BACKGROUND: We examined whether total and regional fat-to-muscle ratio (FMR) predicts incident metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and other chronic liver outcomes.; METHODS: Among 356,833 UK Biobank participants (men: 168,784 [47.3%]; women: 188,049 [52.7%]; mean age 56.3years), body composition was assessed by segmental bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), from which whole-body and regional (arm, leg, trunk) FMRs were derived and categorized into sex-specific tertiles. Tertile cutpoints (lower and upper) were: men-whole-body (0.309, 0.396), arm (0.264, 0.333), leg (0.254, 0.325), trunk (0.348, 0.453); women-whole-body (0.526, 0.679), arm (0.500, 0.692), leg (0.640, 0.778), trunk (0.462, 0.621). Cox proportional hazards models were applied. MRI subsets included liver proton density fat fraction (PDFF) (n=32,191) and hepatic fibro-inflammation (iron-corrected T1 [cT1]) (n=27,028).; RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 14.0years, there were 4,404 MASLD, 1,392 cirrhosis, 947 liver-related mortality, and 147 HCC events. Comparing the highest (T3) versus the lowest (T1) tertile of FMR, MASLD risk increased in both sexes across whole-body and regional FMRs (HR 2.29-2.76), with the strongest associations for leg FMR in women (HR 2.95). For cirrhosis and liver-related mortality, T3 associations were mainly seen in men and were strongest for whole-body and trunk/arm FMR (HR 1.63-2.11), while women showed weak/null associations (HR 1.29-1.54). For HCC, T3 FMR was strongly associated in men (HR 3.03-4.71), while no clear associations were evident in women.; CONCLUSION: Higher total and regional FMR predicts MASLD and advanced liver outcomes with clear sex- and region-specific patterns. © 2026. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver.

BACKGROUND: The association of plasma metals on the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in adults with prediabetes remains poorly investigated. To assess the association between plasma metal exposure and the risk of CVD in prediabetic adults in the United States using five plasma metals.; METHODS: Five cycles of data (2011-2012, 2013-2014, 2015-2016, and 2017-2018) from the NHANES were adopted in this study. The plasma metals were measured in 1088 participants with prediabetes. We utilized multivariate logistic regression, WQS, and BKMR models to evaluate the associations between the five plasma metals and the risk of CVD.; RESULTS: The risk of CVD in participants with prediabetes were found to link to the 2nd quartile, 3rd and 4th quartiles of cadmium on the basis of multivariate logistic model (OR=3.03, 95%CI: 1.17-7.82, P<0.01). Moreover, the joint effect of the five metals on the risk of CVD participants with prediabetes were unveiled using WQS and BKMR models (OR=1.79, 95%CI: 1.15-2.77, P<0.01). In addition, when the concentrations of the other four metals were controlled at the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile, correspondingly, cadmium had a statistically significant positive association with the risk of CVD.; CONCLUSION: The exposure of metals documented by the five metals links to the risk of CVD in participants with prediabetes in the United States. Among all the five metals, cadmium has the strongest association with the risk of CVD in participants with prediabetes. © 2025. The Author(s).

Objective: Little has been known on the effect of chronic glyphosate exposure on osteoarthritis (OA). The aim of this study was to investigate the association between glyphosate exposure and OA and to further investigate the different moderating effects of leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and body mass index (BMI) types on the association between glyphosate exposure and OA. Methods: Cross-sectional data from 2540 participants in the 2015–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were used to explore the association between glyphosate exposure and OA. Multivariate logistic regression models and restricted cubic spline models were used to investigate the association between glyphosate exposure and OA, and further analyses were conducted to determine the association between glyphosate exposure and OA under different LTPA and BMI types. Results: Of the 2540 participants, 346 had OA. Participants with the highest glyphosate concentration (Q4) had a higher incidence of OA compared to participants with the lowest glyphosate concentration (Q1) (OR, 1.88; 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.13, 3.13), there was no nonlinear association between glyphosate and OA (non-linear P = 0.343). In the no LTPA group, glyphosate concentration in the Q4 group was correlated with OA (OR, 2.65; 95%CI: 1.27, 5.51). In the obese group, glyphosate concentration in the Q4 group was correlated with OA (OR, 2.74; 95 % CI: 1.48, 5.07). Among people with high BMI and inactive in LTPA, glyphosate concentrations in Q4 were associated with OA (OR, 2.19; 95 % CI: 1.07, 4.48). Conclusions: Glyphosate is associated with OA odd, and physical activity and moderate weight loss can mitigate this association to some degree. This study provides a scientific basis for rational prevention of OA by regulation of LTPA and BMI under glyphosate exposure. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.

BACKGROUND: Live dietary microbes have been hypothesized to promoting human health. However, there has been lacking perceptions to crystallize nexus between consumption of foods with live microbes and mortality.; OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of consumption of foods with medium to high amounts of live microbes with all-cause, cancer-specific, and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-specific mortality.; METHODS: The data were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2018 at baseline linked to the 2019 National Death Index records. Based on consumption of foods that were categorized as either having medium or high microbial content (MedHi foods), participants were classified into three groups. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and multivariable Cox regression models were used to estimate the association of consumption of MedHi foods with mortality. Population-attributable fractions (PAFs) of consumption of MedHi foods in relation to mortality risk were also estimated.; RESULTS: A total of 35,299 adults aged≥20 years were included in this study. During a median follow-up of 9.67 years, compared with adults in G1, those in G3 had 16% (hazard ratio [HR], 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.77-0.90) reduced risk of all-cause mortality, and 23% (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.67-0.89) reduced risk of CVD-specific mortality. The PAF of high (G3) vs. intermediate or low consumption of MedHi foods (G1+G2) with all-cause and CVD-specific mortality was 3.4% and 4.3%, respectively.; CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of foods with higher microbial concentrations is associated with a reduced risk of all-cause and CVD-specific mortality in US adults. © 2024. Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

Background: Dysfunction of endothelial cells links to microvascular rarefaction, reflecting the pathogenesis of hypertension. Our previous studies found that miR-3656 reduces nitric oxide generation and von Willebrand factor (vWF) cleavage, thereby retarding blood flow and potentially increasing blood pressure. In this paper, we investigated mechanism of transcription regulation contributing to miR3656-damaged endothelial cells in hypertension.Methods: The effects of miR-3656 on function of endothelial cells were analyzed on the basis of proliferation, migration, tube formation, and apoptosis. The mRNA level and protein level of genes were examined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to confirm the binding between miR-3656 and 3 ' untranslated region (UTR) of transcription factor AP-2 gamma (TFAP2C). The binding between TFAP2C and the promoter region of Krppel-like factor 10 (KLF10) was confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation-qPCR assay.Results: miR-3656 impaired the cell proliferation, migration, tube formation, and apoptosis of endothelial cells. miR-3656 inhibited the expression of TFAP2C by directly targeting 3 ' UTR of TFAP2C; moreover, miR-3656induced injury of endothelial cells was rescued by TFAP2C overexpression. Furthermore, downregulated TFAP2C decreased KLF10 expression by binding to KLF10 promoter region, and upregulated KLF10 reversed the effects of silencing TFAP2C on endothelial cells. These inhibitory processes led to interference of miR-3656 to KLF10promoted function of endothelial cells. Conclusion: TFAP2C/KLF10 axis is involved in miR-3656related dysfunction of endothelial cells in hypertension. The 3 ' UTR of TFAP2C and KLF10 promoter region are the hubs of the TFAP2C/KLF10 axis.

Objectives To investigate the epidemiological status quo of hypertension in elderly population in Changchun, China, and provide a reference for the prevention and control strategies of hypertension of elderly population in this region. Design A cross-sectional study, as a part of a comprehensive project in Northeast China, was designed to perform in 10 districts in Changchun. Participants and setting A total of 6846 participants who were >= 60 years old were selected using a random sampling method. Main outcome measures The epidemiological status quo of hypertension. Results The prevalence of hypertension in Changchun was 52.6%. Among participants with hypertension enrolled in this study, 87.6% of the participants had been diagnosed with hypertension before the study, 69.1% was taking antihypertensive medications and 66.9% had effective blood pressure control. Obesity, widower/widow, history of diseases and family history of hypertension were risk factors of hypertension (all p<0.05). Participants with obesity, a personal history of heart coronary disease, or a family history of hypertension were susceptible to realising risks of hypertension (all p<0.05). However, participants with diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, or a family history of hypertension were difficult to control blood pressure within the normal range (all p<0.05). In addition, 92.6% participants taking antihypertensive medications used a single medication, and calcium channel blockers was the most commonly used antihypertensive medications in monotherapy. Conclusion The rates of awareness, treatment and control of hypertension are greater in Changchun than those in China, indicating that the prevention and control of hypertension in Changchun are effective. However, the prevalence of hypertension in the elderly population in China is lower than that in Changchun, also rendering Changchun a substantial challenge for the supervision of hypertension.

Approximately two-thirds of patients with type 2 diabetes have hypertension. Moreover, blood pressure(BP) increases with hyperglycemia progression. The nexus between prehypertension or hypertension and diabetes entail

Background: Hypertension, as one of the most common chronic diseases, is a major public health issue. Previous studies have shown that there are miRNAs differentially expressed in hypertensive patients. In addition, hypertension is closely related to endothelial dysfunction, and miRNAs have been identified as important molecular mediators for endothelial function. Therefore, it is necessary to identify specific miRNAs related to hypertension and explore their molecular mechanism in the progression of hypertension. Methods: We investigated the association of circulating levels of miR-3656 with hypertension. Furthermore, in-vitro studies were performed to investigate its possible mechanisms for hypertension in that the direct target genes of miR-3656 were confirmed using dual-luciferase reporter assay; moreover, the effects of miR-3656 on proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and microvascular rarefaction of HUVECs were investigated using MTS kit, wound-healing assay, FITC Annexin V apoptosis detection kit, and tube formation assay, correspondingly. Results: Circulating miR-3656 was upregulated in patients with hypertension. MiR-3656 suppressed the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of HUVECs, but promoted the apoptosis of HUVECs. In addition, eNOS and ADAMTS13 were direct target genes of miR-3656, and overexpression of eNOS and ADAMTS13 abolished the effect of miR-3656 on HUVECs. Conclusion: MiR-3656 is a potential biomarker for hypertension. MiR-3656 is involved in endothelial cellular injury implicated in hypertension by targeting eNOS and ADAMTS13.

Skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) is the most lethal form of skin cancers owing to high invasiveness and high metastatic potential. Tumor microenvironment (TME) provides powerful evidences for discerning SKCM, raising the prospect to identify biomarkers of SKCM. Based on the transcriptome profiles of patients with SKCM and the corresponding clinical information from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we used ESTIMATE algorithm to calculate ImmuneScore and StromalScore and identified the TME-Related differentially expressed genes (DEGs), than the intersected TME-Related DEGs were used for subsequent functional enrichment analysis. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis was used to identify the functionality-related DEGs and univariate Cox regression analysis was used to identify the survival-related DEGs. Furthermore, SKCM-related DEGs were identified based on two Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. Finally, we intersected functionality-related DEGs, survival-related DEGs, and SKCM-related DEGs, ascertaining that six DEGs (CCL4, CXCL10, CCL5, GZMB, C1QA, and C1QB) function as core TME-related genes (CTRGs). Significant differences of GZMB, C1QA, and C1QB expressions were found in gender and clinicopathologic staging of SKCM. High levels of GZMB, C1QA, and C1QB expressions were associated with favorable prognosis. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed that cell-cell interaction, cell behavior, and intracellular signaling transduction may be mainly involved in both C1QA, C1QB and GZMB expressions and metabolism of phospholipid and amino acid, transcription, and translation may be implicated in low GZMB expressions. C1QA, C1QB, and GZMB are novel SKCM-relating CTRGs, providing promising immune-related prognostic biomarkers for SKCM.