Association between exposure to per- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and reproductive hormones in human: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is persistent endocrine disrupting chemicals. Previous evidence suggests that exposure to PFAS is associated with reproductive hormone levels, but the results of relevant studies are inconsistent. The objective of our study is to determine the association between exposure to PFAS and reproductive hormone levels in gender-specific general population. METHOD: Based on scientific search strategies, we systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Medline, and Scopus to obtain the eligible studies published before January 21, 2023. The quality of the included articles was assessed using the Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) Risk of Bias tool. We combined the ß coefficient and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using Stata.17 with random-effect model or fixed-effect model. We also performed subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and Begger's and Egger's tests. RESULTS: Eleven studies involving 7714 participants were included. Meta-analysis showed that PFHxS exposure was positively associated with estradiol (E2) levels in female [ß = 0.030, 95% CI: (0.013, 0.046), P = 0.000]. A negative association was found between PFOA [ß = -0.012, 95% CI: (-0.023, -0.002), P = 0.017] and PFOS [ß = -0.011; 95% CI: (-0.021, -0.000), P = 0.042] exposure with male testosterone (TT) levels. In the subgroup analysis, there were stronger associations in children than in adults. And the high heterogeneity was mainly due to the cross-sectional studies. Publication bias was not found in most of the analyses. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that PFAS exposure was significantly associated with reproductive hormone levels. Further related studies are needed to identify the association and potential mechanism in the future.

[Mechanism of Extracellular Histone-Induced Endothelial Dysfunction Leading to Sepsis-Induced Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome]. / å¾ªçŽ¯ç»„è›‹ç™½è¯±å¯¼å† çš®åŠŸèƒ½éšœç¢è‡´è„“æ¯’ç—‡æ€¥æ€§å‘¼å¸çª˜è¿«ç»¼åˆå¾çš„æœºåˆ¶ç ”ç©¶.

Objective: Sepsis-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is an independent risk factor for mortality in critically ill septic patients. However, effective therapeutic targets are still unavailable due to the lack of understanding of its unclear pathogenesis. With increasing understanding in the roles of circulating histones and endothelial dysfunction in sepsis, we aimed to investigate the mechanism of histone-induced endothelial dysfunction leading to sepsis-induced ARDS and to provide experimental support for histone-targeted treatment of sepsis-induced ARDS. Methods: First of all, in vitro experiments were conducted. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were stimulated with gradient concentrations of histones to explore for the optimal stimulation concentration in vitro. Then, HUVEC were exposed to histones at an optimal concentration with or without resatorvid (TAK-242), a selective inhibitor of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), for 24 hours for modeling. The cells were divided into 4 groups: 1) the blank control group, 2) the blank control+TAK-242 intervention group, 3) the histone stimulation group, and 4) the histone+TAK-242 intervention group. HUVEC apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry, VE-Cadherin expression in endothelial cells was determined by Western blot, and the integrity of adhesion connections between endothelial cells was evaluated with confocal fluorescence microscopic images. Male C57BL/6 mice aged 6-8 weeks and weighing 22-25 g were used for the in vivo experiment. Then, the mice were given cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) as well as histone injection at 50 mg/kg via the tail vein for sepsis modeling. The experimental animals were divided into 6 groups: 1) the blank control group, 2) the blank control+TAK-242 intervention group, 3) the CLP model group, 4) the CLP+TAK-242 intervention group, 5) the histone model group, and 6) the histone+TAK-242 intervention group. After 24 h, the concentrations of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were determined using ELISA kits. Western blot was performed to determine the expression of vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin in the lung tissue. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was performed to observe the pathological changes in the lung tissue of the mice. Evans Blue was injected via the tail vein 30 min before the mice were sacrificed. Lung tissue was collected after the mice were sacrificed. Then, the concentrations of Evans blue dye per unit mass in the lung tissue from mice of different groups were evaluated, the rates of pulmonary endothelial leakage were calculated, and the integrity of the pulmonary endothelial barrier was evaluated. Results: The results of the in vitro experiment showed that, compared with those of the control group, HUVEC apoptosis was significantly increased under histone stimulation (P<0.05), the expression of VE-cadherin was decreased (P<0.05), and the integrity of adherens junctions between endothelial cells was damaged. TAK-242 can significantly inhibit histone-induced HUVEC apoptosis and VE-cadherin expression reduction and maintain the integrity of adherens junctions between endothelial cells. According to the findings from the in vivo experiments, in mice with CLP-induced and histone-induced sepsis, TAK-242 effectively alleviated the increase in serum concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-α, reduced the downregulation of VE-cadherin expression in the lung tissue (P<0.05), decreased endothelial permeability of the lung vessels, and improved pathological injury in the lung tissue. Conclusion: By binding to TLR-4, histone decreases VE-cadherin expression on the surface of vascular endothelial cells, disrupts the integrity of intercellular adherens junctions, and triggers pathological damage to lung tissue. Using TLR-4 inhibitors can prevent sepsis-induced ARDS in histone-induced sepsis.

[Clinical Research Progress on Using κ-Opioid Receptor Agonists to Treat Uremic Pruritus]. / κé˜¿ç‰‡å—ä½“æ¿€åŠ¨å‰‚æ²»ç–—å°¿æ¯’ç—‡ç˜™ç—’ä¸´åºŠç ”ç©¶è¿›å±•.

Uremic pruritus, a severe complication in patients with chronic kidney disease, is associated with a high prevalence. It can cause depression and sleep disorders, and seriously affect the quality of life and the social relations of patients. Recently, there is growing evidence showing that κ-opioid receptor agonists, including nalfurafine, difelikefalin, and nalbuphine, can effectively and safely reduce itching symptoms in patients with refractory uremic pruritus. Herein, we reviewed the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical symptoms, and treatment strategies of uremic pruritus, and summarized in detail the progress in clinical research on the use of κ-opioid receptor agonists, including nalfurafine, difelikefalin, and nalbuphine, in the management of patients with uremic pruritus.

Targeting circulating high mobility group box-1 and histones by extracorporeal blood purification as an immunomodulation strategy against critical illnesses.

Both high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) and histones are major damage-associated molecular patterns (DAPMs) that mediate lethal systemic inflammation, activation of the complement and coagulation system, endothelial injury and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in critical illnesses. Although accumulating evidence collectively shows that targeting HMGB1 or histones by their specific antibodies or inhibitors could significantly mitigate aberrant immune responses in multiple critically ill animal models, routine clinical use of such agents is still not recommended by any guideline. In contrast, extracorporeal blood purification, which has been widely used to replace dysfunctional organs and remove exogenous or endogenous toxins in intensive care units, may also exert an immunomodulatory effect by eliminating inflammatory mediators such as cytokines, endotoxin, HMGB1 and histones in patients with critical illnesses. In this review, we summarize the multiple immunopathological roles of HMGB1 and histones in mediating inflammation, immune thrombosis and organ dysfunction and discuss the rationale for the removal of these DAMPs using various hemofilters. The latest preclinical and clinical evidence for the use of extracorporeal blood purification to improve the clinical outcome of critically ill patients by targeting circulating HMGB1 and histones is also gathered.

Alleviation of Oxidative Stress during Hemodialysis Sessions by Hemodialysis Membrane Innovation: A Multidisciplinary Perspective.

Oxidative stress is prevalent in end-stage kidney disease patients receiving chronic hemodialysis and is associated with heavy cardiovascular disease burdens and increased mortality risks. Hemoincompatible hemodialysis membranes per se contribute to the activation of oxidative reactions and the generation of oxygen free radicals. Since the early 1990s, vitamin E-coated membranes have been extensively used in hemodialysis patients to reduce oxidative stress during hemodialysis sessions. However, the beneficial effects of vitamin E-coated membranes versus unmodified synthetic membranes on long-term patient-centered outcomes, such as survival, quality of life, and prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, remain controversial. Accordingly, novel antioxidant hemodialysis membranes were prepared to replace the use of vitamin E-coated membranes despite the translational research on these membranes unfortunately coming to a standstill. In this review, we first summarize the state-of-the-art on the use of vitamin E-coated membranes in hemodialysis patients to highlight their strengths and limitations. Then, we discuss the latest advances in fabricating antioxidant hemodialysis membranes and provide perspectives to bridge knowledge gaps between laboratorial investigations and clinical practice in fabricating antioxidant hemodialysis membranes.

Ultraporous Polyquaternium-Carboxylated Chitosan Composite Hydrogel Spheres with Anticoagulant, Antibacterial, and Rapid Endotoxin Removal Profiles for Sepsis Treatment.

Hemoperfusion is an important method to remove endotoxins and save the lives of patients with sepsis. However, the current adsorbents for hemoperfusion have disadvantages of insufficient endotoxin adsorption capacity, poor blood compatibility, and so on. Herein, we proposed a novel emulsion templating (ET) method to prepare ultraporous and double-network carboxylated chitosan (CCS)-poly(diallyl dimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) hydrogel spheres (ET-CCSPD), bearing both negative and positive charges. CCS was introduced to balance the strong positive charges of PDDA to improve hemocompatibility, and emulsion templates endowed the adsorbent with an ultraporous structure for enhanced adsorption efficacy. The ET-CCSPDs neither damaged blood cells nor activated complement responses. In addition, the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) was prolonged to 8.5 times, which was beneficial for reducing the injection of anticoagulant in patients. The ET-CCSPDs had excellent scavenging performance against bacteria and endotoxin, with removal ratios of 96.7% for E. coli and 99.8% for S. aureus, respectively, and the static removal ratio of endotoxin in plasma was as high as 99.1% (C0 = 5.50 EU/mL, critical illness level). An adsorption cartridge filled with the ET-CCSPDs could remove 84.7% of endotoxin within 1 h (C0 = 100 EU/mL in PBS). Interestingly, the ET-CCSPDs had a good inhibitory effect on the cytokines produced by endotoxin-mediated septic blood. By developing the ET method to prepare ultraporous and double-network adsorbents, the problems of low adsorption efficiency and poor blood compatibility of traditional endotoxin adsorbents have been solved, thus opening a new route to fabricate absorbents for blood purification.

The interplay between ASMase signaling pathway and NLRP3 in the epithelial to mesenchymal transition of HBE cells induced by silica.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important part of pulmonary fibrosis. Our earlier study illustrated that the acid sphingomyelinase (ASMase) pathway plays significant role in silica (SiO2 )-induced transformation of lung fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. The metabolite of ASMase, ceramide (Cer), activates the inflammatory response by activating Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) in macrophages, and NLRP3 is also involved in the EMT process. However, whether ASMase and NLRP3 are involved in regulating SiO2 -induced EMT has not been confirmed. In this study, an in vitro model of EMT in human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells was established by SiO2 dust staining to investigate the role of ASMase and NLRP3 in EMT and to provide new clues for the molecular mechanism of silicosis. HBE cells were stained with 100 µg/ml SiO2 dust for 72 h to establish the EMT model. The ASMase inhibitor desipramine decreased the level of S1P and the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and NLRP3 in SiO2 dust-stained HBE cells, whereas the expression of E-cadherin (E-cad) increased. The NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 inhibited the secretion of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and decreased the expression of NLRP3, Caspase-1, and α-SMA in SiO2 dust-stained HBE cells, whereas E-cad expression increased and ASMase activity and S1P levels decreased. It was concluded that SiO2 dust increases the release of the inflammatory factor and induces EMT in HBE cells. Inhibition of ASMase activity or NLRP3 expression reduced the SiO2 dust-induced cell inflammatory response and slowed the occurrence of EMT in HBE cells. Therefore, NLRP3 and ASMase may interact in SiO2 dust-induced EMT in HBE cells.

Intermediate-to-therapeutic versus prophylactic anticoagulation for coagulopathy in hospitalized COVID-19 patients: a systemic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Anticoagulation in hospitalized COVID-19 patients has been associated with survival benefit; however, the optimal anticoagulant strategy has not yet been defined. The objective of this meta-analysis was to investigate the effect of intermediate-to-therapeutic versus prophylactic anticoagulation for thromboprophylaxis on the primary outcome of in-hospital mortality and other patient-centered secondary outcomes in COVID-19 patients. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched from inception to August 10th 2021. Cohort studies and randomized clinical trials that assessed the efficacy and safety of intermediate-to-therapeutic versus prophylactic anticoagulation in hospitalized COVID-19 patients were included. Baseline characteristics and relevant data of each study were extracted in a pre-designed standardized data-collection form. The primary outcome was all-cause in-hospital mortality and the secondary outcomes were incidence of thrombotic events and incidence of any bleeding and major bleeding. Pooled analysis with random effects models yielded relative risk with 95 % CIs. RESULTS: This meta-analysis included 42 studies with 28,055 in-hospital COVID-19 patients totally. Our pooled analysis demonstrated that intermediate-to-therapeutic anticoagulation was not associated with lower in-hospital mortality (RR=1.12, 95 %CI 0.99-1.25, p=0.06, I2=77 %) and lower incidence of thrombotic events (RR=1.30, 95 %CI 0.79-2.15, p=0.30, I2=88 %), but increased the risk of any bleeding events (RR=2.16, 95 %CI 1.79-2.60, p<0.01, I2=31 %) and major bleeding events significantly (RR=2.10, 95 %CI 1.77-2.51, p<0.01, I2=11 %) versus prophylactic anticoagulation. Moreover, intermediate-to-therapeutic anticoagulation decreased the incidence of thrombotic events (RR=0.71, 95 %CI 0.56-0.89, p=0.003, I2=0 %) among critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU), with increased bleeding risk (RR=1.66, 95 %CI 1.37-2.00, p<0.01, I2=0 %) and unchanged in-hospital mortality (RR=0.94, 95 %CI 0.79-1.10, p=0.42, I2=30 %) in such patients. The Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation certainty of evidence ranged from very low to moderate. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend the use of prophylactic anticoagulation against intermediate-to-therapeutic anticoagulation among unselected hospitalized COVID-19 patients considering insignificant survival benefits but higher risk of bleeding in the escalated thromboprophylaxis strategy. For critically ill COVID-19 patients, the benefits of intermediate-to-therapeutic anticoagulation in reducing thrombotic events should be weighed cautiously because of its association with higher risk of bleeding. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The protocol was registered at PROSPERO on August 17th 2021 ( CRD42021273780 ).

Low lean mass and cognitive performance: data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.

BACKGROUND: Low lean mass and cognitive impairment are both age-related diseases. In addition, these conditions share many risk factors. However, the association between them has been controversial in recent years. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between low lean mass and cognitive performance in U.S. adults using NHANES data from 1999 to 2002. METHODS: A total of 2550 participants were identified in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Database (1999-2002). The independent variable was low lean mass, and the dependent variable was cognitive performance. Men and women were classified as having low lean mass if appendicular lean mass (ALM) adjusted for BMI (ALMBMI) was < 0.789 and < 0.512, respectively. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). Higher scores on the DSST indicated better cognitive performance. The covariates included sex, age, race, poverty income ratio, comorbidity index, educational level, physical activity and smoking status. RESULTS: For the primary outcome, our multivariate linear regression analysis indicated that participants without low lean mass were associated with better cognitive performance (ß = 1.50; 95% CI [0.12-2.89]). Subgroup analysis results indicated that the association was similar in sex, age, race, poverty income ratio, comorbidity index, educational level, physical activity and smoking status. CONCLUSIONS: Participants without low lean mass were associated with better cognitive performance. We might be able to improve cognitive performance by treating low lean mass, thus providing an opportunity for intervention at a younger age.

Self-Anticoagulant Nanocomposite Spheres for the Removal of Bilirubin from Whole Blood: A Step toward a Wearable Artificial Liver.

Current therapy for liver failure and concomitant hyperbilirubinemia faces the challenge of poor hemocompatibility and bleeding risks associated with the anticoagulant injection. Herein, heparin-mimetic biomacromolecule (HepMBm) with a similar degree of sulfation and anticoagulant properties to heparin was synthesized by imitating the structure of natural biomacromolecule heparin. Then HepMBm was used to prepare nanocomposite spheres based on reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The formation of a dual-network structure in the spheres endowed the spheres with improved dimensional stability. The proposed spheres exhibited outstanding blood compatibilities and excellent self-anticoagulant properties. The bilirubin adsorption experiments and whole blood bilirubin removal assay indicated that the spheres exhibited high bilirubin removal capability from whole blood (The removal ratio was 99.69%.). The spheres open new routes for a therapeutic strategy without a plasma separation system and heparin pump, which may be a step toward a lightweight wearable artificial liver.

Vascular calcification is associated with Wnt-signaling pathway and blood pressure variability in chronic kidney disease rats.

AIM: Vascular calcification (VC) is a common complication in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and has been shown to be associated with increased cardiovascular events and mortality. This study was to explore the role of Wnt-signaling pathway in CKD VC, and the association between VC and blood pressure variability (BPV) which is a risk factor of cardiovascular events. METHODS: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into adenine-induced CKD group (n = 5), 5/6 nephrectomy CKD group (n = 5), sham group (n = 5) and control group (n = 5). Low-calcium-high-phosphate diets were introduced to induce vascular calcification. Both daytime (hour-to-hour during the day) and mid-term (day-to-day for 9 days) blood pressure (BP) were collected and analyzed for BPV metrics. At sacrifice, kidney, heart and aorta samples were taken for histological analyses. Calcium deposition in aorta was identified with Alizarin Red stain and graded. Immunohistochemistry stain and western blot were performed for Wnt3a, Wnt5a, ß-catenin, sclerostin, osteopontin, and α-SMA. RESULTS: Compared with control rats, CKD rats suffered from markedly severer VC (Grade 2.6 ± 0.2 and 1.8 ± 0.8 vs 0.0 ± 0.0 and 0.2 ± 0.4, P = .0010). VC was positively correlated with vascular Wnt3a and ß-catenin expression (P = .0032 and .0000), but not significantly associated with Wnta5a or sclerostin. Besides, CKD rats showed increased BPV (P < .001), which was also positively correlated with VC. CONCLUSION: We confirmed that CKD rats had enhanced Wnt-signaling in vascular tissue and severer aorta calcification together with increased BPV. Wnt pathway may be a potential target in future VC and BPV management in CKD.

Large-scale, broadband absorber based on three-dimensional aluminum nanospike arrays substrate for surface plasmon induced hot electrons photodetection.

Performance of plamson induced hot electrons-based photodetectors largely relies on the photon absorption capability. To improve the optical absorption, many perfect absorbers based on the periodic metallic nanostructures have been designed and fabricated through low-throughput, costly and time-consuming lithographic processes, which seriously limit the future potential applications of plasmonic hot electrons optoelectronics devices. Here, a large-scale, broadband absorber consisting of ITO film, ZnO layer, Au film and Al nanospike array substrate was designed and fabricated for hot electrons-based photodetection. The new designed absorber's absorptivity can be up to 70% in the broad wavelength range from 400 nm to 800 nm (even up to 90% in the wavelength range from 400-550 nm) and most of the absorption comes from the Au film, which is effective for the generation of hot electrons. The enhanced broadband absorption is ascribed to the surface plasmon polariton mode and localized surface plasmon resonance mode supported by the nanospike arrays. The influence of geometry and material parameters on the optical absorption properties is also specifically investigated through numerical simulation. The efficient and broadband absorption of a nanospikes device results in a much larger photocurrent compared with that of a planar reference device. Our approach, which is compatible with large-scale manufacturing, paves the way for the practical implementation of hot electrons-based optoelectronic devices.

Association of mineral content outside of bone with coronary artery calcium and 1-year cardiovascular prognosis in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

Coronary artery calcifications (CACs) are common among maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients and associated with increased morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular events. The insight into chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) established a correlation between dysregulated mineral metabolism and CACs. This study aimed to identify the association of mineral content outside of bone (MCOB) with CACs and cardiovascular events in MHD patients. In the pilot prospective study with no intervention, patients underwent body composition assessment by body composition monitor after hemodialysis and computed tomography examination using the Agatston scoring method simultaneously within a week. The primary end point included cardiovascular events and cardiovascular death. Correlations and receiver operating characteristic analysis elucidated the associations of MCOB with CACs; multivariate analysis assessed the cardiovascular risk for groups with different MCOB. One hundred three eligible patients with an average age of 48 (35-63) years old were enrolled and followed up to 12 (11-12.5) months, among which 52.4% had detectable CACs at baseline. MCOB showed an inverse correlation with Agatston score and significantly discriminated the patients with Agatston score > 0 (AUC = 0.737; P < 0.001) and 400 (AUC = 0.733; P < 0.001). MCOB ≤ 9.2657 mg/kg was an independent risk factor for CACs (OR = 4.853; P = 0.044) and strong predictor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality (HR = 10.108; P = 0.042), as well as rehospitalization (HR = 2.689; P = 0.004). MCOB inversely correlated with the presence and extent of CACs, and could discriminate Agatston score > 0 and 400, which also presented as an independent indicator for CKD-MBD and 1-year cardiovascular prognosis in adult MHD patients. Additional studies are required for identifying this issue.

The Association between Long- and Intra-Dialytic Blood Pressure Variability with All-Cause Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients.

BACKGROUND: Blood pressure variability (BPV) is a potential prognostic predictor for all-cause mortality. OBJECTIVES: We conducted a retrospective cohort study to compare the prognostic value of long-term BPV with intra-dialytic BPV in hemodialysis (HD) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included 611 HD patients and collected their baseline blood pressure (BP) measurements for 1 year and monitored them for 40 months. Long-term BPV was assessed by pre-dialysis BP SD and pre-dialysis absolute BP residual metric. Intra-dialytic BPV was assessed by intra-dialytic BP average real variability and intra-dialytic absolute BP residual. RESULTS: Long-term systolic BPV showed a weak correlation with mean BP, but a stronger correlation with intra-dialytic BPV. High long-term systolic blood pressure (SBP) SD and long-term SBP residual metrics were associated with high all-cause mortality (p = 0.0084 and 0.0056, respectively), while no such association was found for intra-dialytic BPV or diastolic BPV. According to receiver operating characteristic curve with mortality as dependent variable, long-term SBP residual metric showed the strongest prognostic ability (area under curve [AUC] 0.679, p = 0.0006), which was even stronger in patients with BP ≥140/90 mm Hg (AUC 0.713, p = 0.0004). After completely adjusting for confounders, long-term SBP residual metric remained significantly associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 1.628 per quartile; 95% CI 1.086-2.441). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest long-term SBP residual metric to be a better predictor of all-cause mortality in HD patients, which could be used as an additional target for BP management.

Predictive Factors Upon Discontinuation of Renal Replacement Therapy for Long-Term Chronic Dialysis and Death in Acute Kidney Injury Patients.

The specific timing for discontinuing renal replacement therapy (RRT) in acute kidney injury (AKI) patients is debatable. The predictive abilities of variables at the time of discontinuation of RRT for the long-term prognoses of patients have not been explored. This study aimed to explore the prognostic factors upon discontinuation of RRT for long-term chronic dialysis and death of patients with acute RRT-requiring AKI, thus improving decision making regarding the discontinuation of RRT and the follow-up of patients thereafter. A cohort of 302 AKI patients who required acute RRT and remained alive and free of dialysis for at least 30 days after discharge from January 2009 to December 2012 were followed up. The predictive abilities of general characteristics, RRT details, and variables upon discontinuation of RRT for long-term chronic dialysis and all-cause death were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards models. Kaplan-Meier analysis with a log-rank test was used to compare the survival curves between the strata of levels of good predictors upon discontinuation of RRT. After a median follow-up time of 4.1 years, 20 (6.6%) patients initiated chronic dialysis and 56 (18.5%) patients died. A higher CysC level upon discontinuation of RRT (HR 1.520, 95% CI 1.082-2.135; P = 0.016), comorbid chronic kidney disease, and a higher non-renal Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) were independently predictive for chronic dialysis. The hemoglobin level upon discontinuation of RRT was inversely predictive of death (HR 0.986, 95% CI 0.973-0.999; P = 0.035), and comorbid malignancy, the presence of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and a higher non-renal CCI also predicted death. Urine output upon discontinuation of RRT was marginally inversely predictive of death (HR 0.997, 95% CI 0.994-1.000; P = 0.056). Patients who discontinued RRT with CysC levels <2.97 mg/L, hemoglobin levels >85 g/L, and urine output >1130 mL/24 h showed significantly higher non-chronic dialysis and survival rates according to a log-rank test. Our study suggested that upon discontinuation of RRT, higher serum CysC levels had the most promising predictive value for long-term chronic dialysis, and lower hemoglobin levels predicted long-term death; lower urine output also marginally predicted long-term death. Based on the remission of the comprehensive condition, lower CysC levels and higher hemoglobin levels and urine output should be considered in the decision to stop RRT. Patients showing worse levels of these indices upon discontinuation of RRT should undergo stricter follow-up and treatment to improve long-term outcomes.

A Contemporary Review of the Use of Extracorporeal CytoSorb® Hemoadsorption Therapy in Patients with Infective Endocarditis.

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a rare but severe disease with high morbidity and mortality. Cardiac surgery plays a major role in the contemporary clinical management of IE patients. During cardiac surgery, cardiopulmonary bypass significantly contributes to an increased risk of organ dysfunction and mortality by inducing an acute inflammatory response, vascular endothelial cell injury, impairment of the coagulation cascade, and ischemia-reperfusion injury. During the past decade, the use of extracorporeal hemoadsorption therapy with the CytoSorb® hemoadsorber (CytoSorbents Europe GmbH, Berlin, Germany) has been proposed as an adjuvant therapy to mediate inflammatory responses in IE patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. However, there is currently no systematic evaluation of the effect of CytoSorb® hemoadsorption on clinical outcomes such as hemodynamics, organ dysfunction, and mortality in patients with IE. Therefore, in this review, we exclusively discuss contemporary findings concerning the rationale, clinical evidence, and future perspectives for CytoSorb® hemoadsorption therapy in IE patients.

Accumulation rate and sources of plastic marine litter at nesting grounds of green turtles on the North Island of Qilianyu, Xisha Islands, South China Sea.

In this study, the accumulation rate of plastic litter was investigated by sampling quadrats placed on the North Island of Qilianyu, and the composition was analyzed and identified to determine its source. The results showed that the annual average accumulation rate of plastic litter on North Island was 0.64 ± 0.32 pieces·m-2·month-1, with a mass accumulation rate of 11.30 ± 7.73 g·m-2·month-1. The accumulation rate of plastic litter was mainly influenced by wind speed and direction, with higher accumulation rates occurring during the southwest monsoon season and tropical cyclones. ATR-FTIR analysis indicated that polyethylene (44 %) and polypropylene (41 %) were the most abundant types of polymers. This study reveals the current status of plastic litter pollution in green turtle nesting grounds on North Island in Qilianyu, which can be used as a reference for management strategies that mitigate plastic litter pollution.

Comparison of the intestinal flora of wild and artificial breeding green turtles (Chelonia mydas).

Gut microbes are pivotal reference indicators for assessing the health status of animals. Before introducing artificially bred species into the wild, examining their gut microbe composition is crucial to help mitigate potential threats posed to wild populations. However, gut microbiological trait similarities between wild and artificially bred green turtles remain unexplored. Therefore, this study compared the gut microbiological characteristics of wild and artificially bred green turtles (Chelonia mydas) through high-throughput Illumina sequencing technology. The α-diversity of intestinal bacteria in wild green turtles, as determined by Shannon and Chao indices, significantly surpasses that of artificial breeding green turtles (p < 0.01). However, no significant differences were detected in the fungal α-diversity between wild and artificially bred green turtles. Meanwhile, the ß-diversity analysis revealed significant differences between wild and artificially bred green turtles in bacterial and fungal compositions. The community of gut bacteria in artificially bred green turtles had a significantly higher abundance of Fusobacteriota including those belonging to the Paracoccus, Cetobacterium, and Fusobacterium genera than that of the wild green turtle. In contrast, the abundance of bacteria belonging to the phylum Actinobacteriota and genus Nautella significantly decreased. Regarding the fungal community, artificially bred green turtles had a significantly higher abundance of Fusarium, Sterigmatomyces, and Acremonium and a lower abundance of Candida and Rhodotorula than the wild green turtle. The PICRUSt2 analyses demonstrated significant differences in the functions of the gut bacterial flora between groups, particularly in carbohydrate and energy metabolism. Fungal functional guild analysis further revealed that the functions of the intestinal fungal flora of wild and artificially bred green turtles differed significantly in terms of animal pathogens-endophytes-lichen parasites-plant pathogens-soil saprotrophs-wood saprotrophs. BugBase analysis revealed significant potential pathogenicity and stress tolerance variations between wild and artificially bred green turtles. Collectively, this study elucidates the distinctive characteristics of gut microbiota in wild and artificially bred green turtles while evaluating their health status. These findings offer valuable scientific insights for releasing artificially bred green turtles and other artificially bred wildlife into natural habitats.