Ocean Wind Observation Based on the Mean Square Slope Using a Self-Developed Miniature Wave Buoy.

Real-time, continuous, and long-term marine monitoring data benefits ocean research. This study developed a low-cost, multi-parameter, miniature wave buoy. High spatial and temporal resolution of sea surface parameters, including wind, waves, and current, can be obtained at low cost through the deployment of numerous buoys, thus forming an observation array. Tested in the laboratory water tank, the relative error of water surface slope measurement of the buoy was approximately 5.6% when the slope angle was less than 15°. For frequencies between 0.1 and 1.0 Hz, the measurement of slope spectrum was almost identical to that of the wave gauge. The buoy underestimated the slope spectrum between 1.0−1.56 Hz. A good relationship (r2 = 0.75) was obtained between wind speed at 10 m above sea surface (U10) and the low-pass-filtered mean square slope (LPMSS). After incorporating the wave age into the U10 inversion process, the root mean square error (RMSE) and BIAS were reduced to 1.15 m/s and 0.02 m/s, respectively. The 2D distribution of buoy-measured slope components was used to detect the wind direction, with an RMSE of 23.7°. The spectral tail slope steepened with increasing wind speed at low wind speeds (<7 m/s). A technical flow chart of the miniature wave buoy is proposed to observe the sea surface parameters. This miniature buoy will play an essential complementary role in the growing demand for sea state monitoring, especially in nearshore oceans.

Association between Physical Activity and Telomere Length in a North Chinese Population: A China Suboptimal Health Cohort Study / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Several studies have demonstrated an association between physical activity and telomere length; however, the association remains inconsistent. A cross-sectional study consisting of 588 participants (375 females, median age of 33.8 years) was carried out to investigate the association between telomere length and physical activity in a general population from North China. The results show that relative telomere length is not significantly different in participants in the northern Chinese population with different levels of physical activity, either in the model only adjusted for age (F = 2.127, P = 0.120) or in the model adjusted for demographics and lifestyle (F = 1.227, P = 0.294). The gender-stratified analysis also produced insignificant results. Our study confirmed a non-significant association between physical activity and telomere length in the northern Chinese population, which adds to the inconsistent association between physical activity and telomere length across different ethnic populations.

Association between IgG N-glycans and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Han Chinese / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major public health issue worldwide. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) N-glycans are associated with risk factors for NAFLD, such as obesity and diabetes. A cross-sectional study involving 500 Han Chinese adults recruited from a community in Beijing was carried out to explore the association between IgG N-glycans and NAFLD. IgG N-glycosylation was significantly associated with NAFLD, with the disease showing a negative correlation with galactosylation (GP14, GP14n, and G2n), positive correlation with fucosylation (FBG2n/G2n), and positive correlation with bisecting N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) [FBG2n/FG2n and FBG2n/(FG2n+FBG2n)], after controlling age, gender, and prevalence of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. In other words, the present study showed a possible association between NAFLD and the loss of galactose and elevations of fucose and bisecting GlcNAc. Aberrant IgG glycosylation might therefore be a potential biomarker for the primary or secondary prevention of NAFLD.

Association between the SUMO4 M55V Polymorphism and Susceptibility to Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Meta-analysis / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The aim of this study is to determine whether the SUMO4 M55V polymorphism is associated with susceptibility to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A meta-analysis was performed to detect the potential association of the SUMO4 M55V polymorphism and susceptibility to T2DM under dominant, recessive, co-dominant (homogeneous and heterogeneous), and additive models.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of eight articles including 10 case-control studies, with a total of 2932 cases and 2679 controls, were included in this meta-analysis. The significant association between the SUMO4 M55V polymorphism and susceptibility to T2DM was observed in the dominant model (GG + GA versus AA: OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.05-1.40, P = 0.009), recessive model (GG versus GA + AA: OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.07-1.356, P = 0.010), homozygous model (GG versus AA: OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.06-1.56, P = 0.001), and additive model (G versus A: OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.08-1.29, P = 0.001), and marginally significant in the heterozygous model (GA versus AA: OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 0.98-1.36, P = 0.080). In subgroup analyses, significant associations were observed in the Chinese population under four genetic models excluding the heterozygous model, whereas no statistically significant associations were observed in the Japanese population under each of the five genetic models.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The meta-analysis demonstrated that the G allele of the SUMO4 M55V polymorphism could be a susceptible risk locus to T2DM, mainly in the Chinese population, while the association in other ethnic population needs to be further validated in studies with relatively large samples.</p>

Lignans from the flower buds of Magnolia liliflora Desr.

Six new lignans, 1- 6, along with six known compounds were obtained from the flower buds of Magnolia liliflora Desr. The new lignans were elucidated as (1 S*,2 R*,5 S*,6 S*)-2-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-6-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane (1), (1 R*,2 R*,5 R*,6 S*)-2-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-6-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane (2), (1 R*, 2 R*,5 R*,6 S*)-2,6-bis (3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane (3), (1 R*,2 S*,5 R*,6 R*)-2-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-6-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane ( 4), (7' S*,8 R*,8' R*)-3,5'-dimethoxy-3',4,9'-trihydroxy-7',9-epoxy-8,8'-lignan (5), and (7' R*,8' S*)-3,3',4,5'-tetramethoxy-7-en-7',9-epoxy-8,8'-lignan (6), by the analysis of 1D and 2D-NMR as well as HRESIMS data. The capacity of compound 1 to protect against damages to the DNA of rat lymphocyte cells induced by UV irradiation was assessed by the comet assay. It showed stronger antigenotoxicity than ascorbic acid from 6×10(-3) mmol·L(-1) to 6×10(-6) mmol·L(-1).