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Rationale & Objective: Among individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD), poor self-reported health is associated with adverse outcomes including hospitalization and death. We sought to examine the association between health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) and depressive symptoms in advanced CKD and subsequent access to the kidney transplant waiting list. Study Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting & Population: 1,676 Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) study participants with estimated glomerular filtration rates ≤ 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 at study entry or during follow-up. Exposures: HRQoL ascertained by 5 scales of the Kidney Disease Quality of Life-36 Survey (Physical Component Summary [PCS], Mental Component Summary, Symptoms, Burdens, and Effects), with higher scores indicating better HRQoL, and depressive symptoms ascertained using the Beck Depression Inventory. Outcomes: Time to kidney transplant wait-listing and time to pre-emptive wait-listing. Analytic Approach: Time-to-event analysis using Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: During a median follow-up of 5.1 years, 652 (39%) participants were wait-listed, of whom 304 were preemptively wait-listed. Adjusted for demographics, comorbid conditions, estimated glomerular filtration rate slope, and cognitive function, participants with the highest scores on the Burden and Effects scales, respectively, had lower rates of wait-listing than those with the lowest scores on the Burden (wait-listing adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.70; 95% CI, 0.57-0.85; P

Background Data are limited regarding the relationship between the life‐course burden of risk factors and adult cardiac function. This study sought to examine the impact of long‐term burden of body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure (BP) levels on changes in adult left ventricular (LV) structure and function in a community‐based cohort. Methods and Results The longitudinal study cohort consisted of 1108 adult patients (726 White; 41.9% men; mean age, 48.2 years in the last survey) who had been examined 4 to 16 times for BMI and BP and echocardiographic LV structure and function in adulthood, with a mean follow‐up period of 38.8 years. The area under the curve was used as a measure of long‐term burden of BMI and BP. Adult LV mass index was significantly associated with childhood and adulthood BMI and systolic BP (SBP), and their area under the curve values (β=0.07–0.37; P

Background Epidemiological studies have reported discrepant findings on the relationship between education level and outcomes after stroke. We aimed to prospectively investigate the relationship between education level and mortality, recurrent stroke, and cardiovascular events in Chinese patients with ischemic stroke. Methods and Results We included 3861 participants from the China Antihypertensive Trial in Acute Ischemic Stroke. Education level was categorized as illiteracy, primary school, middle school, and college. Study outcomes were all‐cause mortality, stroke‐specific mortality, recurrent stroke, and cardiovascular events within 2 years after ischemic stroke. A meta‐analysis was conducted to incorporate the results of the current study and previous other studies on the association of education level with outcomes after stroke. Within 2 years after ischemic stroke, there were 327 (8.5%) all‐cause deaths, 264 (6.8%) stroke‐specific deaths, 303 (7.9%) recurrent strokes, and 364 (9.4%) cardiovascular events, respectively. The Kaplan–Meier curves showed that patients with the lowest education level had the highest cumulative incidence rates of all‐cause mortality, stroke‐specific mortality, and cardiovascular events (log‐rank P≤0.01). After adjusted for covariates, hazard ratios and 95% CIs of illiteracy versus college education were 2.79 (1.32–5.87) for all‐cause mortality, 3.68 (1.51–8.98) for stroke‐specific mortality, 2.82 (1.20–6.60) for recurrent stroke, and 3.46 (1.50–7.95) for cardiovascular events. The meta‐analysis confirmed the significant association between education status and mortality after stroke (pooled relative risk for lowest versus highest education level, 1.24 [95% CI, 1.05–1.46]). Conclusions Low education level was significantly associated with increased risk of mortality, recurrent stroke, and cardiovascular events after ischemic stroke, independently of established risk factors. Registration URL: https://www.clini​caltr​ials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT01840072.

Abstract Medicine and public health have traditionally separated the prevention and treatment of communicable and noncommunicable diseases. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has challenged this paradigm, particularly in the setting of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Overall, individuals with underlying CVD who acquire severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 experience up to a 10‐fold higher case‐fatality rate compared with the general population. Although the impact of the pandemic on cardiovascular health continues to evolve, few have defined this association from a frontline, public health perspective of populations disproportionately affected by CVD and COVID‐19. Louisiana is ranked within the bottom 5 states for cardiovascular health, and it is home to several parishes that have experienced among the highest COVID‐19 case‐fatality rates nationally. Herein, we review CVD prevention and implications of COVID‐19 in New Orleans, LA, a city holding a sobering yet resilient history with previous public health disasters. In particular, we discuss potential pandemic‐driven changes in access to health care, preventive pharmacotherapy, and lifestyle behaviors, all of which may adversely affect CVD prevention and management, while amplifying racial disparities. Through this process, we highlight proposed recommendations for how CVD prevention efforts can be improved in the midst of the current COVID‐19 pandemic and future public health crises.

Background The Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) is a measure of heart failure (HF) health status. Worse KCCQ scores are common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), even without diagnosed heart failure (HF). Elevations in the cardiac biomarkers GDF‐15 (growth differentiation factor‐15), galectin‐3, sST2 (soluble suppression of tumorigenesis‐2), hsTnT (high‐sensitivity troponin T), and NT‐proBNP (N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide) likely reflect subclinical HF in CKD. Whether cardiac biomarkers are associated with low KCCQ scores is not known. Methods and Results We studied participants with CKD without HF in the multicenter prospective CRIC (Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort) Study. Outcomes included (1) low KCCQ score

Introduction: Early-stage liver fibrosis is potentially reversible, but difficult to diagnose. Clinical management would be enhanced by the development of a non-invasive imaging technique able to identify hepatic injury early, before end-stage fibrosis ensues. The analog of the amino acid proline, cis-4-[18F]fluoro-L-proline ([18F]fluoro-proline), which targets collagenogenesis in hepatic stellate cells (HSC), was used to detect fibrosis.Methods: Acute steatohepatitis was induced in experimental animals by liquid ethanol diet for 8 weeks, intra-gastric binge feedings every 10th day along with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection. The control animals received control diet for 8 weeks and an equivalent volume of saline on the same schedule as the acute steatohepatitis model. First, in vitro cellular experiments were carried out to assess [3H]proline uptake by HSC, hepatocytes and Kupffer cells derived from rats with acute steatohepatitis (n = 14) and controls (n = 14). Next, ex vivo liver experiments were done to investigate unlabeled proline-mediated collagen synthesis and its associated proline transporter expression in acute steatohepatitis (n = 5) and controls (n = 5). Last, in vivo dynamic and static [18F]fluoro-proline micro-PET/CT imaging was performed in animal models of acute steatohepatitis (n = 7) and control (n = 7) mice.Results: [3H]proline uptake was 5-fold higher in the HSCs of steatohepatitis rats than controls after incubation of up to 60 min. There was an excellent correlation between [3H]proline uptake and liver collagen expression (r-value > 0.90, p < 0.05). Subsequent liver tissue studies demonstrated 2–3-fold higher proline transporter expression in acute steatohepatitis animals than in controls, and proline-related collagen synthesis was blocked by this transporter inhibitor. In vivo micro-PET/CT studies with [18F]fluoro-proline showed 2–3-fold higher uptake in the livers of acute steatohepatitis mice than in controls. There was an excellent correlation between [18F]fluoro-proline uptake and liver collagen expression in the livers of acute steatohepatitis mice (r-value = 0.97, p < 0.001).Conclusion: [18F]fluoro-proline localizes in the liver and correlates with collagenogenesis in acute steatohepatitis with a signal intensity that is sufficiently high to allow imaging with micro-PET/CT. Thus, [18F]fluoro-proline could serve as a PET imaging biomarker for detecting early-stage liver fibrosis.

Summary: Tumor acquired radioresistance remains as the major limit in cancer radiotherapy (RT). Rab25, a receptor recycling protein, has been reported to be enhanced in tumors with aggressive phenotype and chemotherapy resistance. In this study, elevated Rab25 expression was identified in an array of radioresistant human cancer cell lines, in vivo radioresistant xenograft tumors. Clinical investigation confirmed that Rab25 expression was also associated with a worse prognosis in patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Enhanced activities of EGFR were observed in both NPC and LUAD radioresistant cells. Rab25 interacts with EGFR to enhance EGFR recycling to cell surface and to decrease degradation in cytoplasm. Inhibition of Rab25 showed synergized radiosensitivity with reduced aggressive phenotype. This study provides the clinical and experimental evidence that Rab25 is a potential therapeutic target to alleviate the hyperactive EGFR signaling and to prevent RT-acquired tumor resistance in patients with LUAD and NPC. : Radiation Biology; Molecular Biology; Cell Biology; Cancer Subject Areas: Radiation Biology, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Cancer

Background Diastolic dysfunction is one important causal factor for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, yet the metabolic signature associated with this subclinical phenotype remains unknown. Methods and Results Ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectroscopy was used to conduct untargeted metabolomic analysis of fasting serum samples in 1050 white and black participants of the BHS (Bogalusa Heart Study). After quality control, 1202 metabolites were individually tested for association with 5 echocardiographic measures of left ventricular diastolic function using multivariable‐adjusted linear regression. Measures of left ventricular diastolic function included the ratio of peak early filling velocity to peak late filling velocity, ratio of peak early filling velocity to mitral annular velocity, deceleration time, isovolumic relaxation time, and left atrial maximum volume index (LAVI). Analyses adjusted for multiple cardiovascular disease risk factors and used Bonferroni‐corrected alpha thresholds. Eight metabolites robustly associated with left ventricular diastolic function in the overall population and demonstrated consistent associations in white and black study participants. N‐formylmethionine (B=0.05; P=1.50×10−7); 1‐methylhistidine (B=0.05; P=1.60×10−7); formiminoglutamate (B=0.07; P=5.60×10−7); N2, N5‐diacetylornithine (B=0.05; P=1.30×10−7); N‐trimethyl 5‐aminovalerate (B=0.04; P=5.10×10−6); 5‐methylthioadenosine (B=0.04; P=1.40×10−5); and methionine sulfoxide (B=0.04; P=3.80×10−6) were significantly associated with the natural log of the ratio of peak early filling velocity to mitral annular velocity. Butyrylcarnitine (B=3.18; P=2.10×10−6) was significantly associated with isovolumic relaxation time. Conclusions The current study identified novel findings of metabolite associations with left ventricular diastolic function, suggesting that the serum metabolome, and its underlying biological pathways, may be implicated in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction pathogenesis.

In this study, dynamic triaxial cyclic tests were conducted to examine the liquefaction properties and post-liquefaction volumetric strain of calcareous sand from a dredger fill site in the midst of the islands and reefs of the South China Sea. The test results indicated that there were some differences in micromorphology and composition between the calcareous sand obtained via dredging and natural calcareous sand. Axial cyclic stress attenuation can lead to higher cyclic vibration than actual liquefaction vibration, and the modified method can eliminate the effect of axial cyclic stress attenuation. Saturated calcareous sand liquefies under undrained and cyclic loading conditions, and the liquefaction resistance of the calcareous sand decreases with an increase of the effective confining pressure in the dense state. Calcareous sand obtained via dredging exhibited a higher liquefaction resistance compared with other types of calcareous sand. Furthermore, the proposed pore pressure development modified model better describes the pore pressure growth of the calcareous sand from the filling site. The fitting parameters of this model exhibited a high correlation with the relative density. Moreover, the post-liquefaction volumetric strain of the calcareous sand is larger than that of quartz sand, exhibiting a linear relationship with relative density.

Most genome-wide association and fine-mapping studies to date have been conducted in individuals of European descent, and genetic studies of populations of Hispanic/Latino and African ancestry are limited. In addition, these populations have more complex linkage disequilibrium structure. In order to better define the genetic architecture of these understudied populations, we leveraged >100,000 phased sequences available from deep-coverage whole genome sequencing through the multi-ethnic NHLBI Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) program to impute genotypes into admixed African and Hispanic/Latino samples with genome-wide genotyping array data. We demonstrated that using TOPMed sequencing data as the imputation reference panel improves genotype imputation quality in these populations, which subsequently enhanced gene-mapping power for complex traits. For rare variants with minor allele frequency (MAF) < 0.5%, we observed a 2.3- to 6.1-fold increase in the number of well-imputed variants, with 11-34% improvement in average imputation quality, compared to the state-of-the-art 1000 Genomes Project Phase 3 and Haplotype Reference Consortium reference panels. Impressively, even for extremely rare variants with minor allele count 86%. Subsequent association analyses of TOPMed reference panel-imputed genotype data with hematological traits (hemoglobin (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), and white blood cell count (WBC)) in ~21,600 African-ancestry and ~21,700 Hispanic/Latino individuals identified associations with two rare variants in the HBB gene (rs33930165 with higher WBC [p = 8.8x10-15] in African populations, rs11549407 with lower HGB [p = 1.5x10-12] and HCT [p = 8.8x10-10] in Hispanics/Latinos). By comparison, neither variant would have been genome-wide significant if either 1000 Genomes Project Phase 3 or Haplotype Reference Consortium reference panels had been used for imputation. Our findings highlight the utility of the TOPMed imputation reference panel for identification of novel rare variant associations not previously detected in similarly sized genome-wide studies of under-represented African and Hispanic/Latino populations.

Background Cardiac biomarkers may signal mechanistic pathways involved in heart failure (HF), a leading complication in chronic kidney disease. We tested the associations of NT‐proBNP (N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide), high‐sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT), galectin‐3, growth differentiation factor‐15 (GDF‐15), and soluble ST2 (sST2) with incident HF in chronic kidney disease. Methods and Results We examined adults with chronic kidney disease enrolled in a prospective, multicenter study. All biomarkers were measured at baseline. The primary outcome was incident HF. Secondary outcomes included HF with preserved ejection fraction (EF≥50%) and reduced ejection fraction (EF

Abstract Background Hematuria is associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD), but has rarely been examined as a risk factor for CKD progression. We explored whether individuals with hematuria had worse outcomes compared to those without hematuria in the CRIC Study. Methods Participants were a racially and ethnically diverse group of adults (21 to 74 years), with moderate CKD. Presence of hematuria (positive dipstick) from a single urine sample was the primary predictor. Outcomes included a 50% or greater reduction in eGFR from baseline, ESRD, and death, over a median follow-up of 7.3 years, analyzed using Cox Proportional Hazards models. Net reclassification indices (NRI) and C statistics were calculated to evaluate their predictive performance. Results Hematuria was observed in 1145 (29%) of a total of 3272 participants at baseline. Individuals with hematuria were more likely to be Hispanic (22% vs. 9.5%, respectively), have diabetes (56% vs. 48%), lower mean eGFR (40.2 vs. 45.3 ml/min/1.73 m2), and higher levels of urinary albumin > 1.0 g/day (36% vs. 10%). In multivariable-adjusted analysis, individuals with hematuria had a greater risk for all outcomes during the first 2 years of follow-up: Halving of eGFR or ESRD (HR Year 1: 1.68, Year 2: 1.36), ESRD (Year 1: 1.71, Year 2: 1.39) and death (Year 1:1.92, Year 2: 1.77), and these associations were attenuated, thereafter. Based on NRIs and C-statistics, no clear improvement in the ability to improve prediction of study outcomes was observed when hematuria was included in multivariable models. Conclusion In a large adult cohort with CKD, hematuria was associated with a significantly higher risk of CKD progression and death in the first 2 years of follow-up but did not improve risk prediction.

Introduction: In the general population, medication nonadherence contributes to poorer outcomes. However, little is known about medication adherence among adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We evaluated the association of self-reported medication adherence with CKD progression and all-cause death in patients with CKD. Methods: In this prospective observational study of 3305 adults with mild-to-moderate CKD enrolled in the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study, the baseline self-reported medication adherence was assessed by responses to 3 questions and categorized as high, medium, and low. CKD progression (50% decline in eGFR or incident end-stage renal disease) and all-cause death were measured using multivariable Cox proportional hazards. Results: Of the patients, 68% were categorized as high adherence, 17% medium adherence, and 15% low adherence. Over a median follow-up of 6 years, there were 969 CKD progression events and 675 deaths. Compared with the high-adherence group, the low-adherence group experienced increased risk for CKD progression (hazard ratio = 1.27, 95% confidence interval = 1.05, 1.54) after adjustment for sociodemographic and clinical factors, cardiovascular medications, number of medication types, and depressive symptoms. A similar association existed between low adherence and all-cause death, but did not reach standard statistical significance (hazard ratio = 1.14 95% confidence interval = 0.88, 1.47). Conclusion: Baseline self-reported low medication adherence was associated with an increased risk for CKD progression. Future work is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying this association and to develop interventions to improve adherence. Keywords: CKD, death, medication adherence, progression

Abstract Background There are limited data on the associations of circulating angiogenic factors with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We investigate the associations of circulating vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, angiopoietin-1, angiopoietin-1/VEGF-A ratio, VEGF receptor 1 (VEGFR-1), VEGFR-2, and pentraxin-3 with CKD. Methods We recruited 201 patients with CKD and 201 community controls without CKD from the greater New Orleans area. CKD was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)

Engineered liver systems come in a variety of platform models, from 2-dimensional cocultures of primary human hepatocytes and stem cell–derived progeny, to 3-dimensional organoids and humanized mice. Because of the species-specificity of many human hepatropic pathogens, these engineered systems have been essential tools for biologic discovery and therapeutic agent development in the context of liver-dependent infectious diseases. Although improvement of existing models is always beneficial, and the addition of a robust immune component is a particular need, at present, considerable progress has been made using this combination of research platforms. We highlight advances in the study of hepatitis B and C viruses and malaria-causing Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax parasites, and underscore the importance of pairing the most appropriate model system and readout modality with the particular experimental question at hand, without always requiring a platform that recapitulates human physiology in its entirety.

Abstract Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. The study aimed to determine and compare the prevalence of COPD in the general population aged 45-74 years old according to fixed ratio and lower limit of normal (LLN) thresholds in four cities in the Southern Cone of Latin America. Methods The Pulmonary Risk in South America (PRISA) study used a 4-stage stratified sampling method to select 5814 participants from 4 cities in the Southern Cone of Latin America (Bariloche and Marcos Paz, Argentina; Temuco, Chile; and Pando-Barros Blancos, Uruguay). Data on demographic information, medical history, risk factors, pre-bronchodilator and post-bronchodilator spirometry were obtained using a standard protocol. According to GOLD, COPD was defined as a post-bronchodilator ratio of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) over forced vital capacity (FVC) less than 70%. The LLN threshold was defined as the lower fifth percentile for predicted FEV1/FVC, and was evaluated as an alternative COPD definition. Results Overall COPD prevalence was 9.3% (95% CI 8.4, 10.2%), and men had a higher prevalence [11.8% (95% CI 10.3, 13.3%)] than women [7.3% (95% CI 6.2, 8.3%)] with the fixed ratio. Overall COPD prevalence using LLN was 4.7% (95% CI 4.1, 5.3%), higher in men: 5.8% (95% CI 4.7, 6.8%) than women: 3.9% (95% CI 3.1, 4.7%). COPD prevalence was significantly higher among those who were older, had

Port as one of the key hubs of international logistics, which has become the main part and the base of global logistics management. The port enterprises, plays an important role in the global supply chain. However, due to the lack of understanding in port supply chain management, coordination between the port enterprises, the integration of business process is not perfect, the lack of information sharing between various organizations, ports enterprises usually failed to fully play its positive role. Based on this, the paper makes the port enterprises as the research object, and introduces the excellent performance mode into the port enterprises. In order to study the port enterprises how to carry out effective quality management, and formation the coordination and integration of upstream and downstream of enterprises, so as to realize the competitive advantage in port logistics.

Marine transportation is the most important transport mode of in the international trade, but the maritime supply chain is facing with many risks. At present, most of the researches on the risk of the maritime supply chain focus on the risk identification and risk management, and barely carry on the quantitative analysis of the logical structure of each influencing factor. This paper uses the interpretative structure model to analysis the maritime supply chain risk system. On the basis of comprehensive literature analysis and expert opinion, this paper puts forward 16 factors of maritime supply chain risk system. Using the interpretative structure model to construct maritime supply chain risk system, and then optimize the model. The model analyzes the structure of the maritime supply chain risk system and its forming process, and provides a scientific basis for the controlling the maritime supply chain risk, and puts forward some corresponding suggestions for the prevention and control the maritime supply chain risk.

Port shoreline resources are the basis of port and shipping development, and its assessment method has become one of the hot issues in port research. On the basis of constructing a reasonable index evaluation system, this paper constructs the fuzzy evaluation matrix based on the triangular fuzzy analytic hierarchy process and constructs the fuzzy evaluation matrix by using the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, and obtains the maximum membership degree of the port shoreline resources. Compared with the traditional port shoreline Resource evaluation methods, the new one got more advantages in objective and quantitative. Finally, Combined with the Nanjing section of the Yangtze River as a case for verification, the results show that the model can accurately solve the problem of resource evaluation of port shoreline.

Abstract Radiation therapy of liver cancer is limited by low tolerance of the liver to radiation. Radiosensitizers can effectively reduce the required radiation dose. AGuIX nanoparticles are small, multifunctional gadolinium-based nanoparticles that can carry radioisotopes or fluorescent markers for single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), fluorescence imaging, and even multimodality imaging. In addition, due to the high atomic number of gadolinium, it can also serve as a tumor radiation sensitizer. It is critical to define the biodistribution and pharmacokinetics of these gadolinium-based nanoparticles to quantitate the magnitude and duration of their retention within the tumor microenvironment during radiotherapy. Therefore, in this study, we successfully labeled AGuIX with 64Cu through the convenient built-in chelator. The biodistribution studies indicated that the radiotracer 64Cu-AGuIX accumulates to high levels in the HepG2 xenograft of nude mice, suggesting that it would be a potential theranostic nanoprobe for image-guided radiotherapy in HCC. We also used a transmission electron microscope to confirm AGuIX uptake in the HepG2 cells. In radiation therapy studies, a decrease in 18F-FDG uptake was observed in the xenografts of the nude mice irradiated with AGuIX, which was injected 1 h before. These results provide proof-of-concept that AGuIX can be used as a theranostic radiosensitizer for PET imaging to guide radiotherapy for liver cancer.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline, but the mechanisms remain poorly defined. We sought to determine the relation between serum inflammatory markers and risk of cognitive decline among adults with CKD. Methods: We studied 757 adults aged ≥55 years with CKD participating in the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort Cognitive study. We measured interleukin (IL)−1β, IL-1 receptor antagonist, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)−α, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and fibrinogen in baseline plasma samples. We assessed cognitive function at regular intervals in 4 domains and defined incident impairment as a follow-up score more than 1 SD poorer than the group mean. Results: The mean age of the sample was 64.3 ± 5.6 years, and the mean follow-up was 6.2 ± 2.5 years. At baseline, higher levels of each inflammatory marker were associated with poorer age-adjusted performance. In analyses adjusted for baseline cognition, demographics, comorbid conditions, and kidney function, participants in the highest tertile of hs-CRP, the highest tertile of fibrinogen, and the highest tertile of IL-1β had an increased risk of impairment in attention compared to participants in the lowest tertile of each marker. Participants in the highest versus lowest tertile of TNF-α had a lower adjusted risk of impairment in executive function. There was no association between other inflammatory markers and change in cognitive function. Discussion: Among adults with CKD, higher levels of hs-CRP, fibrinogen, and IL-1β were associated with a higher risk of impairment in attention. Higher levels of TNF-α were associated with a lower risk of impaired executive function.

Human studies report conflicting results on the predictive power of serum lipids on the progression of chronic kidney disease. We aimed to systematically identify the lipids that predict progression to end-stage kidney disease. Methods: From the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort, 79 patients with chronic kidney disease stages 2 to 3 who progressed to end-stage kidney disease over 6 years of follow-up were selected and frequency matched by age, sex, race, and diabetes with 121 nonprogressors with less than 25% decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate during the follow-up. The patients were randomly divided into training and test sets. We applied liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based lipidomics on visit year 1 samples. Results: We identified 510 lipids, of which the top 10 coincided with false discovery threshold of 0.058 in the training set. From the top 10 lipids, the abundance of diacylglycerols and cholesteryl esters was lower, but that of phosphatidic acid 44:4 and monoacylglycerol 16:0 was significantly higher in progressors. Using logistic regression models, a multimarker panel consisting of diacylglycerols and monoacylglycerol independently predicted progression. The c-statistic of the multimarker panel added to the base model consisting of estimated glomerular filtration rate and urine protein-to-creatinine ratio as compared with that of the base model was 0.92 (95% confidence interval: 0.88–0.97) and 0.83 (95% confidence interval: 0.76–0.90, P < 0.01), respectively, an observation that was validated in the test subset. Discussion: We conclude that a distinct panel of lipids may improve prediction of progression of chronic kidney disease beyond estimated glomerular filtration rate and urine protein-to-creatinine ratio when added to the base model.

Background We tested associations of cardiac biomarkers of myocardial stretch, injury, inflammation, and fibrosis with the risk of incident atrial fibrillation (AF) in a prospective study of chronic kidney disease patients. Methods and Results The study sample was 3053 participants with chronic kidney disease in the multicenter CRIC (Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort) study who were not identified as having AF at baseline. Cardiac biomarkers, measured at baseline, were NT‐proBNP (N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide), high‐sensitivity troponin T, galectin‐3, growth differentiation factor‐15, and soluble ST‐2. Incident AF (“AF event”) was defined as a hospitalization for AF. During a median follow‐up of 8 years, 279 (9%) participants developed a new AF event. In adjusted models, higher baseline log‐transformed NT‐proBNP (N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide) was associated with incident AF (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] per SD higher concentration: 2.11; 95% CI, 1.75, 2.55), as was log‐high‐sensitivity troponin T (HR 1.42; 95% CI, 1.20, 1.68). These associations showed a dose–response relationship in categorical analyses. Although log‐soluble ST‐2 was associated with AF risk in continuous models (HR per SD higher concentration 1.35; 95% CI, 1.16, 1.58), this association was not consistent in categorical analyses. Log‐galectin‐3 (HR 1.05; 95% CI, 0.91, 1.22) and log‐growth differentiation factor‐15 (HR 1.16; 95% CI, 0.96, 1.40) were not significantly associated with incident AF. Conclusions We found strong associations between higher NT‐proBNP (N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide) and high‐sensitivity troponin T concentrations, and the risk of incident AF in a large cohort of participants with chronic kidney disease. Increased atrial myocardial stretch and myocardial cell injury may be implicated in the high burden of AF in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Maternal separation (MS), a stressful event in early life, has been linked to neuropsychiatric disorders later in life, especially depression. In this study we investigated whether treatment with electroacupuncture (EA) could ameliorate depression-related manifestations in adult animals that had adverse early life experiences. We demonstrated depression-like behavior deficiencies in a sucrose preference test and a forced swimming test in a rat model with neonatal MS. Repeated EA treatment at the acupoints Baihui (GV20) and Yintang (GV29) during adulthood was shown to be remarkably attenuated above behavioral deficits. Using unbiased genome-wide RNA sequencing to investigate alterations in the transcriptome of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), we explored the altered gene sets involved in circadian rhythm and neurotransmitter transporter activity in MS rats, and their expression tended to be reversed after EA treatment. In addition, we analyzed the interaction network of differentiated lncRNA– or circRNA–miRNA–mRNA by using the principle of competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA). These results suggest that EA at GV20 and GV29 ameliorates depression-related manifestations by regulating the expression of multiple genes.

Detection and analysis of antigen-antibody reaction is one of the most critical detection techniques in the fields of medicine, biology, environmental science, and food safety. Traditional and classical methods for detecting antigen and antibody encounter many problems, such as time-consuming, high cost, and low accuracy. A novel immune microsphere imaging technique by the microlens is used to test the changes of refractive index before and after antigen-antibody reaction. It can quickly perform qualitative and quantitative determination for antigen-antibody reaction without any labeling, premodification, postwashing, and expensive enzymes. Here, we feature and discuss its principle and advantages, structure of a microlens immunoassay instrument, and potential in measuring clinical samples. It is promising to be developed for application to diagnosis of clinical diseases.

Pleurotus ferulae is an edible and medicinal mushroom with various bioactivities. Here, the ethanol extracts of wild and cultivated P. ferulae (PFEE-W and PFEE-C) and their subfractions including petroleum ether (Pe-W/Pe-C), ethyl acetate (Ea-W/Ea-C) and n-butanol (Ba-W/Ba-C) were prepared to evaluate their antioxidant and antitumor activities. Both PFEE-W and PFEE-C show the antioxidant activity and PFEE-W is stronger than PFEE-C. The antioxidant activities of their subfractions are in the following order: Ea > Ba > Pe. Moreover, PFEE-W and PFEE-C significantly inhibit the proliferation of murine melanoma B16 cells, human esophageal cancer Eca-109 cells, human gastric cancer BGC823 cells and human cervical cancer HeLa cells through induction of apoptosis, which partially mediated by reactive oxygen species. The antitumor activities of their subfractions are in the following order: Ea ≥ Pe > Ba. Pe-W shows higher antitumor activity compared with Pe-C, which might be correlated with the difference of their components identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. These results suggest that both wild and cultivated P. ferulae have antioxidant and antitumor activities, and cultivated P. ferulae could be used to replace wild one in some functions.

With the development of knowledge economy and the advancement of economic globalization, strategic emerging industries have become the leading industries for a country or region to achieve sustainable economic growth in the future. They are the high integration of emerging technologies and emerging industries, and the driving force of national economic growth. They play an important guiding and decisive role in the national economic growth and the transformation and upgrading of industrial structure. In recent years, China’s strategic emerging industries continue to grow rapidly, and have made remarkable achievements in innovation and development, which play an important role in the national economic growth and the transformation and upgrading of industrial structure, but there are also shortcomings. Based on the current situation of the development of strategic emerging industries, this paper analyzes the role of strategic emerging industries in economic development, and puts forward countermeasures and suggestions for strategic emerging industries to boost high-quality economic development.

For a large number of traditional industries, digital transformation is an all-round, multi angle and whole chain transformation process using digital technology. In recent years, Foshan has made some progress in Internet technology, industry, application and cross-border integration, and has become the only pilot city for comprehensive reform of manufacturing transformation and upgrading in China. However, for the traditional industries, the constraints of resources and energy, the increasing pressure of ecological environment, the gradual decline of demographic dividend and other factors restrict economic development to meet challenges. By deepening the application of digital technology in production, operation, management and marketing, it is an important way to realize the digital, network and intelligent development of enterprises and industries, and constantly release the amplification, superposition and multiplication effect of digital technology on economic development. It is an important way to realize the quality change, efficiency change and dynamic change of traditional industries. This is also the only way to promote high-quality economic development. In this paper, through the exploration of informatization and digitization to promote the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries in Foshan City and the realization of the path, it is of great significance for the sustainable development of high-quality economy in Foshan City.

In 2020, the novel coronavirus pneumonia spread and raged around the world as a major unconventional emergency. The emergency supply chain management, which was not noticed by people, began to enter the vision of decision-makers. Novel coronavirus pneumonia is a key part of the new crown pneumonia epidemic. Jingdong, for example, illustrates how Jingdong constructs its emergency supply chain, with a view to providing some suggestions and references for the emergency supply chain to improve the urgent supply chain management.

The harm of unconventional emergencies is increasingly prominent, which seriously restricts the sustainable development of society. Therefore, how to effectively deal with all kinds of unconventional emergencies and improve the ability of emergency management in the face of unconventional emergencies has attracted extensive attention from all walks of life. Therefore, the establishment of a sound emergency intelligent supply chain system is an important means to speed up the development of China’s emergency industry and enhance the emergency support capacity of government. This paper mainly analyzes the problems existing in China’s logistics system under unconventional emergencies, and puts forward the necessity and specific measures of introducing intelligent supply chain under unconventional emergencies.

At present, China’s economy has entered a new period of high-quality development from the stage of high-speed growth. The supply side structural reform focusing on removing production capacity, inventory, deleveraging, cost reduction and making up for weaknesses is a major strategic measure to enhance the driving force of sustained economic growth, solve the deep-seated problems of economic development and improve the quality of economic development. Accelerating the innovation and application of smart supply chain has become an important part of promoting supply side structural reform, cultivating new economic growth points and building a modern economic system. This paper mainly analyzes the emergence and research status of smart supply chain and the construction of smart supply chain system under the background of supply side reform, so as to promote the high-quality development of economy.

The effective prevention and response of public emergencies such as natural disasters is not only a difficult problem for China, but also a problem that governments all over the world hope to be solved effectively. Emergency supply chain management is very important to disaster relief. It determines whether the emergency work can be carried out efficiently and orderly, which is a major event affecting the national economy and people’s livelihood. The theory of intelligent supply chain provides a new research perspective for emergency logistics management. This paper combines the theory of intelligent supply chain with emergency theory, analyzes the necessity of intelligent supply chain in emergency management, and puts forward the construction principles. Finally, the paper puts forward some suggestions based on the intelligent supply chain emergency logistics management.

In the teaching of macroeconomics, we should strengthen the curriculum-based ideological and political education. This paper first introduces the necessity of Ideological and political education in macroeconomics; then it analyzes the common problems in curriculum-based ideological and political education of macroeconomics; finally, the paper explores from the concept of curriculum-based ideological and political education, the construction of teachers’ Ideological and political ability and the scientific design the system of curriculum-based ideological and political education in macroeconomics, so as to realize the effect of the coordinated development of the curriculum-based ideological and political education and macroeconomics, so as to help students establish the correct world view, sense of worth, philosophy and cultivate the applied business management talents with a sense of mission and responsibility.

Taking local colleges and universities as an example, this paper explores the teaching design and process quality assurance system of entrepreneurship education with the help of quality function deployment theory, starting from the needs of customers and local society, and puts forward the quality function deployment model of entrepreneurship education curriculum, so as to provide theoretical support for our country to cultivate qualified entrepreneurship talents.

This paper applies the quality function deployment (QFD) theory to improve the teaching quality of entrepreneurship education, and puts forward the QFD model of entrepreneurship education teaching quality improvement. First of all, the paper constructs a series of quality houses by mining the customers’ demand for entrepreneurship education, including the quality house of teaching quality design, the quality house of teaching quality implementation and the quality house of teaching quality control. The entrepreneurship education customer demands are expanded to the specific steps of teaching process, and the establishment of entrepreneurship education teaching target and a series of implementation process, to improve the teaching quality of entrepreneurship education in local universities through the realization of these goals.

The effective supply of higher education is important to cultivate innovative talents and improve the quality of higher education. In the new era, China’s colleges and universities put forward to improve the quality of higher education as the goal, reasonable allocation of higher education supply resources and effectively promote the healthy development of higher education. Based on this, this paper takes the supply of higher education as the starting point, and constructs the evaluation index system of higher education supply based on the government, society and universities. It also improved the evaluation criteria for the school running standards, teaching quality, teaching staff and teaching achievements of higher education. So this paper has certain theoretical and practical significance to promote the effective supply of higher education and improve the quality of higher education supply.

In recent years, with the reform of higher education in various aspects, China’s higher education is booming. The innovation of higher education, including ideological and political theories teaching and new business education, puts forward new requirements for China’s universities. Therefore, it is of great theoretical and practical significance to study the theoretical development and construction path of courses for ideological and political education under the background of new business education. Based on this, this paper organically combines the new business education construction with the ideological and political curriculum, so as to provide theoretical support and theoretical thinking for the talent cultivation of the new business education.

With the sustainable development of economy and society and the acceleration of the popularization of higher education, Henan Province, as a big province of education, has developed rapidly, but it also has some drawbacks. As an important mission of higher education, the supply of higher education is a systematic problem with regularity, which is closely related to the regional social and economic development. The problems of higher education supply seriously affect the energy of higher education. Based on this, this paper takes the supply of higher education as the starting point. On the basis of sorting out the current situation and problems of the supply evolution of undergraduate colleges in Henan Province, this paper puts forward some policy suggestions to improve the effective supply of higher education in Henan Province. This has a certain theoretical and practical significance to promote the effective supply of higher education in Henan Province and improve the supply quality of higher education in Henan Province.

Rock bursts have recently become a serious problem in the horizontal section mining of steeply inclined extra-thick coal seams (SIETCSs). However, few studies have been carried out to investigate their mechanisms and prevention. In this study, numerical simulation and field measurements were carried out to investigate the mechanism of rock bursts in the horizontal section mining of an SIETCS. A Universal Distinct Element Code (UDEC) Trigon model was built, based on the Yaojie No.3 Coal Mine, and calibrated through laboratory tests and RQD methods. The results demonstrate that the coal in the elastic zone around the roof is in a high static stress state, due to the asymmetric clamping and squeezing of the roof and floor. Strong dynamic loads are formed by breakage of the roof and the failure of multiple hinged beam structures during the evolution process of the overlying strata. Rock bursts occur on the roof side when the superimposition of the static stress σs and stress increment σd induced by such dynamic loads is greater than the critical stress σmin of the coal and rock. We propose a technical prevention scheme for the considered mine. Field studies suggest that the proposed technology can effectively prevent and control rock bursts in the horizontal section mining of SIETCSs.

BackgroundWith rapid economic development, urbanization, and an aging population, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have become the leading cause of death in China.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive review on the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension (HTN) as well as blood pressure (BP)-related morbidity and mortality of CVD in Chinese adults over time.FindingsThe prevalence of HTN in China is high and increasing. Recent estimates are variable but indicate 33.6% (35.3% in men and 32% in women) or 335.8 million (178.6 million men and 157.2 million women) of the Chinese adult population had HTN in 2010, which represents a significant increase from previous surveys. BP-related CVD remains the leading cause of death in Chinese adults, with stroke being the predominant cause of cardiovascular deaths. Of those with HTN, 33.4% (30.4% in men and 36.7% in women) were aware of their condition, 23.9% (20.6% in men and 27.7% in women) were treated, and only 3.9% (3.5% in men and 4.3% in women) were controlled to the currently recommended target of BP ConclusionsThe prevalence of HTN is high and increasing, while the control rate is low in Chinese adults. Combatting HTN and BP-related morbidity and mortality will require a comprehensive approach at national and local levels. The major challenge moving forward is to develop and implement effective, practical, and sustainable prevention and treatment strategies in China.

A structure made of tapered three-core fiber and CO2 laser notch long-period fiber grating is proposed in this paper. By adjusting the taper waist diameter of a three-core fiber, this structure is made suitable for simultaneous strain and temperature measurements. The effectiveness of the proposed structure in realizing simultaneous measurement sensitivity is verified by measuring the sensitivities of the two peaks at the variation of the wavelength and the depth difference. Experimental results indicate that the wavelength sensitivities of the two peaks are -2.96 nm mε-1, 42.9 pm °C-1 and -1.52 nm mε-1, 47.4 pm °C-1 for strain and temperature, respectively, and the depth sensitivities of two peaks can reach 2.5 dB mε-1, 0.007 dB °C-1 and -2.8 dB mε-1, -0.013 dB°C-1. It can therefore be concluded that the proposed structure can be realized by adjusting the taper waist diameter of a three-core fiber for simultaneous strain and temperature measurements.

Artemisia rupestris L. has long been used as a traditional herbal medicine owing to its immunomodulatory activity. Aqueous extracts of Artemisia rupestris L. (AEAR) contain the main functional component and can activate the maturation of dendritic cells (DCs) and enhance the adaptive immunity as the adjuvant against infections. To explore the underlying mechanism of immunomodulatory activities of AEAR, DCs were produced from bone-marrow cells of mice and the effects of AEAR on cell viability were assessed by the Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK8) method and annexin V/propidium iodide staining assays. Then, the effects of AEAR on the morphology, maturation, and function of DCs were detected using a microscope, flow cytometry-based surface receptor characterization, and endocytosis assays. The secretion levels of cytokines were then analyzed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The activation state of DCs was evaluated by the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). The activity of MAPKs and NF-κB pathways, which were involved in the regulation of AEAR on DCs, was further detected by Western blot. AEAR did not have a cytotoxic effect on DCs or mouse splenocytes. AEAR remarkably enhanced the phenotypic maturation of DCs and promoted the expression of costimulatory molecules and the secretion of cytokines in DCs. AEAR also significantly decreased the phagocytic ability of DCs and augmented the abilities of DCs to present antigens and stimulate allogeneic T-cell proliferation. Simultaneously, AEAR potently activated toll-like receptor (TLR)4-/TLR2-related MAPKs and induced the degradation of IκB and the translocation of NF-κB. In short, AEAR can profoundly enhance the immune-modulating activities of DCs via TLR4-/TLR2-mediated activation of MAPKs and NF-κB signaling pathways and is a promising candidate immunopotentiator for vaccines.

Pedestrian space is an important place for people’s outdoor activities. Its thermal environment affects pedestrian walking experience, route selection and physical health. This study presents a 3D thermography-based method to analyze and evaluate the spatial distribution of thermal comfort. The proposed 3D thermal image was generated using 3D city models captured by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and thermal images gathered by an infrared camera. It can visualize construction elements, but also simply output surface temperatures at selected points. This paper described the process of using 3D thermal images to analyze the built environment, and selected two pedestrian spaces as case study objects. Their thermal images and mean radiant temperatures (MRT) were obtained from field measurement data collected by a drone and infrared camera. The following findings were obtained: (a) the MRT difference in the pedestrian space between sunlit and shaded areas was more than 3 °C; (b) the MRT values at the measurement points near vegetation were lower; (c) when the ratio of street height to width (H/W) was larger, the MRT values at all measurement points varied slightly. These findings can be used for the designers to evaluate and improve the thermal environment in pedestrian space.

Upon publication of the original article [1], it was noticed that Jun Tao’s affiliation information is not complete. The full affiliation information for Jun Tao can be found below and in the complete affiliation list of this Correction article.