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BACKGROUND: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals widely detected in humans and the environment. Exposure to perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) or perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) was previously shown to cause dark-phase hyperactivity in larval zebrafish. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to elucidate the mechanism by which PFOS or PFHxS exposure caused hyperactivity in larval zebrafish. METHODS: Swimming behavior was assessed in 5-d postfertilization (dpf) larvae following developmental (1-4 dpf) or acute (5 dpf) exposure to 0.43-7.86 [micro]M PFOS, 7.87-120 [micro]M PFHxS, or 0.4% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). After developmental exposure and chemical washout at 4 dpf, behavior was also assessed at 5-8 dpf. RNA sequencing was used to identify differences in global gene expression to perform transcriptomic benchmark concentration--response ([BMC.sub.T]) modeling, and predict upstream regulators in PFOS- or PFHxS-exposed larvae. CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing was used to knockdown peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (ppars) pparaa/ab, pparda/db, or pparg at day 0. Knockdown crispants were exposed to 7.86 [micro]M PFOS or 0.4% DMSO from 1-4 dpf and behavior was assessed at 5 dpf. Coexposure with the ppard antagonist GSK3787 and PFOS was also performed. RESULTS: Transient dark-phase hyperactivity occurred following developmental or acute exposure to PFOS or PFHxS, relative to the DMSO control. In contrast, visual startle response (VSR) hyperactivity only occurred following developmental exposure and was irreversible up to 8 dpf. Similar global transcriptomic profiles, [BMC.sub.T] estimates, and enriched functions were observed in PFOS- and PFHxS-exposed larvae, and ppars were identified as putative upstream regulators. Knockdown of pparda/db, but not pparaa/ab or pparg, blunted PFOS-dependent VSR hyperactivity to control levels. This finding was confirmed via antagonism of ppard in PFOS-exposed larvae. DISCUSSION: This work identifies a novel adverse outcome pathway for VSR hyperactivity in larval zebrafish. We demonstrate that developmental, but not acute, exposure to PFOS triggered persistent VSR hyperactivity that required ppard function. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13667, Introduction Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a diverse class of synthetic chemicals containing >14,000 unique structures used in industrial manufacturing (US EPA PFASSTRUCTv3, last checked December 2023 (1)). PFAS [...]

Abstract Background An elevated endogenous cortisol level due to the peripartum stress is one of the risk factors of postpartum bovine uterine infections. Selenium is a trace element that elicits anti-inflammation and antioxidation properties. This study aimed to reveal the modulatory effect of selenium on the inflammatory response of primary bovine endometrial stromal cells in the presence of high-level cortisol. The cells were subjected to lipopolysaccharide to establish cellular inflammation. The mRNA expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), proinflammatory factors, and selenoproteins was measured with qPCR. The activation of NF-κB and MAPK signalling pathways was detected with Western blot and immunofluorescence. Results The pretreatment with sodium selenite (2 and 4 µΜ) resulted in a down-regulation of TLR4 and genes encoding proinflammatory factors, including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, tumour necrosis factor α, cyclooxygenase 2, and inducible nitric oxide synthase. Selenium inhibited the activation of NF-κB and the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, p38MAPK and c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase. The suppression of those genes and pathways by selenium was more significant in the presence of high cortisol level (30 ng/mL). Meanwhile the gene expression of glutathione peroxidase 1 and 4 was promoted by selenium, and was even higher in the presence of cortisol and selenium. Conclusions The anti-inflammatory action of selenium is probably mediated through NF-κB and MAPK, and is augmented by cortisol in primary bovine endometrial stromal cells.

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the effects and benefits of training radiology residents on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) according to the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS). Methods In total, 234 patients at high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent CEUS were enrolled, including 27 lesions in the education set and 207 lesions in the test sets (a–d). Forty-five radiology residents and 4 radiology experts involved in CEUS LI-RADS training individually reviewed the test sets before, immediately after, and 3-months after training. The consistency with kappa values of the description of CEUS features, the classification of focal liver lesions (FLLs), and the diagnostic performance were evaluated. Results The level of agreement between the radiology experts and residents improved after training (all p 0.05). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and area under the curve (AUC) based on the CEUS LI-RADS classification of the radiology experts in the diagnosis of HCC were 62.9%, 96.4%, 96.3%, and 0.796, respectively. The diagnostic performance of the radiology residents significantly improved after training (all p

Abstract Background Smoking rationalisation beliefs are a huge barrier to quitting smoking. What types of rationalisations should be emphasised in smoking cessation interventions? Although past literature has confirmed the negative relationship between those beliefs and motivation to stop smoking, little is known regarding the importance and performance of those beliefs on motivation with varying cigarette dependence. The study aimed to ascertain rationalisations that are highly important for motivation yet perform poorly in different cigarette dependence groups. Methods The cross-sectional study was conducted from November 19 to December 9, 2023 in Guiyang City, China. Adult male current smokers were enrolled. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to test the hypothesis. The multi-group analysis was used to determine the moderating effect of cigarette dependence, and the importance-performance map analysis was utilised to assess the importance and performance of rationalisations. Results A total of 616 adult male current smokers were analysed, and they were divided into the low cigarette dependence group (n = 297) and the high cigarette dependence group (n = 319). Except for risk generalisation beliefs, smoking functional beliefs (H1: -β = 0.131, P

Abstract Background Previous research on ABO blood types and stroke has been controversial, predominantly suggesting heightened risk of stroke in non-O blood types. Nonetheless, investigations into the correlation and underlying mechanisms between ABO blood groups and stroke subtypes, especially within Chinese cohorts, remain limited. Methods The ABO blood types of 9,542 ischaemic stroke (IS) patients were inferred using two ABO gene loci (c.261G > del; c.802G > A). The healthy population was derived from the 1000 Genomes Project. Patients were classified by the causative classification system (CCS). Volcano plot and gene ontology (GO) analysis were employed to explore protein differential expression among blood types. Additionally, HT29 and SW480 cell lines with downregulated ABO expression were generated to evaluate its impact on cholesterol uptake and efflux. Results A greater proportion of stroke patients had non-O blood types (70.46%) than did healthy individuals (61.54%). Notable differences in blood type distributions were observed among stroke subtypes, with non-O blood type patients mainly classified as having large artery atherosclerosis (LAA). Clinical baseline characteristics, such as the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, activated partial thromboplastin time and thrombin time, varied significantly among blood types. A volcano plot revealed 17 upregulated and 42 downregulated proteins in the O blood type. GO term analysis indicated that downregulated proteins were primarily associated with lipid metabolism pathways. In vitro experiments revealed that reducing ABO gene expression decreased cholesterol uptake and increased cholesterol efflux. Conclusions This study revealed that the non-O blood type increased the risk of LAA stroke through cholesterol metabolism.

Abstract The neutrinophilic two Higgs doublet model is one of the simplest models to explain the origin of tiny Dirac neutrino masses. This model introduces a new Higgs doublet with eV scale VEV to naturally generate the tiny neutrino masses. Depending on the same Yukawa coupling, the neutrino oscillation patterns can be probed with the dilepton signature from the decay of charged scalar $$H^\pm $$ H ± . For example, the normal hierarchy predicts BR $$(H^+\rightarrow e^+\nu )\ll $$ ( H + → e + ν ) ≪ BR $$(H^+\rightarrow \mu ^+\nu )\approx $$ ( H + → μ + ν ) ≈ BR $$(H^+\rightarrow \tau ^+\nu )\simeq 0.5$$ ( H + → τ + ν ) ≃ 0.5 when the lightest neutrino mass is below 0.01 eV, while the inverted hierarchy predicts BR $$(H^+\rightarrow e^+\nu )/2\simeq $$ ( H + → e + ν ) / 2 ≃ BR $$(H^+\rightarrow \mu ^+\nu )\simeq $$ ( H + → μ + ν ) ≃ BR $$(H^+\rightarrow \tau ^+\nu )\simeq 0.25$$ ( H + → τ + ν ) ≃ 0.25 . By precise measurement of BR $$(H^+\rightarrow \ell ^+\nu )$$ ( H + → ℓ + ν ) , we are hopefully to probe the lightest neutrino mass and the atmospheric mixing angle $$\theta _{23}$$ θ 23 . Through the detailed simulation of the dilepton signature and corresponding backgrounds, we find that the 3 TeV CLIC could discover $$M_{H^+}\lesssim 1220$$ M H + ≲ 1220 GeV for NH and $$M_{H^+}\lesssim 1280$$ M H + ≲ 1280 GeV for IH. Meanwhile, the future 100 TeV FCC-hh collider could probe $$M_{H^+}\lesssim 1810$$ M H + ≲ 1810 GeV for NH and $$M_{H^+}\lesssim 2060$$ M H + ≲ 2060 GeV for IH.

Abstract Background Life’s Essential 8 (LE8), the recently updated construct for quantifying cardiovascular health, is related to the risks of cardiovascular events. The present study aimed to evaluate associations of LE8 score with the multi-territorial extent of atherosclerosis in a community-dwelling population. Methods Data were derived from the baseline cross-sectional survey of the PolyvasculaR Evaluation for Cognitive Impairment and vaScular Events (PRECISE) study in Lishui City. The LE8 included overall, medical and behavior LE8 scores, and were categorized as low (

Background and Purpose Non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), which represents the total cholesterol content of all pro-atherogenic lipoproteins, has recently been included as a new target for lipid-lowering therapy in high-risk atherosclerotic patients in multiple guidelines. Herein, we aimed to explore the relationship between non-HDL-C level and the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor-aspirin versus clopidogrel-aspirin in preventing stroke recurrence. Methods This study comprised a post hoc analysis of the CHANCE-2 (Ticagrelor or Clopidogrel in High-Risk Patients with Acute Nondisabling Cerebrovascular Events II) trial, from which 5,901 patients with complete data on non-HDL-C were included and categorized by median non-HDL-C levels, using a cutoff of 3.5 mmol/L. The primary efficacy and safety outcomes were recurrent stroke and severe or moderate bleeding within 90 days. Results Ticagrelor-aspirin significantly reduced the risk of recurrent stroke in patients with low non-HDL-C (71 [4.8%] vs. 119 [7.7%]; adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.40–0.74), but not in those with high non-HDL-C (107 [7.3%] vs. 108 [7.6%]; adjusted HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.67–1.16), compared with clopidogrel-aspirin (P for interaction=0.010). When analyzed as a continuous variable, the benefit of ticagrelor-aspirin for recurrent stroke decreased as non-HDL-C levels increased. No significant differences in the treatment assignments across the non-HDL-C groups were observed in terms of the rate of severe or moderate bleeding (5 [0.3%] vs. 8 [0.5%] in the low non-HDL-C group; 4 [0.3%] vs. 2 [0.1%] in the high non-HDL-C group; P for interaction=0.425). Conclusion CHANCE-2 participants with low non-HDL-C levels received more clinical benefit from ticagrelor-aspirin versus clopidogrel-aspirin compared to those with high non-HDL-C, following minor ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack.

Summary: Background: Short-term exposure to particulate matter air pollution has been associated with the exacerbations of COPD, but its association with COPD mortality was not fully elucidated. We aimed to assess the association between short-term particulate matter exposure and the risk of COPD mortality in China using individual-level data. Methods: We derived 2.26 million COPD deaths from a national death registry database in Chinese mainland between 2013 and 2019. Exposures to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and coarse particulate matter (PM2.5-10) were assessed by satellite-based models of a 1 × 1 km resolution and assigned to each individual based on residential address. The associations of PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 with COPD mortality were examined using a time-stratified case-crossover design and conditional logistic regressions with distributed lag models. We further conducted stratified analyses by age, sex, education level, and season. Findings: Short-term exposures to both PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 were associated with increased risks of COPD mortality. These associations appeared and peaked on the concurrent day, attenuated and became nonsignificant after 5 or 7 days, respectively. The exposure-response curves were approximately linear without discernible thresholds. An interquartile range increase in PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 concentrations was associated with 4.23% (95% CI: 3.75%, 4.72%) and 2.67% (95% CI: 2.18%, 3.16%) higher risks of COPD mortality over lag 0–7 d, respectively. The associations of PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 attenuated slightly but were still significant in the mutual-adjustment models. A larger association of PM2.5-10 was observed in the warm season. Interpretation: This individual-level, nationwide, case-crossover study suggests that short-term exposure to PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 might act as one of the environmental risk factors for COPD mortality. Funding: This study is supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2023YFC3708304 and 2022YFC3702701), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82304090 and 82030103), the 3-year Action Plan for Strengthening the Construction of the Public Health System in Shanghai (GWVI-11.2-YQ31), and the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (21TQ015).

Abstract Somatic mutations related to clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) are risk factors for stroke. The impact of DNMT3A, the most mutated gene in CHIP, on clinical functional outcomes of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) remains unclear. In a well‐characterized cohort of 8524 ischemic stroke patients, we demonstrated that DNMT3A‐driven CHIP was significantly associated with neurological disability in these patients. With a stroke mouse model of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO), we demonstrated that DNMT3A protein levels in the brain penumbra increased. The DNMT3A inhibitor RG108 administration amplified neutrophil proliferation in the blood, promoted neutrophil infiltration into the brain penumbra, and exaggerated proinflammatory activation in tMCAO male mice. DNMT3A inhibition also significantly increased infarct volume and worsened neurobehavioral function in tMCAO male mice. In conclusion, DNMT3A somatic mutations are associated with worsened neurological disability in some patients with AIS, potentially through increased neutrophil proliferation and infiltration in the ischemic brain region. These findings suggest a possible mechanism for proinflammatory activation and tissue damage in the affected brain tissue, highlighting the need for further research in this area.

Background Tenecteplase, a bioengineered variant of alteplase, is a new alternative thrombolytic agent. The ORIGINAL study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tenecteplase versus standard care in Chinese patients with acute ischemic stroke within 4.5 hours of symptom onset. Methods This is a multicenter phase III study that employs a randomized (1:1), active‐controlled, parallel‐group, prospective, open‐label, blinded–end point design. Adult participants (aged ≥18 years) with acute ischemic stroke who are eligible for intravenous thrombolysis within 4.5 hours of symptom onset according to current guideline recommendations are recruited from ≈55 neurology clinics/stroke centers throughout China. Results The primary objective of the ORIGINAL study is to demonstrate the noninferiority of tenecteplase (0.25 mg/kg) to alteplase (0.9 mg/kg) on the basis of the proportion of patients who achieve a modified Rankin Scale score of 0 or 1 on day 90, that is, a favorable functional outcome. The prespecified noninferiority risk ratio margin is 0.937. Secondary end points include other functional outcomes and the following safety end points: adjudicated symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (up to 36 hours after the end of study drug administration) based on the European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study III definition; all‐cause death within 90 days; and the proportion of patients with a modified Rankin Scale score of 5 or 6 on day 90. Conclusions It is anticipated that the results of this study will contribute to the growing body of evidence for the noninferiority of tenecteplase to alteplase given within 4.5 hours of acute ischemic stroke symptom onset and support a new indication for tenecteplase in China. Clinical Trial Registration Information NCT04915729 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04915729)

Background and objectives: Many studies suggested that short-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and coarse particulate matter (PM2.5–10) was linked to elevated risk of cerebrovascular disease. However, little is known about the potentially differential effects of PM2.5 and PM2.5–10 on various types of cerebrovascular disease. Methods: We collected individual cerebrovascular death records for all residents in Shanghai, China from 2005 to 2021. Residential daily air pollution data were predicted from a satellite model. The associations between particulate matters (PM) and cerebrovascular mortality were investigated by an individual-level, time-stratified, case-crossover design. The data was analyzed by the conditional logistic regression combined with the distributed lag model with a maximum lag of 7 days. Furthermore, we explored the effect modifications by sex, age and season. Results: A total of 388,823 cerebrovascular deaths were included. Monotonous increases were observed for mortality of all cerebrovascular diseases except for hemorrhagic stroke. A 10 μg/m3 rise in PM2.5 was related to rises of 1.35% [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04%, 1.66%] in mortality of all cerebrovascular diseases, 1.84% (95% CI: 1.25%, 2.44%) in ischemic stroke, 1.53% (95% CI: 1.07%, 1.99%) in cerebrovascular sequelae and 1.56% (95% CI: 1.08%, 2.05%) in ischemic stroke sequelae. The excess risk estimates per each 10 μg/m3 rise in PM2.5–10 were 1.47% (95% CI: 1.10%, 1.84%), 1.53% (95% CI: 0.83%, 2.24%), 1.93% (95% CI: 1.38%, 2.49%) and 2.22% (95% CI: 1.64%, 2.81%), respectively. The associations of both pollutants with all cerebrovascular outcomes were robust after controlling for co-pollutants. The associations were greater in females, individuals > 80 years, and during the warm season. Conclusions: Short-term exposures to both PM2.5 and PM2.5–10 may independently increase the mortality risk of cerebrovascular diseases, particularly of ischemic stroke and stroke sequelae.

A method, improved d-SPE extration couple with ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), was developed for the determination of pentachlorophenol and its sodium salt residue in eggs. The sodium pentachlorophenol in the eggs was converted firstly into pentachlorophenol under acidic conditions, extracted by 1.5% (v/v) acetic acid/acetonitril, and the extraction solution was purified finally by disperse solid phase extraction. The composition of dispersive sorbents was optimized based on the recoveries and matrix effects. The recoveries at fortification levels of 0.5, 5 and 50.0 μg/kg in eggs ranged from 72.2% to 89.8% with the relative standard deviations of 0.2%~0.8%. The limits of quantification (LOQ) was 0.5 μg/kg. Market samples were quantified, and PCP residues were found, but all the detection levels were below the method LOQ. We demonstrated that UPLC – MS/MS in combination with modified d-SPE can be used to routinely monitor PCP residues in egg samples.

ABSTRACTStaphylococcus pseudintermedius (S. pseudintermedius) is a common pathogen that causes canine corneal ulcers. However, the pathogenesis remained unclear. In this study, it has been demonstrated that S. pseudintermedius invaded canine corneal epithelial cells (CCECs) intracellularly, mediating oxidative damage and pyroptosis by promoting the accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activating the NLRP3 inflammasome. The canine corneal stroma was infected with S. pseudintermedius to establish the canine corneal ulcer model in vivo. The intracellular infectious model in CCECs was established in vitro to explore the mechanism of the ROS – NLRP3 signalling pathway during the S. pseudintermedius infection by adding NAC or MCC950. Results showed that the expression of NLRP3 and gasdermin D (GSDMD) proteins increased significantly in the infected corneas (p < 0.01). The intracellular infection of S. pseudintermedius was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and immunofluorescent 3D imaging. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that ROS and pyroptosis rates increased in the experimental group in contrast to the control group (p

Increased efforts in neuroscience seek to understand how macro-anatomical and physiological connectomes cooperatively work to generate cognitive behaviors. However, the structure-function coupling characteristics in normal aging individuals remain unclear. Here, we developed an index, the Coupling in Brain Structural connectome and Functional connectome (C-BSF) index, to quantify regional structure-function coupling in a large community-based cohort. C-BSF used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from the Polyvascular Evaluation for Cognitive Impairment and Vascular Events study (PRECISE) cohort (2007 individuals, age: 61.15 ± 6.49 years) and the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study (MAS) cohort (254 individuals, age: 83.45 ± 4.33 years). We observed that structure-function coupling was the strongest in the visual network and the weakest in the ventral attention network. We also observed that the weaker structure-function coupling was associated with increased age and worse cognitive level of the participant. Meanwhile, the structure-function coupling in the visual network was associated with the visuospatial performance and partially mediated the connections between age and the visuospatial function. This work contributes to our understanding of the underlying brain mechanisms by which aging affects cognition and also help establish early diagnosis and treatment approaches for neurological diseases in the elderly.

Background: Ambient air pollution might serve as a prognostic factor for ovarian cancer (OC) survival, yet the relationships between plant-based diet indices (PDIs) and OC survival remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the associations of comprehensive air pollution and PDIs with OC survival and explored the effects of air pollution-diet interactions. Methods: The present study encompassed 658 patients diagnosed with OC. The overall plant-based diet index (PDI), the healthful PDI (hPDI), and the unhealthful PDI (uPDI) were evaluated by a self-reported validated food frequency questionnaire. In addition, an air pollution score (APS) was formulated by summing the concentrations of particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide. Cox proportional hazard models were applied to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). The potential interactions of APS with PDIs in relation to overall survival (OS) were assessed on both multiplicative and additive scales. Results: Throughout a median follow-up of 37.60 (interquartile: 24.77–50.70) months, 123 deaths were confirmed. Comparing to the lowest tertiles, highest uPDI was associated with lower OS of OC (HR = 2.06, 95 % CI = 1.30, 3.28; P-trend

Background We aim to identify the distinct lesion patterns and regions associated with functional outcome and inflammation in patients with acute ischemic stroke, and investigate whether the association between lesion patterns and functional outcome was mediated by inflammation. Methods and Results We performed nonnegative matrix factorization to derived low‐dimensional lesion patterns (atoms), and Bayesian linear regression models were applied to explore the associations of lesion patterns with inflammatory factors including high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein and interleukin‐6, as well as functional outcome (defined as modified Rankin Scale score at 3 months). The difference distribution mean and 95% highest probability density interval (HPDI) were calculated. Mediation analysis was used to examine the mediating effects of inflammation on the relationships between lesion patterns and functional outcome. Seven lesion patterns were derived from 5914 patients with acute ischemic stroke. Lesion patterns distributed in the cortical regions were associated with inflammatory response, including atom 1 (interleukin‐6: mean, 0.113 [95% HPDI, 0.073–0.162]; high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein: mean, 0.082 [95% HPDI, 0.038–0.123]) and atom 4 (interleukin‐6: mean, 0.113 [95% HPDI, 0.071–0.167]; high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein: mean, 0.108 [95% HPDI, 0.058–0.165]). These lesion patterns were also significantly associated with functional outcome (atom 1: mean, 1.958 [95% HPDI, 1.538–2.383]; atom 4: mean, 2.245 [95% HPDI, 1.773–2.741]). Mediation analysis suggested that interleukin‐6 explained 15.34% and 7.47% in the association of atom 1 and atom 4 with functional outcome, respectively. Conclusions Certain lesion patterns that are associated with both inflammation and functional outcome of acute ischemic stroke, especially cortical infarction, may play a role in functional outcome through modulating inflammatory reactions.

Background Elevated white blood cell count, fibrinogen levels, and lower levels of albumin signify higher systemic inflammatory response, hypercoagulable state, and poorer nutritional status, respectively. However, a consistent conclusion could not be drawn on whether the association between inflammatory markers and cardiovascular disease was affected by the presence of chronic kidney disease (CKD). We aimed to explore the association between inflammation and adverse outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS), as well as whether this association differs due to the presence of CKD. Methods and Results This research was based on the Third China National Stroke Registry. The main adverse outcomes were poor functional outcome, stroke recurrence, and combined vascular event after 1 year. Inflammation was defined as the worst quartile of at least 2 of the aforementioned 3 markers. Finally, 8493 patients with AIS were enrolled in this study. The adjusted odds ratios/hazard ratios and 95% CIs of inflammation were 1.58 (1.34–1.86) for poor functional outcomes, 1.25 (1.06–1.47) for stroke recurrence, and 1.25 (1.06–1.46) for combined vascular event. The association between inflammation and adverse outcomes existed only in patients with AIS without CKD, although the interaction between CKD and inflammation was not statistically significant. (P for interaction >0.05). Conclusions Inflammation, which was defined as a combination of fibrinogen, white blood cell count, and albumin, was associated with all 1‐year adverse outcomes among patients with AIS. Routine assessment of these biomarkers could become a potential part of the clinical evaluation for patients with AIS, especially those without CKD, aiding clinicians in risk stratification and treatment decision‐making.

BackgroundThere is evidence of an association between the gut microbiota and progression of stroke. However, the relationship between gut microbial metabolites, specifically bile acids (BAs), and post-ischemic stroke disability and poor functional outcomes remains unexplored.MethodsPatients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA) in the Third China National Stroke Registry were grouped according to total bile acid (TBA) quartile on admission. Association of TBA with disability and poor functional outcomes were evaluated using logistic regression models and restricted cubic splines.ResultsData for 9,536 patients were included. After adjusting for confounders, the risks of disability and poor functional outcomes were significantly lower in the highest TBA quartile than in the lowest TBA quartile at the 3-month follow-up, with respective odds ratios (ORs) of 0.65 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.55–0.78; p

The aim of the research was to obtain a high healthcare honeysuckle beverage with strong antioxidant activity. Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica Thunb) was used as the raw material in this experiment. The effects of fermentation temperature, fermentation time, lactic acid bacteria inoculation amount, and sugar addition amount on the sensory quality of honeysuckle beverage were investigated by single factor test and orthogonal test, and the best process was obtained. The physicochemical indexes and antioxidant activity of honeysuckle beverages fermented with lactic acid bacteria were studied. The results showed that the fermentation temperature of the beverage was 37 °C, the fermentation time was 24 h, the inoculation amount of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus acidophilus mixed starter (1:1) was 3%, and 8% white granulated sugar was added. The highest sensory score was 87.30 ± 0.17, which was the optimal process. The honeysuckle liquid mixed inoculation with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus acidophilus was fermented for 24 h. The number of viable bacteria reached 9.84 ± 0.02 lg cfu/mL, the pH value was 3.10 ± 0.01, and the total polyphenol content was 7.53 ± 0.03 mg GAE/g. The number of lactic acid bacteria, pH, total polyphenol content, and free radical scavenging rate were significantly increased (p

Abstract Background Insulin resistance is linked to atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases and stroke, whereas less is known about adipose tissue specific insulin resistance and outcomes after ischemic stroke. This study aimed to estimate the association between adipose tissue specific insulin resistance and prognosis of nondiabetic patients with ischemic stroke. Methods Patients with ischemic stroke without a history of diabetes mellitus in the Third China National Stroke Registry were included. Adipose tissue specific insulin resistance index (Adipo-IR) was calculated by fasting serum insulin and free fatty acids and categorized into 5 groups according to the quintiles. Outcomes included stroke recurrence (ischemic or hemorrhagic), combined vascular events, all-cause death, and poor outcome (modified Rankin Scale, 3–6) at 12 months after stroke onset. We assessed the association between Adipo-IR and risk of prognosis by multivariable Cox/logistic regression models adjusted for potential covariates. Results Among 2,222 patients, 69.0% were men with a mean age of 62.5 years. At 12 months, 185 (8.3%) patients had recurrent stroke, 193 (8.7%) had combined vascular events, 58 (2.6%) died, and 250 (11.5%) had a poor outcome. Compared with patients with the lowest quintile, patients with the second, third, fourth, fifth quintiles of the Adipo-IR were associated with an increased risk of stroke recurrence (hazard ratio [HR], 1.77; 95% CI, 1.04–3.03; P = 0.04; HR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.30–3.68; P = 0.003; HR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.06–3.21; P = 0.03; HR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.20–3.71; P = 0.01, respectively) and marginally associated with an increased risk of combined vascular events ( HR, 1.60; 95%CI, 0.97–2.64; P = 0.07; HR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.17–3.13; P = 0.01; HR, 1.62; 95% CI, 0.96–2.75; P = 0.07; HR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.05–3.09; P = 0.03, respectively) at 12 months after adjustment for potential covariates. Adipo-IR was not associated with mortality and poor outcome at 12 months. Conclusions These findings suggest that adipose tissue specific insulin resistance is independently associated with recurrent stroke and combined vascular events after acute ischemic stroke in nondiabetic patients.

The spatial disparity of air pollutants is one of the key influential factors for environmental inequality. We quantitatively evaluated the evolution of PM2.5 spatial disparity in China during 2013–2020, and investigated the associations between PM2.5 spatial disparity and economic indicators. Differences in PM2.5 between more- and less-polluted cities declined over time, suggesting decreased absolute disparity. However, the more polluted cities in 2013 remained so in 2017 and 2020, and vice versa, indicating persistent relative disparity. PM2.5 pollution levels increased with higher GDP per capita in less-developed areas of China, but such negative effects weakened over time, while economic development tended to promote cleaner air in developed areas of China. Therefore, policies to improve air quality and promote economic development simultaneously are needed in China to reduce the disparity of air pollution and promote all people to enjoy environmental equality.

Abstract Background Data are limited on the association of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) with systemic atherosclerosis. This study aimed to examine the relationship between MAFLD and the extent of atherosclerotic plaques and stenosis, and presence of polyvascular disease (PolyVD). Methods In this cross-sectional study, MAFLD was diagnosed based on the presence of metabolic dysfunction (MD) and fatty liver disease (FLD). MAFLD was divided into three subtypes: MAFLD with diabetes mellitus (DM), MAFLD with overweight or obesity (OW), as well as MAFLD with lean/normal weight and at least two metabolic abnormalities. Atherosclerosis was evaluated, with vascular magnetic resonance imaging for intracranial and extracranial arteries, thoracoabdominal computed tomography angiography for coronary, subclavian, aorta, renal, iliofemoral arteries, and ankle-brachial index for peripheral arteries. The extent of plaques and stenosis was defined according to the number of these eight vascular sites affected. PolyVD was defined as the presence of stenosis in at least two vascular sites. Results This study included 3047 participants, with the mean age of 61.2 ± 6.7 years and 46.6% of male (n = 1420). After adjusting for potential confounders, MAFLD was associated with higher extent of plaques (cOR, 2.14, 95% CI 1.85–2.48) and stenosis (cOR, 1.47, 95% CI 1.26–1.71), and higher odds of presence of PolyVD (OR, 1.55, 95% CI 1.24–1.94) as compared with Non-MAFLD. In addition, DM-MAFLD and OW-MAFLD were associated with the extent of atherosclerotic plaques and stenosis, and presence of PolyVD (All P

ABSTRACTChinese onion is a common vegetable in daily diet, especially in Southwest China. We collected 184 samples from farm and market in Chongqing Municipality during 2020–2021 and established a multi-residue method for analysis of 79 pesticide residues on Chinese onion. Sixty-three of 184 samples were found pesticide resdues, accounting for 34.2%. A total of 31 pesticides were detected, and 6 pesticides in 11 samples have exceeded the Chinese MRLs, 5.98% of all samples. The chronic and acute dietary exposure assessment showed the %ADI and the %ARfD value were 0.005%–5.46% and 0.03%–297.95%, respectively. The %ARfD of most pesticides were acceptable except for cyhalothrin (297.95%, children; 140.17%, adults) and carbofuran (107.94%, children). The study indicated that pesticide residues on Chinese onion had different concentration levels which were low commonly. The establishment of MRLs for several pesticides (cyfluthrin, carbendazim, propamocarb) in Chinese onion is required for better estimation of dietary risk.

Abstract Background The high under-five mortality rate (U5MR) in Africa is a significant public health concern. Previous studies have found that satellite retrieved light at night (LAN) data with long-term and global coverage can be used as a proxy for socio-economic development and urbanization. Currently, few studies on the effects of LAN on child mortality have been conducted in Africa, a region with varying levels of urbanization between countries. Objective To quantify the correlation between risk of child mortality and LAN as an indicator of urbanization and economic development in Africa. Methods Using data from the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) database conducted in 15 African countries out of 46 countries from 2005 to 2013, this study estimated LAN levels for children based on their year of birth and residential addresses. This study used Cox proportional hazards models to assess the association between LAN and the risk of child mortality in Africa. Results The mean U5MR was 95 per 1,000 livebirths among the 15 African countries during 2005–2013. After adjusting for covariates, each 10-unit increment in LAN was associated with a 5.3% reduction in the risk of U5MR. The effect estimates were more pronounced in areas with lower LAN. Conclusion In Africa, the risk of U5MR decreased with increasing LAN, especially in areas with lower LAN. The results suggest that the development of urbanization and socio-economic conditions may be beneficial to child health, especially in regions with low LAN. The use of LAN as a proxy may offer an intriguing approach for identifying areas requiring targeted development in urbanization and socio-economic conditions.

Abstract Background and purpose Nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) is a risk factor for stroke. This study was undertaken to determine the influence of NVAF on the mortality and recurrent stroke after a minor stroke event. Methods Data were derived from the Third China National Stroke Registry (CNSR-III) which enrolled 15,166 subjects during August 2015 through March 2018 in China. Patients with minor stroke (NIHSS ≤ 5) within 24 h after onset were included. Clinical outcomes including all-cause mortality, cardiovascular death, recurrent ischemic stroke, and recurrent hemorrhagic stroke were collected. The Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the association between NVAF and clinical outcomes. Results A total of 4,753 patients were included in our study. Of them, 222 patients had NVAF (4.7%) (mean age, 71.1 years) and 4,531 patients were without AF (95.3%) (mean age, 61.4 years). NVAF was associated with 12-month cardiovascular mortality in both univariate (hazards ratio [HR], 4.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.84 to 9.31; P