Nomogram model of serum thymidine kinase 1 combined with ultrasonography for prediction of central lymph node metastasis risk in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma pre-surgery.

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a nomogram, using serum thymidine kinase 1 protein (STK1p) combined with ultrasonography parameters, to early predict central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) pre-surgery. Methods: Patients with PTC pre-surgery in January 2021 to February 2023 were divided into three cohorts: the observation cohort (CLNM, n = 140), the control cohort (NCLNM, n = 128), and the external verification cohort (CLNM, n = 50; NCLNM, n = 50). STK1p was detected by an enzyme immunodot-blot chemiluminescence analyzer and clinical parameters were evaluated by ultrasonography. Results: A suitable risk threshold value for STK1p of 1.7 pmol/L was selected for predicting CLNM risk by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Multivariate analysis identified the following six independent risk factors for CLNM: maximum tumor size >1 cm [odds ratio (OR) = 2.406, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.279-4.526), p = 0.006]; capsule invasion [OR = 2.664, 95% CI (1.324-5.360), p = 0.006]; irregular margin [OR = 2.922; 95% CI (1.397-6.111), p = 0.004]; CLN flow signal [OR = 3.618, 95% CI (1.631-8.027), p = 0.002]; tumor-foci number ≥2 [OR = 4.064, 95% CI (2.102-7.859), p < 0.001]; and STK1p ≥1.7 pmol/L [OR = 7.514, 95% CI (3.852-14.660), p < 0.001]. The constructed nomogram showed that the area under the ROC curve for the main dataset was 0.867 and that for the validation dataset was 0.830, exhibiting effectivity, and was recalculated to a total score of approximately 383. Through monitoring the response post-surgery, all patients were assessed as tumor-free at 12 months post-surgery, which was significantly associated with a reduction in STK1p to disease-free levels. Conclusion: We demonstrate for the first time that a novel nomogram including STK1p combined with ultrasonography can assist in the clinical prevention of CLNM, by facilitating timely, individualized prophylactic CLNM dissection, thereby reducing the risk of secondary surgery and the probability of recurrence.

Atractylenolide II ameliorates myocardial fibrosis and oxidative stress in spontaneous hypertension rats.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a well-recognized risk factor for cardiovascular, which is also a critical factor in causing myocardial fibrosis (MF). OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to explore the effect of Atractylenolide II (ATL-II) on MF and oxidative stress in spontaneous hypertension rats (SHR). METHODS: The body weight of rats after injection of ATL-II was quantitatively analyzed. The left ventricular function of SHR was evaluated by Echocardiographic. HE staining, Masson trichrome staining, left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and immunofluorescence was applied to investigate the effects of ATL-II on MF. RT qPCR was used to detect the Collagen I, α-SMA, Fibronectin, and Vimentin mRNA expression levels in myocardial slices. The effect ATL-II on cardiomyocyte apoptosis was detected by TUNEL staining and western blot. An immunohistochemistry assay was conducted to detect α-SMA protein and TGF-ß1 protein. The contents of H2O2, GSH-PX, SOD, and MDA were measured by colorimetry. RESULTS: ATL-II could dose-dependently improve the BW of SHRs (P< 0.05) and enhance myocardial function. Moreover, ATL-II effectively reduced cardiomyocyte apoptosis in SHRs. Alternatively, ATL-II could inhibit the Collagen I, α-SMA, Fibronectin, and Vimentin mRNA and protein expression levels in SHRs. ATL-II could ameliorate oxidative stress by improving the activities of SOD and GSH-PX and lowering the contents of H2O2 and MDA in ATL-II-treated SHRs, which reach about 80%. CONCLUSION: ATL-II could exert an inhibiting effect on MF and oxidative stress in SHRs. Hence, ATL-II may hold promise for the treatment of MF and oxidative stress in Spontaneous Hypertension.

Dynamic changes of serum miR-105-3p expression and prognostic value evaluation of postoperative thyroid cancer.

Thyroid cancer (TC) originates from thyroid epithelial cells and is one of the common malignant tumors in the endocrine system. The aim of our study was to explore the dynamic changes of serum miR-105-3p expression after TC surgery and its correlation with clinicopathological manifestations, and evaluate its clinical value as a potential biomarker after surgery. A total of 100 TC patients were selected as the research objects. To detect serum miR-105-3p in patients and its correlation with tumor pathological characteristics and the dynamic changes of postoperative serum miR-105-3p in patients to evaluate its prognostic value as a potential biomarker. Serum miR-105-3p increases in patients with well-differentiated TC and lymph node metastasis; Serum miR-105-3p gradually decreases after surgery, and there is a significant difference between 4 days after surgery and before surgery,  serum miR-105-3p level can significantly distinguish between patients with poor prognosis and good prognosis within 2 years after the operation, and it can predict the improvement of the prognosis of TC after surgery. The level of serum miR-105-3p is closely related to tumor differentiation and lymph node metastasis in TC patients. Its level gradually decreases with the passage of time after surgery. It has a good diagnostic value for the prognosis of TC after surgery and is expected to become a TC surgery. Potential biomarkers for post-diagnosis.

Dynamic changes of serum miR-105-3p expression and prognostic value evaluation of postoperative thyroid cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the dynamic changes of serum miR-105-3p expression after thyroid cancer surgery and its correlation with clinicopathological manifestations and to evaluate its clinical value as a potential biomarker after surgery. METHODS: A total of 100 thyroid cancer patients admitted to Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital from November 2020 to August 2021 were selected as the research objects. The aim was to detect the expression of serum miR-105-3p in patients and its correlation with tumor pathological characteristics (pathological type, tumor differentiation, TNM stage, lymph node metastasis), and to detect the dynamic changes of postoperative serum miR-105-3p in patients to evaluate its prognostic value as a potential biomarker. RESULTS: The level of serum miR-105-3p increases in patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer and lymph node metastasis; the level of serum miR-105-3p gradually decreases with the passage of time after surgery, and there is a significant difference between 4 d after surgery and before surgery; serum miR-105-3p level can significantly distinguish between patients with poor prognosis and good prognosis within 2 years after the operation, and it can predict the improvement of the prognosis of thyroid cancer after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The level of serum miR-105-3p is closely related to the degree of differentiation and lymph node metastasis in patients with thyroid cancer. Its level gradually decreases with the passage of time after surgery. It has a good diagnostic value for the prognosis of thyroid cancer after surgery and when it is expected to become a thyroid cancer surgery. Potential biomarkers for post-diagnosis.

Material flow analysis on the critical resources from spent power lithium-ion batteries under the framework of China's recycling policies.

With the rapid growth of electric vehicles in China, the number of spent power lithium-ion batteries is dramatically increased. Considering the environmental risk, security risk, and potential resource value, China has issued a series of laws and regulations to manage the spent power lithium-ion batteries. This work employs the material flow analysis method to evaluate the material flows of Li, Ni, Co, and Mn during the life cycle of power lithium-ion batteries under the framework of China's recycling policy system. The results show that the demand for primary Li, Ni, Co, and Mn can achieve 26.9, 68.1, 20.4, and 21.9 kt in 2021, and a lot of primary critical resources will inburst the in-use stage. Moreover, the number of secondary Li, Ni, Co, and Mn can achieve 6.1, 15.4, 4.6, and 5 kt in 2021, accounting for 22.7%, 22.6%, 22.5%, and 22.8% of their corresponding demand. Based on the economic evaluation under the framework of China's recycling policy system, it is found that the potential recycling values of Li, Ni, Co, and Mn are approximately 966, 523, 414, and 43 million RMB yuan, which are 66.4%, 71%, 59.6%, and 66.4% higher than those in the absence of China's recycling policy system. It is implied that China's recycling policy system could markedly improve the collection rate by reducing losses and indirectly enhancing the recycling and reuse of spent power lithium-ion batteries. This work is expected to provide guidance for policymakers to improve the management of spent power lithium-ion batteries in China.

Separation and recycling of Au and Ag from waste light-emitting diodes.

Waste light-emitting diodes (LEDs) contain rare and precious metals which have attracted wide attention due to their high resource. In this study, experimental research was conducted on the separation and recycling of Au and Ag from LEDs. Firstly, thermal treatment and sieving were done to separate and enrich the metals in LEDs. With the constant heating rate of 10°C/min to 450°C under air atmosphere, the metals could be effectively separated from organics and the rare metals Au and Ag mainly concentrate in particles with a diameter ≤600 µm, whose concentration is about 1816 and 1429 mg/kg, respectively. Then, a mix-acid system of HCl-CH3COOH was introduced to leach Au and Ag from the enriched sample. The results show that the HCl-CH3COOH system could effectively leach Au and Ag, and the leaching performance of Au and Ag can reach 95.4% and 96.2%, respectively under the recommended conditions (total acid concentration 5 mol/L, HCl:CH3COOH = 4:1, leaching temperature 80°C, solid-liquid ratio 1:100, leaching time 5 h). The study can provide a new option for recycling of waste LEDs, which also provide a more environment-friendly method for Au and Ag leaching from industrial wastes.

Suitability evaluation of carrying capacity and utilization patterns on tidal flats of Bohai Rim in China.

Tidal flats in the Bohai Rim are facing threats from human activities. Quantifying the carrying capacity and suitability of tidal flats is of great significance to the regional environment and resource management. In this study, the existing social and natural data were collected and the natural conditions of tidal flats, e.g., the distributions and utilization patterns, were investigated through remote sensing image interpretation and field investigation in the Bohai Rim. Then, a multi-index evaluation system was developed with indexes organized under the framework of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and the Drivers-State-Impact (DSI) framework, processed by fuzzy evaluation, and weighted by the entropy method. The studies show that the rapid expansion of industry-port-town, salt pans or aquafarms in the Bohai Rim during 1990-2020 squeezed the space of tidal flats. Despite the limitation of the declining resource condition, the carrying capacity of tidal flats in the Bohai Rim increased slightly during 2000-2018 because of the great improvement in economic and ecological conditions. We estimate 59.93% of the land resources are suitable for economic development while others are temporarily unsuitable for reclamation due to their high ecological importance. The land use data and macro-evaluation system of tidal flat utilization patterns herein can provide references for coastal resource management and ecological restoration.

Generation estimation and material flow analysis of retired mobile phones in China.

The generation estimation of retired mobile phones is launched with the sales and new method using the revised sales data and amount of the subscribers. Several assumptions have been made due to the insufficient sources of the data. The sales data of legal mobile phones are calculated with the authoritative and continuous official data. The sales data of smuggled and counterfeit mobile phones in China are also estimated based on the behavior data collected from the questionnaires. The results of generation estimation show that there are 636.52 million mobile phones retired in 2020, compared with 14.44 million in 1999 and several negative values in 2000, 2001, and 2008. The annual total mass of retired mobile phones in China escalated with the contributions of both the increasing generation amount and constant mass of the single unit. There are 50,921.60 ton of mobile phones retired in 2020 compared with 1155.20 ton in 1999, while the peak is 58,131.20 ton in 2019. There are 26,066.80 ton of retired mobile phones are stockpiled in 2020, while 16,152.40 ton and 8702.40 ton of retired mobile phones are reused as a whole unit and recycled, respectively. In the retired mobile phones that are recycled, 4600.50 ton material is recovered and 1216.50 ton components are reused, while 2885.40 ton residues need final disposal. The amount and dynamic characteristics of metals in the retired mobile phones are also calculated. Based on the results, several policy implications are made to improve sustainable management system of retired mobile phones in China.

Highly dispersed Ag and g-C3N4 quantum dots co-decorated 3D hierarchical Fe3O4 hollow microspheres for solar-light-driven pharmaceutical pollutants degradation in natural water matrix.

The efficient removal of pharmaceutical pollutants presents a great challenge for the conventional sewage treatment system. Herein, we document the nanosheets assembled 3D hierarchical Fe3O4 hollow microspheres co-modified by Ag and g-C3N4 quantum dots (Ag/CNQDs@Fe3O4) for efficient degradation of two classic anticancer drugs, i.e., capecitabine (CAP) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FLU) under visible light in 1 h. Benefiting from the unique hierarchically hollow structure, the intrinsic strengths of each component and their interactions, synergistic reinforcing mechanism is constructed, furnishing more accessible reactive places, promoting the diffusion of pollutants/oxidants, improving charge separation ability, and raising light utilization rate. Consequently, Ag/CNQDs@Fe3O4 can not only show superior photocatalytic properties, but also greatly boost PMS activation to yield sufficient oxidative radicals. More notably, the studied system also features excellent stability and strong tolerance to real water samples, and maintains appreciable performance even under natural sunlight illumination. The predominant active species, possible ADs decomposition pathways, and underlying reaction mechanism for the Ag/CNQDs@Fe3O4/PMS/vis system are thoroughly explored. This work presents significant advancement in enabling an integrated technology of PMS and photocatalysis to realize its great potential in environment restoration.

Angelica sinensis Polysaccharide Alleviates Myocardial Fibrosis and Oxidative Stress in the Heart of Hypertensive Rats.

This research is aimed at studying the effect of Angelica sinensis polysaccharide (ASP) extracted from the Lixinshui prescription on cardiac disease induced by hypertension in rats. Rat models of cardiovascular disease were established, and the associated factors were measured. The data showed that ASP treatment increased the ejection fraction and short axis shortening rate, while decreasing the LV end-diastolic diameter, LV end-systolic diameter, LV end-diastolic volume, and LV end-systolic volume in HHD rats. ASP downregulated the expression level of TGF-ß1, alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen I, fibronectin, vimentin, Bax, cleaved caspase-9, and cleaved caspase-3 and upregulated the expression level of Bcl-2 in LV of HHD rats. Meanwhile, ASP increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and decreased the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), tissue endogenous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Our findings indicated that ASP could prevent hypertensive heart disease by inhibiting myocardial fibrosis, suppressing the myocardial apoptosis, and alleviating oxidative stress.

Choline-based deep eutectic solvent combined with EDTA-2Na as novel soil washing agent for lead removal in contaminated soil.

Lead-contaminated soil was cleaned through ethylene-diamine-teraacetic acid disodium salt (EDTA-2Na) combined with diluted deep eutectic solvent (DES) which was prepared by mixing choline chloride with ethylene glycol. The influences of leaching temperature, leaching time, liquid-solid (L/S) ratio, concentration of EDTA-2Na, water-DES ratio, and the molar ratio of choline chloride-ethylene glycol (Ch-E) on the leaching rate of lead were investigated. The mineral phases of the soil and DES before and after washing were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The changes to the DESs before and after dissolving lead nitrate (Pb(NO3)2) were analyzed by high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Hydrogen bonds and EDTA-2Na in the Ch-M system resulted in the conversion of Pb(NO3)2 to other complex ions such as [Pb·Ch-E]- and [Pb·EDTA-2Na]- and other complex ions due to the dissolution of the washing agent. The results showed that the soil mineral phase did not change significantly and up to 95.79% of Pb could be washed under temperature, time, L/S ratio, EDTA-2Na concentration, DES/water ratio, Ch-E molar ratio, and stirring speed conditions of 40 °C, 2 h, 6, 0.02 M, 2, 0.75 and 300 rpm, respectively. The hydrogen bonds and EDTA-2Na may play a key role in the remediation of lead-contaminated soil by a washing agent. This research describes a rapid, efficient, and environmentally friendly method for remediation of lead-contaminated soil.

Uncovering the in-use metal stocks and implied recycling potential in electric vehicle batteries considering cascaded use: a case study of China.

With the rapid promotion of new energy vehicles, in-use electric vehicle batteries (EVBs) are becoming an important component of urban mining. This paper analyzed the metal stocks in EVBs in China from 2009 to 2019 using a bottom-up method, which focused on the in-use stock of seven main metals, namely, nickel, cobalt, manganese, lithium, copper, aluminum, and iron, in primary use stage and secondary use stage of three EVB types, namely, lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide battery (NMC), lithium iron phosphate battery (LFP), and lithium manganese oxide battery (LMO). It was found that the rapid development of electric vehicles (EVs) contributed to a dramatic increase in in-use metal stocks from 0.7 kt in 2009 to 1.1 Mt in 2019. To assess the increase, three scenarios simulating metal stocks in EVBs from 2020 to 2030 were analyzed, namely, baseline, NMC-dominated, and LFP-dominated, and results indicated that metal stocks will reach 20.6 Mt, 23.2 Mt, and 17.9 Mt, respectively, by 2030. Across the scenarios there is little proportional difference in metal stocks between the two use stages. The proportion of the three EVB types correlates to the development trend of EVB technology under each corresponding scenario. Besides, the in-use metal stocks in EVBs have high implied recycling potential and environmental benefit. The recycling potential of these seven metals is 1.0 Mt in 2019, and it will reach 20.0 Mt, 22.6 Mt, and 17.4 Mt, respectively, in 2030 under the three scenarios. The results reveal the current status and evolution characteristics of metal stocks in EVBs in China, and provide data for material flow analysis and life cycle management of EVBs.

Removal of cadmium and lead from aqueous solutions by thermal activated electrolytic manganese residues.

Electrolytic manganese residues (EMR) is produced from the electrolysis manganese industry. In this study, the thermal activated EMRs (T-EMR) were used to adsorb cadmium and lead from aqueous solution. X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscope-Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (SEM-EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were adopted to characterize EMR before and after the modification, and the performance and adsorption mechanisms of T-EMR for cadmium and lead were determined. Results show that the pH has a strong influence on the adsorption of cadmium and lead and the maximum adsorption capacity can be achieved at pH 6. The adsorption of Cd(II) can be better fitted by the Lagergren pseudo-first-order dynamic model, while that of Pb(II) fits the pseudo-second-order kinetic model better. The Freundlich isotherm model fits the adsorption of two metals better than Langmuir model. The thermodynamic results demonstrate that the adsorption of Cd(II) or Pb(II) on T-EMR is endothermic and spontaneous. As the nitric acid with pH 0.5 was used, nearly all of the adsorbed Cd(II) and 75% Pb(II) can be desorbed from the loaded T-EMR. It is concluded that the adsorption of Cd(II) and Pb(II) on T-EMR is in virtue of electrostatic attraction, ion-exchange and surface precipitation. The heavy metals are mainly adsorbed on ferric and manganese oxides and silicate minerals in T-EMR by electrostatic attraction. In addition, cadmium and lead also can be adsorbed via the ion exchange reaction. Moreover, some Pb(II) are adsorbed by forming lead sulfate. Thus, T-EMR may be an environmentally-friendly, effective adsorbent for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solution.

[Characterization of Microplastic Pollution of Sediments from Urban Lakes].

In recent years, microplastics (MPs) in the environment has become a topic of increasing concern. In this study, typical urban lakes, such as Yushan Lake and Nanhu Lake in Maanshan City, were selected to study the physical morphology and spatial distribution characteristics of MPs in sediments in spring and summer and to explore the sources of MPs in the lakes. On average, MPs in sediments occurred with a content of (0.0284±0.0597) g·kg-1 and abundance of (278.9±529.1) n·kg-1 in spring, and (0.0317±0.0778) g·kg-1 and (277.1±395.6) n·kg-1 in summer, respectively. Using a paired sample T-test, it was found that there was no significant correlation difference between the content (N=22, t=-0.269, P=0.791) and the abundance (N=22, t=0.035, P=0.973) of MPs in the spring and summer sediments. Regarding shape, the MPs in the sediments in the study area were divided into three types:fiber, film, and particle, accounting for 52.9%, 28.9%, and 18.2%, respectively. Size-fraction analysis indicated MPs<1 mm made up the majority, accounting for 83.9% of the total number. It was found that the MPs were mainly polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) polymers with seriously weathered surfaces. The sediments, which were adjacent either to land with a large stream of people and vehicles or to areas with frequent watersports, had notably high abundance of MPs, revealing the close correlation between the spatial distribution of MPs in lake sediments and human activities. It is thought that atmospheric precipitation (fiber), stormwater, washing of clothes (fiber), degradation of large plastics in the lake, and fishing activities (fishing nets, foam) are the main sources of MPs in lake sediments.

Ni-Based Nanoparticle-Embedded N-Doped Carbon Nanohorns Derived from Double Core-Shell CNH@PDA@NiMOFs for Oxygen Electrocatalysis.

The development of highly efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) plays a crucial role in many regenerative electrochemical energy-conversion systems. Herein, we report a novel double core-shell-structured CNH@PDA@NiMOF (CNH-D-NiMOF) composite based on the support of carbon nanohorns (CNHs) and the direction of polydopamine (PDA) on the synthesis of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). It is found that this unique structure improves the electrocatalytic performance and stability of the composites. Furthermore, a controlled partial pyrolysis strategy was proposed to construct the Ni-based nanoparticle-embedded N-doped CNHs. The partial pyrolysis method preserves the framework structure of MOFs for effective substrate diffusion while producing highly active nanoparticles. This leads to the result that the Ni-based nanoparticle-embedded N-doped CNHs possess higher stability and significantly improved electrocatalytic properties. Among these derivatives, the sample prepared at a pyrolysis temperature of 400 °C (named as CNH-D-NiMOF-400) outperforms most of the reported unprecious-metal catalysts. At current densities of 20 and 100 mA·cm-2, the overpotentials of CNH-D-NiMOF-400 are 270 and 340 mV for the OER on a carbon fiber paper (CFP), respectively. The outstanding electrocatalytic properties above suggest that this composite is an excellent candidate for the substitution of noble metal-based catalysts for OER.

Plasma soluble human leukocyte antigen G predicts the long-term prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common tumor in the world. It is crucial to further screen for indicators that are strictly related to long-term prognosis. Human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) is closely involved in tumor development. This study aims to evaluate the long-term predictive value of soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) in CRC through a double-center retrospective study. METHODS: Patients who underwent radical CRC surgery in two hospitals from April 2010 to March 2015 were included. Baseline data of the patients were collected. The patients' preoperative baseline plasma sHLA-G level was detected. According to whether they survived during five years of follow-up, these patients were divided into two groups. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to find factors associated with survival. The receiver operation curve (ROC) was performed to analyze the relationship between sHLA-G level and five-year survival, and the cutoff value was obtained. The baseline data and follow-up results of the two groups of patients were compared, and the Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used to analyze the difference in the long-term prognosis of the two groups of patients. RESULTS: A total of 1,037 cases were included and followed up for more than five years. Three hundred two cases (29.1%) died during the five-year follow-up. The baseline data of the survival group and the death group showed that the baseline level of sHLA-G in the survival group was significantly lower than the death group (41.4±16.9 vs. 64.7±23.2, P<0.05). Univariate and multivariate analyses suggest that age, differentiation, family history, TNM stage, and baseline sHLA-G levels are important factors affecting the survival of CRC patients. The area under ROC of sHLA-G with five-year survival is 0.766, and the cutoff value is 50.8 U/mL. The specificity at this point is 78.1%, and the sensitivity is 72.3%. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that the five-year prognosis of patients in the low-level group was better than that in the high-level group. CONCLUSIONS: Lower baseline sHLA-G level predicts better prognosis during a five-year follow-up in colorectal cancer patients.

Microplastics in Sediments of River Yongfeng from Maanshan City, Anhui Province, China.

This study was performed to evaluate the microplastics (MPs) pollution of sediments from River Yongfeng. It was observed that the MPs in sediments were present with contents of 0.5-16.75 mg/kg and abundances of 5-72 items/kg, coupled by variation coefficients of 109% and 91%, respectively, indicating that the distribution of MPs had high spatial variation. The land-based source of business zone is thought to be the significant contributor to accumulation of MPs in those sites with high quantity of MPs. Film was the predominant shape of MPs in river sediments followed by the line and fragment ones. Meanwhile, the MPs detected were mainly composed by four types including Polypropylene (24%), Polyethylene (61%), Polyethylene Terephthalate (8%) and Polystyrene (7%) based on number fraction, respectively, which indicates that Polypropylene and Polyethylene were the major types of MPs in the sediments. Size fraction performance suggests that those MPs < 1000 µm were of ubiquitous presence. The weathering of fringes was universally observed regardless of varying surface among MPs. Despite digestion with oxidative acid solution and subsequent washing by distilled water unexpected elements can still be detected, which should be considered as determining the materials associated.

Luhong Granules Prevent Ventricular Remodelling after Myocardial Infarction by Reducing the Metabolites TMAO and LPS of the Intestinal Flora.

BACKGROUND: Ventricular remodelling is a common pathological change at all stages of heart disease. Luhong granules are widely used in patients with chronic ventricular remodelling after myocardial infarction and can alleviate chest tightness, shortness of breath, and other symptoms. However, its effect on ventricular remodelling remains to be studied. PURPOSE: In this study, we investigated the effects of these granules on myocardial fibrosis in a rat model of myocardial infarction in vivo. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: the sham operation group, the acute myocardial infarction (AMI) group, the Luhong granule group, and the vancomycin group, with a sample size (n) of 10 rats in each group. The AMI model was established in all rats by ligation of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery (the sham operation group did not undergo ligation). Luhong granules (0.5 ml·kg-1·d-1), vancomycin (0.075 g·ml-1·d-1), and 0.9% saline (5 ml·kg-1·d-1 for the sham operation and AMI groups) were administered orally for 6 weeks. Echocardiography was used to check cardiac structure and function. Myocardial and small intestinal tissue morphology was observed by haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, and heart samples were stained with Masson's trichrome to analyse myocardial fibrosis. 16S rDNA sequencing was performed to detect changes in the gut flora. The level of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) in plasma samples was quantified by stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS). RESULTS: H&E and Masson's trichrome staining of cardiac tissues showed that Luhong granules could partially reverse ventricular remodelling and improve intestinal barrier function (P < 0.05). Echocardiographic analysis showed that, compared with the AMI group, the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in the Luhong granule group was increased (P < 0.05). Stool sequencing and microbiological analysis showed changes in Bacteroidales, Alistipes, Phascolarctobacterium, etc., which can produce TMAO. We found that Luhong granules can reduce Bacteroidales, Alistipes, and Phascolarctobacterium at the genus level. The levels of TMAO and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in plasma samples were reduced in the Luhong granule group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that Luhong granules reduce TMAO and LPS levels in circulating blood by improving intestinal flora and intestinal barrier function to delay ventricular remodelling after myocardial infarction.

Provision of Paid Web-Based Medical Consultation in China: Cross-Sectional Analysis of Data From a Medical Consultation Website.

BACKGROUND: Web-based medical consultation, which has been adopted by patients in many countries, requires a large number of doctors to provide services. However, no study has provided an overall picture of the doctors who provide online services. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to examine doctors' participation in medical consultation practice in an online consultation platform. This paper aimed to address the following questions: (1) which doctors provide Web-based consultation services, (2) how many patients do the doctors get online, and (3) what price do they charge. We further explored the development of market segments in various departments and various provinces. METHODS: This study explored the dataset including all doctors providing consultation services in their spare time on a Chinese Web-based consultation platform. We also brought in statistics for doctors providing offline consultations in China. We made use of Bonferroni multiple comparison procedures and z test to compare doctors in each group. RESULTS: There are 88,308 doctors providing Web-based consultation in their spare time on Haodf, accounting for 5.25% (88,308/1,680,062) of all doctors in China as of September 23, 2017. Of these online doctors, 49.9% (44,066/88,308) are high-quality doctors having a title of chief physician or associate chief physician, and 84.8% (74,899/88,308) come from the top, level 3, hospitals. Online doctors had an average workload of 0.38 patients per doctor per day, with an online and offline ratio of 1:14. The average price of online consultation is ¥32.3. The online ratios for the cancer, internal medicine, ophthalmology-otorhinolaryngology, psychiatry, gynecology-obstetrics-pediatrics, dermatology, surgery, and traditional Chinese medicine departments are 16.1% (2,983/18,481), 4.4% (16,231/372,974), 6.3% (8,389/132,725), 9.5% (1,600/16,801), 5.8% (12,955/225,128), 18.0% (3,334/18,481), 10.8% (24,030/223,448), and 3.8% (8,393/22,3448), respectively. Most provinces located in eastern China have more than 4000 doctors online. The online workloads for doctors from most provinces range from 0.3 to 0.4 patients per doctor per day. In most provinces, doctors' charges range from ¥20 to ¥30. CONCLUSIONS: Quality doctors are more likely to provide Web-based consultation services, get more patients, and charge higher service fees in an online consultation platform. Policies and promotions could attract more doctors to provide Web-based consultation. The online submarket for the departments of dermatology, psychiatry, and gynecology-obstetrics-pediatrics developed better than other departments such as internal medicine and traditional Chinese medicine. The result could be a reference for policy making to improve the medical system both online and offline. As all the data used for analysis were from a single website, the data might be biased and might not be a representative national sample of China.

Reduced plasma level of irisin in first trimester as a risk factor for the development of gestational diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this prospective cohort study was to investigate the association of first trimester irisin concentrations and the subsequent development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). METHODS: This cohort study was conducted at three maternity centers in China from July 2015 to June 2016. Data for fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and irisin concentrations in the first trimester and one-step GDM screening with 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) performed between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Plasma from women was available for 1150 women, of whom 135 (11.7%) developed GDM. The median value of irisin in those included women was 141.2 (IQR, 99.4-192.9) ng/ml. In multivariate models comparing the first (Q1), second (Q2) and third (Q3) quartiles against the fourth (Q4) quartile of irisin, levels of irisin in Q1 and Q2 were associated with GDM, and increased risk of GDM by 440% (odds ratios [OR] = 5.40; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 2.35-11.40) and 283% (OR: 3.83; 95%CI: 1.63-8.01). A model containing known risk factors plus irisin compared with a model containing known risk factors without irisin showed a greater discriminatory ability to predict GDM, the area under the curve (AUC) increased from 0.776 to 0.809. A significant difference in the AUC between the clinical variables alone and the addition of irisin level was observed (difference, 0.034; P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Reduced plasma levels of irisin in first trimester was associated with the increased risk of GDM and might be useful in identifying women at risk for GDM for early prevention strategies.