Physical Aging Research Articles

Precise Separation of Complex Ultrafine Molecules through Solvating Two‐Dimensional Covalent Organic Framework Membranes

Isoporous nanomaterials, with their proven potential for accurate molecular sieving, are of substantial interest in propelling sustainable membrane techniques. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are prominent due to their customizable isopores and chemistry. Still, the discrepancy in experimental and theoretical structures poses a challenge to developing COF membranes for molecular separations. Here, we report high‐selectivity sieving of complex ultrafine molecules through solvating pore‐to‐pore‐aligned two‐dimensional COF membranes. Our structurally oriented membrane shows reversible interlayer expansion with intralayer shift in response to solvent exposure. This dynamic deformation induced by solvents leads to a reduction in the aperture of the membrane’s sieving pores, which correlates with the number of COF layers. The resultant membranes yield largely improved molecular selectivity to discriminate binary and trinary complex mixtures, exceeding the conventional COF membranes. The membrane’s robustness against solvents and physical aging permits extremely stable microporosity and reliable operation for over 3000 h. This exceptional performance positions our membrane as an alternative to enriching and purifying value‐added chemicals, such as active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Precise Separation of Complex Ultrafine Molecules through Solvating Two-Dimensional Covalent Organic Framework Membranes.

Isoporous nanomaterials, with their proven potential for accurate molecular sieving, are of substantial interest in propelling sustainable membrane techniques. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are prominent due to their customizable isopores and chemistry. Still, the discrepancy in experimental and theoretical structures poses a challenge to developing COF membranes for molecular separations. Here, we report high-selectivity sieving of complex ultrafine molecules through solvating pore-to-pore-aligned two-dimensional COF membranes. Our structurally oriented membrane shows reversible interlayer expansion with intralayer shift in response to solvent exposure. This dynamic deformation induced by solvents leads to a reduction in the aperture of the membrane's sieving pores, which correlates with the number of COF layers. The resultant membranes yield largely improved molecular selectivity to discriminate binary and trinary complex mixtures, exceeding the conventional COF membranes. The membrane's robustness against solvents and physical aging permits extremely stable microporosity and reliable operation for over 3000 h. This exceptional performance positions our membrane as an alternative to enriching and purifying value-added chemicals, such as active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Unveiling the Influence of Natural Weathering on the Nanomechanical Properties of Magnetorheological Elastomers

Examining the physical aging of materials is essential for assessing their long-term performance and determining their suitability for specific applications. Material aging involves changes from their initial state, including deterioration or degradation. A key example of such a progressive, continuous process is the aging of materials in response to natural weathering conditions. While extensive research has focused on macro- and micro-scale aging, further investigation at the nanoscale could provide a more detailed understanding of material deterioration. This study explores the nanomechanical properties of magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) after nine months of natural weathering, focusing on stiffness, elasticity, surface roughness, and adhesion at the nanometer scale. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) with a sharp tip affixed to a cantilever was employed to characterize these properties. After nine months of exposure to natural weathering, MREs exhibited unique nanomechanical changes compared to their bulk properties, highlighting the significance of nanoscale analysis. At the nanoscale, the nanomechanical properties of MREs, including stiffness and elasticity, exhibited noticeable alterations within the first month of exposure, followed by a gradual reduction, and slight increments observed up to the nine-month mark. Surface roughness steadily increased over the nine months, while adhesion energy initially rose during the first month before gradually decreasing by the end of the study. These findings provide valuable insights into the material's mechanical behavior and offer a deeper understanding of its structural and functional properties at the nanoscale.

Unleashing the Power of Nanoparticles: Enhancing Natural Rubber (NR)/Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) Blends for Ultimate Performance

Our research described in this article examined the physical aging of natural rubber (NR) and nitrile rubber (NBR) compounds reinforced with nano-silica (n-SiO2) particles. The impact of NR and nano-silica content on the mechanical, spectral, and thermal properties of the composites was assessed using Shore hardness, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that after 8 days of aging in toluene or xylene at room temperature, high NR content caused significant swelling in the non-polar solvents, unlike NBR, which prevented rubber chain stretching and reduced the free volume. The transport mechanism of the toluene and xylene was pseudo-Fickian and slightly dependent on the nano-silica content. The hardness of the vulcanized blends increased with NBR and silica incorporation due to better dispersion of the particules and rubber-filler interaction, leading to high cross-linking density. XRD patterns confirmed the filler intercalation within the polymer matrix, causing a diffraction shift to a lower 2θ value of the various reflectures. Differential thermogravimetric analysis (DTGA) revealed that the n-SiO2 nanoparticles enhanced the thermal stability due to strong polymer chain interactions. These findings suggest that nano-silica-filled NR/NBR blends have significantly improved physical, mechanical, and thermal properties, supporting their potential for advanced elastomer-based materials in industrial applications.

Quantification of physical aging using two MDSC methods and its effect on initial properties of epoxy films

In this work, the effect of aging times and temperatures on the generation of physical aging (P.A) is investigated, as well as its impact on the physico-chemical and mechanical properties of a model epoxy resin. The DGEBA/Jeffamine D230 system was tested with different amounts of P.A generated by applying steps of varying aging times and temperatures during the cooling. The quantification of P.A is carried out through modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC) using two methods, based on the heat flow or the non-reversing heat flow. The results show that the P.A values obtained with the first method are lower than those obtained by the second method. The theorical model of Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts, used to describe the kinetic behavior of P.A process, showed that the second method underestimates the relaxation time. If no chemical change was observed between systems with and without P.A, the thermo-mechanical analysis showed that physical aging induces a storage modulus increase together with a free volume fraction decrease.

Diabetes Eye Disease Sufferers and Non-Sufferers Are Differentiated by Sleep Hours, Physical Activity, Diet, and Demographic Variables: A CRT Analysis

Introduction: Diabetic eye disease is the most common microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus. This complication has some direct impact on an individual’s well-being and health. Some lifestyle habits have been associated with the incidence of these co-morbidities. Objective: To classify the diabetic population into sufferers or non-sufferers of diabetes eye disease according to lifestyle and demographic variables, and to identify which of these variables are significant for this classification. Methods: The present cross-sectional study based on the NHANES 2011–2020 used the Classification and Regression Tree (CRT) analysis for classifying the diabetic population into sufferers and non-sufferers of diabetes eye disease. The odds ratio (OR) and relative risks (RR) of suffering this diabetes complication of the subgroups formed by the model were studied. The final sample formed 2657 individuals (1537 males and 1120 females). Results: A 79.4% accuracy was found for the CRT model. The independent variables of sleep hours (100.0%), physical activity (PA) group (92.8%), gender (76.2%), age (46.4%), education level (38.4%), sedentary time (38.1%), and diet (10.0%) were found to be significant for the classification of cases. The variable high alcohol consumption was not found significant. The analysis of the OR and RR of the subgroups formed by the model evidenced greater odds of suffering diabetes eye disease for diabetes sufferers from the inactive and walk/bicycle PA group compared to those from the Low, Moderate, and High PA groups (OR: 1.48 and RR: 1.36), for males compared to females (OR: 1.77 and RR: 1.61), for those sleeping less than 6 h or more than 9 compared to those who sleep between 6 and 8 h (OR: 1.61 and RR: 1.43), and for diabetes sufferers aged over 62 compared to younger ones (OR: 1.53 and RR: 1.40). Conclusions: sleep hours, PA group, gender, age, education level, sedentary time, and diet are significant variables for classifying the diabetic population into sufferers and non-sufferers of diabetes eye disease. Additionally, being in the inactive or walk/bicycle PA group, being a male, sleeping less than 6 or more than 9 h, and being aged over 62 were identified as risk factors for suffering this diabetes complication.

Physical Aging of Poly(methyl methacrylate) Brushes and Spin-Coated Films.

While there is significant attention aimed at understanding how one-dimensional confinement and chain confirmations can impact the glass transition temperature (Tg) of polymer films, there remains a limited focus on similar effects on sub-Tg processes, notably, structural relaxation. Using spectroscopic ellipsometry, we investigated the combined influence of confinement and molecular packing on Tg and physical aging, i.e., the property changes that accompany structural relaxation, at select film thicknesses and aging temperatures (Ta). We used poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films in the brush and spin-coated morphologies as model systems. We found that whether a PMMA film exhibited a decrease or increase in physical aging rate with confinement was dependent on the morphology. Notably, PMMA brushes exhibited higher physical aging rates compared to similarly thick spin-coated films at all values of Ta. These intriguing findings reveal the strong effects of confinement and molecular packing on the structural relaxation of polymer films. Results from this study have the potential to aid in the design of thin-film materials with controllable long-term glassy-state properties.

Anelastic relaxation considering physical aging effects in a high-entropy metallic glass

Anelastic relaxation considering physical aging effects in a high-entropy metallic glass

Non-collinear wave mixing to determine physical ageing in PVC pipelines

The ultrasonic signal amplitudes obtained from non-collinear wave mixing has previously shown significant changes for physically aged Poly-Vinyl Chloride (PVC) pipes, demonstrating the method's effectiveness in assessing the ageing condition of PVC. However, the exact relationship between the measured amplitudes and the extent of physical ageing in PVC has yet to be established. Additionally, it has not yet been validated against established methods or applied to determine the service lifetime of PVC pipes. This study outlines a three-step process to validate the effectiveness of the non-collinear wave mixing technique for assessing the physical ageing of PVC pipelines. Firstly, the non-collinear wave mixing results are compared with the established laboratory method of differential scanning calorimetry, to validate the scattered wave amplitude measurements. Secondly, employing the Arrhenius relation, service lifetime estimates derived from non-collinear wave mixing results align within the expected magnitudes, emphasizing the technique's potential for in-situ pipeline inspections. Finally, a material model is utilized to estimate the Third Order Elastic Coefficient (TOEC) m based on the measured amplitudes, demonstrating a linear correlation with annealing time. A 50% change in TOEC m signifies a brittle state, indicating a high risk of failure. A combination of experimental and analytical analyses highlighted TOEC m variations as the primary factor influencing non-collinear wave mixing amplitude changes during physical ageing. This comprehensive approach also highlights the importance of incorporating diverse factors to precisely forecast and oversee the performance of PVC pipes in real-world environments.

Local Structure‐Induced Selective Interactions Enables High‐Performance and Burn‐in‐Free Organic Photovoltaics

AbstractOligomeric acceptors (OAs) have attracted considerable attention in the organic photovoltaics (OPV) field owing to their capacity in balancing the merits from both monomeric and polymeric acceptors. A delicate control over the distortion between blocks of OAs usually determines the performance and stability of relevant OPV devices. However, it imposes great complexity to realize a controllable degree of distortion by tuning the skeleton of blocks and the position of linker between blocks. Herein, we developed a facile strategy to rationally control the geometry distortion of OAs via a straightforward substitution of alkoxy side‐chains on their blocks. This helps elucidate the integrated influences of molecular distortion and non‐bonded contacts on the selective interactions between OA molecules and between OA and host acceptor in ternary blend. We demonstrate the alkoxy‐OA molecules having stronger self‐interactions would mitigate their interactions with host acceptor, therefore alleviating the kinetic diffusion and excessive aggregation of total acceptors. Combining with a composite‐interlayer strategy by introducing a phenyl‐substituted self‐assembled monolayer to enhance the doping with polyoxometalate, an impressive efficiency of 20.1 % is achieved accompanied by a negligible burn‐in loss against physical aging. This study demonstrates the validation of tuning of selective interactions towards high‐performance and burn‐in‐free OPV.

Local Structure-Induced Selective Interactions Enables High-Performance and Burn-in-Free Organic Photovoltaics.

Oligomeric acceptors (OAs) have attracted considerable attention in the organic photovoltaics (OPV) field owing to their capacity in balancing the merits from both monomeric and polymeric acceptors. A delicate control over the distortion between blocks of OAs usually determines the performance and stability of relevant OPV devices. However, it imposes great complexity to realize a controllable degree of distortion by tuning the skeleton of blocks and the position of linker between blocks. Herein, we developed a facile strategy to rationally control the geometry distortion of OAs via a straightforward substitution of alkoxy side-chains on their blocks. This helps elucidate the integrated influences of molecular distortion and non-bonded contacts on the selective interactions between OA molecules and between OA and host acceptor in ternary blend. We demonstrate the alkoxy-OA molecules having stronger self-interactions would mitigate their interactions with host acceptor, therefore alleviating the kinetic diffusion and excessive aggregation of total acceptors. Combining with a composite-interlayer strategy by introducing a phenyl-substituted self-assembled monolayer to enhance the doping with polyoxometalate, an impressive efficiency of 20.1 % is achieved accompanied by a negligible burn-in loss against physical aging. This study demonstrates the validation of tuning of selective interactions towards high-performance and burn-in-free OPV.

Unveiling Relationship Between Specific Domain, Intensity, and Dose of Physical Activity and Biological Age: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Existing studies have separately explored the association between specific intensity and domain of physical activity (PA) and biological age (BA), potentially impeding more precise guide. We used data of 5216 middle-aged and older adults aged 45 and over to explore and compare the relationship of different domains, intensities, and doses of PA and BA. Transport-related walking and leisure-time moderate-intensity PA (MPA) were significantly associated with younger BA, rather than other intensity of work-related PA. There were U-shaped dose-response relationships between transport-related BA or leisure-time MPA and BA. In subgroup analyses for older adults, all intensities of PA were significantly associated with decreased BA. These findings highlighted the importance of considering the domain, intensity, and dose of PA in designing effective age-delaying interventions.

Manipulating crack formation in air-dried clay suspensions with tunable elasticity

Clay, the major ingredient of natural soils, is used as a rheological modifier while formulating paints and coatings. When subjected to desiccation, colloidal clay suspensions and clayey soils crack due to the accumulation of drying-induced stresses. Even when desiccation is suppressed, aqueous clay suspensions exhibit physical aging, with their elastic and viscous moduli increasing over time as the clay particles self-assemble into gel-like networks due to time-dependent inter-particle screened electrostatic interactions. The rate of evolution of the suspension structures and therefore of the mechanical moduli can be controlled by changing clay concentration or by incorporating additives. Since physical aging and desiccation should both contribute to the consolidation of drying clay suspensions, we manipulate the desiccation process via alterations of clay and additive concentrations. For a desiccating sample with an accelerated rate of aging, we observe faster consolidation into a semi-solid state and earlier onset of cracks. We estimate the crack onset time, tc, in direct visualization experiments and the elasticity of the drying sample layer, E, using microindentation in an atomic force microscope. We demonstrate that tc∝GcE, where Gc, the fracture energy, is estimated by fitting our experimental data to a linear poroelastic model that incorporates the Griffith's criterion for crack formation. Our work demonstrates that early crack onset is associated with lower sample ductility. The correlation between crack onset in a sample and its mechanical properties as uncovered here is potentially useful in preparing crack-resistant coatings and diverse clay structures.

Dose response of leisure time physical activity and biological aging in type 2 diabetes: a cross sectional study

To investigate the relationship between Leisure time physical activity (LTPA) patterns and PhenoAgeAccel in patients with Type 2 diabetes (T2D), emphasizing the role of regular LTPA in mitigating biological aging. This study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2018, including 4,134 adults with T2D. Multivariable linear regression models and restricted cubic spline (RCS) methods were employed to assess the relationship between LTPA and Phenotypic age acceleration (PhenoAgeAccel), with segmented likelihood ratio tests to detect nonlinear thresholds. Stratified regression and interaction tests were conducted for robust analysis. Compared to individuals with no LTPA patterns, those with regular LTPA patterns had significantly lower PhenoAgeAccel scores (β = -1.164, 95% CI: -1.651 to -0.677, P < 0.0001), while the “Weekend Warrior” and “Inactive-LTPA” patterns showed no significant effects. A nonlinear threshold effect was identified; below 594.57 min of weekly LTPA, there was a significant negative correlation (β = -0.002, 95% CI: -0.003 to -0.001, P = 0.000), with gender-specific effects present. Regular LTPA significantly reduces phenotypic age acceleration in T2D patients, with a nonlinear threshold effect indicating that moderate physical activity is most beneficial. These findings highlight the necessity of personalized physical activity recommendations and provide evidence for public health strategies to promote healthy aging in T2D patients.

The Effect of Long-Term Physical Disability and Aging on Extracellular Matrix Biogenesis in Human Skeletal Muscle

Physical inactivity and aging cause significant impairments in the functionality and mechanical properties of skeletal muscles, as well as remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM). We aimed to study the effect of long-term inactivity and age on the biogenesis of ECM in skeletal muscle. For quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis and RNA sequencing, biopsy samples were taken from m. vastus lateralis in 15 young healthy volunteers, 8 young and 37 elderly patients with long-term primary osteoarthritis of the knee/hip joint – which is a model for studying the effects of inactivity on muscles. We detected 1022 mRNAs and 101 ECM and associated proteins (matrisome). An increase in the expression of two dozen highly abundant matrisome proteins, specific to elderly and young patients (in relation to young healthy people), was detected; however, changes in the expression of mRNA encoding matrisome regulators (enzymatic regulators and secreted proteins) were similar. Comparison with previous proteomic and transcriptomic data showed that the changes in the matrisome that we described differed markedly from the changes caused by aerobic physical training in young healthy people, in particular, in the expression of the dominant ECM proteins and, especially, in the expression of mRNA of ECM enzymatic regulators and secreted proteins. Comparison of the changes in the expression profiles of these regulatory genes may be useful for identifying pharmacological targets for the prevention of adverse changes/activation of ECM biogenesis under various pathological conditions/physical training.

Quality of life of patients with neurofibromatosis 1-Physical disability does not necessarily result in poor mental health.

Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) is a chronic neurocutaneous disease known to profoundly affect quality of life (QoL). We have performed an analysis of disease severity, mental and physical QoL and compare the different subclasses among patients with neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1). We conducted a prospective analysis of 89 NF1 patients between January 2016 and March 2018. Data sourced from local records including demographic information, employment status, education level, and marital status. All patients completed 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and additionally the numerical pain rating scale (NPS). Patients were stratified based on severity of NF1, visibility and disease severity. Among 89 patients, severity was classified as grade 4 was identified in 42 (47.2%), moderate in 17 (19.1%), mild in 23 (25.8%) and minimal in 7 (7.9%) cases. According to visibility scale, severe grade 3 was found in 28 (31.5%), moderate grade 2 in 26 (29.2%) and mild grade in 35 (39.3%) cases. SF-36 data, except for pain, showed significantly lower values, if compared to the standard German population (P < 0.001, physical component summary P = 0.045). Sex, marital status and education level did not significantly influence results. Employment was significantly associated with better mental and physical status (P = 0.028 and P = 0.01 respectively) and age >40 was linked to lower physical (P = 0.027) but not mental component scores (P = 0.362). The numerical pain rating scale indicated pain levels of 7-10 in 9 cases (10,1%), 5-6 in 10 patients (11.2%), 1-4 in 26 patients (29.2%) and no pain in 44 cases (49.4%). Physical component scores significantly differed across different NPS grades (P < 0.001) but not in mental component scores (P = 0.06). Finally, no significant differences were found in mental component scores across severity or visibility grades. Severity and visibility grades of patients with NF1 may not necessarily result in poor mental health. Symptomatic treatment should be considered even for severely disabled patients as they may have comparable QoL to less severely affected patients with NF1. Employment was linked to better quality of life outcomes in our findings.

Recent advances in H2 purification and CO2 capture: Evolving from flat sheet to hollow fiber membranes

Hydrogen (H2) production and demand have steadily increased, leading to a rise in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions since fossil fuels are the current raw material for H2 production. Thin film composite (TFC) hollow fiber membranes have become significant in H2 purification and CO2 capture, playing a critical role in developing next-generation fuels and supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7) – Affordable and Clean Energy, with the goal of providing universal access to clean, advanced, and renewable energy for all. However, the polymeric selective layer of TFC membranes faces a trade-off between permeability and selectivity, as well as challenges including CO2 plasticization and physical aging. Additionally, H2/CO2 separation remains particularly challenging because H2, being diffusivity-selective, permeates more quickly through the membrane due to its smaller molecular size and higher kinetic energy, while CO2, being solubility-selective, has a high affinity for dissolving in most polymeric membranes. Herein, this review provides an in-depth exploration of innovative modification strategies designed to overcome these challenges in glassy polymeric membranes and enhance H2 separation performance in the recent 10 years. Various nanofillers, such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) such as University of Oslo (UiO), Materials Institute Lavoisier (MILs), and Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks (ZIFs), have shown remarkable potential in boosting gas separation capabilities due to their superior compatibility with polymer matrices and tunable properties. The review also explores different types of hollow fiber membranes, including single layer, dual-layer, and TFC, alongside fabrication techniques like interfacial polymerization and dip-coating. Critically, the analysis highlights cutting-edge strategies to improve membrane performance, such as (i) thermal cross-linking, (ii) chemical cross-linking, (iii) ultraviolet (UV) cross-linking, (iv) polymer blends, and (v) modified fillers, along with their objectives and expected outcome. Furthermore, the review spotlights breakthroughs in H2/CO2, H2/CH4, and H2/N2 separation technologies, emphasizing the critical need for continued innovation to drive sustainable H2 production and meet the growing clean energy demand.

A study to explore the role of a low threshold, fitness focussed physical rehabilitation intervention with protein supplementation to target physical function and frailty in people with problematic substance use and homelessness: protocol for a single-arm pre-post intervention study.

People who are homeless are more likely to experience poor mental health and addiction as well as suffering from non-communicable diseases. There is evidence of frailty and accelerated physical ageing among people experiencing homelessness. Appropriate physical rehabilitation and nutritional supplementation strategies can stabilise or reverse frailty and general physical decline, but it is not known how this type of intervention would work in practice in this population. To evaluate the feasibility and pre-post intervention impact of a low threshold physical rehabilitation intervention with protein supplementation to target physical functioning and frailty in people with problematic substance use who are experiencing homelessness. The intervention will consist of a 12-week low threshold rehabilitation programme with protein supplementation. Participants will be service users of the Ballyfermot Advance Project, a day services centre for people with addiction issues and experiencing homelessness. Primary outcomes will be feasibility including numbers recruited, retention of participants and adherence to the exercise intervention and protein supplement. Any adverse events will be recorded. Secondary outcomes will be strength and muscular mass, physical performance and lower extremity physical function, pain, frailty and nutritional status. An immediate impact may be simply a distraction from difficult circumstances and potentially an improvement of physical health of participants, which can be a conduit for the emergence of other positive behaviours and recovery. Longer term, this study will generate preliminary data on which to inform the design of a definitive randomised controlled trial of physical rehabilitation and protein supplementation, if indicated. Ethical approval was granted by the Faculty of Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee in TCD. Study findings will be disseminated through publication into an international peer-reviewed journal and presented at national and international conferences.

Endothelial dysfunction in acute coronary syndrome: a complex association with cardiovascular risk factors, sleep quality and cardiorespiratory capacity

Abstract Introduction It is widely acknowledged that normal endothelial function plays a pivotal role in conferring cardioprotective effects against ischemia-reperfusion injury following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) treated by a primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), thereby limiting infarct size (1). However, endothelial dysfunction (ED) has been extensively documented in patients with cardiovascular (CV) risk factors (2). This study proposes a novel perspective, positing that ED could be intricately linked not only with traditional CV risk factors, but also it can be associated with poor sleep quality. Consequently, this interplay might significantly contribute to the attenuation of exercise capacity. Objective The aim of this study was to assess endothelial function following AMI treated with a PCI and investigate the link between endothelial function, CV risk factors, sleep quality and exercise capacity. Furthermore, the study aimed to determine if endothelial function could serve as a predictive factor for future major adverse acute cardiac events (MAACE) following AMI. Materials and methods Sixty-three patients with AMI (56.21 ± 7.6 years) volunteered to participate in this study, . Endothelial function was assessed using the Endothelium Quality Index (EQI) . Sleep quality was evaluated using both actigraphy and the PSQI (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) questionnaire. Exercise capacity was quantified through the 6-minute walking test (6mwt). Results ED was evident, as indicated by an EQI of 1.4 ± 0.7. Furthermore, ED was notably influenced by CV risk factors such as low physical activity level, age, and smoking. A significant correlation was found between EQI and both sleep efficiency (r = 0.340; p = 0.006) and PSQI score (r = -0.533; p &amp;lt; 0.001). Additionally, a strong association was observed between endothelial function and the results of the 6mwt (r = 0.291; p = 0.021). Furthermore, during a follow up period ( near 4 months) following PCI, MAACE were observed in patients with severe ED only. Conclusion In summary, findings of this study may emphasize the importance of enhancing sleep quality and advocating for an active lifestyle as modifiable elements to enhance endothelial function, which can be regarded as a prognostic tool subsequent to AMI, ultimately contributing to improved clinical outcomes. Moreover, this study concluded that AMI patients with severe endothelial dysfunction were more likely to develop MAACE.Endothelial Dysfunction after AMIED following AMI : Causes and effect

Neonatal multimorbidity and the phenotype of premature aging in preterm infants.

Multimorbidity is the co-occurrence of multiple chronic health problems, associated with aging, frailty, and poor functioning. Children born preterm experience more multimorbid conditions in early life compared to term-born peers. Though neonatal multimorbidity is linked to poor health-related quality of life, functional outcomes, and peer group participation, gaps in our theoretical understanding and conceptualization remain. Drawing from life course epidemiology and the Developmental Origins of Heath and Disease models, we offer a framework that neonatal multimorbidity reflects maturational vulnerability posed by preterm birth. The impact of such vulnerability on health and development may be further amplified by adverse exposures and interventions within the environment of the neonatal intensive care unit. This can be exacerbated by disadvantaged home or community contexts after discharge. Uncovering the physiologic and social antecedents of multiple morbid conditions in the neonatal period and their biological underpinnings will allow for more accurate risk-prediction, counseling, and care planning for preterm infants and their families. According to this framework, the maturational vulnerability to multimorbidity imparted by preterm birth and its negative effects on health and development are not predetermined or static. Elucidating pathways of early biologic and physical aging will lead to improvements in care and outcomes. IMPACT: Multimorbidity is associated with significant frailty and dysfunction among older adults and is indicative of early physiologic aging. Preterm infants commonly experience multimorbidities in the newborn period, an underrecognized threat to long-term health and development. We offer a novel framework incorporating multimorbidity, early cellular aging, and life course health development to innovate risk-prediction, care-planning, and therapeutics.