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In this study, Lactobacillus paracasei FP02, a strain isolated from pickled Chinese cabbage, was tested for its capability to reduce uric acid in vitro, and its physiological and biochemical characteristics were characterized. Furthermore, the effect of this strain on the serum uric acid level of a hyperuricemic (HUA) rat model was explored. The in vitro results showed that L. paracasei FP02 degraded uric acid and its precursor substances, inosine and guanosine, by 29.10%, 67.09%, and 70.48%, respectively, and inhibited xanthine oxidase (XOD) activity by 64.20%. Simultaneously, this strain could ferment various sugars (alcohols) and exhibited good tolerance to gastric acid and bile salts. The 14-day continuous intragastric administration of freeze-dried L. paracasei FP02 powder reduced the serum uric acid concentration by 49.96% compared to the hyperuricemia model group (P < 0.001), which was established by intragastric administration of potassium oxonate combined with high dietary uric acid. After the treatment, the serum uric acid concentration approached the levels observed in the blank control group. Additionally, in the FP02 treatment group, uric acid excretion in the urine increased, and serum XOD activity was significantly inhibited (P < 0.001). Renal sections showed that renal injury was partially restored in the FP02 treatment group. This study will lay the foundation for the development of L. paracasei FP02 as a potential drug or functional food for preventing HUA.

Background and Objective. The Bispectral Index (BIS) is utilized to guide the depth of anesthesia monitoring during surgical procedures. However, conflicting results regarding the benefits of BIS for depth of anesthesia monitoring have been reported in numerous studies. The purpose of this meta‐analysis and systematic review was to assess the effectiveness of BIS for depth of anesthesia monitoring. Search Methods. A systematic search of Ovid‐MEDLINE, Cochrane, and PubMed was conducted from inception to April 20, 2023. Clinical trial registers and grey literature were also searched, and reference lists of included studies, as well as related review articles, were manually reviewed. Selection Criteria. The inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials without gender or age restrictions. The control groups used conventional monitoring, while the intervention groups utilized BIS monitoring. The exclusion criteria included duplicates, reviews, animal studies, unclear outcomes, and incomplete data. Data Collection and Analysis. Two independent reviewers screened the literature, extracted data, and assessed methodological quality, with analyses conducted using R 4.0 software. Main Results. Forty studies were included. In comparison to the conventional depth of anesthesia monitoring, BIS monitoring reduced the postoperative cognitive dysfunction risk (RR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.73∼0.99, P = 0.04), shortened the eye‐opening time (MD = −1.34, 95% CI: −2.06∼−0.61, P < 0.01), orientation recovery time (MD = −1.99, 95% CI: −3.62∼−0.36, P = 0.02), extubation time (MD = −2.54, 95% CI: −3.50∼−1.58, P < 0.01), and postanesthesia care unit stay time (MD = −7.11, 95% CI: −12.67∼−1.55, P = 0.01) and lowered the anesthesia drug dosage (SMD = −0.39, 95% CI: −0.63∼−0.15, P < 0.01).​ Conclusion. BIS can be used to effectively monitor the depth of anesthesia. Its use in general anesthesia enhances the effectiveness of both patient care and surgical procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After decades of development, China has become the world's largest producer, exporter and installer of solar panels, wind turbines and electric vehicles, as well as the world's biggest investor in renewable energy. Communicating renewable energy issues to the public plays an important role in enhancing the wider understanding of renewables and gaining public support for the government's energy policy. Based on a detailed analysis of media coverage in China's general media, i.e., Guangming Daily and Economic Daily, and energy sector industrial media, i.e., the China Energy News, from 2017 to 2023, this study explores how renewable energies are communicated to the Chinese public before and after the government's announcement of its dual carbon goals. It finds that (1) renewable energy is often discussed in the wider category of new energy in the Chinese media; (2) solar, wind and hydropower energy are most prominent; (3) economic frames dominated the coverage of the renewables, followed by political and environmental frames; (4) benefits of renewable energy are far more often represented than risks by the media, particularly in their economic and political dimensions; (5) the general media tends to show more support than the media of the energy industry does, in that it reports more returns from renewable energy; (6) since the proposal of the dual carbon goals, more political discourse has been integrated into the discourse of energy and environmental policies in the energy industrial media than in the general media. The study concludes by discussing the implications of the findings for energy policy and public understanding of renewable energy in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]