Joint Effects Research Articles

Joint and Individual Mitochondrial DNA Variation and Cognitive Outcomes in Black and White Older Adults.

Mitochondrial dysfunction manifests in neurodegenerative diseases and other age-associated disorders. In this study, we examined variation in inherited mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences in Black and White participants from 2 large aging studies to identify variants related to cognitive function. Participants included self-reported Black and White adults aged ≥70 years in the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE; N = 1319) and Health Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC; N = 788) studies. Cognitive function was measured by the Digit-Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), and the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MSE) at baseline and over follow-up in LIFE (3.6 years) and Health ABC (10 years). We examined the joint effects of multiple variants across 16 functional mitochondrial regions with cognitive function using a sequence kernel association test. Based on these results, we prioritized meta-analysis of common variants in Black and White participants using mixed effects models. A Bonferroni-adjusted p value of <.05 was considered statistically significant. Joint variation in subunits ND1, ND2, and ND5 of Complex I, 12S RNA, and hypervariable region (HVR) were significantly associated with DSST and 3MSE at baseline. In meta-analyses among Black participants, variant m.4216T>C, ND1 was associated with a faster decline in 3MSE, and variant m.462C>T in the HVR was associated with a slower decline in DSST. Variant m.5460G>C, ND2 was associated with slower and m.182C>T in the HVR was associated with faster decline in 3MSE in White participants. Among Black and White adults, oxidative phosphorylation Complex I variants were associated with cognitive function.

Spurious correlations in surface-based functional brain imaging.

The study of functional MRI data is increasingly performed after mapping from volumetric voxels to surface vertices. Processing pipelines commonly used to achieve this mapping produce meshes with uneven vertex spacing, with closer neighbours in sulci compared to gyri. Consequently, correlations between the fMRI time series of neighbouring sulcal vertices are stronger than expected. However, the causes, extent, and impacts of this bias are not well understood or widely appreciated. We explain the origins of these biases, and using in-silico models of fMRI data, illustrate how they lead to spurious results. The bias leads to leakage of anatomical cortical folding information into fMRI time series. We show that many common analyses can be affected by this "gyral bias", including test-retest reliability, fingerprinting, functional parcellations, regional homogeneity, and brain-behaviour associations. Finally, we provide recommendations to avoid or remedy this spatial bias.

Association between organophosphorus insecticides exposure and osteoarthritis in patients with arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease

BackgroundOrganic phosphorus insecticides (OPPs) are a class of environmental pollutants widely used worldwide with potential human health risks. We aimed to assess the association between exposure to OPPs and osteoarthritis (OA) particularly in participants with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).MethodsParticipants’ information was obtained from data in the National Health and Nutrition Examination (NHANES). Weighted logistic regression models were utilized to detect associations between OPPs metabolites and OA. Restricted cubic spline plots (RCS) were drawn to visualize the dose-response relationship between each metabolite and OA prevalence. Weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression and Bayesian kernel-machine regression (BKMR), were applied to investigate the joint effect of mixtures of OPPs on OA.ResultsA total of 6871 samples were included in our study, no significant associations between OPPs exposure and OA incidence were found in whole population. However, in a subset of 475 individuals with ASCVD, significant associations between DMP (odds ratio [OR] as a continuous variable = 1.22, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07,1.28), DEP ((odds ratio [OR] of the highest tertile compared to the lowest = 2.43, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.21,4.86), and OA were observed. DMP and DEP showed an increasing dose-response relationship to the prevalence of OA, while DMTP, DETP, DMDTP and DEDTP showed a nonlinear relationship. Multi-contamination modeling revealed a 1.34-fold (95% confidence intervals:0.80, 2.26) higher prevalence of OA in participants with high co-exposure to OPPs compared to those with low co-exposure, with a preponderant weighting (0.87) for the dimethyl dialkyl phosphate metabolites (DMAPs). The BKMR also showed that co-exposure of mixed OPPs was associated with an increased prevalence of OA, with DMP showing a significant dose-response relationship.ConclusionHigh levels of urine dialkyl phosphate metabolites (DAP) of multiple OPPs are associated with an increased prevalence of OA in patients with ASCVD, suggesting the need to prevent exposure to OPPs in ASCVD patients to avoid triggering OA and further avoid the occurrence of cardiovascular events caused by OA.

Spatial movement with nonlocal memory and distributed delay

A single species spatial population model with nonlocal memory diffusion and distributed delay is formulated. Taking the memory delay and distributed delay as bifurcation parameters, we study the stability of the positive homogeneous steady state and bifurcation behaviors. The results show that the joint effect of distributed delay and memory delay induces the occurrence of multiple stability switches, which is impossible for the system without the distributed delay.

Assessing long-term effects of gaseous air pollution exposure on mortality in the United States using a variant of difference-in-differences analysis

Long-term mortality effects of particulate air pollution have been investigated in a causal analytic frame, while causal evidence for associations with gaseous air pollutants remains extensively lacking, especially for carbon monoxide (CO) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). In this study, we estimated the causal relationship of long-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), CO, SO2, and ozone (O3) with mortality. Utilizing the data from National Morbidity, Mortality, and Air Pollution Study, we applied a variant of difference-in-differences (DID) method with conditional Poisson regression and generalized weighted quantile sum regression (gWQS) to investigate the independent and joint effects. Independent exposures to NO2, CO, and SO2 were causally associated with increased risks of total, nonaccidental, and cardiovascular mortality, while no evident associations with O3 were identified in the entire population. In gWQS analyses, an interquartile range-equivalent increase in mixture exposure was associated with a relative risk of 1.067 (95% confidence interval: 1.010–1.126) for total mortality, 1.067 (1.009–1.128) for nonaccidental mortality, and 1.125 (1.060–1.193) for cardiovascular mortality, where NO2 was identified as the most significant contributor to the overall effect. This nationwide DID analysis provided causal evidence for independent and combined effects of NO2, CO, SO2, and O3 on increased mortality risks among the US general population.

Exposure to PM2.5 and its constituents is associated with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease: a cohort study in Northwest of China.

Accumulating animal studies have demonstrated associations between ambient air pollution (AP) and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), but relevant epidemiological evidence is limited. We evaluated the association of long-term exposure to AP with the risk of incident MAFLD in Northwest China. The average AP concentration between baseline and follow-up was used to assess individual exposure levels. Cox proportional hazard models and restricted cubic spline functions (RCS) were used to estimate the association of PM2.5 and its constituents with the risk of MAFLD and the dose-response relationship. Quantile g-computation was used to assess the joint effects of mixed exposure to air pollutants on MAFLD and the weights of the various pollutants. We observed 1516 cases of new-onset MAFLD, with an incidence of 10.89%. Increased exposure to pollutants was significantly associated with increased odds of MAFLD, with hazard ratios (HRs) of 2.93 (95% CI: 1.22, 7.00), 2.86 (1.44, 5.66), 7.55 (3.39, 16.84), 4.83 (1.89, 12.38), 3.35 (1.35, 8.34), 1.89 (1.02, 1.62) for each interquartile range increase in PM2.5, SO42-, NO3-, NH4+, OM, and BC, respectively. Stratified analyses suggested that females, frequent exercisers and never-drinkers were more susceptible to MAFLD associated with ambient PM2.5 and its constituents. Mixed exposure to SO42-, NO3-, NH4+, OM and BC was associated with an increased risk of MAFLD, and the weight of BC had the strongest effect on MAFLD. Exposure to ambient PM2.5 and its constituents increased the risk of MAFLD.

Independent effects of transcranial direct current stimulation and social influence on pain.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive neuromodulatory technique with the potential to provide pain relief. However, tDCS effects on pain are variable across existing studies, possibly related to differences in stimulation protocols and expectancy effects. We investigated the independent and joint effects of contralateral motor cortex tDCS (anodal vs cathodal) and socially induced expectations (analgesia vs hyperalgesia) about tDCS on thermal pain. We employed a double-blind, randomized 2 × 2 factorial cross-over design, with 5 sessions per participant on separate days. After calibration in Session 1, Sessions 2 to 5 crossed anodal or cathodal tDCS (20 minutes 2 mA) with socially induced analgesic or hyperalgesic expectations, with 6 to 7 days between the sessions. The social manipulation involved videos of previous "participants" (confederates) describing tDCS as inducing a low-pain state ("analgesic expectancy") or hypersensitivity to sensation ("hyperalgesic expectancy"). Anodal tDCS reduced pain compared with cathodal stimulation (F(1,19.9) = 19.53, P < 0.001, Cohen d = 0.86) and analgesic expectancy reduced pain compared with hyperalgesic expectancy (F(1,19.8) = 5.62, P = 0.027, Cohen d = 0.56). There was no significant interaction between tDCS and social expectations. Effects of social suggestions were related to expectations, whereas tDCS effects were unrelated to expectancies. The observed additive effects provide novel evidence that tDCS and socially induced expectations operate through independent processes. They extend clinical tDCS studies by showing tDCS effects on controlled nociceptive pain independent of expectancy effects. In addition, they show that social suggestions about neurostimulation effects can elicit potent placebo effects.

Gaussian and Lévy noises excited delayed tumor growth model: first-passage behavior and stochastic resonance

In this paper, we analyze the dynamical behavior of a delayed tumor growth model under the joint effect of Gaussian white noise and Lévy noise by studying the mean first passage time (MFPT) and stochastic resonance (SR). Firstly, the tumor growth model under the joint effect of Gaussian white noise, Lévy noise and time delay is introduced. Then, the Lévy noise sequence is simulated by Janicki-Weron algorithm, and the MFPT and signal-to-noise ratio(SNR) of the system are simulated by using fourth-order stochastic Runge–Kutta algorithm. The effects of noise parameters, time delay and periodic signal parameters on MFPT, SR are discussed in detail, respectively. In addition, we find the phenomenon of noise enhanced stability. The results of the study can help to select the optimal regulatory parameters in the tumor growth model and promote the treatment of tumors.

Air Pollution, Genetic Susceptibility, and Risk of Incident Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Prospective Cohort Study.

There are few existing studies that investigate the risk of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) associated with long-term exposure to air pollutants. This study aimed to explore associations between long-term exposure to air pollutants and incident SLE and further evaluate interactions and joint effects of genetic risk and air pollutants. A total of 459,815 participants were included from UK Biobank. The concentrations of air pollutants (fine particulate matter with diameter ≤2.5 μm [PM2.5], particulate matter diameter ≤10 μm [PM10], nitrogen dioxide [NO2], and nitrogen oxides [NOx]) were estimated by land-use regression model. We applied Cox proportional hazards model to explore linkages of air pollutants and incident SLE. The polygenic risk score (PRS) was used for further assessing the interactions and joint effects of genetic risk and air pollutants. A total of 399 patients with SLE were identified during a median follow-up of 11.77 years. There were positive associations between air pollutant exposure and incident SLE, as the adjusted hazard ratios were 1.18 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.06-1.32), 1.23 (1.10-1.39), 1.27 (1.14-1.41), and 1.13 (1.03-1.23) for each interquartile range increase in PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and NOx, respectively. Moreover, participants with high genetic risk and high air pollution exposure had the highest risk of incident SLE compared with those with low genetic risk and low air pollution exposure (adjusted hazard ratio: PM2.5, 4.16 [95% CI 2.67-6.49]; PM10, 5.31 [95% CI 3.30,-8.55]; NO2, 5.61 [95% CI 3.45-9.13]; and NOx, 4.80 [95% CI 3.00-7.66]). There was a significant multiplicative interaction between NO2 and PRS. Long-term exposure to air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and NOx) may increase the risk of developing SLE.

Giving It a Shot with a Different Approach: Prosocial Strategies Moderate the Joint Effects of Agentic and Communal Goals on Bullying.

This study uses polynomial regression and response surface analyses to investigate the joint effects of agentic and communal goals on bullying and the moderating role of prosocial strategies. The sample included 917 adolescents (Mage = 13.54, SD = 1.02) from rural, suburban, and urban areas in China. The findings revealed that higher agentic and lower communal goals were associated with a linear rise in bullying. Surprisingly, when both social goals were higher simultaneously, bullying followed an inverted U-shaped pattern. Furthermore, prosocial strategies moderated the joint effects of the two social goals. Adolescents who are more likely to use prosocial strategies do not show significant changes in bullying when both goals are at a higher level. In contrast, those who are less likely to do so show a linear rise in bullying, regardless of changes in social goals. This study improves our understanding and intervention of bullying behavior, emphasizing a non-pathological perspective.

Individualistic powerfulness and collectivistic powerlessness corrupts: how power and cultural orientation influence corruption

ABSTRACT Evidence from individualistic cultures suggests that power corrupts. Using a goals-based perspective, here we argue that power and culture jointly predict corrupt attitudes and behavior. Four studies (N = 447) and one meta-analysis were conducted to test these hypotheses. Study 1 investigated the joint effects of power and individuals’ cultural orientations on corruption proclivity. Studies 2 and 3 assessed if power and cultural orientations affect actual corrupt behaviors (i.e. abuse of discretion in Study 2 and bribe-taking in Study 3). Study 4 tested the hypothesis at a national level, using monocultural samples both in the UK and China. The results consistently showed that the effects of power on corruption depend on culture: for collectivistic individual orientations and cultures, holding power predicts less corruption than lacking power; in contrast, holding power predicts more corruption for individualist orientations and cultures. Our findings represent the first direct experimental and correlational evidence regarding the links between power, culture, and corruption.

Associations of Serum Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances with Hyperuricemia in Adults: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

There has been widespread concern about the health hazards of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which may be the risk factor for hyperuricemia with evidence still insufficient in the general population in China. Here, we conducted a nationwide study involving 9,580 adults aged 18 years or older from 2017 to 2018, measured serum concentrations of uric acid and PFAS (PFOA, PFOS, 6:2 Cl-PFESA, PFNA, PFHxS) in participants, to assess the associations of individual PFAS with hyperuricemia, and estimated a joint effect of PFAS mixtures. We found positive associations of higher serum PFAS with elevated odds of hyperuricemia in Chinese adults, with the greatest contribution from PFOA (69.37%). The nonmonotonic dose-response (NMDR) relationships were observed for 6:2 Cl-PFESA and PFHxS with hyperuricemia. Participants with less marine fish consumption, overweight, and obesity may be the sensitive groups to the effects of PFAS on hyperuricemia. We highlight the potential health hazards of legacy long-chain PFAS (PFOA) once again because of the higher weights of joint effects. This study also provides more evidence about the NMDR relationships in PFAS with hyperuricemia and emphasizes a theoretical basis for public health planning to reduce the health hazards of PFAS in sensitive groups.

Public Perceptions of Gangs: An Experimental Test of Nomenclature, Race/Ethnicity, Violence, and Organization

This study examines how the public views gangs, surveying 1,000 US adults using a vignette of a teenage collective. Through a factorial design, elements crucial to gang definition debates were randomly manipulated: the name of the group, its racial composition, behavior severity, and organizational structure. Findings reveal that a name associated with known gangs significantly impacts perception, making it more likely for a group to be identified as a gang. The collective’s activity and organizational structure also swayed perceptions, with violent and structured groups more readily classified as gangs. Surprisingly, the group’s racial makeup did not markedly alter perceptions, although joint effects show it did affect the interpretation of other factors. These insights suggest a need to reassess how research shapes our understanding of gangs and, in turn, how public concerns inform policymakers; highlighting the nuances in public opinion that could factor into legal responsibility and guide future legislative decisions.

Exposure of women undergoing in-vitro fertilization to per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances: Evidence on negative effects on fertilization and high-quality embryos

In April 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 17.5% of the global adult population experience infertility. What may be the contribution of per-and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) to this global public health problem?This study explored the associations between in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes and plasma concentrations of individual PFAS and PFAS mixtures in women undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) and how these exposures might affect IVF outcomes. We analyzed 8 PFASs in plasma samples from women (N = 259) who underwent IVF treatment. In multivariable generalized linear mixed models, there were statistically significant associations of higher plasma concentrations of PFNA with reduced numbers of total retrieved oocytes [12.486 (95%CI: 0.446,25.418), p trend = 0.017], 2 PN zygotes [6.467(95%CI: 2.034,14.968), p trend = 0.007], and cleavage embryos [6.039(95%CI: 2.162,14.240), p trend = 0.008]. Similarly, there was a continuous decline in the numbers of retrieved 2 PN zygotes and cleavage embryos with increasing concentration of PFOS [6.467(95%CI: 2.034,14.968), p trend = 0.009 and 6.039(95%CI: 2.162,14.240), p trend = 0.031,respectively] and a negative association between PFHxS concentrations and clinical pregnancy during the initial cycles of frozen ET [0.525(95%CI:0.410,0.640), p trend = 0.021]. To investigate the joint effect of PFAS mixtures, a confounder-adjusted BKMR model analysis showed inverse relationship between PFAS mixtures and the number of high-quality embryos, 2 PN zygotes and cleavage embryos, to which the greatest contributors to the mixture effect are PFDeA and PFBS, respectively. It demonstrated that PFAS exposure might exert negative effects on oocyte yield, fertilization and high-quality embryo in women undergoing IVF. These findings suggest that exposure to PFAS may increase the risk of female infertility and further studies are needed to uncover the potential mechanisms underlying the reproductive effects associated with PFAS.

Associations of serum persistent organic pollutant concentrations with incident diabetes in midlife women: The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation Multi-Pollutant Study

BackgroundOrganochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that can negatively impact metabolic health through pathways including endocrine disruption. Few studies have evaluated diabetes risk associated with PBDEs. Little is known about the joint effect of exposure to POP mixtures on diabetes risk. ObjectivesWe investigated the relationship between POPs, individually and as mixtures, and diabetes development over 18 years (1999–2016) in midlife women. MethodsWe measured lipid-standardized serum concentrations of 34 PCBs, 19 OCPs, and 14 PBDEs in 1040 midlife women aged 45–56 years from the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation. We tested the association between POPs measured in 1999/2000 and incident diabetes using Cox proportional hazards models. We evaluated diabetes risk associated with the overall POP mixture using Quantile-Based G-Computation (QBGC). ResultsFor most mixture components, single pollutant and mixtures analyses indicated null associations with diabetes risk, however results were inconsistent. After adjustment, hazard ratios (HRs) of developing diabetes (95% CI) associated with upper exposure tertiles (T2/T3) compared with the first tertile (T1), were 1.7 (1.0, 2.8) at T2 and 1.5 (0.84, 2.7) at T3 for hexachlorobenzene and 1.9 (1.1, 3.3) at T2 and 1.6 (0.88, 2.9) at T3 for PCB 123. A doubling of PBDE 47 was associated with 1.11 (1.00, 1.24) times the risk of T2D. QBGC identified no association for the overall joint effect of the POP mixture on diabetes (HR = 1.04 [0.53, 2.07]). ConclusionExposure to a mixture of PCBs, OCPs, and PBDEs was not associated with incident diabetes in midlife U.S. women, although some individual POPs demonstrated significant yet inconsistent associations with diabetes. Non-linear and non-monotonic dose-response dynamics deserve further exploration. More research is needed on the diabetogenic effects of PBDEs.

Are we on the same wavelength? Interdimensional signal set and crowdfunding success

AbstractResearch SummaryUsing data from 1899 Kickstarter campaigns (2009–2019), we examine the impact of simultaneous emission of interdimensional signals of human capital and social causes on crowdfunding campaign success. We argue and demonstrate that backers respond positively to human capital signals, as reflected by prior work and entrepreneurial experiences, as they communicate the competencies of the entrepreneurs. Conversely, signaling a high level of commitment to social causes communicates competing demands, thereby reducing entrepreneurs' ability to secure funding. Moreover, when emitted jointly, interaction of these two signals negatively affects campaign success. Our theory and findings provide nuanced insights regarding simultaneously emitted interdimensional signals in crowdfunding context with a structured incentive system, thereby increasing our understanding about the ambiguous nature of bundling human capital with high social cause signals.Managerial SummaryWhen evaluating new ventures in the public sphere, potential backers simultaneously process the complex information emitted by founders (i.e., signals). These signals communicate the unobservable qualities of the founders. In this article, we investigate the independent and joint effects of two signals on crowdfunding campaign outcomes: founder's human capital and their commitment to social causes. We show that while human capital increases campaign success, a high commitment to social cause decreases this likelihood. We further demonstrate that when these two signals are emitted simultaneously, balancing issues between the signals reduce the chances of attaining campaign success in crowdfunding. These findings emphasize the importance for crowdfunding founders and campaign designers to communicate coherent and well aligned signals to ensure campaign success.

Joint effect of black carbon deriving from wheat straw burning and plastic mulch film debris on the soil biochemical properties, bacterial and fungal communities

Black carbon (BC) formed after straw burning remains in farmland soil and coexists with plastic mulch film (PMF) debris. It is unclear how BC influences soil multifunctionality in the presence of PMF debris. In this study, we determined the joint effects of BC and PMF debris on soil biochemical properties and microbial communities. We conducted a soil microcosm experiment by adding BC formed by direct burning of wheat straw and PMF debris (polyethylene (PE) and biodegradable PMF (BP)) into soil at the dosages of 1 %, and soils were sampled on the 15th, 30th, and 100th day of soil incubation for high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that the degradation of PMF debris was accompanied by the release of microplastics (MPs). BC decreased NH4+-N (PE: 68.63 %; BP: 58.97 %) and NO3−-N (PE: 12.83 %; BP: 51.37 %) and increased available phosphorus (AP) (PE: 79.12 %; BP: 26.09 %) in soil containing PMF debris. There were significant differences in enzyme activity among all the treatments. High-throughput sequencing indicated that BC reduced bacterial and fungal richness and fungal diversity in PMF debris-exposed soil, whereas PMF debris and BC resulted in significant changes in the proportion of dominant phyla and genera of bacteria and fungi, which were affected by incubation time. Furthermore, BC affected microorganisms by influencing soil properties, and pH and N content were the main influencing factors. In addition, FAPRPTAX analysis indicated that BC and PMF debris affected soil C and N cycling. These findings provide new insights into the response of soil multifunctionality to BC and PMF debris.

Dynamic Modeling and Analysis of Flexible-Joint Robots with Clearance.

The coupling effects of flexible joints and clearance on the dynamics of a robotic system were investigated. A numerical analysis was undertaken to reveal the coupling effects between flexible joints and clearance. The nonlinear spring-damping model and Coulomb model were applied to characterize the contact characteristics of the clearance, and a model for the flexible joint was formulated using the equivalent spring theory. An accurate robot model was established based on the clearance and joint flexibility characterization. The dynamic equation of a robot was obtained according to the Newton-Euler method. A comparative analysis was performed to assess the impacts of both the joint action of clearance and flexible joints and varying joint clearance values on the performance of the robot. The results showed that the coupling effects of flexible joints and clearance had a negative impact on the system dynamic performance. The amplitudes of the dynamic responses caused by the clearance are weakened by the flexible joint, but it leads to the lag of the system response. This study served as the theoretical foundation for exploring precise control techniques in robotics research.

A prospective cohort study of multimetal exposure and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus

The relationship between co-exposure to multiple metals and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and the mechanisms involved are poorly understood. In this nested case-control study, 228 GDM cases and 456 matched controls were recruited, and biological samples were collected at 12–14 gestational weeks. The urinary concentrations of 10 metals and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) as well as the serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) were determined to assess the association of metals with GDM risk and the mediating effects of oxidative stress. Urinary Ti concentration was significantly and positively associated with the risk of GDM (odds ratio [OR]:1.45, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.12, 1.88), while Mn and Fe were negatively associated with GDM risk (OR: 0.67, 95 % CI: 0.50, 0.91 or OR: 0.61, 95 % CI: 0.47, 0.80, respectively). A significant negative association was observed between Mo and GDM risk, specifically in overweight and obese pregnant women. Bayesian kernel machine regression showed a significant negative joint effect of the mixture of 10 metals on GDM risk. The adjusted restricted cubic spline showed a protective role of Mn and Fe in GDM risk (P < 0.05). A significant negative association was observed between essential metals and GDM risk in quantile g-computation analysis (P < 0.05). Mediation analyses showed a mediating effect of MDA on the association between Ti and GDM risk, with a proportion of 8.7 % (P < 0.05), and significant direct and total effects on Ti, Mn, and Fe. This study identified Ti as a potential risk factor and Mn, Fe, and Mo as potential protective factors against GDM, as well as the mediating effect of lipid oxidation.

Statistical models assisted solvothermal synthesis of silver nanowires with controllable morphology

Silver nanowires (AgNWs) are conductive materials used in various applications such as solar panels and electronic skin. The morphology of AgNWs, including length and diameter, significantly affects conductivity. Despite various synthesis methods, a comprehensive understanding of how synthesis factors affect morphology is still lacking. This study focuses on solvothermal synthesis and investigates the influence of different nucleants on morphology. Through statistical analyses, including multivariate control charts and analysis of variance (ANOVA), this work demonstrates the joint effects of nucleants on AgNWs synthesis, thus setting the basis for morphology control.