Browse Articles

Anemia-driven heterogeneity in TG-UA Association: A DDML approach to precision management of hyperuricemia in hospitalized patients aged 50–65

Hyperuricemia has posed a great threat in the globe and is also linked with serious health risks such as hyperlipidemia. Extensive researches have explored the relationship between hypertriglyceridemia and serum uric acid (UA), but the results are mixed due to multiple demographic and cardiovascular-related factors. Our research aims to delve into the relationship between triglyceride (TG) and serum UA across various demographic groups and groups with different anemic conditions. Our research concentrated on patients admitted to Beijing Fengtai Youanmen Hospital from August 2016 to June 2023, the final dataset encompassed clinical data from 43,758 patients, providing a robust basis for our analysis. Data analysis was conducted using Stata MP version 17.1 (Stata Corp LLC, College Station, TX, USA). By using double debiased machine learning method to delve into the relationship between TG and UA. Our findings indicate a strong association between elevated TG levels and increased UA levels among individuals aged 50–65 years (P < 0.001). Our results showed a positive relationship between TG and UA in non-anemic males aged 50–65 when TG levels were 1.1–1.90 mmol/L, and similarly among non-anemic females aged 50–65, TG-UA correlation persisted with TG levels below 2.30 mmol/L. Conversely, among anemic patients aged 50–65, both in male and female groups, there is no significant association between TG and UA levels. Our research suggests that to address hyperuricemia, reducing blood TG levels may be an effective strategy. However, this strategy should not be applied to anemic patients aged 50–65.

Enzyme-containing-hydrogel/TiO2 hybrid photonic crystal for label-free detection of small molecules

Serum phosphate and 28-day mortality in adult sepsis with E.Coli infection: A critical care database study

Objective In this study, we aimed to explore the relationship between serum phosphate and clinical outcomes in sepsis with E.Coli infection based on a public database in order to help physicians do individualized medical decisions. Methods We performed this retrospective study based on the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV(MIMIC-IV) database (https://mimic.mit.edu/iv/). All the patients were hospitalized and serum phosphate was measured in 24 hours after hospitalization. E.Coli infection was confirmed by the positive blood culture of E.Coli in the database. Three models were utilized to investigate the relationship between serum phosphate and mortality in sepsis as follows: crude model (adjusted for none), model I (adjusted for age and gender) and model II (adjusted for all potential confounders). The smooth fitting curve was performed by the generalized additive model. Results 421 adult sepsis patients with E.Coli infection were included. The 28-day mortality was 10.69%(n=45). The median age was 70 and the proportion of males was 47.51%(n=200). The smooth fitting curve showed that the relationship between serum phosphate and 28-day mortality in sepsis with E.Coli infection was positive. When serum phosphate >2.1mg/dl, the relationship was significantly positive (OR=1.55, 95%CI:1.01–2.36, P=0.043). Conclusion The positive relationship between serum phosphate and 28-day mortality in adult sepsis patients with E.Coli infection was found based on MIMIC-IV database.

Consequences of vitamin D deficiency or overdosage on follicular development and steroidogenesis in Normo and hypo calcemic mouse models

Size-segregated analysis of PAHs in Urban air: Source apportionment and health risk assessment in an Urban canal-adjacent environment

This study examines the distribution, origins, and health hazards of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) across six particle size fractions obtained from an urban rooftop location in Bangkok, Thailand. We collected PM samples using a six-stage cascade impactor at a canal boat port, trapping PAHs in particle sizes ranging from ultrafine (PM0.65–1.1) to coarse (PM7.0 and beyond) over an 11-week period. We utilized gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to quantify twelve PAH congeners. Results indicated that PAHs primarily concentrate in fine particles (PM2.1–3.3), with traffic emissions from gasoline and gasoline cars being the principal sources, augmented by emissions from diesel canal boats and industrial activities. The health risk assessment showed that the lifetime lung cancer risk (LLCR) values for all particle sizes were less than 1×10−6. This means that PAH exposure in this area has a very low cancer risk. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) found traffic and industrial emissions as the primary sources of PAHs, with canal boats accounting for 5% of the total. These findings highlight the necessity of specific emission control regulations and advocate for the implementation of cleaner fuel alternatives and electric propulsion in canal transit to enhance urban air quality in Bangkok.

Exploring the anti-inflammatory activity of fupenzic acid using network pharmacology and experimental validation

Bullying victimization and associated factors among school-aged adolescents in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Bullying victimization during school age is a global public health concern. School-aged adolescents experiencing bullying victimization are more likely to encounter physical, cognitive, and mental health issues; including greater rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal behaviors. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the pooled prevalence of bullying victimization and its determinants among school-aged adolescents in Africa. Methods All studies reporting the prevalence of bullying victimization and its determinants among African school-aged adolescents were included based on the predefined eligibility criteria. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis(PRISMA), a guideline for reporting a systematic review and meta-analysis. A random-effects model was employed to estimate the pooled effect size of bullying victimization and its determinants with their odds ratio (OR) and a 95% confidence interval(CI). Funnel plots analysis and Egger’s regression test were conducted to assess publication bias. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were also performed. Results Twenty-five studies involving 41,716 school-aged adolescents were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The overall pooled prevalence of bullying victimization among school-aged adolescents in Africa was 46.35%, with a 95% CI (41.45, 51.24). According to the subgroup analysis of the study region, 49.17% of bullying victimization was reported in the Eastern region of Africa whereas, 32.73% was reported in the Southern region. Engaging in physical fights [OR=1.86; 95% CI: 1.66, 2.07], current substance use [OR=1.85; 95% CI: 1.31, 2.62], feeling lonely [OR=1.98; 95% CI: 1.49, 2.65], and being worried [OR=2.56; 95% CI: 2.12, 3.1] were significantly associated with bullying victimization. Conclusion and recommendation This review revealed that the pooled prevalence of bullying victimization among school-aged adolescents in Africa was high. To ensure adolescents’ mental health and cultivate productive manpower, fostering a supportive environment in schools is mandatory.

Age–period–cohort effects of adult cigarette smoking in the United States, 1971–2020

Long-term alterations of collagen reconstruction and basement membrane regeneration after corneal full-thickness penetrating injury in rabbits

Purpose To investigate the long-term alterations of collagen reconstruction and basement membrane (BM) regeneration after corneal full-thickness penetrating injury in rabbits. Methods The corneal full-thickness penetrating injury model was established in the left eye of New Zealand White rabbits using a 2.0 mm trephine. All corneas were evaluated using slit-lamp photography, hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunofluorescent staining for collagen types I and III (Col I, III), and transmission electron microscopy for collagen fibers and basement membrane. Results Between 3 days and 3 weeks, Col I and III expression were documented, exhibiting a largely disorganized distribution throughout the stromal thickness. At 3 weeks, the epithelial basement membrane (EBM) partially regenerated. From 3 weeks to 2 months, Col III was undetectable in the anterior stroma but present in the posterior stroma; Col I was disorganized in the posterior stroma. At 2 months, Descemet’s membrane (DM) exhibited incomplete regeneration. From 3 to 4 months, Col I was disorganized in only a small part of the posterior stroma; Col III persisted in the posterior stroma; the EBM fully regenerated while DM exhibited incomplete regeneration. Conclusions Following full-thickness corneal injury, persistent fibrosis within the posterior stroma appears to be primarily responsible for the persistence of corneal scarring. Notably, regeneration of the EBM coincides with remodeling of the anterior stroma, whereas incomplete regeneration of DM is associated with posterior stromal fibrosis.

Comparison of Esmolol and Nicardipine treatment in hypertensive acute ıschemic stroke patients

Lung signals drive cancer-associated blood clots

Research-informed decision-making for empowering integrated care system development: Co-creating innovative solutions to facilitate enhanced service provision

Integrated care has emerged as a vital approach to addressing complex health and social care challenges through attempting to foster collaborative provision in healthcare settings. Yet as demand for services often outstrips supply, hospitals, as anchor institutions in communities, are constantly seeking to innovate to align their resources with needs and policy priorities. As hospitals are often viewed as a conduit for creating and embracing innovation to enhance organisational performance, this paper outlines one such innovation, which was co-created as a partnership between a university and hospital to help it with its transition to an integrated care system (ICS). By developing a full hospital system model in partnership not only with hospital stakeholders but also out-of-hospital services - such as community and primary care - for an integrated care model, this study helps to translate an innovative model into practice at an ICS level. To achieve this, decision support tools (DSTs) were used to foster evidence-based assessment of the hospital system, and key opinion leaders (KOLs) were provided with a versatile toolset with which to optimise workforce productivity and deployment, innovate service provision, and enhance community health.

Relative importance sampling for off-policy actor-critic in deep reinforcement learning

Relationship between cardio-ankle vascular index value and stroke in hypertension patients cardio-ankle vascular index ≧9

Backgrounds The cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) is a new index of arteriosclerosis. The present study investigated the relationship between CAVI value and stroke in hypertension patients, especially the prevalence of stroke in patients with CAVI ≧9. Methods 735 patients (M/F 293/442) with or without hypertension from Department of Vascular Medicine from 01/01/2012–31/21/2014 were divided into four groups: group 1: non-hypertension patients with CAVI<9, group 2: non-hypertension patients with CAVI ≧9, group 3: hypertension patients with CAVI<9, group 4: hypertension patients with CAVI ≧9. CAVI was measured by VS-1000 apparatus. Results Prevalence of stroke and coronary artery disease were significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1. And the prevalence of stroke and coronary artery disease were also significantly higher in group 4 than in group 3. In addition, the level of right intima-media thickness (RIMT) was significantly higher in group 4 than in group 3 (0.102±0.025 vs 0.094±0.023, p<0.05). Multiple linear regressions showed that CAVI and age were independent associating factors of stroke in all patients (β=0.268, p=0.040; β=0.135, p<0.001; respectively). CAVI was an independent associating factors of stroke in hypertension patients (β=0.398, p<0.001). Conclusion The prevalence of stroke was higher in hypertension patients with CAVI ≧9 than in hypertension patients with CAVI<9, with higher level of right intima-media thickness. CAVI was an independent associating factors of stroke in hypertension patients.

Childhood sports club experiences mitigate the association between childhood socioeconomic disadvantage and functional disability in older Japanese men

Mangrove consortium resistant to the emerging contaminant DEHP: Composition, diversity, and ecological function of bacteria

The continuous use of Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in plastic products turns it into a ubiquitous contaminant in the environment. However, DEHP can cause harm to human beings, wildlife, and ecosystems due to its estrogenicity and toxicity. Thus, finding an efficient approach to removing this contaminant from the environment is crucial. The present study aimed to prospect and characterize a bacterial consortium (MP001) isolated from a neotropical mangrove for DEHP bioremediation. A laboratory experiment was performed with environmentally relevant DEHP concentrations (0.05, 0.09, 0.19, 0.38, 0.75, 1.50, 3.00, and 6.00 mg L-1) to determine the consortium resistance to this contaminant and high-throughput sequencing was accomplished to assess the bacterial composition, diversity, and potential ecological function of consortium MP001. The consortium MP001 presented a significant biomass increase throughout short-term incubations with increasing concentrations of DEHP (GLMs, p< 0.001). MP001 was constituted by Paraclostridium sp. (78.99%) and Bacillus sp. (10.73%). After 48 h of consortia exposure to DEHP, the bacterial population changed to Paraclostridium (50.00%), Staphylococcus sp. (12.72%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (10.40%) and Bacillus sp. (17.63%). In the negative control, the bacteria community was composed of Paraclostridium sp. (54.02%), Pseudomonas stutzeri (19.44%), and Staphylococcus sp. (11.97%). The alpha diversity of the MP001 consortium was not significant (Kruskall-Wallis; p > 0.05), and no significant difference was found between the DEHP treatment and the negative control. Furthermore, the potential ecological function found in the consortium MP001 with higher potential for application in bioremediation purposes was fermentation. The results found in this study highlight the potential of a bacterial consortium to be used in the bioremediation of DEHP-contaminated aquatic environments.

Healthier lifestyles can modify the air pollutants effect on cardiovascular disease among the middle-aged and elderly

The use of audio-visual aids to reduce delirium after cardiac surgery in intensive care units (DaCSi-ICU): A feasibility study protocol

Introduction Delirium can affect over 50% of patients following cardiac surgery in intensive care units (ICU), leading to an increased risk of long-term cognitive impairment, prolonged hospital stays and increased costs. Nurse-led auditory-visual stimulation to help prevent and manage ICU delirium is a novel, unexplored strategy in postoperative cardiac surgical patients but proven to be effective in other long-term conditions. The Delirium after Cardiac Surgery in the Intensive Care Unit (DaCSi-ICU) study aims to assess the feasibility and acceptability of implementing an innovative, family-focused auditory-visual intervention to reduce delirium in ICU patients following major cardiac surgery. Methods and analysis This is a pilot, mixed-methods, non-randomised feasibility study to be delivered in a university hospital cardiac ICU. The primary outcome is to explore the feasibility and acceptability of an innovative family-focused intervention to reduce ICU delirium rates in patients following cardiac surgery. Secondary outcomes are to: explore short-term post-surgical outcomes up to three months of hospital discharge; and investigate participants’ perspectives of taking part in the study. A total of 12 patients, alongside 12 family members or significant others and 6 ICU nurses will be recruited. Demographic data will be reported descriptively, and clinical data will be managed statistically through SPSS. Data collected from interviews will be transcribed full verbatim and analysed on NVIVO using framework analysis. This study has received Health Research Authority (HRA) approval (24/YH/0011). Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is the sponsor for research governance purposes. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06355570). Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed open-access journals and presented in national and international scientific meetings. Findings will also be shared with patients and the clinical team. Study results will determine the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention, facilitating the progression to a future controlled effectiveness trial.

Legendre based neural networks integrated with heuristic algorithms for the analysis of Lorenz chaotic model: an intelligent and comparative study

In vivo assessment of the effect of gel containing lactic acid and glycogen on vaginal microbiota and pH of asymptomatic women of reproductive age

Background Vaginal dysbiosis is considered a risk factor for the development of gynecological and obstetric complications. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of vaginal gel containing lactic acid on vaginal pH, microbiota composition, and Candida species in asymptomatic women of reproductive age. Methods: 55 menstruating women, with no gynecological complaints, participated in the study, using a gel containing lactic acid twice a week, for 8 weeks. Assessments were conducted before and after the intervention, including measurements of vaginal pH, Nugent score, vaginal microbiota characteristics (alpha diversity index and Community State Types [CSTs] classification), and identification of Candida species. Results: At baseline, 36.4% of women exhibited CST type IV vaginal microbiota, followed by CST type III (30.9%), with vaginal pH values ranging from 4 to 5. After the intervention, there was a significant reduction in vaginal pH (p = 0.0057) and Nugent scores (p = 0.0047). Furthermore, a statistically significant decline was observed in the prevalence of unfavorable taxonomic groups, including Prevotella amnii and Bacterial Vaginosis Associated Bacterium 1, while vaginal lactobacilli remained unaffected. Despite these positive changes, the intervention did not result in a statistically significant alteration in microbial diversity or CST composition (p = 0.12). The gel was well-tolerated, with a low incidence of mild adverse effects reported. Conclusions: The lactic acid-containing gel demonstrated a significant reduction in vaginal pH and Nugent scores in asymptomatic women, indicating possible improvement in vaginal health, that needs to be confirmed in a placebo-controlled study. Although the intervention did not influence microbial diversity and the type of vaginal microbiota at the end of the study, it was able to reduce the prevalence of some taxonomic groups after intervention with the vaginal gel.