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"Objective To investigate the predictive value of hemoglobin glycation index (HGI) for endpoint events in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Methods A total of 1 420 patients with ADHF who were admitted to the Department of Cardiology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from September 1, 2010, to September 1, 2019, were included in this study, and the corresponding HGI values were calculated. The patients were divided into three groups based on the tertiles of HGI ［group T1（HGI≤0.499%， n=473），group T2（0.499%＜HGI≤1.108%， n=474），group T3（HGI＞1.108%， n=473）］. The endpoints included all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). The occurrence rates of the endpoints in the three groups were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier curves, and the predictive value of HGI for the endpoints was assessed by the multivariable COX proportional hazards model. Results During a follow-up period of 60 months, all-cause mortality was 25.28%, cardiovascular mortality was 13.03%, and MACCE incidence rate was 58.59% in the study cohort. The adjusted Kaplan-Meier curves showed that all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality decreased with increasing HGI values (P＜0.05). There was no significant difference in incidence rate of MACCE among three groups (P>0.05). In the adjusted multivariate COX proportional hazaras model, the increase in HGI was significantly associated with a decrease in all-cause mortality (HR=0.501, 95%CI: 0.336-0.747, P=0.001) and cardiovascular mortality (HR=0.438, 95%CI: 0.255-0.754, P=0.003). Conclusion Increased HGI values are significantly associated with decreased all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in patients with ADHF, but not with the occurrence of MACCE. "

Objective To investigate the relationship between plasma miR-93-5p and the risk of esophageal cancer, as well as the influence of miR-93-5p on the biological function of esophageal cancer cells, exerted through exosomes. Methods The expression of plasma miR-93-5p in esophageal cancer patients and healthy controls was analysed by real-time quantitative PCR. The influence of miR-93-5p on the risk and prognosis of esophageal carcinoma was analyzed by conditional logistic regression and survival analysis. The effect of miR-93-5p on the biological function of recipient cells was investigated by establishing an in vitro donor cell co-culture model. The target gene of miR-93-5p was validated by luciferase reporter assay and Western Blotting. Results Upregulation of plasma miR-93-5p expression significantly increases the risk of esophageal cancer and is associated with poor prognosis. miR-93-5p transferred by exosomes promotes the proliferation of recipient esophageal cancer cells and affects the expression of PTEN and its downstream proteins p21 and cyclin D1. Conclusion Our study provides a reference for the identification of biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of esophageal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To report the prevalence and trend of overweight and obesity among students aged 7-22 years in Jiangsu, 2010 to 2013. Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out as part of students physical fitness and health survey in Jiangsu province. A total of 255,581 subjects (50.03% males and 49.97% females) enrolled in 82 school and 10 universities in Jiangsu. Weights and heights were obtained for each subject and its body mass index (BMI) was calculated using the Chinese Working Group on Obesity in China (CWGO). Results Anthropometric measurement including bodyweight, height, BMI and bust were significantly different between males in urban compared to females living rural areas ( P <0.001). The total prevalence of overweight and obesity was 12.4% and 5.7%. Males had a significantly higher rate than in female's student. The prevalence of overweight and obesity by age groups was (14.5%, 10.3%) at age 7-11 years, (11.2%, 6.8%) at age 12-14 years, (11.7%, 3.1%) at age 15-17 years, and (11.4%, 2.3%) at age 18-22 years. By regions; the highest prevalence of overweight obesity reported in Taizhou (10%, 14.2%), Xuzhou (9.4%, 12.5%), and Nanjing (9.2%, 15.6%), respectively. Conclusion The finding declares that overweight and obesity are important health problems among students in Jiangsu Province. Early intervention programme are needed to address this problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Previous studies have shown that diabetes increases the prevalence of arterial stiffness. However, it remains controversial whether impaired fasting glucose (IFG), a key pre-diabetes condition, is associated with increased risk of arterial stiffness. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between increased fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and the prevalence of arterial stiffness in a Chinese adult population. Methods: A random sample of 5039 participants aged 40 years or older (40.0% female) were enrolled in this study. Information on potential risk factors for cardiovascular disease was collected, and the presence of arterial stiffness was assessed by measuring brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Participants were stratified into three groups: normal fasting glucose (NFG), IFG, and diabetes mellitus (DM). The IFG group was further stratified by quartiles based on the level of FPG into Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4. Results: Fasting plasma glucose level was found to be independently and positively associated with baPWV. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence interval (CI)) for arterial stiffness were 1.09 (0.80-1.48), 1.33 (0.98-1.81), 1.27 (0.93-1.73), 1.82 (1.31-2.53), and 2.15 (1.66-2.79) for those in IFG Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4, and DM groups compared with NFG group (P < 0.001), respectively, after adjusting for age, sex, and other potential confounders. Moreover, male participants and participants younger than 60 years were closely associated with the presence and severity of arterial stiffness (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Our study reports a previously unidentified positive association between increased FPG and the prevalence of arterial stiffness, suggesting the importance of FPG control in the prevention of arterial stiffness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To isolate and characterize indigenous algicidal bacteria and their algae-lysing compounds active against Microcystis aeruginosa, strains TH1, TH2, and FACHB 905. Methods The bacteria were identified using the Biolog automated microbial identification system and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The algae-lysing compounds were isolated and purified by silica gel column chromatography and reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography. Their structures were confirmed by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Algae-lysing activity was observed Using microscopy. Results The algae-lysing bacterium LTH-2 isolated from Lake Taihu was identified as Serratia marcescens. Strain LTH-2 secreted a red pigment identified as prodigiosin (C20H25N30), which showed strong lytic activity with algal strains M. aeruginosa TH1, TH2, and FACHB 905 in a concentration-dependent manner. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of prodigiosin with the algal strains was 4.8 (±0.4)x10-2 μg/mL, 8.9 (±1.1)x10-2 μg/mL, and 1.7 (±0.1)x10-1 μg/mL in 24 h, respectively. Conclusion The bacterium LTH-2 and its pigment had strong Microcystis-lysing activity probably related to damage of cell membranes. The bacterium LTH-2 and its red pigment are potentially useful for regulating blooms of harmful M. aeruginosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: This study aims to investigate and compare the toxic effects of four types of metal oxide (ZnO, TiO2, SiO2, and Al2O3) nanoparticles with similar primary size (∼20 nm) on human fetal lung fibroblasts (HFL1) in vitro. Methods: The HFL1 cells were exposed to the nanoparticles, and toxic effects were analyzed by using MTT assay, cellular morphology observation and Hoechst 33 258 staining. Results: The results show that the four types of metal oxide nanoparticles lead to cellular mitochondrial dysfunction, morphological modifications and apoptosis at the concentration range of 0.25-1.50 mg/mL and the toxic effects are obviously displayed in dose-dependent manner. ZnO is the most toxic nanomaterials followed by TiO2, SiO2, and Al2O3 nanoparticles in a descending order. Conclusion: The results highlight the differential cytotoxicity associated with exposure to ZnO, TiO2, SiO2, and Al2O3 nanoparticles, and suggest an extreme attention to safety utilization of these nanomaterials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Global recycling trade is analyzed by network method and top1 network perspective. • The evolution of global recycling trade networks shows three distinct stages. • The top1 recycling import network obviously differs from export network. • Recycling policy of economies has a serious impact on recycling trade pattern. Recycling trade transfers recyclable resources and relevant environmental pressures on a global scale to solve resources limitation problem for some economies and alleviate urgent environment protection pressure for other countries/regions. Correspondingly, recycling trade relationships among economies are changing profoundly with the constant adjustment of economic and environmental policies. Based on complex network approach and top network analysis, this paper aims to comprehensively explore the structural features and their evolutionary patterns of global recycling trade networks from the macro, medium and micro levels by using global multi-region input-output data. The results are: At the macro level, the depth of global recycling import and export markets has strengthened continuously. The breadth of recycling exports showed a "pre-concentration, post-diversification" trend, and the import market breath demonstrated an opposite trend. At the medium level, the community structure of the global recycling export market increased rapidly in the early stage and became stable in the medium and late stages, while that of import market rapidly declined in the late stage, which means the import market was more sensitive to relevant policies and economic events. At the individual level, developed economics have been trying to transfer recycling products to developing economies, causing the former dominate global recycling export markets and the latter dominate the import markets. Recycling policies of economies, especially the developing economies have a serious impact on the global recycling trade pattern. Therefore, China's new announcement in 2018 for prohibiting import "foreign waste" will inevitably have a huge impact on the global recycling market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The removal efficiency of algae and microcystins (MCs) of a pilot setup based on biological degradation of enrichment microbes by artificial media was studied. The results showed that when chlorophyll-a in Lake Taihu was 3.76–266.1μgL−1, 62.8% of chlorophyll-a could be removed within a hydraulic retention time of 6–7 days. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis for the detection of MCs was applied. When total microcystins RR and LR (TMC-RR and TMC-LR) and extracellular microcystins RR and LR (EMC-RR and EMC-LR) were 0.23–8.93, 0.14–4.73, 0.12–1.15, 0.02–0.17μgL−1, respectively, and in source water, the average removal efficiencies of TMC-RR, TMC-LR, EMC-RR, EMC-LR were 67.0%, 40.5%, 40.0% and 66.0%, respectively. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) electrophoresis chart revealed that there was a large amount of algae-lysing bacteria such as Pseudomonas spp. and Bacillus spp. on the artificial medium. The protozoa number in the assembled medium was higher than in lake water. Enrichment microbes on the artificial medium could effectively degrade algae and microcystins in Lake Taihu. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]