Relationship between red cell distribution width/albumin ratio and carotid plaque in different glucose metabolic states in patients with coronary heart disease: a RCSCD-TCM study in China.

BACKGROUND: Red cell distribution width/albumin ratio (RAR) is thought to be associated with the prognosis of a variety of diseases, including diabetes and heart failure. To date, no studies have focused on the relationship between RAR and carotid plaque in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS: A total of 10,267 patients with CHD were divided according to RAR quartiles (Q1: RAR ≤ 2.960; Q2: 2.960 < RAR ≤ 3.185; Q3: 3.185 < RAR < 3.441; Q4: RAR ≥ 3.441). Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between RAR and carotid plaques in CHD patients. The relationship between RAR and carotid plaques in according to sex, age and glucose regulation state groups were also assessed. RESULTS: Among the 10,267 participants, 75.43% had carotid plaques. After adjusting for confounding factors, RAR was found to be associated with carotid plaque formation (OR: 1.23; 95% CI 1.08-1.39). The risk of carotid plaque formation in the Q4 group was 1.24 times higher than that in the Q1 group. After multivariate adjustment, RAR was associated with the risk of carotid plaque in female (OR: 1.29; 95% CI 1.09-1.52). And the relationship between RAR and carotid plaques in patients younger than 60 years old (OR: 1.43; 95% CI 1.16-1.75) was stronger than that in those older than 60 years old (OR: 1.29; 95% CI 1.10-1.51). Under different glucose metabolism states, RAR had the highest correlation with the risk of carotid plaques in diabetes patients (OR: 1.28; 95% CI 1.04-1.58). CONCLUSIONS: RAR was significantly related to carotid plaques in patients with CHD. In addition, the correlation between RAR and the incidence of carotid plaque in patients with CHD was higher in women and middle-aged and elderly patients. In patients with CHD and diabetes, the correlation between RAR and carotid plaque was higher.

Associations Between Atherosclerosis and Elevated Serum Alkaline Phosphatase in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease in an Inflammatory State.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) has been shown to be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Inflammation is the initiator of atherosclerosis, throughout the life of atherosclerosis. This study investigated the relationship between serum ALP and atherosclerosis in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) in an inflammatory state. METHODS: This was a multicentre retrospective study including 22,989 patients with CAD. Serum alkaline phosphatase was converted into the quartiles. C-reactive protein (CRP) was assayed as a marker of systemic inflammation. The atherosclerosis index (AI) was used to assess the degree of atherosclerosis. Binary logistic regression was used to analyse the relationship between ALP and AI. Stratified analysis was performed according to sex and age. RESULTS: Elevated serum ALP was associated with the risk of atherosclerosis in patients with CAD, and after quartiling ALP, the OR for Q4 was 1.17 (95% CI 1.08-1.26; p<0.001) when using Q1 as reference. The odds ratio (OR) for ALP and risk of atherosclerosis was higher in patients aged ≤60 years (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.15-1.53; p<0.001) than in patients aged >60 years (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.01-1.23; p<0.05), and higher in males (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.09-1.35; p<0.001) than in females (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.03-1.31; p<0.05). Q4 (ALP >83.00 U/L) was significantly associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis in the inflammatory state (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.18-1.86; p<0.001), and it remained after stratified analysis according to sex and age. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of atherosclerosis tended to increase with increasing ALP levels and the correlation between ALP and the degree of atherosclerosis was significantly stronger when ALP was >83.00 U/L. This relationship was more pronounced in inflammatory states, and there were sex and age differences. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov; Unique identifier: NCT04026724.

Triglyceride glucose index for the detection of the severity of coronary artery disease in different glucose metabolic states in patients with coronary heart disease: a RCSCD-TCM study in China.

BACKGROUND: Triglyceride glucose (TyG) index is a new marker associated with atherosclerosis. This study aimed to assess the association between TyG index and the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and further explore the association between TyG index and CAD severity in different glucose metabolic states. METHODS: This multi-centre retrospective study included 731 patients with CHD between January 1, 2014 and September 30, 2020 in China. All patients were stratified into groups based on the tertiles of TyG index (T1: 5.48 ≤ TyG index ≤ 7.17; T2: 7.18 ≤ TyG index ≤ 7.76; T3: 7.77 ≤ TyG index ≤ 10.82). The number of diseased vessels [single-vessel and multi-vessel CAD (≥ 50% stenosis in ≥ 2 large vessels)] represented the severity of CAD, which was measured using coronary angiography (CAG). Glucose metabolic states were defined by the American Diabetes Association as normal glucose regulation (NGR), prediabetes mellitus (Pre-DM), and diabetes mellitus (DM). RESULTS: The baseline analysis results showed significant differences in the clinical and biological characteristics of CHD patients according to TyG index tertiles (P < 0.05 to < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that the TyG index was significantly related to the risk of multi-vessel CAD (odds ratio [OR]: 1.715; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.339-2.197; P < 0.001). The OR for multi-vessel CAD in TyG index T3 compared to that of T1 was 2.280 (95% CI 1.530-3.398; P < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was generated to evaluate the accuracy of the TyG index in detecting the CAD severity, and the area under the curve (AUC) of the ROC plots was 0.601 (95% CI 0.559-0.643). The association between TyG index and multi-vessel CAD was significant in patients with DM, achieving the highest OR among the different glucose metabolic states (OR: 1.717; 95% CI 1.161-2.539; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: TyG index was associated with CAD severity in patients with CHD, and an increased TyG index could identify patients with a high risk of multi-vessel CAD. There was an association between TyG index and CAD severity for the condition of DM.

Low-/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and carotid plaques in patients with coronary heart disease: a Chinese cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Evidence on the relationship between the low-/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (LDL-C/HDL-C) and carotid plaques remains limited. This study aimed to examine the association between LDL-C/HDL-C and carotid plaques in participants with coronary heart disease (CHD) and to further explore the extent to which a healthy lifestyle reduces the risk of LDL-C/HDL-C-related carotid plaques. METHODS: This large-scale and multi-centre retrospective study included 9426 CHD patients (aged 35-75 years) between January 1, 2014 and September 30, 2020. The LDL-C/HDL-C values were converted to the following tertiles: lowest (< 2.15), middle (2.15-3), and highest (> 3). Healthy lifestyle-related factors referred to whether or not the participant was a non-smoker and non-drinker. Participants were divided into an unfavourable group (those who did not adhere to healthy lifestyle factors), intermediate (only one unhealthy factor), and favourable (neither of the two unhealthy factors). Logistic regression was used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: Of the 9426 participants, 6989 (74.15%) CHD patients had carotid plaques. After adjustment for confounders, each unit increase in the LDL-C/HDL-C was significantly associated with carotid plaques (OR: 1.61; 95%CI: 1.43-1.84; P <  0.001). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that carotid plaques risk for the highest tertile (> 3) was 1.18 times that of the lowest quartile (< 2.15). Compared with an unfavourable lifestyle, an intermediate or a favourable lifestyle was associated with a significant 30% (OR: 0.70; 95%CI: 0.64-0.78; P <  0.001) or 67% (OR: 0.33; 95%CI: 0.29-0.37; P <  0.001) reduction in carotid plaques risk, respectively, among CHD patients with high LDL-C/HDL-C. There were significantly additive and multiplicative interactions between lifestyle and LDL-C/HDL-C with regards to carotid plaques. CONCLUSION: A high LDL-C/HDL-C is associated with a risk of carotid plaques developing in CHD patients. Adhering to a healthy lifestyle has additive beneficial effects on reducing the risk of carotid plaques, especially in relation to the highest LDL-C/HDL-C.

Association Between Anemia Status and the Risk of Different Types of Heart Failure: A RCSCD-TCM Study in China.

We investigated the association between anemia status and the risk of heart failure (HF) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) based on a multi-center, large-sample and retrospective cross-sectional study including 89,207 patients. Heart failure was categorized as HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), and HF with mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF). In multi-adjusted models, compared with patients without anemia, mild anemia (odds ratio [OR] 1.71; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.53-1.91; P < .001), moderate anemia (OR 3.68; 95% CI, 3.25-4.17; P < .001), and severe anemia (OR 8.02; 95% CI, 6.50-9.88; P < .001) were associated with the risk of HF among CHD patients. Men aged <65 years were more likely to develop HF. In subgroup analyses, the multi-adjusted ORs and 95% CI of HFpEF, HFrEF, and HFmrEF related to anemia were 3.24 (95% CI 1.43-7.33), 2.22 (95% CI 1.28-3.84), and 2.55 (95% CI 2.24-2.89), respectively. These findings suggest that anemia might be associated with increased risk of different types of HF, especially HFpEF.

Fibrinogen/albumin ratio and carotid artery plaques in coronary heart disease patients with different glucose metabolic states: a RCSCD-TCM study.

AIM: The relationship between fibrinogen/albumin ratio (FAR) and carotid artery plaques (CAPs) was investigated in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS: A total of 11,624 patients with CHD were enrolled and divided into quartiles based on the FAR (Q1: FAR index ≤ 0.0663; Q2: 0.0664 ≤ FAR index ≤ 0.0790; Q3: 0.0791 ≤ FAR index ≤ 0.0944; Q4: FAR index > 0.0944). Patients were classified into three groups according to their blood glucose levels: normal glucose regulation (NGR), prediabetes mellitus (pre-DM), and diabetes mellitus (DM) groups. Carotid ultrasonography was performed to detect CAPs. The relationship between FAR and CAPs was evaluated using logistic and subgroup analyses. RESULTS: Among 11,624 participants, 8738 (75.14%) had CAPs. Compared with Q1, the odds ratio (OR) of Q4 in patients with CHD was 2.00 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.71-2.34) after multivariate adjustment. Taking Q1 as a reference, a higher OR was observed in Q4 of FAR for CAPs in men [OR: 2.26; 95% CI: 1.73-2.95] in the multi-adjusted models. Moreover, multivariate adjustment indicated that the highest OR was observed in patients with CHD and DM (OR: 2.36; 95% CI: 1.80-3.10). CONCLUSIONS: A significant association between FAR and CAPs was observed in patients with CHD, regardless of sex or blood glucose levels. Therefore, FAR may be used as an effective indicator to identify patients at a high risk of CAPs among patients with CHD.

Efficient and selective capture of uranium by polyethyleneimine-modified chitosan composite microspheres from radioactive nuclear waste.

Uranium extraction from radioactive nuclear waste is vital for sustainable energy supply and ecological security. Herein, a polyethyleneimine-chitosan composite microspheres n-PEI/ECH-CTS (n = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5) were synthetized for efficient and selective uranium adsorption. The prepared chitosan microspheres with uniform size, uniform dispersion and good mechanical strength combine cost-effectiveness and environmental benefits. The 0.4-PEI/ECH-CTS exhibits the highest adsorption capacity of 380.65 mg g-1 within only 4 h due to high nitrogen content of 6.57 mol kg-1. The DFT calculations confirms that the optimal coordination mode of UO22+ and 0.4-PEI/ECH-CTS is one UO22+ chelated with two -NH2 from two adsorption units, respectively. Adsorption efficiency of U(VI) from simulated nuclear wastewater achieves to 100%, and the Kd value is up to 1.1 × 104 mL g-1, which is 1.7 × 104-6.1 × 104 times that of coexisting ions. The CU(VI) reduces in simulated wastewater from 10.98 mg L-1 to 1 µg L-1, which is well below the US Environmental Protection Agency uranium limits for drinking water (30 µg L-1). Besides, 0.4-PEI/ECH-CTS still maintains above 95% adsorption efficiency after seven cycles. In short, the 0.4-PEI/ECH-CTS microspheres integrate high performance, practicality and cost-effectiveness, which has great advantages in practical industrial applications.

Gut microbiota-SCFAs-brain axis associated with the antidepressant activity of berberine in CUMS rats.

BACKGROUND: The anti-depressant effect of berberine (BBR) has been widely reported. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The microbiota-gut-brain (MGB) axis plays a key role in the pathogenesis of depression. Therefore, we aimed to explore the anti-depressant mechanisms of BBR involving the association of the gut microbiota, neurotransmitters, BDNF, and SCFAs in chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced depressive rats. METHODS: The antidepressant effects of BBR were detected by open-field test, 1 % sucrose preference test and body weight test in CUMS-induced depressive rats. 16S rDNA sequencing was performed to identify the change of gut microbiota. The concentrations of fecal SCFAs were analyzed by GC-MS targeted metabolomics. At the same time, neurotransmitters and BDNF expression were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: BBR improved depression-like behaviors in CUMS rats by increasing the expression of serotonin (5-HT), norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), and BDNF in the hippocampus. BBR regulates Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Lachnospiraceae in depressive rats, resulting in the alteration of the synthesis and metabolism of SCFAs, including acetic, propanoic, and isovaleric acids. LIMITATIONS: Direct evidence that BBR improves depressive behaviors via gut microbiota-SCFAs-brain axis is lacking, and only male rats were investigated in the present study. CONCLUSION: The anti-depressant mechanism of BBR is related to the regulation of the MGB axis via modulating the gut microbiota-SCFAs-monoamine neurotransmitters/BDNF.

Association of Serum γ-Glutamyltransferase With C-Reactive Protein Levels in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease.

Serum γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) levels have been shown to be associated with C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Nevertheless, studies on this relationship in coronary heart disease (CHD) populations are limited. This study retrospectively assessed 17 523 patients with CHD undergoing GGT and CRP testing. They were divided into 3 groups according to GGT tertiles. The critical points for high CRP levels was 10.0 mg/L, which corresponded to the 75th percentile. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between GGT and CRP levels in CHD patients. The baseline analysis showed significant differences in related parameters among patients with CHD. Compared with GGT tertile 1 (T1), the odds ratio (OR) of T3 for GGT in CHD patients was 2.15 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.96-2.36). The association between GGT and CRP was higher in males (OR: 2.23; 95% CI: 1.98-2.52) than in females (OR: 2.18; 95% CI: 1.89-2.51). This study showed an association between serum GGT and CRP levels in patients with CHD. GGT may be an inflammatory marker and an additional measure for assessing cardiovascular risk.

Photocorrosion-Based BiOCl Photothermal Materials for Synergistic Solar-Driven Desalination and Photoelectrochemistry Energy Storage and Release.

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation is one of the most promising desalination technologies. However, few studies have effectively combined energy storage with evaporation processes. Here, a novel multifunctional interfacial evaporator, calcium alginate hydrogel/bismuth oxychloride/carbon black (HBiC), is designed, which integrates the characteristics of interfacial evaporation and direct photoelectric conversion. Under illumination, the Bi nanoparticles which were produced by photoetching of BiOCl and its reaction heat are simultaneously used for the heating of water molecules. Meanwhile, part of the solar energy is converted into chemical energy through the photocorrosion reaction and stored in HBiC. At night, Bi NPs undergo autooxidation reaction and an electric current is generated during this process (like a metal-air battery), in which the maximum current density is more than 15 µA cm-2. This scientific design cleverly combines desalination with power generation and provides a new development direction for energy collection and storage.

Associations Between GGT/ALT Ratio and Carotid Plaque in Inpatients With Coronary Artery Disease: A RCSCD-TCM Study.

This study investigated the relationship between gamma-glutamyltransferase/alanine aminotransferase (GGT/ALT) ratio and carotid plaques in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). This multicenter retrospective study included 8,255 patients with CAD who were divided according to GGT/ALT quartiles: Q1 (GGT/ALT ≤ 1.00), Q2 (1.00 < GGT/ALT ≤ 1.41), Q3 (1.41 < GGT/ALT ≤ 2.05), and Q4 (GGT/ALT > 2.05). Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between GGT/ALT, carotid plaques, and carotid plaque echogenicity. GGT/ALT ratio (odds ratio [OR]: 1.16; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.11-1.21; P < .001) was significantly associated with carotid plaque risk. The degree of relevance was higher in men (OR: 1.71; 95% CI: 1.35-2.15; P < .001) than in women (OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.28-1.91; P < .001). The ORs value of carotid plaque risk was higher in middle-aged patients (OR: 2.23; 95% CI: 1.78-2.80; P < .001) than in older patients (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.44-2.18; P < .001). The GGT/ALT ratio was significantly associated with different carotid plaque echogenicity, and the highest OR values were for isoechoic plaques (OR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.12-1.24; P < .001). These findings suggest that the GGT/ALT ratio might be associated with a high risk of developing carotid plaques and different types of plaque echoes and was more significantly associated with isoechoic plaques.

The Association Between Hemoglobin Glycation Index and Carotid Artery Plaque in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease.

This study aimed to examine the association between the hemoglobin glycation index (HGI) and carotid artery plaque (CAP) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 10,778 patients with CHD. The participants were divided into three groups by HGI tertiles (T1 HGI<-0.44, T2 -0.44 ≤ HGI ≤ 0.15, T3 HGI>0.15). The presence of CAP was used to diagnose by carotid ultrasonography. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between the HGI and CAP. The association between HGI and CAP was also assessed according to sex, age, smoking status, and drinking status. We further assessed the association between HGI and the ultrasound characteristics of CAP. The baseline analysis showed substantial differences in relevant parameters between the three groups of patients with CHD according to the tertiles of the HGI. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that HGI was significantly associated with CAP (odds ratio [OR] 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26-1.39). The association between HGI and CAP exists among different sex, age, smoking, and drinking status. Furthermore, there was a significant and positive association between HGI and all four different echogenicities of the CAP.

Fibrinogen-to-Albumin Ratio and Glucose Metabolic States in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease.

This study investigated the relationship between fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio (FAR) and glucose metabolic state in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). A total of 52,062 patients were enrolled in this study. Patients were classified according to FAR tertiles (T1: FAR < 0.0073; T2: 0.0073 ≤ FAR ≤ 0.0886; T3: FAR ≥ 0.0887). Patients were also classified into the normal glucose regulation (NGR) and elevated blood glucose (EBG) groups. The relationship between FAR and EBG was analyzed using logistic regression, and the association was evaluated according to sex and age. Among the participants, 32,471 (62.4%) had EBG, which was positively associated with FAR (odds ratio [OR], 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15-1.23). The OR of the FAR for EBG in males was higher than that in females (1.25; 95% CI 1.18-1.33 vs 1.15; 95% CI 1.10-1.20). Moreover, the OR of FAR for EBG was greater in patients aged 60 or younger (OR: 1.25; 95% CI 1.18-1.33) than in the elderly patients (over 60 years of age) (OR: 1.15; 95% CI 1.10-1.20). The results indicated a significant relationship between FAR and EBG and this association was higher in males and middle-aged patients.

CTAB assisted evaporation-induced self-assembly to construct imidazolium-based hierarchical porous covalent organic polymers for ReO4-/TcO4- removal.

Evaporation-induced self-assembly method (EISA) was a facile and reliable method to synthesize porous materials. Herein, we report a kind of hierarchical porous ionic liquid covalent organic polymers (HPnDNH2) under cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) assisted by EISA for ReO4-/TcO4- removal. Unlike covalent organic frameworks (COFs), which usually needed to be prepared in a closed environment or with a long reaction time, HPnDNH2 in this study was prepared within 1 h in an open environment. It was worth noting that CTAB not only served as a soft template for forming pore, but also induced ordered structure, which was verified by SEM, TEM, and Gas sorption. Benefit from its hierarchical pore structure, HPnDNH2 exhibited higher adsorption capacity (690.0 mg g-1 for HP1DNH2 and 808.7 mg g-1 for HP1.5DNH2) and faster kinetics for ReO4-/TcO4- than 1DNH2 (without employing CTAB). Additionally, the material used to remove TcO4- from alkaline nuclear waste was seldom reported, because combining features of alkali resistance and high uptake selectivity was not easy to achieve. In this study, in the case of HP1DNH2, it displayed outstanding adsorption efficiency toward aqueous ReO4-/TcO4- in 1 mol L-1 NaOH solution (92%) and simulated Savannah River Site High-level waste (SRS HLW) melter recycle stream (98%), which could be a potentially excellent nuclear waste adsorbing material.

Association of HbA1c with carotid artery plaques in patients with coronary heart disease: a retrospective clinical study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels have been shown to be related to carotid artery plaques. However, studies on the relationship between HbA1c levels and carotid artery plaques in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) are limited and inconsistent. Our objective was to examine the correlation between HbA1c levels and carotid artery plaques in patients with CHD. METHODS: The study comprised 9275 Chinese adults with CHD from January 1, 2014, to September 30, 2020. HbA1c levels were assessed, and colour Doppler ultrasound was used to evaluate the carotid artery, including plaque presence, intima-media thickness, and plaque echo properties, to investigate the association between HbA1c and carotid plaque. A logistic regression model was used to assess the association between carotid artery plaques, carotid plaque echogenicity, and HbA1c. RESULTS: The HbA1c level of the plaque-present group was higher than that of the plaque-absent group [6.1 (5.6-7.2) vs. 5.8 (5.5-6.5), p < 0.001]. In multiple linear regression analysis, intima-media thickness was associated with HbA1c (p < 0.001). Logistic regression showed that a higher HbA1c level was associated with plaque incidence as well as hyperechoic and heterogeneous plaques (p < 0.001). These associations persist after adjusting for age, sex, blood pressure, lipid profiles, alcohol consumption, and tobacco exposure. CONCLUSION: HbA1c levels are notably associated with carotid artery plaque incidence, intima-media thickness, and plaque echogenicity in patients with CHD. These findings show that different levels of HbA1c may be an indicator for carotid artery plaques and thus, should be observed in patients with CHD.

Relation Between New York Heart Association Functional Class and Remnant Cholesterol, and Non-high Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Coronary Heart Disease Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Remnant cholesterol (RC) and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) are associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the association between RC, non-HDL-C, and CHD patients with T2DM has not been comprehensively investigated. We analyzed the association between RC, non-HDL-C, and cardiac function in CHD patients with T2DM. Of the 22 022 CHD patients from six hospitals in Tianjin, 5373 (24.4%) patients with T2DM had higher levels of RC and non-HDL-C (P < .001) than those without T2DM. Among CHD patients with T2DM, RC and non-HDL-C were positively associated with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class Ⅱ [RC: odds ratio (OR), 1.74; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.50-2.01; P < .01; non-HDL-C: OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.15-1.31; P < .01]. After adjusting for confounding factors, this association remained (RC: OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.03-1.45; P < .05; non-HDL-C: OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.02-1.17; P < .05). These findings provide evidence of an independent positive association between RC, non-HDL-C, and NYHA functional classes. More research is warranted to confirm these findings and determine the mechanisms involved.

Immersion grinding and in-situ polymerization synthesis of poly(ionic liquid)s incorporation into MOF composites as radioactive TcO4- scavenger.

Imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) are a promising candidate for efficient separation of radioactive pertechnetate (TcO4-) from nuclear waste. However, their effective fixation, availability of active sites and slow adsorption kinetics remain challenges. Here, we incorporated the bisimidazolium-based ILs into porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) via a combination of immersion grinding and in-situ polymerization. 3,3'-divinyl-1,1'(1,4-butanediyl) diimidazolium dichloride is tightly bound inside and outside the porous MOFs matrix by uniform immersion grinding, which facilitates the exposure of more adsorption sites and provides channels for the anions to travel through quickly. Solvent-free polymerization reduces environmental pollution and energy consumption. Notably, the composite P[C4(VIM)2]Cl2@MIL-101 possesses an admirable removal efficiency (673 mg g-1) compared with the pristine poly(ionic liquid)s (215 mg g-1). Meanwhile, it exhibits fast sorption kinetics (92% in 2 min), good ß and γ radiation-resistance, excellent regeneration and eminent removal efficiency in high alkaline conditions (83%). These superior traits endow that P[C4(VIM)2]Cl2@MIL-101 effectively separated TcO4- from simulated Hanford Low-activity Waste (LAW) Melter off-gas scrubber solution tested in this work. DFT density functional theory confirms that the strong electrostatic attraction and minimum Gibbs free energy (-6.2 kcal mol-1) achieve high selective adsorption for TcO4-. P[C4(VIM)2]Cl2@MIL-101 demonstrates the considerable potential to remove TcO4- from radioactive contaminants.

Effect of hypercholesterolemia alone or combined with hypertension on the degree of coronary artery stenosis in patients with coronary heart disease angina pectoris: A medical records based retrospective study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death globally. Angina pectoris is closely associated with coronary artery insufficiency, which seriously affects the quality of life and work of patients. Hypercholesterolemia and hypertension (HTN) are risk factors for CHD angina pectoris. The correlation between hypercholesterolemia with or without HTN and the severity of coronary arteries has not been clarified. OBJECTIVE: To explore the correlation between hypercholesterolemia and the degree of coronary artery stenosis (CAS) of CHD angina pectoris, and to further research the influence of HTN on total cholesterol level and CAS, so as to provide guidance for clinical prevention and treatment. METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective clinical study was conducted in the medical records management system of 6 hospitals in Tianjin. Patients who were suffered from CHD angina pectoris and aged from 35 to 75 years old are involved. They hospitalized in the Department of Cardiology between September 1, 2014, and September 1, 2019, and underwent coronary angiography. We divide patients into 3 groups based on the total cholesterol level, the degree of CAS is evaluated by Gensini score, and further divide them into 6 subgroups based on with or without HTN. Collect and analyze the demographics, laboratory information, clinical outcome data, and coronary angiographic data of patients. CONCLUSION: Through clinical research data, the study will help to provide guidance for the prevention and treatment of CHD angina pectoris complicated with diseases and promote further research.

Acrylic Acid-Functionalized Metal-Organic Frameworks for Sc(III) Selective Adsorption.

The increasing demand for rare-earth elements (REEs) due to their extensive high-tech applications has encouraged the development of new sustainable approaches for REE recovery and separation. In this work, a series of acrylic acid-functionalized metal-organic framework materials (named as y-AA- x@MIL-101s) were prepared and used for selective adsorption of Sc(III). The adsorbent was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and zeta potential and surface functional-group titration. The adsorption isotherm and kinetics data were accurately described by the Langmuir and pseudo-second-order models. The adsorption capacity of the material for Sc(III), Nd(III), Gd(III), and Er(III) was 90.21, 104.59, 58.29, and 74.94 mg g-1, respectively. Importantly, the adsorbent was better for selective recovery of Sc(III) not only from the 16 REE mixed system but also the Cu(II), Zn(II), Mn(II), Co(II), and Al(III) coexistence solution. Except for Sc(III), the material displayed high affinity for Nd(III) in the light rare-earth mixture and for Gd(III) in the middle rare-earth mixture. All in all, this study provides a new method for separation and recovery of REEs, which makes this work highly significant in separation and enrichment.

Identification of coronary heart disease biomarkers with different severities of coronary stenosis in human urine using non-targeted metabolomics based on UPLC-Q-TOF/MS.

BACKGROUND: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death worldwide, and its pathogenesis has attracted much attention. Metabolomics serves as an important tool for diagnosing diseases and exploring their pathogenesis in recent years. In this study, CHD patients were studied by comparing them with normal subjects to elucidate biomarkers that are linearly correlated with the severity of coronary stenosis. METHODS: An ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) was used to analyze the urine metabolites of CHD patients and normal subjects. A total of 131 subjects included 27 patients who presented with 50-69% coronary stenosis, 22 with 70-89% stenosis, 29 with 90-99% stenosis, 24 with 100% stenosis, and 29 normal subjects. RESULTS: A total of 14 potential biomarkers associated with CHD were identified, and among them 4 biomarkers were linearly correlated with the severity of coronary stenosis in CHD patients. The metabolic pathways involved were amino acid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, energy metabolism, and other pathways. CONCLUSION: This study identified the biomarkers and metabolic pathways that may be involved in the occurrence and development of CHD, laying a theoretical foundation for better diagnosis and treatment of CHD in the future.