| 1. |
- Beal, Jacob, et al.
(author)
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Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density
- 2020
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In: Communications Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2399-3642. ; 3:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data.
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| 2. |
- Fenstermacher, M.E., et al.
(author)
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DIII-D research advancing the physics basis for optimizing the tokamak approach to fusion energy
- 2022
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In: Nuclear Fusion. - : IOP Publishing. - 0029-5515 .- 1741-4326. ; 62:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- DIII-D physics research addresses critical challenges for the operation of ITER and the next generation of fusion energy devices. This is done through a focus on innovations to provide solutions for high performance long pulse operation, coupled with fundamental plasma physics understanding and model validation, to drive scenario development by integrating high performance core and boundary plasmas. Substantial increases in off-axis current drive efficiency from an innovative top launch system for EC power, and in pressure broadening for Alfven eigenmode control from a co-/counter-I p steerable off-axis neutral beam, all improve the prospects for optimization of future long pulse/steady state high performance tokamak operation. Fundamental studies into the modes that drive the evolution of the pedestal pressure profile and electron vs ion heat flux validate predictive models of pedestal recovery after ELMs. Understanding the physics mechanisms of ELM control and density pumpout by 3D magnetic perturbation fields leads to confident predictions for ITER and future devices. Validated modeling of high-Z shattered pellet injection for disruption mitigation, runaway electron dissipation, and techniques for disruption prediction and avoidance including machine learning, give confidence in handling disruptivity for future devices. For the non-nuclear phase of ITER, two actuators are identified to lower the L-H threshold power in hydrogen plasmas. With this physics understanding and suite of capabilities, a high poloidal beta optimized-core scenario with an internal transport barrier that projects nearly to Q = 10 in ITER at ∼8 MA was coupled to a detached divertor, and a near super H-mode optimized-pedestal scenario with co-I p beam injection was coupled to a radiative divertor. The hybrid core scenario was achieved directly, without the need for anomalous current diffusion, using off-axis current drive actuators. Also, a controller to assess proximity to stability limits and regulate β N in the ITER baseline scenario, based on plasma response to probing 3D fields, was demonstrated. Finally, innovative tokamak operation using a negative triangularity shape showed many attractive features for future pilot plant operation.
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| 3. |
- Chen, DS, et al.
(author)
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Single cell atlas for 11 non-model mammals, reptiles and birds
- 2021
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In: Nature communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 12:1, s. 7083-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The availability of viral entry factors is a prerequisite for the cross-species transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Large-scale single-cell screening of animal cells could reveal the expression patterns of viral entry genes in different hosts. However, such exploration for SARS-CoV-2 remains limited. Here, we perform single-nucleus RNA sequencing for 11 non-model species, including pets (cat, dog, hamster, and lizard), livestock (goat and rabbit), poultry (duck and pigeon), and wildlife (pangolin, tiger, and deer), and investigated the co-expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2. Furthermore, cross-species analysis of the lung cell atlas of the studied mammals, reptiles, and birds reveals core developmental programs, critical connectomes, and conserved regulatory circuits among these evolutionarily distant species. Overall, our work provides a compendium of gene expression profiles for non-model animals, which could be employed to identify potential SARS-CoV-2 target cells and putative zoonotic reservoirs.
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| 4. |
- Hyun, Gyu Hwan, et al.
(author)
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Multivalent Carbohydrate Nanocomposites for Tumor Microenvironment Remodeling to Enhance Antitumor Immunity
- 2023
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In: ACS Nano. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1936-0851 .- 1936-086X. ; 17:12, s. 11567-11582
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Current cancer immunotherapeutic strategies mainly focus on remodeling the tumor microenvironment (TME) to make it favorable for antitumor immunity. Increasing attention has been paid to developing innovative immunomodulatory adjuvants that can restore weakened antitumor immunity by conferring immunogenicity to inflamed tumor tissues. Here, a galactan-enriched nanocomposite (Gal-NC) is developed from native carbohydrate structures through an optimized enzymatic transformation for effective, stable, and biosafe innate immunomodulation. Gal-NC is characterized as a carbohydrate nanoadjuvant with a macrophage-targeting feature. It is composed of repeating galactan glycopatterns derived from heteropolysaccharide structures of plant origin. The galactan repeats of Gal-NC function as multivalent pattern-recognition sites for Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Functionally, Gal-NC-mediated TLR activation induces the repolarization of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) toward immunostimulatory/tumoricidal M1-like phenotypes. Gal-NC increases the intratumoral population of cytotoxic T cells, the main effector cells of antitumor immunity, via re-educated TAMs. These TME alterations synergistically enhance the T-cell-mediated antitumor response induced by αPD-1 administration, suggesting that Gal-NC has potential value as an adjuvant for immune checkpoint blockade combination therapies. Thus, the Gal-NC model established herein suggests a glycoengineering strategy to design a carbohydrate-based nanocomposite for advanced cancer immunotherapies.
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| 5. |
- Kanoni, Stavroula, et al.
(author)
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Implicating genes, pleiotropy, and sexual dimorphism at blood lipid loci through multi-ancestry meta-analysis.
- 2022
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In: Genome biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1474-760X .- 1465-6906 .- 1474-7596. ; 23:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Genetic variants within nearly 1000 loci are known to contribute to modulation of blood lipid levels. However, the biological pathways underlying these associations are frequently unknown, limiting understanding of these findings and hindering downstream translational efforts such as drug target discovery.To expand our understanding of the underlying biological pathways and mechanisms controlling blood lipid levels, we leverage a large multi-ancestry meta-analysis (N=1,654,960) of blood lipids to prioritize putative causal genes for 2286 lipid associations using six gene prediction approaches. Using phenome-wide association (PheWAS) scans, we identify relationships of genetically predicted lipid levels to other diseases and conditions. We confirm known pleiotropic associations with cardiovascular phenotypes and determine novel associations, notably with cholelithiasis risk. We perform sex-stratified GWAS meta-analysis of lipid levels and show that 3-5% of autosomal lipid-associated loci demonstrate sex-biased effects. Finally, we report 21 novel lipid loci identified on the X chromosome. Many of the sex-biased autosomal and X chromosome lipid loci show pleiotropic associations with sex hormones, emphasizing the role of hormone regulation in lipid metabolism.Taken together, our findings provide insights into the biological mechanisms through which associated variants lead to altered lipid levels and potentially cardiovascular disease risk.
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| 6. |
- Lee, Chunsik, et al.
(author)
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VEGF-B prevents excessive angiogenesis by inhibiting FGF2/FGFR1 pathway
- 2023
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In: SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION AND TARGETED THERAPY. - : SPRINGERNATURE. - 2095-9907 .- 2059-3635. ; 8:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Although VEGF-B was discovered as a VEGF-A homolog a long time ago, the angiogenic effect of VEGF-B remains poorly understood with limited and diverse findings from different groups. Notwithstanding, drugs that inhibit VEGF-B together with other VEGF family members are being used to treat patients with various neovascular diseases. It is therefore critical to have a better understanding of the angiogenic effect of VEGF-B and the underlying mechanisms. Using comprehensive in vitro and in vivo methods and models, we reveal here for the first time an unexpected and surprising function of VEGF-B as an endogenous inhibitor of angiogenesis by inhibiting the FGF2/FGFR1 pathway when the latter is abundantly expressed. Mechanistically, we unveil that VEGF-B binds to FGFR1, induces FGFR1/VEGFR1 complex formation, and suppresses FGF2-induced Erk activation, and inhibits FGF2-driven angiogenesis and tumor growth. Our work uncovers a previously unrecognized novel function of VEGF-B in tethering the FGF2/FGFR1 pathway. Given the anti-angiogenic nature of VEGF-B under conditions of high FGF2/FGFR1 levels, caution is warranted when modulating VEGF-B activity to treat neovascular diseases.
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| 7. |
- Mahajan, Anubha, et al.
(author)
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Multi-ancestry genetic study of type 2 diabetes highlights the power of diverse populations for discovery and translation
- 2022
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In: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Nature. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 54:5, s. 560-572
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We assembled an ancestrally diverse collection of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in 180,834 affected individuals and 1,159,055 controls (48.9% non-European descent) through the Diabetes Meta-Analysis of Trans-Ethnic association studies (DIAMANTE) Consortium. Multi-ancestry GWAS meta-analysis identified 237 loci attaining stringent genome-wide significance (P < 5 x 10(-9)), which were delineated to 338 distinct association signals. Fine-mapping of these signals was enhanced by the increased sample size and expanded population diversity of the multi-ancestry meta-analysis, which localized 54.4% of T2D associations to a single variant with >50% posterior probability. This improved fine-mapping enabled systematic assessment of candidate causal genes and molecular mechanisms through which T2D associations are mediated, laying the foundations for functional investigations. Multi-ancestry genetic risk scores enhanced transferability of T2D prediction across diverse populations. Our study provides a step toward more effective clinical translation of T2D GWAS to improve global health for all, irrespective of genetic background. Genome-wide association and fine-mapping analyses in ancestrally diverse populations implicate candidate causal genes and mechanisms underlying type 2 diabetes. Trans-ancestry genetic risk scores enhance transferability across populations.
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| 8. |
- Sun, H., et al.
(author)
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Effect of early prophylactic low-dose recombinant human erythropoietin on retinopathy of prematurity in very preterm infants
- 2020
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In: Journal of Translational Medicine. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1479-5876. ; 18:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Very preterm infants are at risk of developing retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) is routinely used to prevent anemia in preterm infants; however, the effect of rhEPO on ROP development is still controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of early prophylactic low-dose rhEPO administration on ROP development in very preterm infants. Methods: A total of 1898 preterm infants born before 32weeks of gestation were included. Preterm infants received rhEPO (n = 950; 500 U/kg, rhEPO group) or saline (n = 948, control group) intravenously within 72h of birth and then once every other day for 2weeks. Results: The total incidence of ROP was not significantly different between the two groups (10.2% vs. 13.2%, p = 0.055). Further analysis showed that rhEPO group had lower rates of type 2 ROP than the control group (2.2% vs. 4.1%, RR 0.98; 95% CI 0.96–1.00; p = 0.021). Subgroup analysis found that rhEPO treatment significantly decreased the incidence of type 2 ROP in infant boys (1.8% vs. 4.3%, p = 0.021) and in those with a gestational age of 28–296/7weeks (1.1% vs. 4.9%, p = 0.002) and birth weight of 1000–1499g (1.2% vs. 4.2%, p = 0.002). There was a small increasing tendency for the incidence of ROP in infants with a gestational age of < 28weeks after rhEPO treatment. Conclusions: Repeated low-dose rhEPO administration has no significant influence on the development of ROP; however, it may be effective for type 2 ROP in infant boys or in infants with gestational age > 28weeks and birth weight > 1500g. Trial registration The data of this study were retrieved from two clinical studies registered ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT 02036073) on January 14, 2014, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02036073; and (NCT03919500) on April 18, 2019. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03919500. © 2020, The Author(s).
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| 9. |
- Wang, Fang, et al.
(author)
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Emerging contaminants: A One Health perspective
- 2024
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In: Innovation. - 2666-6758. ; 5
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Environmental pollution is escalating due to rapid global development that often prioritizes human needs over planetary health. Despite global efforts to mitigate legacy pollutants, the continuous introduction of new substances remains a major threat to both people and the planet. In response, global initiatives are focusing on risk assessment and regulation of emerging contaminants, as demonstrated by the ongoing efforts to establish the UN's Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution Prevention. This review identifies the sources and impacts of emerging contaminants on planetary health, emphasizing the importance of adopting a One Health approach. Strategies for monitoring and addressing these pollutants are discussed, underscoring the need for robust and socially equitable environmental policies at both regional and international levels. Urgent actions are needed to transition toward sustainable pollution management practices to safeguard our planet for future generations.
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| 10. |
- Campbell, PJ, et al.
(author)
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Pan-cancer analysis of whole genomes
- 2020
-
In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-4687 .- 0028-0836. ; 578:7793, s. 82-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cancer is driven by genetic change, and the advent of massively parallel sequencing has enabled systematic documentation of this variation at the whole-genome scale1–3. Here we report the integrative analysis of 2,658 whole-cancer genomes and their matching normal tissues across 38 tumour types from the Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium of the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We describe the generation of the PCAWG resource, facilitated by international data sharing using compute clouds. On average, cancer genomes contained 4–5 driver mutations when combining coding and non-coding genomic elements; however, in around 5% of cases no drivers were identified, suggesting that cancer driver discovery is not yet complete. Chromothripsis, in which many clustered structural variants arise in a single catastrophic event, is frequently an early event in tumour evolution; in acral melanoma, for example, these events precede most somatic point mutations and affect several cancer-associated genes simultaneously. Cancers with abnormal telomere maintenance often originate from tissues with low replicative activity and show several mechanisms of preventing telomere attrition to critical levels. Common and rare germline variants affect patterns of somatic mutation, including point mutations, structural variants and somatic retrotransposition. A collection of papers from the PCAWG Consortium describes non-coding mutations that drive cancer beyond those in the TERT promoter4; identifies new signatures of mutational processes that cause base substitutions, small insertions and deletions and structural variation5,6; analyses timings and patterns of tumour evolution7; describes the diverse transcriptional consequences of somatic mutation on splicing, expression levels, fusion genes and promoter activity8,9; and evaluates a range of more-specialized features of cancer genomes8,10–18.
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| 11. |
- Cao, Shun, et al.
(author)
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Strong Coupling between a Single Quantum Emitter and a Plasmonic Nanoantenna on a Metallic Film
- 2022
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In: Nanomaterials. - : MDPI AG. - 2079-4991. ; 12:9
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The strong coupling between single quantum emitters and resonant optical micro/nanocavities is beneficial for understanding light and matter interactions. Here, we propose a plasmonic nanoantenna placed on a metal film to achieve an ultra-high electric field enhancement in the nanogap and an ultra-small optical mode volume. The strong coupling between a single quantum dot (QD) and the designed structure is investigated in detail by both numerical simulations and theoretical calculations. When a single QD is inserted into the nanogap of the silver nanoantenna, the scattering spectra show a remarkably large splitting and anticrossing behavior of the vacuum Rabi splitting, which can be achieved in the scattering spectra by optimizing the nanoantenna thickness. Our work shows another way to enhance the light/matter interaction at a single quantum emitter limit, which can be useful for many nanophotonic and quantum applications.
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| 12. |
- Gao, Mingming, et al.
(author)
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Engineered 2D MXene-based materials for advanced supercapacitors and micro-supercapacitors
- 2024
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In: Materials Today. - 1369-7021 .- 1873-4103. ; 72, s. 318-358
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The class of two-dimensional transition metal carbides/nitrides/oxycarbides (known as MXenes) has shown great potential in energy storage applications due to their intrinsic layered structure, outstanding electrical conductivity, tunable surface chemistry, and unique physicochemical properties. This review summarizes the latest progresses of MXene-based materials for supercapacitors and micro-supercapacitors. First, state-of-the-art structural engineering strategies for the construction of novel MXene-based electrodes are highlighted, as the electrochemical performance of MXenes is influenced by their structure, such as interlayer spacing and surface functional group density. Furthermore, the charge storage mechanisms of MXene-based electrodes in different electrolytes are discussed to stimulate further design and development of tailored materials for high-performance devices. Moreover, different device fabrication technologies are summarized and the achievements of specific device geometries (e.g., fiber-shape, planar-type, and three-dimensional devices) containing MXene-based materials are critically reviewed. Finally, perspectives and outlook for the development of high-performance MXene-based electrodes in terms of material engineering, performance improvement and device innovation are provided, clearly indicating research directions for next-generation advanced energy storage devices.
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| 13. |
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| 14. |
- Gu, S. L., et al.
(author)
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beta-Sitosterol blocks the LEF-1-mediated Wnt/beta-catenin pathway to inhibit proliferation of human colon cancer cells
- 2023
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In: Cellular Signalling. - : Elsevier BV. - 0898-6568. ; 104
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the LEF-1-mediated Wnt/beta-catenin pathway for its biological functions and prognostic value in colon cancer (CC). Furthermore, the potential molecular mechanism of beta-sitosterol in CC was investigated in vitro.Methods: Clinical information and gene expression profiles from CC patients were obtained based on Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases. In addition, we applied R software "Limma" package for the differential analysis of LEF-1 between cancer and para-carcinoma tissue samples. Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival analysis was adopted for analyzing whether LEF-1 was of prognostic significance. Moreover, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was adopted for pathway enrichment analysis and visualization. In addition, CCK8, plate cloning, scratch and high-content screening (HCS) imaging assays were performed to examine the therapeutic efficacy of beta-sitosterol in human CC HCT116 cells. siRNA technology was employed to knock down LEF1 expression in HCT116 cells. qRT-PCR and Western-blot (WB) analysis were carried out to analyze the HCT-116 mRNA and protein expression levels, respectively.Results: LEF-1 was up-regulated within CC and acted as an oncogenic gene. LEF-1 up-regulation predicted the dismal prognostic outcome and activated the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. beta-sitosterol effectively suppressed HCT116 cells proliferation and invasion. For the mechanism underlying beta-sitosterol, beta-sitosterol was found to significantly down-regulate LEF-1 gene and protein expression and disrupt Wnt/beta-catenin pathway transmission in HCT116 cells. After suppressing LEF-1 expression, its downstream targets including C-myc, Survivin and CCND1 were also down-regulated.Conclusion: According to our results, LEF-1 down-regulation can effectively block Wnt/beta-catenin pathway, inhibit CC cell growth and migration. Collectively, beta-sitosterol can be used to treat CC, which can provide anti-tumor activity by targeting LEF-1.
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| 15. |
- Gu, Yeqing, et al.
(author)
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Consumption of ultraprocessed food and development of chronic kidney disease : the Tianjin Chronic Low-Grade Systemic Inflammation and Health and UK Biobank Cohort Studies
- 2023
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In: The American journal of clinical nutrition. - : Elsevier BV. - 1938-3207 .- 0002-9165. ; 117:2, s. 373-382
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundMany ultraprocessed food (UPF)-derived by-products may play a role in the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Although several studies have assessed the association of UPFs with kidney function decline or CKD in various countries, no evidence has been shown in China and the United Kingdom.ObjectivesThis study aims to evaluate the association between UPF consumption and risk of CKD in 2 large cohort studies from China and the United Kingdom.MethodsIn total, 23,775 and 102,332 participants without baseline CKD were enrolled in the Tianjin Chronic Low-Grade Systemic Inflammation and Health (TCLSIH) and UK Biobank cohort studies, respectively. Information on UPF consumption was obtained from a validated food frequency questionnaire in the TCLSIH and 24-h dietary recalls in the UK Biobank cohort. CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate of ResultsAfter a median follow-up of 4.0 and 10.1 y, the incidence rates of CKD were around 1.1% and 1.7% in the TCLSIH and UK Biobank cohorts, respectively. The multivariable hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] of CKD across increasing quartiles (quartiles 1–4) of UPF consumption were 1 (reference), 1.24 (0.89, 1.72), 1.30 (0.91, 1.87), and 1.58 (1.07, 2.34) (P for trend = 0.02) in the TCLSIH cohort and 1 (reference), 1.14 (1.00, 1.31), 1.16 (1.01, 1.33), and 1.25 (1.09, 1.43) (P for trend < 0.01) in the UK Biobank cohort, respectively.ConclusionsOur finding indicated that higher UPF consumption is associated with a higher risk of CKD. Moreover, restricting UPF consumption may potentially benefit the prevention of CKD. Further clinical trials are required to clarify the causality.
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| 16. |
- Guo, Junji, et al.
(author)
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Unprecedented Electrochromic Stability of a-WO3-x Thin Films Achieved by Using a Hybrid-Cationic Electrolyte
- 2021
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In: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1944-8244 .- 1944-8252. ; 13:9, s. 11067-11077
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- With large interstitial space volumes and fast ion diffusion pathways, amorphous metal oxides as cathodic intercalation materials for electrochromic devices have attracted attention. However, these incompact thin films normally suffer from two inevitable imperfections: self-deintercalation of guest ions and poor stability of the structure, which constitute a big obstacle toward the development of high-stable commercial applications. Here, we present a low-cost, eco-friendly hybrid cation 1,2-PG-AlCl3 center dot 6H(2)O electrolyte, in which the sputter-deposited a-WO3-x thin film can exhibit both the long-desired excellent open-circuit memory (>100 h, with zero optical loss) and super-long cycling lifetime (similar to 20,000 cycles, with 80% optical modulation), benefiting from the formation of unique Al-hydroxide-based solid electrolyte interphase during electrochromic operations. In addition, the optical absorption behaviors in a-WO3-x caused by host-guest interactions were elaborated. We demonstrated that the intervalence transfers are primarily via the "corner-sharing" related path (W5+ <-> W6+) but not the "edge-sharing" related paths (W4+ <-> W6+ and/or W4+ <-> W5+), and the small polaron/electron transfers taking place at the W-O bond-breaking positions are not allowed. Our findings might provide in-depth insights into the nature of electrochromism and provide a significant step in the realization of more stable, more excellent electrochromic applications based on amorphous metal oxides.
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| 17. |
- Jiang, Qiyun, et al.
(author)
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Development and Validation of a Risk Score Screening Tool to Identify People at Risk for Hypertension in Shanghai, China.
- 2022
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In: Risk management and healthcare policy. - 1179-1594. ; 15, s. 553-562
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study aimed to develop a screening tool based on a risk scoring approach that could identify individuals at high risk for hypertension in Shanghai, China.A total of 3147 respondents from the 2013 Shanghai Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance were randomly divided into the derivation group and validation group. The coefficients obtained from multivariable logistic regression were used to assign a score to each variable category. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to find the optimal cut-off point and to evaluate the screening performance.Age, family history of hypertension, having diabetes, having dyslipidemia, body mass index, and having abdominal obesity contributed to the risk score. The area under the ROC curve was 0.817 (95% CI: 0.797-0.836). The optimal cut-off value of 20 had a sensitivity of 83.4%, and a specificity of 64.3%, demonstrating good performance.We developed a simple and valid screening tool to identify individuals at risk for hypertension. Early detection could be beneficial for high-risk groups to better manage their conditions and delay the progression of hypertension and related complications.
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| 18. |
- Krys, K, et al.
(author)
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Happiness Maximization Is a WEIRD Way of Living
- 2024
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In: Perspectives on psychological science : a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. - 1745-6924. ; , s. 17456916231208367-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)
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| 19. |
- Li, Chen, et al.
(author)
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Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma-derived extracellular vesicles exert an oncogenic role by activating cancer-associated fibroblasts
- 2023
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In: Cell Death Discovery. - : Springer Nature. - 2058-7716. ; 9:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is a fast-increasing cancer with metastatic potential. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small membrane-bound vesicles that play important roles in intercellular communication, particularly in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here we report that cSCC cells secrete an increased number of EVs relative to normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs) and that interfering with the capacity of cSCC to secrete EVs inhibits tumor growth in vivo in a xenograft model of human cSCC. Transcriptome analysis of tumor xenografts by RNA-sequencing enabling the simultaneous quantification of both the human and the mouse transcripts revealed that impaired EV-production of cSCC cells prominently altered the phenotype of stromal cells, in particular genes related to extracellular matrix (ECM)-formation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In line with these results, co-culturing of human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) with cSCC cells, but not with normal keratinocytes in vitro resulted in acquisition of cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) phenotype. Interestingly, EVs derived from metastatic cSCC cells, but not primary cSCCs or NHEKs, were efficient in converting HDFs to CAFs. Multiplex bead-based flow cytometry assay and mass-spectrometry (MS)-based proteomic analyses revealed the heterogenous cargo of cSCC-derived EVs and that especially EVs derived from metastatic cSCCs carry proteins associated with EV-biogenesis, EMT, and cell migration. Mechanistically, EVs from metastatic cSCC cells result in the activation of TGFβ signaling in HDFs. Altogether, our study suggests that cSCC-derived EVs mediate cancer-stroma communication, in particular the conversion of fibroblasts to CAFs, which eventually contribute to cSCC progression.
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| 20. |
- Li, Yongqiang, et al.
(author)
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Activation of locally excavated spoil for utilization in limestone calcined clay cement (LC3)
- 2024
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In: Construction and Building Materials. - 0950-0618. ; 420
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The utilization of clay to produce limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) is limited in China due to environmental concerns related to clay excavation. This study explores the potential to activate the fine-grained clay sourced from excavated spoil in Shenzhen, China for LC3 production. A water washing method was introduced to treat the excavated spoil, enriching the clays’ kaolinite content in a range of 72.4–83.1%. Incorporation of calcined clay with different calcination procedures will modify the hydration rate for aluminate, and the longer calcination after 2 h is detrimental for clay reactivity. Additionally, using excavated spoil calcined at 800 °C with more than 2 h in paste yields compressive strength comparable to that of paste made of ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Calcining at 800 °C for 2 h is the optimal calcination procedure to activate the collected soil. Notably, this activation approach for LC3 production exhibits remarkable environmental and economic benefits, reinforcing the potential for extensive adoption of LC3 within China.
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| 21. |
- Liu, Tao, et al.
(author)
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16% efficiency all-polymer organic solar cells enabled by a finely tuned morphology via the design of ternary blend
- 2021
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In: Joule. - : CELL PRESS. - 2542-4351. ; 5:4, s. 914-930
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A SUMMARY There is an urgent demand for all-polymer organic solar cells (AP-OSCs) to gain higher efficiency. Here, we successfully improve the performance to 16.09% by introducing a small amount of BN-T, a B <- N-type polymer acceptor, into the PM6:PY-IT blend. It has been found that BN-T makes the active layer, based on the PM6:PY-IT:BN-T ternary blend, more crystalline but meanwhile slightly reduces the phase separation, leading to enhancement of both exciton harvesting and charge transport. From a thermodynamic viewpoint, BN-T prefers to reside between PM6 and PY-IT, and the fraction of this fine-tunes the morphology. Besides, a significantly reduced nonradiative energy loss occurs in the ternary blend, along with the coexistence of energy and charge transfer between the two acceptors. The progressive performance facilitated by these improved properties demonstrates that AP-OSCs can possibly comparably efficient with those based on small molecule acceptors, further enhancing the competitiveness of this device type.
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| 22. |
- Lu, Shen-ning, et al.
(author)
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Application of an innovative grid-based surveillance strategy to ensure elimination and prevent reintroduction of malaria in high-risk border communities in China
- 2022
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In: BMC Public Health. - : Springer Nature. - 1471-2458. ; 22:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Grid management is a grassroots governance strategy widely implemented in China since 2004 to improve the government's efficiency to actively find and solve problems among populated regions. A grid-based strategy surveillancing high-risk groups, including mobile and migrant populations (MMPs), in the China-Myanmar border region has played an indispensable role in promoting and consolidating the malaria elimination efforts by tracking and timely identification of potential importation or re-establishment of malaria among MMPs. A sequential mixed methods was implementated to explore the operational mechanism and best practices of the grid-based strategy including through the focus group discussions (FGDs), comparison of before and after the implementation of a grid-based strategy in the field sites, and data collection from the local health system.This paper distills the implementation mechanism and highlights the role of the grid-based strategy in the elimination and prevention of re-establishment of malaria transmission.
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| 23. |
- Luo, Yifei, et al.
(author)
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Technology Roadmap for Flexible Sensors
- 2023
-
In: ACS Nano. - : American Chemical Society. - 1936-0851 .- 1936-086X. ; 17:6, s. 5211-5295
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Humans rely increasingly on sensors to address grand challenges and to improve quality of life in the era of digitalization and big data. For ubiquitous sensing, flexible sensors are developed to overcome the limitations of conventional rigid counterparts. Despite rapid advancement in bench-side research over the last decade, the market adoption of flexible sensors remains limited. To ease and to expedite their deployment, here, we identify bottlenecks hindering the maturation of flexible sensors and propose promising solutions. We first analyze challenges in achieving satisfactory sensing performance for real-world applications and then summarize issues in compatible sensor-biology interfaces, followed by brief discussions on powering and connecting sensor networks. Issues en route to commercialization and for sustainable growth of the sector are also analyzed, highlighting environmental concerns and emphasizing nontechnical issues such as business, regulatory, and ethical considerations. Additionally, we look at future intelligent flexible sensors. In proposing a comprehensive roadmap, we hope to steer research efforts towards common goals and to guide coordinated development strategies from disparate communities. Through such collaborative efforts, scientific breakthroughs can be made sooner and capitalized for the betterment of humanity.
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| 24. |
- Luo, Yang, et al.
(author)
-
Three-dimensional and temperature-dependent electronic structure of the heavy-fermion compound CePt2In7 studied by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy
- 2020
-
In: Physical Review B. - : AMER PHYSICAL SOC. - 2469-9950 .- 2469-9969. ; 101:11
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The three-dimensional and temperature-dependent electronic structures of the heavy-fermion superconductor CePt2In7 are investigated. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy using variable photon energy establishes the existence of quasi-two- and three-dimensional Fermi surface topologies. Temperature-dependent 4d-4f on-resonance photoemission spectroscopies data reveal that heavy quasiparticle bands begin to form at a temperature well above the characteristic (coherence) temperature T+. The emergence of low-lying crystal electric field excitation may be responsible for the "relocalization" or the precursor to the establishment of heavy electrons coherence in heavy-fermion compounds. These findings provide critical insight into understanding the hybridization in heavy-fermion systems.
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| 25. |
- Ma, Wenjun, et al.
(author)
-
Responses of soil extracellular enzyme activities and microbial community properties to interaction between nitrogen addition and increased precipitation in a semi-arid grassland ecosystem
- 2020
-
In: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 0048-9697. ; 703
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Both atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition and precipitation can strongly impact below-ground biogeochemical processes. Soil extracellular enzymes activities (EEAs) and microorganisms are considered as the key agents in ecosystem nutrient cycling. However, how the interaction between increasing N deposition and precipitation may affect soil EEAs and microbes remain poorly understood. In a 5-year field experiment in a meadow steppe in northern China, we tested the effects of N addition (N0, 0; N1, 5; N2, 10 g N m−2 yr−1) and increased precipitation (W0, ambient precipitation; W1, increase of 15% ambient precipitation; W2, increase of 30% ambient precipitation) on soil EEAs, microbial and chemical properties. Results showed that their interaction significantly affected all hydrolase activities, except for β-1,4-xylosidase (βX). Furthermore, increased precipitation and N addition interactively affected bacterial gene copies (P ≤ 0.05), and increased precipitation comparatively had a stronger effects. The results on the combination of N addition and increased precipitation showed that increased precipitation alleviated the positive effects of N addition on soil EEAs. This implies that the effects of either treatment alone on grassland biogeochemical processes may be alleviated by their simultaneous occurrence. Our results suggested that soil EEAs were mainly controlled by the content of N and phosphorus (P), and the ratio of C: N and C: P. Therefore, soil element content and stoichiometry could better explain the responses of EEAs to global changes. Moreover, soil microbial communities were mainly controlled by soil P content. Overall, our study highlights that the interaction between N deposition and precipitation may play a vital role in predicting the responses of soil enzyme activities to global changes in grassland ecosystems.
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| 26. |
- Pan, Jun, et al.
(author)
-
Enhanced anti-wetted PVDF membrane for pulping RO brine treatment by vacuum membrane distillation
- 2022
-
In: Desalination. - : Elsevier. - 0011-9164 .- 1873-4464. ; 526
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Large amounts of lignin, hemicellulose, organic matter and inorganic salts are present in pulping and papermaking wastewater. Therefore, the treatment and discharge of pulping wastewater are important issues. We have designed and developed the world's first zero liquid discharge (ZLD) system for it based on pretreatment-membrane-evaporative crystallization integrated technologies. However, for the treatment of high salt reverse osmosis (RO) brine, there are still challenges that need to be addressed. In this work, the feasibility of using a membrane distillation crystallization (MDC) process to treat high saline RO brine was investigated. Two different coating materials, Hyflon AD 40H and perfluoropolyether (PFPE), were applied to improve the membrane surface hydrophobicity for stable and efficient performance. After modification, the water contact angle was up to 138.4o and 157.7o for Hyflon/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and PFPE/PVDF composite membranes, respectively. Moreover, the PFPE/PVDF membrane showed a higher repellency toward RO brine, which is better for the following MDC treatment. During the MDC progress using composite PFPE/PVDF membranes, the salt crystals precipitated and gradually accumulated. More importantly, the final NaCl purity can be up to 94%. Therefore, it is hopeful to improve of the existing ZLD system by MDC operation.
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| 27. |
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| 28. |
- Phukhamsakda, Chayanard, et al.
(author)
-
The numbers of fungi: contributions from traditional taxonomic studies and challenges of metabarcoding
- 2022
-
In: Fungal diversity. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1560-2745 .- 1878-9129. ; 114:1, s. 327-386
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The global diversity of fungi has been estimated using several different approaches. There is somewhere between 2–11 million estimated species, but the number of formally described taxa is around 150,000, a tiny fraction of the total. In this paper, we examine 12 ascomycete genera as case studies to establish trends in fungal species descriptions, and introduce new species in each genus. To highlight the importance of traditional morpho-molecular methods in publishing new species, we introduce novel taxa in 12 genera that are considered to have low species discovery. We discuss whether the species are likely to be rare or due to a lack of extensive sampling and classification. The genera are Apiospora, Bambusicola, Beltrania, Capronia, Distoseptispora, Endocalyx, Neocatenulostroma, Neodeightonia, Paraconiothyrium, Peroneutypa, Phaeoacremonium and Vanakripa. We discuss host-specificity in selected genera and compare the number of species epithets in each genus with the number of ITS (barcode) sequences deposited in GenBank and UNITE. We furthermore discuss the relationship between the divergence times of these genera with those of their hosts. We hypothesize whether there might be more species in these genera and discuss hosts and habitats that should be investigated for novel species discovery.
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| 29. |
- Ranjan, Alok, 1992, et al.
(author)
-
Probing resistive switching in HfO 2 /Al 2 O 3 bilayer oxides using in-situ transmission electron microscopy
- 2023
-
In: Applied Materials Today. - : Elsevier BV. - 2352-9407. ; 31
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this work, we investigate the resistive switching in hafnium dioxide (HfO2) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) bilayered stacks using in-situ transmission electron microscopy and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy. Conductance of the HfO2/Al2O3 stack changes gradually upon electrical stressing which is related to the formation of extended nanoscale physical defects at the HfO2/Al2O3 interface and the migration and re-crystallization of Al into the oxide bulk. The results suggest two competing physical mechanisms including the redistribution of oxygen ions and the migration of Al species from the Al electrode during the switching process. While the HfO2/Al2O3 bilayered stack appears to be a good candidate for RRAM technology, the low diffusion barrier of the active Al electrode causes severe Al migration in the bi-layered oxides leading to the device to fail in resetting, and thereby, largely limiting the overall switching performance and material reliability.
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| 30. |
- Ruggeri, Kai, et al.
(author)
-
The globalizability of temporal discounting
- 2022
-
In: Nature Human Behaviour. - : Springer Nature. - 2397-3374. ; 6:10, s. 1386-1397
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Economic inequality is associated with preferences for smaller, immediate gains over larger, delayed ones. Such temporal discounting may feed into rising global inequality, yet it is unclear whether it is a function of choice preferences or norms, or rather the absence of sufficient resources for immediate needs. It is also not clear whether these reflect true differences in choice patterns between income groups. We tested temporal discounting and five intertemporal choice anomalies using local currencies and value standards in 61 countries (N = 13,629). Across a diverse sample, we found consistent, robust rates of choice anomalies. Lower-income groups were not significantly different, but economic inequality and broader financial circumstances were clearly correlated with population choice patterns. Ruggeri et al. find in a study of 61 countries that temporal discounting patterns are globally generalizable. Worse financial environments, greater inequality and high inflation are associated with extreme or inconsistent long-term decisions.
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| 31. |
- Shah, S, et al.
(author)
-
Genome-wide association and Mendelian randomisation analysis provide insights into the pathogenesis of heart failure
- 2020
-
In: Nature communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 11:1, s. 163-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. A small proportion of HF cases are attributable to monogenic cardiomyopathies and existing genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have yielded only limited insights, leaving the observed heritability of HF largely unexplained. We report results from a GWAS meta-analysis of HF comprising 47,309 cases and 930,014 controls. Twelve independent variants at 11 genomic loci are associated with HF, all of which demonstrate one or more associations with coronary artery disease (CAD), atrial fibrillation, or reduced left ventricular function, suggesting shared genetic aetiology. Functional analysis of non-CAD-associated loci implicate genes involved in cardiac development (MYOZ1, SYNPO2L), protein homoeostasis (BAG3), and cellular senescence (CDKN1A). Mendelian randomisation analysis supports causal roles for several HF risk factors, and demonstrates CAD-independent effects for atrial fibrillation, body mass index, and hypertension. These findings extend our knowledge of the pathways underlying HF and may inform new therapeutic strategies.
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| 32. |
- Shi, K., et al.
(author)
-
Thermal Vertical Emitter of Ultra-High Directionality Achieved Through Nonreciprocal Magneto-Optical Lattice Resonances
- 2022
-
In: Advanced Optical Materials. - : Wiley. - 2162-7568 .- 2195-1071. ; 10:24
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Kirchhoff's law shows that reciprocal materials have equal spectral emissivity at two symmetric polar angles, which is a fundamental limit for a thermal emitter to achieve a small angular divergence in the normal direction. Nonreciprocal materials allow violation of Kirchhoff's law as the emissivity at the two symmetric polar angles can be different. However, achieving strong nonreciprocal thermal radiation near zero angle is challenging. In this work, to reduce the power consumption of a light source for e.g. gas sensing, an ultra-high-directional nonreciprocal thermal vertical emitter is proposed, with a periodic structure of magneto-optical material. When B = 3 T or 1.5 T, magneto-optical lattice resonances enable the near-perfect emissivity at 22.36 µm or 22.99 µm at zero angle. The strong nonreciprocity contributed by the collective modes allows for a near-complete violation of Kirchhoff's law at small angles of ±1°. The nonreciprocal emitters have a very small angular divergence (≈1°), which is better than that of the state-of-the-art thermal emitters. The highly directional nonreciprocal thermal emission is robust despite ±25% change in material loss and ±5% fluctuation in structural parameters. This work should inspire the design of high-directional nonreciprocal thermal emitters and their applications in high-resolution thermal imaging, infrared gas sensing, biomedical breath monitoring, and so on.
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| 33. |
- Sun, Xiaoyan, et al.
(author)
-
A cubic DNA nanocage probe for in situ analysis of miRNA-10b in tumor-derived extracellular vesicles
- 2024
-
In: Chemical Communications. - 1364-548X. ; 60, s. 4777-4780
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A cubic DNA nanocage probe is able to enter EVs derived from MDA-MB-231 cells and react with miRNA-10b. The probe-loaded EVs were employed to monitor the process of entry of miRNA-10b into MCF-10A cells, allowing visualization of EV-mediated intercellular communication of miRNA-10b between the cancer cells.
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| 34. |
- Sun, Yuwei, et al.
(author)
-
Enhancing Circularly Polarized Emission by a Planar Chiral Dielectric Metasurface
- 2023
-
In: Advanced Optical Materials. - : Wiley. - 2162-7568 .- 2195-1071. ; 11:14
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Circularly polarized emission (CPE) has attracted great interest in optoelectronics, biosensing, etc. Here, a resonant planar chiral dielectric metasurface that can be constructed to provide a preferable way for CPE is demonstrated. The planar metasurface is easy to fabricate, and the corresponding far-field circular polarization degree is extremely high and angle-insensitive. The designed metasurface is made of a periodic array of in-plane mirror-asymmetric silicon pillar dimers and supports a low-leakage chiral band-edge mode. Experimentally, the photoluminescence of a thin film of PbS/CdS quantum dots coated on such a metasurface is enhanced by 57 times with the far-field degree of circular polarization as high as 0.74. The planar platform provides a flexible and efficient way for manipulating CPE, in which other periodic coupling effects may also be adopted to enhance the light–matter interaction, such as quasi-bound states in the continuum and lattice resonance.
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| 35. |
- Wang, Yangong, et al.
(author)
-
Exome sequencing reveals genetic heterogeneity and clinically actionable findings in children with cerebral palsy
- 2024
-
In: NATURE MEDICINE. - 1078-8956 .- 1546-170X. ; 30, s. 1395-1405
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common motor disability in children. To ascertain the role of major genetic variants in the etiology of CP, we conducted exome sequencing on a large-scale cohort with clinical manifestations of CP. The study cohort comprised 505 girls and 1,073 boys. Utilizing the current gold standard in genetic diagnostics, 387 of these 1,578 children (24.5%) received genetic diagnoses. We identified 412 pathogenic and likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants across 219 genes associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, and 59 P/LP copy number variants. The genetic diagnostic rate of children with CP labeled at birth with perinatal asphyxia was higher than the rate in children without asphyxia (P = 0.0033). Also, 33 children with CP manifestations (8.5%, 33 of 387) had findings that were clinically actionable. These results highlight the need for early genetic testing in children with CP, especially those with risk factors like perinatal asphyxia, to enable evidence-based medical decision-making. Using exome sequencing data from one of the largest cohorts of children with cerebral palsy, the genetic diagnostic rates of single-nucleotide and copy number variants were assessed and a sizeable fraction found to be clinically actionable.
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| 36. |
- Wei, Shi-Jie, et al.
(author)
-
Microstructure and magnetocaloric properties of melt-extracted SmGdDyCoAl high-entropy amorphous microwires
- 2024
-
In: Rare Metals. - : Springer Nature. - 1001-0521 .- 1867-7185. ; 43:3, s. 1234-1242
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper presents a systematic investigation of the microstructure and magnetocaloric properties of melt-extracted Sm20Gd20Dy20Co20Al20 high-entropy microwires. The fabricated wires exhibited an amorphous structure, and the temperature interval of the undercooled liquid Delta T was 45 K. The microwires underwent a second-order magnetic transition from a ferromagnetic to a paramagnetic state near the Curie temperature (T-C=52 K). The maximum magnetic entropy change (-Delta S-M(max)), the relative cooling power and the refrigeration capacity reached 6.34 J.kg(-1).K-1, 422.09 J.kg(-1) and 332.94 J.kg(-1), respectively, under a magnetic field change of 5 T. In addition, the temperature-averaged entropy changes with two temperature lifts (3 and 10 K) were 6.32 and 6.27 J.kg(-1).K-1, respectively. The good magnetocaloric performance highlights the significant potential for the Sm20Gd20Dy20Co20Al20 microwires to be used as magnetic refrigerant materials in low-temperature region applications. This work will serve as a valuable reference for future investigations on low-temperature high-entropy magnetocaloric materials.
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| 37. |
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| 38. |
- Xing, Ji, et al.
(author)
-
Scaling analysis and evaluation for the design of integral test facility of HPR1000 containment (PANGU)
- 2021
-
In: Nuclear Engineering and Design. - : Elsevier BV. - 0029-5493 .- 1872-759X. ; 373
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper summarized the key aspects of the scaling analysis method adopted in the design of the integral test facility for the containment of HPR1000-an advanced pressurized water reactor featuring both active and passive safety systems in reactor coolant (RCS) and containment. Based on the existing scaling analysis methods for complicated thermal-hydraulic systems, i.e. Hierarchical Two-Tiered Scaling (H2TS) method and Three-Level Scaling method, the present study developed a specific scaling analysis method which did not only provide theoretical derivation of scaling parameters and ratios, but also implemented the scaling criteria in the engineering design of the HPR1000 containment integral test facility (PANGU), with an evaluation of distortions in the final design. This approach allowed the theoretical scaling parameters can be reasonably adjusted to meet the boundary limits/conditions of the facility design. The scaling analysis and evaluation of so-designed test facility ensured the experimental results are applicable to verify the safety functions of the HPR1000 containment coping with representative accident scenarios.
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| 39. |
- Xing, Yi, et al.
(author)
-
Integrated opposite charge grafting induced ionic-junction fiber
- 2023
-
In: Nature Communications. - : NATURE PORTFOLIO. - 2041-1723. ; 14:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The emergence of ionic-junction devices has attracted growing interests due to the potential of serving as signal transmission and translation media between electronic devices and biological systems using ions. Among them, fiber-shaped iontronics possesses a great advantage in implantable applications owing to the unique one-dimensional geometry. However, fabricating stable ionic-junction on curved surfaces remains a challenge. Here, we developed a polyelectrolyte based ionic-junction fiber via an integrated opposite charge grafting method capable of large-scale continuous fabrication. The ionic-junction fibers can be integrated into functions such as ionic diodes and ionic bipolar junction transistors, where rectification and switching of input signals are implemented. Moreover, synaptic functionality has also been demonstrated by utilizing the fiber memory capacitance. The connection between the ionic-junction fiber and sciatic nerves of the mouse simulating end-to-side anastomosis is further performed to realize effective nerve signal conduction, verifying the capability for next-generation artificial neural pathways in implantable bioelectronics. Ionic-junction devices are difficult to integrate with fiber-shaped tissues like nerves and muscles for applications in implantable bioelectronics due to their large size and bulk structure. Authors realize here easy to implant fiber-shaped iontronics through an integrated opposite charge grafting process, enabling the construction of ionic logic gates and artificial neural pathways.
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| 40. |
- Xing, Yu, et al.
(author)
-
Joint Learning of Network Topology and Opinion Dynamics Based on Bandit Algorithms
- 2023
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We study joint learning of network topology and a mixed opinion dynamics, in which agents may have different update rules. Such a model captures the diversity of real individual interactions. We propose a learning algorithm based on multi-armed bandit algorithms to address the problem. The goal of the algorithm is to find each agent's update rule from several candidate rules and to learn the underlying network. At each iteration, the algorithm assumes that each agent has one of the updated rules and then modifies network estimates to reduce validation error. Numerical experiments show that the proposed algorithm improves initial estimates of the network and update rules, decreases prediction error, and performs better than other methods such as sparse linear regression and Gaussian process regression.
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| 41. |
- Xing, Zhe, et al.
(author)
-
Altered Surface Hydrophilicity on Copolymer Scaffolds Stimulate the Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells
- 2020
-
In: Polymers. - : MDPI. - 2073-4360. ; 12:7
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Recent studies have suggested that both poly(l-lactide-co-1,5-dioxepan-2-one) (or poly(LLA-co-DXO)) and poly(l-lactide-co-epsilon-caprolactone) (or poly(LLA-co-CL)) porous scaffolds are good candidates for use as biodegradable scaffold materials in the field of tissue engineering; meanwhile, their surface properties, such as hydrophilicity, need to be further improved. Methods: We applied several different concentrations of the surfactant Tween 80 to tune the hydrophilicity of both materials. Moreover, the modification was applied not only in the form of solid scaffold as a film but also a porous scaffold. To investigate the potential application for tissue engineering, human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were chosen to test the effect of hydrophilicity on cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation. First, the cellular cytotoxicity of the extracted medium from modified scaffolds was investigated on HaCaT cells. Then, hMSCs were seeded on the scaffolds or films to evaluate cell attachment, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation. The results indicated a significant increasing of wettability with the addition of Tween 80, and the hMSCs showed delayed attachment and spreading. PCR results indicated that the differentiation of hMSCs was stimulated, and several osteogenesis related genes were up-regulated in the 3% Tween 80 group. Poly(LLA-co-CL) with 3% Tween 80 showed an increased messenger Ribonucleic acid (mRNA) level of late-stage markers such as osteocalcin (OC) and key transcription factor as runt related gene 2 (Runx2). Conclusion: A high hydrophilic scaffold may speed up the osteogenic differentiation for bone tissue engineering.
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| 42. |
- Xu, Hai-Sen, et al.
(author)
-
Divergent Chemistry Paths for 3D and 1D Metallo-Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs)
- 2020
-
In: Angewandte Chemie International Edition. - : Wiley. - 1433-7851 .- 1521-3773. ; 59:28, s. 11527-11532
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The marriage of dynamic covalent chemistry (DCC) and coordination chemistry is a powerful tool for assembling complex architectures from simple building units. Recently, the synthesis of woven covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with topologically fascinating structures has been achieved using this approach. However, the scope is highly limited and there is a need to discover new pathways that can assemble covalently linked organic threads into crystalline frameworks. Herein, we have identified branching pathways leading to the assembly of three-dimensional (3D) woven COFs or one-dimensional (1D) metallo-COFs (mCOFs), where the mechanism is underpinned by the absence or presence of ligand exchange.
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| 43. |
- Xu, Hai-Sen, et al.
(author)
-
Single crystal of a one-dimensional metallo-covalent organic framework
- 2020
-
In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 11:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Although polymers have been studied for well over a century, there are few examples of covalently linked polymer crystals synthesised directly from solution. One-dimensional (1D) covalent polymers that are packed into a framework structure can be viewed as a 1D covalent organic framework (COF), but making a single crystal of this has been elusive. Herein, by combining labile metal coordination and dynamic covalent chemistry, we discover a strategy to synthesise single-crystal metallo-COFs under solvothermal conditions. The single-crystal structure is rigorously solved using single-crystal electron diffraction technique. The non-centrosymmetric metallo-COF allows second harmonic generation. Due to the presence of syntactic pendant amine groups along the polymer chains, the metallopolymer crystal can be further cross-linked into a crystalline woven network. Although polymers have been studied for well over a century, there are few examples of covalently linked polymer crystals synthesized directly from solution. Here, the authors demonstrate a strategy to synthesize single crystalline 1D metallo-covalent organic frameworks by combining dynamic covalent chemistry and metal-ligand coordination.
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| 44. |
- Xu, Kaibin, et al.
(author)
-
A new machine learning approach in detecting the oil palm plantations using remote sensing data
- 2021
-
In: Remote Sensing. - : MDPI AG. - 2072-4292. ; 13:2, s. 1-17
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The rapid expansion of oil palm is a major driver of deforestation and other associated damage to the climate and ecosystem in tropical regions, especially Southeast Asia. It is therefore necessary to precisely detect and monitor oil palm plantations to safeguard the ecosystem services and biodiversity of tropical forests. Compared with optical data, which are vulnerable to cloud cover, the Sentinel-1 dual-polarization C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) acquires global observations under all weather conditions and times of day and shows good performance for oil palm detection in the humid tropics. However, because accurately distinguishing mature and young oil palm trees by using optical and SAR data is difficult and considering the strong dependence on the input parameter values when detecting oil palm plantations by employing existing classification algorithms, we propose an innovative method to improve the accuracy of classifying the oil palm type (mature or young) and detecting the oil palm planting area in Sumatra by fusing Landsat-8 and Sentinel-1 images. We extract multitemporal spectral characteristics, SAR backscattering values, vegetation indices, and texture features to establish different feature combinations. Then, we use the random forest algorithm based on improved grid search optimization (IGSO-RF) and select optimal feature subsets to establish a classification model and detect oil palm plantations. Based on the IGSO-RF classifier and optimal features, our method improved the oil palm detection accuracy and obtained the best model performance (OA = 96.08% and kappa = 0.9462). Moreover, the contributions of different features to oil palm detection are different; nevertheless, the optimal feature subset performed the best and demonstrated good potential for the detection of oil palm plantations.
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| 45. |
- Zhang, Lixiu, et al.
(author)
-
Advances in the Application of Perovskite Materials
- 2023
-
In: NANO-MICRO LETTERS. - : SHANGHAI JIAO TONG UNIV PRESS. - 2311-6706. ; 15:1
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Nowadays, the soar of photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells has set off a fever in the study of metal halide perovskite materials. The excellent optoelectronic properties and defect tolerance feature allow metal halide perovskite to be employed in a wide variety of applications. This article provides a holistic review over the current progress and future prospects of metal halide perovskite materials in representative promising applications, including traditional optoelectronic devices (solar cells, light-emitting diodes, photodetectors, lasers), and cutting-edge technologies in terms of neuromorphic devices (artificial synapses and memristors) and pressure-induced emission. This review highlights the fundamentals, the current progress and the remaining challenges for each application, aiming to provide a comprehensive overview of the development status and a navigation of future research for metal halide perovskite materials and devices.
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| 46. |
- Zhang, Shunming, et al.
(author)
-
Added sugar intake and its forms and sources in relation to risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease : results from the Tianjin Chronic Low-grade Systemic Inflammation and Health cohort study
- 2023
-
In: British Journal of Nutrition. - 1475-2662. ; 129:12, s. 2094-2101
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- It has been suggested that added sugar intake is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, previous studies only focused on sugar-sweetened beverages; the evidence for associations with total added sugars and their sources is scarce. This study aimed to examine the associations of total added sugars, their physical forms (liquid vs. solid), and food sources with risk of NAFLD among adults in Tianjin, China. We used data from 15,538 participants, free of NAFLD, other liver diseases, cardiovascular disease, cancer, or diabetes at baseline (2013-2018 years). Added sugar intake was estimated from a validated 100-item food frequency questionnaire. NAFLD was diagnosed by ultrasonography after exclusion of other causes of liver diseases. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were fitted to calculate hazards ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for NAFLD risk with added sugar intake. During a median follow-up of 4.2 years, 3,476 incident NAFLD cases were documented. After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index and its change from baseline to follow-up, lifestyle factors, personal and family medical history, and overall diet quality, the multivariable HRs (95% CIs) of NAFLD risk were 1.18 (1.06, 1.32) for total added sugars, 1.20 (1.08, 1.33) for liquid added sugars, and 0.96 (0.86, 1.07) for solid added sugars when comparing the highest quartiles of intake with the lowest quartiles of intake. In this prospective cohort of Chinese adults, higher intakes of total added sugars and liquid added sugars, but not solid added sugars, were associated with a higher risk of NAFLD.
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| 47. |
- Zhang, Shunming, et al.
(author)
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Adherence to a healthy lifestyle including sleep and sedentary behaviors and risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in Chinese adults
- 2024
-
In: Preventive Medicine. - 0091-7435. ; 184
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: Various lifestyle factors including smoking, alcohol, physical activity, sedentary behavior, diet quality, sleep behavior, and overweight have been related to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD); however, their joint impact on risk of MASLD is not well known. We prospectively investigated the association between a combination of lifestyle factors and risk of MASLD. Methods: This prospective cohort study included 13,303 participants (mean age: 39.1 ± 11.3 years, female: 60.1%) in China. A novel healthy lifestyle score was created combining seven healthy factors: not smoking, no alcohol intake, regular physical activity, short sedentary time, healthy diet, healthy sleep, and healthy weight. Incident MASLD cases were ascertained annually by liver ultrasound and cardiometabolic risk factors. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the association of healthy lifestyle score with risk of MASLD. Results: Within 48,036 person-years of follow-up, 2823 participants developed MASLD. After adjusting for age, sex, education, occupation, household income, personal and family history of disease, and total energy intake, compared with participants with 0–2 healthy lifestyle factors, the multivariable hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) of MASLD were 0.81 (0.73, 0.89), 0.67 (0.61, 0.75), and 0.55 (0.49, 0.62) for healthy lifestyle score of 3, 4, and 5–7, respectively (P for trend <0.0001). Such associations were consistent across subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Conclusion: Our results indicate that a higher healthy lifestyle score is associated with a lower risk of MASLD.
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| 48. |
- Zhang, Shunming, et al.
(author)
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Dairy intake and risk of type 2 diabetes : results of a large prospective cohort
- 2023
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In: Food & Function. - 2042-6496. ; 14:21, s. 9695-9706
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background and aims: Previous studies of primarily Western populations have consistently documented a lower risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) among people with a higher yogurt intake, but an inconsistent association with milk intake. However, little is known about the association between dairy intake and risk of T2D among Chinese adults who consume considerably less dairy (mainly milk and yogurt) compared with Western populations. The aim is to investigate the associations of dairy intake with the risk of incident T2D in the general adult population in China. Methods: This cohort study consisted of 22 843 participants without prevalent cardiovascular disease, cancer, or diabetes at the baseline. Dietary data were collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire at the baseline (2013-2018); dairy intake was categorized into tertiles after zero consumers were taken as the reference. Incident T2D was ascertained by medical examinations and self-report of physician-diagnosed diabetes during follow-up visits. Cox proportional hazards models were performed to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: In total, 735 incident T2D cases were recorded over a median follow-up of 4.0 years. Relative to zero consumers, the HRs (95% CIs) for incident T2D among participants in the highest tertiles were 0.70 (0.57, 0.87) for total dairy, 0.73 (0.60, 0.90) for milk, and 0.81 (0.66, 1.00) for yogurt. Such associations were slightly attenuated by additional adjustment for the body mass index. In addition, such inverse associations were robust in sensitivity analyses and consistent in most of the subgroups defined by baseline characteristics. Conclusion: Higher intakes of total dairy, milk, and yogurt were all associated with a lower risk of T2D among Chinese adults.
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| 49. |
- Zhang, Shunming, et al.
(author)
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Inflammatory potential of diet and risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease : a prospective cohort study
- 2022
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In: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0954-3007 .- 1476-5640. ; 76:8, s. 1125-1132
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background/objectives: Diet is an important factor that can exacerbate or ameliorate chronic inflammation, which has been implicated in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, no prospective study has yet investigated the relation between the inflammatory potential of diet and NAFLD. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the inflammatory potential of the diet and the risk of NAFLD. Subject/methods: The study included 12,877 participants aged over 18 years (mean [standard deviation]: 39.4 [11.5] years). Dietary intake was assessed at baseline through food frequency questionnaires. Using white blood cell count as the inflammatory marker, we newly created a dietary inflammatory potential score by reduced rank regression and stepwise linear regression. NAFLD was identified by abdominal ultrasound during yearly health checkups. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the association between the dietary inflammatory potential score and the risk of NAFLD. Results: During a median follow-up period of 4.2 years, 2744 first incident cases of NAFLD occurred. After adjustment for potential confounders, the multivariable hazards ratios (95% confidence intervals) for NAFLD across increasing quartiles of the dietary inflammatory potential score were 1.00 (reference), 1.01 (0.90, 1.13), 1.15 (1.03, 1.29), and 1.26 (1.13, 1.41), with P for trend <0.0001. This positive association appeared greater in men than in women (P for interaction = 0.02). Conclusions: Our results indicate that a dietary pattern with high inflammatory potential is associated with a higher risk of NAFLD. Such findings provide the support that inflammation may be a potential mechanism linking diet to the risk of NAFLD.
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| 50. |
- Zhang, Shunming, et al.
(author)
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Protein foods from animal sources and risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in representative cohorts from North and South China
- 2023
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In: Journal of Internal Medicine. - : Wiley. - 1365-2796 .- 0954-6820. ; 293:3, s. 340-353
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence suggests that animal protein foods may increase the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We therefore examined the NAFLD risk reduction related to substituting plant protein foods for animal protein foods.METHODS: The cohort in North China included 14,541 participants from the Tianjin Chronic Low-Grade Systemic Inflammation and Health (TCLSIH) study, and the cohort in South China included 1297 participants from the Guangzhou Nutrition and Health Study (GNHS). Dietary intake was assessed using validated food frequency questionnaires. NAFLD was ascertained by abdominal ultrasound. The Cox model was used to fit the substitution analysis.RESULTS: In the TCLSIH cohort, when replacing one type of animal protein food (eggs, processed meat, unprocessed red meat, poultry, and fish) with an equivalent serving of plant protein foods (nuts, legumes, and whole grains), the replacement of animal protein foods with whole grains showed the strongest benefit; substituting one serving per day of whole grains for an equal amount of eggs (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.79, 1.00), processed meat (HR = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.64, 0.91), unprocessed red meat (HR = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.81, 1.00), poultry (HR = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.72, 0.92), or fish (HR = 0.87; 95% CI: 0.78, 0.97) was associated with a lower risk of NAFLD. In both the TCLSIH and GNHS cohorts, replacing poultry with fish, nuts, legumes, or whole grains was associated with a lower risk of NAFLD. When different numbers of protein foods were simultaneously replaced, the risk reduction of NAFLD was stronger.CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that replacing animal protein foods with plant protein foods is related to a significant reduction in NAFLD risk.
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