Relationship between gut microbiota and lung function decline in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a 1-year follow-up study

Objective Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease characterized by a persistent limitation in airflow. Gut microbiota is closely correlated with lung inflammation. However, gut microbiota has not been studied in patients with declining lung function, due to chronic lung disease progression. Subjects and methods Stool samples were obtained from 55 patients with COPD that were in stable condition at enrolment (stage 1) and at a 1-year follow-up (stage 2). After extracting stool DNA, we performed next generation sequencing to analyse the distribution of gut microbiota. Results Patients were divided to control and declining lung function groups, based on whether the rate of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) had declined over time. An alpha diversity analysis of initial and follow-up stool samples showed a significant difference in the community richness of microbiota in the declining function group, but not in the control group. At the phylum level, Bacteroidetes was more abundant in the control group and Firmicutes was more abundant in the declining function group. The Alloprevotella genus was more abundant in the control group than in the declining function group. At 1-year follow-up, the mean proportions of Acinetobacter and Stenotrophomonas significantly increased in the control and declining function groups, respectively. Conclusion Some community shifts in gut microbiota were associated with lung function decline in COPD patients under regular treatment. Future studies should investigate the mechanism underlying alterations in lung function, due to changes in gut bacterial communities, in COPD.

O2 Physisorption in Coal Pore: Effects of Pore Size, Pressure, Temperature and Function Group

In this paper, the physical adsorption characteristics of oxygen in coal pores were systematically investigated by the Grand Canonical Monte Carlo and the COMPASS force field. Firstly, coal pore structures of different sizes were constructed by graphite slit models and different groups. Secondly, the physisorption behavior of oxygen in graphite slit models of different sizes was simulated. Finally, the physisorption behavior of oxygen in graphite slit models at different pressures and temperatures was analyzed. The results showed that the physisorption density and excess physical adsorption of oxygen were divided into the rapidly decreasing stage (0.4-0.7 nm), the slowly decreasing stage (0.7-1.4 nm), and the stable stage (1.4 nm-5 nm) with the increase of coal pores, and the excess oxygen physisorption amount was more sensitive to the change of pressure. The O2 isosteric heat of physisorption decreased with increasing pore size of coal. Oxygen is more strongly adsorbed by hydroxyl and ether bonds than by methyl, carboxyl and carbonyl groups. Through this study, the mechanism of oxygen physical adsorption in coal pores and the characteristics influenced by temperature and pressure can be better understood.

The Immediate Impact of Physical Function and Quality of Life After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Purpose: Although hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a curative treatment for hematologic malignancies, HSCT survivors often experience declined physical function and quality of life (QoL). However, the physical function and QoL changes in acute posttransplant patients remain unclear. This study aimed to monitor changes in physical function and QoL after HSCT. Method: This retrospective controlled cohort study included 107 HSCT patients. Physical function was evaluated weekly from admission to discharge using the de Morton Mobility Index (DEMMI). Impaired physical function was defined as a baseline raw ordinal DEMMI score of < 17 and a decrease of ≥ 2 points. We collected the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), and Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) at enrollment and discharge.Results: Based on the DEMMI scores, 41 patients (38.3%) showed impaired physical function. A notable decrease in the DEMMI score was found in the first week after HSCT. In the EORTC QLQ-C30, physical function differed between the groups at admission and discharge. The good physical function group showed better cognitive function and social function. For the SDS, the impaired physical function group showed significantly higher depression at discharge. Conclusion: A third of the patients showed physical impairment during the acute transplant period. Patients with low physical function suffered more from depression and lower QoL. Evaluating patients’ pretransplant physical function and early detection is needed as impaired physical function mainly occurs at 1 week post-transplant.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Circular RNAs in Different Types of Samples for Detecting Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Meta-Analysis

The lack of accurate biomarkers impeded the screening, diagnosis and early treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). As a result of the development of high-throughput transcriptome analysis techniques, circular RNAs, a newly discovered class of noncoding RNAs, were recognized as potential novel biomarkers. This meta-analysis was performed to update the diagnostic roles of circular RNAs for HCC. We acquired 23 articles from PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases up to September 2021. The overall sensitivity was 0.80 (95% CI: 0.77–0.84), and the specificity was 0.83 (95% CI: 0.79–0.85), with an AUC of 0.88 (0.85–0.91). Considering of the significant heterogeneity, studies were divided into four groups based on the control types. The circular RNAs in exosomes had a sensitivity of 0.69 (95% CI: 0.61–0.75), and a highest specificity of 0.91 (95% CI: 0.83–0.96). The pooled sensitivity of circular RNAs in serum/plasma was 0.84 (95% CI: 0.81–0.87), and the pooled specificity was 0.83 (95% CI: 0.79–0.86). The pooled sensitivity of circular RNAs distinguishing tumor tissue from chronic hepatitis/cirrhosis tissues was 0.56 (95% CI: 0.48–0.64), and specificity was 0.76 (95% CI: 0.67–0.82). When the controls were adjacent tissues, the sensitivity was 0.78 (95% CI: 0.70–0.84), and the specificity was 0.78 (95% CI: 0.71–0.85). Hsa_circ_0001445 with a pooled sensitivity of 0.81, a specificity of 0.76 and an AUC of 0.85 in two studies, might be a suitable diagnostic blood biomarker for HCC. Relying on function in HCC, the AUC of subgroups were 0.88 (95%CI: 0.84–0.90) (function group) and 0.87 (95%CI: 0.84–0.90) (unknown function group). As for only reported in HCC or not, these circular RNAs had an AUC of 0.89 (95%CI: 0.86–0.91) (only in HCC) and 0.85 (95%CI: 0.82–0.88) (not only in HCC). In conclusion, the results suggested that circular RNAs were acceptable biomarkers for detecting HCC, especially those circular RNAs existing in exosomes or serum/plasma.

The Prognostic Value of Serum Uric Acid in Hospitalized Patients with Acute Cerebral Infarction

Background. Previous studies reported that the level of serum uric acid (SUA) was an important risk factor for acute cerebral infarction (ACI). However, the prognostic value of SUA levels in hospitalized patients with ACI has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the SUA level on admission was associated with subsequent mortality in hospitalized patients with ACI. Methods. The clinical data of ACI patients obtained from December 2017 to December 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. χ 2 and Kaplan–Meier methods were used to compare the clinical differences and overall survival between patients with or without hyperuricemia, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify independent prognoses. Results. In the total population, the in-hospital mortality of the hyperuricemia group was significantly higher than that of the normal uric acid group ( P = 0.006 ). In the abnormal renal function group, the in-hospital mortality among the hyperuricemia group was significantly higher than the normal uric acid group ( P = 0.002 ). However, there was no statistical difference of in-hospital mortality between the two groups in the normal renal function group ( P = 0.321 ). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that a previous history of diabetes ( P = 0.018 ), hyperuricemia ( P = 0.001 ), and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score on admission ( P ≤ 0.001 ) were independent factors for all samples. The hyperuricemia ( P = 0.003 ) on admission were independent factors for patients with abnormal renal function. Conclusions. In ACI patients with abnormal renal function, hyperuricemia may be associated with higher in-hospital mortality than patients with normal uric acid, and hyperuricemia may be an independent associated factor for in-hospital death in the subgroup patients.

Comparative Analysis of the Kinetic Behavior of Systemic Inflammatory Markers in Patients with Depressed versus Preserved Left Ventricular Function Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

Background: Prior studies have proven the safety and efficacy of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in patients with reduced left ventricular (LV) function. This study’s aim was to investigate periprocedural inflammatory responses after TAVI. Methods: Patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis and reduced LV function who underwent transfemoral TAVI were enrolled. A paired-matched analysis (1:2 ratio) was performed using patients with preserved LV function. Whole white blood cells (WBC) and subpopulation dynamics as well as the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were evaluated at different times. Results: A total of 156 patients were enrolled, including 52 patients with LVEF < 40% 35.00 [30.00, 39.25] and 104 with LVEF > 50% 55.00 [53.75, 60.0], p < 0.001. Baseline NLR in the reduced LV function group was significantly higher compared to the preserved LV function group, 2.85 [2.07, 4.78] vs. 3.90 [2.67, 5.26], p < 0.04. After a six-month follow-up, the inflammatory profile was found to be similar in the two groups, NLR 2.94 [2.01, 388] vs. 3.30 [2.06, 5.35], p = 0.288. No significant mortality differences between the two groups were observed in the long-term outcome. Conclusions: TAVI for severe symptomatic aortic stenosis, with reduced LV function, was associated with an improvement in the inflammatory profile that may account for some of the observable benefits of the procedure in this subset of patients.

Investigation of organic impurity and its occurrence in industrial waste salt produced by physicochemical process

Industrial waste salt is classified as hazardous waste to the environment. The organic impurity and its occurrence in industrial waste salt affect the salt resource utilization. In this paper, composition quantitative analysis, XRD, TG-DSC, SEM/FIB-SEM coupled with EDS, FTIR, XPS and GC-Ms were chosen to investigate the organic impurity and its occurrence in industrial waste salt. The organic impurities owe small proportion (1.77%) in the specimen and exhibit weak thermal stability within the temperature of 600°C. A clear definition of organic impurity, including 11 kinds of organic compounds, including aldehyde, benzene and its derivatives etc., were detected in the industrial waste salt. These organic impurities, owing (C-O/C-O-C, C-OH/C = O, C–C/CHx/C = C etc.)-containing function group substance, are mainly distributed both on the surface and inside of the salt particles. Meanwhile, the organic substance may combine with metal cations (Ni2+, Mg2+, Cu2+ etc.) through functional groups, such as hydroxide, carbonyl etc., which increases its stability in the industrial waste salt. These findings provide comprehensive information for the resource utilization of industrial waste salt from chemical industry etc.

Association Between the Alterations in the Blood Routine Check Parameters and Cognitive Impairment in the Shenzhen Ageing-related Disorder Cohort in China

Background: Previous studies have suggested a correlation between alterations in the routine blood check markers and cognitive impairment. Objective: We aimed to explore the relationship between routine blood parameters and cognitive impairment. Methods: In this retrospective case-control study, 8,025 people over 60 years of age were enrolled from 51 community health centers in Luohu District of Shenzhen City from 2017 to 2018. According to the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) score and educational level, participants were divided into a cognitive impairment group (n=385) and normal cognitive function group (n=7,640). Nonparametric test, chi-square test, and binary logistic regression were applied to analyze the data. Results: Compared to the normal cognitive function group, the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), packed-cell volume (PCV), and platelet count (PLT) in the cognitive impairment group were significantly lower (7.26 [5.50,8.81] vs. 7.45 [5.80,9.35]; 40.1 [36.65,42.95] vs. 40.5 [37.7,43.1]; 216 [190,258] vs. 228 [196,261], p<0.05, respectively), while the monocyte count and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were higher (0.31 [0.25, 0.38] vs. 0.3 [0.24, 0.37]; 336 [330, 343] vs. 335 [328, 342], p<0.05, respectively). Additionally, MCHC [odds ratio (OR):1.011, 95% confidence interval (CI) :1.001–1.021, p = 0.033] and PCV [OR: 0.993, 95% CI: 0.987–0.999, p = 0.033) were independently associated with cognitive impairment. Conclusion: The alterations in some routine blood check parameters, including reduced LMR, PCV, and PLT, and elevated monocyte count and MCHC, may be associated with cognitive impairment.

Analyses of Swallowing Function and Its Related Factors in Community-Dwelling Elderly Patients: A Case-Control Study

This retrospective case-control study evaluated the prevalence of declined swallowing function and the association with oral functions and gender in community-dwelling elderly patients. Their profiles, the results of swallowing function (Eating Assessment Tool: EAT-10) and other oral functions (oral dryness, maximum occlusal force (MOF), tongue–lip motor function (oral diadochokinesis: ODK), maximum tongue pressure (MTP) and masticatory performance (MP)) were extracted for analyses. The patients were categorized into three groups according to EAT-10 score (Group 1: 0, Group 2: 1 and 2, Group 3: ≥3). In total, 242 patients were enrolled and 46 of them (19.0%) were categorized into declined swallowing function (Group 3). In two-group comparisons (Group 1, 2 versus Group 3), significant differences were identified in age and the number of remaining teeth, but they were not identified in three-group comparisons. The patients with declined swallowing function (Group 3) had significantly lower function in ODK and MTP. Multiple logistic regression analyses identified that declined swallowing function was independently associated with declined functions in ODK /ka/ (OR: 5.31, 95% CI: 1.03–27.23, p = 0.04) and in MTP (OR: 2.74, 95% CI: 1.12–6.66, p = 0.03). This study could confirm the critical role of tongue functions in swallowing in community-dwelling elderly patients.

Association between Occupational Dysfunction and Social Isolation in Japanese Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

We clarified the relationship between occupational dysfunction and social isolation among community-dwelling adults. We used a self-administered questionnaire with a cross-sectional study for 2879 independently living older adults in Kasama City, Japan. Participants responded to a self-reported questionnaire in November 2019. Occupational dysfunction and social isolation were assessed. The participants were classified into two groups: healthy occupational function group, and occupational dysfunction group. To examine the relationship between occupational dysfunction and social isolation, we performed a logistic regression analysis with social isolation as a dependent variable and occupational dysfunction as an independent variable. In the crude model, the occupational dysfunction group had a higher risk of social isolation than the healthy occupational function group (odds ratio (OR) = 2.04; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.63–2.55; p < 0.001). In the adjusted model, the occupational dysfunction group had a higher risk of social isolation than the healthy occupational function group (OR = 1.51; 95% CI, 1.17–1.94; p = 0.001). The results showed that occupational dysfunction was significantly associated with social isolation. These results can be used in constructing a support method for social isolation from a new perspective.