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Growing evidence indicates that handgrip strength (HGS) is a conspicuous marker for assessing some diseases affecting middle-aged and elderly individuals. However, research regarding HGS and heart failure (HF) is sparse and controversial. Hence, we aimed to investigate the association between HGS and HF among adults aged 45 years and older in the United States. In this cross-sectional study, we included 4524 adults older than 45 years who were part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A generalized additive model was used to estimate the association between HGS and HF. Age, gender, race, income, education, body mass index, smoking status, drinking status, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, vigorous physical activity, total energy intake, total protein intake, total sugars intake, and total fat intake covariates were adjusted using multiple regression models. And further subgroup analysis was conducted. We documented 189 cases of HF, including 106 men and 83 women. HGS was negatively associated with HF after adjusting for all the covariates (odds ratio = 0.97, 95% confidence interval = 0.96–0.99; P P

To explore the effect of Shenmai Injection (SMI) on the long-term prognosis of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).The Hospital Information System was used to extract data of CHF patients, and the retrospective cohort study was conducted for analysis. In non-exposed group, standardized Western medicine treatment and Chinese patent medicine or decoction were applied without combination of SMI while in the exposed group, SMI were applied for more than 7 days. Evaluation indicators are followed with New York Heart Association functional classification (NYHA classification), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide precursor (NT-ProBNP), cardiogenic death and heart failure (HF) readmission. Statistical analysis includes Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression which are used to explore the relationship between SMI and outcome events.A total of 1,211 eligible CHF patients were involved and finally 1,047 patients were followed up successfully. After treatment, the cases of NYHA classification decline in the exposed and non-exposed groups accounted for 64.30% and 43.45%, respectively; the improvement values of LVEF were 8.89% and 7.91%, respectively; the improvement values of NT-ProBNP were 909 pg/mL and 735 pg/mL, respectively. After exposure on SMI, the rates of cardiogenic death and HF readmission reduced from 15.43% to 10.18% and 38.93% to 32.37%. According to Kaplan-Meier analysis, the log-rank P value of SMI and cardiogenic death was 0.014, while the counterpart of SMI and HF readmission was 0.025. Cox regression analysis indicated that for cardiogenic death, age, cardiomyopathy, diabetes, and NYHA classification were risk factors while β-blockers, aldosterone receptor antagonists, Chinese patent medicine/decoction and SMI were protective factors. Likewise, for HF readmission, age, cardiomyopathy, and NYHA classification were risk factors while SMI was a protective factor.Combination with SMI on the standardized Western medicine treatment can effectively reduce cardiogenic mortality and readmission rate in CHF patients, and thereby improve the long-term prognosis.

We study an online (over time) scheduling problem on two uniform unbounded parallel-batch machines with processing speed 1 and $$v (0

Halyomorpha halys, originating from East Asia, has become an important agricultural pest in northern temperate regions since its accidental introduction into North America in the mid-1990s and Europe in 2007. Trissolcus japonicus is the predominant egg parasitoid of this pest in its native range. Here, we tested the hypothesis that T. japonicus uses volatiles associated with H. halys adults during host location. The effects of these volatile compounds on H. halys adults were also assessed. Chemical analysis with GC-MS and electrophysiological analysis with GC-EAD revealed the presence of two bioactive volatile compounds from H. halys adults, n-tridecane and (E)-2-decenal. In the Y-tube assays, female T. japonicus were attracted by n-tridecane but strongly repelled by (E)-2-decenal. Furthermore, host searching time of female T. japonicus was significantly reduced when an H. halys egg mass was treated with n-tridecane and prolonged when treated with (E)-2-decenal or a mixture of (E)-2-decenal and n-tridecane. Male H. halys were significantly attracted by n-tridecane, whereas females had no response to this compound in the Y-tube assays. (E)-2-Decenal strongly repelled male and female H. halys in the Y-tube assays. We discuss the multifunctional kairomonal and other possible roles of these semiochemicals at different trophic levels in the context of intra- and inter-specific chemical communication, in the H. halys–T. japonicus system.

Dear Editor: Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors with poor prognosis. New strategies, combined chemotherapies, and antiangiogenesis agents improved the overall survival, but the side effect was also more complicated. Here, we presented a colon cancer patient who underwent subcutaneous tuberculosis during combined therapy of FOLFIRI and bevacizumab. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of subcutaneous tuberculosis that happened during bevacizumab-FOLFIRI therapy. Our case will provide diagnosis value with atypical Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and highlight the importance of carrying out extensive evaluations for tuberculosis in cancer patients during chemotherapy. A 36-year-old female with colon cancer presented to our hospital as tumor progression. The patient was diagnosed as colon adenocarcinoma with Kras gene mutation and received radical resection 3 years ago. XELOX regimen (capecitabine tablets and oxaliplatin) was taken postoperative for seven courses. Metastasis lesions were found in the abdominal cavity, liver, and lung 1 year after the surgery. Thus, the left fallopian tube was resected by laparoscopy. Both interventional therapy and radiofrequency treatment were used to control liver metastasis. Bevacizumab (300 mg, every 2 weeks) and FOLFIRI (irinotecan 300 mg IV for 90 min on day 1, leucovorin 300 mg IV for 2 h, fluorouracil 600 mg IV for 30 min then 4400 mg IV for 46 h) were taken later for ten courses. Evaluation after 4 cycles showed a complete remission of lung lesions. Stable disease was diagnosed in following cycles. Multiple nodules, diameter between 0.5 and 3 cm, medium hard, with or without tenderness, with clear or unclear boundary, were found during the combined therapy. First, in the right popliteal fossa then groins, right little toe, right buttocks, right clavicle, and manubrium. The nodule of the right popliteal fossa ulcerated after the biopsy. Iodine tincture and mupirocin ointment were used for 2 weeks, but with no obvious improvement. Pathogenic microorganism culture was then performed, and no bacteria or fungi were found. Nodules of right groin and buttock ulcerated spontaneously 2 months later. Iodine tincture, debridement, and Tegaderm Foam Adhesive were used to treat the ulceration. Ulcers of the right popliteal fossa and groin finally healed with pigmentation after 4–12 months. A nodule in the little toe and pain of end joints seem like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but rheumatoid factor (RF) test was negative, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was 43 mm/h, all of which do not support the diagnosis as RA. Tuberculosis was excluded because the patient has no fever, night sweats, cough, chest pain, or any otherM. tuberculosis-infected symptoms. Therefore, a rare drug adverse reaction of bevacizumab was considered because bevacizumab can cause subcutaneous nodule (http://www.ehealthme.com/). So, bevacizumab was withdrawn, monochemotherapy of 5-FU was adopted, and no new nodule was discovered. However, 3 months later, the Xiao-wei Zheng, Li-li Ren and Yi-wen Zhang contributed equally to this work.