Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell transplantation for the treatment of acute-on-chronic liver failure: protocol for a multicentre random double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a prevalent and life-threatening liver disease with high short-term mortality. Although recent clinical trials on the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for ACLF treatment have shown promising results, multicentre randomised controlled phase II clinical trials remain uncommon. The primary aim of this trial is to assess the safety and efficacy of different MSCs treatment courses for ACLF. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a multicentre, double-blind, two-stage, randomised and placebo-controlled clinical trial. In the first stage, 150 patients with ACLF will be enrolled and randomly assigned to either a control group (50 cases) or an MSCs treatment group (100 cases). They will receive either a placebo or umbilical cord-derived MSCs (UC-MSCs) treatment three times (at weeks 0, 1 and 2). In the second stage, 28 days after the first UC-MSCs infusion, surviving patients in the MSCs treatment group will be further randomly divided into MSCs-short and MSCs-prolonged groups at a 1:1 ratio. They will receive two additional rounds of placebo or UC-MSCs treatment at weeks 4 and 5. The primary endpoints are the transplant-free survival rate and the incidence of treatment-related adverse events. Secondary endpoints include international normalised ratio, total bilirubin, serum albumin, blood urea nitrogen, model for end-stage liver disease score and Child-Turcotte-Pugh score. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval of this study has been obtained from the Fifth Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital (KY-2023-3-19-1). All results of the study will be submitted to international journals and international conferences for publication on completion of the study. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05985863.

In Situ Wire + Powder Synchronous Arc Additive Manufacturing of Ti-Cu Alloys.

In this study, a new wire + powder synchronous arc additive manufacturing technique was used to manufacture Ti-Cu alloys. The microstructure and properties of the as-fabricated alloys were studied. The results showed that the prepared Ti-Cu alloys have good properties. The Cu with high growth restriction factor can increase the constitutional supercooling zone in the Ti-Cu alloys, which can override the negative effect of a high thermal gradient in the manufacturing process. Through the observation of the microstructure, the as-printed Ti-Cu alloy specimens have equiaxed fine-grained microstructure. Through corrosion performance analysis, the Cu can also make the passivation film of the alloy more compact and make the alloy more corrosion resistant.

Construction of built-in correction photoelectrochemical sensing platform for diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

The occurrence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is strongly associated with the progressive aggregation of a 42-amino-acid fragment derived from the amyloid-ß precursor protein (Aß1-42). Therefore, it is crucial to establish a versatile platform that can effectively detect Aß1-42 to aid in the early-stage preclinical diagnosis of AD. Herein, we introduce a specialized split-type analytical platform that enables sensitive and accurate monitoring of Aß1-42 based on a self-corrected photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensing system. To realize this design, gelatinized Ti3C2@Bi2WO6 Schottky heterojunctions were prepared and served as photoelectrodes for tackling the photoinduced charge carriers. Functionalized CaCO3@CuO2 nanocomposites were used as signal converters to detect Aß1-42 and amplify the signal further. Benefiting from the glucose oxidation induced acid microenvironment and H2O2 output, the nanocomposites are able to rapidly decompose, producing Ca2+ and Fenton-like catalyst Cu2+. The Cu2+-driven Fenton-like reaction generated ·OH, which accelerated the 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) oxidation. Additionally, Ca2+ was cross-linked with alginate inducing gelation on the surface of Ti3C2@Bi2WO6 Schottky heterojunctions, influencing mass transfer and light absorption. Eventually results in the shift of photocurrent, allowing for precise quantification with a detection limit of 0.06 pg mL-1. The combination of colorimetric variation and the photoelectric effect provide a more accurate and reliable result. This research opens up new possibilities for constructing PEC platforms and beyond.

Incidence, prevalence, and mortality of schizophrenia from 2016 to 2020 in Shandong, China.

The epidemiology of schizophrenia has been reported in many countries. However, due to the limitations of those studies, the findings cannot be generalized to other parts of the world, especially in China. In this study, the incidence, prevalence, and mortality of schizophrenia in Shandong, China were calculated using data from the National Severe Mental Disorder Registration System collected between 2016 and 2020 and census data from 2010 to 2020. The overall incidence decreased from 9.61 per 100,000 in 2016 to 4.40 per 100,000 in 2020, the aggregate prevalence was approximately 3.20 per 1000, and the overall mortality ranged from 6.17 per 100,000 to 7.71 per 100,000. The evidence from this study indicated that the incidence, prevalence, and mortality of schizophrenia were higher in rural areas than in urban areas. Females had higher incidence, prevalence, and mortality than males. This study provided epidemiological information on schizophrenia and opened avenues for future research.

Insights into Chemical Bonds for Eliminating the Depletion Region and Accelerating the Photo-Induced Charge Efficient Separation toward Ultrasensitive Photoelectrochemical Sensing.

The empty-space-induced depletion region in photoelectrodes severely exacerbates the recombination of electron-hole pairs, thereby reducing the photoelectrochemical (PEC) analytical performance. Herein, the chemical bond that can suppress the potential barrier and overcome the high energy barrier of out-of-plane Ohmic or Schottky contact is introduced into the PEC sensor to eliminate the depletion region and dramatically promote the separation of electron-hole pairs. Specifically, three-dimensional (3D) hierarchically wheatear-like TiO2 (HWT) nanostructures featuring a large surface area to absorb incident light are crafted as the substrate. The facile carbonized strategy is further employed to engineer the Ti-C chemical bond, serving as the touchstone. The average PL lifetime of HWT-C (4.14 ns) is much shorter than that of the 3D HWT (8.57 ns) due to the promoting effect of the chemically bonded structure on carrier separation. Consequently, the 3D HWT-C covalent photoelectrode (600 µA/cm2) exhibits a 3.6-fold increase in photocurrent density compared with the 3D HWT (167 µA/cm2). Ultimately, the model analyte of the tumor marker is detected, and the linear range is 0.02 ng/mL-100 ng/mL with a detection limitation of 0.007 ng/mL. This work provides a basic understanding of chemical bonds in tuning charge separation and insights on strategies for designing high-performance PEC sensors.

DNAzyme-Mediated Biodeposition Coupling Adjustable Cascade Electric Fields for Photoelectrochemical Telomerase Activity Monitoring.

Telomerase, as a specialized reverse transcriptase, plays a vital role in early cancer diagnostics and prognosis; thus, developing efficient sensing technologies is of vital importance. Herein, an innovative "signal-on-off" photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensing platform was developed for ultrasensitive evaluation of telomerase activity based on an electron-transfer tunneling distance regulation strategy and DNAzyme-triggerable biocatalytic precipitation. Concretely, cascade internal electric fields between CuInS2 quantum dots (QDs), graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (g-C3N4 NSs), and TiO2 nanorod arrays (NRAs) were developed to realize cascade electron extraction and hole transfer. Enabled by such a design, an effective "signal-on" state to gain a progressively enhanced PEC output was designed by suppressing the photogenerated electron-hole pair recombination. With the introduction of hairpin probe H2 and the subsequent extension of the primer sequence driven by the target telomerase, the CuInS2 QDs labeled with hairpin probe H1 were programmatically unfolded, resulting in CuInS2 QDs' close proximity to the working electrode away from the cascade interface, accompanied by the formation of G-quadruplex/hemin complexes. The gradual undermining of tunneling distance and implantation of DNAzyme-initiating biocatalytic precipitation tremendously induced the sluggish migration kinetics of the photoinduced charge, accompanied by the photocurrent intensity decrement, leading to the "signal-off" state. Under optimized conditions, the as-prepared PEC biosensor realizes ultrasensitive detection of telomerase activity from 10 to 105 cell·mL-1 with a detection limitation of 3 cells·mL-1. As a proof of concept, this well-designed method provides new insights into signal amplification for telomerase activity evaluation and also presents promising potential for further development in drug screening, healthcare diagnostics, and biological assays.

Effects of Different Diluents on Semen Quality of Hu Ram Stored at 4 °C.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of various diluents on the quality of Hu ram sperm stored at 4 °C. Semen samples were collected from three Hu rams and diluted with diluents A (Sodium citrate-Glucose-Egg yolk), B (Sodium citrate-Glucose), C (Fructose-Skimmed milk powder-Soy lecithin), and D (Tris-Fructose-Citric acid-Egg yolk). Total motility (TM), straight-line velocity (VSL), average path velocity (VAP), curvilinear velocity (VCL), average motion degree (MAD), acrosome integrity, membrane integrity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were evaluated. The results showed that diluent D had better preservation in terms of the sperm TM, VSL, VCL, VAP, MAD, and membrane and acrosome integrity. On the third day of the storage, the sperm PM of diluent D was higher than that of other diluents (p < 0.05). The ROS level of diluent D was lower than that of other diluents on the fifth day (p < 0.05). On the seventh day of the storage, the sperm TM in diluent D reached 50%, which was the highest in all diluent groups. On the seventh day of the storage, the integrity of the sperm membrane and the integrity of the acrosome of the sperm in diluent D were the highest in all diluent groups (p < 0.05). In conclusion, these results indicated that diluent D improved the semen quality during storage at 4 °C. In this study, diluent D was the best diluent formula for Hu ram semen stored at 4 °C.

XGBoost-based machine learning test improves the accuracy of hemorrhage prediction among geriatric patients with long-term administration of rivaroxaban.

BACKGROUND: Hemorrhage is a potential and serious adverse drug reaction, especially for geriatric patients with long-term administration of rivaroxaban. It is essential to establish an effective model for predicting bleeding events, which could improve the safety of rivaroxaban use in clinical practice. METHODS: The hemorrhage information of 798 geriatric patients (over the age of 70 years) who needed long-term administration of rivaroxaban for anticoagulation therapy was constantly tracked and recorded through a well-established clinical follow-up system. Relying on the 27 collected clinical indicators of these patients, conventional logistic regression analysis, random forest and XGBoost-based machine learning approaches were applied to analyze the hemorrhagic risk factors and establish the corresponding prediction models. Furthermore, the performance of the models was tested and compared by the area under curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: A total of 112 patients (14.0%) had bleeding adverse events after treatment with rivaroxaban for more than 3 months. Among them, 96 patients had gastrointestinal and intracranial hemorrhage during treatment, which accounted for 83.18% of the total hemorrhagic events. The logistic regression, random forest and XGBoost models were established with AUCs of 0.679, 0.672 and 0.776, respectively. The XGBoost model showed the best predictive performance in terms of discrimination, accuracy and calibration among all the models. CONCLUSION: An XGBoost-based model with good discrimination and accuracy was built to predict the hemorrhage risk of rivaroxaban, which will facilitate individualized treatment for geriatric patients.

Safety and Risk Factors of Needle Thoracentesis Decompression in Tension Pneumothorax in Patients over 75 Years Old.

Background: There are very few professional recommendations or guidelines on the needle thoracentesis decompression (NTD) for the tension pneumothorax in the elderly. This study aimed to investigate the safety and risk factors of tension pneumothorax NTD in patients over 75 years old based on CT evaluation of the chest wall thickness (CWT). Methods: The retrospective study was conducted among 136 in-patients over 75 years old. The CWT and closest depth to vital structure of the second intercostal space at the midclavicular line (second ICS-MCL) and the fifth intercostal space at the midaxillary line (fifth ICS-MAL) were compared as well as the expected failure rates and the incidence of severe complications of different needles. We also analyzed the influence of age, sex, presence or absence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and body mass index (BMI) on CWT. Results: The CWT of the second ICS-MCL was smaller than the fifth ICS-MAL both on the left and the right side (P < 0.05). The success rate associated with a 7 cm needle was significantly higher than a 5 cm needle (P < 0.05), and the incidence of severe complications with a 7 cm needle was significantly less than an 8 cm needle (P < 0.05). The CWT of the second ICS-MCL was significantly correlated with age, sex, presence or absence of COPD, and BMI (P < 0.05), whereas the CWT of the fifth ICS-MAL was significantly correlated with sex and BMI (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The second ICS-MCL was recommended as the primary thoracentesis site and a 7 cm needle was advised as preferred needle length for the older patients. Factors such as age, sex, presence or absence of COPD, and BMI should be considered when choosing the appropriate needle length.

Visual/Photoelectrochemical Off-On Sensor Based on Cu/Mn Double-Doped CeO2 and Branched Sheet Embedded Cu2O/CuO Nanocubes.

An integrated dual-signal bioassay was devised to fulfil thrombin (TB) ultrasensitive detection by integrating visualization with the photoelectrochemical technique based on G-quadruplex/hemin. During the process, branched sheet embedded copper-based oxides prepared with illumination and alkaline condition play a vital role in obtaining the desirable photocurrent. The switchover of photoelectrochemical signal was realized by the adjustable distance between electron acceptor G-quadruplex/hemin and interface materials due to dissociation of the Cu/Mn double-doped cerium dioxide (CuMn@CeO2)/DNA caused by the addition of TB. Then, CuMn@CeO2 transferred onto visual zones triggered catalytic reactions under the existence of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine and hydrogen peroxide, making a variation in color recognized by the naked eye and providing visual prediction. Under optimized conditions, this bioassay protocol demonstrated wide linear ranges (0.0001-50 nM), high selectivity, stability, and reproducibility. More importantly, the proposed visual/photoelectrochemical transduction mechanism platform exhibits a lower background signal and more reliable detection results, which also offers an effective way for detecting other proteins and nucleic acids.

Establishment of a method for detecting Trichinella spiralis in ovine muscle tissues using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.

Trichinellosis is caused by Trichinella spiralis, a meat-borne zoonotic disease transmitted to humans through the consumption of infected undercooked or raw meat. Surveillance using safe and precise diagnostic tools to diagnose T. spiralis in sheep is needed to assess the incidence and probability of transmission from sheep to humans. In this study, we developed a real-time PCR assay to detect T. spiralis DNA in ovine muscle samples that can be used as an alternative surveillance tool to ensure food safety using newly designed primers. The assay is specific for the Scfld4 gene of Trichinella (T1) and enables the detection of larvae in ovine muscle tissue samples with high sensitivity and specificity. Trichuris ovis, Oesophagostomum dentatum, Haemonchus contortus, and Bunostomum trigonocephalum showed no nonspecific amplification. The assay could detect Trichinella DNA concentrations as low as 0.0026 ng/µL, equivalent to 0.0064 larvae, indicating a high sensitivity for T. spiralis detection. We used this real-time PCR to detect 73 ovine muscle samples from an ovine abattoir, and five samples tested positive via real-time PCR but negative via microscopy. This assay may provide a more specific and sensitive method for rapidly detecting Trichinella larvae in ovine muscle tissues.

Hollow-Channel Paper Analytical Devices Supported Biofuel Cell-Based Self-Powered Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Sensor for Pesticide Detection.

Herein, a paper-based glucose/air biofuel cell (BFC) was constructed and implemented for self-powered pesticide detection. Our developed paper-based chip relies on a hollow-channel to transport fluids rather than capillarity, which reduces analysis times as well as physical absorption. The gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were adapted to modify the paper fibers to fabricate the flexible conductive paper anode/cathode electrode (Au-PAE/CNT-PCE). Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) using 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) as a template were synthesized on Au-PAE for signal control. In the cathode, bilirubin oxidase (BOD) was used for the oxygen reduction reaction. Based on a competitive reaction between 2,4-D and glucose-oxidase-labeled 2,4-D (GOx-2,4-D), the amount of GOx immobilized on the bioanode can be simply tailored, thus a signal-off self-powered sensing platform was achieved for 2,4-D determination. Meanwhile, the coupling of the paper supercapacitor (PS) with the paper-based chip provides a simple route for signal amplification. Combined with a portable digital multi-meter detector, the amplified signal can be sensitively readout. Through rational design of the paper analytical device, the combination of BFC and PS provides a new prototype for constructing a low-cost, simple, portable, and sensitive self-powered biosensor lab-on-paper, which could be easily expanded in the field of clinical analysis and drug delivery.

Piezotronic Effect-Assisted Photoelectrochemical Exosomal MicroRNA Monitoring Based on an Electron Donor Self-Supplying Strategy.

Exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) as newly emerging reliable and noninvasive biomarkers have demonstrated a significant function in early cancer diagnosis. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensing has attracted unprecedented attention in exosomal miRNA monitoring due to its inherent advantages of both electrochemical and optical techniques; however, the severe charge carrier recombination greatly restricts the PEC assay performance. Herein, a high-sensitive PEC strategy assisted by the piezoelectric effect is designed based on Bi2WO6/Cu2S heterojunctions and implemented for the monitoring of exosomal miRNAs. The introduction of the piezoelectric effect enables promoted electron-hole transfer and separation, thereby improving the analytical sensitivity. In addition, a target reprogramming metal-organic framework-capped CaO2 (MOF@CaO2) hybrids is prepared, in which MOF@CaO2 being responsive to exosomal miRNAs induces exposure of the capped CaO2 to H2O and then triggers self-supplying of H2O2, which effectively suppresses the electron-hole recombination, giving rise to an amplified photocurrent and a decrease in the cost of the reaction. Benefiting from the coupled sensitization strategy, the as-fabricated PEC strategy exhibits high sensitivity, specificity, low cost, and ease of use for real-time analysis of exosomal miRNAs within the effectiveness linear range of 0.1 fM-1 µM. The present work demonstrates promising external field coupling-enhanced PEC bioassay and offers innovative thoughts for applying this strategy in other fields.

Bio-Inspired Autonomous Learning Algorithm With Application to Mobile Robot Obstacle Avoidance.

Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) are often considered the third generation of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), owing to their high information processing capability and the accurate simulation of biological neural network behaviors. Though the research for SNNs has been quite active in recent years, there are still some challenges to applying SNNs to various potential applications, especially for robot control. In this study, a biologically inspired autonomous learning algorithm based on reward modulated spike-timing-dependent plasticity is proposed, where a novel rewarding generation mechanism is used to generate the reward signals for both learning and decision-making processes. The proposed learning algorithm is evaluated by a mobile robot obstacle avoidance task and experimental results show that the mobile robot with the proposed algorithm exhibits a good learning ability. The robot can successfully avoid obstacles in the environment after some learning trials. This provides an alternative method to design and apply the bio-inspired robot with autonomous learning capability in the typical robotic task scenario.

The causal association between empty nest and depressive symptoms with cognitive impairments in China.

BACKGROUND: In the context of rapid aging, "empty nest syndrome" is becoming a major public health concern. The causal effects of empty nest on depressive symptoms have been studied in developed countries, but the mediating mechanism of depressive symptoms in the association between empty nest and cognitive impairments has not been studied. This study estimated the causal association of empty nest with depressive symptoms and cognitive impairments in China, and then estimated how depression mediates the association between empty nest and cognitive impairments. METHODS: Using data of 23,614 urban older adults (65+) obtained from the Shandong Province Aging and Mental Health Survey in 2020, a weighted linear regression model combined with instrumental variable was applied to explore the causal effects of empty nest, and a four-step mediation model was run to test the mediator of depressive symptoms. The Ascertain Dementia 8-item Questionnaire and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 were used to measure cognitive impairments and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Empty nest was associated with 0.13 (95%CI: 0.04-0.23) and 0.23 (95%CI: 0.14-0.33) increases in the Ascertain Dementia 8-item Questionnaire and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores, respectively. The association between empty nest and the Ascertain Dementia 8-item Questionnaire scores was mediated by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores. CONCLUSIONS: Empty nest affected depression in adulthood with cognitive impairments. A focus on integrative intervention for empty nesters is recommended, taking depression and cognition into account. LIMITATIONS: It is a cross-sectional study and the data is not nationally representative.

Prevalence of depressive disorders and associated demographic characteristics in Shandong: An epidemiological investigation.

BACKGROUND: Depression is characterized by debilitating symptoms and high recurrence rates, and there are relatively few large-scale epidemiological surveys of depressive disorders conducted in Shandong since 2005. Data from the largest Epidemiological Survey of Mental Disorders conducted in 2015 in Shandong were collected to investigate the prevalence of depressive disorders and associated demographic characteristics in general adult population. METHODS: A multi-stage stratified cluster sampling method was adopted to select residents and a two-stage screening and assessment process was used to define the prevalence and characteristics of depressive disorders. Respondents were initially screened using the General Health Questionnaire followed by a structured clinical interview using the DSM-IV criteria. RESULTS: Among 27,489 respondents who completed the survey, 1277 respondents met the diagnostic criteria for depressive disorders. The adjusted prevalence in the last month was 4.86%, among which the prevalence of major depressive disorder, dysthymia, and unspecified depressive disorder were 2.32%, 1.78%, and 0.75%, respectively. 40.35% of depression patients had moderate or severe functional impairment and only 10.65% of patients had visited a psychiatric service. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that age, gender, occupation, education, marital status, and urban/rural living were associated with the prevalence. LIMITATIONS: The key limitation is that this is a cross-sectional survey therefore cannot draw any causal relationship between risk factors and disease progression. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this largest epidemiological study reveal current prevalence of depressive disorders and associated demographic factors and offers opportunities for policy makers and health-care professionals to improve mental health provision in Shandong.

Integrative analysis of circRNAs from Yangtze River Delta white goat neck skin tissue by high-throughput sequencing (circRNA-seq).

The Yangtze River Delta white goat is a unique goat species that can produce superior-quality brush hair. The formation of this brush hair is controlled by a series of critical genes and related signaling pathways. Circular RNAs (circRNAs), are ubiquitous endogenous non-coding RNAs that regulate many biological and physiological processes in mammals. However, little is known about the potential regulatory role of circRNAs on superior-quality brush hair formation in Yangtze River Delta white goat. In this study, high-throughput sequencing technology was used to only detect circRNAs in the neck skin tissue of normal-quality goats (NHQs) and superior-quality goats (HQs). A total of 61 803 circRNAs were identified and 32 of them were differentially expressed in the NHQ group vs. the HQ group. Functional enrichment analysis showed that the source gene of differentially expressed circRNAs (DE-circRNAs) was enriched mostly in platelet activation and the focal adhesion signal pathway. Action mechanism analysis revealed that DE-circRNAs could sponge to many identified miRNAs, including miR-31, miR-125b, miR-let-7a and miR-149-5p, which have important roles in goat hair follicle stem cell growth, hair follicle development and morphogenesis. Altogether, our findings provide a valuable basis for studying circRNAs involved in superior-quality brush hair traits and meanwhile advance our understanding of circRNA complex regulation mechanisms in Yangtze River Delta white goat skin hair follicle development.

MiR-149-5p promotes ß-catenin-induced goat hair follicle stem cell differentiation.

The Yangtze River Delta white goat is a unique goat species that can produce superior-quality brush hair. The formation of superior-quality brush hair cannot occur without goat hair follicle stem cell differentiation. However, knowledge regarding the regulatory role of miR-149-5p in hair follicle stem cell differentiation is limited. Here, we found that miR-149-5p is widely expressed in the tissues of Yangtze River Delta white goats, but its expression in the skin tissue of superior-quality brush hair goats is high compared to normal- quality goats. The functional studies showed that miR-149-5p overexpression markedly facilitated hair follicle stem cell differentiation, whereas inhibiting miR-149-5p inhibited hair follicle stem cell differentiation. These results more clearly elucidate the regulatory role of miR-149-5p in hair follicle stem cell growth.

A Retrospective Analysis of Death Among Chinese Han Patients with Schizophrenia from Shandong.

Purpose: To describe the mortality rate and cause of death among Han Chinese schizophrenia patients and to explore the risk factors affecting survival. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of death among patients with schizophrenia from Jan 1, 2012, to Dec 31, 2019, using the Severe Mental Disorders Information System of Shandong Province (henceforth referred to as the SMDI system) in Shandong, China. The cohort included 72,102 patients, and 11,766 patients died during follow-up. The data in this cohort study were derived from the SMDI system. We calculated the crude mortality rate and standardized mortality rate (SMR, standardized according to the sex and age composition of the population in Shandong Province) for patients with schizophrenia. Cox regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors affecting patient survival, and the statistical index was the hazard ratio (HR). Results: The mean age of the cohort patients was 47.21±14.05 years; 51.79% were males, and 48.21% were females. Among them, 68.98% (49,735) had only a primary education level, 85.36% (61,549) were farmers, 64.37% (46,413) were married, and 94.01% (67,775) received community management. A total of 16.32% of the cohort died. The SMR in patients with schizophrenia was 4.9, and it was higher for males than females (4.99 versus 4.82). Among the 6 registered causes of death, physical illness had the highest SMR (5.15), followed by other causes of death (4.86), mental illness-related complications (4.57), homicide (4.31), accidents (4.13), and suicide (3.87). Higher levels of education, employment (in-service status), marriage, and urban residence were protective factors for survival among patients with schizophrenia. Conclusion: In China, the SMR of schizophrenia is relatively high, and physical diseases are the main cause of death. We suggest that a variety of measures should be taken early to treat somatic diseases and reduce SMR in patients with schizophrenia.

Coenzyme Q10 improves the quality of sheep sperm stored at room temperature by mitigating oxidative stress.

The purpose of this experiment was to explore whether coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10 ) improves the quality of sheep semen stored at room temperature by attenuating oxidative stress. Semen was diluted without (control group), and with antioxidants (5, 50, 250, and 500 µmol/L CoQ10 ). Sperm kinetic parameters and plasma membrane integrity were determined, and the reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), total antioxidant capacity (TAOC), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were evaluated on the fifth day of semen preservation. The results showed that compared with the control group, the progressive motility in the 50 µmol/L group was higher (p < 0.05) within 2-5 days, and the plasma membrane integrity of sperm was higher in the 50 µmol/L group. The ROS content in the 5 and 50 µmol/L groups was reduced. The MDA level was reduced in the CoQ10 supplementation groups (p < 0.05). Additionally, the CAT, SOD, TAOC, ATP and MMP levels in the 50 µmol/L group were higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, CoQ10 improved the quality of ram semen by alleviating oxidative stress, and 50 µmol/L CoQ10 was the optimum concentration.