Vitamin C Mitigates Oxidative Stress and Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha in Severe Community-Acquired Pneumonia and LPS-Induced Macrophages

Oxidative stress is an important part of host innate immune response to foreign pathogens. However, the impact of vitamin C on oxidative stress and inflammation remains unclear in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). We aimed to determine the effect of vitamin C on oxidative stress and inflammation. CAP patients were enrolled. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA damage, superoxide dismutases (SOD) activity, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and IL-6 were analyzed in CAP patients and LPS-stimulated macrophages cells. MH-S cells were transfected with RFP-LC3 plasmids. Autophagy was measured in LPS-stimulated macrophages cells. Severe CAP patients showed significantly increased ROS, DNA damage, TNF-α, and IL-6. SOD was significantly decreased in severe CAP. Vitamin C significantly decreased ROS, DNA damage, TNF-α, and IL-6. Vitamin C inhibited LPS-induced ROS, DNA damage, TNF-α, IL-6, and p38 in macrophages cells. Vitamin C inhibited autophagy in LPS-induced macrophages cells. These findings indicated that severe CAP exhibited significantly increased oxidative stress, DNA damage, and proinflammatory mediator. Vitamin C mitigated oxidative stress and proinflammatory mediator suggesting a possible mechanism for vitamin C in severe CAP

Simulation study of BESIII with stitched CMOS pixel detector using ACTS

Reconstruction of tracks of charged particles with high precision is very crucial for HEP experiments to achieve their physics goals. As the tracking detector of BESIII experiment, the BESIII drift chamber has suffered from aging effects resulting in degraded tracking performance after operation for about 15 years. To preserve and enhance the tracking performance of BESIII, one of the proposals is to add one layer of thin CMOS pixel sensor in cylindrical shape based on the state-of-the-art stitching technology, between the beam pipe and the drift chamber. The improvement of tracking performance of BESIII with such an additional pixel detector compared to that with only the existing drift chamber is studied using the modern common tracking software ACTS, which provides a set of detector-agnostic and highly performant tracking algorithms that have demonstrated promising performance for a few high energy physics and nuclear physics experiments

Validity and applicability of the global leadership initiative on malnutrition criteria in non-dialysis patients with chronic kidney disease

IntroductionThere are no standardized assessment criteria for selecting nutritional risk screening tools or indicators to assess reduced muscle mass (RMM) in the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria. We aimed to compare the consistency of different GLIM criteria with Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) and protein-energy wasting (PEW).MethodsIn this study, nutritional risk screening 2002 first four questions (NRS-2002-4Q), Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002), Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST), and Mini-Nutritional Assessment Short-Form (MNA-SF) tools were used as the first step of nutritional risk screening for the GLIM. The RMM is expressed using different metrics. The SGA and PEW were used to diagnose patients and classify them as malnourished and non-malnourished. Kappa (κ) tests were used to compare the concordance between the SGA, PEW, and GLIM of each combination of screening tools.ResultsA total of 157 patients were included. Patients with Chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 1–3 accounted for a large proportion (79.0%). The prevalence rates of malnutrition diagnosed using the SGA and PEW were 18.5% and 19.7%, respectively. The prevalence of GLIM-diagnosed malnutrition ranges from 5.1% to 37.6%, depending on the different screening methods for nutritional risk and the different indicators denoting RMM. The SGA was moderately consistent with the PEW (κ = 0.423, p < 0.001). The consistency among the GLIM, SGA, and PEW was generally low. Using the NRS-2002-4Q to screen for nutritional risk, GLIM had the best agreement with SGA and PEW when skeletal muscle index (SMI), fat-free mass index (FFMI), and hand grip strength (HGS) indicated a reduction in muscle mass (SGA: κ = 0.464, 95% CI 0.28–0.65; PEW: κ = 0.306, 95% CI 0.12–0.49).ConclusionThe concordance between the GLIM criteria and the SGA and PEW depended on the screening tool used in the GLIM process. The inclusion of RMM in the GLIM framework is important. The addition of HGS could further improve the performance of the GLIM standard compared to the use of body composition measurements

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

E-leadership as a booster of employees’ dynamic capabilities influence on job performance

Purpose: The article concerns the influence of employees’ dynamic capabilities on job performance and the role of e-leadership in strengthening such a relation. Design/methodology/approach: The hypotheses were verified among 1200 organizations operating in Poland, Italy and USA during 2nd wave of COVID-19 pandemic. The statistical reasoning was based on linear regression model with moderator. Findings: The results show that e-leadership is indeed strengthening the positive influence of employees’ dynamic capabilities on job performance, and moreover – such effect is much stronger among organizations operating in crisis during circumstances of COVID-19 pandemic, striving to survive. Research limitations/implications: The empirical research should be treated as a pilot study, as the systemic literature review is limited and has a character of an initial review aiming at the identification of future direction of research in this regard. Practical implications: The obtained results show that organizations, which experience crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are characterized by a much higher level of EDC influence on job performance than those, which do not experience crisis. It is clearly showing the important role of EDC in managing such organizations and transforming their way of doing business in order to survive the crisis. Originality/value: The obtained results contribute new knowledge to the field of job performance management during crisis, confirming that dynamic capabilities are crucial among employees and this specific type of capabilities should be shaped and enhanced among those organizations struggling through crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic

Choroidal vascularity index in patients with computer vision syndrome combined with accommodative lead

Background: This study aimed to investigate the choroidal vascularity index (CVI) in patients with computer vision syndrome (CVS) combined with accommodative lead. Methods: This retrospective case-control study enrolled patients diagnosed with CVS and accommodative lead at University-Town Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between July 2022 and May 2023. The control group included individuals without any ocular diseases. Ophthalmic assessments included basic visual acuity, refraction, ocular biometric parameters, and CVI. Results: A total of 85 participants were included in the study, with 45 in the CVS group and 40 in the control group. The central corneal thickness of CVS group was found to be significantly thinner compared to the control group in both the right eye (532.40±30.93 vs. 545.78±19.99 µm, P = 0.019) and left eye (533.96±29.57 vs. 547.56±20.39, P = 0.014). In comparison to the control group, the CVS group exhibited lower CVI in the superior (0.40±0.08 vs. 0.43±0.09, P = 0.001), temporal (0.40±0.08 vs. 0.44±0.10, P < 0.001), inferior (0.41±0.08 vs. 0.46±0.08, P < 0.001), and nasal (0.41±0.08 vs. 0.44±0.08, P = 0.001) quadrants. Similar differences were observed in all four quadrants within the 1–3 mm radius, and in the temporal (P = 0.004) and inferior (P = 0.002) quadrants within the 1–6 mm and 3–6 mm radii (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: Compared to individuals without ocular issues, patients with CVS and accommodative lead were found to have thinner corneal central thickness and lower CVI

Lubrication properties of graphene under harsh working conditions

Graphene materials considered to be promising candidates for next-generation lubricants has been explored and summarized extensively, owing to their atomic-level lamellar structure and extremely low interlayer shear van der Waals barrier. However, the lubrication properties of graphene under harsh working conditions, including elevated temperature, heavy load, high vacuum, special atmosphere environment and electric or magnetic field environment, have not been systematically summarized and thoroughly analyzed. Meanwhile, the effect of graphene on the behavior of boundary tribofilm have not been systematically reviewed. This review focuses on the application of graphene family materials in harsh working conditions. Firstly, an overview of the graphene categories is presented, and then the application of graphene in harsh working conditions is summarized. Besides, the effect of graphene family materials on the behavior of boundary tribofilm is examined. Accordingly, the lubrication mechanisms of graphene are summarized, which mainly include adsorption protection of boundary tribofilm, graphene microstructural transformation, graphene internal slippage, and micro bearing rolling-sliding effect. Finally, the critical challenges and future prospects for the application of graphene as next generation lubrication materials are discussed. This article aims to boost further development of graphene as a candidate to solve the lubrication bottleneck of equipment in harsh working conditions such as space, deep sea, deep earth, nuclear energy and MEMS