Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, which relates to not only motor symptoms, but also cognitive, autonomic, and mood impairments. The literature suggests that ...pharmacological or surgical treatment has a limited effect on providing relief of the symptoms and also restricting its progression. Recently, research on non-pharmacological interventions for people living with PD (pwPD) that alleviate their motor and non-motor features has shown a new aspect in treating this complex disease. Numerous studies are supporting exercise intervention as being effective in both motor and non-motor facets of PD, such as physical functioning, strength, balance, gait speed, and cognitive impairment. Via the lens of the physical profession, this paper strives to provide another perspective for PD treatment by presenting exercise modes categorized by motor and non-motor PD symptoms, along with its effects and mechanisms. Acknowledging that there is no "one size fits all" exercise prescription for such a variable and progressive disease, this review is to outline tailored physical activities as a credible approach in treating pwPD, conceivably enhancing overall physical capacity, ameliorating the symptoms, reducing the risk of falls and injuries, and, eventually, elevating the quality of life. It also provides references and practical prescription applications for the clinician.
The aim of this research was to explore the mechanism of interaction between astaxanthin (AST) and soy protein fibrils (SPF) and its effect on the structure and rheological properties of SPF. ...Further, the bioaccessibility of AST after the formation of SPF/AST complexes were also investigated. The acid and thermal conditions (pH 2.0, 85 °C) could induce the hydrolysis of soy protein isolates (SPI) into peptides and self-assembly to form SPF with high surface hydrophobicity. Fluorescence spectroscopy analysis showed that AST statically quenched SPI or SPF with binding constants of 2.2511 and 2.9327 × 104 L/mol at 298 K, respectively. Hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bonds acted as the prime driving forcesin in SPF/AST system. The results of synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy, surface hydrophobicity, and zeta potential showed that the addition of AST led to a conformational change of SPF and promoted the exposure of charged amino acids inside the SPF molecule. Infrared spectroscopy and Thioflavin T (Th T) fluorescence results showed that the β-sheet content in SPF decreased significantly with increasing AST concentration, and its fibril structure was depolymerized and reconstructed by AST. Therefore, the viscosity of SPF/AST complex was significantly reduced. And the SPF/AST complexes had the greatest AST bioaccessibility (50.4%). This study contributed to a comprehensive understanding of the interaction mechanism between SPF and AST, expanding their application in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
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•Non-covalent interaction mechanism between astaxanthin (AST) and soy protein fibrils (SPF) was investigated.•SPF had a stronger binding affinity toward AST than soy protein isolate (SPI).•SPF bound to AST through hydrophobic forces and hydrogen bonding.•The addition of AST could induce depolymerization and remodeling of fibril structure.•The bioaccessibility of AST was greatly enhanced by the formation of SPF.
The relationship between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and diabetes remains incompletely understood. This study evaluated diabetes risk and post-diabetes outcomes in COPD patients with ...and without exacerbations.
We identified 4671 adults newly diagnosed with COPD exacerbations and 9342 adults newly diagnosed with COPD without exacerbations during 2000-2008 using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. A comparison cohort of 18684 adults without COPD, matched by age and sex, was randomly selected from the same dataset for the control group. Diabetes events during 2000-2013 were ascertained from medical claims during the follow-up period. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of diabetes associated with COPD with or without exacerbations were calculated. We conducted another nested cohort study of 395516 patients with diabetes hospitalization during 2002-2013 and calculated adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs of histories of COPD and COPD exacerbations associated with adverse events after diabetes admission.
During the follow-up period, the incidences of diabetes for patients without COPD and for patients with COPD without or with exacerbations were 3.4, 4.1 and 7.4 per 1000 person-years, respectively (P < 0.0001). Increased risk of diabetes for patients with COPD without exacerbations (HR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02-1.17) and COPD with exacerbations (HR 2.18, 95% CI 1.88-2.52) was noted. Post-diabetes pneumonia (OR 3.28, 95% CI 3.13-3.43), intensive care admission (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.26-1.39) and mortality (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.88-2.25) were associated with COPD exacerbations.
Prevention and intervention strategies for diabetes and post-diabetes outcomes are needed for this susceptible population.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Studies indicate that perinatal opioid exposure produces a variety of short- and long-term neurobehavioral consequences. However, the precise modes of action are incompletely understood. ...Buprenorphine, a mixed agonist/antagonist at the opioid receptors, is currently being used in clinical trials for managing pregnant opioid addicts. This study provides evidence of depression-like consequence following prenatal exposure to supra-therapeutic dose of buprenorphine and sheds light on potential mechanisms of action in a rat model involving administration of intraperitoneal injection to pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats starting from gestation day 7 and lasting for 14 days. Results showed that pups at postnatal day 21 but not the dams had worse parameters of depression-like neurobehaviors using a forced swimming test and tail suspension test, independent of gender. Neurobehavioral changes were accompanied by elevation of oxidative stress, reduction of plasma levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and serotonin, and attenuation of tropomyosin-related kinase receptor type B (TrkB) phosphorylation, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation, protein kinase A activity, cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation, and CREB DNA-binding activity. Since BDNF/serotonin and CREB signaling could orchestrate a positive feedback loop, our findings suggest that the induction of oxidative stress, reduction of BDNF and serotonin expression, and attenuation of CREB signaling induced by prenatal exposure to supra-therapeutic dose of buprenorphine provide evidence of potential mechanism for the development of depression-like neurobehavior.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
•Based on the SCT and systems theory, an explanatory theoretical model is proposed.•The results integrate findings of cognitive science and system development research.•OGB managers can leverage ...platform to enhance social capital and consumer benefits.•Active participation mediates the effect of social capital on OGB consumer benefits.•Synergic functionalities of platform can enhance the efficiency of OGB processes.
Drawing upon social capital theory and the platform synergy perspective from systems theory, this study develops an explanatory model to explain how social capital, platform synergy and active participation affect consumer benefits in an online group buying (OGB) context. Data gathered from OGB consumers through a large-scale online survey is used to test the hypotheses. The conceptual model was validated using the partial least squares (PLS) technique. The results show that (1) the consumer benefits created by engaging in OGB are contributed collectively by social capital (i.e., social interaction ties, trust, and value of sharing), active participation and platform synergy; (2) the social capital enhances consumer benefits by increasing consumers’ active participation; (3) the OGB platform synergy has a positive impact on social capital, active participation and consumer benefits. Our findings highlight the important role of active participation in mediating the effect of social capital and platform synergy on OGB consumer benefits. The results provide insights into (1) how OGB platform developers can provide synergic functionalities that are compatible to OGB activities to enhance consumers’ capabilities and the efficiency of OGB processes; (2) how OGB managers and initiators can leverage platform synergy to enhance social capital and the mediating role of OGB consumers’ active participation in exchange resources within the OGB community, thereby leading to effective consumer benefit creation.
In the framework of the China Hypertension Control Initiatives, the China Primary Aldosteronism Prospective Study was designed as a nationwide multicenter programme for the screening and registry of ...primary aldosteronism in hypertensive patients. The primary objective was to establish technological platforms, team and expertise for the screening, diagnosis and treatment of primary aldosteronism in cardiology outpatient clinics. From 18 July 2018 to 31 May 2020, 1329 patients from 14 cities had been screened. 348 (26.2%) patients had a plasma aldosterone-to-renin ratio of ≥40 (pg/ml)/(pg/ml) and enroled in the registry. 175 (50.3%) patients had confirmatory testing, of whom 163 (93.1%) had a confirmed diagnosis of primary aldosteronism.
The capability of nanolasers to generate coherent light in small volume resonators has made them attractive to be implemented in future ultra-compact photonic integrated circuits. However, compared ...to conventional lasers, nanolasers are also known for their broader spectral linewidths, that are usually on the order of 1 nm. While it is well known that the broad linewidths in light emitters originate from various noise sources, there has been no rigorous study on evaluating the origins of the linewidth broadening for nanolasers to date to the best of our knowledge. In this manuscript, we investigate the impact of fundamental thermal fluctuations on the nanolaser linewidth. We show that such thermal fluctuations are one of the intrinsic noise sources in a sub-wavelength metal-clad nanolaser inducing significant linewidth broadening. We further show that with the reduction of the nanolaser's dimensions, i.e., mode volume, and the increase of the ambient temperature, such linewidth broadening is enhanced, due to the effect of more pronounced fundamental thermal fluctuation. Specifically, we show that the finite linewidths induced by the thermal fluctuations at room temperature are 1.14nm and 0.16nm, for nanolasers with core radii of 250nm and 750nm, respectively. Although our study was performed on a metallo-dielectric nanolaser, it is reasonable to assume that, in general, other nanolaser architectures are also more prone to thermal fluctuations, and hence exhibit larger finite linewidths than conventional large mode volume lasers.
Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with significant mortality, requiring a thorough understanding of its complex mechanisms to develop novel ...therapeutics for disease control. Activated p53-dependent apoptosis with dysregulated long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) expression is involved in the SLE pathogenesis and correlated with clinical activity. We examined the expression of apoptosis-related p53-dependent lncRNA, including H19, HOTAIR and lincRNA-p21 in SLE-associated DAH patients. Increased lincRNA-p21 levels were detected in circulating mononuclear cells, mainly in CD4+ and CD14+ cells. Higher expression of p53, lincRNA-p21 and cell apoptosis was identified in lung tissues. Lentivirus-based short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-transduced stable transfectants were created for examining the targeting efficacy in lncRNA. Under pristane stimulation, alveolar epithelial cells had increased p53, lincRNA-p21 and downstream Bax levels with elevated apoptotic ratios. After pristane injection, C57/BL6 mice developed DAH with increased pulmonary expression of p53, lincRNA-p21 and cell apoptosis. Intra-pulmonary delivery of shRNA targeting lincRNA-p21 reduced hemorrhage frequencies and improved anemia status through decreasing Bax expression and cell apoptosis. Our findings demonstrate increased p53-dependent lncRNA expression with accelerated cell apoptosis in the lungs of SLE-associated DAH patients, and show the therapeutic potential of targeting intra-pulmonary lncRNA expression in a pristane-induced model of DAH.
Background and Aims
Patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) are at an increased risk of disease progression. The influence of hepatic steatosis (HS) to liver fibrosis was controversial. We aim to ...investigate the association between HS and liver fibrosis and explore the predicting factors for advanced fibrosis.
Methods
CHB patients undergoing liver biopsy with complete assessments of HS, necroinflammation grade histological activity index (HAI) score, and fibrosis stage were retrospectively recruited. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the factors associated with advanced liver fibrosis.
Results
In this cohort of 672 patients, 342 (50.9%) had HS and 267 (39.4%) were of advanced liver fibrosis. Age odds ratio (OR) 1.026, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.007–1.046,
p
= 0.008, body mass index (BMI, OR 1.091, 95% CI 1.026–1.159,
p
= 0.005), genotype (C vs. B) (OR 2.790, 95% CI 1.847–4.214,
p
< 0.001), platelet (OR 0.986, 95% CI 0.982–0.991,
p
< 0.001), and HAI score (OR 1.197, 95% CI 1.114–1.285,
p
< 0.001) were independent factors for advanced liver fibrosis in multivariate logistic regression analysis. HAI score was also a significantly associated factor for significant liver fibrosis in non-cirrhotic subpopulation (OR 1.578, 95% CI 1.375–1.810,
p
< 0.001). HS was not related to advanced/significant liver fibrosis in overall/non-cirrhotic population (
p
> 0.05).
Conclusions
Significant or advanced liver fibrosis is associated with grade of necroinflammation but not with HS in CHB patients.
A glass phosphor layer with ultra-high thermal stability appropriate for phosphor-converted white light-emitting diodes (PC-WLEDs) is demonstrated. The results showed PC-WLEDs utilizing the high ...thermal stable glass phosphor maintained good thermal stability in lumen, chromaticity, and transmittance characteristics under the thermal aging condition up to 350°C. This is a considerable high operating temperature for a phosphor layer in the PC-WLEDs. The lumen degradation, chromaticity shift, and transmittance loss in the glass-based PC-WLEDs under thermal aging at 150°C , 250°C , 350°C , and 450°C are also presented and compared with those of silicone-based PC-WLEDs under thermal aging at 150°C and 250°C . The result clearly demonstrated that the glass-based PC-WLEDs exhibited better thermal stability in lumen degradation, chromaticity shift, and transmittance loss than the silicone-based PC-WLEDs. The advantages of glass encapsulation in high-temperature operation of the PC-WLEDs could be explained that the glass transition temperature of the glass phosphor (567°C) was much higher than it of silicone (150°C). The newly developed ultra-high thermal-stable glass is essentially critical to the application of LED modules in the area where the high-power, high-temperature and absolute reliability are required for use in the next-generation solid-state lighting.
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