In vitro simulated digestion and fermentation characteristics of pectic polysaccharides from fresh passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa L.) peel.

In this study, two pectic polysaccharides (PFP-T and PFP-UM) were extracted from fresh passion fruit peels using three-phase partitioning (TPP) and sequential ultrasound-microwave-assisted TPP methods, respectively, and their effects on the in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and fecal fermentation characteristics were examined. The results indicate that gastrointestinal digestion has a minimal effect on the physicochemical and structural characteristics of PFP-T and PFP-UM. However, during in vitro fecal fermentation, both undigested PFP-T and PFP-UM are significantly degraded and utilized by intestinal microorganisms, showing increased the total relative abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidota in the intestinal flora. Notably, compared with PFP-UM, PFP-T better promoted the reproduction of beneficial bacteria such as Prevotella, Megasphaera and Dialister, while suppressed the growth of harmful genera including Escherichia-Shigella, producing higher content of short-chain fatty acids. Therefore, our findings suggest that PFP-T derived from passion fruit peel has potential as a dietary supplement for promoting intestinal health.

A novel nomogram predicting early neurological deterioration after intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke.

Objectives: Intravenous thrombolysis therapy (IVT) with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator has proven to be a beneficial treatment for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients when administered within 4.5 h after a stroke. This study aimed to investigate an available and inexpensive predictive tool for early neurological deterioration in AIS. Methods: Patients admitted to our department with acute stroke who were given IVT with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator within 4.5 h of stroke onset were included in the study. The NIH stroke scale (NIHSS) was used to assess patients' neurological state prior to IVT and for 24 h after. Early neurological deterioration was defined as occurring if the NIHSS total score increased by ≥ 4 or the NIHSS individual score increased by ≥ 2 compared to baseline. Patients were randomly assigned to training or validation cohorts. Results: Of the 266 AIS patients receiving IVT who were screened, 217 were deemed eligible for the study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified smoking history, NIHSS score, homocysteine level, and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio as independent factors for predicting early neurological deterioration. ROC analysis was used to assess the quality of the resulting nomogram. The AUC for the training dataset was 0.826 (95 % CI, 0.719-0.932), and for the validation dataset was 0.887 (95 % CI, 0.763-1.000). Conclusion: The robustness of this nomogram suggests that it may be a reliable tool for evaluating the progression of AIS after IVT.

Whole genome sequencing of Crassostrea ariakensis (Mollusca: Ostreidae) and C. hongkongensis expands understandings of stress resistance in sessile oysters.

To understand the environmental adaptations among sessile bivalves lacking adaptive immunity, a series of analyses were conducted, with special emphasis on the widely distributed C. ariakensis. Employing Pacbio sequencing and Hi-C technologies, whole genome for each of a C. ariakensis (southern China) and C. hongkongensis individual was generated, with the contig N50 reaching 6.2 and 13.0 Mb, respectively. Each genome harbored over 30,000 protein-coding genes, with approximately half of each genome consisting of repeats. Genome alignment suggested possible introgression between C. gigas and C. ariakensis (northern China), and re-sequencing data corroborated this result and indicated significant gene flow between C. gigas and C. ariakensis. These introgressed candidates, well-represented by genes related to immunity and osmotic pressure, may be associated with environmental stresses. Gene family dynamics modeling suggested immune-related genes were well represented among the expanded genes in C. ariakensis. These outcomes could be attributed to the spread of C. ariakensis.

Psychological Resilience of Chinese College Students: A Cross-Sectional Study after the Deblocking of China's COVID-19 Pandemic Strategy.

Psychological resilience (PR) plays an important role in fortifying mental health during pandemics. This study aimed to examine the PR and its related factors of college students in China after the deblocking of the China's COVID-19 pandemic strategy. A total of 1100 college students from 15 universities participated in this cross-sectional survey by multi-stage stratified sampling. Data were collected by self-designed socio-demographic information, the family function assessment scale (APGAR), a general health questionnaire (GHQ-12), the general self-efficacy scale (GSES), and a psychological resilience scale. The average score of PR was 135.65 ± 18.54. Cluster analysis of PR scores showed that 24.9% of the college students had weak PR. The higher PR, the higher mental health status (r = 0.352, p < 0.05). Females had higher PR than males (OR = 0.550, 95% CI: 0.367-0.827). High self-efficacy was an independent protective factor of high PR (OR = 0.093, 95% CI: 0.059-0.145). Low family contact frequency, poor family function, and bad mental health status were the independent risk factors of high PR. In conclusion, the PR of Chinese college students were insufficient after the deblocking of China's COVID-19 pandemic strategy, indicating an improvement of PR should be put into practice immediately. Frequent monthly contact with family, family function, self-efficacy, mental health status, and gender were the influencing factors of PR, which provides an intervention strategy for the future.

A erythrocyte-platelet hybrid membrane coated biomimetic nanosystem based on ginsenosides and PFH combined with ultrasound for targeted delivery in thrombus therapy.

Thrombus is one of the culprits for global health problems. However, most current antithrombotic drugs are limited by restricted targeting ability and a high risk of systemic bleeding. A hybrid cell membrane-coated biomimetic nanosystem (PM/RM@PLGA@P/R) was constructed in this paper to fulfil the targeted delivery of ginsenoside (Rg1) and perfluorohexane (PFH). Poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) is used as carriers to coat Rg1 and PFH. Thanks to the camouflage of erythrocyte membrane (RM) and platelet membrane (PM), the nanosystem in question possesses remarkable features including immune escape and self-targeting. Therefore, a compact nano-core with PLGA@P/R was formed, with a hybrid membrane covering the surface of the core, forming a "core-shell" structure. With its "core-shell" structure, this nanoparticle fancifully combines the advantages of both PFH (the low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU)-responsive phase-change thrombolysis) and Rg1(the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant abilities). Meanwhile, PM/RM@PLGA@P/R nanoparticles exhibits superior in-vitro performance in terms of ROS scavenging, anticoagulant activity and immune escape compared with those without cell membranes (PLGA@P/R). Furthermore, in the animal experiment in which the tail vein thrombosis model was established by injecting k-carrageenan, the combined treatment of LIFU and PM/RM@PLGA@P/R showed a satisfactory antithrombotic efficiency (88.20 %) and a relatively higher biological safety level. This strategy provides new insights into the development of more effective and safer targeted biomimetic nanomedicines for antithrombotic treatments, possessing potential application in synergistic therapy field.

The Fully Mediating Role of Psychological Resilience between Self-Efficacy and Mental Health: Evidence from the Study of College Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Student populations are susceptible to the COVID-19 pandemic and may easy develop mental health problems related to their immaturity of psychological development and fluctuation of mood. However, little has been known about the effects of the pandemic on college students and the associated influencing factors. This study aimed to explore the role of psychological resilience as a mediator between general self-efficacy and mental health. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 480 Chinese college students from 12 universities in Hunan province of China. The participants responded anonymously to the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), the Chinese version of the Resilience Scale for College Students (RSCS), and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Hierarchical linear regression and structural equation modeling were used in this study. The average of GSES and RSCS scores of college students were 25.00 ± 4.68 and 137.97 ± 15.50, which were at a medium level. The average score for the GHQ-12 was 1.59 ± 1.59, and 22.03% of the college students scored ≥ 3 on the GHQ-12, indicating that they were at risk of developing mental disorders. According to the analyses of mediation effect, psychological resilience played a fully mediating role in the relationship between general self-efficacy and mental health. In conclusion, Chinese college students were at high risk of developing mental disorders during the COVID-19 period. General self-efficacy was positively associated with psychological resilience, and psychological resilience played a fully mediating role in the relationship between general self-efficacy and mental health. Future studies and interventions should aim to promote psychological resilience and general self-efficacy.

Silent information regulator 1 mediates H 2 S-inhibited chronic restraint stress-induced depressive-like behaviors by regulating hippocampal autophagy.

OBJECTIVES: Our previous study has demonstrated that hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), a novel gasotransmitter, attenuates excessive autophagy and depressive-like behaviors in chronic restraint stress (CRS)-exposed rats, but the underlying molecular mechanism remains to be elucidated. Silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1), a deacetylase at the consumption of NAD+ plays an important regulatory role in depression. Hence, this study aimed to investigate whether SIRT1 mediates the protective effect of H 2 S on CRS-induced depressive-like behaviors by regulating hippocampal autophagy. METHODS: Adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were subjected to CRS (6 h × 28 days) to induce depression-like behavior. Rats were injected with sodium hydrosulfate (NaHS, 100 µmol/kg/d, i.p.), as a donor of H 2 S, alone or in combination with Sirtinol (a SIRT1 inhibitor; 10 nmol, i.c.v.) during CRS process. The depression-like characteristics of rats were assessed by the novelty-suppressed feeding test (NSFT), tail suspension test (TST), forced swimming test (FST) and open field test (OFT). The number of hippocampal autophagosomes was detected by transmission electron microscopy. The expressions of hippocampal autophagy-related proteins were measured by western blotting analysis. RESULTS: Sirtinol blocked the inhibitory effect of H 2 S on depressive-like behaviors in CRS-exposed rats according to NSFT, TST, FST and OFT. In addition, sirtinol reversed the protective response of H 2 S to CRS-induced excessive autophagy, as proved by the increases in the number of autophagosomes and the expression of Beclin-1 as well as a decrease in the expression of P62 in the hippocampus. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that SIRT1 contributes to the antidepressant-like function of H 2 S during CRS via reducing hippocampal autophagy.

Mental health resources and its equity in Central South of China: A case study of Hunan Province.

OBJECTIVES: Mental health resources are an important basis for coping with mental health services. The equity is an important index of a reasonable allocation of health resources. This study aims to evaluate the mental health resources and its equity allocation in Hunan Province, which is one of the typical central south areas of China, so as to provide reference for the development of mental health in China and other areas. METHODS: Data related to mental health resources was obtained from the Project of Mental Health Resources in Hunan Province, which was conducted by the Department of Hunan Mental Health Center in 2019. The Gini coefficient, the Theil index and other indicators were employed to quantitatively evaluate the equity of mental health resources' allocation. RESULTS: By the end of 2018, there were a total of 141 mental health institutions in Hunan Province of China, the bed density was 5.31 beds per 10,000 people, the ratio of doctors to nurses was 2.20, the number of outpatients of mental health institutions was 1288,047 per year. The mental health resources' allocation in terms of demographic dimension were in a preferred status with the Gini values all less than 0.3, and the Gini values for mental health resources`allocation in terms of geographical dimension ranged from 0.24 to 0.35. The Theil index for mental health allocation in terms of demographic dimension was lower than 0.05, and the Theil index for mental health allocation in terms of geographical dimension ranged from 0.04 to 0.11. CONCLUSIONS: The shortage of mental health resources is still the priority issue to be increased and optimized by policy-makers in Hunan in the future, especially the human resources. Moreover, the utilization of mental health resources was low though its equity was fair. Policy-makers need to consider the high utilization and geographical accessibility of health resources among different regions to ensure people in different regions could get access to available health services.

Correlation Between Serum ß2-GPI/oxLDL and the Risk of Cerebral Infarction in Patients with T2DM.

Objective: This study aims to study the correlation between serum ß2-glycoprotein I (ß2-GPI)/oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and the risk of cerebral infarction in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Methods: From January 2019 to March 2021, 56 patients with T2DM combined with cerebral infarction were chosen as a diabetic cerebral infarction (DCI) group, and 60 patients with simple T2DM were chosen as a T2DM group. In addition, 60 healthy volunteers were recruited as a control group. The essential information of each group was collected, and the serum ß2-GPI/oxLDL and inflammatory factor levels in each group were compared. The clinical factors that affect the risk of ischemic cerebral infarction in patients with T2DM were analyzed by a logistic model. Results: Compared with the control group, the level of serum ß2-GPI/oxLDL in the T2DM and DCI groups increased significantly, P < 0.001. Compared with the T2DM group, the serum ß2-GPI/oxLDL level in the DCI group increased significantly, P < 0.05. The result of Pearson's correlation analysis showed that serum ß2-GPI/oxLDL was positively correlated with total cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, 2-h postprandial blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (all P's < 0.05). Serum TNF-α and ß2-GPI/oxLDL were independent risk variates for DCI (P < 0.05). Based on the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the values of the area under the curve for TNF-α, serum ß2-GPI/oxLDL, and the combined diagnosis of DCI were 0.653 (0.552-0.753), 0.680 (0.583-0.777), 0.739 (0.647-0.831), respectively. Conclusion: In DCI patients, the levels of serum oxLDL/ß2-GPI are significantly increased. Serum oxLDL/ß2-GPI is an independent risk factor that affects the occurrence of DCI. In addition, the serum ß2-GPI/oxLDL level implicates the lipid metabolism and inflammatory status of the internal environment of DCI patients to a certain extent.

Protective Effects and Therapeutics of Ginsenosides for Improving Endothelial Dysfunction: From Therapeutic Potentials, Pharmaceutical Developments to Clinical Trials.

The endothelium covers the internal lumen of the entire circulatory system and plays an important modulatory role in vascular homeostasis. Endothelium dysfunction, characterized by a vasoconstrictive, pro-inflammatory, and pro-coagulant state, usually manifests as a significant pathological process of vascular diseases, including hypertension, atherosclerosis (AS), stroke, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and cancer. Therefore, there is an urgent necessity to seek promising therapeutic drugs or remedies to ameliorate endothelial dysfunction-induced vascular ailments and complications. Recently, much attention has been attached to ginsenosides, the most significant active components of ginseng, which have always been referred to as "all-healing" and widely used for its extensively medicinal value. Surprisingly, ginsenosides have diverse biological activity which might be related to inflammation, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and angiogenesis. In this review, a brief introduction about endothelial dysfunction and ginsenosides was demonstrated, and the emphasis was put on summarizing multi-faceted pharmacological effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of ginsenosides on the endothelium, including vasorelaxation, anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, and angio-modulation. Beyond that, nanotechnology to improve efficacy and the existing clinical trials of ginsenosides were concluded. Hopefully, our work will give suggestions for promoting clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine, e.g., hypertension, AS, diabetes, ischemic stroke, and cancer. This review provides a comprehensive base of knowledge for ginsenosides to prevention and treatment of vascular injury- related diseases with clinical significance.

Researching on the compliance of epilepsy patients of the Phenobarbital Epilepsy Management Project in a rural area of China: A retrospective study.

ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to explore the compliance of epilepsy patients in the Phenobarbital Epilepsy Management Project in a rural area of China and its influencing factors, so as to provide the basis for further strategies.A retrospective study researching on the compliance of epilepsy patients in the Phenobarbital Epilepsy Management Project of Rural China was conducted. The Nan County, Hunan Province as a typical rural China was selected as the study site. We collected the compliance and other relative factors from 2017 to 2019 though the Phenobarbital Epilepsy Management Project data system.The good compliance patients in the Phenobarbital Epilepsy Management Project in a rural area of China were 98.99% (393/397); only 4 cases had poor compliance. The factors affecting the compliance of epilepsy patients were "adverse reactions of digestive tract symptoms," "how the patient felt physically, mentally, or working and learning ability during this period," and "the ratio of the attack to the previous one."The rate of good compliance among the epilepsy patients in the Phenobarbital Epilepsy Management Project in a rural area of China was high. More attention to education, patients' psychology, and the curative effect of family members may improve the compliance of patients with epilepsy further.

Fish isotopic niches associated with environmental indicators and human disturbance along a disturbed large subtropical river in China.

Stable isotopes are increasingly used to detect and understand the impacts of environmental changes on riverine ecological properties. The δ13C and δ15N signatures of fish with different feeding habits were measured in a large subtropical river to evaluate how fish isotopic niches respond to environmental gradients and human disturbance. From basal resources to fish consumers, the high values of epilithic periphyton (biofilm) δ13C and suspended particulate organic matter δ15N concurrently determined the niche ranges and space (e.g., convex hull area) of fish communities. Along a longitudinal gradient (except in the industrial zone), the number of fish trophic guilds identified by Bayesian ellipses continuously increased; meanwhile, higher trophic diversity and less redundancy were observed near the lower reaches and estuary. Variance inflation factors were estimated to detect the multicollinearity of 40 environmental variables, 14 of which were selected as indicators. Relative importance (RI) analysis was used to evaluate the explanatory power of these indicators for the spatial variation in isotopic niche metrics; the results showed that riffle habitat area, water nitrate concentration, gravel-cobble substrate, and riparian buffer width were the 4 key environmental indicators (average RI > 12%) that determined the longitudinal pattern of fish isotopic niches. These findings suggested that community-level δ13C signatures are more responsive to changes in habitats (e.g., riffle) and substrates (e.g., gravel-cobble) supporting the productivity of autochthonous diatoms while δ15N signatures respond to water quality altered by nitrogen pollution from manure-fertilized farming and poultry livestock effluent. Furthermore, δ15N may be more robust and interpretable than δ13C as an isotopic indicator of ecosystem change in rivers exposed to multiple or complex anthropogenic stressors.

Co-delivery of Sorafenib and CRISPR/Cas9 Based on Targeted Core-Shell Hollow Mesoporous Organosilica Nanoparticles for Synergistic HCC Therapy.

The rapid development of CRISPR/Cas9 systems has opened up tantalizing prospects to sensitize cancers to chemotherapy using efficient targeted genome editing, but safety concerns and possible off-target effects of viral vectors remain a major obstacle for clinical application. Thus, the construction of novel nonviral tumor-targeting nanodelivery systems has great potential for the safe application of CRISPR/Cas9 systems for gene-chemo-combination therapy. Here, we report a polyamidoamine-aptamer-coated hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticle for the co-delivery of sorafenib and CRISPR/Cas9. The core-shell nanoparticles had good stability, enabled ultrahigh drug loading, targeted delivery, and controlled-release of the gene-drug combination. The nanocomplex showed >60% EGFR-editing efficiency without off-target effects in all nine similar sites, regulating the EGFR-PI3K-Akt pathway to inhibit angiogenesis, and exhibited a synergistic effect on cell proliferation. Importantly, the co-delivery nanosystem achieved efficient EGFR gene therapy and caused 85% tumor inhibition in a mouse model. Furthermore, the nanocomplex showed high accumulation at the tumor site in vivo and exhibited good safety with no damage to major organs. Due to these properties, the nanocomplex provides a versatile delivery approach for efficient co-loading of gene-drug combinations, allowing for precise gene editing and synergistic inhibition of tumor growth without apparent side effects on normal tissues.

The effects of ginsenosides on platelet aggregation and vascular intima in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases: From molecular mechanisms to clinical applications.

Thrombosis initiated by abnormal platelet aggregation is a pivotal pathological event that precedes most cases of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Recently, growing evidence indicates that platelet could be a potential target for CVD prevention. However, as the conventional antithrombotic management strategy, applications of current antiplatelet agents are somewhat limited by their various side effects, such as bleeding risk and drug resistance. Hence, efforts have been made to search for agents as complementary therapies. Ginsenoside, the principal active component extracted from Panax ginseng, has gained much attention for its regulations on multiple crucial events of platelet aggregation. From structural characteristics to clinical applications, this review anatomized the intrinsic structure-function relationship of antiplatelet potency of ginsenosides, and the involved signal pathways were specifically summarized. Additionally, the emphasis was placed on clinical studies that investigate the antithrombotic efficacy of ginsenosides in the treatment of CVD. Further, a broad overview of approaches for improving the bioavailability of ginsenosides was concluded. Limitations and prospects of current studies were also discussed. This study may provide some new insights into the systematic understanding of ginsenosides in CVD treatment and lay a foundation for future research.

Stable isotopes reveal effects of natural drivers and anthropogenic pressures on isotopic niches of invertebrate communities in a large subtropical river of China.

Isotopic niches reflect the basic structure and functioning of river food webs; however, their response to riverine environments remains unclear. We used stable isotope analysis and community-wide metrics to quantify how invertebrate niches vary with environmental changes along a large subtropical river in China. Eight niche metrics, which had higher values in the wet than in the dry season, increased from headwaters to the middle river and decreased sharply near the estuarine industrial zones. The δ13C value of > - 23.8‰, which indicated consumption of epilithic diatoms, separated the invertebrates between the upper and mid-lower reaches. The δ15N values > 9.4‰ identified site-specific nitrogen sources from manure (e.g., animal effluent) and domestic sewage in agricultural area. The output of mixing models showed a downstream shift in carbon utilization by invertebrates from autochthonous periphyton and submerged hydrophytes to allochthonous C3 plants. Principle component (PC) and cluster analysis decomposed and grouped 40 environmental variables into 4 PCs that explained 84.5% of the total variance. Hierarchical partitioning revealed that the second and first PCs, which were driven mainly by biological indicators and habitat characteristics, had the highest explanatory power for niche ranges and areas (e.g., Bayesian ellipse), respectively. Our results suggest that reducing anthropogenic pressures (e.g., habitat loss and water pollution) on river ecosystems through measures, such as protecting diatom-dominated biofilms in riffles and controlling nitrogen loading in rural regions, may produce the greatest impact for river management. Graphical abstract.

Association between cigarette smoking and the risk of dysmenorrhea: A meta-analysis of observational studies.

BACKGROUND: Emerging studies have found inconsistent results on the potential relationship between cigarette smoking and dysmenorrhea. Therefore, the aim of this study was to quantitatively synthesize the previous findings on the preceding relationship using meta-analysis. METHODS: Previous studies on the association between cigarette smoking and dysmenorrhea, published not later than November 2019, were systematically searched, using MeSH heading and/or relevant terms, in the electronic databases of PubMed, Medline, Web of Science and EMBASE. The I2 statistic was used to assess heterogeneity, whose source was explored using subgroup analysis. A pooled effect size was obtained using random effects model, and sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the consistency of the pooled effect size. RESULTS: After a rigorous screening process, 24 studies involving 27,091 participants were included in this meta-analysis. The results indicated that smokers were 1.45 times more likely to develop dysmenorrhea than non-smokers (odds ratio (OR) = 1.45, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.30-1.61). In addition, individuals classified as currently smoking were 1.50 times more likely to develop dysmenorrhea than those who were classified as never smoking (OR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.33-1.70), whereas being a former smoker was 1.31 times more likely to develop dysmenorrhea than being a never smoker (OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.18-1.46). Sensitivity analysis showed that exclusion of any single study did not materially alter the overall combined effect. CONCLUSION: The evidence from this meta-analysis indicated a significant association between cigarette smoking (both current and former smoking) and dysmenorrhea. The adverse effects of smoking provide further support for prevention of dysmenorrhea and emphasize the need to target women.

Effect of Exposure to Famine during Early Life on Risk of Metabolic Syndrome in Adulthood: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Emerging studies have explored the association between the famine exposure during early life and the risk of the metabolic syndrome, and the results remain controversial. This meta-analysis was performed to summarize the famine effects on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adulthood. Materials and Methods. We searched the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, ScienceDirect, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure for relevant studies up to December 2019. Pooled odd ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate the effect exposure to famine on MetS using a random-effects model, and the I 2 was used to evaluate the heterogeneity. RESULTS: The analyses included 39 studies from 10 articles with a total of 81504 participants. Fourteen studies from 10 articles for fetal famine exposure, 20 studies from 7 articles for childhood famine exposure, and 5 studies from 3 articles for adolescence/adult famine exposure were included in this meta-analysis. Compared with a nonexposed group, famine exposure significantly increased the risk of MetS for early life famine exposure (OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.18-1.38), fetal famine exposure (OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.14-1.43), and childhood famine exposure (OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.16-1.44). Subgroup analyses showed that the result was consistent regardless of the study designs, definitions of MetS, and causes of famine, with or without adjustment for age, smoking, drinking, and physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis suggests that exposure to famine during early life may increase the risk of MetS in adulthood.

The association between vitamin D deficiency and community-acquired pneumonia: A meta-analysis of observational studies.

Emerging evidence has shown that vitamin D deficiency may be related with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), but individually published studies showed inconclusive results. The aim of this study was to quantitatively summarize the association between vitamin D and the CAP.We conducted this meta-analysis though a systematic literature search of PubMed, Medline, and EMBASE up to 31 September 2018 with the following keywords 'vitamin D' or 'cholecalciferol' or '25-hydroxyvitamin D' or '25(OH)D' in combination with 'community-acquired pneumonia' or 'CAP' or 'pneumonia' with no limitations. This meta-analysis was performed following the guidelines of Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology. The association between vitamin D levels and CAP were measured as odds ratio (OR) and weighted mean difference (WMD). Results were combined using a random-effect or a fix-effect meta-analysis, and sensitivity analyses were conducted to explore potential factors.Eight observational studies involving 20,966 subjects were included. In this meta-analysis, CAP patients with vitamin D deficiency (serum 25(OH)D levels <20 ng/mL) experienced a significantly increased risk of CAP (odds ratio (OR) = 1.64, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.00, 2.67), and an obvious decrease of -5.63 ng/mL (95% CI: -9.11, -2.14) in serum vitamin D was demonstrated in CAP patients. Sensitivity analysis showed that exclusion of any single study did not materially alter the overall combined effect.The evidence from this meta-analysis indicates an association between vitamin D deficiency and an increased risk of CAP patients. However, well-designed trails are required to determine the explicit effect of vitamin D supplementation.

First report of black-heart disease in Kumamoto oyster Crassostrea sikamea spat caused by Polydora lingshuiensis in China.

A black-heart disease caused by polydorid infestation is reported for the first time in Kumamoto oyster Crassostrea sikamea Amemiya, 1928 spat in a pond at Beihai city, Guangxi province, China, with a prevalence of 100% and a cumulative mortality rate of 50% within 2 mo. In heavily infected oyster spat, blisters extended toward the center of the inner shell surface, around the adductor muscle scar area to form a large black area occupying approximately 50% of the area of the inner shell surface. Morphological analysis identified the pathogen as Polydora lingshuiensis Ye et al., 2015, which was reconfirmed by comparison of its corresponding 18S rRNA and mitochondrial CO1 gene sequences with those in the GenBank database. The mean abundance of mud blisters was significantly higher in live spat than in dead spat, suggesting that P. lingshuiensis preferentially infests live oyster spat. Additionally, P. lingshuiensis larvae were detected in the inlet near the dam, which suggests that the source of P. lingshuiensis larvae infecting the spat may be larvae entering the ponds through the water current from the sea.

Redox Recycling-Triggered Peroxidase-Like Activity Enhancement of Bare Gold Nanoparticles for Ultrasensitive Colorimetric Detection of Rare-Earth Ce3+ Ion.

Although it has been demonstrated that rare-earth elements (REEs) disturb and alter the catalytic activity of numerous natural enzymes, their effects on nanomaterial-based artificial enzymes (nanozymes) have been seldom explored. In this work, the influence of REEs on the peroxidase-like activity of bare gold nanoparticles (GNPs) is investigated for the first time, and a new type of Ce3+-activated peroxidase mimetic activity of GNPs is obtained. The introduced Ce3+ can be bound to the bare GNP surface rapidly through electrostatic attraction, after which it donates its electron to the bare GNP. As H2O2 is a good electron scavenger, more •OH radicals are generated on the surfaces of the bare GNPs, which can considerably enhance TMB oxidation. Due to its redox cycling ability, the activation effect of Ce3+ is proved to be more efficient in comparison to those of the other reported metal ion activators (e.g., Bi3+, Hg2+, and Pb2+). In addition, it is determined that Ce3+ should directly contact with the gold core to trigger its activation effect. When the surface states of the bare GNPs are altered, the Ce3+-stimulated effect is strongly inhibited. Furthermore, a novel colorimetric method for Ce3+ is developed, on the basis of its enhancing effect on the peroxidase mimetic activity of bare GNPs. The sensitivity of this newly developed method for Ce3+ is excellent with a limit of detection as low as 2.2 nM. This study not only provides an effective GNP-based peroxidase mimic but also contributes in realizing new applications for nanozymes.