Visit-to-Visit Fasting Glucose Variability in Young Adulthood and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Middle Age.

CONTEXT: Diabetes has a bidirectional association with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and increases the risk of cirrhosis and related complications. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between visit-to-visit fasting glucose (FG) variability in early adulthood and NAFLD in middle age. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 2467 Black and White adults aged 18 to 30 years at baseline (1985-1986) who were followed over 25 years in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study. FG variability measures included coefficient of variation about the mean FG (CV-FG), the SD of FG (SD-FG), and the average real variability of FG (ARV-FG) across 25 years (year 0, 7, 10, 15, 20, and 25 examinations). NAFLD was defined as liver attenuation ≤ 40 Hounsfield units on computed tomography scan at year 25 examination after excluding other causes of hepatic steatosis. RESULTS: Of the 2467 participants, 241 (9.8%) had NAFLD at year 25. In multivariate analysis, the odds ratio for NAFLD was 2.80 (95% CI, 1.69-4.64; P trend < 0.001) for the fourth quartile vs first quartile of CV-FG after adjusting for confounding variables, including mean FG. Similar results were observed for SD-FG and ARV-FG. CONCLUSION: Greater visit-to-visit FG variability in early adulthood was associated with higher risk of NAFLD in middle age independent of mean FG level. FG variability may help identify individuals at high risk for NAFLD.

Association between cumulative blood pressure in early adulthood and right ventricular structure and function in middle age: The CARDIA study.

OBJECTIVE: Cumulative blood pressure (BP) exposure is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This study sought to investigate the association between cumulative BP from early adulthood to middle age and right ventricular (RV) structure and function in middle age. METHODS: We included 2844 participants from the CARDIA study (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults). Cumulative BP over the 30-years follow-up was defined as the sum of the product of mean BP for each pair of consecutive examinations and the time interval between these two consecutive examinations in years. RV structure and function were assessed by echocardiography. The main analyses utilized logistic and linear regression models. RESULTS: In fully adjusted models, higher cumulative systolic BP was independently associated with lower tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), right ventricular peak systolic velocity (RVS'), right ventricular early diastolic velocity (RVe'), and higher pulmonary arterial systolic pressure. Higher cumulative diastolic BP was independently associated with smaller RV basal diameter, lower TAPSE, RVS', and RVe'. For categorical analyses of RV dysfunction, cumulative systolic BP was not related to systolic dysfunction. Per 1-SD increase in cumulative systolic BP was associated with a higher risk of diastolic dysfunction, while an increase in cumulative diastolic BP was associated with a higher risk of systolic dysfunction and diastolic dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Cumulative exposure to increased BP from early adulthood to middle age was associated with incipient RV systolic and diastolic dysfunction in middle age. Exposure to higher diastolic BP levels from early adulthood to middle age was associated with a smaller RV basal diameter in middle age.

Effect of Hypertension Duration and Blood Pressure Control During Early Adulthood on Cognitive Function in Middle Age.

BACKGROUND: Elevated blood pressure (BP) is a risk factor for cognitive impairment. OBJECTIVE: We aim to explore the association between the duration of hypertension in early adulthood, with cognitive function in midlife. Furthermore, we investigate whether this asssociation is altered among participants with controlled BP. METHODS: This prospective study included 2,718 adults aged 18-30 years without hypertension at baseline who participated in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study. Duration of hypertension was calculated based on repeat measurements of BP performed at 2, 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years after baseline. Cognitive function was assessed at Year-25 using the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), and Stroop test. RESULTS: After multivariable adjustment, a longer hypertension duration was associated with worse verbal memory (RAVLT, p trend = 0.002) but not with processing speed (DSST, p trend = 0.112) and executive function (Stroop test, p trend = 0.975). Among subgroups of participants with controlled (BP < 140/90 mmHg) and uncontrolled (SBP≥140 mmHg or DBP≥90 mmHg) BP at the time of cognitive assessment (i.e., Year-25 BP), longer duration of hypertension was associated with worse verbal memory. Similar results were observed in subgroups with controlled and uncontrolled average BP prior to cognitive assessment. CONCLUSION: Longer duration of hypertension during early adulthood is associated with worse verbal memory in midlife regardless of current or long-term BP control status. The potential risk of hypertension associated cognitive decline should not be overlooked in individuals with a long duration of hypertension, even if BP levels are controlled.

The association between serum copper concentrations and elevated blood pressure in US children and adolescents: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2016.

BACKGROUND: Copper is an essential trace metal with potential interest for cardiovascular effects. Few studies have explored the association between copper and blood pressure in children and adolescents. METHOD: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 1242 children and adolescents aged 8-17 years who participated in the 2011 to 2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Using 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines, elevated blood pressure (EBP) was defined as a mean systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure (BP) ≥ 90th percentile for sex, age, and height for children aged 1-12 years and systolic BP ≥ 120 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥ 80 mmHg for adolescent age 13-17 years. Mean serum copper was 114.17 µg/dL. RESULTS: After multiple adjustments, dose-response analyses revealed that EBP was associated with progressively higher serum copper concentrations in a nonlinear trend. In comparison with the lowest quartile of serum copper concentrations, the adjusted odds of EBP for the highest quartile was 5.26 (95% confidence interval, 2.76-10.03). CONCLUSION: Our results suggested that high serum copper concentrations were significantly associated with EBP in US children and adolescents.

Esterification of residual palm oil using solid acid catalyst derived from rice husk.

In this study, carbon-silica based acid catalysts derived from rice husks (RH) were successfully synthesised using microwave (MW) technology. The results showed that MW sulphonation produced Sulphur (S) content of 17.2-18.5 times higher than in raw RH. Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) showed peak at 1035 cm-1 which corresponded to O˭S˭O stretching of sulphonic (-SO3H) group. XRD showed sulfonated RH catalysts (SRHCs) have amorphous structure, and through SEM, broadening of the RH voids and also formation of pores is observed. RH600 had the highest surface area of 14.52 m2/g. SRHCs showed high catalytic activity for esterification of oleic acid with methanol with RH600 had the highest initial formation rate (6.33 mmolL-1min-1) and yield (97%). The reusability of the catalyst showed gradually dropped yield of product for every recycle, which might be due to leaching of -SO3H. Finally, esterification of oil recovered from palm oil mill effluent (POME) with methanol achieved a conversion of 87.3% free fatty acids (FFA) into fatty acid methyl esters (FAME).

POM-Based MOF-Derived Co3O4/CoMoO4 Nanohybrids as Anodes for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Polyoxometalate (POM)-based metal-organic framework (MOF)-derived Co3O4/CoMoO4 nanohybrids were successfully fabricated by a facile solvothermal method combined with a calcination process, in which a Co-based MOF, that is, ZIF-67 acts as a template while a Keggin-type POM (H3PMo12O40) serves as a compositional modulator. The materials were characterized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) mapping, and electrochemical measurements. When the Co3O4/CoMoO4 nanohybrids were applied as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), they display large lithium storage capacity (around 900 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1) and high cycling stability, and they can also exhibit good rate performances. This work might shed some light on the POM-based MOF host-guest synthesis strategy for the preparation of polymetallic oxides for enhanced electrochemical energy storage and further applications.

[Specific diversity and distribution characteristics of annual synusia in Alashan desert].

Alashan desert, sited in the east of Asia desert, is a special vegetation geography area in Asia desert region. Its geographic range is from west Ordos (108 degrees E) to west Ejina (98 degrees E), and from Gobi-Altai Mountain in Mongolia (43 degrees N) to Hexi Corridor (37 degrees-39 degrees N). The annual plants grow well, and are constant synusiae that act on important function in keeping the stabilization of desert ecosystem in Alashan desert. Moreover, the annual synusiae may take on heavy responsibilities in local animal husbandry production. The specific diversity and distribution characteristics of annual synusiae are discussed in the paper. Based on our observation and research in many years, 61 species of annual plants, which could be divided into 4 types of annual short grass, annual Salsola, annual Artemisia and annual weeds, are discovered in Alanshan desert. They belong to 12 families and 35 genera, and could be divided into 12 areal types, and 10 species of them were endemic to Alashan. The annual plants grow widely on clayey deserts, sandy deserts, gritty deserts, gravelly deserts rocky deserts and oasis. In general, one or several plant species form summer rain synusiae, and form a homogeneous or patchy distribution pattern in desert communities. Sometimes, some plant species distribute along runoff line, and form a dendritic or line pattern. The ecological adaptation and function were also discussed in the paper.