Quantification of epicardial fat volume using low-dose cardiac scan in patients with low calcium score.

Background: We investigated the accuracy of quantifying epicardial adipose tissue volume (EATV) using low-dose cardiac scan (EATVcardiac scan) and evaluated its clinical utility in predicting coronary heart disease in patients with low or mild calcification. Methods: In total, 204 patients with clinical symptoms of coronary heart disease and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) of <100 AU were enrolled in this retrospective study. After obtaining EATVcardiac scan and EATV measured using computed tomography angiography (EATVCTA), the agreement between the two measurements was evaluated using Pearson correlation coefficient and Bland-Altman analysis. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the utility of EATV in predicting plaque and vulnerable plaque. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed. Results: The mean EATVcardiac scan (101.51±41.57 cm3) and EATVCTA (104.57±41.34 cm3) of all patients were similar, and the two measurements were strongly correlated (r=0.9596, P<0.001). The difference between EATVcardiac scan and EATVCTA was -3.0549, with only 4.9% (10/204) of patients having values outside the 95% confidence interval (CI) range (-26.15 to 20.04; P for agreement =0.0003). Further, a significant agreement was observed between EATVcardiac scan and EATVCTA in 126 patients with plaques, with an estimated difference of -3.354, and 6.35% (8/126) of patients had values outside the 95% CI range (-31.37 to 24.66; P for agreement =0.0095). After adjustment for age and sex, EATVcardiac scan and EATVCTA were significantly associated with plaque (all P values <0.001), and the areas under the curve (AUCs) were 0.662 and 0.670 (P=0.4331), respectively. In contrast, EATVcardiac scan and EATVCTA were not associated with vulnerable plaque (P>0.05), with AUCs of 0.550 and 0.530, respectively (P=0.2157). Conclusions: The study results indicate that EATVcardiac scan and EATVCTA are equivalent. In addition, both methods provide comparable values for predicting coronary arteriosclerosis in patients with low-to-mild calcification (CACS of <100 AU).

Acupuncture therapies for cancer-related fatigue: A Bayesian network meta-analysis and systematic review.

Background: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most commonly reported symptoms impacting cancer survivors. This study evaluated and compared the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture treatments for CRF. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China Biology Medicine China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal Database, and WanFang Database from inception to November 2022 to identify eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing acupuncture treatments with sham interventions, waitlist (WL), or usual care (UC) for CRF treatment. The outcomes included the Cancer Fatigue Scale (CFS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and pair-wise and Bayesian network meta-analyses were performed using STATA v17.0. Results: In total, 34 randomized controlled trials featuring 2632 participants were included. In the network meta-analysis, the primary analysis using CFS illustrated that point application (PA) + UC (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -1.33, 95% CI = -2.02, -0.63) had the highest probability of improving CFS, followed by manual acupuncture (MA) + PA (SMD = -1.21, 95% CI = -2.05, -0.38) and MA + UC (SMD = -0.80, 95% CI = -1.50, -0.09). Moreover, the adverse events of these interventions were acceptable. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that acupuncture was effective and safe on CRF treatment. However, further studies are still warranted by incorporating more large-scale and high-quality RCTs. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO, identifier CRD42022339769.

A monodispersed CuPt alloy: synthesis and its superior catalytic performance in the hydrogen evolution reaction over a full pH range.

The high cost and low stability of electrocatalysts are the major challenges for the commercialization of hydrogen generation in water. In this study, we demonstrated a one-pot synthesis of a monodispersed CuPt alloy with the diameter range of 20-30 nm by a hydrothermal method. Benefiting from the more available active sites and preferable d-band structure, the CuPt alloy exhibited a superior catalytic performance than pure Pt nanoparticles (Pt NPs) in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In acidic media, the CuPt alloy achieved a low overpotential of 39 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm-2 for HER, which was by 22 mV lower than that for pure Pt NPs. In a neutral solution, the stability of the CuPt alloy is ca. 100-fold as compared to pure Pt NPs. Accounting by the dissolution of Cu in the alloy phase, the performance of the CuPt alloy was elevated after yielding hydrogen for 1.2 × 105 s in alkaline media. The superior catalytic activity can also be applied in other applications. In the reduction of 4-nitro-phenol (4-NP), the CuPt alloy showed 12.84-fold catalytic activity higher than pure Pt NPs. This study designed a low-cost electrocatalyst with an efficient and durable catalytic performance for HER over the full pH range, which provides an environmentally friendly strategy to cope with the challenges of hydrogen generation.

Tianma Gouteng Decoction Exerts Cardiovascular Protection by Upregulating OPG and TRAIL in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats.

Tianma Gouteng Decoction (TGD) is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of hypertension and its related complications, but its mechanisms remain incompletely defined. We now aim to assess the protective effect of TGD against cardiovascular damage and to investigate its characteristics and underlying mechanisms. Blood pressure was determined in TGD-treated spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) by noninvasive measurements. Echocardiography was performed to assess cardiac function and structure and sirius red staining to evaluate cardiac fibrosis, and the degree of vascular remodeling was evaluated. Additionally, vasoconstriction and relaxation factor expression changes were examined by means of ELISA. Protein expression changes were verified by western blot. Compared with untreated SHR, TGD-treated SHR exhibited cardiovascular traits more akin to those of the normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats. That is, they had lower diastolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure and mean BP, and increased expression of vasodilation factor. We also found that TGD reduces ventricular and vascular remodeling and improves cardiac function in SHR. Finally, we tested the antiapoptosis effect TGD exerts in SHR, ostensibly by upregulating the expression of OPG, TRAIL, and death receptor 5 (DR5) and downregulating caspases 8, 7, and 3. TRAIL may also exert antiapoptotic and prosurvival effects by upregulating AKT expression. Therefore, TGD may reverse cardiovascular remodeling in SHR by upregulating the expression of OPG and TRAIL, upregulating AKT, and inhibiting apoptosis, at least in part. For the first time, we have shown that OPG and TRAIL play complimentary cardioprotective roles in SHR.

A Simple Scoring Model for Prediction of Rupture Risk of Anterior Communicating Artery Aneurysms.

Background: The rupture risk of anterior communicating artery aneurysms (ACoAAs) has been known to be higher than that of aneurysms at other locations. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate the clinical and morphological characteristics associated with risk factors for the rupture of ACoAAs. Methods: In total, 361 consecutive patients with 361 ACoAAs between August 2011 and December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients and ACoAAs were divided into ruptured and unruptured groups. In addition to clinical characteristics, ACoAA characteristics were evaluated by CT angiography (CTA). A multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent risk factors associated with ACoAA rupture. The assignment score of these variables depends on the ß coefficient. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to calculate the optimal thresholds. Results: The multiple logistic regression model revealed that A1 dominance [odds ratio (OR) 3.034], an irregular shape (OR 3.358), and an aspect ratio ≥1.19 (AR; OR 3.163) increased the risk of rupture, while cerebral atherosclerosis (OR 0.080), and mean diameters ≥2.48 mm (OR 0.474) were negatively correlated with ACoAA rupture. Incorporating these five factors, the ROC analysis revealed that the threshold value of the multifactors was one, the sensitivity was 88.3%, and the specificity was 66.0%. Conclusions: The scoring model is a simple method that is based on A1 dominance, irregular shape, aspect ratio, cerebral atherosclerosis, and mean diameters from CTA and is of great value in the prediction of the rupture risk of ACoAAs.

Effects of the Long Non-Coding RNA HOST2 On the Proliferation, Migration, Invasion and Apoptosis of Human Osteosarcoma Cells.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study aimed to explore the effects of the long non-coding RNA HOST2 (lnc-HOST2) on the proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells. METHODS: Osteosarcoma tissues and adjacent normal tissues from 52 patients were selected. Human osteosarcoma cell lines (SaOS2, HOS, U2OS and MG-63) were collected and cultured; MG-63 cells had the highest lnc-HOST2 expression and thus were used in subsequent experiments. Then, MG-63 cells were transfected and divided into the blank (no transfection), si-CON (transfected with negative control siRNA) and si-lnc-HOST2 (transfected with small interference lnc-HOST2 siRNA) groups. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to determine the expression of lnc-HOST2 in primary tissues and cells. Cell growth was detected using the CCK-8 and colony formation assays. Cell doubling time was detected. Cell migration and invasion were observed using the scratch test and Transwell assays. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle progression of osteosarcoma cells were detected using flow cytometry with annexin V/PI double staining and PI staining, respectively. RESULTS: The level of lnc-HOST2 expression in the si-lnc-HOST2 group was significantly decreased compared to that in the blank and si-CON groups. The OD values in the si-lnc-HOST2 group were significantly lower than those in the blank and si-CON groups. Compared to the blank and si-CON groups, the si-lnc-HOST2 group presented significant decreases in the colony number and healing rates after scratching. The number of invasive cells in the si-lnc-HOST2 group was significantly less than that in the blank and si-CON groups. In the si-lnc-HOST2 group, the cell cycle was mainly halted in the G1 phase, and the apoptosis rate and doubling time in this group were significantly higher than those in the blank group and si-CON group. CONCLUSIONS: Inhibition of lnc-HOST2 could suppress the proliferation, migration, and invasion and promote the apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells.

Testing three pipelines for 18S rDNA-based metabarcoding of soil faunal diversity.

A number of basic and applied questions in ecology and environmental management require the characterization of soil and leaf litter faunal diversity. Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing of barcode-gene amplicons ('metabarcoding') have made it possible to survey biodiversity in a robust and efficient way. However, one obstacle to the widespread adoption of this technique is the need to choose amongst many candidates for bioinformatic processing of the raw sequencing data. We compare three candidate pipelines for the processing of 18S small subunit rDNA metabarcode data from solid substrates: (i) USEARCH/CROP, (ii) Denoiser/UCLUST, and (iii) OCTUPUS. The three pipelines produced reassuringly similar and highly correlated assessments of community composition that are dominated by taxa known to characterize the sampled environments. However, OCTUPUS appears to inflate phylogenetic diversity, because of higher sequence noise. We therefore recommend either the USEARCH/CROP or Denoiser/UCLUST pipelines, both of which can be run within the QIIME (Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology) environment.