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Abstract This study aimed to find the association between four common clinical biomarkers and subsequent ICICT, developing a risk scoring strategy to assess the ICICT risk. Three terminals for ICICT were : Terminal 1, cancer therapy-related cardiomyopathies; Terminal 2, myocarditis or heart failure; and Terminal 3, myocarditis, heart failure, myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, atrial fibrillation, or death. The thresholds were : N-terminal-pro-B-type-natriuretic-peptide ≥ 125 pg/mL, cardiac troponin T ≥ 6 ng/L, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein ≥ 3 mg/L, and coronary artery calcium score > 10 U. Each of the four abnormal biomarkers received 1 point. The links between biomarkers, score stage, and ICICT were analyzed. 375 patients with a mean follow-up of 1.91 years were included. All four biomarkers measured before immunotherapy were associated with a higher risk of developing ICICT. These scores were also associated with ICICT risk. The highest risk was the very high stage (score = 4) has 7.29, 8.83, and 7.02 folder higher risk compared to low risk group for Terminal 1–3, respectively. The cumulation of incidences also showed that the higher stages of score had an earlier onset and higher incidence of ICICT. 4 biomarkers and the scoring strategy enables clinicians to assess risk easily.

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in medical waste generation, posing hazards to both the environment and global health. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic’s medical waste hazard may persist long after the pandemic itself subsides. Improper disposal of medical waste can contaminate environment, posing risks to ecosystems and public health. Discarded medical rubber gloves, for example, can become a source of infection, improper disposal of these gloves can escalate the spread of infectious diseases and increase the risk of transmission of the virus to the general public. This study proposes an innovative and sustainable method to reinforce cement mortar by adding recycled glove rubber as an additive to cement mortar to increase its resistance to impact loads. This study conducted uniaxial compression tests, separating hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) experiments and SEM observations to evaluate the quasi-static compressive strength and dynamic stress of recycled rubber fiber mortar (RRFM) with varying recycled rubber fiber (RRF) contents (0, 1%, 2%, 3%). Strain curves, dynamic increase factor (DIF), energy absorption rules, failure modes, and microstructure of RRFM mixtures. The experimental results demonstrate that with the addition of RRF, the dynamic stress-strain curve flattens and the peak strain gradually increases. The RRFM sample shows stronger toughness. In comparison to regular cement mortar (NM), RRFM has a higher DIF and specific absorbed energy, a faster increase in dynamic compressive strength, and the ability to absorb more energy per unit volume. Under the same impact load, RRFM has fewer and smaller cracks than NM. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) testing also observed that RRF formed a strong connection pattern with the cement mortar matrix.

In recent years, exopoly saccharides (EPS) produced by microorganisms have garnered attention due to their functional properties such as improving food quality, regulating intestinal microbiota, antioxidative effects, anticancer properties, immunoprevention, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Currently, research on microbial EPS (extracellular polymeric substances) in China is still in its early stages and requires further exploration. This paper comprehensively reviewed the latest advancements in the classification, biosynthesis, structural modification, functional properties, and applications of EPS produced by microorganisms both domestically and internationally. This study also focused on analyzing the biosynthetic pathways and structural features of different types of EPS, as well as the strategies for functional modification through physical, chemical, and biological methods. The aim is to provide new references and guidance for research and development in relevant fields, thereby promoting the application and industrialization of EPS in the food, pharmaceutical, and industrial sectors.

Abstract Background and objectives The Mediterranean Diet (MD) has been recognized for its benefits for human health and sustainability for the planet, but it has considered not easy to reproduce in other populations. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair on Health Education and Sustainable Development is fostering a research project (Planeterranea), aiming to identify a healthy dietary pattern based on local foods with the same MD features. The aim of our study is to develop a MD-based food pyramid for Asian populations. Methods Asia was stratified into six areas according to pedo-climatic conditions. For each region a comprehensive scoping review of local crops and typical foods was conducted on several databases such as the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s database, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) website, and PubMed, focusing on both plant-based and animal-based foods. Narrative review was then conducted on the identified foods to determine their nutritional composition and planetary health impact. Finally, the collected information was used to build up the Asian food pyramid with details for each respective region. Results We proposed a food pyramid for Asian countries, guaranteeing the same nutritional intake and health benefits as MD, by considering dietary habits and typical foods of this population. From the bottom to the top, Asian fruits and vegetables present similar nutritional profile as those in MD. Whole grains (barley) may represent valid alternative to white rice. Sesame oil represents a source of unsaturated fats and an alternative to olive oil. Legumes (soybean), edible insects, mushrooms and algae, guarantee an adequate intake of plant-based proteins with a complete amino-acid profile and a low environmental impact with respect to animal-based ones. Conclusions This work is a new insight of healthy and sustainable local food system based on MD principles for the Asian population.

The use of hemp as a forage source in livestock diets has been less studied because bioactive residues in animal tissues may pose a risk to consumers. This study investigated the effects of partial substitution of alfalfa hay (AH) with hemp forage (HF) in growing goat diets on growth performance, carcass traits, ruminal fermentation characteristics, rumen microbial communities, blood biochemistry, and antioxidant indices. Forty Xiangdong black goats with body weight (BW) 7.82 ± 0.57 kg (mean ± SD) were grouped by BW and randomly assigned into one of the four treatment diets (n = 10/treatment) in a completely randomized design. The goats were fed ad libitum total mixed rations containing 60% forage and 40% concentrate (DM basis). The diets included control (CON; 60% AH and 40% concentrate), 55% AH and 5% HF (HF5), 50% AH and 10% HF (HF10), and 40% AH and 20% HF (HF20). Increasing the substitution of HF for AH linearly decreased (P = 0.004) DM intake and improved feed conversion efficiency. However, final BW, average daily gain, carcass traits, meat quality, and most blood biochemistry indices did not differ among treatments. The ruminal NH3-N concentration (P = 0.003) and blood urine nitrogen (P = 0.050) linearly increased (P

BackgroundThe relationship between white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and the core features of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains controversial. Further, due to the prevalence of co-pathologies, the precise role of WMH in cognition and neurodegeneration also remains uncertain.MethodsHerein, we analyzed 1803 participants with available WMH volume data, extracted from the ADNI database, including 756 cognitively normal controls, 783 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 264 patients with dementia. Participants were grouped according to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pathology (A/T profile) severity. Linear regression analysis was applied to evaluate the factors associated with WMH volume. Modeled by linear mixed-effects, the increase rates (Δ) of the WMH volume, cognition, and typical neurodegenerative markers were assessed. The predictive effectiveness of WMH volume was subsequently tested using Cox regression analysis, and the relationship between WMH/ΔWMH and other indicators such as cognition was explored through linear regression analyses. Furthermore, we explored the interrelationship among amyloid-β deposition, cognition, and WMH using mediation analysis.ResultsHigher WMH volume was associated with older age, lower CSF amyloid-β levels, hypertension, and smoking history (all p ≤ 0.001), as well as cognitive status (MCI, p

Abstract Background In the beef industry, bull calves are usually castrated to improve flavor and meat quality; however, this can reduce their growth and slaughter performance. The gut microbiota is known to exert a significant influence on growth and slaughter performance. However, there is a paucity of research investigating the impact of castration on gut microbiota composition and its subsequent effects on slaughter performance and meat flavor. Result The objective of this study was to examine the processes via which castration hinders slaughter productivity and enhances meat quality. Bull and castrated calves were maintained under the same management conditions, and at slaughter, meat quality was assessed, and ileum and epithelial tissue samples were obtained. The research employed metagenomic sequencing and non-targeted metabolomics techniques to investigate the makeup of the microbiota and identify differential metabolites. The findings of this study revealed the Carcass weight and eye muscle area /carcass weight in the bull group were significantly higher than those in the steer group. There were no significant differences in the length, width, and crypt depth of the ileum villi between the two groups. A total of 53 flavor compounds were identified in the two groups of beef, of which 16 were significantly higher in the steer group than in the bull group, and 5 were significantly higher in the bull group than in the steer group. In addition, bacteria, Eukaryota, and virus species were significantly separated between the two groups. The lipid metabolism pathways of α-linolenic acid, linoleic acid, and unsaturated fatty acids were significantly enriched in the Steers group. Compared with the steer group, the organic system pathway is significantly enriched in the bull group. The study also found that five metabolites (LPC (0:0/20:3), LPC (20:3/0:0), LPE (0:0/22:5), LPE (22:5/0:0), D-Mannosamine), and three species (s_Cloning_vector_Hsp70_LexA-HP1, s_Bacteroides_Coprophilus_CAG: 333, and s_Clostridium_nexile-CAG: 348) interfere with each other and collectively have a positive impact on the flavor compounds of beef. Conclusions These findings provide a basic understanding that under the same management conditions, castration does indeed reduce the slaughter performance of bulls and improve the flavor of beef. Microorganisms and metabolites contribute to these changes through interactions.

In oligotrophic oceans, primary productivity is widely limited by nitrogen bioavailability. The broadly distributed and abundant nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Trichodesmium plays an important role in the oceanic nitrogen and carbon cycles by providing a “new” source of nitrogen to many non-diazotrophic microbes, thereby driving new primary production in the ocean. However, the underlying process and mechanism of nitrogen supply from Trichodesmium to other phytoplankton remain unclear. Here, our results demonstrated that the fixed nitrogen released by Trichodesmium could sustain the growth of a non-nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, including a mutant strain (Mut-ureA) that cannot use urea. However, the growth rate of Mut-ureA was approximately 20% lower than that of the wild strain when Trichodesmium filtrate was used for nitrogen supply. This result was consistent with the composition of the Trichodesmium exudate, in which urea comprised more than 20% of the total fixed nitrogen that was released. It is evident from the experiments that a fraction of the Trichodesmium-derived nitrogen was not available to Mut-ureA. Our results suggested that Trichodesmium produces dissolved organic nitrogen, especially a certain amount of urea as a “new” nitrogen source, benefiting in particular populations of surrounding phytoplankton species.

BackgroundCardiac open-heart surgery, which usually involves thoracotomy and cardiopulmonary bypass, is associated with a high incidence of postoperative mortality and adverse events. In recent years, sarcopenia, as a common condition in older patients, has been associated with an increased incidence of adverse prognosis.MethodsWe conducted a search of databases including PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane, with the search date up to January 1, 2024, to identify all studies related to elective cardiac open-heart surgery in older patients. We used the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to assess the certainty of evidence.ResultsA total of 12 cohort studies were included in this meta-analysis for analysis. This meta-analysis revealed that patients with sarcopenia had a higher risk of postoperative mortality. Furthermore, the total length of hospital stay and ICU stay were longer after surgery. Moreover, there was a higher number of patients requiring further healthcare after discharge. Regarding postoperative complications, sarcopenia patients had an increased risk of developing renal failure and stroke.ConclusionSarcopenia served as a tool to identify high-risk older patients undergoing elective cardiac open-heart surgery. By identifying this risk factor early on, healthcare professionals took targeted steps to improve perioperative function and made informed clinical decisions.Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42023426026.

BackgroundIn recent years, severe pain after perianal surgery has seriously affected the prognosis of hospitalized patients. How to maximize the improvement of postoperative pain and perioperative comfort becomes particularly important.MethodsThis study was a double-blind randomized controlled trial (Registration No.: ChiCTR2100048760, Registration Date: 16 July 2021, Link: www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=130226), and patients were randomly divided into two groups: one group underwent postoperative 20 mL bilateral pudendal nerve block with 0.5% ropivacaine (P group), and the other group underwent postoperative 20 mL bilateral pudendal nerve block with 0.5% ropivacaine + 8 mg dexamethasone (PD group). The primary outcome was the incidence of moderate to severe pain at the first postoperative dressing change. Secondary outcomes included Quality of recovery-15 (QoR-15) score at 3 days after surgery, sleep quality, pain score at 3 days after surgery, and incidence of adverse events.ResultsIn the main outcome indicators, the incidence was 41.7% in the P group and 24.2% in the PD group (p = 0.01). The QoR-15 score and sleep quality in PD group were better than those in P group 2 days before surgery. The incidence of postoperative urinary retention was significantly decreased in PD group (p = 0.01).ConclusionLocal anesthesia with dexamethasone combined with pudendal nerve block after perianal surgery can reduce the incidence of moderate to severe pain during the first dressing change. This may be one of the approaches to multimodal analgesia after perianal surgery.Clinical Trial Registrationhttps://www.chictr.org.cn/, identifier ChiCTR2100048760.