Performance and mechanism of amphiphilic polymeric chelator for enhanced removal of high concentrations of Cu(II) from wastewater.

An amphiphilic polymeric chelator (APC16-g-SX) grafted with sodium xanthate (SX) groups was successfully prepared for the efficient removal of high concentrations of Cu(II) from wastewater. The ordinary polymeric chelator (PAM-g-SX) based on linear polyacrylamide (PAM) was also prepared for comparative studies. The polymeric chelators were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (13C-NMR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), elemental analyzer, and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The chelating performance of these polymeric chelators was investigated, and the mechanism of APC16-g-SX for enhanced removal of Cu(II) from wastewater was proposed based on fluorescence spectroscopy, cryo-scanning electron microscope (Cryo-SEM), energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) tests. The results show that as the initial Cu(II) concentration in the wastewater increases, APC16-g-SX shows more excellent chelating performance than ordinary PAM-g-SX. For the wastewater with an initial Cu(II) concentration of 200 mg/L, the removal rate of Cu(II) was 99.82% and 89.34% for both 500 mg/L APC16-g-SX and PAM-g-SX, respectively. The pH of the system has a very great influence on the chelating performance of the polymeric chelators, and the increase in pH of the system helps to improve the chelating performance. The results of EDS and XPS tests also show that N, O, and S atoms in APC16-g-SX were involved in the chelation of Cu(II). The mechanism of enhanced removal of Cu(II) by APC16-g-SX can be attributed to the spatial network structure constructed by the self-association of hydrophobic groups that enhances the utilization of chelation sites.

Correlation between the risk of lymph node metastasis and the expression of GBP1 in breast cancer patients.

Objective: To explore the prognostic value and correlation between the risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM) and Guanylate-binding Protein 1 (GBP1) in breast cancer (BC) patients. Methods: In this retrospective study, the clinical data of 150 patients with BC who were surgically resected in The Affiliated Qingdao Central Hospital of Qingdao University from January 2019 to December 2021 were included. Patients were divided into metastasis group (n=110) or non-metastasis group (n=40) according to whether there was LNM post-surgery. Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors for LNM in BC, and Kaplan-Meier was used to assess the risk of disease progression 12 months post-operation in both groups. Patients were divided into a GBP1 low expression-group (n=75) or a GBP1 high expression-group (n=75). The risk of disease progression, one-year post-surgery was analyzed, and the predictive value of GBP1 in BC tissue was assessed by the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve. Results: Independent risk factors for BC with LNM were GBP1, CEA and TNM stage (P<0.05). There is a linear relationship between GBP1 expression and LNM risk in BC (χ2=0.88, P<0.05). Patients with high expression of GBP1 had a higher risk of LNM (χ2=3.204, P<0.001) and early postoperative progression (χ2=7.412, P<0.05). The AUC of GBP1 in predicting the risk of LNM was 0.840. Conclusions: Patients with BC and a higher expression of GBP1 could be at an increased risk of LNM. Elevations in GBP1 expression can also suggest a poor prognosis for patients with BC.

Association between gut microbiome-related metabolites and symptomatic hand osteoarthritis in two independent cohorts.

BACKGROUND: Since gut microbiome dysbiosis can cause inflammatory disorders by affecting host metabolism, we postulate that the gut microbiome and related metabolites could play a role in hand osteoarthritis. We characterised gut microbiome-related metabolites in people with symptomatic hand osteoarthritis (SHOA) in two independent cohorts. METHODS: Using data collected from a large-sample community-based observational study (discovery cohort), we assessed the relations of the microbial function and plasma key metabolites related to altered microbial function with SHOA. Finally, we verified the relations of plasma metabolites to SHOA in an independent observational study (validation cohort). FINDINGS: In the discovery cohort (n = 1359), compared to those without SHOA, participants with SHOA had significantly altered microbial functions related to tryptophan metabolism (Q = 0.025). Therefore we measured the plasma tryptophan metabolites and found that participants with SHOA had higher levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (odds ratio [OR] = 1.25, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09-1.42) and 5-hydroxytryptophol (OR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.04-1.23), but lower levels of indole-3-lactic acid (ILA) (OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.72-1.00), skatole (OR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.88-0.99) and 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (OR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.85-0.96). Findings from the validation cohort (n = 142) verified that lower levels of ILA were related to SHOA (OR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.53-0.92). INTERPRETATION: Alterations of the microbial function of tryptophan biosynthesis and tryptophan metabolites, especially lower levels of ILA, are associated with SHOA. These findings suggest the role of the microbiome and tryptophan metabolites in developing of SHOA and may contribute to future translational opportunities. FUNDING: National Key Research and Development Plan and National Natural Science Foundation of China.

The 14-3-3 protein OsGF14f interacts with OsbZIP23 and enhances its activity to confer osmotic stress tolerance in rice.

Drought, which can induce osmotic stress, is the leading environmental constraint on crop productivity. Plants in both agricultural and natural settings have developed various mechanisms to cope with drought stress. The identification of genes associated with drought stress tolerance and understanding the underlying regulatory mechanisms are prerequisites for developing molecular manipulation strategies to address this issue. Here, we reported that the G-BOX FACTOR 14-3-3f (14-3-3 protein OsGF14f) positively modulates osmotic stress tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa). OsGF14f transgenic lines had no obvious change in crucial agronomic traits including yield and plant height. OsGF14f is transcriptionally induced by PEG treatment, and in rice, overexpression or knockout of this gene leads to enhanced or weakened osmotic stress tolerance, respectively. Furthermore, OsGF14f positively regulates abscisic acid (ABA) responses by interacting with the core ABA-responsive transcription factor BASIC LEUCINE ZIPPER 23 (OsbZIP23) to enhance its transcriptional regulation activity toward downstream target genes. Further genetic analysis showed that OsGF14f is required for the full function of OsbZIP23 in rice osmotic response, and OsGF14f-mediated osmotic stress tolerance partially depends on OsbZIP23. Interestingly, OsGF14f is a direct target gene of OsbZIP23. Taken together, our findings reveal a genetic and molecular framework by which the OsGF14f-OsbZIP23 complex modulates rice osmotic response, providing targets for developing drought-tolerant crops.

The effects and predictive value of calcium and magnesium concentrations on nutritional improvement, inflammatory response and diagnosis in patients with Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND: Crohn's disease (CD) is a progressive inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract associated with malnutrition, high levels of inflammation and calcium and magnesium deficiencies. However, the relationships between these symptoms are poorly defined. METHOD: Seventy-six adult CD patients who had not yet started treatment and 83 healthy volunteers were recruited. The dietary intakes, serum calcium and magnesium levels, nutritional indicators and biochemical markers of disease activity were measured. RESULTS: Most participants had inadequate magnesium and calcium intake. The serum magnesium and calcium levels, as well as nutritional and inflammatory indicators, differed significantly between CD patients and controls, especially in the active phase. Serum levels of magnesium and calcium correlated with both nutritional status and inflammation. The cut-off values for CD development were 0.835 mmol/L (magnesium) and 2.315 mmol/L (calcium), whereas those for the active phase were 0.785 and 2.28 mmol/L, respectively. CONCLUSION: Adequate intake of magnesium and calcium may both improve the nutritional status of CD patients and reduce inflammation, benefiting disease relief. As both magnesium and calcium reflect CD status, they may be useful markers for CD diagnosis and disease activity.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Daily Steps in the General Population: Meta-analysis of Observational Studies.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to accelerate another pandemic: physical inactivity. Daily steps, a proxy of physical activity, are closely related to health. Recent studies indicate that over 7000 steps per day is the critical physical activity standard for minimizing the risk of all-cause mortality. Moreover, the risk of cardiovascular events has been found to increase by 8% for every 2000 steps per day decrement. OBJECTIVE: To quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on daily steps in the general adult population. METHODS: This study follows the guidelines of the MOOSE (Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) checklist. PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched from inception to February 11, 2023. Eligible studies were observational studies reporting monitor-assessed daily steps before and during the confinement period of the COVID-19 pandemic in the general adult population. Two reviewers performed study selection and data extraction independently. The modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the study quality. A random effects meta-analysis was conducted. The primary outcome of interest was the number of daily steps before (ie, January 2019 to February 2020) and during (ie, after January 2020) the confinement period of COVID-19. Publication bias was assessed with a funnel plot and further evaluated with the Egger test. Sensitivity analyses were performed by excluding studies with low methodological quality or small sample sizes to test the robustness of the findings. Other outcomes included subgroup analyses by geographic location and gender. RESULTS: A total of 20 studies (19,253 participants) were included. The proportion of studies with subjects with optimal daily steps (ie, ≥7000 steps/day) declined from 70% before the pandemic to 25% during the confinement period. The change in daily steps between the 2 periods ranged from -5771 to -683 across studies, and the pooled mean difference was -2012 (95% CI -2805 to -1218). The asymmetry in the funnel plot and Egger test results did not indicate any significant publication bias. Results remained stable in sensitivity analyses, suggesting that the observed differences were robust. Subgroup analyses revealed that the decline in daily steps clearly varied by region worldwide but that there was no apparent difference between men and women. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that daily steps declined substantially during the confinement period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic further exacerbated the ever-increasing prevalence of low levels of physical activity, emphasizing the necessity of adopting appropriate measures to reverse this trend. Further research is required to monitor the consequence of long-term physical inactivity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42021291684; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=291684.

The association of dietary inflammatory potential with skeletal muscle strength, mass, and sarcopenia: a meta-analysis.

Aims: Evidence suggested that dietary inflammatory potential may be associated with age-related skeletal muscle decline, but the results remained controversial. To summarize the evidence for the relationships between dietary inflammatory potential and skeletal muscle strength, mass, and sarcopenia in adults we conducted this meta-analysis. Methods: Embase, Pubmed, and Web of Science were searched from inception up to 12 March 2023 for studies that evaluated the associations of dietary inflammatory potential [estimated by the Dietary inflammatory index (DII)] with skeletal muscle strength, mass, and sarcopenia. A meta-analysis was then performed to calculate the pooled regression coefficient (ß) and odds ratio (OR). The non-linear dose-response relation between DII and sarcopenia was assessed using random-effects dose-response meta-analysis. Results: This meta-analysis included 24 studies involving 56,536 participants. It was found that high DII was associated with low skeletal muscle strength [OR 1.435, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.247-1.651, P < 0.001, I2 = 4.97%]. There was a negative association of DII with skeletal muscle strength (ß-0.031, 95% CI -0.056 to -0.006, P = 0.017, I2 = 72.69%). High DII was also associated with low skeletal muscle mass (OR 1.106, 95% CI 1.058-1.157, P < 0.001, I2 = 0%). DII had a negative relationship with skeletal muscle mass with high heterogeneity (ß-0.099, 95% CI -0.145 to -0.053, P < 0.001, I2 = 88.67%); we downgraded the inconsistency in the subgroup analysis of overweight/obese participants (ß-0.042, 95% CI -0.065 to -0.019, I2 = 12.54%). Finally, the pooled results suggested that high DII was significantly associated with sarcopenia with significant heterogeneity (OR 1.530, 95% CI 1.245-1.880, P < 0.001, I2 = 69.46%); age and BMI may contribute partially to the heterogeneity since heterogeneity was decreased in the subgroup of older age (OR 1.939, 95% CI 1.232-3.051, I2 = 0%) and the group of overweight/obesity (OR 1.853, 95% CI 1.398-2.456, I2 = 0%). There was a non-linear dose-response association between DII and sarcopenia (P = 0.012 for non-linearity). Conclusion: This meta-analysis suggested that higher dietary inflammatory potential was significantly associated with lower skeletal muscle strength, mass, and risk of sarcopenia. Future studies with consistent assessment and standardized methodology are needed for further analysis.

Radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy reduces pain and promotes proximal tendon healing after rotator cuff repair: Randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is widely used to treat soft tissue disorders, but evidence for its application after rotator cuff (RC) repair is lacking. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of ESWT on short-term functional and structural outcomes after RC repair. METHODS: Thirty-eight individuals were randomly assigned to the ESWT group (n = 19) or control group (n = 19) 3 months after RC repair. Both groups underwent 5 weeks of advanced rehabilitation and participants in the ESWT group additionally received 2000 pulses of shockwave therapy every week for 5 weeks. The primary outcome was pain measured on a visual analog scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes were range of motion (ROM), Constant score, University of California Los Angeles score (UCLA), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons form (ASES), and Fudan University shoulder score (FUSS). Changes in signal/noise quotient (SNQ), muscle atrophy and fatty infiltration were analyzed from MRI. All participants underwent clinical and MRI examinations 3 months (baseline) and 6 months (follow-up) post repair. RESULTS: A total of 32 participants completed all assessments. Pain and function improved in both groups. At 6 months post repair, pain intensity was lower and ASES scores higher in the ESWT than in the control group (all p-values < 0.01). SNQ near the suture anchor site decreased significantly from baseline to follow-up in the ESWT group (p = 0.008) and was significantly lower than that in the control group (p = 0.036). Muscle atrophy and the fatty infiltration index did not differ between groups. CONCLUSION: ESWT and exercise more effectively reduced early shoulder pain than rehabilitation alone and accelerated proximal supraspinatus tendon healing at the suture anchor site after RC repair. However, ESWT may not be more effective than advanced rehabilitation in terms of functional outcomes at the short-term follow-up.

Correction to "Aliovalent Calcium Doping of Yttrium Oxyhydride Thin Films and Implications for Photochromism".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.2c04456.].

Assessment of dietary nutrient intake and its relationship to the nutritional status of children with congenital heart disease in Guangdong province of China.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the common congenital malformations in children and cause malnutrition. We determine the association between dietary nutrient intake and nutritional status of children with CHD. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: 428 children of age 1-10 years with CHD admitted. The dietary nutrient intake was recorded after 3 days of 24-h recall. The growth and nutritional status of children were evaluated using anthropometric measurements and z-scores. RESULTS: The prevalence of malnutrition was 37.6% in CHD. 57.8%, 12.6%, 43.8%, and 40.6% of children did not meet their requirements for energy, protein, fat, and carbohydrate, respectively. The prevalence of insufficient intake was 88.3% for calcium, 35.9% for magnesium, 21.9% for iron, and 12.5% for zinc. 15%-86% of children did not meet vitamin requirements. 85.2% and 53.9% of children did not meet their requirements for vitamin A and vitamin C. The prevalence of insufficient intake was 39.1% for thiamin, 24.2% for riboflavin, 15.6% for niacin and 28.1% for vitamin E. Compared with the normal nutrition group, malnutrition group had a relatively lower intake of proteins, iron, zinc and vitamin E. CONCLUSIONS: An obvious deficiency of dietary nutrient intake was found among children with CHD, especially CHD with malnutrition. Dietary intake related to the nutritional status of children with CHD. The gap between actual consumption and recommendation indicates a need for improved nutritional counseling and monitoring. Early interventions targeting the dietary intakes of children with CHD may be a benefit for long-term effects associated with nutritional status.

Aliovalent Calcium Doping of Yttrium Oxyhydride Thin Films and Implications for Photochromism.

To develop an understanding of the photochromic effect in rare-earth metal oxyhydride thin films (REH3-2x O x , here RE = Y), we explore the aliovalent doping of the RE cation. We prepared Ca-doped yttrium oxyhydride thin films ((Ca z Y1-z )H x O y ) by reactive magnetron cosputtering with Ca doping concentrations between 0 and 36 at. %. All of the films are semiconductors with a constant optical band gap for Ca content below 15%, while the band gap expands for compositions above 15%. Ca doping affects the photochromic properties, resulting in (1) a lower photochromic contrast, likely due to a lower H- concentration, and (2) a faster bleaching speed, caused by a higher pre-exponential factor. Overall, these results point to the importance of the H- concentration for the formation of a "darkened" phase and the local rearrangement of these H- for the kinetics of the process.

Effect of Tegretol on Oxidative Stress, Serum Inflammatory Factors, and Left Ventricular Function in AMI Patients after Emergency PCI.

To investigate the effects of tegretol on oxidative stress, serum inflammatory factors, and left ventricular function in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), 70 AMI patients who received PCI in the emergency department of our hospital from January 2021 to December 2021 were collected. The patients in the control group were treated with aspirin, clopidogrel, and heparin sodium during the perioperative period, and the patients in the study group were treated with tegretol. The levels of oxidative stress, serum inflammatory factors, and left ventricular function index were compared between the two groups. The patients in the control group were treated with TT ((12.00 ± 2.05) s), APTT ((35.50 ± 4.19) s), PT ((16.60 ± 1.58) s), TT ((15.90 ± 2.14) s) APTT ((30.40 ± 3.80) s), and PT ((14.30 ± 1.45) s)) and were comparable (P > 0.05), and the difference was statistically significant (t = 8.210, 4.600, 7.010, P < 0.001). There was no comparable difference in the level of oxidative stress index before treatment (P > 0.05). After treatment, there was significant difference in MDA ((14.53 ± 2.14) mmol/L), SOD ((120.45 ± 8.17) U/L), MDA ((11.15 ± 2.02) mmol/L), and SOD ((129.86 ± 8.55) U/L) in the control group (t = 7.320, 5.099, P < 0.001). The levels of inflammatory factors in patients before treatment were not comparable (P > 0.05). After treatment, there were levels of IL-6 ((3.20 ± 1.05) ng/L), CRP ((4.80 ± 1.16) mg/L), MPO ((196.78 ± 21.51) mg/L) and TNF-α ((3.96 ± 0.80) pmol/L), IL-6 ((1.95 ± 0.80) ng/L), CRP ((3.10 ± 1.02) mg/L), MPO ((163.60 ± 21.10) mg/L), and TNF-α in a study group level ((3.05 ± 0.70) pmol/L), with statistically significant difference (t = 5.187, 6.028, 6.031, 4.689,P < 0.001). Before treatment, there was no comparable difference in the level of left ventricular function index (P > 0.05). After treatment, there was significant difference in LVEF ((46.10 ± 2.39) %) and LVDD ((52.06 ± 1.07) mm), LVEF ((56.85 ± 2.33) %), and LVDD ((48.75 ± 1.02) mm) in the control group (t = 17.640, 21.540, P < 0.001). Tegretol as an adjunctive therapy for emergency PCI patients with acute myocardial infarction can effectively improve postoperative coagulation function, reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction, and improve cardiac function indicators. It has a positive clinical value.

Analysis of Bone Mineral Density and Bithermal Caloric Test Results in Unilateral Idiopathic Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo Patients.

OBJECTIVE: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most frequently diagnosed type of peripheral vestibular vertigo. Studies have reported a possible association between BPPV and osteoporosis; however, there is still a lack of evidence. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of bone mineral density (BMD) and bithermal caloric test results in patients with unilateral posterior canal idiopathic benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (pc-iBPPV). METHODS: BMD was measured in 65pc-iBPPV menopausal female patients and 65 healthy controls using dual-energy xray absorptiometry and then compared the T-score of BMD between the two groups. The bithermal caloric test was also performed with video nystagmography and the relationship between canal paresis, directional preponderance, T-score, and recurrence were analyzed. RESULTS: Lower T-scores were observed in pc-iBPPV patients compared with the normal subjects. Among 65 pc-iBPPV patients, free recurrence was observed in 38 (58.5%), single recurrence was noted in 14 (21.5%), and multiple recurrences were seen in 13 (20%) patients. The proportion of positive T-score and CP value increased with the pc-BPPV recurrence frequency. Statistically, a significant difference was found only in T-score, indicating that recurrence was raised with a decrement of T-score. The proportion of positive CP values tended to increase as BMD decreased. CONCLUSION: The decrement of BMD might be one of the pathogeneses in patients with unilateral pc-iBPPV and associated with multiple recurrences. Moreover, positive CP value cannot be regarded as a predictive factor for recurrence; however, there is a clear association between CP and BMD.

Comparative risk-benefit profiles of weak opioids in the treatment of osteoarthritis: a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Despite their poor tolerance, weak opioids are still the most commonly-prescribed medicine for osteoarthritis (OA)-related pain. The objective of this network meta-analysis was to comparatively examine the efficacy and safety of weak opioids in OA treatment. METHODS: Databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science were searched from inception to 4 April 2022 to retrieve randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing weak opioids with placebo or between one another in OA patients. Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed on the following outcomes of interest, namely the change-from-baseline score in pain relief, gastrointestinal (GI) adverse events (AEs), central nervous system (CNS) AEs, and total number of AEs (i.e. the number of subjects experiencing any AE for at least once) during follow-up. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) was used to rank the effectiveness of each treatment and identify the best treatment. RESULTS: A total of 14 RCTs invoving four types of weak opioids were included in this meta-analysis. Compared to placebo, tramadol (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.34, 95% credible interval [CrI]: -0.53 to -0.18) and codeine (SMD = -0.39, 95% CrI: -0.79 to -0.04) were effective for pain relief, but involved a higher risk of GI AEs, CNS AEs and total number of AEs. Dextropropoxyphene demonstrated a significantly lower risk of GI AEs (OR = 0.28, 95%CrI: 0.17 to 0.51), CNS AEs (OR = 0.29, 95%CrI: 0.11 to 0.78) and total number of AEs (OR = 0.35, 95%CrI: 0.15 to 0.82) compared to codeine. Dihydrocodeine had a better safety profile in CNS AEs (SUCRA = 64.8%) and total number of AEs (SUCRA = 66.6%). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study confirmed that tramadol and codeine were effective drugs for the treatment of OA, but involved considerable safety issues. Dextropropoxyphene and dihydrocodeine exhibited a relatively good safety profile but their efficacy still warrant further investigation.

Association between tramadol use and risk of pneumonia in the middle-aged and elderly populations: a propensity-score matched cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Tramadol is a widely used weak opioid; however, the evidence for its safety profile in respiratory system needs additional information. We aimed to examine whether tramadol use is associated with an increased risk of pneumonia in the general population. METHODS: We conducted five propensity-score (PS) matched cohort studies in The Health Improvement Network database. Participants aged ≥50-years initiated tramadol were compared with those initiated one of the following analgesics: codeine (n = 144,506), naproxen (n = 113,028), diclofenac (n = 74,297), celecoxib (n = 42,538), or etoricoxib (n = 27,232). The outcome was incident pneumonia. OUTCOMES: During 6-month follow-up, 395 pneumonia (5.6/1000 person-years) occurred in the tramadol group and 414 pneumonia (5.9/1000 person-years) occurred in the PS matched codeine group. Compared with codeine group, the risk of pneumonia was lower in the tramadol group (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.49-0.82) during the first 30-day follow-up, but comparable between groups over the entire 6-month follow-up (HR = 0.95, 95%CI: 0.83-1.09). In addition, the risk of pneumonia was higher in the tramadol group than that in the PS matched naproxen (HR = 1.68, 95%CI: 1.37-2.06), diclofenac (HR = 1.63, 95%CI: 1.31-2.03), celecoxib (HR = 1.64, 95%CI: 1.20-2.24) or etoricoxib (HR = 1.61, 95%CI: 1.04-2.49) group. CONCLUSIONS: The present study indicated that tramadol initiators had a lower risk of incident pneumonia than codeine initiators during the short-time follow-up, but had a comparable pneumonia risk compared with codeine initiators and had a higher risk of pneumonia compared with NSAIDs initiators over the entire 6-month follow-up duration. Confirmation of the present findings and determination of the underlying mechanism will require more studies. SIGNIFICANCE: Tramadol might not be a safer alternative analgesic to codeine or NSAIDs. Both of health-care providers and patients may need to be on alert for its safety profile in respiratory system in future clinical practice.

Associations between adipokines gene polymorphisms and knee osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Adipokines gene polymorphisms are speculated to be associated with the risk of knee osteoarthritis (OA), but evidence remains conflicting. This study therefore aimed to examine whether associations exist between adipokines gene polymorphisms and knee OA by considering the evidence collected from eligible studies through a meta-analysis. METHODS: A systematic search was performed on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang up to March 31, 2020. Meta-analysis was carried out by focusing on the associations between adipokines gene polymorphisms and knee OA with the allele model, dominant model, and recessive model. RESULTS: The present meta-analysis included 5 eligible studies for ADIPOQ rs1501299 with 1,021 cases and 1,097 controls, 3 eligible studies for ADIPOQ rs2241766 with 549 cases and 544 controls, 3 eligible studies for LEPR rs1137101 with 808 cases and 856 controls, 2 eligible studies for VISFATIN rs4730153 with 339 cases and 680 controls and 2 eligible studies for VISFATIN rs16872158 with 339 cases and 680 controls. Significant association was observed between LEPR rs1137101 and knee OA in the overall population (recessive: OR = 0.40, 95% CI 0.21-0.79). Limited data revealed that associations may exist between ADIPOQ rs2241766 and knee OA in Asians (dominant: OR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.03-1.78), between VISFATIN rs4730153 and knee OA in Asians (allele: OR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.41-0.83; dominant: OR = 0.57, 95% CI 0.39-0.83), and between VISFATIN rs16872158 and knee OA in Asians (allele: OR = 1.84, 95% CI 1.26-2.68; dominant: OR = 1.94, 95% CI 1.31-2.89). CONCLUSIONS: Adipokines gene polymorphisms may be associated with knee OA. The association was observed in LEPR rs1137101 in the present study. In addition, limited data revealed that associations may also exist in ADIPOQ rs2241766, VISFATIN rs4730153 and VISFATIN rs16872158. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42020187664.

Association Between Gut Microbiota and Elevated Serum Urate in Two Independent Cohorts.

OBJECTIVE: Hyperuricemia is a precursor to gout and is often present in other metabolic diseases that are promoted by microbiome dysbiosis. We undertook this study to examine the association of gut microbiota with hyperuricemia and serum urate levels in humans. METHODS: Study participants were derived from a community-based observational study, the Xiangya Osteoarthritis Study (discovery cohort). Hyperuricemia was defined as the presence of a serum urate level >357 µmoles/liter in women and >416 µmoles/liter in men. Gut microbiota were analyzed using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing of stool samples. We examined the relationship of microbiota dysbiosis (i.e., richness, diversity, composition, and relative abundance of microbiota taxa) and predicted functional pathways to prevalent hyperuricemia and serum urate levels. We verified the associations in an independent observational study, the Step Study (validation cohort). RESULTS: The discovery cohort consisted of 1,392 subjects from rural areas (mean age 61.3 years, 57.4% women, 17.2% with hyperuricemia). Participants with hyperuricemia had decreased richness and diversity, altered composition of microbiota, and lower relative abundances of genus Coprococcus compared to those with normouricemia. Predicted KEGG metabolism pathways including amino acid and nucleotide metabolisms were significantly altered in subjects with hyperuricemia compared to those with normouricemia. Gut microbiota richness, diversity, and low relative abundances of genus Coprococcus were also associated with high levels of serum urate. These findings were replicated in the validation cohort with 480 participants. CONCLUSION: Gut microbiota dysbiosis is associated with elevated serum urate levels. Our study examines the possibility that microbiota dysbiosis may modulate these levels.

Association between egg consumption and metabolic syndrome in Chinese population: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Metabolic syndrome (MS) comprises a constellation of symptoms that include abdominal obesity, hypertension, hyperglycaemia and dyslipidaemia. Dietary intake is a crucial environmental risk factor for MS, but the exact association between MS and egg consumption, which accounts for more than half of the daily total cholesterol intake in Chinese population, has not been previously studied. The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between dietary egg consumption and the prevalence of MS in the context of a large population. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTINGS: Our study was conducted in a health examination centre in China. PARTICIPANTS: Participants who aged ≥40 years and received routine physical examinations were included for analyses. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: MS was diagnosed in accordance with the clinical diagnosis criteria specified in the American Heart Association Guidelines. Egg consumption was assessed by a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 11 529 participants (46.2% women) were included in the present study. On the basis of multivariable logistic regression analysis, egg consumption was negatively associated with the prevalence of MS after adjusting for dietary energy intake (OR=0.84, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.93, p value for trend=0.001). The above findings did not change with further adjustment for other potential confounders: model 2 was further adjusted for age, body mass index and sex (based on model 1) and model 3 was further adjusted for education level, physical activity level, smoking status, alcohol use status, dietary fat intake, dietary fibre intake and nutritional supplementation (based on model 2). Consistent results were obtained from the analysis in the female subgroup but not in male subjects. CONCLUSIONS: A higher level of egg consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of MS in our study participants, and particularly in female subjects.

Pd-Catalyzed Sequential Formation of C-C Bonds: A New Strategy for the Synthesis of (E)-α,ß-Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds from Sulfoxonium Ylides and 1-Iodo-2-((2-methylallyl)oxy)benzene Compounds.

α,ß-Unsaturated carbonyl compounds are significant moieties in many biological molecules and have attracted considerable attention in organic synthetic chemistry. A Pd-catalyzed cascade cyclization for the synthesis of (E)-α,ß-unsaturated carbonyl compounds with the sequential formation of C-C bonds was developed. This method offers high efficiency, good functional group tolerance, and moderate to excellent yields and generally displays high stereoselectivity.

Synthesis of medicinally relevant oxalylamines via copper/Lewis acid synergistic catalysis.

Allylamines have long been recognized as valuable synthons because of their excellent reactivity in organic synthesis. Here, an efficient amination reaction of allenyl ethers via copper/Lewis acid synergistic catalysis has been established, providing straightforward access to diverse functionalized Z-oxalylamines and E -halogenated oxalylamines in good to excellent yields with high regio- and stereoselectivities. The developed method tolerates more than 100 examples that include late-stage functionalization of bioactive molecules, and features gram-scale synthesis of oxalylamines with high turnover number (TON > 1000) under mild and simple conditions. The applicability of the protocol is further demonstrated with the construction of drug molecules.