metabolomic data from the UK Biobank.

Joint effects of physical frailty and traditional cardiovascular risk factor control on cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetes.

Objectives: Physical frailty has been found to increase the risk of multiple adverse outcomes including cardiovascular disease (CVD) in diabetic patients, but whether this could be modified by traditional risk factor control remains unknown. We aimed to explore the joint and interaction effects of frailty and traditional risk factor control on the risk of CVD.

Design: A population-based cohort study.

Physical Frailty, Genetic Predisposition, and Incident Heart Failure.

Background: There is growing interest in the intersection of frailty and heart failure (HF); however, large-sample longitudinal studies in the general population are lacking.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to examine the longitudinal relationship between frailty and incident HF, and whether age and genetic predisposition could modify this association.

Methods: This prospective cohort study included 340,541 participants (45.

Association patterns of ketone bodies with the risk of adverse outcomes according to diabetes status.

Aim: To investigate the associations between ketone bodies (KB) and multiple adverse outcomes including cardiovascular disease (CVD), chronic kidney disease (CKD) and all-cause mortality according to diabetes status.

Methods: This prospective study included 222 824 participants free from CVD and CKD at baseline from the UK Biobank. Total KB including β-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate and acetone were measured by nuclear magnetic resonance.

The versatile binding landscape of the TAAR1 pocket for LSD and other antipsychotic drug molecules.

Increasing global concerns about psychoactive substance addiction and psychotic disorders highlight the need for comprehensive research into the structure-function relationship governing ligand recognition between these substances and their receptors in the brain. Recent studies indicate the significant involvement of trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) in the signaling regulation of the hallucinogen lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and other antipsychotic drugs. This study presents structures of the TAAR1-Gs protein complex recognizing LSD, which exhibits a polypharmacological profile, and the partial agonist RO5263397, which is a drug candidate for schizophrenia and addiction.

The effects of vitamin D and gene polymorphisms on susceptibility to thyroid peroxidase antibody positivity.

Background: The etiology of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) involves genetic and environmental factors. There is a lack of clarity regarding the relationship between Vitamin D and HT. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Vitamin D and gene polymorphisms on thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) positivity.

Clinical risk factors and cancer risk of thyroid imaging reporting and data system category 4 A thyroid nodules.

Purpose: Beyond the Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TIRADS) classification of thyroid nodules, additional factors must be weighed in the decision to perform fine needle aspiration (FNA). In this study, we aimed to identify risk factors for malignancy in patients with ultrasound-classified Chinese-TIRADS (C-TIRADS) 4 A nodules.

Methods: Patients who underwent thyroid FNA at our institution between May 2021 and September 2022 were enrolled.

Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis Revealed Immune Checkpoint Genes Relevant to Type 2 Diabetes.

Objective: Chronic low-grade inflammation of the pancreatic islets is the characteristic of type 2 diabetes (T2D), and some of the immune checkpoints may play important roles in the pancreatic islet inflammation. Thus, we aim to explore the immune checkpoint genes (ICGs) associated with T2D, thereby revealing the role of ICGs in the pathogenesis of T2D based on bioinformatic analyses.

Methods: Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and immune checkpoint genes (ICGs) of islets between T2D and control group were screened from datasets of the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO).

A hybrid energy harvesting approach for transmission lines based on triboelectric nanogenerator and micro thermoelectric generator.

To effectively detect faults in transmission lines, monitoring the operating status of these lines is imperative. However, providing power to monitoring devices for transmission line status presents a significant challenge. In this research, a hybrid energy harvesting approach based on micro thermoelectric generator (MTEG) and triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is proposed, and a theoretical model for MTEG-TENG hybrid energy harvesting is established.

Long-term changes in frailty and incident type 2 diabetes: A prospective cohort study based on the UK Biobank.

Aims: To estimate the association between long-term changes in frailty and the risk of incident type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and to evaluate the effect of preventing the worsening of frailty on the risk of T2DM.

Methods: We included 348 205 participants free of baseline T2DM and with frailty phenotype (FP) data from the UK Biobank; among them, 36 175 had at least one follow-up assessment. According to their FP score, participants were grouped into nonfrailty, prefrailty and frailty groups.

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and risk of microvascular complications among patients with type 2 diabetes: a prospective study.

Background: Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) may disproportionately suffer the adverse cardiovascular effects of air pollution, but relevant evidence on microvascular outcome is lacking. We aimed to examine the association between air pollution exposure and the risk of microvascular complications among patients with T2D.

Methods: This prospective study included 17 995 participants with T2D who were free of macro- and micro-vascular complications at baseline from the UK Biobank.

Vitamin D Status, Vitamin D Receptor Polymorphisms, and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Context: Vitamin D status has been associated with risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D), but evidence is scarce regarding whether such relation differs by glycemic status.

Objective: To prospectively investigate the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and risk of incident T2D across the glycemic spectrum and the modification effect of genetic variants in the vitamin D receptor (VDR).

Methods: This prospective study included 379 699 participants without T2D at baseline from the UK Biobank.

Association of combined healthy lifestyle with risk of adverse outcomes in patients with prediabetes.

Objective: Prediabetes and lifestyle factors have been associated with the risks of multiple adverse outcomes, but the effect of a healthy lifestyle on prediabetes-related complications remains unknown. We aimed to investigate whether the risks of multiple adverse outcomes including incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and chronic kidney disease (CKD) among individuals with prediabetes can be offset by a broad combination of healthy lifestyle factors.

Methods: This prospective study used data from the UK Biobank cohort.

Birth weight, ideal cardiovascular health metrics in adulthood, and incident cardiovascular disease.

Background: Prenatal and postnatal factors may have joint effects on cardiovascular health, and we aimed to assess the joint association of birth weight and ideal cardiovascular health metrics (ICVHMs) prospectively in adulthood with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Methods: In the UK Biobank, 227,833 participants with data on ICVHM components and birth weight and without CVD at baseline were included. The ICVHMs included smoking, body mass index, physical activity, diet information, total cholesterol, blood pressure, and hemoglobin A1c.

Chromosome balanced translocation in newborn fetus founded during prenatal diagnosis: Three cases reports.

Rationale: Because of the normal phenotype, carriers of specific chromosomal translocations are often diagnosed only after their development of associated malignancies, recurrent miscarriages, and reproductive difficulties. In this paper, we report primary balanced fetal chromosomal translocations by performing the necessary invasive prenatal diagnosis in couples with previous malformations coupled with prenatal testing suggesting a high risk for trisomy 21.

Patient Concerns: Case 1 and Case 2 couples had malformed children, and Case 3 couples had a high risk of trisomy 21 on noninvasive preconception serological testing.