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Previous studies exploring the relationship between dietary potassium and magnesium intake and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have yielded inconsistent results., Objective: The present study was designed to compare the effect of magnesium, potassium and both (potassium and magnesium combined) on cholesterol levels and quality of life (QoL) among patients with T2DM., Methods: A randomised controlled trial (single blinded) was conducted at The University of Lahore and Lahore Medical Research Center (LMRC). The sample size was 290 patients with T2DM, who were divided into four groups: Group I (T1) that received control/placebo; Group II (T2) and Group III (T3) received magnesium and potassium supplements, respectively; and Group IV (T4) received both magnesium and potassium supplements. Blood samples were taken from all patients before and after 60 days of supplementation to determine the levels of K + , Mg 2+ and cholesterol using a chemistry analyzer (photometer 5010 v5+)., Results: There was a decrease in mean cholesterol levels in all groups after the treatment, with the largest reduction (224.9 ± 61.92 to 163.4 ± 48.38) seen in the T3 group, that received potassium supplements. A significant increase in the social QoL, indicated by a p value change from 0.06 before medical intervention to 0.000 after medical intervention, was observed. p value was significant (<0.05) between pre- and post-QoL within the T2 (Mg) and T3 (K) treatment groups., Conclusions: The overall decrease in cholesterol levels and improvement in the social QoL after treatment imply that magnesium- and potassium-based formulations prove beneficial in combating hyperlipidaemia in patients with T2DM., Trial Registration: NCT04642313., (© 2024 The Author(s). Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: This study investigated the prevalence of water filtration and purification system (WFPS) use among residents of central Indiana (USA) and determined the effects of WFPS on the concentrations of fluoride, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium in tap water., Methods: A census-based questionnaire collected data on demographics, water use, and water sources. Participants were also asked to provide water samples from their tap water or the WFPS they used. Water samples were analyzed using ion-specific electrodes (fluoride) and atomic absorption spectrometry (metals). Mineral concentration comparisons between water sources used nonparametric tests; questionnaire associations were testing using correlations, chi-square tests, and nonparametric tests., Results: One hundred and one participants completed the study, of which 71 % used some type of WFPS. Blacks were less likely to use WFPS than Asian or White participants (p = 0.045). Those with bachelor's degrees or higher were more likely to use WFPS (p = 0.003). The most used WFPS were pitcher filters (31 %), water softeners (21 %), reverse osmosis systems (11 %), faucet-mounted filters (4 %), and whole-house carbon filters (1 %). Reverse osmosis systems resulted in the lowest mineral concentrations (median, ppm; F-0.08, Ca-2.30, Mg-0.46, Na-4.60, P-0.35). Pitcher filters were largely comparable to unfiltered tap water. Water softeners resulted in the highest sodium concentrations (78.40 ppm)., Conclusion: A large proportion of study participants use WFPS, with pitcher filters being the most common. Reverse osmosis systems had the most significant impact on reducing mineral levels in tap water, while pitcher filters do not adversely affect mineral concentrations., Clinical Significance: Understanding how different WFPS affect the various minerals in tap water is essential for helping consumers in choosing the right system and for oral care providers to guide patients on water consumption and the need for fluoride supplementation, especially for those at high risk of dental caries., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Inadequate dietary potassium (K + ) consumption is a significant contributor to poor cardiovascular outcomes. A diet with reduced K + content has been shown to cause salt-sensitive increases in blood pressure. More recently, we have also shown that reductions in blood K + can cause direct kidney injury, independent of dietary sodium (Na + ) content. Here, we investigated the role of the kinase Ste20p-related proline-alanine-rich kinase (SPAK) in this kidney injury response. We observed that global SPAK deletion protected the kidney from the damaging effects of a diet high in Na + and low in K + . We hypothesized that kidney macrophages were contributing to the injury response and that macrophage-expressed SPAK is essential in this process. We observed SPAK protein expression in isolated macrophages in vitro. Culture in K + -deficient medium increased SPAK phosphorylation and caused SPAK to localize to cytosolic puncta, reminiscent of with-no-lysine kinase (WNK) bodies identified along the distal nephron epithelium. WNK1 also adopted a punctate staining pattern under low K + conditions, and SPAK phosphorylation was prevented by treatment with the WNK inhibitor WNK463. Macrophage-specific SPAK deletion in vivo protected against the low K + -mediated renal inflammatory and fibrotic responses. Our results highlight an important role for macrophages and macrophage-expressed SPAK in the propagation of kidney damage that occurs in response to reduced dietary K + consumption. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Global Ste20p-related proline alanine-rich kinase (SPAK) deletion protects against harmful kidney effects of dietary K + deficiency. Exposure to low K + conditions increases SPAK phosphorylation and induces SPAK to adopt a punctate staining pattern. Macrophage-specific deletion of SPAK confers protection to low K + -induced kidney injury in vivo. Macrophage-expressed SPAK plays a key role in the development of kidney injury in response to a low K + diet.

Agriculture is vital for global food security, and irrigation is essential for improving crop yields. However, irrigation can pose challenges such as mineral scarcity and salt accumulation in the soil, which negatively impact plant growth and crop productivity. While numerous studies have focused on enhancing plant tolerance to high salinity, research targeting various ecotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana has been relatively limited. In this study, we aimed to identify salt-tolerant ecotypes among the diverse wild types of Arabidopsis thaliana and elucidate their characteristics at the molecular level. As a result, we found that Catania-1 (Ct-1), one of the ecotypes of Arabidopsis, exhibits greater salt tolerance compared to Col-0. Specifically, Ct-1 exhibited less damage from reactive oxygen species (ROS) than Col-0, despite not accumulating antioxidants like anthocyanins. Additionally, Ct-1 accumulated more potassium ions (K + ) in its shoots and roots than Col-0 under high salinity, which is crucial for water balance and preventing dehydration. In contrast, Ct-1 plants were observed to accumulate slightly lower levels of Na + than Col-0 in both root and shoot tissues, regardless of salt treatment. These findings suggest that Ct-1 plants achieve high salinity resistance not by extruding more Na + than Col-0, but rather by absorbing more K + or releasing less K + . Ct-1 exhibited higher nitrate (NO 3 - ) levels than Col-0 under high salinity conditions, which is associated with enhanced retention of K + ions. Additionally, genes involved in NO 3 - transport and uptake, such as NRT1.5 and NPF2.3, showed higher transcript levels in Ct-1 compared to Col-0 when exposed to high salinity. However, Ct-1 did not demonstrate significantly greater resistance to osmotic stress compared to Col-0. These findings suggest that enhancing plant tolerance to salt stress could involve targeting the cellular processes responsible for regulating the transport of NO 3 - and K + . Overall, our study sheds light on the mechanisms of plant salinity tolerance, emphasizing the importance of K + and NO 3 - transport in crop improvement and food security in regions facing salinity stress., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Patients with myotonia congenita suffer from slowed relaxation of muscle (myotonia), due to hyperexcitability caused by loss-of-function mutations in the ClC-1 chloride channel. A recent study suggested that block of large-conductance voltage- and Ca 2+ - activated K + channels (BK) may be effective as therapy. The mechanism underlying efficacy was suggested to be lessening of the depolarizing effect of build-up of K + in t-tubules of muscle during repetitive firing. BK channels are widely expressed in the nervous system and have been shown to play a central role in regulation of excitability, but their contribution to muscle excitability has not been determined. We performed intracellular recordings as well as force measurements in both wild type and BK -/- mouse extensor digitorum longus muscles. Action potential width was increased in BK -/- muscle due to slowing of repolarization, consistent with the possibility K + build-up in t-tubules is lessened by block of BK channels in myotonic muscle. However, there was no difference in the severity of myotonia triggered by block of muscle Cl - channels with 9-anthracenecarboxylic acid (9AC) in wild type and BK -/- muscle fibers. Further study revealed no difference in the interspike membrane potential during repetitive firing suggesting there was no reduction in K + build-up in t-tubules of BK -/- muscle. Force recordings following block of muscle Cl - channels demonstrated little reduction in myotonia in BK -/- muscle. In contrast, the current standard of care, mexiletine, significantly reduced myotonia. Our data suggest BK channels regulate muscle excitability, but are not an attractive target for therapy of myotonia., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Chemically activated biochar is effective in supercapacitors and water splitting, but low conductivity hinders its application as a carbon support in carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO 2 RR). Based on the observed CO 2 RR performance from potassium hydroxide (KOH)-activated biochar, increased microporosity was hypothesized to enhance the performance, leading to selection of potassium carbonate (K 2 CO 3 ) for activation. K 2 CO 3 activation at 600℃ increased microporosity significantly, yielding a total Faradaic efficiency of 72%, compared to 60% with KOH at 800℃. Further refinement of thermal ramping rate enriched micropore content, directly boosting FE C to 82%. Additionally, K 2 CO 3 's lower activation temperature could preserve hydroxyl groups to improve ethylene selectivity. These findings demonstrate that optimizing microporosity and surface chemistry is critical for designing activated biochar-based CO 2 RR electrocatalysts. Despite lower electrical conductivity of activated biochar, selecting the appropriate activating agents and conditions can make it a viable alternative to carbon black-based electrocatalysts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The risk of hyperkalemia in relation to different combinations of antihypertensive therapy remains to be elucidated. In this Danish register-based study, we aimed to investigate the risk of developing hyperkalemia in relation to different combinations of antihypertensive therapy. Using incidence density matching, we matched a hyperkalemic patient to five normokalemic patients on eGFR groups, age, sex, and time between study entry and date of potassium measurement. Combination therapies were subdivided into eight groups: beta blockers (BB) + calcium channel blockers (CCB), BB + renin angiotensin system inhibitors (RASi), BB + RASi + mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA), CCB + RASi, CCB + RASi + thiazides, CCB + thiazides, RASi + thiazides, and other combinations. Multivariable conditional logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of hyperkalemia within 90 days for each of the eight antihypertensive combination therapies. A total of 793 patients with hyperkalemia were matched to 3598 normokalemic patients. In multivariable analysis, odds of developing hyperkalemia when being treated with BB + RASi + MRA was 1.95 (95% CI, 1.39-2.72) compared to RASi + thiazides (reference). CCB + thiazides (OR, 0.76 [95% CI, 0.45-1.28]) and CCB + RASi + Thiazid (OR 0.81 [95% CI, 0.51-1.28]) were among the others not significantly associated with hyperkalemia. Combinations of BB + RASi + MRA were significantly associated with an increased risk of developing hyperkalemia within 90 days of initiating treatment. Patients treated with BB + RASi + MRA within 90 days of treatment initiation, were associated with an increased hyperkalemia risk. When treating hypertensive patients with combination antihypertensive therapy, identifying and monitoring patients with a high risk of dyskalemias is a crucial goal to avoid serious adverse effects and detrimental outcomes related to dyskalemia., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

We introduce NPKGRIDS, a new geospatial dataset, providing for the first time data on application rates for all three main plant nutrients, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P, in terms of phosphorus pentoxide, P 2 O 5 ) and potassium (K, in terms of potassium oxide, K 2 O) across 173 crops as of 2020, with a geospatial resolution of 0.05° (approximately 5.6 km at the equator). Development of NPKGRIDS adopted a data fusion approach to integrate crop mask information with eight published datasets of fertilizer application rates, compiled from either georeferenced data or national and subnational statistics. Furthermore, the total applied mass of N, P 2 O 5 , and K 2 O were benchmarked against the country level information from FAO and the International Fertilizers Association (IFA) and validated against data available from National Statistical Offices (NSOs). NPKGRIDS can be used in global modelling, and decision and policy making to help maximize crop yields while reducing environmental impacts., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Hypertension increases with age, often due to high sodium (Na) and low potassium (K) intake. Reducing salt and increasing K intake is challenging, especially for older adults due to taste preferences. Culinary herbs and spices, rich in K, offer a potential solution. The High Potassium Diet Rich in Spices and Herbs-Salt Substitution (HPSH-SS) diet has not yet been studied for its effectiveness in lowering blood pressure., Objective: This study aims to create an HPSH-SS diet, analyze its effects on blood pressure in older adults, and study the molecular mechanism occurring in the kidneys and blood vessels influenced by this diet., Methods: This study consists of 2 phases. The first phase involved formulating and assessing the HPSH-SS diet tailored for older adults. The intervention group (IG) received a diet of 1800 kcal/day, with 3500 mg K and 1500 mg Na, while the control group (CG) received 1500 mg K and 2000 mg Na. The diet was administered for 14 days and standardized using the NutriSurvey program and biochemistry analysis by atomic absorbance spectrophotometry (AAS). The second phase was a 14-day parallel randomized controlled trial (RCT) with the older adult participants divided into IG and CG. Primary outcomes included blood pressure; serum potassium; aldosterone; F2 isoprostane; nitric oxide plasma levels; and urine analysis of Na, K, and the Na/K ratio. Confounding variables were controlled through randomization and stratified analysis., Results: The menu formulation and organoleptic assessment of the HPSH-SS diet began in mid-2022 and was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Public Health at Universitas Airlangga (78/EA/KEPK/2022) on May 11, 2022. The diet was standardized to achieve daily nutritional values of 1800 kcal energy, 3500 mg K, and 1500 mg Na. K and Na contents were analyzed using AAS from several participants' spice diet menus. Recruitment for the RCT started in March 2023, with approval from the Health Research Ethics Committee Universitas Airlangga School of Medicine, Surabaya (35/EC/KEPK/FKUA/2023). The study was registered from February 9, 2023, to February 9, 2024. Between March and June 2023, 64 participants were recruited, with 32 participants in the IG and CG. The intervention and data collection will take place over 1 year. Data management is in progress, and data analysis is yet to be performed., Conclusions: This RCT protocol hypothesizes that the diet will increase serum K, plasma aldosterone, and nitric oxide levels; decrease plasma F2 isoprostane; increase urinary Na and K levels; lower the urinary Na/K ratio; and reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure. If effective, it will offer valuable insights into dietary strategies for blood pressure regulation in older adults., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/56869., (©Farapti Farapti, Sheila Amara Putri, Annisaa Wulida Furqonia, Purwo Sri Rejeki, Muhammad Miftahussurur. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 29.10.2024.)

Biochar has been shown to enhance soil quality and agricultural yields. Previous studies about biochar's effect on soil properties mainly concentrated on the top 30 cm layer but less on the subsoils. Given the subsoil's active role in climate change mitigation and its significance for nutrient cycling and crop productivity, understanding biochar's effects at depth is crucial. This study explored the responses of soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen, available potassium, available phosphorus, pH, and electrical conductivity to different doses of biochar addition (0, 10, 20, and 30 Mg/ha) over the 1 m depth of alkaline soil. Additionally, the impact of biochar on soil microbial community was assessed in the top 20 cm. Results demonstrated that biochar addition can increase SOC and improve soil properties in deep soil horizons. Specifically, a 30 Mg/ha biochar addition increased SOC by 1.2-10.1 Mg C/ha in the 10-40 cm layer and by 3 Mg C/ha in the 60-80 cm depth over two years. Additionally, biochar addition at this rate increased total nitrogen by 0.2-0.3 g N/kg in the 10-40 cm depth and elevated available potassium across the 1 m profile, with a maximum increment of 313 mg/kg in the surface 10 cm and a minimum of 97 mg/kg in the 40-60 cm depth. While biochar application did not increase available phosphorus, it resulted in a minor decrease in soil pH (<0.7 units) and a slight increase in electrical conductivity. Moreover, biochar addition did not significantly alter the soil microbial community. Our findings underscore the importance of considering subsoils when evaluating biochar's impact on soil properties. We suggest that subsoils should be considered when estimating the potential of cropland management for increasing soil carbon sequestration and improving soil conditions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The ability to accumulate nutrients is a hallmark for living creatures and plants evolved highly effective nutrient transport systems, especially for the uptake of potassium (K + ). However, plants also developed mechanisms that enable the rapid extrusion of K + in combination with anions. The combined release of K + and anions is probably an ancient extrusion system, as it is found in the Characeae that are closely related to land plants. We postulate that the ion extrusion mechanisms have developed as an emergency valve, which enabled plant cells to rapidly reduce their turgor, and prevent them from bursting. Later in evolution, seed plants adapted this system for various responses, such as the closure of stomata, long-distance stress waves, dropping of leaves by pulvini, and loading of xylem vessels. We discuss the molecular nature of the transport proteins that are involved in ion extrusion-based functions of plants and describe the functions that they obtained during evolution., (© 2024 The Author(s). New Phytologist © 2024 New Phytologist Foundation.)

Objective: This study aimed to measure urinary sodium and potassium as a measure of sodium and potassium intake concerning the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) toward sodium intake among a group of healthy residents in the UAE., Design: A cross-sectional study on a sample of healthy adults in the UAE. In addition to the KAP questionnaire, sodium and potassium excretions, and food records were taken., Setting: The United Arab Emirates., Participants: A sample of 190 healthy individuals aged between 20-60 years., Results: The mean (± SD) age of the sample was 38.6 (± 12.5) years and 50.5% were females. The mean urinary sodium and potassium intake were 2816.2± 675.7 mg /day and 2533.3± 615 mg/day, respectively. The means were significantly different compared to the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of sodium and potassium, (p < 0.001). About 65% of the participants exceeded the WHO recommendations for salt intake, and participants' knowledge classification for health-related issues was fair while food-related knowledge was poor (P=0.001). A two-stage stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that KAP scores were negatively associated with urinary sodium excretion (r = -0.174; p = 0.017) and those older participants and females had lower urinary sodium excretion (p<0.001)., Conclusion: These findings may suggest an increase in the risk of hypertension in the UAE population. Moreover, these findings emphasize the need to establish education and public awareness programs focusing on identifying the sodium contents of foods and establishing national regulations regarding food reformulation, particularly for staple foods such as bread.

Aqueous alkali-ion batteries are gaining traction as a low-cost, sustainable alternative to conventional organic lithium-ion batteries. However, the rapid degradation of commonly used electrode materials, such as Prussian Blue Analogs and carbonyl-based organic compounds, continues to challenge the economic viability of these devices. While stability issues can be addressed by employing highly concentrated water-in-salt electrolytes, this approach often requires expensive and, in many cases, fluorinated salts. Here, we show that replacing monovalent K+ ions with divalent Ca2+ ions in the electrolyte significantly enhances the stability of both a copper hexacyanoferrate cathode and a polyimide anode. These findings have direct implications for developing an optimized aqueous Ca-ion battery that demonstrates exceptional fast-charging capabilities and ultra-long cycle life and points toward applying Ca-based batteries for large-scale energy storage., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Potassium ions (K + ) are critical electrolytes that regulate multiple functions in immune cells. Recent studies have shown that the elevated concentration of extracellular potassium in the tumor interstitial fluid limits T cell effector function and suppresses the anti-tumor capacity of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). The effect of excess potassium on the biology of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), another important immune cell component of the tumor microenvironment (TME), is unknown. Here, we present data showing that increased concentrations of potassium chloride (KCl), as the source of K + ions, facilitate autophagy by increasing the expression of the autophagosome marker LC3β. Simultaneously, excess potassium ions significantly decrease the expression of arginase I (Arg I) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) without reducing the ability of MDSCs to suppress T cell proliferation. Further investigation reveals that excess K + ions decrease the expression of the transcription factor C/EBP-β and alter the expression of phosphorylated kinases. While excess K + ions downregulated the expression levels of phospho-AMPKα (pAMPKα), it increased the levels of pAKT and pERK. Additionally, potassium increased mitochondrial respiration as measured by the oxygen consumption rate (OCR). Interestingly, all these alterations induced by K + ions were abolished by the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA). Our results suggest that hyperosmotic stress caused by excess K + ions regulate the mitochondrial respiration and signaling pathways in MDSCs to trigger the process of autophagy to support MDSCs' immunosuppressive function by mechanisms independent of Arg I and iNOS. Overall, our in vitro and ex vivo findings offer valuable insights into the adaptations of MDSCs within the K + ion-rich TME, which has important implications for MDSCs-targeted therapies.

The susceptibility of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) to develop postprandial hyperkalemia suggests alterations in normal kidney sodium (Na + ) and potassium (K + ) handling, but the exact nature of these changes is largely unknown. To address this, we analyzed the natriuretic and kaliuretic responses to diuretics and acute K + loading in rats who underwent 5/6 nephrectomy (5/6Nx) and compared this to the response in sham-operated rats. The natriuretic and kaliuretic responses to furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide, and amiloride were largely similar between 5/6Nx and sham rats except for a significantly reduced kaliuretic response to hydrochlorothiazide in 5/6Nx rats. Acute dietary K + loading with either 2.5% potassium chloride or 2.5% potassium citrate caused lower natriuretic and kaliuretic responses in 5/6Nx rats compared with sham rats. This resulted in significantly higher plasma K + concentrations in 5/6Nx rats which were accompanied by corresponding increases in plasma aldosterone. Acute K + loading caused dephosphorylation of Ste20-related proline/alanine-rich kinase (SPAK) and the sodium-chloride cotransporter (NCC) both in sham and 5/6Nx rats. In contrast, the acute K + load decreased the Na + /hydrogen exchanger 3 (NHE3) and increased serum- and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase 1 (SGK1) and the α-subunit of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) only in sham rats. Together, our data show that 5/6Nx impairs the natriuretic and kaliuretic response to an acute dietary K + load which is further characterized by a loss of ENaC adaptation and the development of postprandial hyperkalemia.

Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) generate myelinating oligodendrocytes and are the main proliferative cells in the adult central nervous system. OPCs are a heterogeneous population, with proliferation and differentiation capacity varying with brain region and age. We demonstrate that during early postnatal maturation, cortical, but not callosal, OPCs begin to show altered passive bioelectrical properties, particularly increased inward potassium (K + ) conductance, which correlates with G1 cell cycle stage and affects their proliferation potential. Neuronal activity-evoked transient K + currents in OPCs with high inward K + conductance potentially release OPCs from cell cycle arrest. Eventually, OPCs in all regions acquire high inward K + conductance, the magnitude of which may underlie differences in OPC proliferation between regions, with cells being pushed into a dormant state as they acquire high inward K + conductance and released from dormancy by synchronous neuronal activity. Age-related accumulation of OPCs with high inward K + conductance might contribute to differentiation failure., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors have no competing interests to declare., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

137 Cs diffused into the environment due to a nuclear power plant accident has caused serious problems for safe crop production. In plants, Cs + is similar in its ionic form to K + . Cs + is absorbed and transported mainly by the K + transport mechanism. However, the full picture of the genes contributing to Cs + transport and the transport mechanism of rice is still unclear. This study focused on OsHKT2;1, a candidate Cs + transporter under low K + conditions. To verify the ability of OsHKT2;1 to transport Cs + , the OsHKT2;1 mutant ( hkt2;1 ) was grown in a 137 Cs-contaminated paddy field in Fukushima. The 137 Cs concentration in hkt2;1 aboveground was higher than in the wild type (WT), and the K concentration in these samples did not change between WT and hkt2;1 , whereas the Na concentration was lower in hkt2;1 . Uptake experiments with radioactive tracers ( 22 Na + , 43 K + , and 137 Cs + ) in hydroponic systems with different elemental compositions showed a negative correlation between Na + and Cs + accumulation in rice shoot cultivated under low K + conditions. These results indicated that OsHKT2;1 does not directly contribute to Cs + uptake but is an important factor in regulating Cs + translocation by controlling Na + accumulation. This indicates the possibility of controlling rice Cs content by regulating the Na + environment during cultivation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Kanno, Fujimura, Takahashi, Li, Shinano, Nakamura, Leonhardt and Furukawa.)

Context: Renin is a marker of blood volume. There is no consensus on the validity of plasma renin measurement for adjusting mineralocorticoid (MC) substitution in patients with primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI)., Objective: This work aimed to investigate if plasma renin could be used to adjust MC substitution in patients with PAI., Methods: A total of 150 patients with at least one measurement of plasma renin followed for PAI at 2 tertiary expert centers between 2008 and 2022 were retrospectively included. As supraphysiological hydrocortisone might have additional MC activity, we integrated the individual hydrocortisone dose to obtain the MC equivalent dose (Eq-MC). Renin less than 20 mIU/L was considered oversubstituted, renin between 20 and 60 mIU/L as correctly substituted, and renin over 60 mIU/L as undersubstituted., Results: The mean dose of fludrocortisone was 82.3 ± 46 μg/day. Plasma renin was abnormal in 56.7% of cases (7 patients oversubstituted and 78 patients undersubstituted). Abnormalities in electrolyte levels were observed in only 12.7% of patients. Plasma renin correlated negatively with sodium ( P < .01) and systolic blood pressure ( P = .026), and positively with potassium ( P < .01). Doses changes in Eq-MC had a statistically significant effect on renin levels ( P = .0037), with an increase of MC dose correlating with a decrease in renin level and vice versa; no correlation was observed using electrolytes or blood pressure., Conclusion: Plasma renin correlates with electrolytes and blood pressure. While dose changes significantly alter renin levels, electrolytes and blood pressure do not, suggesting that renin may provide more information about MC replacement therapy than electrolytes and blood pressure., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Endocrine Society.)

Cesium (Cs) is a toxic alkaline metal affecting human health. Plant high-affinity K transporters (HAKs) involved in Cs uptake and transport have been identified in several plants. However, the molecular regulatory mechanisms of Cs uptake and transport, and homeostasis between Cs and K by HAKs remain unknown. In this study, TaHAK1 was overexpressed in rice (TaHAK1-OEs) to evaluate Cs absorption capacity and the Cs and K homeostasis mechanisms. Results showed that TaHAK1 promoted seedling growth by fixing Cs in the root cell wall and modifying Cs distribution. Transcriptome and bioinformatics analyses revealed that 37,828 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were significantly induced in TaHAK1-OEs, of which the pathways involved in cell wall biosynthesis and ion absorption transport were notably affected including genes, XTHs, CSLEs, HAKs, and ABCs. Moreover, under Cs-contaminated soil, TaHAK1-OEs exhibited improved Cs tolerance by decreasing Cs accumulation and increasing K content in different tissues, particularly in the grains, indicating that TaHAK1 acts as a candidate gene for screening genetic modification of Cs phytoremediation and developing low-Cs-accumulation rice varieties. This study provides new insights into the uptake and translocation of Cs and the homeostasis of Cs and K in plants, and also supplies new strategy to improve phytoremediation efficiency., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We conducted a 10-year field experiment to study the effects of potassium chloride, wood ash, zinc, and manganese on reducing 137 Cs uptake by young leaves and green shoots of common dwarf shrubs and tree species near the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. A field experiment had four treatments: a control with no fertilisation, and three fertilised treatments: potassium fertiliser (KCl), a combination of potassium fertiliser and wood ash (KCl + Ash), and a solution providing zinc and manganese (EDTA). There was approximately 30 % decrease in 137 Cs uptake by most of the studied plants species growing on plots fertilised with KCl compared to unfertilised plots during intermediate (2014-2016) and late (2018-2021) periods. Combining KCl with wood ash was found to be the most effective countermeasure, reducing 137 Cs uptake by up to 60% in most species, while treatment with EDTA was less effective. Generally, the decline in 137 Cs uptake by plants over the study years following treatments with fertilisers was more pronounced than in the control, indicating the efficiency of fertilisation in reducing 137 Cs uptake by forest plants. Our research suggests that a combination of potassium chloride and wood ash can still effectively reduce 137 Cs transfer in most common forest species, even years after the accident., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Hyperkalemia is frequently encountered and associated with cardio-vascular mortality in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients. While online hemodiafiltration (OL-HDF) is thought to offer clinical benefit over high-flux HD, the impact of convective clearance on intra-dialytic potassium removal is unknown., Methods: Chronic dialysis patients undergoing outpatient HD or OL-HDF at a single center attached to a university hospital were recruited in a prospective observational study. Spent dialysate along with clinical and biological variables were collected during a single mid-week session., Results: We included 141 patients, with 21 treated with HD and 120 with OL-HDF. Mean age was 65.7 ± 15.6 years with 87 (61.7%) men. Mean intra-dialytic potassium removal was 69.9 ± 34.2 mmol. Patients on OL-HDF and HD have similar intra-dialytic potassium removal, with mean values of 69.1 ± 34.2 and 74.3 ± 35.0, respectively. In multivariate analysis, factors associated with intra-dialytic potassium removal were (decreasing order of effect size): dialysate potassium (β -15.5, p < 0.001), pre-HD serum potassium (β 9.1, p < 0.001), and session time (β 7.8, p = 0.003). In OL-HDF patients, substitution flow was not associated with potassium removal., Conclusion: In chronic dialysis patients, convective therapy provided by OL-HDF does not affect potassium removal when compared with high-flux HD. Moreover, the importance of convective volume is not associated with potassium clearance in OL-HDF. Overall, session length and serum-to-dialysate potassium gradient are the main determinants of potassium clearance regardless of dialysis modality. Those results should inform clinicians on the optimal therapy in chronic dialysis patients in the era of OL-HDF., (© 2024 The Author(s). Artificial Organs published by International Center for Artificial Organ and Transplantation (ICAOT) and Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Albuminuria and albumin excretion rate (AER) are important risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD) development. Despite the extensive evidence of the influence of sodium and potassium on cardiovascular health, the existing evidence regarding their impact on albuminuria and kidney disease is limited and inconsistent. Our study aimed to assess the correlation between urinary sodium and potassium excretion, and the sodium-to-potassium ratio (Na/K ratio) with impaired kidney function, particularly the AER and albuminuria. Materials and Methods: Data were collected from the Lithuanian NATRIJOD study. A total of 826 single 24-h urine samples from individuals aged 18 to 69 were collected and analyzed for their sodium and potassium levels, Na/K ratio, and AER. Albuminuria was defined as an AER exceeding 30 mg/24 h. Results: The participant mean age was 47.2 ± 12.1 years; 48.5% of the participants were male. The prevalence of albuminuria was 3%. Correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between AER and urinary sodium excretion (r s = 0.21; p < 0.001) and urinary potassium excretion (r s = 0.28; p < 0.001). In univariate linear regression analysis, sodium and potassium excretion and the Na/K ratio were significant AER predictors with β coefficients of 0.028 (95% CI: 0.015; 0.041; p < 0.001), 0.040 (95% CI: 0.003; 0.077; p = 0.035), and 1.234 (95% CI: 0.210; 2.259; p = 0.018), respectively. In the multivariable model, only urinary sodium excretion remained significant, with a β coefficient of 0.028 (95% CI: 0.016; 0.041). Potential albuminuria predictive factors identified via univariate logistic regression included urinary sodium excretion (OR 1.00; 95% CI: 1:00; 1.01) and the Na/K ratio (OR 1.53; 95% CI: 1.11; 2.05). However, these factors became statistically insignificant in the multivariate model. Conclusions: Urinary sodium and potassium excretion and the Na/K ratio are significantly associated with kidney damage, considering the assessed 24-h albumin excretion rate and presence of albuminuria content.

Hawthorn special extract WS 1442 has beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. Experimental studies have shown an antiarrhythmic effect of the substance. In the present study, we investigated antiarrhythmic effects of WS 1442 compared with magnesium/potassium in a large collective of outpatients. Using the IQVIA Disease Analyzer (DA) database, we included 4550 patients with a prescription of WS 1442 and 4550 matched patients with Tromcardin prescriptions (all registered products under the trademark Tromcardin that are magnesium and potassium supplementing foods for special medical purposes) who were followed for 5 years after the index date. The incidence of various cardiac arrhythmias (atrial fibrillation and flutter (AFF), tachycardia, and other cardiac arrhythmias) was recorded. Cox regression models were used to evaluate the potential association between both drugs and arrhythmias. The cumulative incidence of atrial fibrillation and flutter was significantly lower among patients with a prescription of WS 1442 compared to patients with magnesium/potassium prescriptions (10.8% vs. 16.4%, p < 0.001). WS 1442 prescription was significantly associated with a lower incidence of atrial fibrillation and flutter compared to magnesium/potassium (HR 0.71; 95% CI 0.64-0.80; p < 0.001). The cumulative incidence of tachycardia was significantly lower in the WS 1442 group compared to the magnesium/potassium group (8.3% vs. 9.4%, p < 0.001), similarly, the cumulative incidence of other cardiac arrhythmias was significantly lower among patients with WS 1442 compared to patients with magnesium/potassium (10.2% vs. 14.8%, p < 0.001). This study showed that in a large collective of outpatients, intake of hawthorn special extract WS 1442 was associated with a significantly lower incidence of atrial fibrillation, tachycardia, and other cardiac arrhythmias compared to magnesium/potassium, indicating its potential in treating and preventing such conditions., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease involving plaque biofilm as a pathogenic factor. Potassium ion plays an important role in cellular homeostasis; a large outflow of potassium may lead to local inflammation progression. In this work, the multifunctional short peptide molecule BmKTX-33 was designed by modifying the BmKTX, a Kv1.3 potassium channel inhibitor. This was to explore its antibacterial properties, capability of maintaining cell ion homeostasis, and bone-forming capacity. The results showed that BmKTX-33 had inhibitory effects on S. gordonii, F. nucleatum, and P. gingivalis. Moreover, BmKTX-33 also inhibited excessive potassium outflow in inflammatory environments. Finally, BmKTX-33 promoted MC3T3-E1 early osteogenesis while suppressing the NLRP3 inflammasome's production. In conclusion, BmKTX-33 not only has antibacterial properties, but also can inhibit the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome and play an anti-inflammatory role., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Iron plays a crucial role in plant chlorophyll synthesis, respiration, and plant growth. However, excessive iron content can contribute to ginseng poisoning. We previously discovered that the application of silicon (Si) and potassium (K) can mitigate the iron toxicity on ginseng. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of how Si and K alleviate iron toxicity stress in ginseng. We investigated the physiological and transcriptional effects of exogenous Si and K on Panax ginseng. The results suggested that the leaves of ginseng with Si and K addition under iron stress increased antioxidant enzyme activity or secondary metabolite content, such as phenylalanine amino-lyase, polyphenol oxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, total phenols and lignin, by 6.21%-25.94%, 30.12%-309.19%, 32.26%-38.82%, 7.81%-23.66%, and 4.68%-48.42%, respectively. Moreover, Si and K increased the expression of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with resistance to both biotic and abiotic stress, including WRKY (WRKY1, WRKY5, and WRKY65), bHLH (bHLH35, bHLH66, bHLH128, and bHLH149), EREBP, ERF10 and ZIP. Additionally, the amount of DEGs of ginseng by Si and K addition was enriched in metabolic processes, single-organism process pathways, signal transduction, metabolism, synthesis and disease resistance. In conclusion, the utilization of Si and K can potentially reduce the accumulation of iron in ginseng, regulate the expression of iron tolerance genes, and enhance the antioxidant enzyme activity and secondary metabolite production in both leaves and roots, thus alleviating the iron toxicity stress in ginseng., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)

Abnormal levels of potassium are linked to several health conditions, including high blood pressure, cardiac dysfunction, kidney damage, and osteoporosis. Given the limited availability of in vivo measurement techniques, there is a need for novel methods to measure potassium to enhance the diagnosis and management of potassium metabolism related diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of compact neutron generator based in vivo measurement system for quantification of potassium using rat carcasses. A cohort of thirty-nine rats (n = 20 males and 19 females, average weight 255 ± 15 and 163 ± 7 g) were sacrificed, and their carcasses were placed in polyethylene bottles. The rats were then positioned and irradiated in a carefully designed irradiation cave built alongside the neutron generator with an optimized thermal neutron flux and radiation dose ratio. The irradiation time was 10 min, followed by a 5-min decay and 2-h measurement using a high efficiency high purity germanium detector(HPGe). RESULTS: The average potassium concentration in male and female rats was found to be comparable (male 2874 ± 161 and female 2866 ± 144 μg/g). A marginally positive correlation between potassium concentration and weight was found in female rats only (male(20) = 0.07, P = 0.76 and female r(19) = 0.34, P = 0.15). We assessed the influence of manganese toxicity on potassium levels and observed no significant impact. These results were consistent with our previous study in mice. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that in vivo neutron activation analysis could serve as a promising method to quantify potassium and to investigate the storage and metabolism of potassium in human and in animals., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Michael Aschner and Aaron B. Bowman reports financial support was provided by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Potassium (K + ) is an essential macronutrient which contributes to osmotic- and turgor-related processes in plants. Calcineurin-B like Interacting Protein Kinases (CIPKs) play crucial roles in plants under low-K + supply since they activate root K + uptake transport systems such as AKT1 and AtHAK5. In Arabidopsis, AtCIPK9 is important for low-K + tolerance since atcipk9 plants exhibited poor growth and leaf chlorosis when K + was scarce. Part of these phenotypes could be ascribed to the activation of AtHAK5 by AtCIPK9. It has been reported that important differences exist between Arabidopsis and other plant species such as tomato with respect to the regulation of K + uptake systems. Thus, our aim was to evaluate the contribution of SlCIPK9, the homologous protein of AtCIPK9 in tomato, to K + nutrition. Unexpectedly, phenotyping experiments carried out with slcipk9 loss-of-function mutants revealed that SlCIPK9 did not play a clear role in tomato K + homeostasis. By contrast, it was found that SlCIPK9 contributed to pollen tube elongation, but not to pollen germination, via a K + -independent mechanism. Therefore, our results highlight the remarkable differences that exist in Ca 2+ signaling pathways between plant species and encourage the realization of more comparative studies as the one presented here., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of potassium-based emulsifying salts (ES; 2% wt/wt concentration) with different phosphate chain lengths (dipotassium hydrogenphosphate [K 2 HPO 4 ; DKP], tetrapotassium diphosphate [K 4 P 2 O 7 ; KTPP], pentapotassium triphosphate [K 5 P 3 O 10 ; TKPP]) on the physicochemical, viscoelastic, textural, tribological, thermal, and sensory properties of processed cheese (PC; 40% wt/wt DM, 50% wt/wt fat in DM) during a 60d storage period (6°C ± 2°C). On the whole, the hardness of all PC samples increased with the increasing chain length of ES (DKP < TKPP < KTPP) and the prolonging storage period. Moreover, the hardness results were in accordance with those of the rheological analysis. All PC samples exhibited a more elastic character (G' > G″; tan δ < 1). The type of potassium-based ES affected the binding of water into the structure of the PC. Furthermore, the study confirmed that the manufactured PC received optimal sensory scores, without any excessive bitterness. It could be concluded that the type of applied ES and storage length affected the functional properties of PC. Finally, the information provided in this study could serve as a tool for the dairy industry to help appropriately select potassium-based ES for PC manufacture with desired properties., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

Background: Current protocols which include the administration of a single dextrose dose concomitantly with insulin are inadequate as hypoglycemia commonly occurs 60 min after insulin administration and may persist for up to two hours post-insulin administration. To prevent delayed hypoglycemic events, our institution revised our adult acute hyperkalemia order set to include hypoglycemic preventative measures not currently described in the literature., Methods: The primary purpose of this retrospective study was to determine if the new adult acute hyperkalemia order set resulted in lower rates of hypoglycemia (glucose <70 mg/dL) compared to the old order set in patients with impaired renal clearance and lower pre-insulin glucose values. In addition to reducing the IV regular insulin dose from 10 to 5 units, the new order set recommends patients receive a 250 mL dextrose 10% solution over two hours in addition to a 50 mL dextrose 50% IV push concomitantly with IV regular insulin if their pre-insulin glucose is ≤250 mg/dL. Patients were included if they were adults, received IV regular insulin from the order set within six hours of presenting to the ED, had a pre-insulin potassium >5.5 mmol/L, had a pre-insulin glucose ≤250 mg/dL, and had impaired renal clearance [creatinine clearance (CrCl) < 30 mL/min or dialysis dependent]., Results: 100 patients were included in each arm. The median pre-insulin potassium levels were 6.4 mmol/L and 6.3 mmol/L in the old and new groups, respectively (p = 0.133). The median pre-insulin glucose levels were 120 mg/dL and 107.5 mg/dL in the old and new groups, respectively (p = 0.013). Twenty (20%) patients in the old group developed hypoglycemia, whereas six (6%) patients in the new group developed hypoglycemia (p = 0.003). There was no significant difference between the two groups in number of patients who achieved a post-insulin potassium level ≤ 5.5 mmol/L., Conclusion: Our study found that our approach of additionally administering a 250 mL dextrose 10% solution upon therapy initiation is associated with significantly lower rates of hypoglycemia. Our findings indicate that hypoglycemia rates can be significantly reduced in vulnerable populations if additional preventative measures are employed., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no relevant conflicts of interest or financial relationships., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Dispersionless flat bands (FBs) in momentum space, given rise to electron destructive interference in frustrated lattices, offer opportunities to enhance electronic correlations and host exotic many-body phenomena, such as Wigner crystal, fractional quantum hall state, and superconductivity. Despite successes in theory, great challenges remain in experimentally realizing FBs in frustrated lattices due to thermodynamically structural instability. Here, the observation of electronic FB in a potassium distorted colouring triangle (DCT) lattice is reported, which is supported on a blue phosphorene-gold network. It is verified that the interaction between potassium and the underlayer dominates and stabilizes the frustrated structures. Two-dimensional electron gas is modulated by the DCT lattice, and in turn results in a FB dispersion due to destructive quantum interferences. The FB exhibits suppressed bandwidth with high density of states, which is directly observed by scanning tunneling microscopy and confirmed by the first-principles calculation. This work demonstrates that DCT lattice is a promising platform to study FB physics and explore exotic phenomena of correlation and topological matters., (© 2023 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Minerals are reported to dominate the electrical properties of honey and indicate its botanical and geographical origins. In this study, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) was used to assess the relation between mineral elements, electrical properties and botanical origin using three honey varieties - Citrus sp., Eucalyptus sp., and Erica sp. These varieties are identified through pollen analysis and market labelling. Flame atomic absorption and emission spectroscopies were used to quantify the concentrations of eight elements (potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper, and iron). Among all the mineral elements, potassium showed a consistent correlation with impedance. The potassium estimation in honey and standard solutions (calibration curve) had similar sensitivities of 153.43 nF/mM and 132.68 nF/mM, respectively. Additionally, the analysis revealed that potassium dominates the mineral composition, with the other species present in minimal quantities. The EIS technique showed high sensitivity to potassium and other ionisable species, making it possible to classify the botanical origin of these three honey types. The EIS technique proved to be both time and cost effective, yielding a classification rate higher than that achieved by analysing mineral composition., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Regulating membrane potential is key to cellular function. For many animal cells, resting membrane potential is predominantly driven by a family of K2P (two-pore domain) potassium channels. These channels are commonly referred to as leak channels, as their presence results in the membrane being permeable to K + ions. These channels, along with various pumps and exchangers, keep the cell resting membrane potential (Rp) relatively close to potassium's equilibrium potential (E K ); however, in many cells, the resting membrane potential is more depolarized than the E K due to a small Na + ion leak. Raising [Ca 2+ ] O (extracellular Ca 2+ concentration) can result in hyperpolarization of the membrane potential from the resting state. The mechanism for this hyperpolarization likely lies in the blockage of a Na + leak channel (NALCN) and/or voltage-gated Na + channels. The effects may also be connected to calcium-activated potassium channels. Using Drosophila melanogaster , we here illustrate that changing [Ca 2+ ] O from 0.5 to 3 mM hyperpolarizes the muscle. Replacing NaCl with LiCl or choline chloride still led to hyperpolarization when increasing [Ca 2+ ] O . Replacing CaCl 2 with BaCl 2 results in depolarization. K2P channel overexpression in the larval muscle greatly reduces the effects of [Ca 2+ ] O on cell membrane potential, likely because potential is heavily driven by the E K in these muscles. These experiments provide an understanding of the mechanisms behind neuronal hypo-excitability during hypercalcemia, as well as the effects of altered expression of K2P channels on membrane potential., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Rationale and Objectives: To investigate the relationship between the glucose/potassium ratio (GPR) at admission and 30-day mortality in patients diagnosed with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in the emergency department (ED)., Materials and Methods: Patients with a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of ≤2 before SAH and patients aged 18 years or older were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups based on their functional outcomes (poor-good) and 30-day mortality rates (survivor and non-survivor) and their clinical and laboratory values were compared., Results: The study included 134 patients with a mean age of 65.9 ± 16.7 years, of whom 68 (50.7 %) were female. The mean glucose and GPR levels in the poor functional outcome group were significantly higher than those in the good functional outcome group (p = 0.003, p = 0.03, respectively). The mean glucose and GPR levels in the non-survivor group were significantly higher than those in the survivor group (p = 0.004, p = 0.023, respectively). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified GPR as an independent predictor of 30-day mortality (p = 0.043, OR: 4.041, 95 % CI: 1.45-26.147), alongside the Rankin Scale score (p = 0.002, OR: 12.714, 95 % CI: 2.578-62.706). Other variables, including age, Hunt-Hess score, and Glasgow Coma Scale, were not statistically significant., Conclusion: The findings indicate that the GPR is a significant independent predictor of short-term mortality in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. The translation of these findings into clinical practice may help achieve better outcomes in the management of SAH patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: High sodium and low potassium consumption are related to hypertension and cardiovascular disease. We aimed to determine the relationship between the frequency of salt addition and potassium consumption with the risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF)., Methods: Our study used the UK Biobank cohort, which included over 500,000 individuals enrolled from the United Kingdom between 2006 and 2010. This study involved 416,868 participants who filled out the dietary recall regarding the frequency of salt addition., Results: During follow-up, 19,164 (4.6%) developed AF. The incidence of new-onset AF was increased based on the frequency of salt addition (never/rarely 3.83; always 4.72 per 1000 person-years). Compared with the group that never/rarely added salt, those adding salt always were at significantly higher risk of incident AF after adjusting for multiple variables (hazard ratio (HR) 1.15; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06-1.24), and additional adjustment of dietary and total energy consumption (HR 1.37; 95% CI 1.08-1.73). In the subgroup analysis, the risk of AF incident according to the frequency of salt addition significantly increased in low urine potassium levels compared to high ( p for interaction = 0.046). In the subgroup analysis for AF patients, higher salt addition frequency was related to increased all-cause mortality., Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that adding salt to foods more frequently increases the risk of incident AF, even after adjusting for dietary and total energy consumption. In the high urine potassium group, the impact of high sodium consumption on incident AF was attenuated., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. Boyoung Joung is serving as one of the Editorial Board members of this journal. We declare that Boyoung Joung had no involvement in the peer review of this article and has no access to information regarding its peer review. Full responsibility for the editorial process for this article was delegated to Buddhadeb Dawn., (Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.)

Disturbances of potassium balance are often encountered when managing kidney transplant recipients (KTR). Both hyperkalemia and hypokalemia may present either as medical emergencies or chronic outpatient abnormalities. Despite the high incidence of hyperkalemia and its potential life-threatening implications, consensus on its management in KTR is lacking. Hypokalemia in KTR is also well-described, although it is given less attention by clinicians compared to hyperkalemia. This article discusses the etiology, pathophysiology and management of both types of potassium disorders in KTR. Once any emergent situation has been corrected, treatment approaches include correcting insulin deficiency if present, adjusting non-immunosuppressive and immunosuppressive medications, eliminating or supplementing potassium as needed, and dietary counselling. Although commonly of multifactorial etiology, ascertaining the specific cause in a particular patient will help guide successful management. Monitoring KTR through regular laboratory testing is essential to detect serious disturbances in potassium balance since patients are often asymptomatic., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare in relation to the manuscript., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The objective of study was to assess 24-h urinary Na and K excretion and estimate the average salt and K intakes in a nationally representative sample of the adult population of Slovenia., Design: A nationally representative cross-sectional study was conducted in four stages between September and November 2022: study questionnaire, physical measurements, 24-h urine collection and laboratory analysis., Setting: Slovenia., Participants: We invited 2000 adult, non-institutionalised inhabitants of Slovenia, aged between 25 and 64 years. A stratified two-staged sample was selected from this population by the Statistical Office of Slovenia, using sampling from the Central Population Register. According to the WHO methodology, additional eligibility criteria were screened before participating. A total of 518 individuals participated in all four stages of the study, resulting in a response rate of 30 %., Results: The mean 24-h urinary Na excretion was 168 mmol/d (95 % CI 156, 180), which corresponds to a mean estimated intake of 10·3 g salt/d (95 % CI 9·6, 11·1). Mean 24-h urinary K excretion was 65·4 mmol/d (95 % CI 63·2, 67·5), and the estimated mean K intake was 2·93 g/d (95 % CI 2·84, 3·03). There were statistically significant differences in mean intakes between males and females. The mean sodium-to-potassium ratio was 2·7 (95 % CI 2·5, 2·8)., Conclusions: The study results highlighted that the salt intake in the adult population of Slovenia remains much higher than recommended by the WHO, and K intakes are insufficient, as most participants did not meet the recommendations.

To investgate the effects of potassium (K) application on the agronomic traits and fruit quality of Lycium barbarum L. (Goji), three levels of K fertilizer, namely LK (25 g/plant), CK (50 g/plant), and HK (75 g/plant), were applied to plants in phytotron for observing and measuring relevant indicators. The investigation involved seven agronomic traits: plant height, plant stem diameter, new branch increment, yield of fresh fruits per plant, dry fruit quantity within 50 g, ratio of different grade fruits, and ratio of longitudinal diameter to transverse diameter of Goji fruits. The results showed that K application level had significant effect on ratio of the longitudinal diameter to the transverse diameter of fresh Goji fruits, and that the influence on other agronomic traits was slight. In the meanwhile, the concentrations of amino acids, betaine, polysaccharides and flavonoids of Goji fruits in different levels of K fertilizer were tested. The K treatment increased the content of glutamic acid, and decreased that of flavonoids (P < 0.05), whereas the content of other amino acids, polysaccharides and betaine were unaffected. A total of 132 flavonoid metabolites was identified. Among them, K treatment up-regulated 36 metabolites and down-regulated 30 metabolites (P < 0.05). The results provided a basis for balanced K supply to regulate the agronomic traits and nutrients of Goji fruits., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This work aimed to enhance green Spanish-style Manzanilla table olives by replacing salt with K, Ca, and Mg chlorides in innovative packaging, utilising Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Both the added replacers and naturally occurring minerals were considered. RSM allowed the development of predictive models for K, Ca, Mg, and Mn (initially present) in olive flesh and their contributions to Reference Daily Intakes (RDI) based on the added salts. The sodium content in the new products decreased from 1.4 g/100 g flesh to 0.68 g/100 g flesh, while K, Ca, and Mg concentrations could increase up to 0.50, 0.45 and 0.15 g/100 g flesh, respectively. Added salt contributions to RDI could reach 25, 60, and 44 % for K, Ca, and Mg. Minimal differences between analytical data-derived minerals and predicted values were minimal, suggesting reliable model performance for nutrition labelling. Results assist the industry in creating nutritionally enhanced table olive products., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Potassium is a cation involved in the resting phase of membrane potential. Diets rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, dairy products, and coffee have high potassium content. The shift from a pre-agriculture diet to today's consumption has led to reduced potassium intake. Indeed, the Western diet pattern is characterized by a high daily intake of saturated fats, sugars, sodium, proteins from red meat, and refined carbohydrates with a low potassium intake. These reductions are also mirrored by high sodium intakes and a high consumption of acid-generating food, which promote a chronic state of low-grade metabolic acidosis. The low-grade metabolic acidosis is a cause of the bone-wasting effect. Therefore, a long-standing acidotic state brings into play the bone that contributes to the buffering process through an increase in osteoclastic resorption. In consideration of this background, we carried out a review that focused on the pathophysiological mechanisms of the relationship between dietary potassium intake and bone health, underlining the detrimental effects of the Western dietary patterns characterized by low potassium consumption.

The Alzheimer's disease (AD)-affected brain purges K with concurrently increasing serum K, suggesting brain-blood K transferal. Here, natural stable K isotope ratios-δ41K-of human serum samples were characterized in an AD biomarker pilot study (plus two paired Li-heparin and potassium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid [K-EDTA] plasma samples). AD serum was found to have a significantly lower mean δ41K relative to controls. To mechanistically explore this change, novel ab initio calculations (density functional theory) of relative K isotope compositions between hydrated K+ and organically bound K were performed, identifying hydrated K+ as isotopically light (lower δ41K) compared to organically bound K. Taken together with literature, serum δ41K and density functional theory results are consistent with efflux of hydrated K+ from the brain to the bloodstream, manifesting a measurable decrease in serum δ41K. These data introduce serum δ41K for further investigation as a minimally invasive AD biomarker, with cost, scalability, and stability advantages over current techniques., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Introduction: Emerging evidence highlights the potential advantages of the Mediterranean diet (MD) in preserving kidney function and slowing chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression. However, interventional studies on the MD are scarce in East Asian populations., Methods: This randomized crossover trial aimed to assess the safety and short-term impact of the Mediterranean Proper Optimal Balance (MEDi-POB) diet in Korean patients with stage 3-4 CKD. Kidney function was assessed using the estimated glomerular filtration rate, which was calculated using the CKD Epidemiology Collaboration equation. Fifty patients with CKD were randomly assigned to two groups, each starting with a different 4-week intervention, followed by a 4-week washout period, followed by a switch to the other 4-week intervention. During the MEDi-POB intervention, patients received home delivery of meals twice daily, 5 days a week, while the control intervention comprised a conventional diet. Forty-six patients successfully completed the entire 12-week trial. Paired t -tests were conducted to assess mean differences between the two groups. A linear mixed model was used to adjust for sequence and period., Results: Dietary fat, fiber, and niacin intake were significantly higher following the MEDi-POB diet than following the control diet ( p = 0.001 for fat, p < 0.001 for fiber, and p = 0.007 for niacin). The MEDi-POB diet also yielded slightly increased total CO 2 levels ( p = 0.043), indicating effective management of metabolic acidosis. Conversely, sodium and copper intake were significantly lower with the MEDi-POB diet ( p = 0.032 and p = 0.037, respectively). Caloric intake increased, but body mass index slightly decreased from baseline after consuming the MEDi-POB diet. Dietary potassium intake exhibited a non-significant increase ( p = 0.053), and no significant changes in serum ( p = 0.883) and urine potassium levels ( p = 0.087) occurred. Kidney function remained well-preserved following the MEDi-POB diet., Conclusion: These results indicate that the MEDi-POB diet is safe even in patients with advanced CKD, as it does not adversely affect serum and urine potassium levels and helps maintain kidney function., Competing Interests: H-MK serves as the Director of the Nutrition R&D Institute, MEDI.SOLA Co., Ltd. and J-WL is the Medical Advisor at MEDI.SOLA Co., Ltd. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Kwon, Joo, Yun, Lim, Yang, Lee, Kim, Lee, Lee and Lee.)

Axially chiral biaryl δ-amino acids possess significantly different conformational properties and chiral environment from centrally chiral amino acids, therefore, have drawn considerable attention in the fields of synthetic and medicinal chemistry. Herein, a novel chiral phenanthroline-potassium catalyst has been developed by constructing a well-organized axially chiral ligand composed of one 1,10-phenanthroline unit and two axially chiral 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol (BINOL) units. In the presence of this catalyst, good to excellent yields and enantioselectivities (up to 99 % yield, 98 : 2 er) have been achieved in the ring-opening alcoholytic dynamic kinetic resolution of a variety of biaryl lactams, thereby providing an efficient protocol for catalytic asymmetric synthesis of unnatural axially chiral biaryl δ-amino acid derivatives., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of hydration status on the change in sweat sodium (Na + ), chloride (Cl - ), and potassium (K + ) concentrations during exercise-heat stress. Fifteen subjects (Six female, nine male; 29 ± 9 y; 71 ± 14 kg) completed 90 min of cycling (81% HR max ) in the heat (~33°C, 42% rh) with fluid replacement to maintain euhydration (EUH) or without fluid to dehydrate to 2.4 ± 0.4% body mass loss (DEH). Sweat was collected from the forehead (FH), right scapula (SCAP), and left (LVFA) and right (RVFA) ventral forearms using the absorbent pad technique at the beginning (0-30 min) and end of exercise (60-90 min). Sweat was analyzed for Na + , Cl - , and K + concentrations using ion chromatography. Data are reported as mean ± SD or median ± IQR. There were no differences (Paired t-tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests) between EUH and DEH in the change in sweat Na + (FH: 24.3 ± 21.5 vs. 30.8 ± 22.4 mmol/L; SCAP: 9.7 ± 6.2 vs. 9.6 ± 8.2 mmol/L; LVFA: 7.5 ± 6.0 vs. 5.6 ± 5.9 mmol/L; RVFA: 8.2 ± 8.6 vs. 7.8 ± 5.2 mmol/L), sweat Cl - , or sweat K + at any site (p = 0.07-0.99). The change in sweat electrolyte concentrations during 90 min of exercise in the heat was not significantly influenced by mild dehydration in recreational to moderately-trained male and female athletes., (© 2024 The Author(s). Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.)

Patients with chronic kidney disease face a high risk of sudden cardiac death, particularly in more advanced stages of renal dysfunction. Ventricular arrhythmias are prevalent and contribute to the heightened cardiovascular mortality. This review aims to explore the intricate interplay of disease-specific risk factors, arrhythmic triggers, and electrolyte disorders that amplify susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in this population and influence the efficacy of available treatments., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Background: Whether blood laboratory analyses differ in patients who later suffer in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) compared to other hospitalised patients remains unknown. The aim of this study was to describe pre-arrest sampling frequencies, results, and trends in blood laboratory analyses in patients with IHCA compared to controls., Methods: This study was a matched case-control study using national registries in Denmark. Cases were defined as patients with IHCA from 2017 to 2021. Controls were defined as hospitalised patients and were matched on age, sex, and date and length of admission. Data on a total of 51 different blood laboratory analyses were obtained. The laboratory analyses of primary interest were lactate, sodium, potassium, and haemoglobin. The index time for cases was defined as the time of cardiac arrest, and a corresponding index time was defined for controls based on the time to cardiac arrest for their corresponding case. Blood sampling frequencies were reported for blood laboratory analyses obtained either within the last 24 h before the index time or between the time of hospital admission and the index time. Blood sampling results were reported for blood laboratory analyses obtained within the last 24 h before the index time., Results: A total of 9268 cases and 92,395 controls were included in this study. Cases underwent more frequent sampling of all blood laboratory analyses compared to controls. This higher sampling frequency was more pronounced for lactate compared to sodium, potassium, or haemoglobin. The last measured lactate was higher in cases (median [IQR]: 2.3 [1.3, 4.9]) compared to controls (median [IQR]: 1.3 [0.9, 2.0]). Differences in sodium, potassium, and haemoglobin were negligible. The proportion of abnormally elevated levels of lactate and potassium increased as time to cardiac arrest decreased; no such effect was seen in controls. No temporal trend was evident for sodium or haemoglobin., Conclusions: Patients with IHCA undergo more frequent blood sampling prior to IHCA and have higher levels of lactate compared to matched controls., (© 2024 The Author(s). Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation.)

Potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg) play analogous roles in regulating plant photosynthesis and carbon and nitrogen (C-N) metabolism. Based on this consensus, we hypothesize that appropriate Mg supplementation may alleviate growth inhibition under low K stress. We monitored morphological, physiological, and molecular changes in G935 apple plants under different K (0.1 and 6 mmol L -1 ) and Mg supply (3 and 6 mmol L -1 ) conditions. Low K stress caused changes in root and leaf structure, inhibited photosynthesis, and limited the root growth of the apple rootstock. Further study on Mg supplementation showed that it could promote the uptake of K + and NO 3 - by upregulating the expression of K + transporter proteins such as Arabidopsis K + transporter 1 (MdHKT1), and potassium transporter 5 (MdPT5) and nitrate transporters such as nitrate transporter 1.1/1.2/2.1/2.4 (MdNRT 1.1/1.2/2.1/2.4). Mg promoted the translocation of + transporter 1 (MdHKT1), and potassium transporter 5 (MdPT5) and nitrate transporters such as nitrate transporter 1.1/1.2/2.1/2.4 (MdNRT 1.1/1.2/2.1/2.4). Mg promoted the translocation of 15 N from roots to leaves and enhanced photosynthetic N utilization efficiency (PNUE) by increasing the proportion of photosynthetic N and alleviating photosynthetic restrictions. Furthermore, Mg supplementation improved the synthesis of photosynthates by enhancing the activities of sugar-metabolizing enzymes (Rubisco, SS, SPS, S6PDH). Mg also facilitated the transport of sucrose and sorbitol from leaves to roots by upregulating the expression of sucrose transporter 1.1/1.2/4.1/4.2 (MdSUT 1.1/1.2/4.1/4.2) and sorbitol transporter 1.1/1.2 (MdSOT 1.1/1.2). Overall, Mg effectively alleviated growth inhibition in apple rootstock plants under low K stress by facilitating the uptake of N and K uptake, optimizing nitrogen partitioning, enhancing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and PNUE, and promoting the photosynthate synthesis and translocation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Previous studies exploring the relationship between dietary potassium and magnesium intake and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have yielded inconsistent results and the lack evidence from rural China. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between dietary potassium and magnesium intake and the risk of T2DM in rural China. Data was collected from the Henan Rural Cohort Study in 2017. A validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire assessed dietary potassium and magnesium intake. Logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratio (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to evaluate the effect of dietary potassium, magnesium and the potassium-magnesium ratio on the risk of T2DM. A total of 38384 individuals were included in the study, and 3616 participants developed T2DM. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the OR (95% CI) of the highest versus dietary potassium and magnesium and potassium-magnesium ratio intakes were 0.67 (0.59, 0.75), 0.76 (0.67, 0.88), and 0.57 (0.50, 0.66), respectively, compared to the subjects with the lowest quartile of intakes. In addition, gender partially influences the relationship between dietary magnesium and T2DM prevalence (P- interaction = 0.042). The group with the highest dietary potassium and dietary magnesium intake had the lowest risk of T2DM, with an OR (95% CI) of 0.63 (0.51-0.77). Dietary potassium and magnesium intake are important modifiable risk factors for T2DM in rural China. Dietary potassium intake > 1.8g/day, dietary magnesium intake > 358.6mg/day and < 414.7mg/day and potassium-magnesium ratio >5.1 should be encouraged to prevent better and manage T2DM., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)