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BackgroundIt has been proven that the ratio of albumin to globulin (A/G) is a typical biomarker for monitoring inflammation and nutritional status. But the potential role of A/G in stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) after acute ischemic stroke (AIS) remained unknown.Patients and methodsFollowing inclusion criteria, 5,173 AIS patients were included and segmented into SAP (n = 897) and non-SAP (n = 4,276) groups. The differences in variables between groups were compared. The logistic regression model was used to determine the association between A/G and SAP, and a forest plot was drawn.ResultsCompared with the non-SAP group, the SAP group had a lower A/G level (P < 0.001). Then, A/G was divided into quartiles. In comparison to Q3 (A/G = 1.25–1.39), logistic regression revealed that patients with a lower A/G (A/G ≤ 1.09) had a higher risk of SAP (OR = 1.96, 95% CI, 1.56–2.46, P < 0.001). On the contrary, those with a higher A/G (A/G ≥ 1.4) had a lower SAP risk (OR = 0.73, 95% CI, 0.54–0.97, P = 0.029).ConclusionThe study revealed that a low A/G level was associated with an increased SAP risk. Appropriate preventative measures for SAP should be taken in AIS patients with a low A/G level.

The polysaccharides from C. cicadae were extracted by ultrasonically-assisted enzymatic extraction (UAEE). Response surface analysis was used to determine the optimum parameters as follows: addition of enzymes, 0.71%; extraction temperature, 60°C; extraction time, 18 min; liquid-solid ratio, 46:1 (mL/g). The extraction yield of polysaccharide was 3.66 ± 0.87%. A novel polysaccharide fraction (JCH-a1) from C. cicadae was extracted and then purified by cellulose DEAE-32 and Sephadex G-100 anion exchange chromatography. The analysis results showed that the molar ratio of galactose, glucose, and mannose in JCH-a1 cells (60.7 kDa) was 0.89:1:0.39. JCH-a1 with a triple helix contains more α-glycosides and has strong thermal stability. Moreover, JCH-a1 showed strong antioxidant activity and acted as a strong inhibitor of α-glucosidase in vitro. In addition, JCH-a1 can prolong the lifespan of C. elegans. The present study might provide a basis for further study of JCH-a1 as an antioxidant and hypoglycemic food or drug.

Introduction: Accumulating evidence had demonstrated that females had a higher risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) than males, but the mechanism was still unknown. Vitamin D was found to play an essential role in DVT, and gender may influence the serum vitamin D levels. This study aimed to explore whether vitamin D played a role in the gender difference in DVT.Materials and Methods: A total of 444 patients with acute stroke were recruited, which were divided into the DVT group (n = 222) and the non-DVT group (n = 222). Serum vitamin D levels were measured after admission and were split into three categories, including deficiency (