The relationship between skeletal muscle and cognitive disorders has drawn increasing attention. This study aims to examine the associations of sarcopenia with cognitive function and dementia risk score. Data on 1978 participants (aged 65 years and older) from the 2011 wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, with four follow-up waves to 2018, were used. Cognitive function was assessed by four dimensions, with a lower score indicating lower cognitive function. Dementia risk was assessed by a risk score using the Rotterdam Study Basic Dementia Risk Model (BDRM), with a higher score indicating a greater risk. Sarcopenia was defined when low muscle mass plus low muscle strength or low physical performance were met. We used generalized estimating equations to examine the associations of sarcopenia. In the fully adjusted models, sarcopenia was significantly associated with lower cognitive function (standardized, β = −0.15; 95% CIs: −0.26, −0.04) and a higher BDRM score (standardized, β = 0.42; 95% CIs: 0.29, 0.55). Our findings may provide a new avenue for alleviating the burden of cognitive disorders by preventing sarcopenia.

Post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is a common complication of solid organ transplantation. PTDM prevalence varies due to different diabetes definitions. Consensus guidelines for the diagnosis of PTDM have been published based on random blood glucose levels, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The task of diagnosing PTDM continues to pose challenges, given the potential for diabetes to manifest at different time points after transplantation, thus demanding constant clinical vigilance and repeated testing. Interpreting HbA1c levels can be challenging after renal transplantation. Pre-transplant risk factors for PTDM include obesity, sedentary lifestyle, family history of diabetes, ethnicity (e.g., African-Caribbean or South Asian ancestry), and genetic risk factors. Risk factors for PTDM include immunosuppressive drugs, weight gain, hepatitis C, and cytomegalovirus infection. There is also emerging evidence that genetic and epigenetic variation in the organ transplant recipient may influence the risk of developing PTDM. This review outlines many known risk factors for PTDM and details some of the pathways, genetic variants, and epigenetic features associated with PTDM. Improved understanding of established and emerging risk factors may help identify people at risk of developing PTDM and may reduce the risk of developing PTDM or improve the management of this complication of organ transplantation.

Brain tumours are known to have a high mortality and morbidity rate due to their localised and frequent invasive growth. The concept that glioma resistance could originate from the dissimilarity in the vulnerability of clonogenic glial stem cells to chemotherapeutic drugs and radiation has driven the scientific community to reexamine the comprehension of glioma growth and strategies that target these cells or modify their stemness. Based on the enrichment scores of 12 stemness signatures, we identified glioma subtypes in both tumour bulks and single cells by clustering analysis. Furthermore, we comprehensively compared molecular and clinical features among the glioma subtypes. Consistently, in seven different datasets, hierarchical clustering uncovered three subtypes of glioma, termed Stem-H, Stem-M, and Stem-L, with high, medium, and low stemness signatures, respectively. Stem-H and Stem-L exhibited the most unfavorable and favourable overall and disease-free survival, respectively. Stem-H showed the highest enrichment scores of the EMT, invasion, proliferation, differentiation, and metastasis processes signatures, while Stem-L displayed the lowest. Stem-H harboured a greater proportion of late-stage tumours compared to Stem-L. Moreover, Stem-H manifested higher tumour mutation burden, DNA damage repair and cell cycle activity, intratumour heterogeneity, and a more frequent incidence of TP53 and EGFR mutations than Stem-L. In contrast, Stem-L had higher O6-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase (MGMT) methylation levels. The classification of glioma based on stemness may offer new insights into the biology of the tumour, as well as more accurate clinical management of the disease.

Background: The aim of the current study was to explore the trajectories, variabilities, and cumulative exposures of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) with cardiac arrhythmia (CA) risks. Methods: In total, 35,739 adults from the Kailuan study were included. BMI and WC were measured repeatedly during the 2006–2010 waves. CA was identified via electrocardiogram diagnosis. BMI and WC trajectories were fitted using a group-based trajectory model. The associations were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: We identified four stable trajectories for BMI and WC, respectively. Neither the BMI trajectories nor the baseline BMI values were associated with the risk of CA. Compared to the low-stable WC group, participants in the high-stable WC group had a higher risk of CA (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.40, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06, 1.86). Interestingly, the cumulative exposures of BMI and WC instead of their variabilities were associated with the risk of CA. In the stratified analyses, the positive associations of the high-stable WC group with the risk of CA were found in females only (HR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.02, 3.83). Conclusions: A high-stable WC trajectory is associated with a higher risk of CA among Chinese female adults, underscoring the potential of WC rather than BMI to identify adults who are at risk.

Introduction: Telomeres, which protect chromosome ends, are important in cell replication and are altered by ageing. In the realm of organ transplantation, telomere length has emerged as a potential biomarker for predicting both graft survival and recipient longevity. This study explores the correlation of telomere length with transplant outcomes to assess whether longer telomere length is associated with better long-term graft function and patient survival. Methods: Telomere length (TL) was analysed in 274 European renal transplant pairs (donors/recipients). Recipient DNA was collected before and after kidney transplantation, and donor DNA just prior to transplant surgery. Results: Donor TL was not significantly associated with graft survival. Donor age was a significant predictor of graft failure (1.02, 95% CI: 1.01–1.03, p < 0.01). Post-transplant recipient TL had a significant association with graft survival. Longer TL was associated with an up to 90% reduction in risk of graft failure (HR = 0.10, 95% CI: 0.015–0.71, p = 0.02). Conclusions: In this study, kidney transplant recipients with longer telomere length demonstrated significantly better long-term graft survival. If validated in additional kidney transplant cohorts, recipient telomere length could serve as a valuable biomarker for improving graft failure risk stratification and enhancing the long-term care of transplant recipients.