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The relationship between possible sarcopenia and mortality remains ambiguous within Asian populations. To clarify this, we investigated the association in older adults residing in Chinese communities. Utilizing data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, this population-based cohort study included individuals aged ≥ 60 years, followed from 2011 to 2012 through 2020. Possible sarcopenia was defined in accordance with the Asian Working Group on Sarcopenia 2019 criteria, and Cox proportional hazards regression was used to analyze its impact on mortality, while exploratory analyses were conducted to investigate the associations of possible sarcopenia with chronic diseases, functional independence, and hospitalization frequency. The study encompassed 5,160 participants (median age: 66 years), nearly half of whom (48.8%) were identified with possible sarcopenia. Over a 9-year follow-up period, there were 1216 recorded deaths. Analysis indicated that individuals with possible sarcopenia faced a significantly elevated mortality risk compared to their counterparts (HR: 1.79, 95% CI: 1.58–2.03; P  < 0.001). Further, subgroup analyses confirmed a strong association between possible sarcopenia and all-cause mortality across various subgroups, including those related to sex, obesity status, and living environment. Additionally, exploratory analyses revealed that possible sarcopenia was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of heart disease (OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.03–1.34, P  = 0.014) and stroke (OR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.19–1.68, P  < 0.001), as well as reduced functional independence (β = -0.17, 95% CI: -0.24–-0.10, P  < 0.001). Possible sarcopenia was also associated with a higher frequency of hospitalizations at baseline (Exp(β) = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.25–1.81, P  < 0.001), although this association was no longer significant during the follow-up period. In conclusion, in Chinese community-dwelling older adults, possible sarcopenia was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality, several chronic diseases, and functional dependence. Thus, alleviating or preventing possible sarcopenia may improve health outcomes and extend the lifespan of these individuals.

Background Women were disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted infections (STIs), both physically and psychologically. The underlying reasons are likely multifaceted, ranging from individual behavior to relationship power, gender norms, and economic inequities. This study aims to identify predictors of STIs risk in women and men and to explore gender differences in the behavioral patterns that may contribute to STIs risk. Methods We analyzed the data from the third United Kingdom National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles, including 15,162 participants aged 16–74 from 2010 to 2012. According to the five levels of individual, interpersonal, community, institutional, and structural in the socio-ecological model (SEM), we selected 119 features from the dataset. Then we applied three deep learning algorithms and two traditional machine learning algorithms to address the influential factors of STIs. To evaluate the performance, we computed the metrics such as the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy, precision, and recall. The results interpretation of the best model is based on feature importance analysis within the context of SEM. Results The tabular transformer model, FT-transformer, demonstrated excellent performance in predicting STIs risk in British males (AUC = 0.843, Accuracy = 87.0%) and females (AUC = 0.879, Accuracy = 87.5%) among five models. The top 10 influential factors to predict STIs risk for British males and females are different. The most influential factor for males is perceived social norms, and for females is guaranteed confidentiality. Conclusion The high accuracy of the transformer model in predicting STIs risk highlights the need to use multi-level factors to identify gender-specific risk factors, which could be used in the future to formulate gender-tailored interventions in STIs prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Background Previous studies of the relationships between traits have focused on the natural growth conditions of wild plants. Urban garden plants exhibit some differences in plant traits due to environmental interference. It is unknown whether the relationships between the leaf traits of urban garden plants differ under distinct climates. In this study, we revealed the variation characteristics of the leaf functional traits of trees, shrubs, and vines in two urban locations. Two-way ANOVA was used to reveal the response of plant leaf traits to climate and life forms. Pearson correlation analysis and principal component analysis were used to calculate the correlation coefficient between the leaf functional traits of plants at the two locations. Results Leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and vein density (VD) of different life forms in Mudanjiang were higher than those in Bozhou ( P  < 0.05), and the relative water content (RWC) in Bozhou was higher, whereas vein density (VD) of trees and shrubs in the two urban locations was significant ( P  < 0.05), but the vines were not significant. The photosynthetic pigments of tree and shrub species were larger in Mudanjiang, but the opposite was true for the vines. Both leaf vein density (VD) and stomatal density (SD) showed a very significant positive correlation in the two urban locations ( P  < 0.01), and both were significantly positively correlated with specific leaf area (SLA) ( P  < 0.05); and negatively correlated with leaf thickness (LT), and the relationship between pigment content were closer. Conclusion The response to climate showed obvious differences in leaf traits of different life forms species in urban area, but the correlations between the traits showed convergence, which reflects that the adaptation strategies of garden plant leaves to different habitats are both coordinated and relatively independent.

The prevention and control of human immunodeficiency virus and sexually transmitted infections (HIV/STI) face challenges worldwide, especially in China. Prediction tools, which analyze medical data and information to make future predictions, were once mainly used in HIV/STI research to help make diagnostic or prognostic decisions, has have now extended to the public as a freely accessible tool. This article provides an overview of the different roles of prediction tools in preventing and controlling HIV/STI from the perspectives of individuals, healthcare providers, and policymakers. For individuals, prediction tools serve as a risk assessment solution that assess their risk and consciously improve risk reception or change risky behaviors. For researchers, prediction tools are powerful for assisting in identifying risk factors and predicting patients’ infection risk, which can inform timely and accurate intervention planning in the future. In order to achieve the best performance, current research increasingly underscores the necessity of considering multiple levels of information, such as socio-behavioral data, in developing a robust prediction tool. In addition, it is also crucial to conduct trials in clinical settings to validate the effectiveness of prediction tools. Many studies only use theoretical parameters such as model accuracy to estimate its predictive. If these improvements are made, the application of prediction tools could be a potentially inspiring solution in the prevention and control of HIV/STI, and an opportunity for achieving the World Health Organization’s agenda to end the HIV/STI epidemic by 2030.

Organic matter–disseminated sand (OMDS) is a widely distributed problematic soil in coastal areas of Hainan province, China. Its existence makes the installation of piles difficult and has the risk of insufficient bearing capacity. OMDS is different from other organic soils such as peat in terms of formation, mineral component, organic content, and forms of organic matters. In this study, 20% (w/w) cement together with 7.5% (w/w) lime at a water–cement ratio of 0.45 was mixed with OMDS to improve its mechanical performances. A series of unconsolidated undrained static triaxial test was conducted on the stabilized OMDS to investigate the failure mode, stress–strain relationship, maximum and residue deviator stress, axial strain at failure, and elastic modulus under various confining pressures (0, 200, 300, 400 kPa) and curing time (7d, 14d, 28d). The test results showed that higher confining pressure and longer curing time in general led to higher maximum and residue deviator stress, larger axial strain at failure, and larger secant elastic modulus of cement-stabilized OMDS. The maximum and residue deviator stress of cement-stabilized OMDS increased with curing time and ranged from 500 to 2180 kPa and from 250 to 1800 kPa, respectively. Under elevated confining pressure, maximum deviator stress increased substantially, irrespective of curing time. Secant elastic modulus (E50) increased with confining pressure at these three curing time, from 29 to 42 MPa. Due to the existence of organic matters, the strength of cement-stabilized OMDS was lower than cement-stabilized non-organic sand, regardless of confining pressure and curing time. This study provided new insight into the shear strength behavior of cement-stabilized OMDS under different confining conditions. This will facilitate the design and construction of foundations in this type of soil.

Global air pollution poses a serious risk to human health. Among the variety of types of pollution, inhalable particulate matter (PM 2.5) is proved to be extremely harmful. In this work, a simple method was designed to synthesize a novel air filter, which composed of cellulose acetate and poly (ionic liquids) by using the technique of macromolecular design and electrostatic spinning process. The introduction of poly (ionic liquids) effectively reduced the diameter of fibers and thus obtains nano-fibrous filters. The removal rate of PM 10 and PM 2.5 particle by the filters reached 99.65% and 97.94%, respectively. Furthermore, the filters exhibited excellent antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and no obvious cytotoxicity was observed in vitro culturing cell. After multiple recycling, the filters still maintained excellent antimicrobial properties and fibrous morphology due to the stable covalent bonds between cellulose acetate and poly (ionic liquids). This is a novel strategy to prepare high-quality air filters, which have great potential applications in air purification.Graphic abstractWe fabricated a kind of green electrospinning material with stable antibacterial properties through organic synthesis and molecular design. The introduction of poly (ionic liquids) effectively reduces the diameter of fibers and thus obtains nano-fibrous filters. The removal rate of PM 10 and PM 2.5 particle by the filters reached 99.65% and 97.94%, respectively. Furthermore, the filters exhibit excellent antibacterial properties against E. coli and S. aureus, and no obvious cytotoxicity is observed in vitro culturing cell. After multiple recycling, the filters still maintain excellent antimicrobial properties and fibrous morphology.

Elaeocarpus petiolatus is an ecologically and economically important species in tropical and subtropical forests. Despite its significance, the lack of genomic resources has hindered research on the genetic diversity and adaptive traits of E. petiolatus . To address this gap, we present a comprehensive chromosome-level genome assembly of E. petiolatus generated using advanced PacBio high-fidelity (HiFi) long-read sequencing and Hi-C technology. The assembly spans 322.45 Mb, with a scaffold N50 of 20.58 Mb, indicating that 37.11% of the genome is composed of repetitive elements. We identified 25,295 protein-coding genes, of which 96.74% were functionally annotated. This high-quality genome provides a critical resource for understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying environmental adaptability and biosynthesis of bioactive compounds in E. petiolatus , thereby supporting conservation efforts and sustainable forest management. The assembled genome and associated sequencing data are publicly available, facilitating further evolutionary and functional studies on the Elaeocarpaceae family.

Craniofacial microsomia (CFM) is the second most common congenital craniofacial deformity, presenting diverse clinical manifestations and treatments that may influence oral bacteria dysbiosis (OBD). However, research linking CFM to OBD is limited. Saliva samples were collected from 20 patients with CFM and 24 controls. We compared oral microflora and gene function using 16 S ribosomal RNA sequencing and metagenomics. We also evaluated the correlation between CFM clinical phenotypes and microbiota community structure. Patients with CFM demonstrated greater richness and evenness in their oral microflora. The dominant genera included several pathogenic species, such as Actinomyces , Fusobacterium , and Prevotella . Notably, the severity of CFM correlated positively with the abundance of Neisseria and Porphyromonas . Upregulated pathways were primarily linked to biotin and amino acid metabolism, such as Tryptophan metabolism and Lysine degradation, and further underscored the need for focused oral health interventions in this population. This study is the first to indicate that CFM patients exhibit unique oral bacterial dysbiosis, marked by a higher presence of opportunistic pathogens and increased pathways related to oral and systemic health. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring oral health in patients with CFM.

Reticulocalbin 1 (RCN1) is a calcium-binding protein involved in the regulation of calcium homeostasis in the endoplasmic reticulum. The aim of this study was to explore the clinical value and biological role of RCN1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). In addition, we investigated the effect of RCN1 on the polarization of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). The GSE53625 dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus database was used to analyze the expression of RCN1 mRNA and its relationship with clinical value and immune cell infiltration. Immunohistochemistry was used to validate the expression of RCN1 and its correlation with clinicopathological characteristics. Subsequently, transwell and cell scratch assays were conducted to evaluate the migration and invasion abilities of ESCC cells. The expression levels of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins were evaluated by western blot, while apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry and western blot. Additionally, qRT‒PCR was utilized to evaluate the role of RCN1 in macrophage polarization. RCN1 was significantly upregulated in ESCC tissues and was closely associated with lymphatic metastasis and a poor prognosis, and was an independent prognostic factor for ESCC in patients. Knockdown of RCN1 significantly inhibited the migration, invasion, and EMT of ESCC cells, and promoted cell apoptosis. In addition, RCN1 downregulation inhibited M2 polarization. RCN1 is upregulated in ESCC patients and is negatively correlated with patient prognosis. Knocking down RCN1 inhibits ESCC progression and M2 polarization. RCN1 can serve as a potential diagnostic and prognostic indicator for ESCC, and targeting RCN1 is a very promising therapeutic strategy.