The Chinese National Twin Registry (CNTR), initiated in 2001, has now become the largest twin registry in Asia. From 2015 to 2018, the CNTR continued to receive Chinese government funding and had recruited 61,566 twin-pairs by 2019 to study twins discordant for specific exposures such as environmental factors, and twins discordant for disease outcomes or measures of morbidity. Omic data, including genetics, genomics, metabolomics, and proteomics, and gut microbiome will be tested. The integration of omics and digital technologies in public health will advance our understanding of precision public health. This review introduces the updates of the CNTR, including study design, sample size, biobank, zygosity assessment, advances in research and future systems epidemiologic research.

Animal studies have suggested that mushroom intake can alleviate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. However, the association between mushroom intake and NAFLD is unknown in humans. We aimed to investigate the association of mushroom intake with NAFLD among Chinese adults. This is a cross-sectional study of 24 236 adults (mean (standard deviation) age: 40·7 (sd 11·9) years; 11 394 men (47·0 %)). Mushroom intake was assessed via a validated FFQ. Newly diagnosed NAFLD was identified based on the results of annual health examinations, including ultrasound findings and a self-reported history of the disease. Multiple logistic models were used to examine the association between mushroom intake and NAFLD. The prevalence of newly diagnosed NAFLD was 19·0 %. Compared with those consuming mushrooms less frequently (≤1 time/week), the fully adjusted OR of newly diagnosed NAFLD were 0·95 (95 % CI 0·86, 1·05) for those consuming 2–3 times/week and 0·76 (95 % CI 0·63, 0·92) for those consuming ≥4 times/week (Pfor trend = 0·01). The inverse association was consistent in subgroups defined by age, sex and BMI. In conclusion, higher mushroom intake was significantly associated with lower prevalence of NAFLD among Chinese adults. Future research is required to understand the causal association between mushroom intake and NAFLD.

To reveal the electron and phonon transport mechanism in bismuth nanowire (BiNW), the electronic structure, the lattice dynamics, and the thermoelectric properties of bismuth bulk (BiB) and BiNW were investigated in this paper through first-principles calculation and the Boltzmann transport theory. The results suggest that BiNW possesses an increased electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient, while its thermal conductivity, especially phonon thermal conductivity, is reduced significantly as compared to BiB. As a consequence, a largely enhanced figure of merit (ZT) at 300 K of 2.73 is achieved for BiNW. The enhancement in electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient of BiNW is originated from its high density of states and large effective mass of carriers. Such significant suppression in phonon thermal conductivity of BiNW is ascribed to the reduced phonon vibration frequency, the decreased phonon density of states, and the shortened mean free path of phonons. So BiNW should be viewed as an excellent candidate for a thermoelectric material with a high figure of merit. Moreover, we have provided a complete understanding on the relationship between the electronic structure, the dynamics, and the thermoelectric properties of BiNW.

An effective multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the simultaneous detection of three major pathogens, Nosema bombycis Nägeli (Microsporidia: Nosematidae), Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (Baculoviridae: genus Alphabaculovirus) (NPV), and Bombyx mori densovirus (Parvoviridae: genus Iteravirus) (DNV), in silkworms (Bombyx mori (Linnaeus); Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) was developed in this study. Polymerase chain reaction and real-time PCR tests and basic local alignment search tool searches revealed that the primers and probes used in this study had high specificities for their target species. The ability of each primer/probe set to detect pure pathogen DNA was determined using a plasmid dilution panel, in which under optimal conditions the multiplex real-time PCR assay showed high efficiency in the detection of three mixed target plasmids with a detection limit of 8.5×103 copies for N. bombycis and Bombyx mori NPV (BmNPV) and 8.5×104 copies for Bombyx mori DNV (BmDNV). When the ability to detect these three pathogens was examined in artificially inoculated silkworms, our method presented a number of advantages over traditional microscopy, including specificity, sensitivity, and high-throughput capabilities. Under the optimal volume ratio for the three primer/probe sets (3:2:2=N. bombycis:BmNPV:BmDNV), the multiplex real-time PCR assay showed early detection of BmNPV and BmDNV by day 1 post inoculation using DNA templates of the three pathogens in various combinations from individually infected silkworms; the early detection of N. bombycis was possible by day 3 post inoculation using the DNA isolated from the midgut of N. bombycis-infected silkworms.

In the present paper, 10 vol%TiC/Ti–6Al–3Sn–3.5Zr–0.4Mo–0.75Nb–0.35Si composite produced via in situ casting technique was tested in the temperature range from room temperature to 900 °C and much attention was paid on the microstructural evolution during high-temperature tensile test. It was found that the variation of microstructures in deformation zones with strain exhibited different trends at different temperatures. Below 600 °C, dislocation density increased with strain over the entire strain range. As temperature increased to 700 °C, dislocations proliferated rapidly in the initial deformation and then dislocation annihilated through dynamic recovery. Above 800 °C, the variation of microstructures in deformation zones with strain was similar to that at 700 °C at the beginning but at higher strain, dynamic recrystallization (DRX) occurred, leading to the formation of equiaxed microstructure. Microstructural evolution in deformation zones corresponded to the variation of tensile stress–strain characteristics with temperature, reflecting the hardening or softening feature of matrix. Dynamic recovery ascribed to the flow softening of the composite at 700 °C, while flow softening is owing to dynamic recovery and DRX above 800 °C. In addition, matrix softening should show different trends in different temperature ranges.

Recent studies have suggested an association between vitamin D and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); however, some results are subject to debate. This study was carried out to evaluate the correlation between NAFLD and vitamin D in men and women in East China. The data were obtained from a cross-sectional study that focused on the health and metabolic status of adults in sixteen areas of East China. According to ultrasonic assessments, the patients were divided into normal and NAFLD groups. Demographic characteristics and biochemical measurements were obtained. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to explore the association. In total, 5066 subjects were enrolled, and 2193 (43·3 %) were diagnosed with NAFLD; 84·56 % of the subjects showed vitamin D deficiency. Subjects with high vitamin D levels had a lower prevalence of NAFLD, particularly male subjects. Within the highest quartile of vitamin D levels, the prevalence of NAFLD was 40·8 %, whereas the lowest quartile of vitamin D levels showed a prevalence of 62·2 %, which was unchanged in women across the vitamin D levels. Binary logistic analysis showed that decreased vitamin D levels were associated with an increased risk of NAFLD (OR 1·54; 95 % CI 1·26, 1·88). This study suggests that vitamin D levels are significantly associated with NAFLD and that vitamin D acts as an independent factor for NAFLD prevalence, particularly in males in East China. Vitamin D interventional treatment might be a new target for controlling NAFLD; elucidating the mechanism requires further research.

Fatigue crack growth tests of NiAl bronze (NAB) alloy heat treated at different temper temperature after quenching at 920 °C are performed using direct current potential drop method. The influences of heat treatment on the fatigue crack growth behavior of NAB alloy are investigated. The results show that the fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) of NAB alloy decreases with the increase of temper temperature. A few large secondary cracks are obtained as the sample is tempered at 350 °C and the secondary cracks diminish with the increase of temper temperature. With further increasing temper temperature to 550 °C, a large number of small secondary cracks are obtained, which is responsible for its lower FCGR. The as-cast NAB alloy has a lower FCGR than that tempered at 550 °C at low stress intensity factor range (ΔK) region, and the lower FCGR is attributed to the crack deflection effect of the as-cast microstructure. At high ΔK region, the crack deflection effect diminishes, which leads to the higher FCGR of as-cast sample.

The creep behavior of advanced 9%Cr-1 (BM1) and advanced 9%Cr-2 (BM2) dissimilar welded joints was investigated in this paper, and also the microstructures were elaborately characterized. Based on the fitting with MATLAB, a 3-D curved surface describing the primary and steady-state creep stage was achieved. The comparison of the microstructures of the precreep and aftercreep welded joints shows that δ-ferrite distribution in the heat affected zone (HAZ) of BM2 side plays an important role in determining creep rupture strength. Fracture occurred at the overtempered heat affected zone (OT-HAZ) adjacent to BM2 after creep tests at 538 °C under different stress loads. Microhardness tests revealed that the OT-HAZ adjacent to BM2 has the lowest hardness value compared with the whole welded joint. Numerous creep voids occurring around δ-ferrite, carbides, and grain boundaries were observed on the specimen after creep test. They concentrated and grew up to microcracks, and then induced the fracture at OT-HAZ. Many second phases were also observed in the grain boundary after creep, and the tempered martensite boundaries in the HAZ gradually become obscure as the creep time increases.

Calcification in cardiovascular aortic atherosclerotic plaque contains Ca-phosphate minerals. However, most research on cardiovascular calcification has focused on its physiological properties rather than its mineralogical features. In this present study, cardiovascular calcification was characterized by collecting samples from patients’ tissues and applying mineralogical techniques. Synchrotron radiation-based micro-X-ray diffraction showed the calcification had a similar structure to hydroxylapatite (HAp). Transmission electron microscopy showed some structurally HAp-like spherical particles with a diameter of ∼200 nm and acicular crystals ∼100 nm × ∼20 nm in size. Selected-area electron diffraction indicated that these mineral particles belonged to the hexagonal crystal system. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy showed three typical peaks at 1469 cm−1, 1455 cm−1 and 1413 cm−1, indicating that the carbonate group in the calcification plaque substituted for a hydroxyl group to form B-type CHAp (Ca10(PO4,CO3) x (OH) y ). The FTIR mapping results illustrated the intergrowth of calcification and organic tissues and the inhomogeneous substitution of phosphate by carbonate in the calcification area. X-ray absorption near-edge structure analysis affirmed that the chemical environments of Ca in the calcification were close to those in HAp. Based on these mineralogical characteristics, the calcification in plaque is identified as a mixture phase of HAp and B-type carbonate HAp, which is similar to the composition of bones.

A study of 7,388 consecutive patients after hepatic resection between 2011 and 2012 identified hepatolithiasis, cirrhosis, and intraoperative blood transfusion as the only independent risk factors of both incisional and organ/space surgical site infection (SSI). Patients with these conditions should be cared for with caution to lower SSI rates.

Bismuth silicate with two morphologies (nanoflowers/nanoplates) was successfully fabricated with silica aerogels via a hydrothermal method in polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-mediated processes for the first time. The obtained nanomaterials were characterized using x-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis, and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. It was found that the concentration of PVP plays an important role in the formation of the hierarchical nanoflowers. The formation mechanism for this novel morphology was proposed on the basis of experimental results. Moreover, the photocatalytic performances of Bi2SiO5 nanoflowers/nanoplates were also investigated. The results revealed that Bi2SiO5 nanoflowers exhibited higher activity than Bi2SiO5 nanoplates due to its suitable morphology, higher BET surface area.

The relative age of galaxies at different redshifts can be used to infer the Hubble parameter and put constraints on cosmological models. We select 23,883 quiescent luminous red galaxies (LRGs) from the SDSS DR7, dividing them into four sub-samples according to their velocity dispersions. Each sub-sample was further divided into 12 redshift bins. The spectra of the LRGs in each redshift and velocity bin were co-added. Adopting the GalexEV/SteLib model, we estimate the mean ages of the LRGs from these combined spectra by the full-spectrum fitting method and find it is consistent with the well known “downsizing” formation of galaxies. Based on the age–redshift relation, we further estimate the Hubble parameter.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2010 in Portland, Oregon, USA, August 1 – August 5, 2010.

Mitochondrial (mt) DNA deletions and low folate status, proposed characteristics of carcinogenesis, in relation to human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) susceptibility are not clearly understood. We hypothesised that low folate status may modify frequencies of mtDNA deletions in humans, both of which could predispose individuals to HCC development. Biochemical folate status of serum and lymphocytes, and frequencies of mtDNA deletions in lymphocytes were determined in ninety HCC cases and ninety cancer-free healthy controls, individually matched by age and sex. The data revealed that HCC patients had lower levels of serum folate (P = 0·0002), lymphocytic folate (P = 0·040) and accumulated higher frequency of lymphocytic mtDNA deletions (P < 0·0001) than the controls. In the total studied subjects, frequencies of lymphocytic mtDNA deletions were associated with hepatitic B infection (P = 0·004) and HCC incidents (P = 0·001), and were correlated with serum folate (r − 0·155; P = 0·041), lymphocyte folate (r − 0·314; P = 0·0001), levels of glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) (r 0·206; P = 0·006), glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (GPT) (r 0·163; P = 0·037) and α-fetal protein concentrations (r 0·212; P = 0·005). After adjustment for age, sex, lifestyle and one-carbon metabolite factors, individuals with low blood folate ( < 11·5 nmol/l) or high mtDNA deletions (Δ threshold cycle number (Ct)>5·3) had increased risks for HCC (OR 7·7, 95 % CI 1·9, 29·9, P = 0·003; OR 5·4; 95 % CI 1·7, 16·8, P = 0·003, respectively). When combined with folate deficiency (serum folate < 14 nmol/l), the OR of HCC in individuals with high levels of lymphocytic mtDNA deletions was enhanced (OR 13·3; 95 % CI 1·45, 122; P = 0·008). Further controlling for GOT and GPT levels, however, negated those effects on HCC risk. Taken together, the data suggest that biochemical folate status and liver injuries are important modulators to lymphocytic mtDNA deletions. The mt genetic instability that results from a high rate of mtDNA deletions and/or low folate status increased the risk for HCC, which is mediated by clinical hepatic lesions.