Abnormal intrinsic functional hubs and connectivity in patients with post-stroke depression.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to investigate the specific alterations of brain networks in patients with post-stroke depression (PSD), and further assist in elucidating the brain mechanisms underlying the PSD which would provide supporting evidence for early diagnosis and interventions for the disease. METHODS: Resting-state functional magnetic resonace imaging data were acquired from 82 nondepressed stroke patients (Stroke), 39 PSD patients, and 74 healthy controls (HC). Voxel-wise degree centrality (DC) conjoined with seed-based functional connectivity (FC) analyses were performed to investigate the PSD-related connectivity alterations. The relationship between these alterations and depression severity was further examined in PSD patients. RESULTS: Relative to both Stroke and HC groups, (1) PSD showed increased centrality in regions within the default mode network (DMN), including contralesional angular gyrus (ANG), posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and hippocampus (HIP). DC values in contralesional ANG positively correlated with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores in PSD group. (2) PSD exhibited increased connectivity between these three seeds showing altered DC and regions within the DMN: bilateral medial prefrontal cortex and middle temporal gyrus and ipsilesional superior parietal gyrus, and regions outside the DMN: bilateral calcarine, ipsilesional inferior occipital gyrus and contralesional lingual gyrus, while decreased connectivity between contralesional ANG and contralesional supramarginal gyrus. Moreover, these FC alterations could predict PHQ-9 scores in PSD group. INTERPRETATION: These findings highlight that PSD was related with increased functional connectivity strength in some areas within the DMN, which might be attribute to the specific alterations of connectivity between within DMN and outside DMN regions in PSD.

Relationship between socioeconomic status and hypertension incidence among adults in southwest China: a population-based cohort study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the correlation between socioeconomic status (SES) and the incidence of hypertension among adults aged 18 or above in southwest China. METHODS: A multistage proportional stratified cluster sampling method was employed to recruited 9280 adult residents from 12 counties in southwest China, with all participants in the cohort tracked from 2016 to 2020. The questionnaire survey gathered information on demographics, lifestyle habits, and household income. The physical exam recorded height, weight, and blood pressure. Biochemical tests measured cholesterol levels. The chi-square test was employed to assess the statistical differences among categorical variables, while the Cox proportional hazards regression model was applied to evaluate the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and the incidence of hypertension. RESULTS: The finally effective sample size for the cohort study was 3546 participants, after excluding 5734 people who met the exclusion criteria. Adults in the highest household income group had a significantly lower risk of hypertension compared to those in the lowest income group (HR = 0.636, 95% CI: 0.478-0.845). Besides, when compared to individuals in the illiterate population, the risk of hypertension among adults with elementary school, junior high school, senior high school and associate degree educational level decreased respectively by 34.4% (HR = 0.656, 95%CI: 0.533-0.807), 44.9% (HR = 0.551, 95%CI: 0.436-0.697), 44.9% (HR = 0.551, 95%CI: 0.405-0.750), 46.1% (HR = 0.539, 95%CI: 0. 340-0.854). After conducting a thorough analysis of socioeconomic status, compared with individuals with a score of 6 or less, the risk of hypertension in participants with scores of 8, 10, 11, 12, and greater than 12 decreased respectively by 23.9% (HR = 0.761, 95%CI: 0.598-0.969), 29.7% (HR = 0.703, 95%CI: 0.538-0.919), 34.0% (HR = 0.660, 95%CI: 0.492-0.885), 34.3% (HR = 0.657, 95%CI: 0.447-0.967), 43.9% (HR = 0.561, 95%CI: 0.409-0.769). CONCLUSION: The findings indicate a negative correlation between socioeconomic status and hypertension incidence among adults in southwest China, suggesting that individuals with higher socioeconomic status are less likely to develop hypertension.

Association between Metabolic Score for Visceral Fat and the risk of hypertension in different ethnic groups: a prospective cohort study in Southwest China.

Objective: Visceral adipose tissue assessment holds significant importance in hypertension prevention. This study aimed to explore the association between the Metabolic Score for Visceral Fat (METS-VF), a new indicator based on laboratory and anthropometry measures, and hypertension risk and to further investigate the association between the METS-VF and the risk of hypertension in different ethnic groups. Methods: In this study, a total of 9,280 people from 48 townships in 12 districts (counties) of Guizhou Province were selected for the survey using a multistage cluster random sampling method, and 5,127 cases were finally included in the analysis after excluding those with missing relevant data, losing visits, dying at follow-up, those who suffered from hypertension at baseline, and those whose information on the outcome of hypertension was not clear. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) between METS-VF and incident hypertension, and an accelerated failure time (AFT) model was applied to analyze the association between METS-VF and the onset time of hypertension. Results: The total person-years (PYs) of the 5,127 subjects were 36,188.52 years, and the median follow-up time was 6.64 years. During follow-up, 1,127 patients were newly diagnosed with hypertension, and the incidence density was 31.14/1,000 PYs. After adjusting for multivariables, compared with the METS-VF first (Q1), the third (Q3) and fourth (Q4) groups of the METS-VF increased by 29.9% and 61.5%, respectively (HR = 1.299 [1.061, 1.590] and 1.615 [1.280, 2.036]). The risk of hypertension increased with higher METS-VF values (HR = 1.323 [1.167, 1.500], ptrend < 0.001). In the Han Chinese population, Q2 and Q3 increased the risk of hypertension (HR = 1.459 [1.111, 1.917], 1.999 [1.417, 2.718]), and the onset of hypertension was advanced by 0.653 (ß = -0.653 (-0.930, -0.375]) years for per 1 unit increase in METS-VF. However, these associations were not found in ethnic minorities. Conclusion: METS-VF was significantly positively associated with the risk of hypertension, and the association was different among ethnic groups.

FCRL3 expression is upregulated and closely correlates with TIGIT expression in regulatory T cells of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Using data from single-cell RNA sequencing and flow cytometry, we initially examined the expression of FCRL3, finding it to be elevated and positively associated with TIGIT expression in the regulatory T cells of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. This also suggests that the co-expression of FCRL3 and TIGIT warrants further attention.

Algal Extracellular Organic Matter Induced Photochemical Oxidation of Mn(II) to Solid Mn Oxide: Role of Mn(III)-EOM Complex and Its Ability to Remove 17α-Ethinylestradiol.

Photosensitizer-mediated abiotic oxidation of Mn(II) can yield soluble reactive Mn(III) and solid Mn oxides. In eutrophic water systems, the ubiquitous algal extracellular organic matter (EOM) is a potential photosensitizer and may have a substantial impact on the oxidation of Mn(II). Herein, we focused on investigating the photochemical oxidation process from Mn(II) to solid Mn oxide driven by EOM. The results of irradiation experiments demonstrated that the generation of Mn(III) intermediate was crucial for the successful photo oxidization of Mn(II) to solid Mn oxide mediated by EOM. EOM can serve as both a photosensitizer and a ligand, facilitating the formation of the Mn(III)-EOM complex. The complex exhibited excellent efficiency in removing 17α-ethinylestradiol. Furthermore, the complex underwent decomposition as a result of reactions with reactive intermediates, forming a solid Mn oxide. The presence of nitrate can enhance the photochemical oxidation process, facilitating the conversion of Mn(II) to Mn(III) and then to solid Mn oxide. This study deepens our grasp of Mn(II) geochemical processes in eutrophic water and its impact on organic micropollutant fate.

Morules and ß-catenin predict POLE mutation status in endometrial cancer: A pathway to more cost-effective diagnostic procedures.

OBJECTIVES: The characterization of DNA polymerase epsilon (POLE) mutations has transformed the classification of endometrial endometrioid carcinomas (EECs), highlighting the need for efficient identification methods. This study aims to examine the relationship between distinct morphologic features-namely, squamous morules and squamous differentiation (SD), as well as ß-catenin expression-and the POLE mutation status in endometrial cancer (EC). METHODS: Our study included 35 POLE-mutated (POLEmut) EC cases and 395 non-POLEmut EEC cases. RESULTS: Notably, we observed no presence of morules in POLEmut cases, while SD was identified in 20% of instances. Conversely, morules and SD were identified in 12.7% and 26.1% of non-POLEmut EC cases, respectively, with morules consistently linked to a POLE wild-type status. The nuclear ß-catenin expression is typically absent in tumors with wild-type POLE (wt-POLE) status. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the presence of either morules or nuclear ß-catenin expression in EEC could practically rule out the presence of POLE mutations. These morphologic and immunohistochemical features can be used as preliminary screening tools for POLE mutations, offering significant savings in time and resources and potentially enhancing clinical decision-making and patient management strategies. However, further validation in larger, multi-institutional studies is required to fully understand the implications of these findings on clinical practice.

Metadherin promotes stem cell phenotypes and correlated with immune infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Metadherin (MTDH) is a key oncogene in most cancer types, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Notably, MTDH does not affect the stemness pheno-type or immune infiltration of HCC. AIM: To explore the role of MTDH on stemness and immune infiltration in HCC. METHODS: MTDH expression in HCC tissues was detected using TCGA and GEO databases. Immunohistochemistry was used to analyze the tissue samples. MTDH was stably knocked down or overexpressed by lentiviral transfection in the two HCC cell lines. The invasion and migration abilities of HCC cells were evaluated using Matrigel invasion and wound healing assays. Next, we obtained liver cancer stem cells from the spheroids by culturing them in a serum-free medium. Gene expression was determined by western blotting and quantitative reverse transcri-ption PCR. Flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, and tumor sphere formation assays were used to characterize stem-like cells. The effects of MTDH inhibition on tumor growth were evaluated in vivo. The correlation of MTDH with immune cells, immunomodulators, and chemokines was analyzed using ssGSEA and TISIDB databases. RESULTS: HCC tissues expressed higher levels of MTDH than normal liver tissues. High MTDH expression was associated with a poor prognosis. HCC cells overexpressing MTDH exhibited stronger invasion and migration abilities, exhibited a stem cell-like phenotype, and formed spheres; however, MTDH inhibition attenuated these effects. MTDH inhibition suppressed HCC progression and CD133 expression in vivo. MTDH was positively correlated with immature dendritic, T helper 2 cells, central memory CD8+ T, memory B, activated dendritic, natural killer (NK) T, NK, activated CD4+ T, and central memory CD4+ T cells. MTDH was negatively correlated with activated CD8+ T cells, eosinophils, activated B cells, monocytes, macrophages, and mast cells. A positive correlation was observed between the MTDH level and CXCL2 expression, whereas a negative correlation was observed between the MTDH level and CX3CL1 and CXCL12 expression. CONCLUSION: High levels of MTDH expression in patients with HCC are associated with poor prognosis, promoting tumor stemness, immune infiltration, and HCC progression.

Mine water cooperative optimal scheduling based on improved genetic algorithm.

This article addresses the issues of unreasonable water scheduling and high costs in coal mine shafts, proposing a hierarchical optimization scheduling strategy. Taking the water quality and quantity of a certain mining area in Inner Mongolia as the research object, it designs the objective function with the highest reuse efficiency and the lowest reuse cost of mine water resources, and establishes the constraint conditions of water quality and quantity for each water-using unit. In response to the problem that traditional genetic algorithms are prone to local optima, an adaptive autobiographical operator is proposed and improved based on Metropolis principle of simulated annealing algorithm. The improved algorithm is applied to the calculation of the scheduling model, and the results show that the recovery cost in the heating season is reduced by 66779.36 CNY/month, a decrease of 10.34%; the recovery cost in the non-heating season is reduced by 61469.28 CNY/month, a decrease of 9.91%. At the same time, the heating season and the non-heating season have reduced by 136.99 h/month and 154.52 h/month respectively, significantly reducing the recovery cost and time.

Sodium butyrate ameliorated diabetic nephropathy-associated tubulointerstitial inflammation by modulating the tight junctions of renal tubular epithelial cells.

As one of the most significant pathological changes of diabetic nephropathy (DN), tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF) had a close relationship with tubulointerstitial inflammation (TI), and the occurrence of TI could have resulted from the disrupted tight junctions (TJs) of renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs). Studies have demonstrated that sodium butyrate (NaB), a typical short chain fatty acid (SCFA), played an important regulatory role in intestinal TJs and inflammation. In this study, our in vivo and in vitro results showed that accompanied by TI, renal tubular TJs were gradually disrupted in the process of DN-related TIF. In HG and LPS co-cultured HK-2 cells and db/db mice, NaB treatment regained the TJs of RTECs via the sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor-1 (S1PR1)/AMPK signaling pathway, relieving inflammation. Small interfering RNA of S1PR1, S1PR1 antagonist W146 and agonist SEW2871, and AMPK agonist AICAR were all used to further confirm the essential role of the S1PR1/AMPK signaling pathway in NaB's TJ protection in RTECs in vitro. Finally, NaB administration not only improved the renal function and TIF, but also relieved the TI of db/db mice. These findings suggested that the use of NaB might be a potential adjuvant treatment strategy for DN-associated TIF, and this protective effect was linked to the TJ modulation of RTECs via the S1PR1/AMPK signaling pathway, leading to the improvement of TI.

Removal of Expression of Concern: Sodium butyrate ameliorated diabetic nephropathy-associated tubulointerstitial inflammation by modulating tight junction of renal tubular epithelial cells.

Removal of Expression of Concern for 'Sodium butyrate ameliorated diabetic nephropathy-associated tubulointerstitial inflammation by modulating tight junction of renal tubular epithelial cells' by Tingting Yang et al., Food Funct., 2022, Accepted Manuscript, https://doi.org/10.1039/D2FO00940D.

Running exercise alleviates hippocampal neuroinflammation and shifts the balance of microglial M1/M2 polarization through adiponectin/AdipoR1 pathway activation in mice exposed to chronic unpredictable stress.

Running exercise has been shown to alleviate depressive symptoms. However, the mechanism underlying the antidepressant effects of running exercise is not fully understood. The imbalance of M1/M2 microglia phenotype/polarization and concomitant dysregulation of neuroinflammation play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of depression. Running exercise increases circulating levels of adiponectin which is known to cross the blood‒brain barrier and suppress inflammatory responses. AdipoR1 is an adiponectin receptor that is involved in regulating microglial phenotypes and activation states. However, whether running exercise regulates hippocampal microglial phenotypes and neuroinflammation through adiponectin/AdipoR1 to exert its antidepressant effects remains unclear. In the current study, 4 weeks of running exercise significantly alleviated the depressive-like behaviors of chronic unpredictable stress (CUS)-exposed mice. Moreover, running exercise decreased the microglial numbers and altered microglial morphology in three subregions of the hippocampus to restore the M1/M2 balance; these effects were accompanied by regulation of pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokine production and secretion in CUS-exposed mice. These effects may involve elevation of peripheral tissue (adipose tissue and muscle) and plasma adiponectin levels, and hippocampal AdipoR1 levels as well as activation of the AMPK-NF-κB/STAT3 signaling pathway by running exercise. When an adeno-associated virus was used to knock down hippocampal AdipoR1, mice showed depressive-like behaviors and alterations in microglia and inflammatory factor expression in the hippocampus that were similar to those observed in CUS-exposed mice. Together, these results suggest that running exercise maintains the M1/M2 balance and inhibits neuroinflammation in the hippocampus of CUS-exposed mice. These effects might occur via adiponectin/AdipoR1-mediated activation of the AMPK-NF-κB/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Fecal Immunochemical Testing and the Risk of Advanced Colorectal Neoplasia: A Difference-In-Difference Analysis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) in colorectal cancer screening. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study among 5,598 participants age 40-74 years between 2012 and 2020 in Tianjin, China. Inverse probability weighting was adopted to adjust for potential imbalanced factors between groups. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the weighted associations between FIT screening and advanced colorectal neoplasia. A difference-in-difference (DID) model was adopted to compare the incidence rates of advanced colorectal neoplasia between groups. RESULTS: In DID analysis, the rate of incidence was reduced by 0.34 cases per person-years in the screening group as compared with the historical FIT screening group (rate ratio [RR], 0.08 [95% CI, 0.07 to 0.10]) and by 0.06 cases per person-years in the non-FIT screening group as compared with the historical non-FIT screening group (RR, 0.37 [95% CI, 0.29 to 0.48]; P < .001 for both comparisons), with a relative reduction of 0.28. Similar benefit effect from FIT screening was observed in sex and age subgroups. CONCLUSION: FIT screening was associated with a reduction in incidence density from advanced colorectal neoplasia.

Work-family conflict among primary health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: Its mediating role in the relationship between workload and job burnout.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study explores the situation of workload, work-family conflict and job burnout among primary health workers in China in the context of COVID-19 and identifies the mediating effect of work-family conflict between workload and job burnout. BACKGROUND: Since the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic, primary health workers have been working on the frontline of the epidemic and may experience increasing workload, work-family conflict and job burnout. It is important to focus on the issue of how to alleviate job burnout of primary health workers. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study (STROBE) was used. METHODS: Data were collected from 785 primary health workers in China. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the mediating effect of work-family conflict between workload and job burnout. RESULTS: 18.7%, 10.4% and 39.5% of respondents had high job burnout in the dimensions of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment, respectively. 34.6% of the respondents had high or very high workload, and 12.8% of the respondents had high or very high work-family conflict. Results of multiple regression analysis indicated that work-family conflict mediated the relationship between workload and job burnout. Workload (ß = .163, CI = .207-.549) and work-family conflict (ß = .211, CI = .311-.640) positively influenced job burnout, and workload (ß = .428, CI = .375-.508) positively influenced work-family conflict. CONCLUSION: The study indicated that primary health workers experienced a high level of job burnout, especially in the personal accomplishment dimension. Furthermore, this study verified the mediating effect of work-family conflict between workload and job burnout. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Some interventions for alleviating workload, work-family conflict and job burnout should be taken, including workplace assistance programmes, family-friendly policies and a well-integrated healthcare system. NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: This study does not involve patient or public contribution in any part. IMPACT STATEMENT: Nurses and other primary health workers are health gatekeepers of residents and play a vital role in the healthcare system. Due to the breakout of COVID-19, they have taken more work and are more vulnerable to work overload, work-family conflict and the consequent job burnout. Some interventions should be taken to effectively alleviate their job burnout and improve their health and performance.

Non-starch polysaccharides from kidney beans: comprehensive insight into their extraction, structure and physicochemical and nutritional properties.

Kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are an important legume source of carbohydrates, proteins, and bioactive molecules and thus have attracted increasing attention for their high nutritional value and sustainability. Non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs) in kidney beans account for a high proportion and have a significant impact on their biological functions. Herein, we critically update the information on kidney bean varieties and factors that influence the physicochemical properties of carbohydrates, proteins, and phenolic compounds. Furthermore, their extraction methods, structural characteristics, and health regulatory effects, such as the regulation of intestinal health and anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects, are also summarized. This review will provide suggestions for further investigation of the structure of kidney bean NSPs, their relationships with biological functions, and the development of NSPs as novel plant carbohydrate resources.

Complete degradation of di-n-butyl phthalate by Glutamicibacter sp. strain 0426 with a novel pathway.

Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) is widely used as plasticizer that has potential carcinogenic, teratogenic, and endocrine effects. In the present study, an efficient DBP-degrading bacterial strain 0426 was isolated and identified as a Glutamicibacter sp. strain 0426. It can utilize DBP as the sole source of carbon and energy and completely degraded 300 mg/L of DBP within 12 h. The optimal conditions (pH 6.9 and 31.7 °C) for DBP degradation were determined by response surface methodology and DBP degradation well fitted with the first-order kinetics. Bioaugmentation of contaminated soil with strain 0426 enhanced DBP (1 mg/g soil) degradation, indicating the application potential of strain 0426 for environment DBP removal. Strain 0426 harbors a distinctive DBP hydrolysis mechanism with two parallel benzoate metabolic pathways, which may account for the remarkable performance of DBP degradation. Sequences alignment has shown that an alpha/beta fold hydrolase (WP_083586847.1) contained a conserved catalytic triad and pentapeptide motif (GX1SX2G), of which function is similar to phthalic acid ester (PAEs) hydrolases and lipases that can efficiently catalyze hydrolysis of water-insoluble substrates. Furthermore, phthalic acid was converted to benzoate by decarboxylation, which entered into two different pathways: one is the protocatechuic acid pathway under the role of pca cluster, and the other is the catechol pathway. This study demonstrates a novel DBP degradation pathway, which broadens our understanding of the mechanisms of PAE biodegradation.

Diabesity phenotype in relation to the incidence and resolution of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Diabesity is a term used to emphasize the dual epidemic and the combined detrimental effects of diabetes and obesity. We aimed to investigate the associations of diabesity with the incidence and resolution of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 5549 participants with a median follow-up of 4.3 years (2010-2015). Diabesity was defined as six categories by the combinations of glucose tolerance status (normal glucose tolerance [NGT], prediabetes, and diabetes) diagnosed by fasting and oral glucose tolerance test 2-h glucose and hemoglobin A1c and general or abdominal obesity status. We examined the odds ratios (ORs) for the incidence and resolution of NAFLD associated with diabesity categories, respectively. RESULTS: For NAFLD incidence, compared with the diabesity category of NGT with nonobesity, the categories of either glucose intolerance or general obesity were associated with higher risks of NAFLD, of which the categories with obesity, regardless of glucose intolerance status, exhibited greater risks (ORs ranged from 3.19 to 4.49) than the categories of nonobesity. For NAFLD resolution, the categories of prediabetes or diabetes with obesity were associated with decreased likelihoods of a resolution of NAFLD (ORs ranged from 0.40 to 0.58). These association patterns were consistent across various definitions of diabesity by glucose tolerance status diagnosed by different combinations of glycemic parameters and general or abdominal obesity. CONCLUSIONS: The diabesity association pattern with NAFLD incidence was mainly determined by obesity, while that with NAFLD resolution was driven by the combined phenotype of glucose intolerance and obesity.

A novel photosensitizer DTPP-mediated photodynamic therapy induces oxidative stress and apoptosis through mitochondrial pathways in LA795 cells.

OBJECTIVE: Investigation of the effects of 5-5- (4-N, N-diacetoxylphenyl)-10,15,20- tetraphenylporphyrin (DTPP)-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) on oxidative stress and mitochondrial apoptosis in LA795 lung cancer cells. METHODS: Proteomics was used to identify differentially expressed proteins after PDT treatment. The apoptosis rate was determined by flow cytometry. Morphologic observation of apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, antioxidant indices, nitric oxide (NO) content, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and Caspase- 9 and Caspase-3 were determined by assays; apoptosis-related protein levels of Cytochrome (Cyto) c, Bcl- 2, Bax were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: Typical apoptosis morphology of LA795 cells was observed after PDT. The cells were mainly in the apoptosis death pathway with high cell apoptosis rates. The proteomics study observed the apoptosis-associated proteins, oxidative stress proteins, antioxidant proteins, the cytoskeletal protein and mitochondrial dysfunction in LA 795 cells. Additional results indicated that PDT could increase levels of ROS, NO; decrease glutathione (GSH) content and MMP; upregulated Bax, Cyto c, and Caspase-3 protein expression, inhibited Bcl-2 protein expression, and further induced cell apoptosis. The effect of DTPP-PDT on lung cancer was: first, mitochondrial Cyto c is released into the cytoplasm, then Caspase- 9 / Caspase-3 was activated, Bcl-2 decreased/Bax increased, initiating cell apoptosis. CONCLUSION: DTPP-PDT could induce oxidative stress and apoptosis via mitochondrial pathways in LA795 cells.

Association of remnant cholesterol with CVD incidence: a general population cohort study in Southwest China.

Background: Emerging evidence has indicated that remnant cholesterol (RC) could predict cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence. Nevertheless, the relationship between RC and CVD risk, especially within the general Chinese population, remains scarce. Objective: The present research aimed to assess whether RC concentrations and CVD outcomes in general Chinese adults are related. Methods: The Cox proportional hazard model was established to explore the relationship between RC and the outcomes of CVD and CVD subgroups. A restricted cubic spline (RCS) was utilized to investigate the dose-response connection between RC and the risk of CVD outcomes, and the ROC curve was used to calculate the corresponding cutoff values. Moreover, stratified analysis was conducted to investigate the potential effect modification in the association between RC and CVD outcomes. Results: Significant positive associations were found between elevated categorical RC and increased risk of CVD (HR Q4, 1.80; 95% CI 1.15-2.79; P-value = 0.008), atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (HR Q4, 2.00; 95% CI 1.22-3.27; P-value = 0.007), stroke (HR Q4, 1.66; 95% CI 1.02-2.69; P-value = 0.040), and ischemic stroke (HR Q4, 1.87, 95% CI 1.08-3.25; P-value = 0.034), respectively. Our study suggested that the incidence of CVD outcomes increased when RC levels were above 0.75 mmol/L. Importantly, the CVD risks related to RC were more likely to be those found in subjects aged above 60 years, women, subjects with BMI <24 kg/m2, and subjects with hypertension and unhealthy diet patterns. Conclusions: Aberrant high level of RC is associated with elevated CVD risk, independent of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Our data reveal urgent primary prevention for subjects with high RC levels to a low incidence of CVD, especially for the elderly, women, and those with hypertension and unhealthy diet patterns.

Van Krevelen diagrams based on machine learning visualize feedstock-product relationships in thermal conversion processes.

Feedstock properties play a crucial role in thermal conversion processes, where understanding the influence of these properties on treatment performance is essential for optimizing both feedstock selection and the overall process. In this study, a series of van Krevelen diagrams were generated to illustrate the impact of H/C and O/C ratios of feedstock on the products obtained from six commonly used thermal conversion techniques: torrefaction, hydrothermal carbonization, hydrothermal liquefaction, hydrothermal gasification, pyrolysis, and gasification. Machine learning methods were employed, utilizing data, methods, and results from corresponding studies in this field. Furthermore, the reliability of the constructed van Krevelen diagrams was analyzed to assess their dependability. The van Krevelen diagrams developed in this work systematically provide visual representations of the relationships between feedstock and products in thermal conversion processes, thereby aiding in optimizing the selection of feedstock and the choice of thermal conversion technique.

Opposite causal effects of birthweight on myocardial infarction and atrial fibrillation and the distinct mediating pathways: a Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: Previous observational studies have documented an inverse association of birthweight with myocardial infarction (MI) but a positive association with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the causality of these associations and the underlying mediating pathways remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the causal effects of birthweight, incorporating both fetal and maternal genetic effects, on MI and AF, and identify potential mediators in their respective pathways. METHODS: We performed Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses using genome-wide association study summary statistics for birthweight (N = 297,356 for own birthweight and 210,248 for offspring birthweight), MI (Ncase=61,000, Ncontrol=577,000), AF (Ncase=60,620, Ncontrol=970,216), and 52 candidate mediators (N = 13,848-1,295,946). Two-step MR was employed to identify and assess the mediation proportion of potential mediators in the associations of birthweight with MI and AF, respectively. As a complement, we replicated analyses for fetal-specific birthweight and maternal-specific birthweight. RESULTS: Genetically determined each 1-SD lower birthweight was associated with a 40% (95% CI: 1.22-1.60) higher risk of MI, whereas each 1-SD higher birthweight was causally associated with a 29% (95% CI: 1.16-1.44) higher risk of AF. Cardiometabolic factors, including lipids and lipoproteins, glucose and insulin, blood pressure, and fatty acids, each mediated 4.09-23.71% of the total effect of birthweight on MI, followed by body composition and strength traits (i.e., appendicular lean mass, height, and grip strength) and socioeconomic indicators (i.e., education and household income), with the mediation proportion for each factor ranging from 8.08 to 16.80%. By contrast, appendicular lean mass, height, waist circumference, childhood obesity, and body mass index each mediated 15.03-45.12% of the total effect of birthweight on AF. Both fetal-specific birthweight and maternal-specific birthweight were inversely associated with MI, while only fetal-specific birthweight was positively associated with AF. Psychological well-being and lifestyle factors conferred no mediating effect in either association. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiometabolic factors mainly mediated the association between lower birthweight and MI, while body composition and strength traits mediated the association between higher birthweight and AF. These findings provide novel evidence for the distinct pathogenesis of MI and AF and advocate adopting a life-course approach to improving fetal development and subsequent causal mediators to mitigate the prevalence and burden of cardiovascular diseases.