Poor recovery of cardiac function in myocardial infarction patients with metabolic syndrome and microalbuminuria.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the impact of metabolic syndrome (MetS) with microalbuminuria on the improvement of cardiac function after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: Nondiabetic patients with acute ST segment elevation MI (STEMI) who underwent coronary revascularization from 2013 to 2017 were included. They were grouped according to history of MetS and microalbuminuria test results as follows: microalbuminuria/MetS group, normoalbuminuria/MetS group, microalbuminuria/no MetS group, and normoalbuminuria/no MetS group. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and serum N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels at the 6­month follow-up were measured and the predictive value of MetS with microalbuminuria on recovery of cardiac function was assessed by multivariable logistic regression modeling. RESULTS: A total of 530 STEMI patients were included (average age = 66.6 years). Analysis of covariance showed that LVEF recovery in the normoalbuminuria/no MetS group was better than that of the normoalbuminuria/MetS, microalbuminuria/no MetS, and microalbuminuria/MetS groups (49.22% vs. 48.92% vs. 47.48% vs. 46.99%, respectively, p < 0.001) when acute phase LVEF was the covariable. The NT-proBNP level of the normoalbuminuria/no MetS group at the 6­month follow-up was lower than that of the microalbuminuria/MetS group (p < 0.001). Further regression analysis revealed that there was a lower probability of complete cardiac function recovery after 6 months in patients with microalbuminuria (odds ratio: 0.455) than in patients without microalbuminuria (95% CI: 0.316-0.655, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Although post-AMI cardiac function in MetS patients with microalbuminuria can be improved after revascularization, the improvement is not as good as that of patients without microalbuminuria, suggesting that clinical attention should be paid to this subgroup.

Fengbaisan suppresses endoplasmic reticulum stress by up-regulating SIRT1 expression to protect rats with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

CONTEXT: Our previous study found that Fengbaisan improved chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the mechanism of Fengbaisan in COPD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rats in Model, FBS, FBS + DMSO and FBS + EX527 groups received cigarette smoke extract (CSE) inhalation and intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide to establish COPD model. Normal group received room air and normal saline. The COPD rats were given Fengbaisan (1 mL/d) or combined with EX527 (5 mg/kg/2 d) by intraperitoneal injection. Human lung carcinoma (A549) cells were treated with 10% CSE, 10% serum-containing Fengbaisan or EX527. We observed lung percentage of forced expiratory volume in first 0.3 sec to forced vital capacity (FEV0.3/FVC), inspiratory resistance (RI) and lung dynamic compliance (Cdyn) of rats. The lung pathological changes, the number of inflammatory cells and neutrophils, inflammatory factor, apoptosis, gene and protein expression were examined. RESULTS: SIRT1 was downregulated in lung tissues of COPD rats and CSE-induced A549 cells. Fengbaisan enhanced FEV0.3/FVC (74.28%) and Cdyn (0.28 cm H2O/mL/s), and reduced RI (0.48 mL/cm H2O) of COPD rats. Moreover, Fengbaisan promoted SIRT1 expression, and repressed TIMP-1/MMP-9 expression. Fengbaisan enhanced apoptosis and the expression of GRP78, caspase-12 and caspase-3. The inflammatory factor levels, the number of inflammatory cells and neutrophils, and lung lesions were inhibited by Fengbaisan in COPD rats. The influence conferred by Fengbaisan was abolished by EX527. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Fengbaisan inhibits endoplasmic reticulum stress and inflammation reaction by up-regulating SIRT1 expression to improve COPD. Therefore, Fengbaisan may be an effective Chinese medicine for treating COPD.

Biochar rebuilds the network complexity of rare and abundant microbial taxa in reclaimed soil of mining areas to cooperatively avert cadmium stress.

Understanding the interactions between the soil microbial communities and species is critical in the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soil. Biochar has been widely applied as a stabilizer in the in situ remediation of cadmium (Cd)-contaminated soils in mining areas. However, the rebuilding of the microbial taxa of rare and abundant species by biochar and their cooperative resistance to Cd stress remains elusive. In this pursuit, the present study envisaged the effects of two types of biochars viz., poplar bark biochar (PB) and thiourea-modified poplar bark biochar (TP) on the rare and abundant bacterial and fungal taxa by using pot experiments. The results demonstrated that the PB and TP treatments significantly reduced the leached Cd content, by 35.13 and 68.05%, respectively, compared with the control group (CK), in the reclaimed soil of the mining area. The application of biochar significantly improved the physicochemical properties like pH and Soil Organic Matter (SOM) of the soil. It was observed that TP treatment was superior to the PB and CK groups in increasing the diversity of the soil abundant and rare species of microbial taxa. Compared with the CK group, the application of PB and TP enhanced and elevated the complexity of the microbial networks of rare and abundant taxa, increased the number and types of network core microorganisms, reshaped the network core microorganisms and hubs, and boosted the microbial resistance to Cd stress. Our results indicate the response of rare and abundant microbial taxa to biochar application and the mechanism of their synergistic remediation of Cd-contaminated soil, thereby providing technical feasibility for in situ remediation of Cd-contaminated soil in mining areas.

A study on the contamination assessment, health risk and mobility of two heavy metals in the soil-plants-ruminants system of a typical agricultural region in the semi arid environment.

This study's aim was to investigate iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) concentration in the soil, forage crops, and sheep blood with respect to the seasonal availability of these metals. Soil, forage, and sheep blood samples were sampled from five different locations in Chakwal (Pidh, Tobar, Ratoccha, Choa Saiden Shah-Kalar Kahar road, and Choa Saiden Shan-Chakwal Road) during two seasons, i.e., winter and summer. All the samples were processed through wet acid digestion for evaluation of metal contents. Because of proximity of site-1 and site-2 to coal mines, higher Fe concentration was observed than Zn. Overall, varied Fe concentrations obtained in soil were 12.95-24.31 mg/kg, 1.29-9.61 mg/kg in forage and 1.17-24 mg/l in blood, whereas Zn values were 1.04-31.9 mg/kg, 1.96-7.02 mg/kg, and 0.16-6.52 mg/l for soil, forages, and blood respectively. The pollution load index value for both Fe (0.01-0.14 mg/kg) and Zn (0.02-0.72 mg/kg) was lesser than 1. Bio-concentration (0.09-2.64mg/kg) and enrichment factor (0.08-7.51 mg/kg) were showing efficient transfer of metals through the food chain. Daily intake and health risk index values of iron were ranged from 0.01 to 1.1 mg/kg/day and 0.02 to 1.05 mg/kg/day. There was a probable chance of upsurge in metal values in coming years due to continued mining activities. Anthropogenic input, mainly mining activities in the study area, have increased the Fe and Zn content in the environment which can ultimately find their way up the food chain, thereby risking the health of grazing livestock.

Diminished treatment response in relapsed versus first-episode schizophrenia as revealed by a panel of blood-based biomarkers: A combined cross-sectional and longitudinal study.

There is a paucity of biomarkers for the prediction of treatment response in schizophrenia. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether diminished antipsychotic treatment response in relapsed versus first-episode schizophrenia can be revealed and predicted by a panel of blood-based biomarkers. A cross-sectional cohort consisting of 655 schizophrenia patients at different episodes and 606 healthy controls, and a longitudinal cohort including 52 first-episode antipsychotic-naïve schizophrenia patients treated with the same antipsychotic drugs during the 5-year follow-up of their first three episodes were enrolled. Plasma biomarker changes and symptom improvement were compared between the drug-free phase of psychosis onset and after 4 weeks of atypical antipsychotic drug (AAPD) treatment. In response to treatment, the extent of changes in the biomarkers of bioenergetic, purinergic, phospholipid and neurosteroid metabolisms dwindled down as number of episode and illness duration increased in relapsed schizophrenia. The changes of creatine, inosine, progesterone, allopregnanolone, cortisol and PE(16:0/22:6) were significantly correlated with the improvement of symptomatology. Inosine and progesterone at baseline were shown to be strong predictive biomarkers of treatment response. The results suggest that AAPD treatment response is diminished in the context of relapse, and our findings open new avenues for understanding the pathophysiology of treatment-resistance schizophrenia.

40S ribosomal protein S18 is a novel maternal peptidoglycan-binding protein that protects embryos of zebrafish from bacterial infections.

Previous studies have shown that ribosomal proteins play important roles in ribosome assembly and protein translation, but other biological functions remain ill-defined. Here it is clearly demonstrated that RPS18 is a newly identified PGN-binding protein which is present abundantly in the eggs/embryos of zebrafish. Recombinant RPS18 not only identifies the bacterial signature molecule PGN, LPS, and LTA, and binds the bacteria as a pattern recognition receptor, but also kills the Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as an antibacterial effector molecule. What is important is that, we reveal that microinjection of rRPS18 into early embryos significantly improved the resistance of the embryos against pathogenic Aeromonas hydrophila challenge, and co-injection of anti-RPS18 antibody could markedly reduced this improved bacterial resistance. In summary, these results indicate that RPS18 is a maternal immune factor that can protect the early embryos of zebrafish against pathogenic attacks. This work also provides another angle for understanding the biological functions of ribosomal proteins.

Evaluation of pasture allowance of manganese for ruminants.

The aim of this study was to access the Mn contamination in soil, forages, and animals. Heavy metal pollution is a matter of prime significance in natural environment. Through food chain, toxicity of heavy metals and their bioaccumulation potential are transferred into humans. Higher concentrations of metallic compounds are toxic to living organisms but these are essential to maintain body metabolism. Intake of food crops polluted with heavy metals is chief food chain channel for human exposure. Animals are exposed to heavy metal stress by the intake of richly contaminated food crops; those are chief part of food chain. Samples of soil, plant, animal blood, hair, and feces were collected to find contamination through wet digestion process in lab and metal analysis. Different forages were collected to study Mn content that was our major concern in this study. The present findings also emphasized on the assessment of bio-concentration factor (BCF). Other significant indices of mobility and pollution of metal were also calculated, i.e. pollution load index (PLI), daily intake of metal (DIM), health risk index (HRI), and enrichment factor (EF). The experimentation result showed different concentrations of metal in different seasons. The Mn concentration in forages was 20.01-28.29 mg/kg and in soil was 5.27-8.90 mg/kg. Soil samples showed higher level of (PLI) Pollution load index. Bio-concentration of MN was 2.59-4.21 mg/kg. It can be concluded that regular monitoring of the metal is essential to evaluate the contamination status. Mn contents were in the safe limits in soil and plants; however, its toxic level was observed in animals.

Personal Recovery and Its Determinants Among People Living With Schizophrenia in China.

Objective: The past few decades have seen an evolution in the understanding of recovery from a clinical-based view that focuses on symptoms and functioning to a more consumer-oriented perspective that focuses on personal recovery. The present study aimed to assess personal recovery among people living with schizophrenia and determine its predictors. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited a random sample of 400 people living with schizophrenia (PLS) from twelve community health centers of Hunan, China. Recovery was assessed using the short-form 8-item Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS-8). PLS disability and functioning were assessed using the 12-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), respectively. Results: Participants had a mean personal recovery score of 20.29 (SD: 9.31, Range: 8-40). Personal recovery was predicted by both socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Older age (r = -0.17, p < 0.001), being female (r = -2.29, p = 0.019), and higher disability (r = -0.22, p < 0.001) were independently associated with worse personal recovery, while having a college education (r = 5.49, p = 0.002), and higher functioning (r = 0.09, p = 0.017) were independently associated with better personal recovery. Conclusion: Interventions to improve recovery among PLS may be best served by reducing the impact of disability and improving functioning, with targeted interventions for individuals who are older, female and less educated in order to increase their likelihood of recovery.

Assessing a WeChat-Based Integrative Family Intervention (WIFI) for Schizophrenia: Protocol for a Stepped-Wedge Cluster Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia is a persistent and debilitating mental illness, and its prognosis depends largely on supportive care and systematic treatment. In developing countries like China, families constitute the major caregiving force for schizophrenia and are faced with many challenges, such as lack of knowledge, skills, and resources. The approach to support family caregiving in an accessible, affordable, feasible, and cost-effective way remains unclear. The wide-spread use of WeChat provides a promising and cost-effective medium for support. OBJECTIVE: We aim to present a protocol for assessing a WeChat-based integrative family intervention (WIFI) to support family caregiving for schizophrenia. METHODS: We will develop a WIFI program that includes the following three core components: (1) psychoeducation (WeChat official account), (2) peer support (WeChat chat group), and (3) professional support (WeChat video chat). A rigorous stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial will be used to evaluate the implementation, effectiveness, and cost of the WIFI program. The WIFI program will be implemented in 12 communities affiliated with Changsha Psychiatric Hospital through the free medicine delivery process in the 686 Program. The 12 communities will be randomized to one of four fixed sequences every 2 months during an 8-month intervention period in four clusters of three communities each. Outcomes will be assessed for both family caregivers and people with schizophrenia. Family caregivers will be assessed for their knowledge and skills about caregiving, social support, coping, perceived stigma, caregiver burden, family functioning, positive feelings, and psychological distress. People with schizophrenia will be assessed for their symptoms, functioning, quality of life, recovery, and rehospitalization. Cost data, such as intervention costs, health care utilization costs, and costs associated with lost productivity, will be collected. Moreover, we will collect process data, including fidelity and quality of program implementation, as well as user attitude data. Treatment effects will be estimated using generalized linear maximum likelihood mixed modeling with clusters as a random effect and time as a fixed effect. Cost-effectiveness analysis will be performed from the societal perspective using incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. Qualitative analysis will use the grounded theory approach and immersion-crystallization process. RESULTS: The study was funded in August 2018 and approved by the institutional review board on January 15, 2019. Preliminary baseline data collection was conducted in May 2019 and completed in September 2019. The WIFI program is expected to start in September 2020. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to assess a WeChat-based mHealth intervention to support family caregiving for schizophrenia in China. The innovative study will contribute to the development of a more cost-effective and evidence-based family management model in the community for people with schizophrenia, and the approach could potentially be integrated into national policy and adapted for use in other populations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04393896; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04393896. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/18538.

[Convertibility of the data determined by ICP-AES and FAAS for soil available K and Na].

In recent years, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) have been commonly used to determine the soil available K and Na with the extraction solution of HCl-H2SO4, while previous data of soil available K and Na were measured by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) with the extraction solution of NH4OAc. In order to utilize previous data, quest for the convertibility of the data determined by ICP-AES and FAAS, and compare the data determined by both methods, the authors chose four types of soil to determine soil available K and Na by ICP-AES and FAAS, respectively. Four types of soil represent grit soil, clay, silt from river and silt from sea, respectively. Soil samples included four types of soil and these samples represent different soil nutrition. The authors analyzed the correlations of two kinds of measured data. The paired samples t-test proves that there was significantly positively correlation between these two methods. The correlation coefficient of the data between these two methods for measuring soil available K is 0.98. The results of soil available K determined by the two methods can be conversed through the formula, y = l.14x + 6.53 (R2 = 0.91, n=24, p < 0.001). As for Na, although there is a significantly positively correlation between these two methods, the slopes of single model of clay and grit soil were different from that of general model. And so the results determined by the two methods can be conversed through different formula according to the types of soil, that is, for clay: y = l.23x + 10.03; for grit soil: y = 3.12x - 23.03; for silt: y = 0.60x. In conclusion, the authors' results showed that previous data of available K and Na measured by FAAS with the extraction solution of NH4OAc were available. And these data were comparable to the data measured by ICP-AES through definite formula The authors' results also suggested that ICP-AES was preferable when many elements were measured at the same time. Under this condition, ICP-AES was economical, efficient and reliable.

Direct amidation of non-activated phenylacetic acid and benzylamine derivatives catalysed by NiCl2.

This paper describes an eco-friendly and efficient direct amidation of benzylamine and phenylacetic acid derivatives in the presence of 10 mol% NiCl2 as catalyst without any drying agent. For the different phenylacetic acid and benzylamine derivatives, the direct catalysed amidation gave moderate-to-excellent yields in toluene. The steric and electronic effects of substituent groups on the phenyl ring of acid were crucial to the yields of the direct amidation. The catalyst NiCl2 can be recycled three times without loss of activity.

Clinical verification of Lou type warfarin pharmacokinetic dosing algorithms equation.

Warfarin is the most commonly used oral anti-coagulant in clinic practice. However, it is difficult to recommend the correct dosage due to its narrow therapeutic window. The aim of the present study was to verify the clinical value of the Lou type equation, using pharmacogenetics­based warfarin dosing algorithms to appropriately predict the actual maintenance dose. A total of 87 Chinese Han patients who required treatment with warfarin were enrolled and randomly divided into the experimental and control groups. In the experimental group, the first 3 doses of warfarin were calculated according to the Lou type equation. While in the control group, these 3 treatments were performed following the doctors' recommendations. Then the dose of warfarin was gradually adjusted to the stable dose according to the changes in the international standardized ratio. At the end of the 50 day experimental period, there were a greater number of patients in the experimental group who exhibited a stable blood concentration of warfarin than those in the control group (83.35 and 64.4%, respectively). In addition, the mean and median times for patients to obtain a stable dose in the experimental group were significantly shorter than those in the control group (mean, 18.2±1.7 and 27.3±2.0 days; and median, 11.7±1.1 and 20.5±1.8 days, respectively). The adverse reaction rate of the experimental group (9.5%) was markedly lower than that of the control group (26.7%). The occurrence of adverse reactions in the experimental group was also significantly later when compared with the control group (43.9±1.6 and 38.6±1.5 days, respectively). Furthermore, there was no significant difference between the average predicted dose (3.4±1.1 mg/day) and the average actual dose (3.5±1.4 mg/day; P=0.313). In conclusion, using the Lou type warfarin pharmacokinetic dosing algorithm equation to administer warfarin markedly shortened the adjustment time of warfarin to reach a stable dose and reduced the adverse reactions rate, thus supporting clinical feasibility.

Hydrolysis of polycarbonate catalyzed by ionic liquid [Bmim][Ac].

Hydrolysis of polycarbonate (PC) was studied using ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([Bmim][Ac]) as a catalyst. The influences of temperature, time, water dosage and [Bmim][Ac] dosage on the hydrolysis reaction were examined. Under the conditions of temperature 140°C, reaction time 3.0 h, m([Bmim][Ac]):m(PC)=1.5:1 and m(H(2)O):m(PC)=0.35:1, the conversion of PC was nearly 100% and the yield of bisphenol A (BPA) was over 96%. The ionic liquid could be reused up to 6 times without apparent decrease in the conversion of PC and yield of BPA. The kinetics of the reaction was also investigated. The results showed that the hydrolysis of PC in [Bmim][Ac] was a first-order kinetic reaction with an activation energy of 228 kJ/mol.

Methanolysis of polycarbonate catalysed by ionic liquid [Bmim][Ac].

The methanolysis of polycarbonate (PC) was studied using ionic liquid [Bmim][Ac] as a catalyst. The effects of temperature, time, methanol dosage and [Bmim][Ac] dosage on the methanolysis reaction were examined. It was shown that the conversion of PC was nearly 100%, and the yield of bisphenol A (BPA) was over 95% under the following conditions: m([Bmim][Ac]):m(PC) = 0.75:1;m(methanol):m(PC) = 0.75:1; a reaction temperature of 90 °C and a total time of 2.5h. The ionic liquid could be reused up to 6 times with no apparent decrease in the conversion of PC and yield of BPA. The kinetics of the reaction was also investigated. The results indicated that the methanolysis of PC in [Bmim][Ac] was a first-order kinetic reaction with an activation energy of 167 kJ/mol.

Environmentally benign methanolysis of polycarbonate to recover bisphenol A and dimethyl carbonate in ionic liquids.

An environmentally friendly strategy for methanolysis of polycarbonate (PC) to recover bisphenol A (BPA) and dimethyl carbonate (DMC) was developed in which PC could be methanolyzed in an ionic liquid without any acid or base catalyst under moderate conditions. The effects of ionic liquid kinds, temperature, time, and methanol dosage on methanolysis results of PC were examined. It was showed that the methanolysis conversion of PC was almost 100% and the yields of both BPA and DMC were over 95% in presence of ionic liquid 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Bmim][Cl]) and under the conditions of m(PC):m(CH(3)OH):m([Bmim][Cl])=2:3:2, reaction temperature 105 degrees C and time 2.5h. After easily separated from the product, the ionic liquid could be reused 8 times without obvious decrease in the conversion of PC and yields of BPA and DMC.