Beta-2-microglobulin (B2M) has been suggested as an emerging biomarker for cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke, and mortality.
Three databases were ...searched from inception to January 2, 2020, supplemented by scanning reference lists of identified studies. We identified studies that reported associations of baseline serum or plasma B2M and CVD incidence, CVD mortality, or CHD and stroke separately, in either general populations or patients with renal disease. Relative risks (RR) were extracted and harmonized to a comparison of the highest versus lowest third of the distribution of B2M, and the results were aggregated.
Sixteen studies (5 in general populations, and 11 in renal disease populations) were included, involving 30,988 participants and 5391 CVD events. Based on random-effects meta-analysis, the pooled adjusted RRs comparing the highest versus lowest third of the distribution of B2M were 1.71 (95%CI: 1.37–2.13) for CVD, 2.29 (1.51–3.49) for CVD mortality, 1.64 (1.14–2.34) for CHD, and 1.51 (1.28–1.78) for stroke, with little to high heterogeneity between studies (0.0% ≤ I2 ≤ 80.0%). The positive associations between B2M and risks of CVD outcomes remained broadly significant across subgroup analyses. Moreover, the pooled adjusted RRs were 2.51 (1.94–3.26; I2 = 83.7%) for all-cause mortality and 2.64 (1.34–5.23; I2 = 83.1%) for infectious mortality.
Available observational data show that there are moderate positive associations between B2M levels and CVD events and mortality, although few studies have been conducted in general populations.
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•Available epidemiological evidence shows that circulating B2M levels are moderately associated with CVD events and mortality.•Future large-scale general population-based prospective studies and genetic studies are needed to assess the causality.
The 2021 European Society of Cardiology cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention guidelines recommend the use of (lifetime) risk prediction models to aid decisions regarding intensified preventive ...treatment options in adults with Type 2 diabetes, e.g. the DIAbetes Lifetime perspective model (DIAL model). The aim of this study was to update the DIAL model using contemporary and representative registry data (DIAL2) and to systematically calibrate the model for use in other European countries.
The DIAL2 model was derived in 467 856 people with Type 2 diabetes without a history of CVD from the Swedish National Diabetes Register, with a median follow-up of 7.3 years (interquartile range: 4.0-10.6 years) and comprising 63 824 CVD (including fatal CVD, non-fatal stroke and non-fatal myocardial infarction) events and 66 048 non-CVD mortality events. The model was systematically recalibrated to Europe's low- and moderate-risk regions using contemporary incidence data and mean risk factor distributions. The recalibrated DIAL2 model was externally validated in 218 267 individuals with Type 2 diabetes from the Scottish Care Information-Diabetes (SCID) and Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). In these individuals, 43 074 CVD events and 27 115 non-CVD fatal events were observed. The DIAL2 model discriminated well, with C-indices of 0.732 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.726-0.739 in CPRD and 0.700 (95% CI 0.691-0.709) in SCID.
The recalibrated DIAL2 model provides a useful tool for the prediction of CVD-free life expectancy and lifetime CVD risk for people with Type 2 diabetes without previous CVD in the European low- and moderate-risk regions. These long-term individualized measures of CVD risk are well suited for shared decision-making in clinical practice as recommended by the 2021 CVD ESC prevention guidelines.
: Diabetes mellitus (DM) has become a major public health problem in China. Although a number of researchers have investigated DM risk factors, little is known about the associations between values ...of fasting blood glucose (FBG) and influencing factors. This study aims to explore these associations by the quantile regression (QR) model.
: A cross-sectional survey based on a sample of 23,050 adults aged 18 to 79 years was conducted in Jilin in 2012, and some subjects were excluded due to missing values with respect to necessary variables or having glycemic control, in accordance with the purposes of this study. Finally, in total 14,698 people were included in this study. QR was performed to identify the factors influencing the level of FBG in different quantiles of FBG.
The distribution of FBG status was different between males and females (
² = 175.30,
< 0.001). The QR model provided more detailed views on the associations of FBG with different factors and revealed apparent quantile-related patterns separately for different factors. Body mass index (BMI) was positively associated with the low and middle quantiles of FBG. Waist circumference (WC) had a positive association with the high quantiles of FBG.
: FBG had a positive association with BMI in normal FBG, and a positive association with WC in high FBG. Diet and alcohol intake were associated with FBG in normal FBG. FBG was more likely to be elevated in the elderly, female workers, and people with family history of DM.
In this study, organic bonding agent and low-temperature glass solder bonding are selected to prepare compact fiber Bragg grating (FBG) temperature sensors, and then, temperature characterization ...experiments are conducted separately. Specifically, the effects on the temperature sensitivity of encapsulated FBGs of different bonding materials are derived through theoretical analysis and simulation. Two different bonding materials are selected for the preparation and measurement of the temperature sensors, and the reproducibility of their preparation is analyzed. By comparing the temperature characteristics with the bare FBG, the results show that the sensitivity of the organic adhesive encapsulation is 30.32 pm/°C and that of the low-temperature glass solder encapsulation is 27.48 pm/°C within the range of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">0~^{\circ } </tex-math></inline-formula>C-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">50~^{\circ } </tex-math></inline-formula>C, and both of them reach a linearity of 0.9999, which is one order of magnitude higher than that of the bare FBG. The response rates all reach within 1 s, and the sensor encapsulated with low-temperature glass solder has better anti-interference ability. Finally, the long-term stability of the two encapsulation materials was evaluated, and the wavelength of the organic adhesive encapsulation structure drifted and the temperature sensitivity decreased, while the low-temperature glass solder encapsulation structure performed well, which indicated that the performance of the fiber optic FBG temperature sensors prepared by the low-temperature glass solder bonding process was better than that of the organic adhesive.
Multi-component promoters may efficiently improve the catalytic performance of the primary Cu-based catalysts in the Rochow-Müller reaction, but this approach is not well explored, and the roles of ...the promoters are not very clear. Herein, we report the ZrO2-supported CuO catalyst (CuO/ZrO2) modified with a co-promoter of ZnO, Sn, and CuP prepared by a simple dry ball-milling method. The co-promoter could significantly increase the amount of surface adsorbed oxygen and improve the reducing ability of catalysts, facilitating the formation of the active Cu3Si phase and further advancing dimethyldichlorosilane ((CH3)2SiCl2, M2) selectivity and Si conversion in the Rochow-Müller reaction. Compared to the state-of-the-art commercial catalyst, these CuO/ZrO2 catalysts with the co-promoters all showed enhanced catalytic activity. Especially, the CuO/ZrO2 catalyst with the co-existence of ZnO, Sn, and CuP promoters achieved the highest M2 selectivity and Si conversion, attributed to its most abundant surface adsorption oxygen and the strongest reducibility. This work opens up a new avenue to improve the catalytic activity of Cu-based catalysts for the Rochow-Müller reaction.
In the Rochow-Müller reaction, CuO/ZrO2 co-promoted by ZnO, Sn, and CuP is prepared by a simple dry ball-milling method. The Co-promoter significantly facilitates the formation of the active Cu3Si phase and the production of dimethyldichlorosilane. Display omitted
•CuO/ZrO2 Co-promoted by ZnO, Sn, and CuP is synthesized by a simple dry ball-milling method.•The addition of co-promoters increases the amount of surface adsorbed oxygen.•The surface adsorbed oxygen facilitates the formation of the active Cu3Si phase.•CuO-ZnO-Sn-CuP/ZrO2 catalyst promotes the production of dimethyldichlorosilane.
To address the specific requirements for fluid temperature measurement by aerospace equipment under unique operational conditions, a miniature, fast-response, high-precision pipeline fiber Bragg ...grating (FBG) fluid temperature sensor was developed in this study. The sensor structure was theoretically modeled, simulated, and optimized to meet size, weight, response rate, and accuracy criteria. The results indicate that the sensor with dimensions of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\Phi 1.98\times26.04 </tex-math></inline-formula> mm and a weight of 93.37 g exhibits a response time of 1.94 s, a sensitivity of 29.16 pm/°C, accuracy of 0.2 °C, and linearity exceeding 0.9997. The sensor is compact and lightweight, exhibits good linearity and repeatability, and responds rapidly to temperature changes. Furthermore, it withstands acceleration of 6.5 g and vibration loads up to 2000 Hz. This study provides a valuable reference for the engineering applications of fiber optic FBG temperature sensors on spacecraft.
•Aiming at the demand of pressure monitoring of flammable and explosive gases in industrial production, a diaphragm-type FBG high-pressure gas sensor is designed to realize long-term high accuracy ...pressure measurement in the range of 0–50 MPa, with good static characteristics under experimental conditions, which verifies the feasibility of the pressure sensing model.•The use of glass welding encapsulation instead of the traditional adhesive encapsulation to produce FBG pressure sensors improves the durability and long-term stability of FBG pressure sensors, and provides the necessary data support and reference for the subsequent use of glass welding encapsulation of FBG sensors.•The use of glass welding encapsulation helps to maintain the long-term high accuracy measurement of the FBG pressure sensor.
Large quantities of flammable and explosive gases are often used in various production processes in the chemical and energy industries. these gases, if leaked or improperly operated, can cause serious production accidents. Therefore, in order to meet the requirement for miniaturized, highly accurate, long-term stable and large-range high pressure sensors for flammable and explosive gases in industrial production, a highly accurate diaphragm fiber Bragg grating (FBG) high pressure gas sensor is designed in this paper. In this work, the working principle of the sensor is first analyzed theoretically, the circular elastic metal diaphragm of the sensor will strain under the action of pressure load, and then the strain will be transmitted to FBG. The wavelength drift of FBG is measured to achieve the measurement of the pressure load. Then finite element simulation was carried out for the diaphragm strain of the sensor to verify the feasibility of the sensor design scheme. The traditional adhesive encapsulation is then replaced with a glass welded encapsulation to improve the durability and long-term stability of the sensor. Finally, calibration experiments was conducted on the sensor, and the experimental results were compatible with the theoretical simulation analysis. The results show that the sensor realizes long-term highly accurate measurement of pressure in a large range of 0–50 MPa, and has good static characteristics under experimental conditions.
Prevalent buildings are supported by pile foundations in urban areas, and the importance of nearby excavation prediction is indisputable due to various engineering accidents caused by the density of ...urban buildings and the complexity of the underground environment. Recently, a case of tunneling adjacent to a pile group has received a lot of attention from the research community and engineers. In this study, a mechanical model of a shallow tunnel adjacent to a pile group is established. The proposed stress-release function is taken as the stress boundary condition of the tunnel periphery. Considering the pile group, the elastic stresses are calculated by complex variable theory, combined with the Mindlin’s solution. Then, the new analytical solutions to stress are obtained to predict the stratum responses induced by tunneling adjacent to the existing pile group loads inside the stratum in a gravity field. Ultimately, this study provides parameters to analyze their influence on ground stress and potential plastic zone, such as the stress release coefficient, pile group locations, and soil parameters. This research provides a theoretical basis for stratum stresses’ prediction in shallow tunneling engineering fields when tunneling adjacent to a pile group, and it can be applied to the construction of resilient cities.
A novel antisense lncRNA NT5E was identified in a previous microarray that was clearly up‐regulated in pancreatic cancer (PC) tissues. However, its biological function remains unclear. Thus, we aimed ...to explore its function and clinical significance in PC. The lncNT5E expression was determined in PC specimens and cell lines. In vitro and in vivo studies detected the impact of lncNT5E depletion on PC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Western blotting investigated the epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers. The interaction between lncNT5E and the promoter region of SYNCRIP was detected by dual‐luciferase reporter assay. The role of lncNT5E in modulating SYNCRIP was investigated in vitro. Our results showed that lncNT5E was significantly up‐regulated in PC tissues and cell lines and associated with poor prognosis. LncNT5E depletion inhibited PC cell proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT in vitro and caused tumorigenesis arrest in vivo. Furthermore, SYNCRIP knockdown had effects similar to those of lncNT5E depletion. A significant positive relationship was observed between lncNT5E and SYNCRIP. Moreover, the dual‐luciferase reporter assays indicated that lncNT5E depletion significantly inhibited SYNCRIP promoter activity. Importantly, the malignant phenotypes of lncNT5E depletion were rescued by overexpressing SYNCRIP. In conclusion, lncNT5E predicts poor prognosis and promotes PC progression by modulating SYNCRIP expression.
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