Blood biomarkers for new-onset hypertension in midlife women:a nested case-control study

Objective Midlife in women is associated with an increase in prevalence of hypertension. Little is known on the risk factors of new-onset hypertension among middle-aged women. Methods In this nested case-control study, 1,430 women aged 40 to 60 years with repeated physical examinations between 2009 and 2019 were recruited. Data included age, body mass index, blood pressure (BP), and a series of blood biomarkers. Participants with hypertension were divided into two case-control samples: 388 cases with episodic new-onset hypertension (ie, one normal BP at the first visit and one abnormal BP during follow-up) each with two age-matched controls (n = 776) and 151 cases with regular new-onset hypertension (ie, normal BP at the first two visits and abnormal BP at two or more follow-up visits) each with three age-matched controls (n = 453). Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression was used to analyze the data. Results Our data showed very consistent results for episodic and regular new-onset hypertension, respectively, and verified known associations (odds ratio [95% confidence interval], per SD increase) with obesity (body mass index, 1.72 [1.49-1.98] and 1.81 [1.45-2.26]), inflammation (white blood cell count, 1.39 [1.23-1.58] and 1.38 [1.13-1.69]), and metabolic dysregulation (triglycerides, 1.25 [1.09-1.44] and 1.31 [1.08-1.58]; glucose, 1.46 [1.23-1.73] and 1.27 [1.05-1.54]) but, more surprisingly, also revealed positive associations with red blood cell count (1.27 [1.11-1.44] and 1.38 [1.14-1.68]), hemoglobin (1.18 [1.03-1.35] and 1.31 [1.05-1.64]), and platelet count (1.39 [1.20-1.61] and 1.33 [1.09-1.63]). Conclusions In addition to obesity and metabolic dysregulation, increased hemoglobin and counts of platelets, and red and white blood cells are associated with hypertension in this period. Future study may verify whether these associations are causal in nature and whether these variables are useful in risk stratification.</p

Mechanism of sphingolipid homeostasis revealed by structural analysis of \u3ci\u3eArabidopsis\u3c/i\u3e SPT-ORM1 complex

The serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT) complex catalyzes the first and rate-limiting step in sphingolipid biosynthesis in all eukaryotes. ORM/ORMDL proteins are negative regulators of SPT that respond to cellular sphingolipid levels. However, the molecular basis underlying ORM/ORMDL-dependent homeostatic regulation of SPT is not well understood.We determined the cryo–electron microscopy structure of Arabidopsis SPT-ORM1 complex, composed of LCB1, LCB2a, SPTssa, and ORM1, in an inhibited state. A ceramide molecule is sandwiched between ORM1 and LCB2a in the cytosolic membrane leaflet. Ceramide binding is critical for the ORM1-dependent SPT repression, and dihydroceramides and phytoceramides differentially affect this repression. A hybrid β sheet, formed by the amino termini of ORM1 and LCB2a and induced by ceramide binding, stabilizes the amino terminus of ORM1 in an inhibitory conformation. Our findings provide mechanistic insights into sphingolipid homeostatic regulation via the binding of ceramide to the SPT-ORM/ORMDL complex that may have implications for plant-specific processes such as the hypersensitive response for microbial pathogen resistance

Optimization Attribute Reduction with Fuzzy Rough Sets based on Algorithm Stability

Fuzzy rough sets (FRSs) theory is an important granular computing method to deal with incomplete information systems, and the attribute reduction is a basic key issue in FRSs. In this paper, we construct a novel framework for selecting the optimal reduct of FRSs with theoretical guarantees by considering the influence of granule size and incorporating the stability theory in machine learning. Firstly, a granule-based soft-margin support vector machine algorithm (GSSVM) is proposed for classification tasks by introducing the λ-conditional entropy into the hinge loss function, which takes the impact of granule size on data loss into account. Secondly, according to stability theory, the generalization error bound of the GSSVM algorithm is derived as a theoretical guarantee for selecting the optimal reduct. Finally, an optimization attribute reduction algorithm (RDROAR) based on the relative discernibility relation is presented by removing the attributes with low importance in a reduct while ensuring the generalization ability of GSSVM. Numerical experiments prove the effectiveness of the improved algorithm as well as verify the rationality and effectiveness of the optimal reduct

Testing the Effects of Water-Saving Technologies Adapted to Drought: Empirical Evidence from the Huang-Huai-Hai Region in China

The aggravation of extreme weather events has dramatically increased the risk of severe water shortages and seriously threatened agricultural production. The Huang-Huai-Hai region, an important agricultural production region in China, is subject to a severe water shortage and is often hit by drought. As a result, water-saving technologies (WSTs) have been implemented. It remains unclear how effectively these WSTs can reduce crop yield loss, crop yield variation, and the loss of net crop income caused by water scarcity. Therefore, this paper aimed to analyze the role of WSTs in response to drought by establishing a multi-objective expected utility function based on 988 farmers across the Huang-Huai-Hai region. Econometric analysis employing an endogenous switching regression model showed that using WSTs can significantly reduce crop yield loss and net income loss caused by drought. Adopting household-based WSTs or community-based water-saving technology generates even greater positive effects on crop yield and farmers&rsquo; net income. Therefore, the government should promote farmers&rsquo; adoption of more advanced WSTs by increasing subsidies and strengthening policy support

Exosomes derived from umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells ameliorate male infertility caused by busulfan in vivo and in vitro

Environmental pollution has emerged as a global concern due to its detrimental effects on human health. One of the critical aspects of this concern is the impact of environmental pollution on sperm quality in males. Male factor infertility accounts for approximately 40%− 50% of all infertility cases. Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) is the most severe type of male infertility. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (hUCMSC) exosomes enhance proliferation and migration, playing crucial roles in tissue and organ injury repair. However, whether hUCMSC exosomes impacting on NOA caused by chemotherapeutic agents remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the functional restoration and mechanism of hUCMSC exosomes on busulfan-induced injury in GC-1 spg cells and ICR mouse testes. Our results revealed that hUCMSC exosomes effectively promoted the proliferation and migration of busulfan-treated GC-1 spg cells. Additionally, oxidative stress and apoptosis were significantly reduced when hUCMSC exosomes were treated. Furthermore, the injection of hUCMSC exosomes into the testes of ICR mice treated with busulfan upregulated the expression of mouse germ cell-specific genes, such as vasa, miwi, Stra8 and Dazl. Moreover, the expression of cellular junction- and cytoskeleton-related genes, including connexin 43, ICAM-1, β-catenin and androgen receptor (AR), was increased in the testicular tissues treated with exosomes. Western blot analysis demonstrated significant downregulation of apoptosis-associated proteins, such as bax and caspase-3, and upregulation of bcl-2 in the mouse testicular tissues injected with hUCMSC exosomes. Further, the spermatogenesis in the experimental group of mice injected with exosomes showed partial restoration of spermatogenesis compared to the busulfan-treated group. Collectively, these findings provide evidence for the potential clinical applications of hUCMSC exosomes in cell repair and open up new avenues for the clinical treatment of NOA

A novel binary effective medium model to describe the prepeak stress-strain relationship of combined bodies of rock-like material and rock

Combined bodies of rock-like material and rock are widely encountered in geotechnical engineering, such as tunnels and mines. The existing theoretical models describing the stress-strain relationship of a combined body lack a binary feature. Based on effective medium theory, this paper presents the governing equation of the “elastic modulus” for combined and single bodies under triaxial compressive tests. A binary effective medium model is then established. Based on the compressive experiment of concrete-granite combined bodies, the feasibility of determining the stress threshold based on crack axial strain is discussed, and the model is verified. The model is further extended to coal-rock combined bodies of more diverse types, and the variation laws of the compressive mechanical parameters are then discussed. The results show that the fitting accuracy of the model with the experimental curves of the concrete-granite combined bodies and various types of coal-rock combined bodies are over 95%. The crack axial strain method can replace the crack volumetric strain method, which clarifies the physical meanings of the model parameters. The variation laws of matrix parameters and crack parameters are discussed in depth and are expected to be more widely used in geotechnical engineering

Investigation on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of CNTs-AlSi10Mg Composites Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting

CNT-AlSi10Mg composites fabricated by SLM have drawn a lot attention in structural application due to its excellent strength, elasticity and thermal conductivities. A planetary ball milling method was used to prepare the carbon nanotube (CNT)-AlSi10Mg powders, and the CNT-AlSi10Mg composites were fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM). The density, microstructure and mechanical properties of CNT-AlSi10Mg composites were studied. The density of the test samples increased at first and then decreased with increasing scan speed. When the laser scan speed was 800 mm/s, the test sample exhibited the highest density. The hardness increased by approximately 26%, and the tensile strength increased by approximately 13% compared to those values exhibited by the unreinforced AlSi10Mg. The grains of CNT-AlSi10Mg composite are finer than that in the AlSi10Mg. The CNTs were distributed along the grain boundaries of AlSi10Mg. Some of the CNTs reacted with Al element and transformed into Al4C3 during SLM, while some of the CNTs still maintained their tubular structure. The combination of CNTs and Al4C3 has a significant improvement in mechanical properties of the composites through fine grain strengthening, second phase strengthening, and load transfer strengthening

Testing the Effects of Water-Saving Technologies Adapted to Drought: Empirical Evidence from the Huang-Huai-Hai Region in China

The aggravation of extreme weather events has dramatically increased the risk of severe water shortages and seriously threatened agricultural production. The Huang-Huai-Hai region, an important agricultural production region in China, is subject to a severe water shortage and is often hit by drought. As a result, water-saving technologies (WSTs) have been implemented. It remains unclear how effectively these WSTs can reduce crop yield loss, crop yield variation, and the loss of net crop income caused by water scarcity. Therefore, this paper aimed to analyze the role of WSTs in response to drought by establishing a multi-objective expected utility function based on 988 farmers across the Huang-Huai-Hai region. Econometric analysis employing an endogenous switching regression model showed that using WSTs can significantly reduce crop yield loss and net income loss caused by drought. Adopting household-based WSTs or community-based water-saving technology generates even greater positive effects on crop yield and farmers’ net income. Therefore, the government should promote farmers’ adoption of more advanced WSTs by increasing subsidies and strengthening policy support