Comparison of Selenium Nanoparticles and Sodium Selenite on the Alleviation of Early Atherosclerosis by Inhibiting Endothelial Dysfunction and Inflammation in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice

Atherosclerosis and related cardiovascular diseases represent the greatest threats to human health, worldwide. Previous animal studies showed that selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) and Na2SeO3 might have anti-atherosclerotic activity, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly elucidated. This study compared the anti-atherosclerotic activity of SeNPs stabilized with chitosan (CS-SeNPs) and Na2SeO3 and the related mechanism in a high-fat-diet-fed apolipoprotein E-deficient mouse model of atherosclerosis. The results showed that oral administration of both CS-SeNPs and Na2SeO3 (40 μg Se/kg/day) for 10 weeks significantly reduced atherosclerotic lesions in mouse aortae. Mechanistically, CS-SeNPs and Na2SeO3 not only alleviated vascular endothelial dysfunction, as evidenced by the increase of serum nitric oxide level and the decrease of aortic adhesion molecule expression, but also vascular inflammation, as evidenced by the decrease of macrophage recruitment as well as the expression of proinflammatory molecules. Importantly, these results were replicated within in-vivo experiments on the cultured human endothelial cell line EA.hy926. Overall, CS-SeNPs had a comparable effect with Na2SeO3 but might have more potential in atherosclerosis prevention due to its lower toxicity. Together, these results provide more insights into the mechanisms of selenium against atherosclerosis and further highlight the potential of selenium supplementation as a therapeutic strategy for atherosclerosis.

Whole Oats Supplementation in a Low Calorie Diet Efficiently Reduces Cardio-Metabolic Disorders in Obese Rats

The hypocaloric diets (HCD) are an approach for controlling weight but can lead to a risk of nutritional deficiency. Whole grain contain bioactive com-pounds with health benefits; their incorporation into HCD can improve their nutritional value due to their richness in soluble fibers and their low glycae-mic index. The effects of incorporating oats in HCD were evaluated on growth parameters, lipid and glycaemic abnormalities, nitric oxide level and redox status in obese rats. Albinos rats were rendered obese after ingestion of a hyperlipidic (HL) diet and were then divided into three homogeneous groups: A first group was submitted for 28 days to a caloric restriction (CR) supplemented with oat (CR–Oat group). The second was fed a CR diet with-out supplementation (CR group) and the third obese group continued to con-sume the HL diet (Ob-HL). A fourth group (T) of normal weight rats is taken as a reference. Body weight, food and energy intake, glycaemia, glycosylated hemoglobin, insulinemia and blood lipids were decreased in obese rats treat-ed with HCD with or without oat compared with Ob-HL. However, glycaemia, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and serum lipids were more reduced in CR–oat group and its value became similar to that of normoponderal rats. Fur-thermore, oxidative biomarkers in red blood cells, liver and adipose tissue were lowered in groups treated with HC diets, especially in oat diet. Further-more, we noted improved enzymatic antioxidant defense and endothelial dysfunction. Oats, by their functional properties seems to effectively rein-force the anti-obesity effect of the hypocaloric diet.

Machine Learning Based Image Feature Recognition and Clinical Nursing of Children’s Rheumatoid Arthritis-Related Lung Injury

This work was aimed at investigating image feature recognition and clinical nursing of children’s rheumatoid arthritis- (CRA-) related lung injury under maximum correlation minimum redundancy algorithm of machine learning. In this study, 18 children with CRA in the hospital were selected as the rheumatoid group to explore the nursing method, and 18 healthy children were selected as the control group. The maximum correlation minimum redundancy algorithm of machine learning was compared with the information gain algorithm and the Fisher score algorithm and applied in computed tomography (CT) images of 18 CRA children. The classification accuracy of the algorithm in this study (94.52%) was higher than that of the information gain algorithm (88.64%) and Fisher score algorithm (81.24%). CT alveolitis score (2.35 ± 0.72 points) of children from the rheumatoid group was markedly higher than that of the control group (1.21 ± 0.24 points) (t = 2.147 and P < 0.05 ). The nitric oxide level (14.00 ppb) of children from the rheumatoid group increased greatly compared with the control group (10.00 ppb) ( P < 0.05 ). CRA can cause a decline of lung function in children, while the nitric oxide level exhaled by children can assess the activity of RA. In addition, adopting active nursing methods can help children get better.

Cardioprotective role of myocardial endothelial nitric oxide synthase and serum nitric oxide induced by hexarelin in rats with myocardial infarction-induced heart failure

Background: Growth hormone-releasing peptides (GHRP) have been reported to possess cardioprotective properties; nonetheless, their mechanisms of action are still not very clear. Objectives: Some studies have suggested that modulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and the upregulation of nitric oxide (NO) are cardioprotective. Therefore, the present study strived to test the hypothesis that a potent GHRP analog (hexarelin) could increase serum nitric oxide level and regulate myocardial eNOS to alleviate the development of heart failure. Methods: Myocardial infarction-induced heart failure in rats was established by permanent coronary artery ligation. The sham group, control group, and heart failure group all received normal saline (100 µg/kg; SC BID; 30days), while the rats in the hexarelin treatment group were treated with hexarelin (100 µg/kg, SC BID, 30 days). The rats were tested for myocardial apoptosis, oxidative stress, left ventricular function, various molecular analyses, as well as pathological and structural myocardial changes. Results: Hexarelin treatment improved contractile function and attenuated myocardial histopathological damages, oxidative stress, fibrosis, as well as apoptosis. All these were accompanied by the upregulation of myocardial eNOS and an increase in serum NO concentration. Conclusion: As evidenced by the obtained results, the anti-cardiac failure capacity of hexarelinin in a rat model is mediated by an increase in serum nitric oxide level and the up-modulation of myocardial eNOS; therefore, they can be considered therapeutic targets against heart failure.

Predicting Severity and Intrahospital Mortality in COVID-19: The Place and Role of Oxidative Stress

SARS-CoV-2 virus causes infection which led to a global pandemic in 2020 with the development of severe acute respiratory syndrome. Therefore, this study was aimed at examining its possible role in predicting severity and intrahospital mortality of COVID-19, alongside with other laboratory and biochemical procedures, clinical signs, symptoms, and comorbidity. This study, approved by the Ethical Committee of Clinical Center Kragujevac, was designed as an observational prospective cross-sectional clinical study which was conducted on 127 patients with diagnosed respiratory COVID-19 viral infection from April to August 2020. The primary goals were to determine the predictors of COVID-19 severity and to determine the predictors of the negative outcome of COVID-19 infection. All patients were divided into three categories: patients with a mild form, moderate form, and severe form of COVID-19 infection. All biochemical and laboratory procedures were done on the first day of the hospital admission. Respiratory ( p < 0.001 ) and heart ( p = 0.002 ) rates at admission were significantly higher in patients with a severe form of COVID-19. From all observed hematological and inflammatory markers, only white blood cell count ( 9.43 ± 4.62 , p = 0.001 ) and LDH ( 643.13 ± 313.3 , p = 0.002 ) were significantly higher in the severe COVID-19 group. We have observed that in the severe form of SARS-CoV-2, the levels of superoxide anion radicals were substantially higher than those in two other groups ( 11.3 ± 5.66 , p < 0.001 ) and the nitric oxide level was significantly lower in patients with the severe disease ( 2.66 ± 0.45 , p < 0.001 ). Using a linear regression model, TA, anosmia, ageusia, O2−, and the duration at the ICU are estimated as predictors of severity of SARS-CoV-2 disease. The presence of dyspnea and a higher heart rate were confirmed as predictors of a negative, fatal outcome. Results from our study show that presence of hypertension, anosmia, and ageusia, as well as the duration of ICU stay, and serum levels of O2− are predictors of COVID-19 severity, while the presence of dyspnea and an increased heart rate on admission were predictors of COVID-19 mortality.