MO Group Research Articles

Does physical fitness affect cognitive functions differently across adulthood? An advantage of being older.

There is a large interindividual variability in cognitive functioning with increasing age due to biological and lifestyle factors. One of the most important lifestyle factors is the level of physical fitness (PF). The link between PF and brain activity is widely accepted but the specificity of cognitive functions affected by physical fitness across the adult lifespan is less understood. The present study aims to clarify whether PF is basically related to cognition and general intelligence in healthy adults, and whether higher levels of PF are associated with better performance in the same or different cognitive functions at different ages. A sample of 490 participants (20-70 years) was analyzed to examine this relationship. Later, the sample was split half into the young to middle-aged group (YM; 20-45 years; n = 254), and the middleaged to older group (MO; 46-70 years; n = 236). PF was measured by a quotient of maximum power in a bicycle ergometry test PWC-130 divided by body weight (W/kg), which was supported by a self-reported level of PF. Cognitive performance was evaluated by standardized neuropsychological test batteries. Regression models showed a relationship between PF and general intelligence (g-factor) and its subcomponents extracted using structural equation modeling (SEM) in the entire sample. This association was moderated by age, which also moderated some specific cognitive domains such as attention, logical reasoning, and interference processing. After splitting the sample into two age groups, a significant relationship was found between cognitive status, as assessed by the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), and PF in both age groups. However, apart from cognitive failures in daily life (CFQ), no other association between PF and specific cognitive functions was found in the YM group. In contrast, several positive associations were observed in the MO group, such as with selective attention, verbal memory, working memory, logical reasoning, and interference processing. These findings show that middle-aged to older adults benefit more from PF than younger to middle-aged adults. The results are discussed in terms of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the cognitive effects of PF across the lifespan. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05155397, identifier NCT05155397.

Bariatric surgery prior to elective shoulder arthroplasty: a Nationwide Inpatient Sample analysis

BackgroundObesity has been linked to adverse outcomes after various orthopedic procedures, and bariatric surgery is an effective surgical treatment for morbid obesity. This study assesses whether prior bariatric surgery is associated with differences in hospital length of stay (LOS), discharge destination, and inpatient complication rate for elective shoulder arthroplasty. MethodsThe Nationwide Inpatient Sample database was queried from years 2003 to 2014 for all elective anatomic and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty cases. Two groups were defined: morbidly obese without prior bariatric surgery (MO cohort) and prior bariatric surgery without morbid obesity (BS cohort). Outcome measures were LOS (extended if greater than the 75th percentile), discharge destination (home or non-home), and any inpatient complication. Patients under age of 18 years and those with missing information were excluded. National estimates were calculated using weights provided by the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database. Chi-squared tests were performed for demographics and comorbidities. Binomial multivariate logistic regression was performed using significant demographics and comorbidities. ResultsA weighted-total of 19,877 patients were included in the study, of which 2783 were in the BS cohort and 17,094 were in the MO cohort. The BS group was younger (62.9 years vs. 66.0 years), had more females (73% vs. 69%), and was more likely to be anemic (15% vs. 10%). The MO group was more likely to have diabetes (40% vs. 22%), hypertension (83% vs. 65%), and peripheral vascular disease (3% vs. 1%). Multivariate analysis showed that the BS cohort had decreased odds of extended LOS (odds ratio [OR], 0.68), non-home discharge destination (OR, 0.67), and developing any inpatient complication (OR, 0.42). ConclusionIn the setting of anatomic and reverse total shoulder arthroplasties, patients with prior bariatric surgery and without morbid obesity had more favorable hospital LOS, discharge destination, and inpatient complication rate than morbidly obese patients with no prior bariatric surgery. Further studies are warranted to better elucidate the relationship between bariatric surgery and shoulder arthroplasty.

Prostate-specific membrane antigen ligand positron emission tomography (PSMA-PET) disease extent and overall survival (OS) in patients (pts) with high-risk nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC): An international multicenter retrospective study.

5010 Background: PSMA-PET was positive for distant metastases (39% distant nodes, 24% bone, 6% visceral organ) in >50% of nmCRPC pts who were nonmetastatic by conventional imaging (Fendler et al. CCR 2019). However, the prognostic impact of PSMA-PET disease extent and its association with oncologic outcomes is unknown. We assessed the prognostic utility of PSMA-PET disease extent in nmCRPC pts defined by conventional imaging for OS and new metastases-free survival (nMFS). Methods: 200 pts (6 centers) with nmCRPC by conventional imaging and prostate-specific antigen doubling time (PSADT) ≤10 mo and/or ISUP grade group ≥4 underwent PSMA-PET. Clinical course and treatment management after PSMA-PET imaging were recorded for 4-9 y. Pt characteristics and PSMA-PET disease extent were analyzed retrospectively. OS and PSMA-PET nMFS (time from primary PSMA-PET to appearance of new distant metastases by PSMA-PET or death) were analyzed for pt subgroups based on disease extent by univariate Cox regression. Results: Median OS was 74 mo, similar to the SPARTAN study of nmCRPC pts (74 mo; Smith et al. Eur Urol 2021). Polymetastatic disease (≥5 distant lesions by PSMA-PET) was associated with shorter OS (median 61 mo vs not reached [NR]) and shorter PSMA-PET nMFS (HR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1-2.9; median 38 vs 60 mo; p=0.021). Any metastatic disease by PSMA-PET and whole-body PSMA tumor volume were not prognostic for OS and PSMA-PET nMFS (all p>0.05). Initial pN1 status was associated with shorter OS (median 55 mo vs NR), but not with PSMA-PET nMFS (p>0.05). Baseline age, baseline Gleason grade ≥8, prior radiotherapy (RT), and PSA and PSADT at time of primary PSMA-PET were not associated with outcomes (all p>0.05). Management after PSMA-PET imaging was mostly local/targeted therapy in pts with no visible/locoregional disease (40/30%) and androgen receptor signaling inhibition therapy in pts with nodal/bone distant metastases (35/43%). Conclusions: Polymetastases (>5) by PSMA-PET and initial pN1 status were significantly associated with worse OS. PSMA-PET disease extent provides a potential novel additional risk stratification for pts with nmCRPC without distant metastasis based on conventional imaging. Further validation is needed to prove its independent prognostic value. Clinical trial information: NCT01946204 . [Table: see text]

Microvascular involvement in migraine: an optical coherence tomography angiography study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the microvasculature of the macula and the optic nerve in patients affected by migraine with aura (MA) and without aura (MO) by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), comparing the findings with healthy controls (HC). We collected data from ocular and orthotic examinations, including eye motility, intraocular pressure measurement, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measurement, objective refraction measurement, fundus examination, macular and optic disk OCTA examination. All subjects were imaged with solix fullrange OCT. The following OCTA parameters were recorded: macular vessel density (VD), inside disc VD, peripapillary VD, disc whole image VD, fovea choriocapillaris VD, fovea VD, parafovea VD, peripapillary thickness, fovea thickness, parafovea thickness, macular full retinal thickness, and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) parameters. Clinical and demographical data about migraine patients were collected by a neurologist. We included 56 eyes from 28 patients with a diagnosis of MO, 32 eyes from 16 patients with a diagnosis of MA, and 32 eyes from 16 HC subjects. The FAZ area was 0.230 ± 0.099 mm2 in the MO group, 0.248 ± 0.091 mm2 in the MA group and 0.184 ± 0.061 mm2 in the control group. The FAZ area was significantly larger in the MA group than in the HC group (p = 0.007). The foveal choriocapillaris VD was significantly lower in MA patients (63.6 ± 2.49%) when compared with MO patients (65.27 ± 3.29%) (p = 0.02). An impairment of retinal microcirculation can be detected in patients with MA, as demonstrated by the enlargement of FAZ. Moreover, the study of choroid circulation may reveal microvascular damage in patients with migraine with aura. OCTA is a useful non-invasive screening tool for the detection of microcirculatory disturbance in patients with migraine.

Crosstalk between Mfn2-mediated mitochondria associated membranes disorder and autophagy induced by molybdenum and cadmium in sheep heart.

To investigate the crosstalk of mitochondria associated membranes (MAMs) disorder and autophagy co-induced by molybdenum (Mo) and cadmium (Cd) in sheep hearts. A total of 48 sheep were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group, Mo group, Cd group and Mo+Cd group. The intragastric administration lasted for 50 days. The results showed that Mo or/and Cd exposure could cause morphological damage, imbalance of trace elements and antioxidant function, Ca2+ concentration decreased markedly, and significantly increase the contents of Mo or/and Cd in myocardium. Additionally, the mRNA and protein levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) related factors and mitochondrial biogenesis related factors were altered by Mo or/and Cd, as well as the content of ATP, inducing ERS and mitochondrial dysfunction. Meanwhile, Mo or/and Cd could lead to the alteration of expression level of MAMs-related genes and proteins, and the distance between mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER), resulting in MAMs disorder. Moreover, Mo or/and Cd exposure upregulated the mRNA and protein levels of autophagy related factors. In conclusion, our results revealed that Mo or/and Cd exposure caused ERS, mitochondrial dysfunction and structural MAMs disruption, ultimately leading to autophagy in sheep hearts, and the effects of Mo and Cd co-exposure were more obvious.

The impact of food restriction on liver enzyme levels: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The relationship between food restriction (FR) and liver enzyme levels, such as alanine transferase (ALT), aspartate transferase (AST), and γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), has not yet been confirmed. A meta-analysis of research articles was conducted to investigate the association of FR and liver enzyme levels. The PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were screened for articles published up to April 30, 2022. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement methodology was used to search for research articles. Publication bias was detected using Begg's test. Finally, 17 trials involving 1982 participants and that reported mean value, mean difference, and standard deviation were identified. Data were described as the weighted mean difference of body mass index, body weight, and standardized mean difference (SMD) of ALT, AST, and GGT. A reduction in ALT level was observed after a FR intervention (total SMD, -0.36, 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.68 to -0.05). GGT levels also were decreased in 4 studies (total SMD, -0.23; 95%CI, -0.33 to -0.14). According to subgroup analysis, serum AST levels decreased in the medium-term (between 5 wk and 6 mo) group (subtotal SMD, -0.48; 95%CI, -0.69 to -0.28). Existing evidence suggests that dietary restriction improves adult liver enzyme levels. The long-term maintenance of healthy liver enzyme levels, particularly in real-world applications, necessitates additional consideration.

Metal-Metal Bond Umpolung in Heterometallic Extended Metal Atom Chains.

Understanding the fundamental properties governing metal-metal interactions is crucial to understanding the electronic structure and thereby applications of multimetallic systems in catalysis, material science, and magnetism. One such property that is relatively underexplored within multimetallic systems is metal-metal bond polarity, parameterized by the electronegativities (χ) of the metal atoms involved in the bond. In heterobimetallic systems, metal-metal bond polarity is a function of the donor-acceptor (Δχ) interactions of the two bonded metal atoms, with electropositive early transition metals acting as electron acceptors and electronegative late transition metals acting as electron donors. We show in this work, through the preparation and systematic study of a series of Mo2M(dpa)4(OTf)2 (M = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni; dpa = 2,2'-dipyridylamide; OTf = trifluoromethanesulfonate) heterometallic extended metal atom chain (HEMAC) complexes that this expected trend in χ can be reversed. Physical characterization via single-crystal X-ray diffraction, magnetometry, and spectroscopic methods as well as electronic structure calculations supports the presence of a σ symmetry 3c/3e- bond that is delocalized across the entire metal-atom chain and forms the basis of the heterometallic Mo2-M interaction. The delocalized 3c/3e- interaction is discussed within the context of the analogous 3c/3e- π bonding in the vinoxy radical, CH2CHO. The vinoxy comparison establishes three predictions for the σ symmetry 3c/3e- bond in HEMACS: (1) an umpolung effect that causes the Mo-M interactions to become more covalent as Δχ increases, (2) distortion of the σ bonding and non-bonding orbitals to emphasize Mo-M bonding and de-emphasize Mo-Mo bonding, and (3) an increase in Mo spin population with increasing Mo-M covalency. In agreement with these predictions, we find that the Mo2···M covalency increases with increasing Δχ of the Mo and M atoms (ΔχMo-M increases as M = Cr < Mn < Fe < Co < Ni), an umpolung of the trend predicted in the absence of σ delocalization. We attribute the observed trend in covalency to the decreased energic differential (ΔE) between the heterometal orbital and the σ bonding molecular orbital of the Mo2 quadruple bond, which serves as an energetically stable, "ligand"-like electron-pair donor to the heterometal ion acceptor. As M is changed from Cr to Ni, the σ bonding and nonbonding orbitals do indeed distort as anticipated, and the spin population of the outer Mo group is increased by at least a factor of 2. These findings provide a predictive framework for multimetallic compounds and advance the current understanding of the electronic structures of molecular heteromultimetallic systems, which can be extrapolated to applications in the context of mixed-metal surface catalysis and multimetallic proteins.

Computer-Aided Color Parameter Imaging of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Evaluates Hepatocellular Carcinoma Hemodynamic Features and Predicts Radiofrequency Ablation Outcome

Computer-aided color parameter imaging (CPI) is a novel technique for contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) that can highlight hemodynamic features of focal lesions. The purpose of the study was to investigate the role of CPI in evaluation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) hemodynamic features and prognosis after radiofrequency ablation (RFA). One hundred twenty-one patients with HCC underwent CEUS with CPI analysis before RFA. Eighty-nine patients had pathologically proven well- to moderately differentiated HCC (WM-HCC), and 32 patients had poorly differentiated or undifferentiated HCC (PU-HCC). Perfusion features of CEUS and contrast-enhanced computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging were compared with CPI parameters for WM-HCC and PU-HCC. The results indicated that 67.4% of WM-HCC had a centrifugal perfusion CPI pattern, whereas 84.4% of PU-HCC tumors had a centripetal pattern (p < 0.001, odds ratio = 11.2). The specificity, sensitivity and accuracy of the CPI perfusion pattern regarding HCC pathological grade were higher than those with routine CEUS (84.4% vs. 9.4%, p < 0.001; 67.4% vs. 3.4%, p < 0.001; 71.9% vs. 5.0%, p < 0.001). Moreover, multivariable analysis revealed that the CPI perfusion pattern was an independent risk factor for progression-free survival post-RFA (centripetal group: 28.3 ± 4.1 mo vs. centrifugal group: 45.8 ± 4.4 mo, p = 0.002). A novel CPI technique for CEUS could non-invasively provide valuable hemodynamic information and predict prognosis for HCC patients treated by RFA.

Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Lipid Metabolism in Rats With NAFLD.

This work aimed to study the intervention effect of exercise on lipid metabolism in NAFLD rats, provide a more scientific experimental basis for exploring and improving the theoretical system of exercise intervention in NAFLD, and further provide a theoretical research basis for clinical treatment of NAFLD. Forty healthy male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into a blank control group (BC,14) and a model group (MO, 26). After 6°weeks of modeling, the MO group was randomly divided into the model control group (MC, 12) and the aerobic exercise group (AE, 12). Platform running intervention in group E was conducted at a slope of 0°, a speed of 15 m/min, 1 h/time, once a day, six times a week, and a day of rest, for 8°weeks in total. After the intervention, the liver tissues of rats were taken for pathological sections, and serum was taken and analyzed for TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C, and FFA levels. Under the light microscope, the liver tissue structure of rats in the BC group was complete and clear, the structure of liver lobules was clear and normal, the volume of hepatocytes was uniform, the nucleus was in the middle, and the cytoplasm was red-stained, and no steatosis of hepatocytes was found. The liver of rats in the MC group showed diffuse fatty lesions, disordered structure of hepatic lobules, disordered arrangement of hepatic cords, different sizes of hepatocytes, loose cytoplasm, and diffuse lipid droplets of different sizes in the cytoplasm. The accumulation of liver lipid droplets in the AE group was improved compared with the MC group, the number of fat vacuoles in hepatocytes was significantly reduced, and the degree of liver lipid deposition was reduced. Compared with the BC group, the content of TC, TG, LDL-C, and FFA in the serum of the MC group increased significantly (p < 0.01), and the content of HDL-C decreased significantly (p < 0.01). Compared with the MC group, the content of TC, TG, LDL-C, and FFA in the serum of the AE group decreased significantly (p < 0.01/p < 0.05), and the content of HDL-C increased significantly (p < 0.01). Therefore, moderate-intensity aerobic exercise has an intervention effect on lipid metabolism in NAFLD rats, which can be used as one of the means to treat NAFLD.

Association between lung immune prognostic index, microbiome, and immunotherapy outcomes in non–small cell lung cancer.

9050 Background: Host-related inflammatory biomarkers and gut microbiome are two major prognostic factors for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients (pts) treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). In this study, we aimed to assess an association between the Lung Immune Prognostic Index (LIPI) and the microbiome composition on ICI outcomes in two independent cohorts of NSCLC pts. Methods: We included 205 patients with advanced NSCLC treated with ICI (monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy) from two independent cohorts. Metagenomics microbiome profiling was performed on the Canadian discovery cohort of 72 pts while 16S rRNA microbiome sequencing was used in the Japanese validation cohort of 133 pts. The LIPI score was calculated using the dNLR (neutrophils/[leucocytes-neutrophils]) and lactate deshydrogenase (LDH). Pts were classified as Good (G: 0 high factor), Intermediate (I: 1 high factor) and Poor (P: 2 high factors). Median overall survival (OS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Microbiome diversity indexes and bacterial relative abundances were compared according to LIPI groups. Results: Among the 72 pts included in the discovery cohort, the median follow-up of 20.6 months (mos). The LIPI was distributed as follows: G (n = 31, 43.1%), I (31, 43.1%), P (10, 13.8%) and baseline characteristics were well balanced between the 3 groups. When segregating pts according to LIPI, the OS was 25.6 mo, 19.8 mo, and 5.7 mo in the G, I (HR: 1.71, 95%CI: 0.80-3.65) and P (HR: 3.97, 95%CI: 1.60-9.82) groups, respectively (p = 0.003). The microbiome alpha diversity was lower in the P group compared with the G group (p = 0.03), and there was a trend towards different microbiome composition in beta diversity (p = 0.055) between both groups. Pts in the G group had a favorable microbiome (enriched in Ruminococcus and Anaerostipes), while pts from the P group had an unfavorable microbiome (enriched in Enterobacteriaceae and Clostridium symbiosum and lavalense). Next, in the validation cohort of 133 pts, LIPI was distributed as follows: G (n = 62, 46.6%), I (51, 38.3%), P (20, 15%). Pts with G LIPI had not reached their median OS compared to pts in the I [15.7 mo HR: 1.60 (0.88-2.94)] and P [8.8 mo groups, HR: 2.02 (0.98-4.19)], p = 0.03. Similar to the discovery cohort, at the genus level, G LIPI group had enrichment of Ruminococcus as well as Anaerostipes compared with pts in the P and I groups with an overrepresentation of Hungatella. Conclusions: Host-related inflammatory biomarkers, represented by the LIPI, seemed to be associated with microbiome and ICI outcomes in pts treated with NSCLC. This observation was validated in an external validation cohort. This link could be in relation to the presence of proinflammatory bacteria in pts with poor LIPI.

Association of Long-Term Dietary Intake and Gastric Myoelectric Activity in Adults with Obesity

ObjectivesTo investigate the association of long-term dietary intakes and gastric myoelectric activity (GMA) in adults with obesity vs controls.MethodsA total of 115 adults (18–60 y); 53 controls (BMI <29.90 kg/m2) and 62 patients with obesity (BMI > 30.00 kg/m2) were studied. All were free of any gastric problems. Control and cases were subdivided according to BMI into normal-weight (NW, n = 24), overweight (OW, n = 29), obesity (OB, n = 41), and morbid obesity (MO, n = 21). The protocol has IRB approval No: 20/0908/IRB. The dietary assessment has been assessed by the 2-days multiple passes 24-h recall. Then the food processor software (ESHA, USA) was used for the dietary analysis. The multichannel electrogastrography (EEG) with water load test was used to measure the GMA in the fasting state for 10 mins, and for 30 mins after water loading (3CPM-EGG, USA). The average dominant frequency (ADF) was used for analysis.ResultsPatients with MO have larger stomachs than in the NW and OB groups. The ADF was significantly lower in the MO group compared to the OB group at 10 and 20-mins indicating a state of bradygastria. Compared to the NW group, dietary composition analysis showed significant differences in obesity groups regarding the total caloric intake, carbohydrates, protein, fats, saturated fats, and fibers. The early post-prandial ADF had a positive correlation with the total caloric, carbohydrate, fiber, and fat intakes (r = 0.32, 0.32, 0.29, 0.30, respectively, n = 53, p < 0.05) in controls. A +ve correlation between ADF-30 and protein intake (r = 0.331, p < 0.05). in contrast, the ADF of the obese group did not show any significant correlations with the total caloric intake, fat, protein, and carbohydrate intake. Interestingly, ADF showed a positive correlation with total fiber intake at different time intervals in the obesity group. (ADF-20, ADF-30, ADF-40 r = 0.33, 0.38, 0.29, respectively, n = 62, p < 0.05). In contrast ADF-20 showed −ve association with the caffeine in obesity group (r = − 0.27, n = 62, p < 0.05).ConclusionsAssociation of ADF of the GMA with dietary intakes was evident and showed a distinctive pattern in the obese and controls.Funding SourcesThis project was funded by the National Plan for Science, Technology, and Innovation (MAARIFAH), King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Project No: 2-17-03-001-0060.

Probucol reduces the cerebral edema area and infarction volume in rat cerebral infarction model via PI3K/Akt pathway

Purpose: To study the effects of probucol on rats with cerebral infarction through the phosphatidylinositol 3-hydroxy kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway.Methods: Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into sham group (SO group, n = 7), model group (MO group, n = 7) and probucol group (PR group, n = 7). Infarction volume, messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), protein expressions of PI3K/Akt, neurological score, brain water content, degree of brain tissue lesions and neurological function score were determined.Results: Neurological score was 0, 2.54 ± 0.67 and 1.34 ± 0.21 points, in SO, O and PR groups, respectively. In turning angle test, neurological function score gradually rose at 24 h after cerebral infarction in PR and MO groups, compared with that in the SO group (p &lt; 0.05), but significantly declined at 48 h in PR group compared with that in MO group (p &lt; 0.05). Brain water content was lowest in the SO group but highest in MO group; it was significantly lower in PR group than that in MO group (p &lt; 0.05). The mRNA and protein expressions of PI3K/Akt were highest in SO group and lowest in MO group; the expressions were higher in PR group than those in the MO group (p &lt; 0.05).Conclusion: Probucol reduces the cerebral edema area and infarction volume by activating PI3K/Akt pathway, thereby exerting a significant therapeutic effect on rat model with cerebral infarction. Thus, this agent has the potential for use in the management of cerebral infarction.

Investigation of optical characteristics of PbMoO4 single crystals by spectroscopic ellipsometry

In this study, we investigated the optical properties of PbMoO4 single crystals grown by Czochralski method. Spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements were carried out in the energy region between 1.0 and 5.5 eV at room temperature. X-ray diffraction measurements were achieved for structural characterization. The resulted pattern exhibited one peak belonging to (200) plane. Spectral variations of complex dielectric function, complex refractive index, absorption coefficient and dissipation function were obtained from the analyses of ellipsometry data. Real part of dielectric function increased up to 4.0 eV and then decreased suddenly at above this value. Zero frequency refractive index and dielectric constant were found to be 2.04 and 4.15, respectively. High frequency dielectric constant was determined to be 4.36. Optical band gap of PbMoO4 crystals was calculated as 3.09 eV. Two critical points with energies of 3.57 and 4.34 eV were estimated from the analyses of second-energy derivative spectra of real and imaginary parts of dielectric function. It was determined that [MoO4]2− complexes and charge transfer from Pb2+ ions into the neighboring Mo groups were responsible for these interband transitions. Dissipation function increased with increasing photon energy.

Effects of Moringa oleifera Lam. Supplementation on Inflammatory and Cardiometabolic Markers in Subjects with Prediabetes.

Different parts of the Moringa oleifera Lam. (MO) tree are consumed as food or food supplements for their nutritional and medicinal value; however, very few human studies have been published on the topic. The current work was aimed to provide ancillary analysis to the antidiabetic effects previously reported in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel group intervention conducted in patients with prediabetes. Thus, the effect of MO leaves on blood and fecal inflammatory markers, serum lipid profile, plasma antioxidant capacity and blood pressure was studied in participants who consumed 6 × 400 mg capsule/day of MO dry leaf powder (MO, n = 31) or placebo (PLC, n = 34) over 12 weeks. Differences between groups were assessed using each biomarker’s change score with, adjustment for fat status and the baseline value. In addition, a decision tree analysis was performed to find individual characteristics influencing the glycemic response to MO supplementation. No differences in the biomarker’s change scores were found between the groups; however, the decision tree analysis revealed that plasma TNF-α was a significant predictor of the subject’s HbA1c response (improvement YES/NO; 77% correct classification) in the MO group. In conclusion, TNF-α seems to be a key factor to identify potential respondents to MO leaf powder.

MiR-129 Regulates Cell Viability in Alzheimer’s Disease Through Targeting Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP)

This study intends to explore miR-129’s effect on cell viability of Alzheimer’s disease by regulating the target gene APP. The hippocampal neurons were assigned into model group (MO group); mimetic group (SI group); inhibitor group (IN group) followed by analysis of hippocampal neuronal cell proliferation and activity, APP protein content, miR-129 expression and cell apoptosis by CCK-8 assay, Western blot method, MTT assay, qRT-PCR and flow cytometry. miR-129 expression of hippocampal neurons in IN group was lowest. Compared with IN and MO groups, SI group had significantly increased miR-129 level and reduced number of hippocampal neuron apoptosis (P &lt; 0.05). Compared with IN group, MO group had significantly reduced cell apoptosis (P &lt; 0.05). SI group had highest number of hippocampal neurons proliferation followed by IN group. SI group had highest OD value followed by MO group and IN group. The cell activity of SI group was higher than that of IN group and MO group (both P &lt; 0.05). Compared with SI group, rat neuron activity in MO group was significantly higher than IN group (P &lt; 0.05). The APP protein expression of hippocampal neuron cells in SI group was lowest followed by MO group and IN group (P &lt; 0.05). In conclusion, the low miR-129 expression can inhibit the activity of hippocampal neurons possibly through up-regulation of APP protein content.

Are Markedly Oversized Donor Hearts Associated with Poor Outcome After Heart Transplantation?

<h3>Purpose</h3> In heart transplantation, donor-to-recipient (D-R) size matching has been done by height and weight. Recently, predicted heart mass (PHM) has been found to be more clinically useful to predict outcome. Using PHM, under-sizing a donor heart for a larger recipient with high pulmonary artery pressures leads to increased mortality. It has recently been noted in the ISHLT registry that there may be increased risk in placing an oversized donor heart using weight into a smaller recipient. This clinical outcome has not been established using PHM. We sought to address this question in our large, single center experience using PHM. <h3>Methods</h3> Between January 2010 and June 2020, we assessed 588 D-R heart matches. We used PHM to assess outcome differences when the donor hearts were oversized. We divided the D-R ratio by PHM into two categories: Normal (N: 90-110%, n=524), and markedly oversized (MO: greater than 140%, n=64). Outcomes included 1-year survival, freedom from 1-year rejection (acute cellular rejection [ACR], antibody-mediated rejection [AMR]), freedom from cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV: stenosis ≥30%), freedom from cardiac dysfunction (LVEF ≤40%), and freedom from non-fatal major adverse cardiac events (NF-MACE: myocardial infarction, new congestive heart failure, percutaneous coronary intervention, implantable cardioverter defibrillator/pacemaker implant, stroke). <h3>Results</h3> MO (n=64) compared to N (n=524) using PHM showed no difference in 1-year survival, freedom from ACR, freedom from CAV, freedom from NF-MACE, and freedom from cardiac dysfunction. There was a significantly lower freedom from 1-year AMR in the MO group due to more female recipients (sensitized due to previous pregnancies) in this group (71% MO group vs 20% N group). <h3>Conclusion</h3> Markedly oversized donor to recipient matching using PHM does not result in poor outcomes after heart transplantation. This has potential to expand the donor pool, particularly for smaller patients.

EVALUATİON OF ALKALİZİNG POTENTİAL OF ALKASİTE RESTORATİONS PREPARED İN DİFFERENT SİZES

AIM: The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of alkasite material on the pH of the environment when used as a restorative material in different cavity preparations and prepared as a single block in standard sizes. METHODS: Alkalizing potential of the alkasite material was evaluated by restoring extracted teeth with three different restorative materials and preparing edentulous blocks. For this purpose, 30 extracted premolar teeth and silicone molds of standard size (2x2x4 mm) were used. One of the study groups consisted of edentulous alkasite blocks of standard size and the other three groups (O, OM, MOD) were alkasite restorations of cavities of different sizes. The teeth were divided into three groups according to the type of cavity preparation. Restoration of cavities and preparation of the blocks were performed according to Cention N (Ivoclar Vivadent) manufacturer’s instructions. All restorations and blocks were immersed individually in distilled water at pH 4. pH measurements were obtained using a pH meter (Sartorius, France) at 10-min, 20-min, 30-min and 60-min timepoints following immersion. Measurements were repeated for all four groups at the end of 24 hours, 48 hours and 7 days. RESULTS: Alkalizing effect was observed in all groups. pH changes after 24 hours, 48 hours and 7 days showed a significant difference among the groups at the measurement timepoints (p&amp;lt;0.05). Maximum pH increases were seen at 24 hours, and minimum pH changes at 48 hours. Within the first 24 hours, MOD restoration group showed the highest pH values at 60 minutes. CONCLUSION: Within the limits of the study design, O, MO and MOD dental restoration groups were associated with a significantly greater pH increase compared to alkasite blocks. The effect of alkasite restorative material alone is not sufficient to provide pH increases above the critical threshold. Ions released from the tooth also seem to have an effect on pH increase. AMAÇ: Bu çalışmanın amacı alkasit materyalinin farklı kavite preparasyonlarında restoratif materyal olarak kullanıldığında ve standart boyutlarda tek blok olarak hazırlandığında ortam pH’ına etkisinin incelenmesidir. YÖNTEM: Bu çalışmada alkasit materyalinin alkalileştirme potansiyeli çekilmiş dişlere üç farklı restorasyon yapılarak ve dişsiz bloklar hazırlanarak değerlendirilmiştir. Bu amaçla 30 adet çekilmiş premolar diş ve standart boyutlarda (2x2x4 mm) silikon kalıplar kullanılmıştır. Grubumuzun birini dişsiz standart boyutlarda hazırlanan alkasit bloklar, diğer üçünü farklı boyutlarda kavitelere (O, OM, MOD) yapılan alkasit restorasyonlar oluşturmaktadır. Bu amaçla dişler kavite preparasyon şekline göre 3 farklı gruba ayrılmıştır. Kavitelerin restorasyonu ve blokların hazırlanması Cention N’nin (Ivoclar Vivadent) kullanım prosedürlerine göre yapılmıştır. Hazırlanan her bir restorasyon ve blok ayrı ayrı pH’ı 4’e düşürülen distile su içerisine atılmıştır. Sırasıyla 10dk, 20dk, 30dk ve 60dk içerisinde pH ölçümleri pH metre (Sartorius, France) ile yapılmıştır. Ölçümler 24 saat,48 saat ve 7 gün sonra olacak şekilde 3 farklı zamanda 4 grup için tekrarlanmıştır. BULGULAR: Bütün gruplarda alkalize edici etki görülmüştür. Ölçüm yapılan bütün dakikalar için 24 saat,48 saat ve 7 günde pH değişimleri gruplar arasında anlamlı olarak farklılık göstermiştir (p&amp;lt;0.05). Maximum pH artışları 24 saatte görülürken, minimum pH değişimi 48 saatte görülmüştür. İlk 24 saat için 60 dakika sonunda en yüksek pH değerleri MOD restorasyon grubuna aittir. SONUÇ: Çalışmamız sınırları içerisinde dişe yapılan O, MO ve MOD resyorasyon gruplarının dişsiz bloklara göre pH artırıcı etkisi anlamlı olarak daha fazladır. Kritik seviyeyi geçecek düzeyde pH artışında, tek başına alkasit materyalinin etkisi yeterli değildir. Dişten salınan iyonların da pH artışında etkisinin olduğunu düşünüyoruz. Anahtar kelimeler: Alkasit, pH değişimi, Demineralizasyon

Molybdenum and Cadmium Co-induce Pyroptosis via Inhibiting Nrf2-Mediated Antioxidant Defense Response in the Brain of Ducks.

Excess molybdenum (Mo) and cadmium (Cd) are harmful to animals, but the neurotoxic mechanism co-induced by Mo and Cd is unclear. To estimate the effects of Mo and Cd co-exposure on pyroptosis by nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated antioxidant defense response in duck brains, 40 healthy 7-day-old ducks were randomly assigned to 4 groups and fed diet supplemented with Mo or/and Cd for 16weeks, respectively. Results showed that Mo or/and Cd markedly increased Mo and Cd contents; decreased iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se) contents, elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) content; and decreased total-antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), total-superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase (CAT) activities accompanied by pathological damage in brain. Additionally, Mo or/and Cd inhibited Nrf2 pathway via decreasing Nrf2, CAT, SOD1, glutathione S-transferase (GST), hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1), NAD (P) H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC), and modifier subunit (GCLM) mRNA levels and Nrf2 protein level, which induced pyroptosis through upregulating nucleotide oligomerization domain-like receptor protein-3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC), gasdermin A (GSDMA), gasdermin E (GSDME), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-18 (IL-18), Caspase-1, NIMA-related kinase 7 (NEK7) mRNA levels and NLRP3, Caspase-1 p20, gasdermin D (GSDMD), ASC protein levels and IL-1β, and IL-18 contents. Besides, the changes of these indicators were most apparent in the Mo and Cd co-treated group. Collectively, the results certificated that Mo and Cd might synergistically induce pyroptosis via inhibiting Nrf2-mediated antioxidant defense response in duck brains, whose mechanism is closely related to Mo and Cd accumulation.

Molybdenum and Cadmium Co-induce Mitochondrial Quality Control Disorder via FUNDC1-Mediated Mitophagy in Sheep Kidney.

Molybdenum (Mo), fundamental trace mineral for animals and plants, but undue Mo damages animal health. Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal that exists in the environment. Nevertheless, the mechanism of Mo and Cd on mitochondrial quality control are still indistinct. The objective of this research was to explore the effects of mitophagy on mitochondrial quality control via the FUNDC1-mediated by Mo and Cd in sheep kidney. Forty-eight 2-month-old sheep were stochastically divided into four groups, as shown below: control group, Mo [45 mg/kg body weight (BW)] group, Cd (1 mg/kg BW) group and Mo (45 mg/kg BW)+Cd (1 mg/kg BW) group, with 50 days feed technique. The results showed that Mo or/and Cd attract an unbalance of trace minerals and vacuoles and granular degeneration of renal tubular epithelial cells, and increase the number of mitophagosomes and vacuole-mitochondria and LC3 puncta and MDA and H2O2 contents, and decrease ATP content in the kidney. Moreover, Mo or/and Cd treatment could upregulate the mRNA levels of FUNDC1, LC3A, LC3B, PGAM5, DRP1, FIS1 and MFF, and the protein levels of FUNDC1, p-FUNDC1, LC3II/LC3I, DRP1, MFF and FIS1, downregulate the mRNA levels of MFN1, MFN2, OPA1, PGC-1α, SIRT1, SIRT3, FOXO1 and FOXO3, and the protein levels of MFN1, MFN2, OPA1 and PGC-1α. Notably, variations of above-mentioned factors in Mo and Cd group were more obvious than in Mo or Cd groups. Taken together, these results displayed that Mo and Cd co-treatment might induce mitochondrial quality control disorder via FUNDC1-mediated mitophagy in sheep kidney.

Nrf2 axis and endoplasmic reticulum stress mediated autophagy activation is involved in molybdenum and cadmium co-induced hepatotoxicity in ducks

Excessive molybdenum (Mo) and cadmium (Cd) have toxic effects on animals. However, hepatotoxicity co-induced by Mo and Cd in ducks is still unclear. To evaluate the effects of Cd and Mo co-exposure on autophagy by nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated antioxidant defense and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) in duck livers, 40 healthy 7-day-old ducks were randomly assigned to 4 groups and fed diets containing different doses of Mo and/or Cd for 16 weeks, respectively. The results verified that Mo and/or Cd induced oxidative stress via decreasing glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and total-superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activities and increasing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations; inhibited Nrf2 axis by downregulating the pathway-related genes and proteins expression levels, and activated ERS through upregulating the protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK)/eukaryotic initiation factor 2a (eIF2a), inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1) and activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) pathway-related genes and proteins expression levels, which triggered autophagy via increasing autophagosomes, light chain 3 (LC3) puncta, LC3A, LC3B, autophagy-related gene 5 (Atg5), Bcl-2-interacting protein (Beclin-1) mRNA levels and Beclin-1, microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 II/I (LC3II/LC3I) protein levels, decreasing Dynein, p62, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) mRNA levels and p62 protein level. Additionally, the changes in Mo and Cd group were the most obvious. Briefly, our study reveals that autophagy induced by Mo and/or Cd may be associated with the activation of crosstalk between Nrf2-mediated antioxidant defense response and ERS in duck livers. Mo and Cd may aggravate toxic damage to the liver.