Association of serum interleukin-2 with severity and prognosis in hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia: a prospective cohort study.

The prior studies have shown that interleukin-2 (IL-2) exerts important roles in the pathological and physiological processes of lung diseases. However, the role of IL-2 in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is still uncertain. Through a prospective cohort study, our research will explore the correlations between serum IL-2 levels and the severity and prognosis in CAP patients. There were 267 CAP patients included. Blood samples were obtained. Serum IL-2 were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Demographic traits and clinical characteristics were extracted. Serum IL-2 were gradually elevated with increasing severity scores in CAP patients. Correlation analyses revealed that serum IL-2 were connected with physiological parameters including liver and renal function in CAP patients. According to a logistic regression analysis, serum IL-2 were positively correlated with CAP severity scores. We also tracked the prognostic outcomes of CAP patients. The increased risks of adversely prognostic outcomes, including mechanical ventilation, vasoactive agent usage, ICU admission, death, and longer hospital length, were associated with higher levels of IL-2 at admission. Serum IL-2 at admission were positively associated with severe conditions and poor prognosis among CAP patients, indicated that IL-2 may involve in the initiation and development of CAP. As a result, serum IL-2 may be an available biomarker to guide clinicians in assessing the severity and determining the prognosis of CAP.

Prevalence of subthreshold depression and its related factors in Chinese college students: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of subthreshold depression among Chinese college students and to explore the related factors. Methods: The research subjects were Chinese college students participating in the "2022 Psychology and Behavior Investigation of Chinese Residents (PBICR-2022)". Data on respondents' general characteristics, quality of life, perceived pressure, family communication, perceived social support, self-efficacy, and depression status were gathered. To investigate the association between each variable and the risk of subthreshold depression, statistical analyses, including chi-square tests and rank sum tests were conducted. Furthermore, a binary stepwise logistic regression was employed to establish the regression model of the factors related to subthreshold depression among Chinese college students. Results: A prevalence of subthreshold depression of about 39.7 % was found among the 8934 respondents. Logistic regression analysis revealed that respondents who are female, have chronic diseases, are in debt, experience significant impacts from epidemic control policies, have lower self-assessed quality of life, experience challenges in family communication, perceive lower social support, have lower self-efficacy, and feel higher perceived pressure are more likely to develop subthreshold depression compared to the control group. (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence rate of subthreshold depression among Chinese college students was found to be approximately 40 %. Female college students suffering from chronic diseases, with households in debt, greatly impacted by epidemic control policies, and experiencing high perceived stress, may be at risk for subthreshold depression among Chinese college students. On the other hand, strong family communication, perceived social support, and self-efficacy were identified as potential protective factors. In order to facilitate timely screening, diagnosis, and treatment of subthreshold depression in Chinese college students, it is crucial for the government, local communities, colleges, and families to prioritize the mental health of college students and implement targeted measures accordingly.

Rapid discrimination of Alismatis Rhizoma and quantitative analysis of triterpenoids based on near-infrared spectroscopy.

This study developed a rapid, accurate, objective and economic method to identify and evaluate the quality of Alismatis Rhizoma (AR) commodities. Traditionally, the identification of plant species and geographical origins of AR commodities mainly relied on experienced staff. However, the subjectivity and inaccuracy of human identification negatively impacted the trade of AR. Besides, liquid chromatographic methods such as ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), the major approach for the determination of triterpenoid contents in AR was time-consuming, expensive, and highly demanded in manoeuvre specialists. In this study, the combination of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and chemometrics as the method was developed and utilised to address the two common issues of identifying the quality of AR commodities. Through the discriminant analysis (DA), the raw NIR spectroscopy data on 119 batches samples from two species and four origins in China were processed to the best pre-processed data. Subsequently, orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and random forest (RF) as the major chemometrics were used to analyse the best pre-processed data. The accuracy rates by OPLS-DA and RF were respectively 100% and 97.2% for the two species of AR, and respectively100% and 94.4% for the four origins of AR. Meanwhile, a quantitative correction model was established to rapidly and economically predict the seven triterpenoid contents of AR through combining the partial least squares (PLS) method and NIR spectroscopy, and taking the triterpenoid contents measured by UPLC as the reference value, and carry out spectral pre-processing methods and band selection. The final quantitative model correlation coefficients of the seven triterpenoid contents of AR ranged from 0.9000 to 0.9999, indicating that prediction ability of this model had good stability and applicability.

Anti-adipogenesis and anti-obesity potential of alliin mediated by modulating glycolipid metabolism via activating PPARγ signaling.

Garlic exhibits hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, and cardiovascular benefits. The inconsistent results of garlic preparations on adipogenesis have caused more confusion in the public and academia. The compounds responsible for the anti-adipogenesis effect of garlic remain unknown. The present study aimed to verify the real anti-adipogenesis and anti-obesity component in garlic and explored its possible effects in metabolic syndrome. We verified the real anti-adipogenesis and anti-obesity components of garlic in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and a 10-week-high fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. In vitro, two water-soluble and four typical lipid-soluble compounds of garlic were tested for their anti-adipogenesis. Then, the water-soluble compound, alliin, and two processing methods produced garlic oils, were evaluated in vivo study. Mice received oral administration of alliin (25 mg/kg) and garlic oils (15 mg/kg) daily for 8 weeks. Serum lipids, parameters of obesity, and indicators involved in regulating glycolipid metabolism were examined. Our findings confirmed that both water-soluble and lipid-soluble organosulfur compounds of garlic contributed to garlic's anti-adipogenesis effect, in which water-soluble sulfides, especially alliin, exhibited greater potency. Alliin possessed potent effects of anti-obesity and improvement in glucose and lipid metabolism in HFD-induced obese mice. Alliin mediated these effects partly attributed to its modulation of enzymatic activities within glycolipid metabolism and activating PPARγ signaling pathway. In contrast to odorous lipid-soluble sulfides, alliin is odorless, stable, and safe, and is an ideal nutraceutical or even medicinal candidates for the treatment of metabolic diseases. Alliin could be used to standardize the quality of garlic products.

Throat microbiota drives alterations in pulmonary alveolar microbiota in patients with septic ARDS.

OBJECTIVES: The translocation of intestinal flora has been linked to the colonization of diverse and heavy lower respiratory flora in patients with septic ARDS, and is considered a critical prognostic factor for patients. METHODS: On the first and third days of ICU admission, BALF, throat swab, and anal swab were collected, resulting in a total of 288 samples. These samples were analyzed using 16S rRNA analysis and the traceability analysis of new generation technology. RESULTS: On the first day, among the top five microbiota species in abundance, four species were found to be identical in BALF and throat samples. Similarly, on the third day, three microbiota species were found to be identical in abundance in both BALF and throat samples. On the first day, 85.16% of microorganisms originated from the throat, 5.79% from the intestines, and 9.05% were unknown. On the third day, 83.52% of microorganisms came from the throat, 4.67% from the intestines, and 11.81% were unknown. Additionally, when regrouping the 46 patients, the results revealed a significant predominance of throat microorganisms in BALF on both the first and third day. Furthermore, as the disease progressed, the proportion of intestinal flora in BALF increased in patients with enterogenic ARDS. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with septic ARDS, the main source of lung microbiota is primarily from the throat. Furthermore, the dynamic trend of the microbiota on the first and third day is essentially consistent.It is important to note that the origin of the intestinal flora does not exclude the possibility of its origin from the throat.

Role of regulatory T cells in mouse lung development.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) constitute a specialized subset of T cells with dual immunoregulatory and modulatory functions. Recent studies have reported that Tregs mediate immune responses and regulate the development and repair processes in non-lymphoid tissues, including bone and cardiac muscle. Additionally, Tregs facilitate the repair and regeneration of damaged lung tissues. However, limited studies have examined the role of Tregs in pulmonary development. This study aimed to evaluate the role of Tregs in pulmonary development by investigating the dynamic alterations in Tregs and their hallmark cellular factor Forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) at various stages of murine lung development and establishing a murine model of anti-CD25 antibody-induced Treg depletion. During the early stages of murine lung development, especially the canalicular and saccular stages, the levels of Treg abundance and expression of Foxp3 and transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) were upregulated. This coincided with the proliferation period of alveolar epithelial cells and vascular endothelial cells, indicating an adaptation to the dynamic lung developmental processes. Furthermore, the depletion of Tregs disrupted lung tissue morphology and downregulated lung development-related factors, such as surfactant protein C (SFTPC), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM1/CD31). These findings suggest that Tregs promote murine lung development.

Community responses of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi to hydrological gradients in a riparian Phragmites australis wetland.

The hydrological regime is considered to be the major factor that affects the distribution of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) fungi in wetlands. We aimed to investigate the responses of AM fungal community to different hydrological gradients. Illumina Miseq sequencing technology was used to study the AM fungal community structure in roots and rhizosphere soils of Phragmites australis in different moisture areas (dry area, alternating wet and dry area, and flooded area) in Mengjin Yellow River wetland. The rhizosphere soils and roots hosted different AM fungal communities. In roots, the AM fungal colonization and Chao1 richness in dry area were significantly higher than that in alternating wet and dry area and flooded area, but the community composition did not vary clearly under different water conditions. In rhizosphere soils, the Chao1 richness of AM fungi in flooded area was significantly higher than that in alternating wet and dry area and dry area, and the AM fungal community structure obviously differed across different areas. The redundancy analyses indicated that changes in the AM fungal community in soils were associated with altered soil properties, and the abundance of the dominant genus Glomus was mostly positively correlated with alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen in soils. This study helps us to understand the responses of AM fungal community to hydrological gradients in wetlands.

Trends in the 30-year span of noninfectious cardiovascular implantable electronic device complications in Olmsted County.

Background: Cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), such as permanent pacemakers, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, and cardiac resynchronization therapy devices, alleviate morbidity and mortality in various diseases. There is a paucity of real-world data on CIED complications and trends. Objectives: We sought to describe trends in noninfectious CIED complications over the past 3 decades in Olmsted County. Methods: The Rochester Epidemiology Project is a medical records linkage system comprising records of over 500,000 residents of Olmsted County from 1966 to present. CIED implantations between 1988 and 2018 were determined. Trends in noninfectious complications within 30 days of implantation were analyzed. Results: A total of 157 (6.2%) of 2536 patients who received CIED experienced device complications. A total of 2.7% of the implants had major complications requiring intervention. Lead dislodgement was the most common (2.8%), followed by hematoma (1.7%). Complications went up from 1988 to 2005, and then showed a downtrend until 2018, driven by a decline in hematomas in the last decade (P < .01). Those with complications were more likely to have prosthetic valves. Obesity appeared to have a protective effect in a multivariate regression model. The mean Charlson comorbidity index has trended up over the 30 years. Conclusion: Our study describes a real-world trend of CIED complications over 3 decades. Lead dislodgements and hematomas were the most common complications. Complications have declined over the last decade due to safer practices and a better understanding of anticoagulant management.

Methylomonas defluvii sp. nov., a type I methane-oxidizing bacterium from a secondary sedimentation tank of a wastewater treatment plant.

An aerobic methanotroph was isolated from a secondary sedimentation tank of a wastewater treatment plant and designated strain OY6T. Cells of OY6T were Gram-stain-negative, pink-pigmented, motile rods and contained an intracytoplasmic membrane structure typical of type I methanotrophs. OY6T could grow at a pH range of 4.5-7.5 (optimum pH 6.5) and at temperatures ranging from 20 °C to 37 °C (optimum 30 °C). The major cellular fatty acids were C14 : 0, C16 : 1ω7c/C16 : 1ω6c and C16 : 1ω5c; the predominant respiratory quinone was MQ-8. The genome size was 5.41 Mbp with a DNA G+C content of 51.7 mol%. OY6T represents a member of the family Methylococcaceae of the class Gammaproteobacteria and displayed 95.74-99.64 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to the type strains of species of the genus Methylomonas. Whole-genome comparisons based on average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridisation (dDDH) confirmed that OY6T should be classified as representing a novel species. The most closely related type strain was Methylomonas fluvii EbBT, with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, ANI by blast (ANIb), ANI by MUMmer (ANIm) and dDDH values of 99.64, 90.46, 91.92 and 44.5 %, respectively. OY6T possessed genes encoding both the particulate methane monooxygenase enzyme and the soluble methane monooxygenase enzyme. It grew only on methane or methanol as carbon sources. On the basis of phenotypic, genetic and phylogenetic data, strain OY6T represents a novel species within the genus Methylomonas for which the name Methylomonas defluvii sp. nov. is proposed, with strain OY6T (=GDMCC 1.4114T=KCTC 8159T=LMG 33371T) as the type strain.

Right ventricular volume and function by three-dimensional echocardiography: results of the echocardiographic measurements in normal Chinese adults (EMINCA) II.

Three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography is an emerging technique for assessing right ventricular (RV) volume and function, but 3D-RV normal values from a large Chinese population are still lacking. The aim of the present study was to establish normal values of 3D-RV volume and function in healthy Chinese volunteers. A total of 1117 Han Chinese volunteers from 28 laboratories in 20 provinces of China were enrolled, and 3D-RV images of 747 volunteers with optimal image quality were ultimately analyzed by a core laboratory. Both vendor-dependent and vendor-independent software platforms were used to analyze the 3D-RV images. We found that men had larger RV volumes than women did in the whole population, even after indexing to body surface area, and older individuals had smaller RV volumes. The normal RV volume was significantly smaller than that recommended by the American Society of Echocardiography/European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging guidelines in both sexes. There were significant differences in 3D-RV measurements between the two vendor ultrasound systems and the different software platforms. The echocardiographic measurements in normal Chinese adults II study revealed normal 3D-RV volume and function in a large Chinese population, and there were significant differences between the sexes, ages, races, and vendor groups. Thus, normal 3D-RV values should be stratified by sex, age, race, and vendor.

Application of targeted liposomes-based salvianolic acid A for the treatment of ischemic stroke.

Novel therapeutics for the treatment of ischemic stroke remains to be the unmet clinical needs. Previous studies have indicated that salvianolic acid A (SAA) is a promising candidate for the treatment of the brain diseases. However, SAA has poor absolute bioavailability and does not efficiently cross the intact blood-brain barrier (BBB), which limit its efficacy. To this end we developed a brain-targeted liposomes for transporting SAA via the BBB by incorporating the liposomes to a transport receptor, insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF1R). The liposomes were prepared by ammonium sulfate gradients loading method. The prepared SAA-loaded liposomes (Lipo/SAA) were modified with IGF1R monoclonal antibody to generate IGF1R antibody-conjugated Lipo/SAA (IGF1R-targeted Lipo/SAA). The penetration of IGF1R-targeted Lipo/SAA into the brain was confirmed by labeling with Texas Red, and their efficacy were evaluate using middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model. The results showed that IGF1R-targeted Lipo/SAA are capable of transporting SAA across the BBB into the brain, accumulation in brain tissue, and sustained releasing SAA for several hours. Administration o IGF1R-targeted Lipo/SAA notably reduced infarct size and neuronal damage, improved neurological function and inhibited cerebral inflammation, which had much higher efficiency than no-targeted SAA.

Endoscopic resection for calcifying fibrous tumors of the gastrointestinal tract.

BACKGROUND: Calcifying fibrous tumors (CFTs) are rare mesenchymal lesions that can occur in various sites throughout the body, including the tubular gastrointestinal (GI) tract. AIM: To analyze the clinical findings of 36 patients with GI tract CFTs to provide guidance for diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: This retrospective study included 36 patients diagnosed with CFTs of the GI tract. We collected demographic and clinical information and conducted regular follow-ups to assess for local recurrence. RESULTS: The stomach was the most commonly involved site, accounting for 72.2% of the 36 CFTs. Endoscopic mucosal resection (n = 1, 2.8%), endoscopic submucosal dissection (n = 14, 38.9%), endoscopic full-thickness resection (n = 16, 44.4%), and submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection (n = 5, 13.9%) were used to resect calcifying fibrous tumors. Overall, 34 (94.4%) CFTs underwent complete endoscopic resections with a mean procedure time of 39.8 ± 29.8 min. The average maximum diameter of the tumors was 10.6 ± 4.3 cm. No complications, such as bleeding or perforation, occurred during an average hospital stay of 2.9 ± 1.2 d. In addition, two patients developed new growth of CFTs near the primary tumor sites, and none of the patients developed distant metastases during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: GI tract CFTs are rare and typically benign tumors that can be effectively managed with endoscopic procedures.

Steroidal Saponins from Water Eggplant (Fruits of Solanum torvum) Exhibit Anti-Epileptic Activity against Pentylenetetrazole-Induced Seizure Model in Zebrafish.

The fruits of Solanum torvum Swartz, a wild relative of eggplant, are consumed as a wild vegetable in tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and South America. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is believed to have anti-inflammatory and sedative effects. In the Philippines, water decoction is used to treat hyperactivity disorder. Twenty-two steroidal saponins were isolated and purified from the fruits grown in Yunnan, China, including six new compounds: torvosides U-Z (1-6). During drying and cooking, the saponins may undergo transformation, resulting in small amounts of sapogenins. These transformations can include dehydration of hydroxyl groups at position C22, formation of double bonds at position 20, 22 or 22, 23, and even formation of peroxide products. Saponin compounds torvoside X (4), torvoside Y (5), torvoside A (7), and (25S)-3-oxo-5α-spirostan-6α-yl-O-ß-d-xylopyranoside (20), which are glycosylated at C-6, showed certain anti-epileptic activity in a pentylenetetrazole-induced zebrafish seizure model. No antiproliferative activity was detected when tested on the cancer cell line HepG2, and no hepatotoxic effect was noted on normal liver cell line LO2.

[Characteristics and Mechanism of Cd Release and Transport in Soil Contaminated with PE-Cd].

Microplastics （MPs） are a type of emerging contaminants that pose a potential threat to global terrestrial ecosystems. The accumulation of MPs in soil inevitably affects soil physical and chemical properties， both directly and indirectly. Additionally， owing to their small size and surface features， MPs have excellent sorption capacity for both organic and inorganic materials， thus affecting their fate in the environment. However， the influence of MPs on heavy metal sorption and transport in soil is still not fully understood. In this study， polyethylene （PE） and Cd were selected as research objects， and on the basis of clarifying the adsorption mechanism of Cd on PE MPs， the effects of PE concentration and particle size on Cd release and transport behavior in soil under different ionic strengths and types （Ca2+ and Na+） were studied using column leaching experiments. The results of the batch experiments showed that the adsorption capacity of PE MPs for Cd2+ decreased with the increase in particle size. Scanning electron microscopy （SEM）， Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy （FTIR）， and Zeta potential were used to analyze the properties of PE MPs and adsorption behavior of Cd2+ onto MPs. The adsorption was mainly a physical process and was controlled by intra-particle diffusion. The adsorption kinetics could be described well by the quasi-second-order kinetics and Webber-Morris model. The adsorption isotherm conformed to the Langmuir model， indicating monolayer adsorption. The results of leaching experiments showed that the effect of PE MPs on Cd release and transport in soil was related to the CaCl2 concentration. At high ionic strength （0.05 mol·L-1 and 0.1 mol·L-1）， PE promoted the transport of Cd. The effluent concentration of Cd2+ increased from 6.48 mg·L-1 and 16.79 mg·L-1 to 7.12 mg·L-1 and 23.45 mg·L-1， whereas at low ionic strength （0.01 mol·L-1）， Cd transport was inhibited by PE MPs， and the effluent concentration of Cd2+ decreased from 0.66 mg·L-1 to 0.57 mg·L-1. The larger the amount of PE added， the more significant the promoting or inhibiting effect. Additionally， the release and transport of Cd in soil were also affected by the MPs particle size and concentration. When the addition amount was small （1%， 4%）， the large-sized MPs were more conducive to the transport of Cd in soil. When the addition amount was large （7%， 20%）， MPs with small particle sizes promoted Cd2+ transport more significantly. When the leaching solution used was NaCl， soil permeability decreased significantly. PE MPs had no significant effect on Cd release and transport but changed the stability of soil aggregates. In conclusion， PE MPs could change the release and transport behavior of Cd in soil， and the impact results were not only related to the particle size and content of MPs but were also influenced by the chemical properties of the soil solution.

[Risk Factors of Late-Onset Hemorrhagic Cystitis after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation].

To analyze the risk factors for late-onset hemorrhagic cystitis (LOHC) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), the risk factors for the progression of LOHC to severe LOHC, and the effect of LOHC on survival. METHODS: The clinical data of 300 patients who underwent allo-HSCT at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 2015 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The relevant clinical parameters that may affect the occurance of LOHC after allo-HSCT were selected for univariate and multivariate analysis. Then, the differences in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) between different groups were analyzed. RESULTS: The results of multivariate analysis showed that the independent risk factors for LOHC after allo-HSCT were as follows: age≤45 years old (P =0.039), intensified conditioning regimen with fludarabine/cladribine and cytarabine (P =0.002), albumin≤30 g/L on d30 after transplantation (P =0.007), CMV-DNA positive (P =0.028), fungal infection before transplantation (P =0.026), and the occurrence of grade Ⅱ - Ⅳ aGVHD (P =0.006). In the transplant patients who have already developed LOHC, the occurance of LOHC within 32 days after transplantation (P =0.008) and albumin≤30 g/L on d30 after transplantation (P =0.032) were independent risk factors for the progression to severe LOHC. The OS rate of patients with severe LOHC was significantly lower than that of patients without LOHC (P =0.041). CONCLUSION: For the patients aged≤45 years old and with intensified conditioning regimen, it is necessary to be vigilant about the occurrence of LOHC; For the patients with earlier occurrence of LOHC, it is necessary to be vigilant that it develops into severe LOHC. Early prevention and treatment of LOHC are essential. Regular monitoring of CMV-DNA and albumin levels, highly effective antiviral and antifungal therapies, and prevention of aGVHD are effective measures to prevent the occurrence and development of LOHC.

Temperature-Dependent Separation of CO2 from Light Hydrocarbons in a Porous Self-Assembly of Vertexes Sharing Octahedra.

Design of flexible porous materials where the diffusion of guest molecules is regulated by the dynamics of contracted pore aperture is challenging. Here, a flexible porous self-assembly consisting of 1D channels with dynamic bottleneck gates is reported. The dynamic pendant naphthimidazolylmethyl moieties at the channel necks provide kinetic gate function, that enables unusual adsorption for light hydrocarbons. The adsorption for CO2 is mainly dominated by thermodynamics with the uptakes decreasing with increasing temperature, whereas the adsorptions for larger hydrocarbons are controlled by both thermodynamics and kinetics resulting in an uptake maximum at a temperature threshold. Such an unusual adsorption enables temperature-dependent separation of CO2 from the corresponding hydrocarbons.

Left ventricular global longitudinal strain using a novel fully automated method: A head-to-head comparison with a manual layer-specific strain and establishment of normal reference ranges.

BACKGROUND: A novel automated method for measuring left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain (GLS) along the endocardium has advantages in terms of its rapid application and excellent reproducibility. However, it remains unclear whether the available normal range for conventional GLS using the manual method is applicable to the automated GLS method. This study aimed to compare automated GLS head-to-head with manual layer-specific GLS, and to identify whether a specialized normal reference range for automated GLS is needed and explore the main determinants. METHODS: In total, 1683 healthy volunteers (men, 43%; age, 18-80 years) were prospectively enrolled from 55 collaborating laboratories. LV GLS was measured using both manual layer-specific and automated methods. RESULTS: Automated GLS was higher than endocardial, mid-myocardial, and epicardial GLS. Women had a higher automated GLS than men. GLS had no significant age dependency in men, but first increased and then decreased with age in women. Accordingly, sex- and age-specific normal ranges for automated GLS were proposed. Moreover, GLS appeared to have different burdens in relation to dominant determinants between the sexes. GLS in men showed no dominant determinants; however, GLS in women correlated with age, body mass index, and heart rate. CONCLUSIONS: Using the novel automated method, was LV GLS higher than when using the manual GLS method. The normal ranges of automated GLS stratified according to sex and age were provided, with dominant determinants showing sex disparities that require full consideration in clinical practice.

Methyl jasmonate regulation of pectin polysaccharides in Cosmos bipinnatus roots: A mechanistic insight into alleviating cadmium toxicity.

Methyl jasmonate (MeJA), a crucial phytohormone, which plays an important role in resistance to Cadmium (Cd) stress. The cell wall (CW) of root system is the main location of Cd and plays a key role in resistance to Cd toxicity. However, the mechanism effect of MeJA on the CW composition and Cd accumulation remain unclear. In this study, the contribution of MeJA in regulating CW structure, pectin composition and Cd accumulation was investigated in Cosmos bipinnatus. Phenotypic results affirm MeJA's significant role in reducing Cd-induced toxicity in C. bipinnatus. Notably, MeJA exerts a dual impact, reducing Cd uptake in roots while increasing Cd accumulation in the CW, particularly bound to pectin. The molecular structure of pectin, mainly uronic acid (UA), correlates positively with Cd content, consistent in HC1 and cellulose, emphasizing UA as pivotal for Cd binding. Furthermore, MeJA modulates pectin methylesterase (PME) activity under Cd stress, influencing pectin's molecular structure and homogalacturonan (HG) content affecting Cd-binding capacity. Chelate-soluble pectin (CSP) within soluble pectins accumulates a substantial Cd proportion, with MeJA regulating both UA content and the minor component 3-deoxy-oct-2-ulosonic acid (Kdo) in CSP. The study delves into the intricate regulation of pectin monosaccharide composition under Cd stress, revealing insights into the CW's physical defense and Cd binding. In summary, this research provides novel insights into MeJA-specific mechanisms alleviating Cd toxicity in C. bipinnatus, shedding light on complex interactions between MeJA, and Cd accumulation in CW pectin polysaccharide.