Exploring the Causal Effects of Mineral Metabolism Disorders on Telomere and Mitochondrial DNA: A Bidirectional Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Analysis

The aim of this study was to assess the causal relationships between mineral metabolism disorders, representative of trace elements, and key aging biomarkers: telomere length (TL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-CN). Utilizing bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis in combination with the two-stage least squares (2SLS) method, we explored the causal relationships between mineral metabolism disorders and these aging indicators. Sensitivity analysis can be used to determine the reliability and robustness of the research results. The results confirmed that a positive causal relationship was observed between mineral metabolism disorders and TL (p p > 0.05). Focusing on subgroup analyses of specific minerals, our findings indicated a distinct positive causal relationship between iron metabolism disorders and both TL and mtDNA-CN (p p > 0.05). Moreover, reverse MR analysis did not reveal any significant causal effects of TL and mtDNA-CN on mineral metabolism disorders (p > 0.05). The combination of 2SLS with MR analysis further reinforced the positive causal relationship between iron levels and both TL and mtDNA-CN (p p > 0.05). These findings highlight the pivotal role of iron metabolism in cellular aging, particularly in regulating TL and sustaining mtDNA-CN, offering new insights into how mineral metabolism disorders influence aging biomarkers. Our research underscores the importance of trace element balance, especially regarding iron intake, in combating the aging process. This provides a potential strategy for slowing aging through the adjustment of trace element intake, laying the groundwork for future research into the relationship between trace elements and healthy aging

Genome-Wide Association Study of Sheath Blight Resistance within a Core Collection of Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Sheath blight disease (ShB) is considered to be the second most important disease affecting rice, and the genetic mechanism of ShB resistance in rice is great complicated. Uncovering genetic mechanism of ShB resistance and strong resistant varieties in rice are the premise for ShB resistance improvement. A rice ShB genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed using approximately five million SNPs within Ting’s core collection. “Early pradifice”, one typical japonica, was determined to be the most resistant variety in both 2016 and 2017. A total of 34 and four significant (p ≤ 1.93 × 10−8) SNPs were observed in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Moreover, 23 of 34 and two of four gene-based SNPs not reported in previous studies in 2016 and 2017, respectively, were identified as significantly associated with rice ShB resistance. Furthermore, we performed GO (gene ontology) and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) analyses for the genes located at a region within 10 kb of the significant SNPs. Both in 2016 and 2017, we observed that genes were uniquely enriched in the regulation of transcription and RNA processing in the category of “biological process”, plasma membrane, nucleus, integral component of membrane and cell wall in the category of “cellular component”, and ATP binding in the category of “molecular function”. The results of the present study may establish a foundation for further research investigating these elite genes and utilizing the resistant varieties in Ting’s core collection to improve rice ShB resistance

Glucose-assisted synthesis of highly dispersed LiMnPO4 nanoparticles at a low temperature for lithium ion batteries

The cathode material of the LiMnPO4/C composite for lithium-ion batteries is successfully synthesized via a one-step glucose-assisted liquid-phase method in ethylene glycol (EG). The crystalline structure, morphology, micro-structure and particle size are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). XRD results show that the pure phase of LiMnPO4 with high crystallinity can directly be prepared in the liquid-phase assisted by glucose. SEM measurements confirm the uniform-sized nanorods of the LiMnPO4 morphology with a width of 20-50 nm and a length of 50-80 nm. TEM characterization reveals that the surface of the obtained LiMnPO4 nanorods is coated with a homogeneous carbon layer after a short heat treatment at a high temperature in the presence of glucose. This can be explained by the fact that the glycol glucoside generated during the refluxing of EG with glucose can effectively inhibit the growth and agglomeration of particles. Results of electrochemical tests show that the prepared LiMnPO4/C nanorods exhibit not only a high initial discharge capacity of 155.3 mAh g-1 but also a good cycling stability, which retains 94% of the initial capacity over 100 cycles at 0.05 C.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye

Glucose-assisted synthesis of highly dispersed LiMnPO4 nanoparticles at a low temperature for lithium ion batteries

The cathode material of the LiMnPO4/C composite for lithium-ion batteries is successfully synthesized via a one-step glucose-assisted liquid-phase method in ethylene glycol (EG). The crystalline structure, morphology, micro-structure and particle size are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). XRD results show that the pure phase of LiMnPO4 with high crystallinity can directly be prepared in the liquid-phase assisted by glucose. SEM measurements confirm the uniform-sized nanorods of the LiMnPO4 morphology with a width of 20-50 nm and a length of 50-80 nm. TEM characterization reveals that the surface of the obtained LiMnPO4 nanorods is coated with a homogeneous carbon layer after a short heat treatment at a high temperature in the presence of glucose. This can be explained by the fact that the glycol glucoside generated during the refluxing of EG with glucose can effectively inhibit the growth and agglomeration of particles. Results of electrochemical tests show that the prepared LiMnPO4/C nanorods exhibit not only a high initial discharge capacity of 155.3 mAh g-1 but also a good cycling stability, which retains 94% of the initial capacity over 100 cycles at 0.05 C.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye

Work-Recreation Balance, Health-Promoting Lifestyles and Suboptimal Health Status in Southern China: A Cross-Sectional Study

Suboptimal health status (SHS)—an intermediate state between health and illness—refers to functional somatic symptoms that are medically undiagnosed. Although SHS has become a great challenge for global public health, very little about its etiology and mechanisms are known. Work-recreation balance is a part of work−life balance, and is related to stress which greatly influences health status. We therefore carried out a cross-sectional investigation between 2012 and 2013 within a clustered sample of 24,475 individuals aged 15−60 years from a population in southern China. In so doing, we hoped to illuminate the associations between work-recreation balance conditions, healthy lifestyles, and SHS. Work-recreation balance conditions were categorically defined by frequency (“rarely, sometimes, or always”). Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP-II) was used to evaluate the level of healthy lifestyles, and the medical examination report and Sub-Health Measurement Scale V1.0 (SHMS V1.0) were both used to evaluate health status. The ratio of SHS (46.3%) is higher than health status (18.4%) or disease status (35.3%). Overall, 4.9% of respondents reported the lowest level of work-recreation balance, and they scored lower on both the HPLP-II and SHMS V1.0 compared with those who frequently maintained a work-recreation balance. Significant association was found between work-recreation balance behaviors and healthy lifestyles (p < 0.001) after demographic adjustment. In comparison with those reporting a frequent work-recreation balance, individuals whose work-recreation balance was categorically “rare” were 1.69 times as likely to develop SHS (odds ratio (OR): 1.69, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.49–1.92), and those with infrequent work-recreation balance (“sometimes”) were 1.71 times more likely to develop SHS (OR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.62–1.81). These findings suggest that work-recreation balance conditions are significantly associated with, and seem to be accurate behavioral indicia of a healthy lifestyle. Poor work-recreation balance is associated with increased risk for SHS; thus, a healthier lifestyle that maintains a work-recreation balance should be promoted in order to reduce the development of SHS or disease in southern China

Tuning Sn-Catalysis for Electrochemical Reduction of CO₂ to CO via the Core/Shell Cu/SnO₂ Structure

Tin (Sn) is known to be a good catalyst for electrochemical reduction of CO₂ to formate in 0.5 M KHCO₃. But when a thin layer of SnO₂ is coated over Cu nanoparticles, the reduction becomes Sn-thickness dependent: the thicker (1.8 nm) shell shows Sn-like activity to generate formate whereas the thinner (0.8 nm) shell is selective to the formation of CO with the conversion Faradaic efficiency (FE) reaching 93% at −0.7 V (vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)). Theoretical calculations suggest that the 0.8 nm SnO₂ shell likely alloys with trace of Cu, causing the SnO₂ lattice to be uniaxially compressed and favors the production of CO over formate. The report demonstrates a new strategy to tune NP catalyst selectivity for the electrochemical reduction of CO₂ via the tunable core/shell structure