We present a publicly available dataset of 227 healthy participants comprising a young (N=153, 25.1±3.1 years, range 20–35 years, 45 female) and an elderly group (N=74, 67.6±4.7 years, range 59–77 years, 37 female) acquired cross-sectionally in Leipzig, Germany, between 2013 and 2015 to study mind-body-emotion interactions. During a two-day assessment, participants completed MRI at 3 Tesla (resting-state fMRI, quantitative T1 (MP2RAGE), T2-weighted, FLAIR, SWI/QSM, DWI) and a 62-channel EEG experiment at rest. During task-free resting-state fMRI, cardiovascular measures (blood pressure, heart rate, pulse, respiration) were continuously acquired. Anthropometrics, blood samples, and urine drug tests were obtained. Psychiatric symptoms were identified with Standardized Clinical Interview for DSM IV (SCID-I), Hamilton Depression Scale, and Borderline Symptoms List. Psychological assessment comprised 6 cognitive tests as well as 21 questionnaires related to emotional behavior, personality traits and tendencies, eating behavior, and addictive behavior. We provide information on study design, methods, and details of the data. This dataset is part of the larger MPI Leipzig Mind-Brain-Body database.

No abstract

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is an autoimmune liver disease with a strong hereditary component. Here, we report a genome-wide association study that included 1,122 PBC cases and 4,036 controls of Han Chinese descent, with subsequent replication in a separate cohort of 907 PBC cases and 2,127 controls. Our results show genome-wide association of 14 PBC risk loci including previously identified 6p21 (HLA-DRA and DPB1), 17q12 (ORMDL3), 3q13.33 (CD80), 2q32.3 (STAT1/STAT4), 3q25.33 (IL12A), 4q24 (NF-κB) and 22q13.1 (RPL3/SYNGR1). We also identified variants in IL21, IL21R, CD28/CTLA4/ICOS, CD58, ARID3A and IL16 as novel PBC risk loci. These new findings and histochemical studies showing enhanced expression of IL21 and IL21R in PBC livers (particularly in the hepatic portal tracks) support a disease mechanism in which the deregulation of the IL21 signalling pathway, in addition to CD4 T-cell activation and T-cell co-stimulation are critical components in the development of PBC.

Environmental and genetic factors are thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD), which include Graves' disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Polymorphisms of vitamin D receptor (VDR) were implicated in AITDs risk. To date, many studies have evaluated the association between a functional polymorphism in the VDR gene and AITDs risk; however, the result is still ambiguous and inconclusive. To address the association of VDR gene FokI (rs10735810), TaqI (rs731236), BsmI (rs1544410), and ApaI (rs7975232) polymorphisms with AITD risk by meta-analysis. By searching the relevant literature, a total of eight studies were identified and meta-analyzed. HWE for each study are checked. Crude odds ratios (OR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the strength of association in the allele polymorphism, codominant model, dominant model, and recessive model. The result indicates that the BsmI or TaqI polymorphisms is significantly associated with AITD risk (OR = 0.801 95 % CI 0.705, 0.910, Pz = 0.001 for B vs. b; OR = 0.854, 95 % CI 0.757, 0.963, Pz = 0.010 for t vs. T), while the ApaI or FokI polymorphism do not. In the subgroup analysis in Europeans, the decreased risk of AITD remained for the B or t variant. This gene-based analysis indicates that, based on current evidence from published studies, the cumulative effect of BsmI or TaqI polymorphisms in VDR is significantly associated with AITD.

No abstract

A degradable and recyclable thermoset hyperbranched epoxy resin was synthesized from bio-based 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid.

Epidemiological studies link ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution to abnormalities in the male reproductive system. However, few toxicological studies have investigated this potentially important adverse effect of PM2.5 pollution. Therefore, in the present study, we analyzed the effects of PM2.5 exposure on spermatogenesis and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in a murine model. Fourteen male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to a 4-month exposure to filtered air or concentrated ambient PM2.5 (CAP). Their sperm count, testicular histology, spermatogenic parameters, and the major components of HPG axis were assessed. Exposure to CAP significantly reduced sperm count in the epididymis. This was accompanied by Sertoli cell vacuolization, immature germ cell dislocation, and decreases in pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids of stage VII seminiferous tubules, suggesting a marked impairment of spermatogenesis in these mice. This impairment of spermatogenesis appeared to be attributable to a suppression of HPG axis subsequent to CAP exposure-induced hypothalamic inflammation, as exposure to CAP significantly increased TNFα and IL1b mRNA levels and meanwhile decreased gonadotropin-releasing hormone mRNA expression in the hypothalamus. Moreover, CAP exposure significantly reduced circulating testosterone and follicle-stimulating hormone, testicular testosterone and mRNA expression of follicle-stimulating hormone target gene SHBG and luteinizing hormone target genes P450scc, 17βHSD, and StAR. The present data demonstrate that exposure to ambient PM2.5 impairs spermatogenesis in murine model, raising the concern over effects of ambient PM2.5 pollution on the male reproductive function.

A range of cobalt catalysts, prepared using TiO 2 enwrapped with a hydrothermal carbon (HTC) layer, was used as a support for the Fischer−Tropsch synthesis (FTS). The effects of the HTC coating thickness and annealing process of HTC− TiO 2 on the structure and performance of the cobalt catalysts were investigated. The HTC coating with enrichment functional groups (e.g., COOH and COH) generated a strong interaction with the Co species during catalyst preparation and finally enhanced cobalt oxide dispersion. Furthermore, the protection of the surface of TiO 2 by a HTC coating improved the reducibility of the cobalt catalysts. The Co particle size was correlated with the thickness of HTC coating and the HTC−TiO 2 support annealing process. It was found that the HTC−TiO 2 support with a coating thickness of 8 nm and without an annealing process gave catalysts with a cobalt particle size of 8.6 nm and optimal FTS performance. The corresponding Co/8C-TiO 2 catalyst exhibited an activity 2.4 times higher than that of a Co/TiO 2 catalyst and showed 85% selectivity to C 5+ products under realistic FTS reaction conditions (210 °C, 1.0 MPa). The synergic effect of the HTC coating and the TiO 2 core had benefits on the catalytic properties of the Co/C-TiO 2 catalysts; the HTC coating improved dispersion and reducibility of cobalt species, while the existence of the TiO 2 core enhanced the stability of the catalyst structure in the reaction.