25(OH)D level and vascular lesion scores in kidney histopathology as risk-stratification tool for predicting renal progression in people with type 2 diabetes.

AIM: To evaluate the potential of the combined individual vascular histopathological lesion and serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] level as predictors of outcomes in patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease. METHODS: A total of 190 patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease stages 1-4 were retrospectively included. Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log-rank test were performed to assess renal survival differences. And the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic analyses were used to characterize the predictive accuracy. Hazard ratios for vascular lesion scores and 25(OH)D levels with renal outcomes were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models with follow-up time. RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 23.78 (12.61, 37.14) months, 71 patients (37.4 %) experienced the renal outcomes. Enrolled patients with more severe vascular lesions had worse kidney function, heavier proteinuria, lower serum 25(OH)D levels, and higher prevalence of composite kidney outcomes. Baseline serum 25(OH)D was a significant independent risk factor for vascular lesion scores. The effect of serum 25(OH)D level on kidney prognosis was more pronounced in males and those with more exacerbated vascular lesions (score 2). The severity of vascular lesions and serum 25(OH)D levels were associated with unfavorable kidney outcomes. Accordingly, further time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves confirmed that combined 25(OH)D level and vascular lesion score had a stable and reliable performance in renal outcomes prediction at short and long-term follow-up times. CONCLUSIONS: 25(OH)D level and vascular lesion scores in kidney histopathology could serve as a useful risk-stratification tool for predicting renal progression in patients with type 2 diabetes.

MicroRNA expression profile of chicken liver at different times after Histomonas meleagridis infection.

Histomonas meleagridis, an anaerobic intercellular parasite, is known to infect gallinaceous birds, particularly turkeys and chickens. The resurgence of histomonosis in recent times has resulted in significant financial setbacks due to the prohibition of drugs used for disease treatment. Currently, research on about H. meleagridis primarily concentrate on the examination of its virulence, gene expression analysis, and the innate immunity response of the host organism. However, there is a lack of research on differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) related to liver infection induced by H. meleagridis. In this study, the weight gain and pathological changes at various post-infection time points were evaluated through animal experiments to determine the peak and early stages of infection. Next, High-throughput sequencing was used to examine the expression profile of liver miRNA at 10 and 15 days post-infection (DPI) in chickens infected with the Chinese JSYZ-F strain of H. meleagridis. A comparison with uninfected controls revealed the presence of 120 and 118 DEMs in the liver of infected chickens at 10 DPI and 15 DPI, respectively, with 74 DEMs being shared between the two time points. Differentially expressed microRNAs (DEMs) were categorized into three groups based on the time post-infection. The first group (L1) includes 45 miRNAs that were differentially expressed only at 10 DPI and were predicted to target 1646 genes. The second group (L2) includes 43 miRNAs that were differentially expressed only at 15 DPI and were predicted to target 2257 genes. The third group (L3) includes 75 miRNAs that were differentially expressed at both 10 DPI and 15 DPI and were predicted to target 1623 genes. At L1, L2, and L3, there were 89, 87, and 41 significantly enriched Gene Ontology (GO) terms, respectively (p<0.05). The analysis of differentially expressed miRNA target genes using KEGG pathways revealed significant enrichment at L1, L2, and L3, with 3, 4, and 5 pathways identified, respectively (p<0.05). This article suggests that the expression of liver miRNA undergoes dynamic alterations due to H. meleagridis and the host. It showed that the expression pattern of L1 class DEMs was more conducive to regulating the development of the inflammatory response, while the L2 class DEMs were more conducive to augmenting the inflammatory response. The observed patterns of miRNA expression associated with inflammation were in line with the liver's inflammatory process following infection. The results of this study provide a basis for conducting a comprehensive analysis of the pathogenic mechanism of H. meleagridis from the perspective of host miRNAs.

Uneven agricultural contraction within fast-urbanizing urban agglomeration decreases the nitrogen use efficiency of crop production.

Diverse development paths among cities within an urban agglomeration can lead to uneven changes in their agricultural production scale, which reshape the inter-city food supply patterns and the spatiotemporal characteristics of nitrogen (N) pollution from the food system. Here, using Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area of China as a case, we found a substantial decrease in N use efficiency of crop production from 45.2% to 29.3% during 1989-2007, along with a growing level of concentration of food N production in less-urbanized cities. From 1989 to 2018, 12.3% to 42.2% of total N pollution in food production became embedded in inter-city trade, leading to aggregation of N pollution in peripheral cities with relatively low levels of economic development. We suggest that protection and intensification of cropland from urban encroachment, as well as enhancing the economic and technical synergies among cities, can serve the sustainable transition of the food system with coordinated N pollution mitigation.

Exploring the Key Amino Acid Residues Surrounding the Active Center of Lactate Dehydrogenase A for the Development of Ideal Inhibitors.

Lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) primarily catalyzes the conversion between lactic acid and pyruvate, serving as a key enzyme in the aerobic glycolysis pathway of sugar in tumor cells. LDHA plays a crucial role in the occurrence, development, progression, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, and immune escape of tumors. Consequently, LDHA not only serves as a biomarker for tumor diagnosis and prognosis but also represents an ideal target for tumor therapy. Although LDHA inhibitors show great therapeutic potential, their development has proven to be challenging. In the development of LDHA inhibitors, the key active sites of LDHA are emphasized. Nevertheless, there is a relative lack of research on the amino acid residues around the active center of LDHA. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the amino acid residues around the active center of LDHA. Through structure comparison analysis, five key amino acid residues (Ala30, Met41, Lys131, Gln233, and Ala259) were identified. Subsequently, the effects of these five residues on the enzymatic properties of LDHA were investigated using site-directed mutagenesis. The results revealed that the catalytic activities of the five mutants varied to different degrees in both the reaction from lactic acid to pyruvate and pyruvate to lactic acid. Notably, the catalytic activities of LDHAM41G and LDHAK131I were improved, particularly in the case of LDHAK131I. The results of the molecular dynamics analysis of LDHAK131I explained the reasons for this phenomenon. Additionally, the optimum temperature of LDHAM41G and LDHAQ233M increased from 35 °C to 40 °C, whereas in the reverse reaction, the optimum temperature of LDHAM41G and LDHAK131I decreased from 70 °C to 60 °C. These findings indicate that Ala30, Met41, Lys131, Gln233, and Ala259 exert diverse effects on the catalytic activity and optimum temperature of LHDA. Therefore, these amino acid residues, in addition to the key catalytic site of the active center, play a crucial role. Considering these residues in the design and screening of LDHA inhibitors may lead to the development of more effective inhibitors.

Preparation, Air Filtration Performance of a Fluorinated Polyimide/Polyacrylonitrile Nanofibrous Membrane by Electrospinning.

This paper reports the successful fabrication of a new nanofibrous membrane, F-PI/PAN, through electrospinning of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and fluorinated polyimide (F-PI). The nanofibrous membrane exhibits comprehensive properties for high-temperature filtration and robust PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic equivalent diameter of 2.5 microns or less) removal. The introduction of F enhances the hydrophobicity of the PI. The relationship between the hydrophobic performance and the filtration performance of particles is investigated. The chemical group of the composite membrane was demonstrated using FITR, while the surface morphology was investigated using field emission scanning electron microscopy. The TGA results indicated good thermal stability at 300 °C. Various ratios of F-PI membranes were prepared to characterize the change in properties, with the optimal mass ratio of F-PI being 20 wt%. As the proportion of F-PI increases, its mechanical and filtration efficiency properties and hydrophobicity become stronger. The contact angle reaches its maximum of 128 ± 5.2° when PAN:F-PI = 6:4. Meanwhile, when PAN:F-PI = 8:2, the filtration efficiency reaches 99.4 ± 0.3%, and the elongation at break can reach 76%. The fracture strength can also reach 7.1 MPa, 1.63 times that of the pure PAN membrane.

Dysfunction of STING Autophagy Degradation in Senescent Nucleus Pulposus Cells Accelerates Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.

The pathogenesis of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration (IDD) is complex and multifactorial, with cellular senescence of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells and inflammation playing major roles in the progression of IDD. The stimulator of interferon genes (STING) axis is a key mediator of inflammation during infection, cellular stress, and tissue damage. Here, we present a progressive increase in STING in senescent NP cells with the degradation disorder. The STING degradation function in normal NP cells can prevent IDD. However, the dysfunction of STING degradation through autophagy causes the accumulation and high expression of STING in senescent NP cells as well as inflammation continuous activation together significantly promotes IDD. In senescent NP cells and intervertebral discs (IVDs), we found that STING autophagy degradation was significantly lower than that of normal NP cells and IVDs when STING was activated by 2'3'-cGAMP. Also, the above phenomenon was found in STINGgt/gt, cGAS-/- mice with models of age-induced, lumbar instability-induced IDD as well as found in the rat caudal IVD puncture models. Taken together, we suggested that the promotion of STING autophagy degradation in senescent NP Cells demonstrated a potential therapeutic modality for the treatment of IDD.

TLR4/Rac1/NLRP3 Pathway Mediates Amyloid-ß-Induced Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: Neuroinflammation plays a crucial part in the initial onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). NLRP3 inflammasome was demonstrated to get involved in amyloid-ß (Aß)-induced neuroinflammation. However, the mechanism of Aß-triggered activation of NLRP3 inflammasome remains poorly understood. Objective: Based on our previous data, the study aimed to identify the downstream signals that bridge the activation of TLR4 and NLRP3 inflammasome associated with Aß. Methods: BV-2 cells were transfected with TLR4siRNA or pretreated with a CLI-095 or NSC23766, followed by Aß1-42 treatment. APP/PS1 mice were injected intraperitoneally with CLI-095 or NSC23766. NLRP3 inflammasome and microglia activation was detected with immunostaining and western blot. G-LISA and Rac1 pull-down activation test were performed to investigate the activation of Rac1. Real-time PCR and ELISA were used to detect the inflammatory cytokines. Aß plaques were assessed by western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. Morris water maze test was conducted to determine the spatial memory in mice. Results: Rac1 and NLRP3 inflammasome were activated by Aß in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. Inhibition of TLR4 reduced the activity of Rac1 and NLRP3 inflammasome induced by Aß1-42. Furthermore, inhibition of Rac1 blocked NLRP3 inflammasome activation mediated by TLR4. Blocking the pathway by CLI095 or NSC23766 suppressed Aß1-42-triggered activation of microglia, reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators and ameliorated the cognition deficits in APP/PS1 mice. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that TLR4/Rac1/NLRP3 pathway mediated Aß-induced neuroinflammation, which unveiled a novel pathway and key contributors underlying the pathogenic mechanism of Aß.

Impact of Baduanjin exercise combined with rational emotive behavior therapy on sleep and mood in patients with poststroke depression: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Poststroke depression (PSD) is one of the most common stroke complications. It not only leads to a decline in patients' quality of life but also increases the mortality of patients. In this study, the method of combining Chinese traditional exercise Baduanjin with psychotherapy was used to intervene in patients with PSD and to explore the improvement of sleep, mood, and serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in patients with PSD by combined treatment. METHODS: A total of 100 patients with PSD who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to Baduanjin group (n = 50) or control group (n = 50). The control group received treatment with escitalopram oxalate and rational emotive behavior therapy, while the experimental group received Baduanjin training in addition to the treatment given to the control group. Changes in sleep efficiency, sleep total time, sleep latency, arousal index, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Hamilton Depression Scale score, serum BDNF, 5-HT, IL-6 levels, and Modified Barthel Index were measured at baseline, 4 weeks and 8 weeks after intervention, and the results were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: Significantly improvements in the sleep efficiency, sleep total time, serum 5-HT, BDNF levels, and Modified Barthel Index score were detected at week 4 in the Baduanjin group than in the control group (P < .05). Additionally, the sleep latency, arousal index, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Hamilton Depression Scale scores and IL-6 levels in the Baduanjin group were lower than those in the control group (P < .05). After 8 weeks of treatment, the above indexes in the Baduanjin group were further improved compared with the control group (P < .05), and the above indexes of the 2 groups were significantly improved compared with the baseline (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Baduanjin exercise combined with rational emotive behavior therapy effectively improves the mood and sleep status of patients with PSD; It increases the serum levels of 5-HT and BDNF while reducing the level of serum proinflammatory factor IL-6; additionally, the intervention alleviates the degree of neurological impairment, upgrades the ability of daily living, and improves the quality of life.

Effects of integrated intrinsic foot muscle exercise with foot core training device on balance and body composition among community-dwelling adults aged 60 and above.

BACKGROUND: Evidence on the effects of plantar intrinsic foot muscle exercise in older adults remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of an integrated intrinsic foot muscle exercise program with a novel three-dimensional printing foot core training device on balance and body composition in community-dwelling adults aged 60 and above. METHODS: A total of 40 participants aged ≥ 60 years were enrolled in this quasi-experimental, single-group, pretest-posttest design; participants were categorized into two groups, those with balance impairment and those without balance impairment. The participants performed a 4-week integrated intrinsic foot muscle exercise program with a three-dimensional printing foot core training device. The short physical performance battery (SPPB) and timed up and go test were employed to evaluate mobility and balance. A foot pressure distribution analysis was conducted to assess static postural control. The appendicular skeletal muscle mass index and fat mass were measured by a segmental body composition monitor with bioelectrical impedance analysis. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to determine the difference before and after the exercise program. RESULTS: Among the 40 enrolled participants (median age, 78.0 years; female, 80.0%; balance-impaired group, 27.5%), the 95% confidence ellipse area of the center of pressure under the eyes-closed condition was significantly decreased (median pretest: 217.3, interquartile range: 238.4; median posttest: 131.7, interquartile range: 199.5; P = 0.001) after the exercise. Female participants without balance impairment demonstrated a significant increase in appendicular skeletal muscle mass index and a decrease in fat mass. Participants in the balance-impaired group exhibited a significant increase in SPPB. CONCLUSIONS: Integrated intrinsic foot muscle exercise with a three-dimensional printing foot core training device may improve balance and body composition in adults aged 60 and above. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05750888 (retrospectively registered 02/03/2023).

The impacts of natural product miltirone and the CYP2D6 pharmacogenetic phenotype on fluoxetine metabolism.

Introduction: To study the effects of drug-induced CYP2D6 activity inhibition and genetic polymorphisms on fluoxetine metabolism, rat liver microsomes (RLMs) and SD rats were used to investigate the potential drug‒drug interactions (DDIs), and CYP2D6 http://muchong.com/t-10728934-1 recombinant baculosomes were prepared and subjected to catalytic reactivity studies. Methods and Results: All analytes were detected by ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‒MS/MS). After screening for 27 targeted natural products, miltirone was identified as having obvious inhibitory effect on fluoxetine metabolism in RLMs. In vivo, the concentration of fluoxetine in rat blood increased markedly after miltirone administration. The molecular docking results showed that miltirone bound more strongly to CYP2D6 than fluoxetine, and PHE120 may be the key residue leading to the inhibition of CYP2D6-mediated fluoxetine N-demethylation by miltirone. In terms of the genetic polymorphism of CYP2D6 on fluoxetine metabolism, the intrinsic clearance values of most variants were significantly altered. Among these variants, CYP2D6*92 and CYP2D6*96/Q424X were found to be catalytically inactive for fluoxetine metabolism, five variants (CYP2D6*89/L142S, *97/F457L, *R497, *V342M and *R344Q) exhibited markedly increased clearance values (>125.07%) and seven variants (CYP2D6*2, *10, *87/A5V, *93/T249P, *E215K, *R25Q and *R440C) exhibited significantly decreased clearance values (from 6.62% to 66.79%) compared to those of the wild-type. Conclusion: Our results suggest that more attention should be given to subjects in the clinic who take fluoxetine and also carry one of these infrequent CYP2D6 alleles or are coadministered drugs containing miltirone.

Eco-Friendly Production of Boron Nitride Nanosheets via Deep Eutectic Solvents and Their Application in Enhancing Thermal Conductivity of PVDF Composites.

Boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS) are expected to be ideal fillers because of their high thermal conductivity and excellent electrical insulation. However, it is still an open challenge to produce BNNS on a large scale using ecofriendly solvents. Here, first, we demonstrate an effective liquid exfoliation method for producing BNNS via utilizing deep eutectic solvents (DES) composed of D,L-menthol and various acids with the assistance of ultrasonication. The results show that the BNNSs with sizes of 1-2 µm in width and 6-8 nm in thickness were successfully exfoliated with a DES formulation of D,L-menthol and decanoic acid. Second, the obtained BNNSs were used for fabricating 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate@polydopamine functionalized BNNS (HDDA@BNNSs-PDA) core-shell microspheres via a Pickering emulsion method. Furthermore, these microspheres were incorporated into a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) matrix to construct 3D thermally conductive networks, leading to a substantial enhancement in the thermal conductivity of the resulting composites. Impressively, the composites with only 25 wt % of BNNS loading reach a high thermal conductivity of 3.20 W/m K, which is a 1500% increase over the pure polymer matrix. This work not only provides a significant way for producing BNNSs ecofriendly but also demonstrates a tactic for constructing 3D thermally conductive networks.

Perioperative multivessel coronary artery spasm and cardiac arrest after cardiac surgery.

Postoperative coronary artery spasm, a rare but potentially fatal complication following cardiac surgery, warrants significant attention. This report discusses a 64-year-old male who suffered a severe coronary artery spasm leading to cardiac arrest following surgery. Initially stable, the patient rapidly developed critical ventricular arrhythmias and hypotension, resulting in cardiac arrest 4 h post-surgery. Emergency coronary angiography revealed extensive spasms, successfully managed with intracoronary nitroglycerine. This case stresses prompt recognition and management of coronary artery spasm after non-coronary cardiac procedures, underscoring coronary angiography's vital role in diagnosis and treatment.

Does a GP service package matter in addressing the absence of health management by the occupational population? A modelling study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of supply and demand factors on the contract behavior of occupational populations with general practitioner (GP) teams. METHODS: We employed a system dynamics approach to assess and predict the effect of the general practitioner service package (GPSP) and complementary incentive policies on the contract rate for 2015-2030. First, the GPSP is designed to address the unique needs of occupational populations, enhancing the attractiveness of GP contracting services, including three personalized service contents tailored to demand-side considerations: work-related disease prevention (WDP), health education & counseling (HEC), and health-care service (HCS). Second, the complementary incentive policies on the supply-side included income incentives (II), job title promotion (JTP), and education & training (ET). Considering the team collaboration, the income distribution ratio (IDR) was also incorporated into supply-side factors. FINDINGS: The contract rate is predicted to increase to 57.8% by 2030 after the GPSP intervention, representing a 15.4% increase on the non-intervention scenario. WDP and HEC have a slightly higher (by 2%) impact on the contract rate than that from HCS. Regarding the supply-side policies, II have a more significant impact on the contract rate than JTP and ET by 3-5%. The maximum predicted contract rate of 75.2% is expected by 2030 when the IDR is 0.5, i.e., the GP receives 50% of the contract income and other members share 50%. CONCLUSION: The GP service package favorably increased the contract rate among occupational population, particularly after integrating the incentive policies. Specifically, for a given demand level, the targeted content of the package enhanced the attractiveness of contract services. On the supply side, the incentive policies boost GPs' motivation, and the income distribution motivated other team members.

Causal relationship between narcolepsy and anxiety: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the causal relationship between narcolepsy and anxiety using Mendelian randomization (MR) methodology. METHODS: Our research applied a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian Randomization strategy to explore the linkage between narcolepsy and anxiety. Utilizing summary data from GWAS on both conditions, we primarily employed the inverse-variance weighted technique for our analysis. To evaluate heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy, we utilized tools such as the MR Egger method, the weighted median method, Cochran's Q statistic, and the MR Egger intercept. RESULTS: The analysis using the inverse variance-weighted method showed a clear positive link between narcolepsy and anxiety, with an odds ratio of 1.381 (95% CI: 1.161-1.642, p < 0.001). Tests for heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy, including MR Egger and IVW methods, indicated no significant findings (p-values 0.616 and 0.637, respectively, for heterogeneity; p = 0.463 for pleiotropy). Furthermore, no reverse causation was observed between anxiety and narcolepsy (odds ratio 1.034, 95% CI: 0.992-1.078, p = 0.111), with consistent findings across various analytical approaches. CONCLUSION: This research suggests a possible causal link between narcolepsy and anxiety disorders. The results illuminate this connection and advocate additional studies to elucidate the mechanisms involved and to identify effective interventions.

Correction: Promoter-regulated in vivo asymmetric self-assembly strategy to synthesize heterogeneous nanoparticles for signal amplification.

Correction for 'Promoter-regulated in vivo asymmetric self-assembly strategy to synthesize heterogeneous nanoparticles for signal amplification' by Chen Chen et al., Nanoscale, 2022, 14, 16180-16184, https://doi.org/10.1039/D2NR04661J.

PSEENet: A pseudo-siamese neural network incorporating electroencephalography and electrooculography characteristics for heterogeneous sleep staging.

Sleep staging plays a critical role in evaluating the quality of sleep. Currently, most studies are either suffering from dramatic performance drops when coping with varying input modalities or unable to handle heterogeneous signals. To handle heterogeneous signals and guarantee favorable sleep staging performance when a single modality is available, a pseudo-siamese neural network (PSN) to incorporate electroencephalography (EEG), electrooculography (EOG) characteristics is proposed (PSEENet). PSEENet consists of two parts, spatial mapping modules (SMMs) and a weight-shared classifier. SMMs are used to extract high-dimensional features. Meanwhile, joint linkages among multi-modalities are provided by quantifying the similarity of features. Finally, with the cooperation of heterogeneous characteristics, associations within various sleep stages can be established by the classifier. The evaluation of the model is validated on two public datasets, namely, Montreal Archive of Sleep Studies (MASS) and SleepEDFX, and one clinical dataset from Huashan Hospital of Fudan University (HSFU). Experimental results show that the model can handle heterogeneous signals, provide superior results under multimodal signals and show good performance with single modality. PSEENet obtains accuracy of 79.1%, 82.1% with EEG, EEG and EOG on Sleep-EDFX, and significantly improves the accuracy with EOG from 73.7% to 76% by introducing similarity information.

Associations between socioeconomic status and rates of blood pressure changes among Chinese older adults: a longitudinal community-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: The relationships between socioeconomic status (SES) and blood pressure changes among older adults in China remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the associations between SES and rates of blood pressure changes among Chinese older adults. STUDY DESIGN: Community-based, prospective, longitudinal cohort study. METHODS: This study included 13,541 participants aged ≥65 years from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey between 2002 and 2018. SES was assessed by educational level, occupation, household yearly per capita income, and financial support. The estimated annual changes (EACs) of blood pressure were computed as the difference in blood pressure levels between any two adjacent surveys divided by the time interval. Associations between SES and EACs of blood pressure were evaluated using generalised estimating equations. RESULTS: Lower SES was significantly associated with greater annual increases of blood pressure among Chinese older adults. The effect of SES on EACs of blood pressure was more pronounced among non-hypertensive participants. Compared to EACs among non-hypertensive participants with high SES, multivariable-adjusted EACs among those with low SES increased by 0.57 mmHg (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.16, 0.99), 0.32 mmHg (95% CI: 0.07, 0.57), and 0.40 mmHg (95% CI: 0.13, 0.66) for systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and mean arterial pressure, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed strong associations between SES and EACs of blood pressure among Chinese older adults, especially in the non-hypertensive population. Findings suggest that prevention strategies for hypertension should pay more attention to the older population with low SES.

Penifuranone A: A Novel Alkaloid from the Mangrove Endophytic Fungus Penicillium crustosum SCNU-F0006.

One previously undescribed alkaloid, named penifuranone A (1), and three known compounds (2-4) were isolated from the mangrove endophytic fungus Penicillium crustosum SCNU-F0006. The structure of the new alkaloid (1) was elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic data analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Four natural isolates and one new synthetic derivative of penifuranone A, compound 1a, were screened for their antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. Bioassays revealed that penifuranone A (1) exhibited strong anti-inflammatory activity in vitro by inhibiting nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide-activated RAW264.7 cells with an IC50 value of 42.2 µM. The docking study revealed that compound 1 exhibited an ideal fit within the active site of the murine inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), establishing characteristic hydrogen bonds.