Twin's Birth-Order Differences in Height and Body Mass Index From Birth to Old Age : A Pooled Study of 26 Twin Cohorts Participating in the CODATwins Project

We analyzed birth order differences in means and variances of height and body mass index (BMI) in monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins from infancy to old age. The data were derived from the international CODATwins database. The total number of height and BMI measures from 0.5 to 79.5 years of age was 397,466. As expected, first-born twins had greater birth weight than second-born twins. With respect to height, first-born twins were slightly taller than second-born twins in childhood. After adjusting the results for birth weight, the birth order differences decreased and were no longer statistically significant. First-born twins had greater BMI than the second-born twins over childhood and adolescence. After adjusting the results for birth weight, birth order was still associated with BMI until 12 years of age. No interaction effect between birth order and zygosity was found. Only limited evidence was found that birth order influenced variances of height or BMI. The results were similar among boys and girls and also in MZ and DZ twins. Overall, the differences in height and BMI between first-and second-born twins were modest even in early childhood, while adjustment for birth weight reduced the birth order differences but did not remove them for BMI.Peer reviewe

Nonlinear Vibration Study Based on Uncertainty Analysis in MEMS Resonant Accelerometer

This paper aims to develop a resonant accelerometer for high-sensitivity detection and to investigate the nonlinear vibration of the MEMS resonant accelerometer driven by electrostatic comb fingers. First, a nonlinear vibration model of the resonator with comb fingers in a MEMS resonant accelerometer is established. Then, the nonlinear and nonlinear stiffness coefficients are calculated and analyzed with the Galérkin principle. The linear natural frequency, tracking error, and nonlinear frequency offset are obtained by multi-scale method. Finally, to further analyze the nonlinear vibration, a sample-based stochastic model is established, and the uncertainty analysis method is applied. It is concluded from the results that nonlinear vibration can be reduced by reducing the resonant beam length and increasing the resonant beam width and thickness. In addition, the resonant beam length and thickness have more significant effects, while the resonant beam width and the single concentrated mass of comb fingers have little effect, which are verified by experiments. The results of this research have proved that uncertainty analysis is an effective approach in nonlinear vibration analysis and instructional in practical resonant accelerometer design

The Genetic Architecture of the Clustering of Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: A Study of 8- to 17-Year-Old Chinese Twins

We explored the genetic architecture of metabolic risk factors of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and their clustering in Chinese boys and girls. Seven metabolic traits (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference [WC], systolic blood pressure [SBP], diastolic blood pressure [DBP], total cholesterol [TC], triglyceride [TG], and uric acid [UA]) were measured in a sample of 1016 twins between 8 and 17 years of age, recruited from the Qingdao Twin Registry. Cholesky, independent pathway, and common pathway models were used to identify the latent genetic structure behind the clustering of these metabolic traits. Genetic architecture of these metabolic traits was largely similar in boys and girls. The highest heritability was found for BMI (a(2) = 0.63) in boys and TC (a(2) = .69) in girls. Three heritable factors, adiposity (BMI and WC), blood pressure (SBP and DBP), and metabolite factors (TC, TG, and UA), which formed one higher-order latent phenotype, were identified. Latent genetic, common environmental, and unique environmental factors indirectly impacted the three factors through one single latent factor. Our results suggest that there is one latent factor influencing several metabolic traits, which are known risk factors of CVDs in young Chinese twins. Latent genetic, common environmental, and unique environmental factors indirectly imposed on them. These results inform strategies for gene pleiotropic discovery and intervening of CVD risk factors during childhood and adolescence.Peer reviewe

Lobe‐specific analysis of perioperative chemotherapy for non‐small cell lung cancer patients

Abstract Objectives Perioperative cisplatin‐based chemotherapy decreases the risk of death over surgery alone and is a standard of care. Here, we examined perioperative chemotherapy indications for stage IB‐III non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients according to lobe‐specific analysis. Methods Resectable NSCLC patients with stage IB–III who received perioperative chemotherapy with and without radiotherapy after lung resection were identified from the SEER database. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed to reduce the inherent bias of retrospective studies. The Kaplan–Meier method and log‐rank tests were used to assess the differences in overall survival (OS). Results The study enrolled 23,844 patients before PSM. The perioperative chemotherapy group had better OS than the nonperioperative chemotherapy group in stage IB–III NSCLC patients before and after PSM. However, subgroup analysis according to stage demonstrated that perioperative chemotherapy did not markedly benefit patients with stage IB. Furthermore, lobar subgroup analysis did not show survival advantages in primary tumors located in either the right middle lobe in stages II and III NSCLC or the right lower lobe in stage III NSCLC. Conclusions Lobe‐specific perioperative chemotherapy is recommended in NSCLC patients. For stage IB NSCLC, right middle lobe NSCLC from stage IB‐III and right lower lobe NSCLC from stage III, perioperative chemotherapy might not confer survival benefits

A Pyrazolate Osmium(VI) Nitride Exhibits Anticancer Activity through Modulating Protein Homeostasis in HepG2 Cells

Interest in the third-row transition metal osmium and its compounds as potential anticancer agents has grown in recent years. Here, we synthesized the osmium(VI) nitrido complex Na[OsVI(N)(tpm)2] (tpm = [5-(Thien-2-yl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl]methanol), which exhibited a greater inhibitory effect on the cell viabilities of the cervical, ovarian, and breast cancer cell lines compared with cisplatin. Proteomics analysis revealed that Na[OsVI(N)(tpm)2] modulates the expression of protein-transportation-associated, DNA-metabolism-associated, and oxidative-stress-associated proteins in HepG2 cells. Perturbation of protein expression activity by the complex in cancer cells affects the functions of the mitochondria, resulting in high levels of cellular oxidative stress and low rates of cell survival. Moreover, it caused G2/M phase cell cycle arrest and caspase-mediated apoptosis of HepG2 cells. This study reveals a new high-valent osmium complex as an anticancer agent candidate modulating protein homeostasis

Pollination dynamics in a Platycladus orientalis seed orchard as revealed by partial pedigree reconstruction

Pollination dynamics was studied in a first-generation Platycladus orientalis seed orchard with pedigree reconstruction using 8 nuclear and 4 chloroplast SSRs. The pedigree reconstruction assigned 371 out of studied 448 seeds to one of the orchardsâ 192 candidate male parents and showed high level of outcrossing and pollen contamination in the orchardâ s seed crop. While the orchardâ s seed population showed greater allelic richness compared to the parental population, few alleles present in the parental population were missing in the seed crop. Additionally, we detected no significant correlation between male reproductive energy (pollen yield) and male reproductive success; however, uneven parental contribution was also observed. Pollen management practices were recommended to ensure the maintenance of genetic diversity in the seed crops and increase in genetic gain.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author