An overall and dose-response meta-analysis of red blood cell distribution width and CVD outcomes

Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is the coefficient of variation of red blood cell size, considered to be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study aimed to comprehensively synthesize previous studies on RDW and CVD outcomes through an overall and dose-response meta-analysis. PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were searched systematically for English and Chinese language publications up to November 30, 2015. We extracted data from publications matching our inclusion criteria for calculating pooled hazard ratio (HR), which was used to assess prognostic impact of RDW on CVD. Twenty-seven articles, consisting of 28 studies and 102,689 participants (mean age 63.9 years, 63,703 males/36,846 females, 2,140 gender-unmentioned subjects) were included in the present meta-analysis. The pooled HRs are 1.12 (95% CI = 1.09–1.15) for the association of all-cause mortality (ACM) per 1% increase of RDW, 1.12(95% CI = 1.08–1.17) for major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) per 1% increase of RDW. A dose-response curve relating RDW increase to its effect on CVD outcomes was established (pcurve \u3c 0.001). For every 1-unit increase of RDW, there is an increased risk of occurrence of ACM (pooled HR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.02–1.04) and MACEs (pooled HR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.01–1.06). This study indicates RDW may be a prognostic indicator for CVD outcomes

Distribution Characteristics and Restoration Application of Vegetation in Chengcun Bay Surrounding Areas of Yangjiang City

In recent years, global warming and sea level rise have further aggravated the risk of coastal erosion. Coastal vegetation plays an important role in resisting storm surges and alleviating coastal erosion. Therefore, screening plant species for the purpose of constructing ecological seawalls to protect or repair damaged coastal zones has become a hot issue. In this paper, a field survey was conducted to investigate the vegetation in Chengcun Bay surrounding areas of Yangjiang City by combining a line survey and sample plot survey. By understanding the vegetation types, distribution and community structure in the bay’s surrounding areas and analyzing the restricting environmental factors of those plants, we put forward some countermeasures for coastal vegetation restoration in difficult site conditions from the aspects of plant species selection, vegetation configuration and restoration technology, so as to provide reference for ecological vegetation restoration in similar locations

Physiological and Photosynthetic Characteristics with Ecological Restoration Application of Nerium indicum Under Salt Stress

Marine salinity affects mainly the roots, stems and leaves of coastal plants through groundwater intrusion, splashing and salt spray. Two-year-old Nerium indicum L. seedlings with good growth were used to carry out the salt tolerance experiments in their roots and leaves by setting multiple concentration gradients of control 0%, 0.3%, 0.6%, 1.0%, 2.0% and 3.0%. Normal watering for 4 weeks was followed by 13 weeks of salt stress treatment. The net photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr), stomatal conductance (Gs) and water use efficiency (WUE) were measured at the end of salt stress and after normal irrigation. At the same time, physical and chemical indices, such as the cell membrane permeability and water saturation deficit (WSD) of leaves, were measured. The results showed that both soil salt stress and foliar salt stress affected the morphology and growth of Nerium indicum. When the soil salt stress was ≥1.0%, the growth status of Nerium indicum decreased irreversibly to less than 2, while under foliar salt stress ≤3.0%, the growth status of Nerium indicum was generally greater than 2. Soil salt stress significantly reduced the Pn, Tr and Gs of Nerium indicum leaves. Foliar salt stress had significant effects on Pn and WUE but no significant effects on Tr and Gs. There was a significant correlation between Tr and Gs; under high-concentration soil salt stress, stomatal factors had a more significant effect on the photosynthesis of Nerium indicum. Under foliar salt stress, the cell membrane permeability and WSD of Nerium indicum did not change significantly. Under high-concentration soil salt stress, the cell membrane permeability and WSD of Nerium indicum changed irreversibly, corresponding well with the results of growth status and photosynthetic responses, indicating that the damage to the membrane system in turn affected the growth and photosynthesis of Nerium indicum. In general, Nerium indicum can tolerate less than 3.0% foliar salt stress and less than 1.0% soil salt stress. Studying the salt tolerance characteristics of roots and leaves can provide theoretical guidance for the application of Nerium indicum in coastal ecology and vegetation restoration

Enhancement of the therapeutic efficacy of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes in osteoarthritis

Abstract Osteoarthritis (OA), a common joint disorder with articular cartilage degradation as the main pathological change, is the major source of pain and disability worldwide. Despite current treatments, the overall treatment outcome is unsatisfactory. Thus, patients with severe OA often require joint replacement surgery. In recent years, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as a promising therapeutic option for preclinical and clinical palliation of OA. MSC-derived exosomes (MSC-Exos) carrying bioactive molecules of the parental cells, including non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and proteins, have demonstrated a significant impact on the modulation of various physiological behaviors of cells in the joint cavity, making them promising candidates for cell-free therapy for OA. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the biosynthesis and composition of MSC-Exos and their mechanisms of action in OA. We also discussed the potential of MSC-Exos as a therapeutic tool for modulating intercellular communication in OA. Additionally, we explored bioengineering approaches to enhance MSC-Exos’ therapeutic potential, which may help to overcome challenges and achieve clinically meaningful OA therapies

The Effect of Domestic Sewage Treatment on Islands Using Ecological Treatment Processes: A Case Study of Haimen Island, Fujian Province

Islands are characterized by a lack of land and freshwater resources, public finances, and technical personnel. As a result, domestic sewage may not be effectively treated, which can lead to major pollution on islands and in the surrounding sea areas. In this study, a pilot treatment of domestic sewage was conducted using an ecological treatment process (i.e., a constructed wetland and ecological pond) in an abandoned pond located on Haimen Island, Fujian Province, China. The pollutant indicators were monitored to analyze this treatment method at different treatment stages. The results showed that the combination of multiple ecological treatment processes had favorable treatment effects on various pollutants in the sewage. The treatment rates of the chemical oxygen demand (CODCr) and suspended solids (SS) surpassed 88%. The treatment rate of the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and fecal coliform surpassed 93%, and all the indicators met or were close to the level I B emission standards for urban sewage treatment plants. Different treatment stages have different treatment effects on different pollutants. The constructed wetland played an important role in sewage treatment through plant absorption, substrate adsorption, sedimentation, and microbial decomposition, particularly for the TP, CODCr, and BOD5. In contrast, algal photosynthesis in the ecological pond produced a large amount of dissolved oxygen, and the treatment effect was highest for the TN and NH3-N. The treatment effects on the fecal coliform in the constructed wetland and ecological pond were very significant. Ecological treatment processes based on the combination of a constructed wetland and ecological pond have favorable treatment effects, low construction and maintenance costs, and pollution-free conditions, which are suitable for application in island areas

A Highly Sensitive Dual-Drive Microfluidic Device for Multiplexed Detection of Respiratory Virus Antigens

Conventional microfluidic systems that rely on capillary force have a fixed structure and limited sensitivity, which cannot meet the demands of clinical applications. Herein, we propose a dual-drive microfluidic device for sensitive and flexible detection of multiple pathogenic microorganisms antigens/antibodies. The device comprises a portable microfluidic analyzer and a dual-drive microfluidic chip. Along with capillary force, a second active driving force is provided by a removable self-driving valve in the waste chamber. The interval between these two driving forces can be adjusted to control the reaction time in the microchannel, optimizing the formation of antigen-antibody complexes and enhancing sensitivity. Moreover, the material used in the self-driving valve can be changed to adjust the active force strength needed for different tests. The device offers quantitative analysis for respiratory syncytial virus antigen and SARS-CoV-2 antigen using a 35 μL sample, delivering results within 5 min. The detection limits of the system were 1.121 ng/mL and 0.447 ng/mL for respiratory syncytial virus recombinant fusion protein and SARS-CoV-2 recombinant nucleoprotein, respectively. Although the dual-drive microfluidic device has been used for immunoassay for respiratory syncytial virus and SARS-CoV-2 in this study, it can be easily adapted to other immunoassay applications by changing the critical reagents

Distribution Characteristics and Main Control Measures of Spartina alterniflora in Mainland China

The rapid invasion and spread of Spartina alterniflora will cause great damage to the ecological environment of the invasive areas. Spartina alterniflora is widely distributed in coastal areas from north to south of China, which seriously reduces the biodiversity and ecological barrier function of the coastal zone. The main control methods of Spartina alterniflora invasion in China include physical, chemical and biological control. At present, the single control methods, such as mowing, crushing and burying, and cofferdam flooding, can effectively control the invasion of Spartina alterniflora in small areas, but the control effect of large areas or patches is not good. Based on the analysis and comparison of the existing control methods, combined with the practical experience of scientific research, this paper put forward a comprehensive control method of Spartina alterniflora suitable for different areas of China, which combined the physical control method, chemical control method and biological control method

A gradient oxy-thiophosphate-coated Ni-rich layered oxide cathode for stable all-solid-state Li-ion batteries

Layered oxide cathode active materials suffer from interfacial structural instability when coupled with sulfide solid-state electrolytes. Here, the authors propose a gradient coating with a lithium oxythiophosphate layer that can stabilize the cathode|solid-state electrolyte interface