[Pharmacokinetics of 11 active components of Psoraleae Fructus in normal and diabetic rats].

A total of 11 active ingredients including psoralen, isopsoralen, bakuchiol, bavachalcone, bavachinin, corylin, coryfolin, isobavachalcone, neobavaisoflavone, bakuchalcone, and corylifol A from Psoraleae Fructus in the plasma samples of diabetic and normal rats were simultaneously determined by UHPLC-MS/MS. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated to elucidate the pharmacokinetic profiles of coumarins, flavonoids, and monoterpene phenols in normal and diabetic rats. The rat model of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) was induced by a high-sugar and high-fat diet combined with injection of 1% streptozotocin every two days. The plasma samples were collected at different time points after the rats were administrated with Psoraleae Fructus. The proteins in the plasma samples were precipitated by ethyl acetate, and the plasma concentrations of the 11 components of Psoraleae Fructus were determined by UHPLC-MS/MS. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by DAS 3.0. The results showed that the pharmacokinetic beha-viors of 8 components including psoralen, isopsoralen, bakuchiol, and bavachinin from Psoraleae Fructus in both female and male mo-del rats were significantly different from those in normal rats. Among them, the coumarins including psoralen, isopsoralen, and corylin showed lowered levels in the blood of both female and male model rats. The flavonoids(bavachinin, corylifol A, and bakuchalcone) and the monoterpene phenol bakuchiol showed decreased levels in the female model rats but elevated levels in the male model rats. It is suggested that the dosage of Psoraleae Fructus should be reasonably adjusted for the patients of different genders at the time of clinical administration.

The Potential of Bioactive Fish Collagen Oligopeptides against Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced NIH/3T3 and HUVEC Damage: The Involvement of the Mitochondria.

Extensive in vivo investigations have demonstrated the antioxidant properties of fish collagen oligopeptides (FCOPs). One of the main causes of aging and chronic non-communicable diseases is oxidative stress. Therefore, FCOPs have a broad range of applications in illness prevention and delaying aging from the standpoint of the "food is medicine" theory. However, the mechanisms that underpin the antioxidant activity of FCOPs are not completely understood. The specific objective of this essay was to investigate the antioxidant effect of FCOPs and its possible mechanism at the cellular level. Mouse embryonic fibroblasts NIH/3T3 and human vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were exposed to 200 µM hydrogen peroxide containing different concentrations of FCOPs for 4 h and were supplemented with different concentrations of FCOPs for 24 h. Normal growth medium without FCOPs was applied for control cells. An array of assays was used to evaluate the implications of FCOPs on cellular oxidative stress status, cellular homeostasis, inflammatory levels, and mitochondrial function. We found that FCOPs exerted a protective effect by inhibiting reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, enhancing superoxide dismutase (SOD) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activities and cell viability, inhibiting cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase, suppressing interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), IL-6, matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1) secretion, downregulating nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activity, protecting mitochondrial membrane potential, and increasing ATP synthesis and NAD+ activities in both cells. FCOPs had a stronger antioxidant impact on NIH/3T3 than on HUVECs, simultaneously increasing glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity and decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA) content in NIH/3T3. These findings indicate that FCOPs have antioxidant effects on different tissue cells damaged by oxidative stress. FCOPs were therefore found to promote cellular homeostasis, inhibit inflammation, and protect mitochondria. Meanwhile, better health outcomes will be achieved by thoroughly investigating the effective dose and intervention time of FCOPs, as the absorption efficiency of FCOPs varies in different tissue cells.

Color construction of multi-colored carbon fibers using glucose.

Carbon fibers (CFs) have attracted attention in the automotive, aviation, and aerospace industries. However, the coloration of CFs is challenging due to their brittleness, inertness, complexity, and time/energy-intensive processes. Herein, inspired by the naturally grown protrusive nanostructures on the green central surface of peacock back feathers, we report an in-situ self-growing strategy for developing carbon spheres (CSs) on the CFs surface to achieve color tuning. This is achieved via the dynamic growth of CSs using glucose as the feeding material. Combined with the coloration process, the interaction between CSs and CFs promotes stable interfacial forces in integrated molding. This strategy allows the coloring system to continuously vary its color in a designated manner, thereby, endowing it with satisfactory mechanical robustness, acid durability, and light fastness. We anticipate this developed approach can be potentially competitive in the color construction of CFs with multi-colors due to its low-cost manufacturing.

The Spatial Niche and Influencing Factors of Desert Rodents.

Resource partitioning may allow species coexistence. Sand dunes in the typical steppe of Alxa Desert Inner Mongolia, China, consisting of desert, shrub, and grass habitats, provide an appropriate system for studies of spatial niche partitioning among small mammals. In this study, the spatial niche characteristics of four rodents, Orientallactaga sibirica, Meriones meridianus, Dipus sagitta, and Phodopus roborovskii, and their responses to environmental changes in the Alxa Desert were studied from 2017 to 2021. Using the capture-mark-recapture method, we tested if desert rodents with different biological characteristics and life history strategies under heterogeneous environmental conditions allocate resources in spatial niches to achieve sympatric coexistence. We investigated the influence of environmental factors on the spatial niche breadth of rodents using random forest and redundancy analyses. We observed that the spatial niche overlap between O. sibirica and other rodents is extremely low (overlap index ≤ 0.14). P. roborovskii had the smallest spatial niche breadth. Spatial niche overlap was observed in two distinct species pairs, M. meridianus and D. sagitta, and P. roborovskii and D. sagitta. The Pielou evenness index of rodent communities is closely related to the spatial distribution of rodents, and the concealment of habitats is a key factor affecting the spatial occupation of rodents.

Beneficial Effects of Small-Molecule Oligopeptides Isolated from Panax Ginseng C. A. Meyer on Cellular Fates in Oxidative Stress-Induced Damaged Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells and PC-12.

Cell fate instability is a crucial characteristic of aging and appears to contribute to various age-related pathologies. Exploring the connection between bioactive substances and cell fate stability may offer valuable insights into longevity. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the potential beneficial effects of ginseng oligopeptides (GOPs) isolated from Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer at the cellular level. Disruption of homeostasis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and PC-12 was achieved by culturing them in the growth medium supplemented with 200 µM of H2O2, and 25, 50, and 100 µg/mL GOPs for 4 h. Then, they were cultured in a H2O2-free growth medium containing different concentration of GOPs. We found that GOP administration retards the oxidative stress-induced cell instability in HUVECs by increasing cell viability, inhibiting the cell cycle arrest, enhancing telomerase (TE) activity, suppressing oxidative stress and an inflammatory attack, and protecting mitochondrial function. Furthermore, we hypothesized that GOPs may promote mitochondrial biosynthesis by upregulating PGC-1α expression. Similarly, GOPs positively regulated cell stability in PC-12; notably, the protective effect of GOPs on PC-12 mainly occurred through the inhibition of autophagic cell death of neuronal cells, while the protective effect on mitochondria was weak. In conclusion, it is evident that GOPs demonstrate potential beneficial effects in maintaining cell fate stability, thereby potentially contributing to an enhanced health span and overall well-being.

Predictive value of the prognostic nutritional index combined with serum chloride levels for the prognosis of patients with acute decompensated heart failure.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and serum chloride level are related to adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure. However, little is known about the relationship between the PNI and serum chloride level in predicting the poor prognosis of patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). METHODS AND RESULTS: We reviewed 1221 consecutive patients with ADHF admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from January 2017 to October 2021. After excluding patients with in hospital death, missing follow-up data, missing chloride data, missing lymphocyte (LYM) count data, or missing serum albumin data, 805 patients were included. PNI was calculated using the formula: serum albumin (ALB) (g/L) + 5 × LYM count (10^9/L). Patients were divided into 4 groups according to the quartiles of the PNI, and the highest PNI quartile (PNI Q4: PNI ≥ 47.3) was set as the reference group. The patients in the lowest PNI quartile (PNI Q1: PNI < 40.8) had the lowest cumulative survival rate, and mortality risk decreased progressively through the quartiles (log-rank χ2 142.283, P < 0.0001). Patients with ADHF were divided into 8 groups by quartiles of PNI and median levels of serum chloride. After adjustment, the hazard ratio (HR) for all-cause mortality in ADHF patients in Group 1 was 8.7 times higher than that in the reference Group 8. Furthermore, the addition of serum chloride level and PNI quartile to the Cox model increased the area under the Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve by 0.05, and the area under the ROC curve of the new model was higher than that of the original model with traditional risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Both the lowest PNI quartiles and low chloride level indicate a higher risk of all-cause death in patients with ADHF.

5'-Cytimidine Monophosphate Ameliorates H2O2-Induced Muscular Atrophy in C2C12 Myotubes by Activating IRS-1/Akt/S6K Pathway.

Age-related muscle atrophy (sarcopenia), characterized by reduced skeletal muscle mass and muscle strength, is becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide, which is especially true for older people, and can seriously damage health and quality of life in older adults. This study aims to investigate the beneficial effects of 5'-cytimidine monophosphate (CMP) on H2O2-induced muscular atrophy in C2C12 myotubes. C2C12 myotubes were treated with H2O2 in the presence and absence of CMP and the changes in the anti-oxidation, mitochondrial functions, and expression of sarcopenia-related proteins were observed. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that CMP significantly increased the diameter of myotubes. We found that CMP could increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes and improve mitochondrial dysfunction, as well as reduce inflammatory cytokine levels associated with sarcopenia. RNA-seq analysis showed that CMP could relieve insulin resistance and promote protein digestion and absorption. Western blot analysis further confirmed that CMP could promote the activation of the IRS-1/Akt/S6K signaling pathway and decrease the expression of MuRF1 and Atrogin-1, which are important markers of muscle atrophy. The above results suggest that CMP protects myotubes from H2O2-induced atrophy and that its potential mechanism is associated with activating the IRS-1/Akt/S6K pathway to promote protein synthesis by improving mitochondrial dysfunction and insulin resistance. These results indicate that CMP can improve aging-related sarcopenia.

Serological Comparison of Native Antigen ELISAs with Rapid ICT Test Kits for the Diagnosis of Human Alveolar and Cystic Echinococcosis in China.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic performance of native antigen ELISAs and ADAMU-AE/CE commercial ICT test kits in subjects either exposed to Echinococcus infection or with clinically diagnosed alveolar (AE) or cystic (CE) echinococcosis. METHODS: A total of 370 subjects with a previous clinical confirmation of CE or AE from northwestern China were recruited. Serum samples were also obtained from 3923 children/teenagers during a community survey. All sera were tested using native antigen ELISAs. The ADAMU-AE/CE test kits were subsequently used for the serology of the 370 clinically confirmed individuals and of 251 children/teenagers that were ELISA antibody-positive for both Echinococcus species but ultrasound-negative during baseline survey. An analysis of the association between the serological tests and ultrasound classification was carried out amongst 89 AE and 164 CE cases. A Kappa consistency analysis was undertaken to compare the diagnostic performance of the native antigen ELISAs and the ADAMU kits and the ultrasound imaging results. The χ² test was also used for a comparison of the different seropositivity rates between the groups. FINDINGS: There was poor consistency (Kappa = 0.26 and 0.28 for AE and CE respectively) between the native antigen ELISAs and the ADAMU kits for the diagnosis of AE and CE among the cases and the surveyed children/teenagers, but a relatively good consistency (Kappa = 0.63) between the ADAMU-AE kit and ultrasound observations for the AE cases. Additionally, of the 251 teenagers co-positive for both AE and CE antibodies by the native antigen ELISAs, only one was found positive by the ADAMU-AE kit, verified as a new AE case on subsequent ultrasound follow-up. The remainder (N = 250) were negative by serology using the ADAMU-AE/CE kits and by ultrasound examination. The two native antigen ELISAs did not discriminate well between cases of clinically diagnosed AE and CE. In contrast, ADAMU-AE and ADAMU-CE commercial ICT test kits readily differentiated cases of AE from CE with specificities of 99% for AE and 100% for CE. CONCLUSIONS: The ADAMU-AE/CE kits proved reliable, accurate, and amenable diagnostic tools in the clinical setting for confirmation of suspected AE/CE cases. The native antigen ELISAs tests can provide useful information on the level of human exposure to Echinococcus infection.

Elevated hyaluronic acid levels in severe SARS-CoV-2 infection in the post-COVID-19 era.

Objective: Human identical sequences of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) promoted the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) progression by upregulating hyaluronic acid (HA) via NamiRNA-enhancer network, based on previous experimental research. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of HA for the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the post-COVID-19 era. Methods: A total of 217 consecutive patients with COVID-19 were enrolled at Beijing Ditan Hospital between July 2023 and October 2023. HA levels were analyzed using biochemical detector. Logistic regression analysis was used to screen independent factors for severe COVID-19. The predictive performance of HA for severe infection was assessed by ROC curve. Furthermore, the relationship between HA levels and COVID-19 severity was investigated using multivariate logistic regression models after adjustment for potential confounders. Results: According to the cut-off value of HA, COVID-19 patients were divided into HA < 90 ng/mL group (80 cases) and HA ≥ 90 ng/mL group (137 cases). High HA levels were positively associated with the severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, including elevated inflammatory indicators, severe lung involvement, prolonged clinical course, and higher incidence of respiratory failure and death (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis suggested that HA was an independent predictor of severe COVID-19 (OR = 4.540, 95% CI = 2.105-9.790, P < 0.001). ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC of HA for severe infection was 0.724. HA levels were significantly higher in COVID-19 cases compared to the healthy population (123.9 (82.6, 174.1) vs. 50.5 (37.8, 66.8), P < 0.001), but similar to those with non-SARS-CoV-2 lung infection (121.6 (78.5, 175.6) vs. 106.0 (66.5, 149.7), P = 0.244). We also found that the first COVID-19 infections had higher HA levels (118.8 (79.5, 174.3) vs. 85.0 (61.1, 128.8), P < 0.001) and a higher proportion of severe infection (37.1% vs. 21.3%, P = 0.043) than re-infections. However, HA expression failed to fully return to normal levels with infection recovery (204.7 (152.9, 242.2) vs. 97.0 (69.3, 137.3), P < 0.001). Conclusion: HA was associated with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and could be used as a novel serum biomarker to predict the risk of COVID-19 progression in the post-COVID-19 era.

Effects of overgrazing on the functional diversity of rodents in desert areas.

Environmental stressors and disturbances can cause changes in an ecosystem's community structure, which can be reflected in its functional diversity. As grazing intensity increases, this causes changes in the environment that inevitably lead to changes in the community structure, which can especially affect rodents due to their sensitivity to the environment. The effects of grazing prohibition and overgrazing on the functional diversity of desert rodent communities in Alxa were studied in April, July, and October of 2018-2020. The trap-day method was used to study rodent communities in disturbed habitats. Five functional traits were selected and quantified: nutrition, life history, physiology, morphology, and activity rhythm. The results showed that: (1) The species composition of rodent communities in the Alxa Desert in spring and autumn was significantly correlated with the functional traits of the hibernation, reproductive cycle, and feeding habits. The species composition in the summer was only significantly correlated with the functional traits of reproductive cycle and diet. (2) The effects of overgrazing on the functional diversity of rodents in desert areas have significant temporal and spatial characteristics. (3) In spring and summer, overgrazing made the Functional Richness index of the rodent community lower than that of areas where grazing is prohibited, but the Functional Evenness index was higher than that of grazing-prohibition areas. In autumn, overgrazing increased the Functional Richness index of the rodent community and decreased the Functional Evenness index. The Functional Divergence index was higher in overgrazing areas than in grazing-prohibited ones. These results suggest that, in spring and summer, overgrazing reduced the ecological space utilization ability of rodent communities; however, the impact on the degree of utilization of community resources is more comprehensive. In autumn, overgrazing increases the ability of rodent communities to use ecological space but reduces resource efficiency. Overgrazing makes the niche differentiation of rodent communities higher, the degree of overlap lower, and the competition between species weaker. Therefore, overgrazing will affect the functional diversity of the community through the utilization of ecological space, resource utilization, interspecific competition, and niche.

Characterization of the metabolites of Eucommiae Cortex in rats provides a further insight into its estrogen-like effective substances.

Eucommiae Cortex is one of important traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) used in Asia for preventing and treating osteoporosis induced by estrogen deficiency. However, the low exposure of prototype components in Eucommiae Cortex in vivo is difficult to interpret its efficacy. Under the guidance of UPLC-Q/TOF-MS, 42 metabolites including 32 lignans and 10 phenolics, 21 of which were new compounds, were isolated from rat urine and feces after oral administration of aqueous extract of E. ulmoides Oliv. by various chromatographic techniques. Their structures were determined based on extensive physicochemical analyses and spectral data. Their absolute configurations were determined by experimental and calculated ECD spectra, along with the calculated NMR with DP4 evaluation. Additionally, all isolated metabolites were evaluated for their estrogen-like activities, and there are 15 metabolites having estrogen-like effects after assessing influences in MCF-7 cells. Further, Dual Luciferase Reporter Gene Assay was used to determine their activation with estrogen receptor, M10 and M11 mixtures, M14, M19, M33, M27, M31, M38-M41 could activate ERα, and M19 and M41 could activate ERß. These results not only clarify the pharmacological substances of Eucommiae Cortex, but also provide a basis for guiding its clinical application.

Observation on the Application Effect of Stressor Perception and Response Meticulous Nursing in the Perioperative Period of Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Objective: To investigate the clinical value of stressor perception-based meticulous nursing measures during the perioperative period of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods and Design: A prospective randomized trial was conducted involving 104 AMI patients undergoing PCI from March 2021 to March 2022. Patients were divided into an "intervention group" and a "routine group" based on consultation numbers, with equal cases in each group. PCI procedures were performed by the same group of doctors in both groups and that basic treatment measures were similar. Intervention and Comparison: The intervention group received meticulous nursing measures based on stressor perception during the perioperative period, while the routine group received standard care. Outcome measures: The study compared treatment effects, perioperative sleep quality, negative emotion scores, and perioperative complication rates between the two groups. Results Overview: The patients in the intervention group and the conventional group were statistically similar in terms of operative time, X-ray fluoroscopy time, contrast agent dosage, catheter lab nurse preparation time, catheter lab-balloon dilation time, portal-ball time, and PCI success rate (P > .05). In the post-PCI assessment of negative emotions in both groups, the total scores of depression, anxiety, extroverted irritability, and negative emotion scores in the intervention group were higher than those in the routine group (P < .05). In the post-PCI assessment of sleep quality in both groups, subjective sleep quality score, sleep delay score, and total PSQI score in the intervention group were lower than those in the routine group (P < .05). The rate of surgical complications was 7.69% in the intervention group and 15.38% in the routine group, and the differences between the two groups were not statistically significant (P > .05). Conclusion: While meticulous nursing measures based on stressor perception did not notably enhance the effectiveness of PCI, they did significantly improve patients' negative emotions and sleep quality.

The effect of different nerve block strategies on the quality of post-operative recovery in breast cancer patients: A randomized controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of three types of ultrasound-guided nerve blocks on post-operative recovery quality in patients undergoing modified radical mastectomy for unilateral breast cancer. METHODS: In this randomized double-blinded trial (chictr.org.cn, ChiCTR2200059428), 150 female patients were equally assigned to S group (serratus anterior plane block, SAPB) group, P group (paravertebral block, PVB) or ST group (serratus anterior combined with transverse thoracic muscle plane blocks, SA-TTMPB). The primary outcome was QoR-15 at five time points after surgery. Secondary outcomes were pain scores, time of first rescue analgesic and chronic pain incidence at 3 months. RESULTS: The QoR-15 total score of S group at 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 7 days post-surgery was significantly lower in groups P and ST, while there was no significant difference between groups P and ST (S vs. P vs. ST, 100.29 ± 6.20 vs. 108.51 ± 7.46 vs. 106.46 ± 6.95; 105.59 ± 6.18 vs. 113.06 ± 7.44 vs. 111.22 ± 6.56; 112.51 ± 6.32 vs. 119.88 ± 6.44 vs. 117.62 ± 6.09; 123.00 ± 5.78 vs. 128.86 ± 5.96 vs. 126.92 ± 5.72, p < 0.05). The dynamic and rest NRS scores at 6 and 12 h post-surgery were significantly higher in group S than in groups P and ST. CONCLUSION: Serratus anterior plane block combined with transverse thoracic muscle plane block and paravertebral block both have better effects than serratus anterior plane block alone in improving patients' early post-operative recovery quality, and also have an advantage in improving early post-operative pain. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR2200059428). DATE OF REGISTRATION: 29 April 2022. SIGNIFICANCE: Serratus anterior combined with transverse thoracic muscle plane block may be a safer, easier, and equally effective nerve block strategy than paravertebral block in patients undergoing modified radical mastectomy for unilateral breast cancer.

Dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor PF-04979064 regulates tumor growth in gastric cancer and enhances drug sensitivity of gastric cancer cells to 5-FU.

Gastric cancer (GC) is characterized by high tumor heterogeneity, increased surgical difficulty, and limited chemotherapy efficacy, and it is associated with a poor prognosis. The abnormal proliferation of cells involves abnormal activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Inhibition of this signaling pathway can inhibit tumor cell proliferation and induce cell apoptosis. This study evaluated the effect of PF-04979064, a dual inhibitor of PI3K and mTOR, on human GC cells. PF-04979064 significantly inhibited the proliferation of human gastric adenocarcinoma AGS cells and the undifferentiated GC cell line HGC-27, promoting cell apoptosis. Combination treatment with PF-04979064 and the GC first-line clinical drug 5-FU showed synergistic effects, and PF-04979064 markedly increased the sensitivity of GC cells to chemotherapy drugs. Western blot results showed that PF-04979064 significantly inhibited the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in GC cells, whereas RNA seq results demonstrated substantial alterations in gene expression profiles upon treatment with PF-04979064. This study provides insight into the effects of PF-04979064, thereby establishing a solid foundation for its potential clinical application in the treatment of GC.

Exogenous Nucleotides Ameliorate Age-Related Decline in Testosterone in Male Senescence-Accelerated Mouse Prone-8 (SAMP8) Mice by Modulating the Local Renin-Angiotensin System Antioxidant Pathway.

In older men, an age-related decline in testosterone is closely associated with various adverse health outcomes. With the progression of aging, hyperactivation of the local renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and oxidative stress increase in the testis. The regulation of RAS antioxidants may be a target to delay testicular aging and maintain testosterone levels. Exogenous nucleotides (NTs) have anti-aging potential in several systems, but there are no studies of their effects on the reproductive system. In our study, we examined the effects of exogenous NTs on testosterone synthesis and explored possible mechanisms of action. Therefore, senescence-accelerated mouse prone-8 (SAMP8) mice and senescence-accelerated mouse resistant 1 (SAMR1) were used in the experiment, and they were randomly divided into an NTs free group (NTs-F), a normal control group (control), a low-dose NTs group (NTs-L), a middle-dose NTs (NTs-M), a high-dose NTs group (NTs-H) and SAMR1 groups, and the testis of the mice were collected for testing after 9 months of intervention. The results showed that exogenous NTs could increase the testicular organ index in mice during aging, and delayed the age-associated decline in testosterone levels in SAMP8 male mice, possibly by modulating the local RAS antioxidant pathway and reducing oxidative stress to protect the testis. The present study provides new research clues for the development of preventive and therapeutic strategies for related diseases.

Amphoteric composite of ZrP and N-doped porous carbon: Synthesis, characterization, and potential use for cycloaddition of CO2.

Composites of amorphous ZrP and N-doped carbon were prepared in a one-step pyrolysis process instead of general post-loading technique. Owing to their mesoporous structure (6-10 nm) and Zr content (up to 41 wt%), the amphoteric materials have potential use in the cycloaddition of CO2 to epoxides, which is an acid‒base tandem process including the ring opening of epoxides and the addition of CO2. Substantial work has been done on how starting materials impact the structure and performance of composite materials. The coordination between metal and melamine has been confirmed, and it can be implanted in the melamine-polymer initiation of formation of porous metal-carbon materials. The composite catalysts exhibit amphoteric properties, present broad-spectrum adsorption, and finally produce carbonates via cycloaddition of CO2 to epoxides. It is remarkable that the multiple characteristics of porous solids are stabilized, and no significant loss of catalytic performance is observed after four cycles.

Impact of a high dietary fiber cereal meal intervention on body weight, adipose distribution, and cardiovascular risk among individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Objective: This study sought to examine the impacts of a high dietary fiber cereal meal in comparison to conventional dietary management for diabetes on body weight, distribution of adipose tissue, and cardiovascular risk among individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Methods: A cohort of 120 patients diagnosed with T2DM was enlisted as the study population and divided into two groups using a ratio of 2:1-namely, the W group (n=80) and the U group (n=40). The U group (control) received usual diet, while the W group (intervention) incorporated a high dietary fiber cereal meal in place of their regular staple food in addition to adhering to conventional diabetes dietary recommendations. The high dietary fiber cereal meal was based on whole grains, traditional Chinese medicinal foods, and prebiotics. A subsequent follow-up period of 3 months ensued, during which diverse parameters such as body mass index (BMI),waist-hip ratio (WHR), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c),fasting blood glucose(FBG),C-peptide levels, blood pressure, blood lipids, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP),10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, and Lifetime CVD risk were assessed before and after the intervention. Results: Among the participants, a total of 107 successfully completed the intervention and follow-up, including 72 individuals from the W group and 35 from the U group. Following the intervention, both cohorts exhibited decrease in BMI, WHR, HbA1c, FBG, blood pressure, and blood lipid levels in contrast to their initial measurements. Remarkably, the improvements in BMI, WHR, HbA1c, FBG, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides(TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), the ratio of triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C), and the ratio of 2-hour C-peptide (2hCP) to fasting C-peptide (FCP) were more marked within the W group, exhibiting statistically significant disparities (P<0.05) in comparison to the U group. Furthermore, the levels of hsCRP declined among individuals in the W group, while the U group experienced an elevation.10-year CVD risk reduction were similar in the two groups. While, Lifetime CVD risk only decreased significantly in the W group. Conclusion: The intervention centred on a cereal-based dietary approach showcased favourable outcomes with regard to body weight, adipose distribution, and cardiovascular risk in overweight individuals grappling with T2DM.

Advanced lung cancer inflammation index combined with geriatric nutritional risk index predict all-cause mortality in heart failure patients.

BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to explore the predictive value of the advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) combined with the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) for all-cause mortality in patients with heart failure (HF). METHODS AND RESULTS: We enrolled 1123 patients with HF admitted to our cardiology department from January 2017 to October 2021. Patients were divided into four groups, according to the median ALI and GNRI. From the analysis of the relationship between the ALI and GNRI, we concluded that there was a mild positive linear correlation (r = 0.348, p < 0.001) and no interaction (p = 0.140) between the ALI and GNRI. Kaplan‒Meier analysis showed that the cumulative incidence of all-cause mortality in patients with HF was highest in Group 1 (log-rank χ2 126.244, p < 0.001). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that ALI and GNRI were independent predictors of all-cause mortality in HF patients (ALI: HR 0.407, 95% CI 0.296-0.560, p < 0.001; GNRI: HR 0.967, 95% CI 0.954-0.980, p < 0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) for ALI combined with GNRI was 0.711 (p < 0.001), according to the time-dependent ROC curve. CONCLUSION: ALI and GNRI were independent predictors of all-cause mortality in HF patients. Patients with HF had the highest risk of all-cause mortality when the ALI was < 24.60 and the GNRI was < 94.41. ALI combined with the GNRI has good predictive value for the prognosis of HF patients.

Preoperative albumin-to-globulin ratio and prognostic nutritional index predict the prognosis of colorectal cancer: a retrospective study.

The immunonutritional status has important effects on outcomes for cancer patients. Albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR) and the prognostic nutrition index (PNI) are often used to assess the immunonutritional status of cancer patients. However, the clinical significance of these factors in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of the AGR and PNI in CRC. We reviewed the clinical data of 511 patients with CRC in two hospitals. Data from one institution was used as the training cohort. The optimal cutoff values for AGR and PNI in the training cohort were 1.4 and 48.65, respectively. Patients in both the low AGR and low PNI groups had poor overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), while those in the low AGR-low PNI group had the lowest OS and PFS. Multivariate analysis revealed that preoperative AGR, preoperative PNI, gross type, and TNM stage were independent prognostic factors influencing OS in patients with CRC. Preoperative AGR, preoperative PNI, and TNM stage were independently associated with PFS in patients with CRC. According to the results of multivariate analysis in the training cohort, we developed the nomograms for OS and PFS and performed internal and external validation, which showed good prediction ability of the nomograms. In conclusion, preoperative AGR and PNI can be used as effective indicators to predict survival for patients with CRC. AGR and PNI may help develop effective adjuvant-therapy schedules.

Does depression affect the association between prosocial behavior and anxiety? A cross-sectional study of students in China.

Background: A growing number of studies have suggested that adolescents' prosocial behavior can protect against depression and anxiety. It is known that anxiety and depression are often comorbid. However, it remains unclear if when depression is present, prosocial behavior remains protective against anxiety, and if when anxiety is present, prosocial behavior remains protective against depression. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of anxiety and depressive with prosocial behavior. Methods: A large representative sample of middle-school students was recruited for a cross-sectional study and completed standardized instruments (the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders-Child version (SCARED-C), and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)). We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the protective effect of prosocial behavior against anxiety when depression was present. Results: A survey of 3,510 students was conducted, and the final analysis included 3,169 students, comprising 1,616 boys (51.0%) and 1,553 girls (49.0%), with a mean age of 13.09 years (SD = 1.31, range 11-16).The prevalence rates of anxiety and depression in early adolescents were 31.6 and 16.7%, respectively. More than two-thirds of depressed adolescents had comorbid anxiety, while more than one-third of anxious adolescents had comorbid depression. Regression models showed that compared with depressed adolescents, adolescents without depressive symptoms exhibited a significant negative correlation between prosocial behaviors and anxiety and depression (ß = -0.01, p > 0.01, ß = -0.06, p > 0.01; ß = -0.11, p < 0.01, and ß = -0.17, p < 0.01). There was no difference in the relationship between prosocial behavior and depression between anxious and non-anxious adolescents (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Anxiety and depression are common in adolescence and are often comorbid disorders. However, the comorbidity is not symmetrical. Specifically, the protective effect of prosocial behavior against anxiety is weaker in depressed adolescents. Findings are discussed in light of related research and theory, and insights for intervention programs and future research are presented.