Saccharomyces cerevisiae-incorporated and sucrose-rich sodium alginate film: An effective antioxidant packaging film for longan preservation.

A sodium alginate (SA) film incorporated with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SE) and sucrose (SU) was fabricated to control the quality and pericarp browning of longan. The SE with satisfactory glutathione production was selected as the antioxidant agent. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results revealed that the SU-rich SA film could be used as an effective carrier to protect the cell integrity of SE. The FTIR and mechanical property results indicated that the SA-SE film with the incorporation of SU has good flexibility due to the existence of hydrogen bonds. Notably, the cell viability of the SE was significantly improved with the addition of SU, which positively affects the antioxidant property of the film during the storage period. Finally, the SA-SE-3.0%SU films obviously improved the quality and pericarp browning of longan. The SA-based film incorporated with SU and SE may be established as a novel antioxidant fruit packaging material.

Impact of digitalization on clean governance: An analysis of China's experience of 31 provinces from 2019 to 2021.

The goal of deepening institutional reforms was to bring transparency and accountability, address corruption, and establish a clean government (CG) in China. The first step toward this transparency is considered to be the free development and transmission of Open Data (OD). In this regard, China has set up open data centers in provincial governments. Considering that OD can have an impact on CG and bring new ideas for CG construction, ODs of 31 provincial governments have been analyzed through fsQCA3.0 to test these assumptions. To see how much it can contribute to the development of the Technology Organization Environment Framework (TOE). To this end, between 2019 and 2021, 31 provincial government data have been clustered into low, medium, and high corruption case enrollment areas to determine the impact of OD. The study mentioned that improvements in ODs in 31 provinces could strengthen cooperation with the disciplinary inspection department in the fight against corruption. The study, on the other hand, made two assumptions that environmental barriers and internal pressures could affect data's reliability.

Post-traumatic growth trajectories among frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A three-wave follow-up study in mainland China.

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a significant toll on people worldwide for more than 2 years. Previous studies have highlighted the negative effects of COVID-19 on the mental health of healthcare workers (HCWs) more than the positive changes, such as post-traumatic growth (PTG). Furthermore, most previous studies were cross-sectional surveys without follow-ups. This study draws on PTG follow-up during the COVID-19 outbreak at 12-month intervals for 2 years since 2020. The trajectories and baseline predictors were described. Methods: A convenience sampling method was used to recruit frontline nurses or doctors at the COVID-19-designated hospital who were eligible for this study. A total of 565 HCWs completed the 2 years follow-up and were used for final data analysis. The latent growth mixture models (GMM) was used to identify subgroups of participants with different PTG trajectories. Multinomial logistic regression model was used to find predictors among sociodemographic characteristics and resilience at baseline. Results: Four trajectory PTG types among HCWs were identified: 'Persistent, "Steady increase", "High with drop", and "Fluctuated rise." Comparing the "Persistent low" type, the other three categories were all associated with older age, higher education. Furthermore, "Persistent low" was also negatively associated with resilience at baseline. Conclusion: The PTG of HCWs with different characteristics showed different trends over time. It is necessary to increase the measure frequency to understand the PTG status in different times. Improving HCW's resilience could help improve staff PTG.

Psychological Status of Nepalese Young Adults During The End of First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Psychological problems increased during the period of COVID-19. Lockdown" is adopted in many countries of the world. It has also been seen that COVID-19 has led not only to an increase of infection and death but also vast change in the lifestyles of every individual especially in young adults causing various mental health issues. However, in Nepal, there are limited studies to address this issue. The main objective of this study is to generate evidence on the prevalence of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression among young adults and the factors contributing to these outcomes in Nepal. METHODS: Cross-sectional methods were employed using an online structured questionnaire in January 2021, among 1229 participants. Three logistic regression models were performed to examine the significant COVID-19 factors. RESULTS: The prevalence of Depression, Anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder related symptoms in this study were 255(20.4%), 240(19.2%)and 162(13.2%) respectively relate.COVID-19 diagnosis, COVID-related stress and exposure was significantly related to depression. Similarly, COVID-19 diagnosis, change in income during COVID-19, being exposed to 4 or more exposure factors had high chances of getting anxiety. Also, income change during COVID-19 and stressors during COVID-19 were related to post-traumatic stress disorder. CONCLUSIONS: This research shows that various COVID-19 related factors have contributed to the high prevalence of these outcomes.

Network Mendelian randomization study: exploring the causal pathway from insomnia to type 2 diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: Insomnia is a novel pathogen for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, mechanisms linking insomnia and T2DM are poorly understood. In this study, we apply a network Mendelian randomization (MR) framework to determine the causal association between insomnia and T2DM and identify the potential mediators, including overweight (body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio, and body fat percentage) and glycometabolism (HbA1c, fasting blood glucose, and fasting blood insulin). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We use the MR framework to detect effect estimates of the insomnia-T2DM, insomnia-mediator, and mediator-T2DM associations. A mediator between insomnia and T2DM is established if MR studies in all 3 steps prove causal associations. RESULTS: In the Inverse variance weighted method, the results show that insomnia will increase the T2DM risk (OR 1.142; 95% CI 1.072 to 1.216; p=0.000), without heterogeneity nor horizontal pleiotropy, strongly suggesting that genetically predicted insomnia has a causal association with T2DM. Besides, our MR analysis provides strong evidence that insomnia is causally associated with BMI and body fat percentage. There is also suggestive evidence of an association between insomnia and the waist-to-hip ratio. At the same time, our results indicate that insomnia is not causally associated with glycometabolism. Higher BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, and body fat percentage levels are strongly associated with increased risk of T2DM. CONCLUSIONS: Genetically predicted insomnia has a causal association with T2DM. Being overweight (especially BMI and body fat percentage) mediates the causal pathway from insomnia to T2DM.

Education and stroke: evidence from epidemiology and Mendelian randomization study.

We aim to characterize the association between education and incident stroke (including total stroke, ischemic stroke, and hemorrhagic stroke) and assess whether there is a causal relationship between them. The final sample size was 11,509 in this study from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Cox hazard regression models were used to explore the association between education level and incident stroke. Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) was used to estimate the causality. During a median follow-up of 25.3 years, 915 cases (8.0%) of stroke occurred. Participants with advanced education level were associated with 25% (HR 0.75; 95% CI 0.62, 0.91) decreased the rate of incident total stroke. Hazard ratio of intermediate and advanced education level for ischemic stroke were 0.82 (0.69, 0.98) and 0.73 (0.60, 0.90) separately. In the MR analysis, we observed evidence that education was likely a negetive causal risk factor for ischemic stroke (OR 0.764, 95% CI 0.585-0.998, P = 0.048). Higher education level was associated with a decreased rate of total stroke and ischemic stroke incident, but not hemorrhagic stroke incident. There might be a protective causal association between education and ischemic stroke (but not total stroke nor hemorrhagic stroke).

CD200-CD200R1 signaling pathway regulates neuroinflammation after stroke.

OBJECTIVE: To study how the CD200-CD200R1 signaling pathway modulates poststroke inflammation and advances our knowledge of immune responses to ischemia insults in stroke. METHODS: Focal middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was induced in mice for 90 min, and mice were sacrificed at 1, 3, and 7 days of reperfusion. CD200, CD200R1, iNOS, and Arg-1 expression in ischemic brains was assessed by Western blotting (WB), and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining was performed to examine the expression of CD200 on neurons and CD200R1 on infiltrating lymphocytes. The severity of neurobehavioral deficits was evaluated by neurological deficit scores (NDS) and infarction volume estimated by TTC staining. To study the relationship between CD200/CD200R1 expression and the diversity of the neuroinflammatory response in stroke, CD200Fc (CD200R1 agonist) was subcutaneously injected at onset, at 1 day and 2 days after MCAO operation, and the brains were collected for detection at 3 days after MCAO/R (reperfusion). RESULTS: CD200 expression on neurons increased at 1 day and then decreased at 3 days after MCAO/R, and the expression of CD200R1 on lymphocytes showed an opposite temporal pattern as tested by IHC. The WB results showed that CD200/CD200R1 variance exhibited a similar pattern of IHC results, and the level of iNOS peaked at 1 day and then decreased gradually, but Arg-1 increased with time after MCAO/R in ischemic brains. After CD200Fc injection, CD200R1 expression significantly increased, and CD200Fc promoted Arg-1 but inhibited iNOS expression. The infarct volume and NDS of the group treated with CD200Fc were significantly smaller than those of the IgG2a-treated group. CONCLUSIONS: The CD200-CD200R1 signaling pathway regulates neuroinflammation after stroke. Stimulation of CD200R1 by CD200Fc promotes the anti-inflammatory response and alleviates ischemic injury.

Fungal Systematics and Evolution: FUSE 5.

Thirteen new species are formally described: Cortinarius brunneocarpus from Pakistan, C. lilacinoarmillatus from India, Curvularia khuzestanica on Atriplex lentiformis from Iran, Gloeocantharellus neoechinosporus from China, Laboulbenia bernaliana on species of Apenes, Apristus, and Philophuga (Coleoptera, Carabidae) from Nicaragua and Panama, L. oioveliicola on Oiovelia machadoi (Hemiptera, Veliidae) from Brazil, L. termiticola on Macrotermes subhyalinus (Blattodea, Termitidae) from the DR Congo, Pluteus cutefractus from Slovenia, Rhizoglomus variabile from Peru, Russula phloginea from China, Stagonosporopsis flacciduvarum on Vitis vinifera from Italy, Strobilomyces huangshanensis from China, Uromyces klotzschianus on Rumex dentatus subsp. klotzschianus from Pakistan. The following new records are reported: Alternaria calendulae on Calendula officinalis from India; A. tenuissima on apple and quince fruits from Iran; Candelariella oleaginescens from Turkey; Didymella americana and D. calidophila on Vitis vinifera from Italy; Lasiodiplodia theobromae causing tip blight of Dianella tasmanica 'variegata' from India; Marasmiellus subpruinosus from Madeira, Portugal, new for Macaronesia and Africa; Mycena albidolilacea, M. tenuispinosa, and M. xantholeuca from Russia; Neonectria neomacrospora on Madhuca longifolia from India; Nothophoma quercina on Vitis vinifera from Italy; Plagiosphaera immersa on Urtica dioica from Austria; Rinodina sicula from Turkey; Sphaerosporium lignatile from Wisconsin, USA; and Verrucaria murina from Turkey. Multi-locus analysis of ITS, LSU, rpb1, tef1 sequences revealed that P. immersa, commonly classified within Gnomoniaceae (Diaporthales) or as Sordariomycetes incertae sedis, belongs to Magnaporthaceae (Magnaporthales). Analysis of a six-locus Ascomycota-wide dataset including SSU and LSU sequences of S. lignatile revealed that this species, currently in Ascomycota incertae sedis, belongs to Pyronemataceae (Pezizomycetes, Pezizales).

Valsartan reverses depressive/anxiety-like behavior and induces hippocampal neurogenesis and expression of BDNF protein in unpredictable chronic mild stress mice.

Valsartan is a synthetic non-peptide angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist that dilates blood vessels and reduces blood pressure by blocking the action of angiotensin, and is safe and well tolerated in hypertensive patients. Population-based studies have suggested a positive role of sartans in reducing the risk of depression. This study aimed at investigating the effects of valsartan on unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) mice by means of open-field test (OFT), novel-suppressed feeding test (NSF), tail suspension test (TST), forced swimming test (FST) and sucrose preference test (SPT). The effects of valsartan on antidepression/antianxiety, hippocampal neurogenesis and BDNF expression were evaluated in these behavior tests. Chronic administration of valsartan (5-40 mg/kg/d, p.o.) increased the time spent in the center of the field in OFT and the latency to eat in NSF, reduced the immobility time in both TST and FST, and increased the sucrose preference in SPT. A similar effect was observed in the positive control group of which the mice were treated with imipramine (30 mg/kg/d, i.p.) and tested by OFT, NSF, TST, FST and SPT. In this study, an impairment in hippocampal neurogenesis which parallelled with a reduced BDNF level in the hippocampus was observed in the mice that were treated with UCMS for 6 weeks. But the proliferation of progenitor cells and generation of new hippocampal neurons were restored after these mice were treated with valsartan (40 mg/kg/d, p.o.) for 4 weeks. These findings demonstrate that valsartan is an effective antidepressant/antianxiety reagent and can promote the hippocampal neurogenesis and expression of BDNF.

[The effects of real-time continuous glucose monitoring on oxidative stress and mortality in critically ill patients].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of real-time continuous glucose monitoring (RT-CGM) system on oxidative stress and mortality in critically ill patients and to explore the correlation between glucose index, oxidative stress and mortality. METHODS: Selected 123 cases of critically ill patients were enrolled in this prospective randomized controlled study. They were randomly divided into the RT-CGM group (n = 61) and blood glucose meter group (GM group, n = 62). The following parameters were compared between the two groups: mean amplitude of glucose excursions (MAGE), hypoglycemia incidence, low blood glucose index (LBGI), high blood glucose index (HBGI), 28-day mortality and plasma level of 8-iso-PGF2α (8-iso) at 48 hours (R2), 72 hours (R3) and 96 hours (R4) after admission to ICU. The correlation between glucose index and plasma level of 8-iso-PGF2α were analyzed. The correlation between glucose index, plasma 8-iso level and 28-day death were analyzed. RESULTS: The parameters of MAGE, hypoglycemia incidence, LBGI and HBGI in the RT-CGM group and the GM group were (3.73 ± 1.09) mmol/L and (4.19 ± 1.11) mmol/L (P = 0.02), 3.28% and 14.52% (P = 0.03), 0.0011 and 0.0119 (P < 0.01) and 0.2258 and 0.3697 (P < 0.01), respectively. The plasma levels of 8-iso at R2, R3, R4 in the RT-CGM group and the GM group were (111.44 ± 16.99) ng/L and (114.03 ± 14.64) ng/L (P = 0.37), (94.53 ± 14.92) ng/L and (110.31 ± 13.42) ng/L (P < 0.01) and (57.84 ± 12.22) ng/L and (84.41 ± 14.16) ng/L (P < 0.01), respectively. The r values between MAGE, LBGI, HBGI and the plasma level of 8-iso were 0.69, 0.71 and 0.67, respectively (all P values < 0.01). Multivariate stepwise regression analysis showed MAGE, LBGI, HBGI entered final models (corrected R2 = 0.61, P < 0.01) with ß values of 0.64, 0.65 and 0.6 respectively (all P values < 0.01). The 28-day mortality in the RT-CGM group and the GM group was 9.84% and 30.65% (P < 0.01). The OR values of MAGE, hypoglycemia incidence, LBGI, HBGI and the plasma level of 8-iso for 28-day death were 2.14 (0.98 - 4.35), 3.43 (1.12 - 5.82), 2.67 (1.01 - 5.14), 1.32 (0.24 - 2.96) and 1.89 (0.67 - 3.44), respectively. CONCLUSION: RT-CGM can optimize the care in critically ill patients by improving hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, glucose variability and oxidative stress and bring more detailed concern in the process, and to reduce the mortality.

[Direct removal of typical endocrine disruptors from heavily polluted river water by ozonation].

Ozone was applied to study the removal of conventional pollutants and typical endocrine disrupters (EDs), including bisphenol A (BPA), 4-n-nonylphenol(NP), 4-tert-octylphenol (OP), estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), 17alpha-estradiol (17alpha-E2), estriol (E3) and ethinylestradiol (EE2) , from heavily polluted river water. The O3 dose was designed at 28 mg x L(-1) for 30 min and 42 mg x L(-1) for 80 min. Pollutants in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia nitrogen can not be removed efficiently, ranged from 3% to 7%. The colority of the black water was quickly reduced in the first 5 minutes, while the turbidities increased first and then decreased gradually. It showed that three EDs with relatively high level including BPA, OP and EE2 could be removed efficiently in thirty minutes. Concentrations of E3 increased first then decreased to be lower than the detection limit. Removal efficiencies of E1 and E2 were 41%-70% and 62%-85% respectively. Extension of ozone exposure time can not improve the efficiency of EDs removal any more.