Browse Articles

Joint association between physical exercise, caffeine intake, and biological ageing: A cross-sectional analysis of population-based study

Background Ageing is a significant risk factor for age-related diseases, accounting for 51% of global total disease burden. As thus, promoting healthy ageing is crucial. Although several potential anti-ageing drugs show promise, none have been approved for anti-ageing purpose. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends physical exercise exceeding 600 metabolic equivalent of task (MET) minutes per week for adults. However, whether physical exercise positively impacts healthy biological ageing remains unclear. Objective This study aimed to investigate the joint correlation between MET level, caffeine consumption, and biological ageing. Methods We analyzed data from seven survey cycles (2007–2020) of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), involving 23,739 participants. Physical activity levels were measured in MET minutes per week, and biological ageing was assessed using both the PhenoAge and ENABL Age algorithms. Generalized linear regression for survey data was employed to test correlations, adjusting for confounding factors. A cubic spline model was used to detect non-linear relationships. Pre-specified subgroup analyses explored effect modifications, while predefined sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the results. Results Each 100-MET increase in weekly physical exercise was associated with a 0.2-year delay in biological ageing (p < 0.001 for both PhenoAge and ENABL Age). Individuals with less than 600 MET minutes of weekly exercise had a higher risk of accelerated ageing compared to those exceeding 600 MET minutes (mean difference [MD]: 2.2 PhenoAge years, 95% CI [1.5–2.8], p < 0.001; MD: 2.1 ENABL Age years, 95% CI [1.1–3.1], p < 0.001). A L-shaped association was observed, with diminishing benefits of delayed ageing beyond 292 MET minutes for PhenoAge and 259 MET minutes for ENABL Age. Daily caffeine intake did not modify the correlation between MET levels and biological ageing (p for interaction > 0.05). Stronger effects were observed in non-Hispanic Black individuals, those with obesity, and low-income populations, but no benefit was found in cancer patients. Conclusions Our findings highlight a positive correlation between higher levels of weekly physical exercise and delayed biological ageing. However, the benefits plateau beyond specific MET thresholds. Caffeine intake does not influence this relationship. These results underscore the importance of promoting physical exercise at appropriate MET levels as a strategy for healthy ageing management in the general population.

Spatial transcriptomics reveals tumor microenvironment heterogeneity in EBV positive diffuse large B cell lymphoma

Longitudinal and transverse excitations: How nominally forbidden signals can be detected in autocorrelation functions relevant to liquids dynamics

This work provides evidence for the crucial role played by the self-part of functions as important as the dynamic structure factor S(Q, ω) and the spectrum of the transverse current autocorrelation CT(Q, ω) in studies of liquid dynamics. By using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of liquid Ag, we show that a multimode representation also accounts very well for the simulated self-dynamic structure factor Sself(Q, ω), which provides insight on the single-particle dynamics. In particular, we provide a convincing proof that Sself(Q, ω) is responsible for the observation of transverse-like contributions in a longitudinal quantity such as S(Q, ω). It is particularly significant that an analogous situation was found when considering the transverse current. In fact, its self-part, CT,self(Q, ω), was shown to be accountable for the presence of longitudinal-like modes in a transverse quantity, such as CT(Q, ω). Due to the single-particle origin of the transverse signal in the dynamic structure factor, we also show that the apparent Q-dependence of transverse-like frequencies, as inferred from S(Q, ω), differs from the true dispersion of transverse excitations appropriately derived from CT(Q, ω).

Aryl Acid-Alcohol Cross-Coupling: C(sp³)–C(sp²) Bond Formation from Nontraditional Precursors

Assessing Liver Function in Rat Models of Acute Liver Failure Using Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography and Cytokine Levels

Objective To evaluate liver function using dynamic hepatobiliary single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in different rat models of acute liver failure. Methods Twenty-four 6–8-week-old male Sprague–Dawley rats (weight 190–200 g) were evenly divided into four groups. Acute liver failure was induced by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactosamine (D-GalN, 600 mg/kg) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 µg/kg), common bile duct ligation surgery, and removing 70% of the liver mass. The fourth group served as the control without intervention. The time-activity curves for the liver and heart were generated from dynamic SPECT scans with 99mTc-ethylene hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid (EHIDA). Image-derived functional parameters (5-minute heart/liver index [HLI5] and 15-minute receptor index [LHL15]) were calculated. Furthermore, correlations of image-derived parameters with serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, liver aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels, and liver mRNA expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and chemokine ligand-10 (CXCL-10) were analyzed. Results All animals in the experimental groups exhibited varying degrees of liver damage. The SPECT images and indexes (HLI5 and LHL15) of the experimental groups significantly differed from those of the control group (P < 0.05). In the experimental groups, serum IL-6 levels and liver mRNA levels of TNF-α and CXCL-10 were significantly higher, while liver AST and ALT levels were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion Using SPECT with 99mTc-EHIDA, along with the calculated indexes and levels of various cytokines, presents a dependable method for assessing liver function.

Endoscopic versus laparoscopic resection of gastrointestinal stromal tumors at the esophagogastric junction using propensity score matching analysis

A simulation-based comparative study on the reaction-controlled terminal relaxation of associative and dissociative CANs using a mesoscopic coarse-grained single-chain model

Covalent adaptable networks (CANs) are polymer networks that engage in chemical reactions. Their dynamic covalent linkages permit topology fluctuations, making them processable. Here, we demonstrate the reaction-controlled terminal relaxation of unentangled CANs by using a mesoscopic coarse-grained single-chain model based on Gaussian strands. The association dynamics is incorporated to reproduce the features of reversible or bond-exchange reactions in CANs. With this model, the dependence of terminal relaxation on cross-ink density [i.e., the number of associated stickers (Nas) for this model] is comparatively studied for dissociative and associative CANs, in terms of stress-relaxation behavior, plateau modulus, as well as terminal relaxation times. Both dissociative and associative model CANs exhibit plateau moduli and exponential terminal relaxations. Their slow and fast relaxation modes are of different Nas dependences, inducing the stress-relaxation curves to undergo a change in shape with Nas. The temperature dependence of terminal relaxation is also examined for both model CANs by considering the kinetics of intrinsic reaction and segmental motion. The engagement of segmental motion forces the horizontal shift factor of time–temperature superposition (TTS) to depart from the Arrhenius-like equation. For dissociative model CANs, the shape of stress-relaxation curve changes with temperature, causing the TTS principle not to hold.

Inositol-Requiring Enzyme 1 pathway and autophagy drive sequential response of endothelial cells to febrile range hyperthermia

Context Fever is an evolutionarily conserved and adaptive response during infections. However, prolonged fever has numerous systemic metabolic and functional side effects. In the heart, prolonged fever associated with infection is linked to fatal adverse effects, particularly involving impaired coronary circulation. Yet, the direct relationship between elevated temperature and coronary microcirculation dysfunction, remains to be fully demonstrated. In this study, we aimed to explore the specific responses of human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) to fever-range hyperthermia. Method HCAECs were cultured at either 37°C or 40°C for up to 24 hours. Transcriptomic and proteomic profiles were obtained through microarray and mass spectrometry after 6, 12, and 24 hours of exposure. Key signaling pathways, upstream regulators, and candidate mechanisms were identified and validated at the mRNA and protein levels using mechanistic approaches. Results Prolonged hyperthermia compromised HCAEC function, evidenced by cell detachment, loss of junctions, and increased permeability. HCAECs rapidly activated the unfolded protein response (UPR), including IRE1α activation and XBP1 splicing. Additionally, autophagic flux was significantly elevated, participating in the degradation of junction proteins. Pharmacological inhibition of IRE1α reduced the autophagic burden, protected against cell detachment, and preserved junction integrity over time. Conclusion Our findings reveal that in response to fever-range hyperthermia, the IRE1α-autophagy axis regulates the survival and function of coronary endothelial cells. This mechanism could play a key role in modulating endothelial responses during infection and contribute to the pathological outcomes of fever. Furthermore, it may be relevant in local inflammatory conditions with elevated temperatures.

Badland distribution as a marker of rapid tectonic activity

Abstract Tectonically driven processes, such as uplift and horizontal advection of rock mass, are important controls on landscape form and dynamics. Available fluvial topographic indicators are intended to be applied to slowly evolving systems over millennial time scales, which may prevent extracting short–term rapid tectonic effects (~ 1ky). Fast–eroding badlands provide an opportunity to study landscape response to uplift over short time scales. Here, using 1 m airborne LiDAR topographic data in the tectonically active area of southwestern Taiwan, we find that badlands occur within the most rapidly uplifting areas of the landscape, where uplift rates exceed 7 mm y− 1. Furthermore, badlands are predominantly observed within the altitude range that coincides with rapid uplift at 1.3–1.5 kyBP, implying that they formed in response to meso–scale (< 100 km2) rapid incision of tributaries. We demonstrate how the existing landscape–archive framework, connecting dimensionless erosion rate and relief for hillslopes, can be used on highly erodible badland morphology. As such, badlands can provide archives of uplift history for transient landscapes, which allows to target shorter timescales than previously possible.

Response properties from frozen-density embedding approximate second-order coupled-cluster theory

We present an implementation of the coupled frozen-density embedding (FDEc) formalism for the calculation of ground-state and excited-state properties, linear-response properties, and transition moments with the coupled cluster with the singles and approximate doubles (CC2) model. Following the general strategy introduced by Höfener and Visscher [J. Chem. Theory Comput.12, 549–557 (2016)], we derive the working equations needed for the evaluation of these properties and describe their implementation into our open-source quantum chemistry program, Serenity. Our implementation comprises both projection-based embedding as well as embedding based on non-additive kinetic-energy functionals and the corresponding potentials. It makes use of the resolution-of-the-identity technique and features—in addition to CC2—the algebraic diagrammatic construction scheme of second order, ADC(2), as well as spin-component-scaled and scaled-opposite spin versions of CC2 and ADC(2). We demonstrate the capabilities of this FDEc framework by analyzing excitation energies, singlet and triplet excitation-energy splittings as well as oscillator strengths of excitonically coupled dimers, the excited-state/difference dipole moment of a formaldehyde⋯water system, and the optical rotatory dispersion of a microsolvated organic chromophore. In the latter case, we reconsider the case of (P)-dimethylallene· (H2O)2, for which uncoupled CC2-based frozen-density embedding fails, while FDEc-time-dependent density-functional theory showed promising results in earlier work. Here, we can confirm that the inclusion of system–environment response couplings leads to agreement with supermolecular CC2 results, highlighting the importance of inter-subsystem couplings in response-property calculations for molecular aggregates.

Design and Evolution of a Phosphorescent Protein via the Proximal Encoding of Lanthanide and the Antenna Chromophore

A novel method and classification criteria for analyzing urine turbidity and its relationship with urine dry chemical parameters

Background Urine turbidity is a significant diagnostic marker for early screening of urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and other related conditions. However, current methods for analyzing urine turbidity often rely on subjective assessments. This study aims to investigate the relationship between urine turbidity and the urine color values measured by spectrophotometer, providing an objective quantification method for both urine turbidity and urine color, while also exploring the underlying causes of urine turbidity. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among newly enrolled university students undergoing physical examination in Beijing. Basic demographic information and morning urine samples were collected. Urine turbidity was assessed using human visual evaluation and a urine chemical analyzer, while urine color CIE L*a*b* (International Commission on illumination) was measured using a spectrophotometer. Routine urine chemical examination was also performed Correlations among urine turbidity, urine color, and urine dry chemical parameters were analyzed. Results A total of 1220 participants (68.7% female, mean age: 23.66 years) were included in the study. Spearman correlation analysis showed that urine turbidity was significantly negatively correlated with L* (lightness) and significantly positively correlated with a* (redness) and b* (yellowness). Regression analysis identified L* as the most affected parameter by urine turbidity (standardized coefficient β=-1.030, p < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that L* was highly effective in distinguishing different urine turbidity levels, with L* < 89.165 achieving excellent sensitivity and specificity (AUC = 0.984) and 96% accuracy in identifying turbid urine. In addition, urine turbidity was positively correlated with urine specific gravity, protein, and urine color (p < 0.05), while its relationship with pH was nonlinear. These findings suggest that multiple factors collectively influence urine turbidity. Conclusion This study provides a novel and objective approach for assessing urine turbidity, advancing the modernization of urine diagnostic practices in traditional medicine.

Rock typing and reservoir characterization of the Messinian Abu Madi Formation in the onshore South Abu El Naga Gas Field, Nile Delta, Egypt

Abstract Exploration of the heterogeneous sandstone reservoirs presents a significant opportunity within the Nile Delta Basin. This study uses the well log, core, and petrographical data to describe the different rock types and characterizes the heterogenous sandstone of the Late Miocene Messinian Abu Madi reservoir as one of the main prolific reservoirs in the South Abu El Naga Gas Field in the Nile Delta. However, accurate assessment of the potential of these complex and heterogeneous sandstone reservoirs requires a meticulous approach. The available data was imported from four wells: SAEN-2, SAEN-4, SAEN-6, and SAEN-9. A total of 35 core plugs, which were derived from two cored intervals in the SAEN-2 well, were used in a well-integrated workflow for reservoir characterization, facies analysis, and rock typing. Core analysis (grain density ‘ρg’, helium porosity ‘∅He’, horizontal and vertical permeabilities ‘kH & kV’, and water saturation ‘Sw’) and well log data (caliper, gamma-ray, spontaneous potential, PEF, density, neutron, and resistivity logs) provided crucial insights into the lithology, pore systems, and textures. This information allowed us to define the dominant microfacies types as quartz arenite, feldspathic arenite, quartz wacke/wacke, feldspathic wacke, and subfeldspathic wacke. With the core data, it was also possible to estimate the reservoir quality index (RQI), flow zone indicator (FZI), and the effective pore radius (R35) from core data, while the net pay thickness, the effective porosity, the shale volume (Vsh), and the water saturation (Sw) from the well log data. It also enabled the identification of the potential zones of the gas-bearing reservoirs. Hydraulic flow units (HFUs) were established using well logs and core data. These units represent zones with similar fluid flow properties, facilitating the prediction of gas deliverability. Additionally, the flow zone indicator (FZI) that derived from the well logs further characterized the flow regime within the reservoir. Sedimentological studies, including thin section petrography, XRD, and SEM, complemented with the well log interpretation. This integrated workflow provided a comprehensive perspective of the reservoir, including pore structures, mineral composition, and textures. The Abu Madi Formation in the SAEN-9 well, to the northeast of the field, has the lowest net pay (7.3 m), while the SAEN-2 well, in the center of the field, has the highest net pay thickness (16.6 m). The core studies indicate that SAEN samples could be divided into four reservoir rock types (RRTs). The RRT1 has the lowest reservoir quality (0.12 ≤ ∅He ≤ 0.26, 2.4 ≤ kH ≤ 429 mD, 54.9 ≤ Sw ≤ 70.5%, 0.14 ≤ RQI ≤ 1.22 μm, 0.82 ≤ FZI ≤ 3.863 μm, and 1.055 ≤ R35 ≤ 11.41 μm), while the RRT4 has the best reservoir quality (0.25 ≤ ∅He ≤ 0.28, 2680 ≤ kH ≤ 4893 mD, 45.4 ≤ Sw ≤ 55.3%, 3.24 ≤ RQI ≤ 4.13 μm, 9.72 ≤ FZI ≤ 10.59 μm, and 34.668 ≤ R35 ≤ 44.78 μm). This study demonstrates the effectiveness of an integrated approach in comprehensively assessing the potential gas-bearing reservoirs and defining their quality in the Abu Madi Formation in the Nile Delta, which is characterized by very good reservoir quality (net pay thickness = 7.3–16.6 m, av. porosity = 23.3–30.35%, and av. water saturation = 31.7–64.0% for the various wells). The findings contribute significantly to optimizing exploration and development strategies for gas-bearing hydrocarbon resources in the Nile Delta Basin, especially for the Abu Madi reservoir.

Femtosecond-and-atom-resolved solvation dynamics of a Na+ ion in a helium nanodroplet

Recently, it was shown how the primary steps of solvation of a single Na+ ion, instantly created at the surface of a nanometer-sized droplet of liquid helium, can be followed at the atomic level [Albrechtsen et al., Nature 623, 319 (2023)]. This involved measuring, with femtosecond time resolution, the gradual attachment of individual He atoms to the Na+ ion as well as the energy dissipated from the local region of the ion. In this current work, we provide a more comprehensive and detailed description of the experimental findings of the solvation dynamics and present an improved Poisson-statistical analysis of the time-resolved yields of the Na+Hen ions recorded. For droplets containing an average of 5200 He atoms, this analysis gives a binding rate of 1.84 ± 0.09 atoms/ps for the binding of the first five He atoms to the Na+ ion. In addition, thanks to accurate theoretical values for the evaporation energies of the Na+Hen ions, obtained by path integral Monte Carlo methods using a new potential energy surface presented here for the first time, we improve the determination of the time-dependent removal of the solvation energy from the region around the sodium ion. We find that it follows Newton’s law of cooling for the first 5 ps. Measurements were carried out for three different average droplet sizes, ⟨ND⟩ = 9000, 5200, and 3600 helium atoms, and differences between these results are discussed.

Zeotype-Confined Frustrated Lewis Pair and Its Role in Catalyzing Hydrogenation

The epidemiology and risk factors of anal and oropharyngeal human papillomavirus (HPV) in males living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV): A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background People living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are more likely to be infected with human papillomavirus (HPV), which can lead to anal and oropharyngeal cancer in males, increasing the complexity of the disease. Objective The aim of this study is to learn more about epidemiological data and factors influencing anal and oropharyngeal HPV infections in males with HIV through a systematic literature review in order to provide evidence for future interventions. Methods The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases will be searched from build to June 2024. Two researchers will independently carry out study selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment. STATA 16.0 will be used to conduct meta-analysis. The estimated pooled prevalence of anal and oropharyngeal HPV (any HPV, high-risk HPV, low-risk HPV, type-specific HPV, and multiple HPV) in males living with HIV will be presented as percentage prevalence (p * 100%) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) by DerSimonian-Laird random-effect meta-analyses. Subgroup analysis will carried out by geographic region, income level, race, age, publication year, HPV genotyping, and risk factors (e.g., sexual behavior patterns). Risk factors and interventions-related dichotomous variables or continuous variables will be summarized as odds ratios (OR) and standardized mean differences, and reported through forest plots. The OR (greater than 1) shows an association (correlated). Heterogeneity will be assessed using the I2. Funnel plots, Begg and Egger tests will be applied to detect potential publication bias. PROSPERO registration number CRD42024579641.

Metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease is associated with an increased risk of multiple respiratory system diseases

Response to “Comment on ‘A random batch Ewald method for charged particles in the isothermal–isobaric ensemble’” [J. Chem. Phys. 162, 177101 (2025)]

Thiocarboxylate and Acid Chloride Mediated Generation of Nitric Oxide from a Dinickel(II)-Bis(ONO) Complex Involving the Formation of Perthionitrite and O-Nitrosyl Carboxylate

Relationship between the systemic immune-inflammatory index and overactive bladder risk: A cross-sectional assessment involving United States Adults

Aims This study aimed to evaluate the association between the systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII) and the risk of overactive bladder (OAB) in the adult United States population. Methods Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2010 were analyzed. A non-pregnant cohort aged ≥20 years with available SII and OAB data was included. Weighted univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between SII and OAB risk. Additionally, subgroup, interaction, and restricted cubic spline analyses were conducted. Results A total of 4,545 participants were included, of whom 16.13% had OAB, with a mean SII of 5.75 ± 0.07. OAB risk increased with higher SII tertiles. In the fully adjusted model (Model 2), individuals in the highest SII tertile exhibited a 41% higher risk of OAB compared to those in the lowest tertile (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.13–1.76, P = 0.004). Two-piece-wise regression analysis identified an SII breakpoint at 3.40, where a significant positive association was found for SII ≥ 3.40 (OR = 1.06, P < 0.0001), whereas no significant association was detected for SII < 3.40 (P = 0.06). Subgroup and interaction analyses revealed a consistent relationship between SII and OAB across different population strata, except for diabetes mellitus. Conclusion SII, an easily accessible biomarker, was independently associated with an increased risk of OAB, highlighting its potential utility in diagnostic prediction.