Gut Microbiota Profiles in Myopes and Nonmyopes.

Purpose: To identify compositional differences in the gut microbiome of nonmyopes (NM) and myopes using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing and to investigate whether the microbiome may contribute to the onset or progression of the condition. Methods: Faecal samples were collected from 52 adult participants, of whom 23 were NM, 8 were progressive myopes (PM), and 21 were stable myopes (SM). The composition of the gut microbiota in each group was analysed using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. Results: There were no significant differences in alpha and beta diversity between the three groups (NM, PM, and SM). However, the distributions of Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, Megamonas, Faecalibacterium, Coprococcus, Dorea, Roseburia, and Blautia were significantly higher in the myopes (SM and PM combined) when compared with emmetropes. The myopes exhibited significantly greater abundance of bacteria that are linked to the regulation of dopaminergic signalling, such as Clostridium, Ruminococcus, Bifidobacterium, and Bacteroides. Individuals with stable myopia were found to have a significantly higher proportion of Prevotella copri than those with progressive myopia. Bifidobacterium adolescentis, a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-producing bacterium, was significantly higher in all myopes than in NM and, in the comparison between SM and PM, it is significantly higher in SM. B. uniformis and B. fragilis, both GABA-producing Bacteroides, were present in relatively high abundance in all myopes and in SM compared with PM, respectively. Conclusions: The presence of bacteria related to dopamine effect and GABA-producing bacteria in the gut microbiome of myopes may suggest a role of these microorganisms in the onset and progression of myopia.

Tracking the changes of dissolved organic matter throughout the city water supply system with optical indices.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is important in determining the drinking water treatment and the supplied water quality. However, a comprehensive DOM study for the whole water supply system is lacking and the potential effects of secondary water supply are largely unknown. This was studied using dissolved organic carbon (DOC), absorption spectroscopy, and fluorescence excitation-emission matrices-parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC). Four fluorescent components were identified, including humic-like C1-C2, tryptophan-like C3, and tyrosine-like C4. In the drinking water treatment plants, the advanced treatment using ozone and biological activated carbon (O3-BAC) was more effective in removing DOC than the conventional process, with the removals of C1 and C3 improved by 17.7%-25.1% and 19.2%-27.0%. The absorption coefficient and C1-C4 correlated significantly with DOC in water treatments, suggesting that absorption and fluorescence could effectively track the changes in bulk DOM. DOM generally remained stable in each drinking water distribution system, suggesting the importance of the treated water quality in determining that of the corresponding network. The optical indices changed notably between distribution networks of different treatment plants, which enabled the identification of changing water sources. A comparison of DOM in the direct and secondary water supplies suggested limited impacts of secondary water supply, although the changes in organic carbon and absorption indices were detected in some locations. These results have implications for better understanding the changes of DOM in the whole water supply system to help ensure the supplied water quality.

Decline in Cancer Diagnoses during the 'Zero COVID' Policy in Hong Kong: Indirect Spillover Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

AIMS: Despite a largely successful 'zero COVID' policy in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted routine cancer services in the city of Hong Kong. The aims of this study were to examine the trends in cancer incidence before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and estimate missed cancer diagnoses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used population-based data from the Hong Kong Cancer Registry 1983-2020 to examine the trends of age- and sex-standardised cancer incidence before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. We applied: (i) the annual average percentage change (AAPC) calculated using the Joinpoint regression model and (ii) the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model to forecast cancer incidence rates in 2020. Missed cancer diagnoses in 2020 were estimated by comparing forecasted incidence rates to reported rates. A subgroup analysis was conducted by sex, age and cancer site. RESULTS: The cancer incidence in Hong Kong declined by 4.4% from 2019 to 2020 (male 8.1%; female 1.1%) compared with the long-term AAPC of 0.5% from 2005 to 2019 (95% confidence interval 0.3, 0.7). The gap between the reported and forecasted incidence for 2020 ranged from 5.1 to 5.7% (male 8.5%, 9.8%; female 2.3%, 3.5%). We estimated 1525-1596 missed cancer diagnoses (ARIMA estimate -98, 3148; AAPC 514, 1729) in 2020. Most missed diagnoses were in males (ARIMA 1361 [327, 2394]; AAPC 1401 [1353, 1460]), with an estimated 479-557 missed cases of colorectal cancer (ARIMA 112, 837; AAPC 518, 597) and 256-352 missed cases of prostate cancer (AAPC 231, 280; ARIMA 110, 594). CONCLUSION: The incidence of new cancer diagnoses declined in 2020 contrary to the long-term increase over the previous decades. Significantly lower diagnoses than expected were observed in males, particularly for colorectal and prostate cancers. Fewer reported cancer cases indicate missed diagnoses and could lead to delayed treatment that could impact future health outcomes.

Elevated risk of multimorbidity post-COVID-19 infection: protective effect of vaccination.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear how the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic has affected multimorbidity incidence among those with one pre-existing chronic condition, as well as how vaccination could modify this association. AIM: To examine the association of Covid-19 infection with multimorbidity incidence among people with one pre-existing chronic condition, including those with prior vaccination. DESIGN: Nested case-control study. METHODS: We conducted a territory-wide nested case-control study with incidence density sampling using Hong Kong electronic health records from public healthcare facilities and mandatory Covid-19 reports. People with one listed chronic condition (based on a list of 30) who developed multimorbidity during 1 January 2020-15 November 2022 were selected as case participants and randomly matched with up to 10 people of the same age, sex and with the same first chronic condition without having developed multimorbidity at that point. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) of multimorbidity. RESULTS: In total, 127 744 case participants were matched with 1 230 636 control participants. Adjusted analysis showed that there were 28%-increased odds of multimorbidity following Covid-19 [confidence interval (CI) 22% to 36%] but only 3% (non-significant) with prior full vaccination with BNT162b2 or CoronaVac (95% CI -2% to 7%). Similar associations were observed in men, women, older people aged 65 or more, and people aged 64 or younger. CONCLUSIONS: We found a significantly elevated risk of multimorbidity following a Covid-19 episode among people with one pre-existing chronic condition. Full vaccination significantly reduced this risk increase.

Unveiling changes in the complexation of dissolved organic matter with Pb(II) by photochemical and microbial degradation using fluorescence EEMs-PARAFAC.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is very important in determining the speciation, behaviors, and risk of metal pollutants in aquatic ecosystems. Photochemical and microbial degradation are key processes in the cycling of DOM, yet their effects on the DOM-Pb(II) interaction remain largely unknown. This was studied by examining the complexation of river DOM with Pb(II) after degradation, using fluorescence quenching titration and excitation-emission matrices-parallel factor analysis (EEMs-PARAFAC). Three humic-like and two protein-like components were identified, with strong removals of humic-like components and decreasing average molecular weight and humification degree of DOM by photo- and photo-microbial degradation. The changes in humic-like abundance and structure resulted in notable weakening of their interaction with Pb(II). The tryptophan-like C2 was also mainly removed by photo-degradation, while the tyrosine-like C3 could be either removed or accumulated. The Pb(II)-binding of protein-like components was generally weaker but was enhanced in some degradation groups, which might be related to the lowering competition from humic-like components. The binding parameters correlated significantly with the DOM indices, which were dominated by photo-degradation for humic-like components but by seasonal variations for the tyrosine-like component. These results have implications for understanding the key mechanisms underlying the variability of the DOM-metal interaction in aquatic environments.

Efficacy and Safety of Yanggan Jian in Hepatitis B Virus-related Decompensated Cirrhosis: A Randomized, Double-blind, Controlled Trial.

Background and Aims: The aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Yanggan Jian (YGJ) in HBV-infected patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Methods: This randomized, double-blind controlled trial enrolled 160 patients with HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis who were already receiving or about to start antiviral therapy. Patients were randomly assigned to receive YGJ or placebo for 24 weeks, and were followed-up to 36 weeks. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with a ≥2 point reduction in Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score from baseline at week 24. Secondary outcomes were CTP class and score, serum liver function indices, mortality, incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma and variceal bleeding. Results: The proportion of patients with a CTP score reduction ≥2 was significantly greater in the YGJ than in the placebo group (p=0.009); the percentage of patients with CTP class C was significantly less than that in the placebo group (p<0.05), and the YGJ group had a significantly greater mean change from baseline in CTP score at week 24 (p=0.034). The improvement in measured values and change from baseline of prothrombin time, serum albumin, platelets, cholinesterase, international normalized ratio, and activated partial thromboplastin time were significantly better with YGJ than with placebo. Between-group differences in cumulative rates of variceal bleeding, hepatocellular carcinoma, death, or the frequency of any adverse event (AE), AEs related to treatment, or discontinuation because of AEs were not significant. Conclusions: YGJ significantly improved CTP scores and hepatic synthetic and reserve function in patients with HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis, and was safe and well tolerated.

Effects of Photodegradation on the Optical Indices of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter from Typical Sources.

Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) plays important roles in aquatic environments, and its optical properties provide a series of indices for evaluating the source and composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM). However, little is known about the varying photodegradation of CDOM from different sources and the effects on the optical indices of DOM composition. This was studied for typical natural and anthropogenic sources (plant and leaf litter leachates, the influent and effluent of a wastewater treatment plant, and a river). The CDOM absorption (a280) showed a lower degradability for the plant leachate than other sources, mainly due to its low molecular weight and aromaticity. Four fluorescent components were identified with excitation-emission matrices-parallel factor analysis (EEMs-PARAFAC), namely benzoic acid/monolignol-like C1, humic-like C2 and C3, and tryptophan-like C4. The plant leachate contained mainly C1, which was photodegraded moderately, while other sources had more C2 and C3 with higher photodegradability. C4 was photodegraded in most sources but was photoproduced in the leaf litter leachate. The absorption slope (S275-295) and slope ratio (SR) increased while the humification index (HIX) decreased, suggesting a decreasing molecular weight and humic content by photodegradation. This was consistent with the decreasing %C2 and %C3 but increasing %C4, which indicated preferential removal of humic-like components. The %C1, %C2, biological index (BIX), and fluorescence index (FI) were less affected by photodegradation than other indices for most sources. These results have implications for a better understanding of the photochemistry of CDOM and the applications of optical indices.

Critical evaluation of the interaction between fluorescent dissolved organic matter and Pb(II) under variable environmental conditions.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) can strongly influence the behavior and risk of metal pollutants in aquatic ecosystems. However, a comprehensive study on the effects of DOM level and environmental factors on the binding of DOM with Pb(II) is lacking. This study examined the DOM-Pb(II) interaction in the river water under variable DOM level, pH, and major ions, using fluorescence excitation-emission matrices-parallel factor analysis (EEMs-PARAFAC). Four humic-like and one protein-like component were identified, and the abundant humic-like components showed higher Pb(II)-binding fractions (f) than the protein-like component. The f of PARAFAC components decreased while the conditional stability constants (logKM) increased for the diluted DOM, indicating the influence of DOM level on its metal binding. The DOM-Pb(II) interaction was sensitive to changes in pH, with generally higher f and lower logKM at the alkaline condition due to changes in the DOM conformation. The addition of major ions significantly decreased the fluorescence quenching by Pb(II), due to competitive effects and potential DOM conformation changes at elevated ions. Overall, our results show that the DOM-Pb(II) complexation is highly dependent on both the DOM properties and environmental factors, which have implications for optimizing the experimental conditions and for comparing the results in different environments.

Comparing the Pb(II) binding with different fluorescent components of dissolved organic matter from typical sources.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is important for determining the speciation, environmental behavior, and effects of metal pollutants in aquatic environments. However, little is known about the difference between DOM from natural and anthropogenic sources for binding Pb(II). This study examined the Pb(II) binding with DOM from four typical sources including river, leaf litter leachate, and the influent and effluent of a wastewater treatment plant, using fluorescence quenching titration and excitation-emission matrices-parallel factor analysis (EEMs-PARAFAC). Four humic-like and one protein-like fluorescent components were identified, with much higher protein-like fraction and lower humification degree for the influent than for other sources. In the river water and leaf litter leachate, the abundant humic-like components were quenched by 6-17% while the protein-like component kept stable (2-4%) by the addition of Pb(II). In contrast, the influent DOM showed stronger fluorescence quenching of the protein-like component (46%) with higher conditional stability constant and binding fraction of fluorophore than the humic-like components (15-21%). The effluent DOM displayed weak quenching for all fluorescent components (4-6%) and thus weak complexation with Pb(II), indicating notable changes in the chemical composition and metal-binding affinity of DOM by wastewater treatments. These results demonstrated significant impacts of DOM source and chemical composition on its Pb(II) complexation properties, which have implications for understanding the interactions between DOM and heavy metals.

Cardiovascular diseases among diffuse large B-cell lymphoma long-term survivors in Asia: a multistate model study.

BACKGROUND: We modeled the clinical course of a cohort of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients with no prior cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) using a multistate modeling framework. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data on 2600 patients with DLBCL diagnosed between 2000 and 2018 and had received chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy were obtained from a population-wide electronic health database of Hong Kong. We used the Markov illness-death model to quantify the impact of doxorubicin and various risk factors (therapeutic exposure, demographic, comorbidities, cardiovascular risk factors, and lifestyle factors which included smoking) on the clinical course of DLBCL (transitions into incident CVD, lymphoma death, and other causes of death). RESULTS: A total of 613 (23.6%) and 230 (8.8%) of 2600 subjects died of lymphoma and developed incident CVD, respectively. Median follow-up was 7.0 years (interquartile range 3.8-10.8 years). Older ages [hazard ratio (HR) for >75 versus ≤60 years 1.88; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25-2.82 and HR for 61-75 versus ≤60 years 1.60; 95% CI 1.12-2.30], hypertension (HR 4.92; 95% CI 2.61-9.26), diabetes (HR 1.43; 95% CI 1.09-1.87), and baseline use of aspirin (HR 5.30; 95% CI 3.93-7.16) were associated with an increased risk of incident CVD. In a subgroup of anticipated higher-risk patients (aged 61-75 years, smoked, had diabetes, and received doxorubicin), we found that they remained on average 7.9 (95% CI 7.2-8.8) years in the DLBCL state and 0.1 (95% CI 0.0-0.4) years in the CVD state, if they could be followed up for 10 years. The brief time in the CVD state is consistent with the high chance of death in patients who developed CVD. Other causes of death have overtaken DLBCL-related death after about 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: In this Asian population-based cohort, we found that incident CVDs can occur soon after DLBCL treatment and continued to occur throughout survivorship. Clinicians are advised to balance the risks and benefits of treatment choices to minimize the risk of CVD.

Monitoring dissolved organic matter in wastewater and drinking water treatments using spectroscopic analysis and ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays a critical role in determining the quality of wastewater and the safety of drinking water. This is the first review to compare two types of popular DOM monitoring techniques, including absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence excitation-emission matrices (EEMs) coupled with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) vs. Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS), for the applications in wastewater and drinking water treatments. The optical techniques provide a series of indices for tracking the quantity and quality of chromophoric and fluorescent DOM, while FT-ICR-MS is capable of identifying thousands of DOM compounds in wastewater and drinking water at the molecule level. Both types of monitoring techniques are increasingly used in studying DOM in wastewater and drinking water treatments. They provide valuable insights into the variability of DOM composition in wastewater and drinking water. The complexity and diversity of DOM highlight the challenges for effective water treatments. Different effects of various treatment processes on DOM are also assessed, which indicates that the information on DOM composition and its removal is key to optimize the treatment processes. Considering notable progress in advanced treatment processes and novel materials for removing DOM, it is important to continuously utilize these powerful monitoring tools for assessing the responses of different DOM constituents to a series of treatment processes, which can achieve an effective removal of DOM and the quality of treated water.

Assessing the priming effect of dissolved organic matter from typical sources using fluorescence EEMs-PARAFAC.

Priming effect (PE) is increasingly recognized as an important mechanism in the microbial degradation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from freshwater to the ocean. However, potential PE during the mixing of DOM from different sources and the effects on different DOM constituents are still largely unknown. This study examined the PE after adding DOM from typical natural and anthropogenic sources (rainwater, fresh plant, leaf litter, and wastewater) into pre-aged river DOM, using dissolved organic carbon (DOC) measurement, absorption spectroscopy, and fluorescence excitation-emission matrices-parallel factor analysis (EEMs-PARAFAC). The plant-derived DOM had a low humic content and was dominated by benzoic acid-like and tyrosine-like fluorescent components (C4 and C5), which showed a high DOC bioavailability of 80%. DOC in rainwater and wastewater also had high bioavailabilities (45%-50%), while DOM in the leaf litter leachate showed high aromaticity, average molecular weight, and humic content but low DOC bioavailability (12%). There was generally limited PE (<5% of the initial values) on the degradation of DOC and chromophoric DOM (CDOM) for most samples. Two humic-like components (C2 and C3) showed little PE, while the humic-like C1 and C6, tyrosine-like C5, and tryptophan-like C7 showed variable PE after adding rainwater, wastewater, and plant leachate. Overall, the results revealed that the DOM from typical natural and anthropogenic sources had different composition and bioavailability, and their inputs to aquatic environments would result in variable PE on the bulk DOC and different DOM components.

Short- and potential long-term adverse health outcomes of COVID-19: a rapid review.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in millions of patients infected worldwide and indirectly affecting even more individuals through disruption of daily living. Long-term adverse outcomes have been reported with similar diseases from other coronaviruses, namely Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Emerging evidence suggests that COVID-19 adversely affects different systems in the human body. This review summarizes the current evidence on the short-term adverse health outcomes and assesses the risk of potential long-term adverse outcomes of COVID-19. Major adverse outcomes were found to affect different body systems: immune system (including but not limited to Guillain-Barré syndrome and paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome), respiratory system (lung fibrosis and pulmonary thromboembolism), cardiovascular system (cardiomyopathy and coagulopathy), neurological system (sensory dysfunction and stroke), as well as cutaneous and gastrointestinal manifestations, impaired hepatic and renal function. Mental health in patients with COVID-19 was also found to be adversely affected. The burden of caring for COVID-19 survivors is likely to be huge. Therefore, it is important for policy makers to develop comprehensive strategies in providing resources and capacity in the healthcare system. Future epidemiological studies are needed to further investigate the long-term impact on COVID-19 survivors.

Role of B cells and the aging brain in stroke recovery and treatment.

As mitigation of brain aging continues to be a key public health priority, a wholistic and comprehensive consideration of the aging body has identified immunosenescence as a potential contributor to age-related brain injury and disease. Importantly, the nervous and immune systems engage in bidirectional communication and can exert profound influence on each other. Emerging evidence supports numerous impacts of innate, inflammatory immune responses and adaptive T cell-mediated immunity in neurological function and diseased or injured brain states, such as stroke. Indeed, a growing body of evidence supports key impacts of brain-resident immune cell activation and peripheral immune infiltration in both the post-stroke acute injury phase and the long-term recovery period. As such, modulation of the immune system is an attractive strategy for novel therapeutic interventions for a devastating age-related brain injury for which there are few readily available neuroprotective treatments or neurorestorative approaches. However, the role of B cells in the context of brain function, and specifically in response to stroke, has not been thoroughly elucidated and remains controversial, leaving our understanding of neuroimmune interactions incomplete. Importantly, emerging evidence suggests that B cells are not pathogenic contributors to stroke injury, and in fact may facilitate functional recovery, supporting their potential value as novel therapeutic targets. By summarizing the current knowledge of the role of B cells in stroke pathology and recovery and interpreting their role in the context of their interactions with other immune cells as well as the immunosenescence cascades that alter their function in aged populations, this review supports an increased understanding of the complex interplay between the nervous and immune systems in the context of brain aging, injury, and disease.

Prediction models for the risk of cardiovascular diseases in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a serious public health issue worldwide, and DM patients have higher risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which is the leading cause of DM-related deaths. China has the largest DM population, yet a robust model to predict CVDs in Chinese DM patients is still lacking. This systematic review is carried out to summarize existing models and identify potentially important predictors for CVDs in Chinese DM patients. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review. METHODS: Medline and Embase were searched for data from April 1st, 2011 to May 31st, 2018. A study was eligible if it developed CVD (defined as total CVD or any major cardiovascular component) risk prediction models or explored potential predictors of CVD specifically for Chinese people with type 2 DM. Standardized forms were utilized to extract information, appraise applicability, risk of bias, and availabilities. RESULTS: Five models and 29 studies focusing on potential predictors were identified. Models for a primary care setting, or to predict total CVD, are rare. A number of common predictors (e.g. age, sex, diabetes duration, smoking status, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), blood pressure, lipid profile, and treatment modalities) were observed in existing models, in which urine albumin:creatinine ratio (ACR) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) are highly recommended for the Chinese population. Variability of blood pressure (BP) and HbA1c should be included in prediction model development as novel factors. Meanwhile, interactions between age, sex, and risk factors should also be considered. CONCLUSIONS: A 10-year prediction model for CVD risk in Chinese type 2 DM patients is lacking and urgently needed. There is insufficient evidence to support the inclusion of other novel predictors in CVDs risk prediction functions for routine clinical use.

How are family doctors serving the Hong Kong community during the COVID-19 outbreak? A survey of HKCFP members.

INTRODUCTION: This study evaluated the preparedness of family doctors during the early phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in Hong Kong. METHODS: All members of the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians were invited to participate in a cross-sectional online survey using a 20-item questionnaire to collect information on practice preparedness for the COVID-19 outbreak through an email followed by a reminder SMS message between 31 January 2020 and 3 February 2020. RESULTS: Of 1589 family doctors invited, 491 (31%) participated in the survey, including 242 (49%) from private sector. In all, 98% surveyed doctors continued to provide clinical services during the survey period, but reduced clinic service demands were observed in 45% private practices and 24% public clinics. Almost all wore masks during consultation and washed hands between or before patient contact. Significantly more private than public doctors (80% vs 26%, P<0.001) experienced difficulties in stocking personal protective equipment (PPE); more public doctors used guidelines to manage suspected patients. The main concern of the respondents was PPE shortage. Respondents appealed for effective public health interventions including border control, quarantine measures, designated clinic setup, and public education. CONCLUSION: Family doctors from public and private sectors demonstrated preparedness to serve the community from the early phase of the COVID-19 outbreak with heightened infection control measures and use of guidelines. However, there is a need for support from local health authorities to secure PPE supply and institute public health interventions.

Feature tracking for assessment of diastolic function by cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging.

AIM: To assess the agreement of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) feature-tracking (FT) parameters with echocardiography to diagnose diastolic dysfunction; to determine whether a similar parameter to mitral inflow early diastolic velocity to early diastolic tissue velocity ratio (E/e') can increase accuracy of imaging by dividing the phase contrast (PC) mitral inflow E-wave (E) with a CMRI-FT parameter; to compare the agreement between CMRI-FT and PC diastolic function assessment using echocardiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients (n=71; 43 abnormal diastolic function) undergoing both CMRI and echocardiography independently were included. Echocardiography was the reference standard. CMRI-FT analysed the short and long axis cine contours. PC images of mitral inflow, tissue velocity, pulmonary vein flow, and left atrial area were assessed. RESULTS: Using CMRI-FT, the area under the curve (AUC) for identifying diastolic dysfunction was >0.80 for radial and circumferential strain, systolic strain rate (SSR), and early diastolic strain rate (DSR). For cases with CMRI-determined left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥50% (n=38), circumferential DSR was the only parameter with good accuracy (AUC=0.87; cut-off 0.93/s). E/circumferential DSR ratio and longitudinal strain had high accuracy in all patients (AUC=0.88 and 0.93 respectively) and CMRI-determined LVEF ≥50% (AUC=0.81; cut-off 76.7). Circumferential DSR showed the highest agreement with echocardiography (higher than E/circumferential DSR and PC assessment) in all cases (kappa 0.75; p<0001) and cases with CMRI LVEF ≥50% (kappa 0.73; p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: CMRI-FT circumferential DSR showed the highest accuracy for determining diastolic dysfunction with good agreement with echocardiography. Circumferential DSR had higher accuracy than E/circumferential DSR and PC.

Effects of fish culture on particulate organic matter in a reservoir-type river as revealed by absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence EEM-PARAFAC.

Dam construction and fish culture can change the biogeochemical processes in river, yet their impact on the spectral properties of particulate organic matter (POM) remains to be studied. This was investigated in a reservoir-type river (Minjiang river, SE China) using absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence excitation-emission matrices-parallel factor analysis (EEMs-PARAFAC). Five fluorescent components were identified from POM with PARAFAC. Four components C1-C4 were affected by the seasonal variations of rainfall and runoff, indicating the influences of hydrological condition and terrestrial inputs. The Chlorophyll a concentration (Chl a) correlated significantly with the humic-like C3 (p < 0.05) and the protein-like C4 (p < 0.01), indicating phytoplankton was an important source of C3 and C4. The Chl a and fluorescence intensities of C3-C4 were higher in the fish culture zones than in other areas, and the absorption coefficient a300 and C1-C4 were lower downstream the dam. These results indicated that fish farming in the reservoir probably promoted the production of POM. The a300 and C1 per unit mass of suspended particulate matter (a300/TSM and C1/TSM) correlated significantly with the median particle size (p < 0.01), which might be related to the contribution of micro-phytoplankton. The absorption spectra of POM showed a shoulder peak at ∼280 nm, and its intensity correlated significantly and positively with Chl a (p < 0.01). These results indicated that the peak was probably derived from phytoplankton production. Our results have implications for better understanding the influences of human activities on the dynamics of river POM.

A C1976Y missense mutation in the mouse Ip3r1 gene leads to short-term mydriasis and unfolded protein response in the iris constrictor muscles.

Ip3r1 encodes an inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-responsive calcium channel. Mutations in the IP3R1 gene in humans may cause Gillespie syndrome (GS) typically presents as fixed dilated pupils in affected infants, which was referred to as iris hypoplasia. However, there is no report of mice with Ip3r1 heterozygous mutations showing dilated pupils. Here, we report a new Ip3r1 allele with short-term dilated pupil phenotype derived from an N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) mutagenesis screen. This allele carries a G5927A transition mutation in Ip3r1 gene (NM_010585), which is predicted to result in a C1976Y amino acid change in the open reading frame of IP3R1 (NP_034715). We named this novel Ip3r1 allele Ip3r1C1976Y. Histology and pharmacological tests show that the dilated pupil phenotype is a mydriasis caused by the functional defect in the iris constrictor muscles in Ip3r1C1976Y. The dilated pupil phenotype in Ip3r1C1976Y was referred to as mydriasis and excluding iris hypoplasia. IHC analysis revealed increased expression of BIP protein, the master regulator of unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling, in Ip3r1C1976Y mice that did not recover. This study is the first report of an Ip3r1 mutation being associated with the mydriasis phenotype. Ip3r1C1976Y mice represent a self-healing model that may be used to study the therapeutic approach for Ip3r1-related diseases.

Three-Dimensional Graphene-Based Composite Hydrogel Materials for Flexible Supercapacitor Electrodes.

Three-dimensional (3D) graphene-based hydrogels have attracted great interest for applying in supercapcacitors electrodes, owing to their intriguing properties that combine the structural interconnectivities and the outstanding properties of graphene. However, the pristine graphene hydrogel can not satisfy the high-performance demands, especial in high specific capacitance. Consequently, novel graphene-based composite hydrogels with increased electrochemical properties have been developed. In this mini review, a brief summary of recent progress in the research of the three-dimensional graphene-based composite hydrogel for flexible supercapacitors electrodes materials is presented. The latest progress in the graphene-based composite hydrogel consisting of graphene/metal, graphene/polymer, and atoms doped graphene is discussed. Furthermore, future perspectives and challenges in graphene-based composite hydrogel for supercapacitor electrodes are also expressed.