Rapid function analysis of OsiWAK1 using a Dual-Luciferase assay in rice.

In the past decade, the exploration of genetic resources in rice has significantly enhanced the efficacy of rice breeding. However, the exploration of genetic resources is hindered by the identification of candidate genes. To expedite the identification of candidate genes, this study examined tapetum programmed cell death-related genes OsiWAK1, OsPDT1, EAT1, TDR, and TIP2 to assess the efficacy of the Dual-Luciferase (Dual-LUC) assay in rapidly determining gene relationships. The study found that, in the Dual-LUC assay, OsiWAK1 and its various recombinant proteins exhibit comparable activation abilities on the EAT1 promoter, potentially indicating a false positive. However, the Dual-LUC assay can reveal that OsiWAK1 impacts both the function of its upstream regulatory factor OsPDT1 and the TDR/TIP2 transcription complex. By rapidly studying the relationship between diverse candidate genes and regulatory genes in a well-known trait via the Dual-LUC assay, this study provides a novel approach to expedite the determination of candidate genes such as genome-wide association study.

Establish a noninvasive model to screen metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in children aged 6-14 years in China and its applications in high-obesity-risk countries and regions.

Background: The prevalence of metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is rising precipitously among children, particularly in regions or countries burdened with high prevalence of obesity. However, identifying those at high risk remains a significant challenge, as the majority do not exhibit distinct symptoms of MASLD. There is an urgent need for a widely accepted non-invasive predictor to facilitate early disease diagnosis and management of the disease. Our study aims to 1) evaluate and compare existing predictors of MASLD, and 2) develop a practical screening strategy for children, tailored to local prevalence of obesity. Methods: We utilized a school-based cross-sectional survey in Beijing as the training dataset to establish predictive models for screening MASLD in children. An independent school-based study in Ningbo was used to validate the models. We selected the optimal non-invasive MASLD predictor by comparing logistic regression model, random forest model, decision tree model, and support vector machine model using both the Beijing and Ningbo datasets. This was followed by serial testing using the best performance index we identified and indices from previous studies. Finally, we calculated the potential MASLD screening recommendation categories and corresponding profits based on national and subnational obesity prevalence, and applied those three categories to 200 countries according to their obesity prevalence from 1990 to 2022. Findings: A total of 1018 children were included (NBeijing = 596, NNingbo = 422). The logistic regression model demonstrated the best performance, identifying the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR, cutoff value ≥0.48) as the optimal noninvasive index for predicting MASLD, with strong performance in both training and validation set. Additionally, the combination of WHtR and lipid accumulation product (LAP) was selected as an optimal serial test to improve the positive predictive value, with a LAP cutoff value of ≥668.22 cm × mg/dL. Based on the obesity prevalence among 30 provinces, three MASLD screening recommendations were proposed: 1) "Population-screening-recommended": For regions with an obesity prevalence ≥12.0%, where MASLD prevalence ranged from 5.0% to 21.5%; 2) "Resources-permitted": For regions with an obesity prevalence between 8.4% and 12.0%, where MASLD prevalence ranged from 2.3% to 4.4%; 3) "Population-screening-not-recommended": For regions with an obesity prevalence <8.4%, where MASLD prevalence is difficult to detect using our tool. Using our proposed cutoff for screening MASLD, the number of countries classified into the "Population-screening-recommended" and "Resources-permitted" categories increased from one and 11 in 1990 to 95 and 28 in 2022, respectively. Interpretation: WHtR might serve as a practical and accessible index for predicting pediatric MASLD. A WHtR value ≥0.48 could facilitate early identification and management of MASLD in areas with obesity prevalence ≥12.0%. Furthermore, combining WHtR ≥0.48 with LAP ≥668.22 cm × mg/dL is recommended for individual MASLD screening. Moreover, linking these measures with population obesity prevalence not only helps estimate MASLD prevalence but also indicates potential screening profits in regions at varying levels of obesity risk. Funding: This study was supported by grants from Capital's Funds for Health Improvement and Research (Grant No. 2022-1G-4251), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 82273654), Major Science and Technology Projects for Health of Zhejiang Province (Grant No. WKJ-ZJ-2216), Cyrus Tang Foundation for Young Scholar 2022 (2022-B126) and Sino-German Mobility Programme (M-0015).

PTEN in kidney diseases: a potential therapeutic target in preventing AKI-to-CKD transition.

Renal fibrosis, a critical factor in the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD), is predominantly initiated by acute kidney injury (AKI) and subsequent maladaptive repair resulting from pharmacological or pathological stimuli. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), also known as phosphatase and tensin-associated phosphatase, plays a pivotal role in regulating the physiological behavior of renal tubular epithelial cells, glomeruli, and renal interstitial cells, thereby preserving the homeostasis of renal structure and function. It significantly impacts cell proliferation, apoptosis, fibrosis, and mitochondrial energy metabolism during AKI-to-CKD transition. Despite gradual elucidation of PTEN's involvement in various kidney injuries, its specific role in AKI and maladaptive repair after injury remains unclear. This review endeavors to delineate the multifaceted role of PTEN in renal pathology during AKI and CKD progression along with its underlying mechanisms, emphasizing its influence on oxidative stress, autophagy, non-coding RNA-mediated recruitment and activation of immune cells as well as renal fibrosis. Furthermore, we summarize prospective therapeutic targeting strategies for AKI and CKD-treatment related diseases through modulation of PTEN.

Step-scheme CsPbBr3/BiOBr photocatalyst with oxygen vacancies for efficient CO2 photoreduction.

Metal halide perovskites with suitable energy band structures and excellent visible-light responses have emerged as promising photocatalysts for CO2 reduction to valuable chemicals and fuels. However, the efficiency of CO2 photocatalytic reduction often suffers from inefficient separation and sluggish transfer. Herein, a step-scheme (S-scheme) CsPbBr3/BiOBr photocatalyst with oxygen vacancies possessing intimate interfacial contact was fabricated by anchoring CsPbBr3 QDs on BiOBr-Ov nanosheets using a mild anti-precipitation method. The results showed that CsPbBr3/BiOBr-Ov-2 with an internal electric field (IEF) heterojunction exhibited a boosted evolution rate of 27.4 µmol g-1 h-1 (CO: 23.8 µmol g-1 h-1 and CH4: 3.6 µmol g-1 h-1) with an electron consumption rate (Relectron) of 76.4 µmol g-1 h-1, which was 5.9 and 3.2 times that of single CsPbBr3 and BiOBr-Ov, respectively. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that BiOBr with oxygen vacancies can effectively enhance the adsorption and activation of CO2 molecules. More importantly, in situ infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) spectra show the transformation process of the surface species, while the femtosecond transient absorption spectrum (fs-TA) reveals the charge transfer kinetics of the CsPbBr3/BiOBr-Ov. Overall, this work provides some guidance for the rational design of S-scheme heterojunctions and vacancy-engineered photocatalysts, which are expected to have potential applications in the fields of photocatalysis and solar energy conversion.

Spontaneous movement synchrony as an exogenous source for interbrain synchronization in cooperative learning.

Learning through cooperation with conspecifics-'cooperative learning'-is critical to cultural evolution and survival. Recent progress has established that interbrain synchronization (IBS) between individuals predicts success in cooperative learning. However, the likely sources of IBS during learning interactions remain poorly understood. To address this dearth of knowledge, we tested whether movement synchrony serves as an exogenous factor that drives IBS, taking an embodiment perspective. We formed dyads of individuals with varying levels of prior knowledge (high-high (HH), high-low (HL), low-low (LL) dyads) and instructed them to collaboratively analyse an ancient Chinese poem. During the task, we simultaneously recorded their brain activity using functional near-infrared spectroscopy and filmed the entire experiment to parse interpersonal movement synchrony using the computer-vision motion energy analysis. Interestingly, the homogeneous groups (HH and/or LL) exhibited stronger movement synchrony and IBS compared with the heterogeneous group. Importantly, mediation analysis revealed that spontaneous and synchronized body movements between individuals contribute to IBS, hence facilitating learning. This study therefore fills a critical gap in our understanding of how interpersonal transmission of information between individual brains, associated with behavioural entrainment, shapes social learning. This article is part of the theme issue 'Minds in movement: embodied cognition in the age of artificial intelligence'.

Dual-stimuli responsive theranostic agents based on small molecules.

Stimuli-responsive theranostic agents represent a class of molecules that integrate therapeutic and diagnostic functions, offering the capability to respond to disease-associated biomarkers. Dual-stimuli responsive agents, particularly those based on small molecules, have shown considerable promise for precise imaging-guided therapeutic applications. In this Highlight, we summarize the progress of dual-stimuli responsive theranostic agents based on small molecules, for diagnostic and therapeutic studies in biological systems. The Highlight focuses on comparing different responsive groups and chemical structures of these dual-stimuli responsive theranostic agents towards different biomarkers. The potential future directions of the agents for further applications in biological systems are also discussed.

Apoptosis mediated by crosstalk between mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum: A possible cause of citrinin disruption of the intestinal barrier.

Citrinin (CTN) is a mycotoxin commonly found in contaminated foods and feed, posing health risks to both humans and animals. However, the mechanism by which CTN damages the intestine remains unclear. In this study, a model of intestinal injury was induced by administering 1.25 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg of CTN via gavage for 28 consecutive days in 6-week-old Kunming mice, aiming to explore the potential mechanisms underlying intestinal injury. The results demonstrate that CTN can cause structural damage to the mouse jejunum. Additionally, CTN reduces the protein expression of Claudin-1, Occludin, ZO-1, and MUC2, thereby disrupting the physical and chemical barriers of the intestine. Furthermore, exposure to CTN alters the structure of the intestinal microbiota in mice, thus compromising the intestinal microbial barrier. Meanwhile, the results showed that CTN exposure could induce excessive apoptosis in intestinal cells by altering the expression of proteins such as CHOP and GRP78 in the endoplasmic reticulum and Bax and Cyt c in mitochondria. The mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum are connected through the mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum membrane (MAM), which regulates the membrane. We found that the expression of bridging proteins Fis1 and BAP31 on the membrane was increased after CTN treatment, which would exacerbate the endoplasmic reticulum dysfunction, and could activate proteins such as Caspase-8 and Bid, thus further inducing apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway. Taken together, these results suggest that CTN exposure can cause intestinal damage by disrupting the intestinal barrier and inducing excessive apoptosis in intestinal cells.

Lewis Acid Regulation Strategy for Constructing D-A-A Covalent Organic Frameworks with Enhanced Photocatalytic Organic Conversion.

Owing to their excellent photoelectric properties, donor-acceptor (D-A) type photocatalytic covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have attracted significant research interest in recent years. However, the limited D-A structural units of existing COFs restrict the development of novel and efficient photocatalytic COF materials. To solve this problem, we developed a series of D-A-A-type COFs utilizing a Lewis acid regulation strategy, in which Lewis acids act as the coordination centers, and pyridine and cyano groups act as ligands. Lewis acid sites in COFs serve as electron acceptors, facilitating the separation and transfer of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. This process is crucial for photocatalysis because it significantly increases the efficiency of the catalytic reaction by reducing the recombination rate of charge carriers. The developed Lewis acid-activated D-A-A COFs efficiently catalyzed the hydroxylation of various phenylboronic acid compounds under visible light. The developed catalysts are expected to contribute to increasing the fabrication efficiency of industrially important organic materials.

The effect of convalescent plasma therapy on the rate of nucleic acid negative conversion in patients with persistent COVID-19 test positivity.

Objective: This study investigates the association between convalescent plasma therapy and the negative conversion rate in patients with persistent COVID-19 test positivity. Method: A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with severe or mild to moderate COVID-19 whose viral nucleic acid tests remained positive for over 30 days. Patients were categorized into two groups: those who administered convalescent plasma therapy and those who were not. Data collected included information on therapy strategies used (convalescent plasma, corticosteroids, interferons, etc.), patients' demographic characteristics, comorbidities, therapeutic medications, and nucleic acid testing results. Patients in the convalescent plasma therapy group were matched 1:2 ratio with those in the non-convalescent plasma therapy group. Cumulative negative conversion rates on the fifth, tenth, and fifteenth days post-therapy initiation were analyzed as dependent variables. Independent variables included therapy strategies, demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and therapeutic medication usage. Univariate analysis was conducted, and factors with a p-value (P) less than 0.2 were included in a paired Cox proportional hazards model. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the cumulative negative conversion rate between the convalescent plasma therapy group and the non-convalescent plasma therapy group on the fifth, tenth, and fifteenth days. Specifically, on day the fifth, the negative conversion rate was 41.46% in the convalescent plasma therapy group compared to 34.15% in the non-convalescent plasma therapy group (HR: 1.72, 95% CI: 0.82-3.61, P = 0.15). On the tenth day, it was 63.41% in the convalescent plasma therapy group and 63.41% in the non-convalescent plasma therapy group (HR: 1.25, 95% CI: 0.69∼2.26, P = 0.46). On the fifteenth day, the negative conversion rate was 85.37% in the convalescent plasma therapy group and 75.61% in the non-convalescent plasma therapy group (HR: 1.19, 95% CI: 0.71-1.97, P = 0.51). Conclusion: Our finding does not support the hypothesis that convalescent plasma therapy could accelerate the time to negative conversion in patients who consistently test positive for COVID-19.

Dopaminylation of endothelial TPI1 suppresses ferroptotic angiocrine signals to promote lung regeneration over fibrosis.

Lungs can undergo facultative regeneration, but handicapped regeneration often leads to fibrosis. How microenvironmental cues coordinate lung regeneration via modulating cell death remains unknown. Here, we reveal that the neurotransmitter dopamine modifies the endothelial niche to suppress ferroptosis, promoting lung regeneration over fibrosis. A chemoproteomic approach shows that dopamine blocks ferroptosis in endothelial cells (ECs) via dopaminylating triosephosphate isomerase 1 (TPI1). Suppressing TPI1 dopaminylation in ECs triggers ferroptotic angiocrine signaling to aberrantly activate fibroblasts, leading to a transition from lung regeneration to fibrosis. Mechanistically, dopaminylation of glutamine (Q) 65 residue in TPI1 directionally enhances TPI1's activity to convert dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) to glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (GAP), directing ether phospholipid synthesis to glucose metabolism in regenerating lung ECs. This metabolic shift attenuates lipid peroxidation and blocks ferroptosis. Restoring TPI1 Q65 dopaminylation in an injured endothelial niche overturns ferroptosis to normalize pro-regenerative angiocrine function and alleviate lung fibrosis. Overall, dopaminylation of TPI1 balances lipid/glucose metabolism and suppresses pro-fibrotic ferroptosis in regenerating lungs.

Reliability and validity of Chinese version of the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ) in community-dwelling old people.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of simplified nutritional appetite questionnaire (SNAQ). METHODS: The SNAQ was translated and back-translated for the study population. We surveyed 122 community-dwelling residents aged ≥60 years in Beijing's residential communities. Participants underwent face-to-face surveys including the SNAQ, mini-nutritional assessment short-form (MNA-SF), FRAIL scale, Sarcopenia-Five (SCAR-F), 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), 8-item Oral Frailty Index (OFI-8), 10-item Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10), and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Cronbach's alpha was used to measure the internal consistency and the relationship between individual items. The construct validity was verified using the KMO-Bartlett. Concurrent validity was established to validate measures of the same constructs. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha measured the internal consistency of the questionnaire at 0.694. The split-half reliability stood at 0.725. The construct validity of the SNAQ was confirmed using a KMO-Bartlett value of 0.648 (P <0.001). The MNA-SF, as validation benchmark, has a correlation coefficient of 0.345 (P =0.001). CONCLUSION: The Chinese version of the SNAQ has good reliability and validity for older adults in community settings.

Lycopodium japonicum Thunb. inhibits chondrocyte apoptosis, senescence and inflammation in osteoarthritis through STING/NF-κB signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease, its characteristic lies in the inflammation and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, can lead to significant personal disability and social burden. Lycopodium japonicum Thunb. (LJT) is a lycopinaceae plant with anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. In traditional Oriental medicine, LJT is commonly used to treat a variety of conditions, including osteoarthritis and low back pain. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory and anti-senescence properties of LJT in IL-1ß-induced mouse chondrocytes, and to clarify the underlying mechanisms involved. In addition, the study also examined the effects of LJT by establishing a mouse model of osteoarthritis. The ultimate goal is to identify the mechanism of LJT as an anti-osteoarthritis agent. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this research, molecular docking and network pharmacology analysis were performed to identify the latent pathways and key targets of LJT action. The CCK-8 kit was used to evaluate LJT's effect on chondrocyte viability. Western blotting, Immunofluorescence, TUNEL staining kit, and SA-ß-gal staining were employed to verify LJT's impact on chondrocytes. Additionally, SO, HE, and Immunohistochemical were utilized to assess LJT's effects on osteoarthritis in mice. In vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to verify the potential mechanism of LJT in OA. RESULTS: Network pharmacology analysis revealed that AKT1, PTGS2, and ESR1 were the key candidate targets for the treatment of OA with LJT. The results of molecular docking indicated that AKT1 exhibited a low binding affinity to the principal constituents of LJT. Hence, we have chosen STING, an upstream regulator of PTGS2, as our target for investigation. Molecular docking revealed that sitosterol, formononetin, stigmasterol and alpha-Onocerin, the main components of LJT, have good binding activity with STING. In vitro experiments showed that LJT inhibited IL-1ß-mediated secretion of inflammatory mediators, apoptosis and senescence of chondrocytes. The results showed that LJT abolished cartilage degeneration induced by unstable medial meniscus (DMM) in mice. Mechanism research has shown that LJT by inhibiting the STING/NF-κB signaling pathways, down-regulating the NF-κB activation, so as to inhibit the development of OA. CONCLUSION: LJT reversed the progression of OA by inhibiting inflammation, apoptosis and senescence in animal models and chondrocytes. The effects of LJT are mediated through the STING/NF-κB pathway.

Corrosion and Interfacial Contact Resistance of NiTi Alloy as a Promising Bipolar Plate for PEMFC.

Titanium (Ti) is generally considered as an ideal bipolar plate (BPP) material because of its excellent corrosion resistance, good machinability and lightweight nature. However, the easy-passivation property, which leads to increased interfacial contact resistance (ICR) and subsequently decreased cell performance, limits its large-scale commercial application in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In this paper, we proposed a NiTi alloy prepared by suction casting as a promising bipolar plate for PEMFCs. This NiTi alloy exhibits significantly decreased ICR values (16.8 mΩ cm2 at 1.4 MPa) compared with pure Ti (88.6 mΩ cm2 at 1.4 MPa), along with enhanced corrosion resistance compared with pure nickel (Ni). The superior corrosion resistance of NiTi alloy is accredited to the nobler open circuit potential and corrosion potential, coupled with low corrosion current densities and passive current densities. The improved ICR can be interpreted by the existence of high-proportioned metallic Ni in the passive film, which contributes to the reduced capacitance characteristic of the passive film (compared with Ti) and enhances charge conduction. This work provides a feasible option to ameliorate BPP material that may have desirable corrosion resistance and ICR.

Effects of Three Different Kinds of Foaming Medium on the Properties of Expanded Thermal Plastic Polyurethane Prepared via Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Foaming.

Hot air, water, and glycerol were studied as foaming mediums for the production of ETPU to evaluate their influence on the behavior of the foam and compare the optimal particles for each of the foaming temperatures selected. The results showed that the times of water foaming and glycerol foaming were shorter by about 2/3 than with hot-air foaming. The best foaming temperatures for hot-air foaming, glycerol foaming, and water foaming are 110-115 °C, 75 °C, and 90 °C, respectively. The particles of glycerol foam have a matte appearance and their gloss is not very good. However, the particles in hot-air foaming are light, and the gloss is very satisfactory. The gloss of the surface of water-foaming particles is dim. At the same time, there is a faint matte appearance. Particles made with glycerol foaming and water foaming are more even than those made with hot-air foaming. The density of foaming materials from glycerol foaming, hot-air foaming, and water foaming are raised accordingly, while the hardness of foaming materials from glycerol foaming, water foaming, and hot-air foaming are successively increased.

Preparation of two amphiphilic dendritic small molecule gelators based on poly (aryl ether) modified silica-based chromatographic stationary phases and molecular shape recognition for shape-restricted isomers.

Geometric isomers tend to have similar polarities and differ only in molecular shape. Vigorously developing new stationary phases to meet the requirements for the separation of isomers that have similar physicochemical properties is still an urgent topic in separation science. Poly (arylene ether)-based dendrimers are known for their multifunctional branched peripheral structures and high self-assembly properties. In this paper, two amphiphilic dendritic organic small molecule gelling agents based on poly (aryl ether), PAE-ANT and PAE-PA, were prepared and conjugated to the silica surface. SiO2@PAE-ANT and SiO2@PAE-PA were used as HPLC stationary phases for the separation of non-polar shape-restricted isomers. Both stationary phases have very high molecular shape selectivity for isomers such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), tocopherols and carotenoids. Separation of cis-trans geometric isomers such as diethylstilbestrol and polar compounds such as monosubstituted benzenes and anilines can also be achieved. These two columns offer more flexible selectivity and higher separation performance than commercial C18 and phenyl columns. There is a difference in molecular shape selectivity between the two stationary phases for the same analyte test probes. SiO2@PAE-ANT showed slightly better linear selectivity for non-polar shape-restricted isomers compared to SiO2@PAE-PA with Janus-type PAE-PA bonding phase. This separation behavior may be attributed to the ordered spatial structure formed by the gel factor on the surface of the stationary phase and the combined effect of multiple weak interaction centers (hydrophobic, hydrophilic, hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions). It was also possible to separate nucleoside and nucleobase strongly polar compounds well in the HILIC mode, suggesting that hydrophilic groups in PAE-ANT and PAE-PA are involved in the interactions, reflecting their amphiphilic nature. The results show that the ordered gelation of dendritic organic small molecule gelators on the SiO2 surface, along with multiple carbonyl-π, π-π and other interactions, play a crucial role in the separating shape-restricted isomers. The integrated and ordered functional groups serve as the primary driving force behind the exceptionally high molecular shape selectivity of SiO2@PAE-ANT and SiO2@PAE-PA phases. Alterations in the structure of dendritic organic small molecule gelators can impact both molecular orientation and recognition ability, while changes in the type of functional groups influences the separation mechanism of shape-restricted isomers.

Association between uric acid and the risk of hemorrhagic transformation in patients with acute ischemic stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The relationship between hemorrhagic transformation (HT) and uric acid (UA) remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between UA concentrations and the risk of HT following acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Methods: Electronic databases were searched for studies on HT and UA from inception to October 31, 2023. Two researchers independently reviewed the studies for inclusion. STATA Software 16.0 was used to compute the standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the pooled and post-outlier outcomes. Heterogeneity was evaluated using the I2 statistic and the Galbraith plot. Additionally, sensitivity analysis was performed. Lastly, Begg's funnel plot and Egger's test were used to assess publication bias. Results: A total of 11 studies involving 4,608 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled SMD forest plot (SMD = -0.313, 95% CI = -0.586--0.039, p = 0.025) displayed that low UA concentrations were linked to a higher risk of HT in post-AIS patients. However, heterogeneity (I2 = 89.8%, p < 0.001) was high among the studies. Six papers fell outside the Galbraith plot regression line, and there exclusive resulted in the absence of heterogeneity (I2 = 52.1%, p = 0.080). Meanwhile, repeated SMD analysis (SMD = -0.517, 95% CI = -0.748--0.285, p = 0.000) demonstrated that the HT group had lower UA concentrations. Finally, Begg's funnel plot and Egger's test indicated the absence of publication bias in our meta-analysis. Conclusion: This meta-analysis illustrated a substantial connection between UA concentrations and HT, with lower UA concentrations independently linked with a higher risk of HT post-AIS. These results lay a theoretical reference for future studies.Systematic review registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/CRD42023485539.

Epicatechin and ß-glucan from whole highland barley grain ameliorates hyperlipidemia associated with attenuating intestinal barrier dysfunction and modulating gut microbiota in high-fat-diet-fed mice.

Hyperlipidemia is associated with intestinal barrier dysfunction and gut microbiota dysbiosis. Here, we aimed at investigating whether epicatechin (EC) and ß-glucan (BG) from whole highland barley grain alleviated hyperlipidemia associated with ameliorating intestinal barrier dysfunction and modulating gut microbiota dysbiosis in high-fat-diet-induced mice. It was observed that EC and BG significantly improved serum lipid disorders and up-regulated expression of PPARα protein and genes. Supplementation of EC and BG attenuated intestinal barrier dysfunction via promoting goblet cells proliferation and tight junctions. Supplementation of EC and BG prevented high fat diet-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis via modulating the relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae, Lactobacillus, Desulfovibrio, Lactococcus, Allobaculum and Akkermansia, and the improving of short chain fatty acid contents. Notably, combination of EC and BG showed synergistic effect on activating PPARα expression, improving colonic physical barrier dysfunction and the relative abundance of Lactobacillus and Desulfovibrio, which may help explain the effect of whole grain highland barley on alleviating hyperlipidemia.

Prognostic Value of Resting Left Ventricular Sphericity Indexes in Coronary Artery Disease With Preserved Ejection Fraction.

BACKGROUND: Adverse left ventricular remodeling is a significant cardiovascular predictor for patients with coronary artery disease and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). However, the remodeling indexes reflecting left ventricular spherization by myocardial perfusion imaging are underexplored. METHODS AND RESULTS: 727 patients (mean age 59.8±13.5 years, 329 women) diagnosed or suspected coronary artery disease with preserved LVEF who underwent resting myocardial perfusion imaging were retrospectively enrolled. The myocardial perfusion imaging findings including the total perfusion deficit and sphericity indexes (shape index (SI) and eccentricity index (EI) obtained from gated (QGS) and non-gated (QPS) images) were collected. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were followed up for 45.1±22.0 months. All patients were divided into 4 subgroups based on total perfusion deficit at 10% and LVEF at 65%. Univariable comparative analyses were performed in 5 cohorts (all patients and 4 subgroups). Patients who experienced MACE displayed higher SI and/or lower EI (all P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival analyses suggested significant differences for SIQPS in all 5 cohorts, for EIQPS and EIQGS in 4 cohorts, and for end-systolic and end-diastolic SIQGS in 3 cohorts (all P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that abnormal SI and EI remained statistically significant predictors for MACE after adjusting for total perfusion deficit, LVEF, and other confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS: For patients diagnosed or suspected of coronary artery disease with preserved or supra-normal LVEF, resting sphericity indexes by myocardial perfusion imaging displayed incremental long-term prognostic value. Among these indicators, SIQPS is particularly promising across different perfusion or preserved functional conditions.