A study of clinical and serological correlation of early myocardial injury in elderly patients infected with the Omicron variant

IntroductionMyocardial injury in elderly Omicron variant patients is a leading cause of severe disease and death. This study focuses on elucidating the clinical characteristics and potential risk factors associated with myocardial injury in elderly patients infected with the Omicron variant.MethodsMyocardial injury was defined based on elevated cardiac troponin concentrations exceeding the 99th percentile upper reference limit. Among 772 elderly Omicron-infected patients, categorized into myocardial injury (n = 263) and non-myocardial injury (n = 509) groups. The stratified log-rank statistic was used to compare the probability of patients developing intensive care. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to determine the best cut-off values of clinical and laboratory data for predicting myocardial injury. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was adopted to analyze the risk factors for myocardial injury.ResultsThe occurrence of myocardial injury in Omicron variant-infected geriatric patients was up to 34.07% and these patients may have a higher rate of requiring intensive care (P < 0.05). By comparing myocardial injury patients with non-myocardial injury patients, notable differences were observed in age, pre-existing medical conditions (e.g., hypertension, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, arrhythmia, chronic kidney disease, and heart failure), and various laboratory biomarkers, including cycle threshold-ORF1ab gene (Ct-ORF1ab), cycle threshold-N gene (Ct-N), white blood cell count, neutrophil (NEUT) count, NEUT%, lymphocyte (LYM) count, LYM%, and D-dimer, interleukin-6, procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A, total protein, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, glomerular filtration rate, blood urea nitrogen, and serum creatinine (sCr) levels (P < 0.05). Furthermore, in the multivariable logistic regression, we identified potential risk factors for myocardial injury in Omicron variant–infected elderly patients, including advanced age, pre-existing coronary artery disease, interleukin-6 > 22.69 pg/ml, procalcitonin > 0.0435 ng/ml, D-dimer > 0.615 mg/L, and sCr > 81.30 μmol/L.ConclusionThis study revealed the clinical characteristics and potential risk factors associated with myocardial injury that enable early diagnosis of myocardial injury in Omicron variant-infected elderly patients, providing important reference indicators for early diagnosis and timely clinical intervention

ACO-based Joint Distribution: A Feasibility Study

Abstract. Joint distribution not only can lower the cost and increase efficiency through resource sharing, but also can improve the heavy traffic and reduce pollution. In this paper, we consider a location routing problem (LRP) with time window and solve it by ant colony optimization (ACO). We combine the distribution distance and total cost before and after the joint distribution, and find that, the ACO-based plan is more effective and cost saving

Prevalence and risk factors of anxiety and depression among patients with breast cancer: a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Patients with breast cancer often experience severe psychological distress, especially anxiety and depression, leading to poorer quality of life, shortened survival time and increased mortality.The objective of the review will be to summarise data on the prevalence and risk factors of anxiety and depression in patients with breast cancer.Methods and analysis Two reviewers will be applied in seven databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, Wan Fang Data Knowledge Service Platform, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP database), China National Knowledge Infrastructure and for studies on the prevalence and risk factors of depression in patients with breast cancer, which should be published from inception to Feb 2020 in English, Chinese, French and Spanish. The selection of studies, data extraction and risk of bias assessment will be done independently by two reviewers. Data synthesis will be carried out using RevMan V.5.3 software. The heterogeneity will be determined by the I² test. Publication bias will be evaluated by generating a funnel plot and performing the Begg and Egger test. The quality of the systematic review will be assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation Tool criteria.Ethics and dissemination No ethical approval is required. This protocol will not involve individual patient information and endangering participant rights. The results will be reported in a peer-reviewed journal or disseminated in relevant conferences.OSF registration number DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/D6A4P

Scalp acupuncture for patients with vascular dementia: A Protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trails

Background: Vascular dementia (VD) is a kind of acquired intelligence impairment syndrome caused by a series of cerebrovascular factors leading to brain tissue damage. Scalp acupuncture is widely used to treating VD. However, there is no a systematic review has been used to assess the efficacy and safety of scalp acupuncture therapy for VD. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to systematically evaluate the effects of scalp acupuncture on VD. Methods: We will search the following databases from their inception to July 2020: PubMed, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wan Fang Database, Embase, Medline, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), EBSCO, Web of Science, Technology Periodical Database (VIP), the Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Cochrane Library. At the same time, we will retrieve other resources including conference articles, and gray literature. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in English or Chinese associated with scalp acupuncture for VD will be included. Our study data collection and analysis will be conducted independently by 2 reviewers, and Rev Man V.5.3.5 statistical software will be used to performing Meta-analysis. Results: This review research will provide a high-quality synthesis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of scalp acupuncture for patients with VD. Conclusion: This study will provide available evidence to judge whether scalp acupuncture is an effective and safe intervention for patients with VD. It also will provide reliable evidence for its widespread application

Enhanced Separation of Oil and Solids in Oily Sludge by Froth Flotation at Normal Temperature

Oily sludge (OS) contains a large number of hazardous materials, and froth flotation can achieve oil recovery and non-hazardous disposal of OS simultaneously. The influence of flotation parameters on OS treatment and the flotation mechanism were studied. OS samples were taken from Shengli Oilfield in May 2017 (OSS) and May 2020 (OST), respectively. Results showed that Na2SiO3 was the suitable flotation reagent treating OSS and OST, which could reduce the viscosity between oil and solids. Increasing flotation time, impeller speed and the ratio of liquid to OS could enhance the pulp shear effect, facilitate the formation of bubble and reduce pulp viscosity, respectively. Under the optimized parameters, the oil content of OST residue could be reduced to 1.2%, and that of OSS could be reduced to 0.6% because of OSS with low heavy oil components and wide solid particle size distribution. Orthogonal experimental results showed that the impeller speed was the most significant factor of all parameters for OSS and OST, and it could produce shear force to decrease the intensity of C-H bonds and destabilize the OS. The oil content of residue could be reduced effectively in the temperature range of 24–45 °C under the action of high impeller speed

Individual and combined associations of estimated pulse wave velocity and systemic inflammation response index with risk of stroke in middle-aged and older Chinese adults: a prospective cohort study

Background and aimsEstimated pulse wave velocity (ePWV) and systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) have been recently investigated as a marker of arterial stiffness and a novel systemic inflammatory indicator. This study aims to examine the independent and combined association of ePWV and SIRI with incident stroke and its subtypes.MethodsData of the Dongfeng-Tongji cohort study was analyzed for 9,154 middle-aged and older adults, who were free of cardiovascular disease and cancer and were followed up to document incident stroke. But their association with incident stroke events and its subtypes have not been well studied. Multivariable adjusted Cox regression models were used to determine the independent and combined association of ePWV and SIRI with incident stroke events.ResultsOver a 7.22-year follow-up, the cohort documented 491 stroke cases (387 ischemic stroke and 104 hemorrhagic stroke). The multivariate adjusted model showed that with each one-unit increase in the level of ePWV, the corresponding hazard ratios (HRs) (95% CI) for total stroke, ischemic stroke, and hemorrhagic stroke were 1.53 (95% CI, 1.23–1.90), 1.42 (95% CI, 1.11–1.83), and 1.92 (95% CI, 1.21–3.03), respectively. Similarly, with each one-unit increase in log-transformed levels of SIRI, the corresponding HRs (95% CI) for total stroke, ischemic stroke, and hemorrhagic stroke were 1.23 (95% CI,1.04–1.47), 1.16 (95% CI, 0.96–1.41), and 1.52 (95% CI, 1.05–2.20), respectively. There appeared to be a combined effect of ePWV and SIRI on stroke; Participants with high levels of both ePWV and SIRI had a higher risk of total stroke and hemorrhagic stroke, with multiple adjusted HR of 2.43 (95% CI, 1.09–5.42). Additionally, the incorporation of ePWV in addition to traditional cardiovascular risk factors significantly improved the predictive accuracy for total stroke with C statistic increased from 0.684 (95% CI, 0.661–0.707) to 0.687 (95% CI, 0.664–0.710; x2 = 6.65; p for difference = 0.010), and (suggestively) for ischemic stroke with C statistic increased from 0.684 (95% CI, 0.659–0.71) to 0.691(95% CI, 0.666–0.717; x2 = 3.13, p for difference = 0.077), respectively.ConclusionsThe presence of both high ePWV and SIRI individually, as well as together, was found to be associated with an increased incidence of stroke. The combined stroke risk assessment using these two indicators could potentially improve non-invasive assessment and treatment strategies for high-risk patients, as these indicators are easily accessible in clinical practice

Isolation and characterization of a novel endoglucanase from a Bursaphelenchus xylophilus metagenomic library.

A novel gene (designated as cen219) encoding endoglucanase was isolated from a Bursaphelenchus xylophilus metagenomic library by functional screening. Sequence analysis revealed that cen219 encoded a protein of 367 amino acids. SDS-PAGE analysis of purified endoglucanase suggested that Cen219 was a monomeric enzyme with a molecular mass of 40 kDa. The optimum temperature and pH for endoglucanase activity of Cen219 was separately 50 °C and 6.0. It was stable from 30 to 50 °C, and from pH 4.0 to 7.0. The activity was significantly enhanced by Mn(2+) and dramatically reduced by detergent SDS and metals Fe(3+), Cu(2+) or Hg(2+). The enzyme hydrolyzed a wide range of β-1, 3-, and β-1, 4-linked polysaccharides, with varying activities. Activities towards microcrystalline cellulose and filter paper were relatively high, while the highest activity was towards oat gum. The Km and Vmax of Cen219 towards CMC was 17.37 mg/ml and 333.33 U/mg, respectively. The findings have an insight into understanding the molecular basis of host-parasite interactions in B. xylophilus species. The properties also make Cen219 an interesting enzyme for biotechnological application

A Review of the Botany, Traditional Use, Phytochemistry, Analytical Methods, Pharmacological Effects, and Toxicity of Angelicae Pubescentis Radix

Angelicae Pubescentis Radix (AP), as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been used for thousands of years in China. In this paper, the botany, traditional use, phytochemistry, analytical methods, quality control, pharmacological effects, and toxicity of AP were reviewed. It can provide a reference for the further research and lay a foundation for the rational clinical application of AP. The relevant information on AP was collected from scientific databases (such as Baidu Scholar, CNKI, Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and SciFinder Scholar), Chinese herbal classics, Chinese Pharmacopoeia, PhD and MSc dissertations, and so on. The components which have been isolated and identified in AP include coumarins, volatile oils, organic acids, terpenes, polysaccharides, flavonoids, sterols, and trace elements. Most of them were analyzed by HPLC and GC. A pharmacological study shows that the AP has extensive pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antirheumatism, sedative and hypnotic, neuroprotection, antioxidation, antitumor, and allergy, and it is widely used in the treatment of the rheumatoid arthritis, knee osteoarthritis, lumbar disc, ankylosing spondylitis, headaches, stroke hemiplegia, Alzheimer’s, and arrhythmia. AP is a valuable natural medicinal plant. So far, significant advances have been made in phytochemistry and pharmacology. Some traditional uses have been demonstrated by modern pharmacology. However, the chemical components and pharmacological effects of AP are complex and varied, and there are different standards for the evaluation of its quality and efficacy. The mechanism of action, the structure-activity relationship among the components, and the potential synergistic and antagonistic effects remain to be studied. At the same time, there are few studies on the specific compounds related to its pharmacodynamics. In order to better develop and utilize AP, we should establish a more reasonable, reliable, and accurate quality control standard and focus on the study of bioactive constituents and the demonstration of their mechanism of action

Simultaneous Determination of Thirteen Q-Markers in Raw and Processed <i>Tussilago farfara</i> L. by UPLC-QQQ-MS/MS Coupled with Chemometrics

The purpose of this study was to establish a rapid, reliable, and sensitive ultra-performance liquid chromatography with triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry coupled with chemometric method to measure and evaluate the differences between thirteen compounds in raw and processed Tussilago farfara L. from different sources. This assay method was validated, and the results indicated that the calibration curves for the thirteen compounds had good linearity (R2 &gt; 0.9990). The limits of detection and limits of quantification of the thirteen compounds ranged from 0.0012 to 0.0095 &#956;g/mL and from 0.0038 to 0.0316 &#956;g/mL, respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSD) of the intra- and inter-day precisions and stability ranged from 1.06 to 2.00%, 0.26 to 1.99%, and 0.75 to 1.97%, respectively. The sample recovery rates of the thirteen compounds with different concentrations were 94.47&#8315;104.06%. The chemometric results, including principal component analysis, hierarchical clustering analysis, three-dimensional analysis, and box plot analysis, indicated that there are significance differences in raw and processed Tussilago farfara L. The results of this study confirm that the proposed method is the first reported method that has been successfully applied for simultaneous determination and discovery of the difference between thirteen compounds of raw and processed Tussilago farfara L. Thus, this method could be a helpful tool for the detection and confirmation of the quality of traditional Chinese medicines and provide a basis for future pharmacological studies