Spacer Conformation Induced Multiple Hydrogen Bonds in 2D Perovskite toward Highly Efficient Optoelectronic Devices

Two-dimensional (2D) Dion-Jacobson (DJ) perovskites typically outperform Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) analogs in terms of photodetection (PD). However, the mechanism behind this enhanced performance remains elusive. Theoretical calculations for elucidating interlayer spacer conformation-induced multiple hydrogen bonds in 2D perovskite are presented, along with the synthesis of DPAPbBr4 (DPB) single crystals (SCs) and their PD properties under X-ray/ultraviolet (UV) excitation. The high-quality DPB SC enhances PD with exceptional photoresponse attributes, including a high on/off ratio (4.89 × 104), high responsivity (2.44 A W⁻1), along with large dynamic linear range (154 dB) and low detection limit (7.1 nW cm⁻2), which are currently the best results among 2D perovskite SC detectors, respectively. Importantly, high-resolution images are obtained under UV illumination with weak light levels. The SC X-ray detector exhibits a high sensitivity of 663 µC Gyair⁻1 cm-2 at 10 V and a detection limit of 1.44 µGyair s⁻1. This study explores 2D DJ perovskites for efficient and innovative optoelectronic applications.

Micro/Nano Perovskite Materials for Advanced X-ray Detection and Imaging

Halide perovskites have emerged as highly promising materials for ionizing radiation detection due to their exceptional characteristics, including a large mobility-lifetime product, strong stopping power, tunable band gap, and cost-effective crystal growth via solution processes. Semiconductor-type X-ray detectors employing various micro/nano perovskite materials have shown impressive progress in achieving heightened sensitivity and lower detection limits. Here, we present a comprehensive review of the applications of micro/nano perovskite materials for direct type X-ray detection, with a focus on the requirements for micro/nano crystal assembly and device properties in advanced X-ray detectors. We explore diverse processing techniques and optoelectronic considerations applied to perovskite X-ray detectors. Additionally, this review highlights the challenges and promising opportunities for perovskite X-ray detector arrays in real-world applications, potentially necessitating further research efforts.

Genetic epidemiology of thalassemia in couples of childbearing age: over 6 years of a thalassemia intervention project

BACKGROUND

Shenzhen is one of the most populated metropolises in southern China where thalassemia is highly prevalent. The prevention of thalassemia inheritance is an ambition of child-bearing couples.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 22,098 peripheral blood samples were collected from 11,049 potentially at-risk couples of childbearing age from Shenzhen. Thalassemia mutations were determined by PCR-based flow-through hybridization. The results identified 45.02% of the participants (9948 out of 22,098) as harboring globin gene mutations, distributed into 18 α-thalassemia alleles detected in 71.48% (7111 out of 9948) and 15 β-thalassemia alleles detected in 32.68% (3252 out of 9948) of all mutant individuals, among which 415 individuals carried both α- and β-thalassemia alleles. The most frequent phenotypes for α-globin variations were --SEA/αα (63.37%), -α3.7/αα (18.66%), and -α4.2/αα (7.31%), and those for β-globin variations were β41-42/βN (34.96%), β654/βN (28.11%), and β17/βN (13.84%). A total of 970 high-risk couples who could possibly give birth to offspring with thalassemia intermedia or major were identified. In addition, the hematological indices were compared among thalassemia genotypes. Significant differences in MCH, MCV, Hb A, and Hb A2 levels among α-thalassemia minor (α+), trait (α0), and intermediate phenotypes (P < 0.05) and between βE/βN and the other β-thalassemia phenotypes (P < 0.05) were found. Moreover, GAP-PCR and next-generation sequencing further identified 42 rare mutations, 13 of which were first reported in the Chinese population. A novel mutation in the β-globin gene (HBB: c.246 C > A (rs145669504)) was also discovered.

CONCLUSIONS

This study presented a comprehensive analysis of thalassemia variations in a population from Shenzhen and may offer valuable insights for thalassemia control and intervention strategies in this area.

Hole Transport Layer-Free Low-Bandgap Perovskite Solar Cells for Efficient All-Perovskite Tandems

Low-bandgap (LBG, Eg  ≈1.25 eV) tin-lead (Sn-Pb) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) play critical roles in constructing efficient all-perovskite tandem solar cells (TSCs) that can surpass the efficiency limit of single-junction solar cells. However, the traditional poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) hole transport layer (HTL) in LBG PSCs usually restricts device efficiency and stability. Here, a strategy of employing 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid (i.e., taurine) as the interface bridge to fabricate efficient HTL-free LBG PSCs with improved optoelectronic properties of the perovskite absorbers at the buried contacts is reported. Taurine-modified ITO substrate has lower optical losses, better energy level alignment, and higher charge transfer capability than PEDOT:PSS HTL, leading to significantly improved open-circuit voltage (VOC ) and short-circuit current density of corresponding devices. The best-performing LBG PSC with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 22.50% and an impressive VOC of 0.911 V is realized, enabling all-perovskite TSCs with an efficiency of 26.03%. The taurine-based HTL-free TSCs have highly increased stability, retaining more than 90% and 80% of their initial PCEs after constant operation under 1-sun illumination for 600 h and under 55 °C thermal stress for 950 h, respectively. This work provides a facile strategy for fabricating efficient and stable perovskite devices with a simplified HTL-free architecture.

Association of epicardial and visceral adipose tissue in relation to subclinical cardiac dysfunction in Chinese: Danyang study

OBJECTIVE

Our study aims to examine the associations of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) with subclinical cardiac dysfunction in a Chinese population.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional.

BACKGROUND

EAT and VAT are the most important ectopic fat pools which were previously shown to be associated with subclinical cardiac dysfunction. However, few studies simultaneously measured both EAT thickness and VAT area, and explored their associations with cardiac dysfunction. Our study aims to examine the associations of VAT and EAT with subclinical cardiac dysfunction in a Chinese population.

METHODS

The study subjects were recruited from Danyang County from 2018 to 2019. Using Philips CX50, we recorded EAT thickness at the end-systole in a long-axis view. The subclinical systolic and diastolic function were assessed by two-dimensional speckle tracking, and transmitral and tissue Doppler imaging, respectively. Using Omron HDS-2000, we measured VAT area by dual bioelectrical impedance analysis.

RESULTS

The 1558 participants (age, 52.3±12.8 years) included 930 (59.7%) women. Compared with women, men had higher VAT area (99.4 vs 70.1 cm2; p<0.0001) but lower EAT thickness (4.02 vs 4.46 mm; p<0.0001). In simple correlation analyses, EAT thickness and VAT area were positively associated with E/e' ratio (r=0.16 to 0.20; all p<0.0001) and negatively with global longitudinal strain (GLS) and e' (r=-0.12 to -0.37; all p<0.0001). Furthermore, VAT area was associated with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (r=-0.14; p<0.0001). After adjustment for confounding factors, the association of EAT with GLS and that of VAT with e' and E/e' ratio remained significant (all p≤0.001), whereas the associations of EAT with subclinical diastolic dysfunction and that of VAT with systolic function became non-significant (all p≥0.11). Analyses on further adjustment for LVEF showed similar results.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased EAT thickness was associated with worse subclinical systolic dysfunction, while greater VAT area was associated with early diastolic dysfunction.

Effects of arsenic exposure on trace element levels in the hippocampus and cortex of rats and their gender differences

BACKGROUND

Exposure to arsenic (As) is a major public health challenge worldwide. Chronic exposure to As can cause various human health effects, including skin diseases, cardiovascular disease, neurological disorders, and cancer. Studies have shown that As exposure can lead to disturbances in the balance of trace elements in the body. Moreover, As readily crosses the blood-brain barrier and can be enriched in the hippocampus and cortex, causing neurotoxic damage. At present, there are few reports on the effect of As on trace element levels in the central nervous system (CNS). Therefore, we sought to explore As-induced neurotoxicity and the effects of As on CNS trace element levels.

METHODS

An As-induced neurological injury model in rats was established by feeding As chow for 90 days of continuous exposure, and 19 elements were detected in the hippocampus and cortex of As-exposed rats by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

The results showed that the As levels in the hippocampus and cortex of As-exposed rats were significantly higher than those in the control group, The As levels in the cortex were significantly higher than in the hippocampus group. The levels of Cd, Ho, and Rb were increased in the hippocampus and decreased in Au, Ba, Ce, Cs, Pd, Se, Sr, and Tl in the As-exposed group, while the levels of Cd and Rb were increased and Se and Au were decreased in the cortex. Significant gender differences in the effects of As on hippocampal Cd, Ba, Rb, and Sr, and cortical Cd and Mo.

CONCLUSION

It is suggested that elemental imbalance may be a risk factor for developing As toxicity plays a synergistic or antagonistic role in As-induced toxicity and is closely related to As-induced CNS damage.

Metformin reduces decline in the estimated glomerular filtration rate during progression of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

A meta-analysis (MA) was carried out to examine the influence of metformin on autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) patient prognosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reviewed and examined scientific articles from PubMed, Clinicalkey, Google Scholar, Medline, Embase, and Cochrane from the initiation date till June 2023 to identify investigations that examined metformin performance in managing ADPKD. Among the employed search terminology, we searched for terms such as "metformin" and "ADPKD". MA was conducted using the Cochrane Collaboration's RevMan version 5.3.0 (The Cochrane Collaboration, Oxford, UK).

RESULTS

We identified 4 investigations, with 164 total subjects who fulfilled our inclusion criteria. The experimental cohort displayed a marked reduction in the decline of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) relative to controls [mean difference (MD) = 2.31, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.82-3.79, p = 0.002]. We observed no obvious difference in the height-adjusted total kidney volume alteration, gastrointestinal side effects, and hypoglycemia between the two cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

Metformin was easily tolerable and safe and substantially reduced the eGFR decline among ADPKD patients. Moreover, although metformin-treated patients were more likely to suffer gastrointestinal adverse events, we observed no discernible difference between the two cohorts.

Neutron Irradiation Effects on Boron Nitride-Based Ceramics for Use in X-ray Detection

X-ray detectors based on conventional semiconductors with large atomic numbers are suffering from the poor stability under a high dose rate of ionizing irradiation. In this work, we demonstrate that a wide band gap ceramic-boron nitride with small atomic numbers could be used for sensitive X-ray detection. Boron nitride samples showed excellent resistance to ionizing radiation, which have been systematically studied with the neutron- and electron-aging experiments. Then, we fully analyzed the influence of these aging effects on the fundamental properties of boron nitride. Interestingly, we found that the boron nitride samples could maintain relatively good charge transport properties even after large dose of neutron irradiation. The fabricated X-ray detectors showed decent performance metrics, and the neutron-aged boron nitride even showed improved operational stability under continuous X-ray irradiation, suggesting the great potential for real applications.

SIRT6 is an epigenetic repressor of thoracic aortic aneurysms via inhibiting inflammation and senescence

Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) develop asymptomatically and are characterized by dilatation of the aorta. This is considered a life-threating vascular disease due to the risk of aortic rupture and without effective treatments. The current understanding of the pathogenesis of TAA is still limited, especially for sporadic TAAs without known genetic mutation. Sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) expression was significantly decreased in the tunica media of sporadic human TAA tissues. Genetic knockout of Sirt6 in mouse vascular smooth muscle cells accelerated TAA formation and rupture, reduced survival, and increased vascular inflammation and senescence after angiotensin II infusion. Transcriptome analysis identified interleukin (IL)-1β as a pivotal target of SIRT6, and increased IL-1β levels correlated with vascular inflammation and senescence in human and mouse TAA samples. Chromatin immunoprecipitation revealed that SIRT6 bound to the Il1b promoter to repress expression partly by reducing the H3K9 and H3K56 acetylation. Genetic knockout of Il1b or pharmacological inhibition of IL-1β signaling with the receptor antagonist anakinra rescued Sirt6 deficiency mediated aggravation of vascular inflammation, senescence, TAA formation and survival in mice. The findings reveal that SIRT6 protects against TAA by epigenetically inhibiting vascular inflammation and senescence, providing insight into potential epigenetic strategies for TAA treatment.

Effects of G-CSF on hPDLSC proliferation and osteogenic differentiation in the LPS-induced inflammatory microenvironment

BACKGROUND

Periodontitis is a chronic infectious disease of periodontal support tissue caused by microorganisms in dental plaque, which causes alveolar bone resorption and tooth loss. Periodontitis treatment goals include prevention of alveolar bone resorption and promotion of periodontal regeneration. We previously found that granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) was involved in periodontitis-related alveolar bone resorption through induction of an immune response and subsequent destruction of periodontal tissue. However, the mechanisms underlying the effects of G-CSF on abnormal bone remodeling have not yet been fully elucidated. Human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) are major modulators of osteogenic differentiation in periodontal tissues. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigated whether G-CSF acts effects on hPDLSC proliferation and osteogenic differentiation, as well as periodontal tissue repair.

METHODS

hPDLSCs were cultured and identified by short tandem repeat analysis. The expression patterns and locations of G-CSF receptor (G-CSFR) on hPDLSCs were detected by immunofluorescence analysis. The effects of G-CSF on hPDLSCs in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory microenvironment were investigated. Specifically, Cell-Counting Kit 8 (CCK8) and Alizarin red staining were used to examine hPDLSC proliferation and osteogenic differentiation; reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect the expression patterns of osteogenesis-related genes (alkaline phosphatase [ALP], runt-related transcription factor 2 [Runx2], and osteocalcin [OCN]) in hPDLSCs; and Western blotting was used to detect the expression patterns of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (Akt) of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

RESULTS

hPDLSCs exhibited a typical spindle-shaped morphology and good clonogenic ability. G-CSFR was mostly localized on the cell surface membrane. Analyses showed that G-CSF inhibited hPDLSC proliferation. Also, in the LPS-induced inflammatory microenvironment, G-CSF inhibited hPDLSC osteogenic differentiation and reduced the expression levels of osteogenesis-related genes. G-CSF increased the protein expression levels of hPDLSC pathway components p-PI3K and p-Akt.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that G-CSFR was expressed on hPDLSCs. Furthermore, G-CSF inhibited hPDLSC osteogenic differentiation in vitro in the LPS-induced inflammatory microenvironment.

[Clinical diagnosis and treatment of multiple pulmonary nodules]

CT screening has markedly reduced the lung cancer mortality in high-risk population and increased the detection of early-stage pulmonary neoplasms, including multiple pulmonary nodules, especially those with a ground-glass appearance on CT. Multiple primary lung cancer (MPLC) constitutes a specific subtype of lung cancer with indolent biological behaviors, which is predominantly early-stage adenocarcinoma. Although MPLC progresses slowly with rare lymphatic metastasis, existence of synchronous lesions and distributed location of these nodules still pose difficulty for the management of such patients. One single operation is usually insufficient to eradicate all neoplastic lesions, whereas repeated surgical procedures bring about another dilemma: whether clinical benefits of surgical treatment outweigh loss of pulmonary function following multiple operations. Therefore, despite the anxiety for treatment among MPLC patients, whether and how to treat the patient should be assessed meticulously. Currently there is a heated discussion upon the timing of clinical intervention, operation mode and the application of local therapy in MPLC. Based on clinical experience of our multiple disciplinary team, we have summarized and commented on the evaluation, surgical treatment, non-surgical local treatment, targeted therapy and immunotherapy of MPLC in this article to provide further insight into this field.

Charge-Carrier Dynamics of Evaporated Bismuth-Based Chalcogenide Thin Films Probed with Time-Resolved Microwave Conductivity

Chalcogenide-based semiconductors are emerging as a set of highly promising candidates for optoelectronic devices, owing to their low toxicity, cost-effectiveness, exceptional stability, and tunable optoelectronic properties. Nonetheless, the limited understanding of charge recombination mechanisms and trap states of these materials is impeding their further development. To fill this gap, we conducted a comprehensive study of bismuth-based chalcogenide thin films and systematically investigated the influence of post-treatments via time-resolved microwave conductivity and temperature-dependent photoluminescence. The key finding in this work is that post-treatment with Bi could effectively enhance the crystallinity and charge-carrier mobility. However, the carrier density also increased significantly after the Bi treatment. On the contrary, post-treatment of evaporated Bi₂S₃ thin films with sulfur could effectively increase the carrier lifetime and mobility by passivating the trap states on the grain boundaries, which is also consistent with the enhanced radiative recombination efficiency.

Endoscopic manifestations and treatment outcomes of asymptomatic gastric metastases from primary lung adenocarcinoma: Report of two cases

Metastatic spread of lung adenocarcinoma to the stomach is rare and most gastric metastases are discovered at the advanced stage due to certain symptoms. The present study reported two cases of asymptomatic gastric metastases from lung adenocarcinoma presenting as diminutive nodules or erosion endoscopically. The manifestations were also visualized under magnifying endoscopy with blue laser imaging (BLI-ME), the two cases share certain common characteristics under BLI-ME, such as an obviously widened intervening part and extended subepithelial capillary network, which indicated that lesions developed beneath the superficial epithelium. Target biopsy and further immunohistochemical staining confirmed that the gastric lesions were metastatic from primary lung cancer. None of the two patients were candidates for surgery due to multiple distant metastases, but the gastric metastases regressed to scars after systemic anticancer therapy. These two cases were presented in order to improve the current understanding of the endoscopic manifestations of early gastric metastases from lung cancer, and the outcomes may demonstrate that systemic treatment is effective for eliminating early gastric metastatic lesions.

Improved Carrier Management via a Multifunctional Modifier for High-Quality Low-Bandgap Sn-Pb Perovskites and Efficient All-Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells

All-perovskite tandem solar cells (TSCs) hold great promise in terms of ultrahigh efficiency, low manufacturing cost, and flexibility, stepping forward to the next-generation photovoltaics. However, their further development is hampered by the relatively low performance of low-bandgap (LBG) tin (Sn)-lead (Pb) perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Improving the carrier management, including suppressing trap-assisted non-radiative recombination and promoting carrier transfer, is of great significance to enhance the performance of Sn-Pb PSCs. Herein, a carrier management strategy is reported for using cysteine hydrochloride (CysHCl) simultaneously as a bulky passivator and a surface anchoring agent for Sn-Pb perovskite. CysHCl processing effectively reduces trap density and suppresses non-radiative recombination, enabling the growth of high-quality Sn-Pb perovskite with greatly improved carrier diffusion length of >8 µm. Furthermore, the electron transfer at the perovskite/C₆₀ interface is accelerated due to the formation of surface dipoles and favorable energy band bending. As a result, these advances enable the demonstration of champion efficiency of 22.15% for CysHCl-processed LBG Sn-Pb PSCs with remarkable enhancement in both open-circuit voltage and fill factor. When paired with a wide-bandgap (WBG) perovskite subcell, a certified 25.7%-efficient all-perovskite monolithic tandem device is further demonstrated.

Isolation of porcine adult cardiomyocytes: Comparison between Langendorff perfusion and tissue slicing-assisted enzyme digestion

Tissue slicing-assisted digestion (TSAD) of adult cardiomyocytes has shown significant improvements over conventional chunk methods. However, it remains unclear how this method compares to Langendorff perfusion, the current standard of adult cardiomyocyte isolation. Using adult Bama minipigs, we performed cardiomyocyte isolation via these two distinct methods, and compared the resulting cellular quality, including viability, cellular structure, gene expression, and electrophysiological properties, of cardiomyocytes from 3 distinct anatomical regions, namely the left ventricle, right ventricle, and left atrial appendage. Our results revealed largely indistinguishable cell quality in all of the measured parameters. These findings suggest that that TSAD can be reliably used to isolate adult mammalian cardiomyocytes as a reliable alternative to perfusion in cardiomyocyte isolation from larger mammals, particularly when Langendorff perfusion is not feasible.

Additive-Enhanced Crystallization of Inorganic Perovskite Single Crystals for High-Sensitivity X-Ray Detection

Inorganic cesium lead halide perovskite single crystals are particularly intriguing to ionizing radiation detection by virtue of their material stability and high attenuation coefficients. However, the growth of high-quality inorganic perovskite single crystals remains challenging, mainly due to the limited solubility. In this work, an additive-enhanced crystallization method is proposed for cesium lead perovskites. The additive can remarkably increase the solubility of cesium bromide in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) forming a balanced stoichiometric precursor solution, which prevents the formation of impurity phases. In addition, the additives would react with DMSO generating glyoxylic acid (GLA) via nucleophilic substitution and Kornblum oxidation reactions. The GLA can form stable PbBr₂ -DMSO-GLA complexes, which enables better crystallinity, uniformity and much longer carrier lifetimes for the grown single crystals. The X-ray detectors using the additive-enhanced crystals exhibit an ultra-high sensitivity of 3.0 × 10⁴  µC Gy_air ^-1 cm^-2 which is more than two orders of magnitude higher than that for the control devices.

Study of pathogenic genes in a pedigree with familial dilated cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a genetically heterogeneous cardiac disorder characterized by left ventricular dilation and contractile dysfunction. The substantial genetic heterogeneity evident in patients with DCM contributes to variable disease severity and complicates overall prognosis, which can be very poor.

AIM

To identify pathogenic genes in DCM through pedigree analysis.

METHODS

Our research team identified a patient with DCM in the clinic. Through investigation, we found that the family of this patient has a typical DCM pedigree. High-throughput sequencing technology, next-generation sequencing, was used to sequence the whole exomes of seven samples in the pedigree.

RESULTS

A novel and potentially pathogenic gene mutation-ANK2p.F3067L-was discovered. The mutation was completely consistent with the clinical information for this DCM pedigree. Sanger sequencing was used to further verify the locus of the mutation in pedigree samples. These results were consistent with those of high-throughput sequencing.

CONCLUSIONS

ANK2p.F3067L is considered a novel and potentially pathogenic gene mutation in DCM.

Human placental extract regulates polarization of macrophages via IRGM/NLRP3 in allergic rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is globally prevalent and its pathogenesis remains unclear. Alternative activation of macrophages is suggested in AR and thought to be involved in natural immunoregulatory processes in AR. Aberrant activation of Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is linked with AR. Human placenta extract (HPE) is widely used in clinics due to its multiple therapeutic potential carried by diverse bioactive molecules in it. We aim to investigate the effect of HPE on AR and the possible underlying mechanism. Ovalbumin (OVA)-induced AR rat model was set up and treated by HPE or cetirizine. General manifestation of AR was evaluated along with the histological and biochemical analysis performed on rat nasal mucosa. A proteomic analysis was performed on AR rat mucosa. Mouse alveolar macrophages (MH-S cells) were cultured under OVA stimulation to investigate the regulation of macrophages polarization. The morphological changes and the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome and immunity-related GTPase M (IRGM) in nasal mucosa as well as in MH-S cells were evaluated respectively. The results of our study showed the general manifestation of AR along with the histological changes in nasal mucosa of AR rats were improved by HPE. HPE suppresses NLRP3 inflammasome and the decline of IRGM in AR rats and MH-S cells. HPE regulates macrophage polarization through IRGM/NLRP3. We demonstrated that HPE had protection for AR and the protection is achieved partly through suppressing M1 while promoting M2, the process which is mediated by IRGM via inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome in AR.

LncRNA PVT1 delays skin photoaging by sequestering miR-551b-3p to release AQP3 expression via ceRNA mechanism

Understanding human skin photoaging requires in-depth knowledge of the molecular and functional mechanisms. Human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) gradually lose their ability to produce collagen and renew intercellular matrix with aging. Therefore, our study aims to reveal the mechanistic actions of a novel ceRNA network in the skin photoaging by regulating HDF activities. Photoaging-related genes were obtained in silico, followed by GO and KEGG enrichment analyses. Differentially expressed lncRNAs and miRNAs were screened from the GEO database to construct the ceRNA co-expression network. In skin photoaging samples, PVT1 and AQP3 were poorly expressed, while miR-551b-3p was highly expressed. The relationships among the lncRNA, miRNA and mRNA were explored through the ENCORI database and dual luciferase reporter assay. Mechanistically, PVT1 could sequester miR-551b-3p to upregulate the expression of AQP3, which further inactivated the ERK/p38 MAPK signaling pathway. HDFs were selected to construct an in vitro cell skin photoaging model, where the senescence, cell cycle distribution and viability of young and senescent HDFs were detected by SA-β-gal staining, flow cytometry and CCK-8 assay. In vitro cell experiments confirmed that overexpression of PVT1 or AQP3 enhanced viability of young and senescent HDFs and inhibited HDF senescence, while miR-551b-3p upregulation counteracted the effect of PVT1. In conclusion, PVT1-driven suppression of miR-551b-3p induces AQP3 expression to inactivate the ERK/p38 MAPK signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting HDF senescence and ultimately delaying the skin photoaging.

Rif1 Regulates Self-Renewal and Impedes Mesendodermal Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

Background

RAP1 interacting factor 1 (Rif1) is highly expressed in mice embryos and mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). It plays critical roles in telomere length homeostasis, DNA damage, DNA replication timing and ERV silencing. However, whether Rif1 regulates early differentiation of mESC is still unclear.

Methods

In this study, we generated a Rif1 conditional knockout mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell line based on Cre-loxP system. Western blot, flow cytometry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), RNA high-throughput sequencing (RNA-Seq), chromatin immunoprecipitation followed high-throughput sequencing (ChIP-Seq), chromatin immunoprecipitation quantitative PCR (ChIP-qPCR), immunofluorescence, and immunoprecipitation were employed for phenotype and molecular mechanism assessment.

Results

Rif1 plays important roles in self-renewal and pluripotency of mESCs and loss of Rif1 promotes mESC differentiation toward the mesendodermal germ layers. We further show that Rif1 interacts with histone H3K27 methyltransferase EZH2, a subunit of PRC2, and regulates the expression of developmental genes by directly binding to their promoters. Rif1 deficiency reduces the occupancy of EZH2 and H3K27me3 on mesendodermal gene promoters and activates ERK1/2 activities.

Conclusion

Rif1 is a key factor in regulating the pluripotency, self-renewal, and lineage specification of mESCs. Our research provides new insights into the key roles of Rif1 in connecting epigenetic regulations and signaling pathways for cell fate determination and lineage specification of mESCs.

Graphical abstract

MicroRNA-202-5p-dependent inhibition of Bcl-2 contributes to macrophage apoptosis and atherosclerotic plaque formation

BACKGROUND

The identification of microRNA (miRNA)-related molecular mechanisms has advanced the development of new therapeutics for atherosclerosis (AS). The roles of miR-202-5p- in the pathogenic mechanisms of AS have not been explored.

METHODS

Macrophages were transfected with a series of miR-202-5p mimic/inhibitor, and then assessed for changes in viability, apoptosis, and secretion of inflammatory cytokines. The regulatory mechanism of miR-202-5p was explored through dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. A mouse model of AS was developed in ApoE^-/- mice fed with high-fat diet to examine the in vivo effects of miR-202-5p on atherosclerotic plaque formation, collagen synthesis, and fiber cap thickness.

RESULTS

Elevated miR-202-5p was found in atherosclerotic plaque tissues of the mice. miR-202-5p was able to induce macrophage apoptosis and release of pro-inflammatory factors. Besides, miR-202-5p limited Bcl-2 expression and elevated the levels of Bax, cleaved caspase-3, and cleaved caspase-9. Bcl-2 was concluded as a target gene of miR-202-5p. The pro-apoptotic effect of miR-202-5p on macrophages was achieved via limiting Bcl-2. In the mouse AS model, restoration of miR-202-5p stimulated atherosclerotic plaque formation, but reduced collagen synthesis and fiber cap thickness.

CONCLUSION

These data collectively suggest a pro-apoptotic action of miR-202-5p in macrophages that contributes to atherosclerotic plaque formation.

Manipulation of the Buried Interface for Robust Formamidinium-based Sn-Pb Perovskite Solar Cells with NiOx Hole-Transport Layers

Low band gap tin-lead perovskite solar cells (Sn-Pb PSCs) are expected to achieve higher efficiencies than Pb-PSCs and regarded as key components of tandem PSCs. However, the realization of high efficiency is challenged by the instability of Sn²⁺ and the imperfections at the charge transfer interfaces. Here, we demonstrate an efficient ideal band gap formamidinium (FA)-based Sn-Pb (FAPb_0.5 Sn_0.5 I₃ ) PSC, by manipulating the buried NiO_x /perovskite interface with 4-hydroxyphenethyl ammonium halide (OH-PEAX, X=Cl^- , Br^- , or I^- ) interlayer, which exhibits fascinating functions of reducing the surface defects of the NiO_x hole transport layer (HTL), enhancing the perovskite film quality, and improving both the energy level matching and physical contact at the interface. The effects of different halide anions have been elaborated and a 20.53 % efficiency is obtained with OH-PEABr, which is the highest one for FA-based Sn-Pb PSCs using NiO_x HTLs. Moreover, the device stability is also boosted.

Targeting endothelial tight junctions to predict and protect thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection

AIMS

Whether changes in endothelial tight junctions (TJs) lead to the formation of thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD) and serve as an early indicator and therapeutic target remains elusive.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis showed aberrant endothelial TJ expressions in the thoracic aortas of patients with TAAD. In a β-aminopropionitrile (BAPN)-induced TAAD mouse model, endothelial TJ function was disrupted in the thoracic aortas at an early stage (5 and 10 days) as observed by a vascular permeability assay, while the intercellular distribution of crucial TJ components was significantly decreased by en face staining. For the non-invasive detection of endothelial TJ function, two dextrans of molecular weights 4 and 70 kDa were conjugated with the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent Gd-DOTA to synthesize FITC-dextran-DOTA-Gd and rhodamine B-dextran-DOTA-Gd. MRI images showed that both probes accumulated in the thoracic aortas of the BAPN-fed mice. Particularly, the mice with increased accumulated signals from 5 to 10 days developed TAAD at 14 days, whereas the mice with similar signals between the two time points did not. Furthermore, the protease-activated receptor 2 inhibitor AT-1001, which seals TJs, alleviated the BAPN-induced impairment of endothelial TJ function and expression and subsequently reduced TAAD incidence. Notably, endothelial-targeted ZO-1 conditional knockout increased TAAD incidence. Mechanistically, vascular inflammation and edema were observed in the thoracic aortas of the BAPN-fed mice, whereas these phenomena were attenuated by AT-1001.

CONCLUSION

The disruption of endothelial TJ function is an early event prior to TAAD formation, herein serving as a potential indicator and a promising target for TAAD.

SME viability in the COVID-19 recovery

Abstract

Using survey data from a representative sample of Irish Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), we study how firms are likely to perform under macroeconomic forecasts of the pandemic recovery. The rate of financial distress among firms is expected to fall under baseline forecasts from a peak of 12% in 2020 to 7% by 2024. We find that those firms that struggle to recover by the end of our scenario window were mostly unprofitable or distressed prior to the pandemic. Beyond our baseline case, we further model three alternative recovery scenarios to study the effect of fiscal support tapering, a partial recovery due to structural change in sectoral demand, and a financing gap driven by credit risk retrenchment by lenders. Our findings highlight the continued importance of "bridging" liquidity finance provision to ensure the long-term solvency of viable firms.

Plain English Summary

What proportion of SMEs are financially unviable in the post-pandemic economy? We study data from a representation sample of Irish SMEs and consider how they will perform under forecasts of the pandemic recovery. In our baseline scenario, we estimate that 7% of firms will remain distressed by 2024 and we find that most of these firms were unprofitable or already distressed prior to the pandemic. We look at a number of alternative macroeconomic scenarios, including where government supports are withdrawn, firms in some sectors do not fully recover, and where lenders lower the amount of money they are willing to extend to loan applicants. The impact of government support tapering alone is expected to be modest, and a partial recovery for some firms is not expected to raise aggregate distress by a sizeable amount. However, a sharp contraction in lending to otherwise viable firms leads to a significantly heightened distress rate. Policy measures that seek to support liquidity finance provision to viable firms will continue to have a role in the pandemic recovery.

Perovskite-like Silver Halide Single-Crystal Microbelt Enables Ultrasensitive Flexible X-ray Detectors

Lead halide perovskite single crystals have attracted wide interest in the field of X-ray detection due to their excellent photophysical properties. However, their inherent toxicity and high thickness restrict their applications in flexible devices. In this paper, designing a micronanometer-scale X-ray detector based on all-inorganic lead-free CsAg2I3 (CAI) single crystal microbelts (MBs) has addressed the above issues. These CAI single crystal MBs can be synthesized on various substrates with high crystal quality and excellent stability. Based on their excellent characteristics of the CAI MBs, we fabricate single CAI MB devices with an Au/CAI/Au structure, which shows not only good ultraviolet photoresponse characteristics, but also excellent X-ray detection performance. The optimized CAI photodetectors exhibit a responsivity of 23.59 mA/W, a high detectivity of 1010 Jones, and a fast response speed. For X-ray detection performance, a sensitivity of up to 515.49 μC Gyair-1 cm-2 and a detection limit of as low as 14.65 μGyair s-1 are achieved with outstanding operation stability and excellent long-term stability. Furthermore, our devices also showed excellent applicability for X-ray imaging, which is promising for their use in X-ray detection and imaging. Finally, flexible X-ray detectors are fabricated by using thin CAI single-crystal MBs and demonstrate good flexibility under different bending radii and bending cycles. Our work shows the potential for developing highly sensitive flexible integrated micro/nano optoelectronic devices by using lead-free perovskite analogue single crystals.

Synergistic passivation and stepped-dimensional perovskite analogs enable high-efficiency near-infrared light-emitting diodes

Formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI₃) perovskites are promising emitters for near-infrared light-emitting diodes. However, their performance is still limited by defect-assisted nonradiative recombination and band offset-induced carrier aggregation at the interface. Herein, we introduce a couple of cadmium salts with acetate or halide anion into the FAPbI₃ perovskite precursors to synergistically passivate the material defects and optimize the device band structure. Particularly, the perovskite analogs, containing zero-dimensional formamidinium cadmium iodide, one-dimensional δ-FAPbI₃, two-dimensional FA₂FA_n-1Pb_nI_3n+1, and three-dimensional α-FAPbI₃, can be obtained in one pot and play a pivotal and positive role in energy transfer in the formamidinium iodide-rich lead-based perovskite films. As a result, the near-infrared FAPbI₃-based devices deliver a maximum external quantum efficiency of 24.1% together with substantially improved operational stability. Combining our findings on defect passivation and energy transfer, we also achieve near-infrared light communication with device twins of light emitting and unprecedented self-driven detection.

Trace Element Changes in the Plasma of Autism Spectrum Disorder Children and the Positive Correlation Between Chromium and Vanadium

Existing data demonstrate a significant correlation between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the status of biologically essential and toxic trace elements. However, there is still a lack of data on the steady state of trace elements in ASD. We performed a case-control study to explore the association between the risk of ASD and 23 trace elements in plasma. The results showed that children with ASD had considerably decreased lithium (Li), manganese (Mn), selenium (Se), barium (Ba), mercury (Hg), and tin (Sn) levels when compared to their age- and sex-matched controls. Meanwhile, children with ASD had considerably increased plasma chromium (Cr) and vanadium (V) concentrations. We also divided each group into subgroups based on age and gender and created element-related networks for each subgroup. We detected significant element correlations within or between subgroups, as well as changes in correlations that included all elements examined. Finally, more element correlations were observed among males, which may open a new avenue for understanding the complicated process behind the sex ratio of children with ASD. Overall, our data revealed a novel relationship between elements and ASD, which may extend current understanding about ASD.

Severe lung injury induced by CD38 monoclonal antibody Daratumumab and bortezomib-containing regimen in a patient with preexisting interstitial lung disease: a case report and literature review

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

Daratumumab, an anti-CD38 monoclonalantibody, is a safe and effective antibody used in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), which is rarely reported to cause severe pulmonary complications.

CASE SUMMARY

A 58-year-old man diagnosed with MM and preexisting interstitial lung disease developed a high fever and severe dyspnea after administering Daratumumab and bortezomib-containing regimen. Chest CT showed bilaterally and diffused ground-glass opacities and consolidations. A quick improvement was achieved in both clinical symptoms and chest imaging findings through the administration of large doses of methylprednisolone, followed by oral prednisolone.

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

This is the first case reporting Daratumumab and bortezomib-containing regimen-induced lung injury characterized by preexisting interstitial lung disease.

Postnatal state transition of cardiomyocyte as a primary step in heart maturation

Postnatal heart maturation is the basis of normal cardiac function and provides critical insights into heart repair and regenerative medicine. While static snapshots of the maturing heart have provided much insight into its molecular signatures, few key events during postnatal cardiomyocyte maturation have been uncovered. Here, we report that cardiomyocytes (CMs) experience epigenetic and transcriptional decline of cardiac gene expression immediately after birth, leading to a transition state of CMs at postnatal day 7 (P7) that was essential for CM subtype specification during heart maturation. Large-scale single-cell analysis and genetic lineage tracing confirm the presence of transition state CMs at P7 bridging immature state and mature states. Silencing of key transcription factor JUN in P1-hearts significantly repressed CM transition, resulting in perturbed CM subtype proportions and reduced cardiac function in mature hearts. In addition, transplantation of P7-CMs into infarcted hearts exhibited cardiac repair potential superior to P1-CMs. Collectively, our data uncover CM state transition as a key event in postnatal heart maturation, which not only provides insights into molecular foundations of heart maturation, but also opens an avenue for manipulation of cardiomyocyte fate in disease and regenerative medicine.

Functional Linear Regression for Discretely Observed Data: From Ideal to Reality

Despite extensive studies on functional linear regression, there exists a fundamental gap in theory between the ideal estimation from fully observed covariate functions and the reality that one can only observe functional covariates discretely with noise. The challenge arises when deriving a sharp perturbation bound for the estimated eigenfunctions in the latter case, which renders existing techniques for functional linear regression not applicable. We use a pooling method to attain the estimated eigenfunctions and propose a sample-splitting strategy to estimate the principal component scores, which facilitates the theoretical treatment for discretely observed data. The slope function is estimated by approximated least squares, and we show that the resulting estimator attains the optimal convergence rates for both estimation and prediction when the number of measurements per subject reaches a certain magnitude of the sample size. This phase transition phenomenon differs from the known results for the pooled mean and covariance estimation, and reveals the elevated difficulty in estimating the regression function. Numerical experiments, using simulated and real data examples, yield favourable results when compared with existing methods.

Optoelectronic Modulation of Silver Antimony Sulfide Thin Films for Photodetection

Silver antimony sulfide, as a ternary chalcogenide, has attracted great attention in the field of optoelectronics in recent years. In particular, it has appealing properties, such as excellent stability, solution processability, and versatile composition tunability. Benefiting from the recent development of processing techniques, AgSbS₂ has emerged as a promising candidate for next-generation, thin-film photovoltaics. On the contrary, AgSbS₂-based photodetectors have been barely reported. In this work, we systematically investigated the composition engineering of silver antimony sulfide compounds with a precursor route. Their optoelectronic properties were fully characterized, and the composition was optimized for photodetection. High-performance phototransistors were first reported based on field-effect thin film transistors with interfacial modification. The obtained AgSbS₂ phototransistors exhibited relatively high photosensitivity, low dark current and noise, superior device stability, and excellent detectivity covering the whole range from ultraviolet to near-infrared, highlighting the great potential for next-generation photodetection.

Functional isolation, culture and cryopreservation of adult human primary cardiomyocytes

Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death globally. Accurately modeling cardiac homeostasis, dysfunction, and drug response lies at the heart of cardiac research. Adult human primary cardiomyocytes (hPCMs) are a promising cellular model, but unstable isolation efficiency and quality, rapid cell death in culture, and unknown response to cryopreservation prevent them from becoming a reliable and flexible in vitro cardiac model. Combing the use of a reversible inhibitor of myosin II ATPase, (-)-blebbistatin (Bleb), and multiple optimization steps of the isolation procedure, we achieved a 2.74-fold increase in cell viability over traditional methods, accompanied by better cellular morphology, minimally perturbed gene expression, intact electrophysiology, and normal neurohormonal signaling. Further optimization of culture conditions established a method that was capable of maintaining optimal cell viability, morphology, and mitochondrial respiration for at least 7 days. Most importantly, we successfully cryopreserved hPCMs, which were structurally, molecularly, and functionally intact after undergoing the freeze-thaw cycle. hPCMs demonstrated greater sensitivity towards a set of cardiotoxic drugs, compared to human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs). Further dissection of cardiomyocyte drug response at both the population and single-cell transcriptomic level revealed that hPCM responses were more pronouncedly enriched in cardiac function, whereas hiPSC-CMs responses reflected cardiac development. Together, we established a full set of methodologies for the efficient isolation and prolonged maintenance of functional primary adult human cardiomyocytes in vitro, unlocking their potential as a cellular model for cardiovascular research, drug discovery, and safety pharmacology.

Thick-junction perovskite X-ray detectors: processing and optoelectronic considerations

Metal halide perovskites have attracted increasing attention due to their strong stopping power, defect tolerance, large mobility lifetime product, tunable bandgap and simple single-crystal growth via low-cost solution processes, particularly for ionizing radiation detection. Over the past few years, semiconductor-type X-ray detectors based on a variety of perovskites have been developed, showing impressive progress in achieving high sensitivity and low detection limits. In this study, based on the requirement of material properties for high-performance X-ray detectors, we review various materials used for direct detection and summarize the processing techniques and optoelectronic considerations of thick-junction perovskite X-ray detectors. This review also highlights the key challenges facing perovskite X-ray detectors towards real applications and discusses the opportunities, which are promising to explore and may require more research activities.

POS0962 CAN RADIOMICS REPLACE SPARCC SCORING SYSTEM IN EVALUATING BONE MARROW OEDEMA OF THE SACROILIAC JOINTS IN AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS?

Background

Bone marrow oedema (BMO) of the sacroiliac joints (SIJs) is evaluated to diagnose, classify and monitor disease activity in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Available quantitative methodologies rely on human visual assessment, and errors can’t be completely avoided. Radiomics can extract and select discriminative and quantified features from regions of interest (ROIs), making a more accurate and objective description of BMO.

Objectives

To develop a more objective and efficient method based on radiomics to evaluate BMO of the SIJs by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with axSpA in comparison with Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC) scoring system.

Methods

From September 2013 to July 2021, 523 patients with axSpA underwent 3.0T SIJ-MRI were included, who were randomly classified as training cohort(n=367) and validation cohort(n=156). The optimal radiomics features, selected from the 3.0T SIJ-MRI in the training cohort, were included to build the radiomics model. Four clinical risk predictors were adopted to build the clinical model. The performance of the clinical and radiomics models was evaluated by ROC analysis and decision curve analysis (DCA). Rad-scores were calculated by the radiomics model and SPARCC scores were performed to quantify the BMO of SIJs. We also assessed the correlation between Rad-score and SPARCC score.

Results

The radiomics model, built by 15 optimal features, showed favorable discrimination about SPARCC score <2 or ≥2 both in the training (AUC, 0.91; 95% CI: 0.88-0.94) and the validation cohort (AUC, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.84-0.94). DCA confirmed that the radiomics model was clinically useful. Furthermore, Rad-score has significant correlation with SPARCC score for scoring the status of BMO (rs=0.78, P< 0.001), and moderation correlation for scoring the change (r=0.40, P=0.005).

Conclusion

The radiomics can accurately assess the BMO of the SIJs in axSpA, providing an alternative to SPARCC scoring system. There was a positive correlation between Rad-score and SPARCC score.

References

[1]van der Heijde D, Sieper J, Maksymowych WP, Lambert RG, Chen S, Hojnik M, et al. Clinical and MRI remission in patients with nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis who received long-term open-label adalimumab treatment: 3-year results of the ABILITY-1 trial. Arthritis Res Ther. 2018;20(1):61.

[2]Landewé RB, Hermann KG, van der Heijde DM, Baraliakos X, Jurik AG, Lambert RG, et al. Scoring sacroiliac joints by magnetic resonance imaging. A multiple-reader reliability experiment. The Journal of rheumatology. 2005;32(10):2050-5.

[3]Cereser L, Zabotti A, Zancan G, Quartuccio L, Cicciò C, Giovannini I, et al. Magnetic resonance imaging assessment of ASAS-defined active sacroiliitis in patients with inflammatory back pain and suspected axial spondyloarthritis: a study of reliability. Clinical and experimental rheumatology. 2021.

[4]Maksymowych WP, Inman RD, Salonen D, Dhillon SS, Williams M, Stone M, et al. Spondyloarthritis research Consortium of Canada magnetic resonance imaging index for assessment of sacroiliac joint inflammation in ankylosing spondylitis. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;53(5):703-9.

[5]Gillies RJ, Kinahan PE, Hricak H. Radiomics: Images Are More than Pictures, They Are Data. Radiology. 2016;278(2):563-77.

Table 1.

Rad-scores corresponding to different SPARCC score intervals about the status of SIJ-BMO.

SPARCC scorenRad-scoreMean(sd)Median (iqr)Range0-1170-1.31(1.64)-1.39(2.16)-6.46, 2.352-61250.73(1.86)0.62(2.12)-3.08, 8.487-11552.25(1.80)2.36(1.79)-1.17, 8.3612-16432.65(2.14)2.66(3.21)-0.76, 7.3917-21383.31(2.05)3.25(2.88)-0.88, 7.5522-26263.08(1.55)3.38(2.12)-1.00, 5.3827-31253.77(1.36)3.77(1.59)0.40, 6.27>31414.10(1.51)4.32(2.28)1.00, 6.96

Disclosure of Interests

None declared

Dysregulation of interaction between LOXhigh fibroblast and smooth muscle cells contributes to the pathogenesis of aortic dissection

Rationale: While cell-cell interaction plays a critical role in physiology and disease, a comprehensive understanding of its dynamics in vascular homeostasis and diseases is yet absent. Methods: Here, by use of single-cell RNA-sequencing and multi-color staining, we delineate the cellular composition and spatial characterization of human aorta with or without aortic dissection (AD). Results: Scrutinization of cell subtype alterations revealed significantly changed fibroblast (FB)-smooth muscle cell (SMC) interactions in AD. Of these cellular interactions, LOX^high fibroblast (fibroblast subtype 2, FB2) in diseased state exerted the most pronounced effects on pathological deterioration of SMCs in AD. In addition, pharmacologically targeting the BMP (bone morphogenetic protein) signaling pathway effectively suppressed FB2 state transition and reduced AD incidence in mice. Finally, COL5A1 (collagen type V alpha 1 chain), one of the secreted proteins released from FB2, was significantly higher in the plasma of AD patients than in control patients, suggesting its potential use as a biomarker for AD diagnosis. Conclusions: Our work not only identified a pivotal role of a specific FB subtype in AD progression, but also shed light on cell interaction dynamics in vascular diseases.

Age and Sex Differences in the Association of Sleep Duration and Overweight/Obesity among Chinese Participants Age above 45 Years: A Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to evaluate the association between sleep duration and obesity and estimate the attributable risk of sleep in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study surveys (CHARLS).

METHODS

A total of 9061 adults aged 45 years above from CHARLS (2011-2015) were included. The main outcome of this study was incident overweight/obesity specific to general and abdominal obesity. Overweight/obesity was defined as BMI ≥ 23.0 (kg/m2) and BMI≥27.5 (kg/m2), respectively. Abdominal obesity was defined as waist circumference ≥90 cm for men and ≥80 cm for women. Self-reported sleep durations were obtained using a structured questionnaire. We assessed hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) as well as the population attributable fraction (PAF) for associations between sleep duration and obesity.

RESULTS

986 and 606 participants were identified as overweight and general obesity respectively, 1253 experienced abdominal obesity events. In multivariable-adjusted models, participants with daytime sleep of 0-30 minutes and more than 30 minutes associated with 30% (HR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.56-0.87) and 35% (HR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.55-0.78) decreased incident overweight risk respectively compared to those having no daytime sleep, this association also found among females and middle-aged, not males or elderly. Similarly, 0-30 minutes (HR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.48-0.96) and more than 30 minutes of daytime sleep (HR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.59-0.91) were associated with a reduced risk of abdominal obesity, similar results also found among females and middle-aged. Compared with 7-9 hours of nocturnal sleep, people who slept 5-7 hours had a reduced risk of overweight (HR: 0.59, 95% CI=0.47-0.74),but not found in subgroups. The hazard role of long nocturnal sleep for abdominal obesity was only found among elderly (HR: 2.33, 95% CI=1.35-4.04) and males (HR: 2.24, 95% CI=1.17-4.29). Compared with moderate total sleepers (7-9hours/day), participants with short total sleep duration exhibited an elevated risk of overweight (HR: 1.13, 95% CI=1.00-1.28), this also found among middle-aged. The PAF for inadequate total sleep duration (<7 hours/day) was 10.77% for overweight individuals.

CONCLUSIONS

Insufficient sleep duration was associated with an elevated risk of overweight only detected among middle-aged not elderly and other subgroups specific by age. The risks for abdominal obesity were increased for males and middle-aged with long nocturnal sleep. Daytime sleep may significantly reduce the risk of overweight and abdominal obesity in female and middle-aged individuals. The link between sleep duration and obesity requires further study.