Intermittent fasting reduces risk of interrelated cardiometabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and heart failure (HF). Previously, we reported that intermittent fasting reduced homeostasis ...model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and Metabolic Syndrome Score (MSS) in the WONDERFUL Trial. Galectin-3 may act to reduce insulin resistance. This post hoc evaluation assessed whether intermittent fasting increased galectin-3.
The WONDERFUL Trial enrolled adults ages 21–70 years with ≥1 metabolic syndrome features or type 2 diabetes who were not taking anti-diabetic medication, were free of statins, and had elevated LDL-C. Subjects were randomized to water-only 24-h intermittent fasting conducted twice-per-week for 4 weeks and once-per-week for 22 weeks or to a parallel control arm with ad libitum energy intake. The study evaluated 26-week change scores of galectin-3 and other biomarkers. Overall, n = 67 subjects (intermittent fasting: n = 36; control: n = 31) completed the trial and had galectin-3 results. At 26-weeks, the galectin-3 change score was increased by intermittent fasting (median: 0.793 ng/mL, IQR: −0.538, 2.245) versus control (median: −0.332 ng/mL, IQR: −0.992, 0.776; p = 0.021). Galectin-3 changes correlated inversely with 26-week change scores of HOMA-IR (r = −0.288, p = 0.018) and MSS (r = −0.238, p = 0.052). Other HF biomarkers were unchanged by fasting.
A 24-h water-only intermittent fasting regimen increased galectin-3. The fasting-triggered galectin-3 elevation was inversely correlated with declines in HOMA-IR and MSS. This may be an evolutionary adaptive survival response that protects human health by modifying disease risks, including by reducing inflammation and insulin resistance.
Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02770313 (registered on May 12, 2016; first subject enrolled: November 30, 2016; final subject's 26-week study visit: February 19, 2020).
•The WONDERFUL Trial was a randomized controlled trial of intermittent fasting.•This post hoc evaluation tested if intermittent fasting increased galectin-3.•Galectin-3 was increased by intermittent fasting versus controls.•Galectin-3 changes correlated inversely with declines in metabolic risk factors.•Increased galectin-3 may be an adaptive response to protect human health.
Patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), but without standard modifiable risk factors (SMuRF-less), are surprisingly common and appear to have a worse, or at best similar, short-term ...prognosis. However, relatively little attention has been paid to the prevalence and prognosis of SMuRF-less patients with non-STEMI (NSTEMI). The aim of our study was to identify the proportion and outcomes of SMuRF-less NSTEMI patients in a large US healthcare population. Patients with NSTEMI between 2001-2021 presenting to Intermountain Healthcare hospitals and catheterization laboratories were included. SMuRF-less status was defined as no clinical diagnosis of, or treatment for, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and smoking. Outcomes were assessed at 60 days and long-term for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE: death, myocardial infarction, and heart failure hospitalization). Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression was used to determine MACE hazard ratios (HR) for SMuRF-less versus patients with SMuRF. NSTEMI patients totaled 8196, of which 1458 (17.8%) were SMuRF-less. SMuRF-less patients were younger, more frequently male, had fewer comorbidities, and were slightly less likely to have revascularization. For SMuRF-less patients, 60-day MACE outcomes were lower (adj HR = 0.55,
< 0.0001), and this persisted for long-term MACE outcomes (adj HR = 0.64,
< 0.0001) and for each of its components. In this large US healthcare population, SMuRF-less NSTEMI presentation, as with STEMI presentation, was found to be common (17.8%). However, unlike STEMI reports, short- and long-term outcomes were better for SMuRF-less patients. Further studies to increase understanding of risk factors and preventive measures for NSTEMI in SMuRF-less patients are indicated.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) diminishes quality of life and accounts for approximately one-third of all strokes. Studies have associated mitochondrial dysfunction with both AF and telomere length (TL).
...The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis of a relationship between AF and TL.
Blood was collected from consenting participants in the Intermountain Heart Collaborative Study (n = 3576) and DNA extracted. TL was determined by multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction, normalized to a single copy gene, and reported as telomere/single gene ratio (t/s). Patient information was extracted from Intermountain Healthcare's electronic records database. Prevalent AF was determined by discharge ICD-9 code. AF subtype (paroxysmal Px, persistent Ps, long-standing persistent/permanent Pm) was determined by chart review.
The t/s decreased with age (P <.00001). Subjects with a history of AF (n = 379 10.6% had shorter telomeres (mean t/s ± SD = 0.87 ± 0.29) compared to subjects without AF (mean t/s 0.95 ± 0.32, P <.0001). The association remained after adjustment for age (P = .017) and cardiovascular risk factors (P = .016). AF subtype was determined for 277 subjects; 110 (39.7%) had Px AF, 65 (23.5%) Ps, and 102 (36.8%) Pm AF. Mean t/s did not differ between Ps, Pm, and subjects without AF (0.94 ± 0.40, 0.94 ± 0.27, and 0.95 ± 0.32, respectively). However, the mean t/s for Px (0.81 ± 0.22) was significantly shorter than for Ps (P = .026), Pm (P = .004), or subjects without AF (P <.0001).
The present study supports an association between Px AF and TL. Short TL may be a previously unrecognized risk factor for AF with potential applications in diagnosis and therapy.
•Hypothesized that coronary artery calcium information would improve ASCVD risk prediction.•Compared 3 risk scores in low-risk symptomatic subjects referred for stress PET/CT testing.•Scores ...incorporating CAC score better predicted 1-year MACE and early revascularization.
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is the most important cause of morbidity and mortality nationally and internationally. Improving ASCVD risk prediction is a high clinical priority. We sought to determine which of 3 ASCVD risk scores best predicts the need for revascularization and incident major adverse coronary events (MACE) in symptomatic patients at low-to-intermediate primary ASCVD risk referred for regadenoson-stress positron emission tomography (PET). Risk scores included the standard ASCVD pooled cohort equation (PCE), the multiethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA) risk equation, and the coronary artery calcium score (CACS), obtained by PET. All qualifying patients in our institution at primary ASCVD risk referred for PET-stress tests in whom PCE, MESA, and CAC scores could be calculated were studied. CACS categories were: 0, 1 to 10, 11 to 299, 300 to 999, and 1000+. MESA and PCE scores were divided into quartiles. Logistic regression modeling was used to predict clinical/PET-driven early revascularization (within 90 days) and 1-year MACE (death, myocardial infarction, or any-time revascularization). A total of 981 patients (54% men, age 67 ± 10 years) qualified and were studied. Scores including CAC (MESA, CACS) performed better than PCE for predicting overall 1-year MACE (MESA p <0.001, CACS p = 0.012 vs PCE), which was driven by early revascularization. In conclusion, in a large population of patients at primary ASCVD risk referred for PET-stress testing, risk scores including CAC (CACS, MESA), which better predicted early revascularization and 1-year MACE, may be particularly useful in primary coronary risk assessment when considering whom to refer for PET-stress testing.
Lignin derived from rice straw, an abundant renewable feedstock in nature, has the potential to be utilized as a substitute for fossil fuels in the production of value-added aromatic derivatives. ...However, depolymerization becomes one of the most difficult obstacles in the lignin-to-valuable products conversions due to the structural complexity and recalcitrance of lignin. In this work, rice straw-derived lignin was depolymerized to aromatics by using the hydrothermal liquefaction method in the ethanol-water solvent under hydrogen pressure. Effects of various process parameters on yields such as reaction time, ethanol concentration, reaction temperature, initial hydrogen pressure, and solvent-to-lignin ratio, were investigated. The suitable conditions for the highest yield of oil products (~ 75 %) were determined to be 65 vol. % ethanol, 250 °C, 60 min, 20 bar of hydrogen, and the solvent-to-lignin ratio of 35 mL/g. The obtained oil products were characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR). The bio-oil was mainly aromatics such as phenol, 3-ethylphenol, guaiacol and had a heating value of 22.2 MJ/kg. Hydrothermal liquefaction was demonstrated as an appropriate method for lignin depolymerization into aromatic compounds with high production yields.
Chitosan - the second most abundant polysaccharide on Earth has been known as a kind of non-toxic, environmentally friendly, biodegradable, antibacterial, and antifungal material. Compared with bulk ...chitosan-based materials, nanochitosan has superior properties in terms of permeability, solubility, and bioactivity. Nanochitosan is used as a carrier encapsulating various components via complexes with NH2 and OH groups of chitosan molecules to protect, stabilize, and deliver targeted bioactive compounds. For the first time, chitosan-zinc ion nanoparticles (CSZ NPs) have been successfully synthesized by ultrasound-assisted ionic gelation to produce much smaller particles with enhanced antibacterial and antifungal activities. The fabricated CSZ NPs have a diameter from 119.3 to 212.6 nm, polydispersity index ranging from 0.2 to 0.3, and zeta potential from 16.4 to 22.4 mV. The average size of the as-fabricated CSZ NPs is two times smaller than zinc ions loaded nanochitosan without ultrasonic treatment. The spherical shape of the nanochitosan particles is confirmed, along with a wide range of elemental distributions, including C (29.74 %), O (42.14 %), Na (15.80 %), and Zn (1.11 %). The antimicrobial activities of CSZ NPs are evaluated by using the agar well diffusion method with gram-negative bacteria (E. coli, P. aeruginosa), gram-positive (E. feacalis, S. aureus, S. aureus methicillin-resistant (MRSA)), and fungi (C. albicans, A. niger). The minimum inhibitory concentration of CSZ NPs is 14 µg/mL for bacteria and more than 58 µg/mL for fungi. CSZ NPs have potential antimicrobial applications in the food industry and agriculture.
Bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme derived from pineapple waste, which accounts for more than two-thirds of the total volume of pineapples utilized, has gained significant attention in recent years. The ...employment of membrane technology has surfaced as a promising approach for the production of enzymes. A complete comprehension regarding the purification and preservation of bromelain enzymes is yet to be achieved. To address this gap, the present study aimed to extract and purify bromelain from pineapple waste to enhance the value of these by-products. The continuous microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF), and lyophilization system were optimized to enhance enzyme recovery and purity. The filtration process increased bromelain purity by 1.37-fold and achieved a 96.5 % enzyme recovery rate, indicating its effectiveness in separating bromelain from the pineapple crude extract. The highest activity of 3279.02 GDU/g was achieved through lyophilization, combined with 10 % of skim milk as a cryoprotectant. The product was detected and quantified using Liquid Chromatography with Refractive Index Detector (LC-RID). The combination of membrane and lyophilization processes could potentially separate bromelain from pineapple waste, with promising applications in biotechnology and the food industry.
Biorefineries from paddy residues (rice straw and rice husk) have a high potential to satisfy human society’s need for sustainable fuel and chemical production. Biorefinery systems should be created ...in a sustainable and eco-friendly manner, accompanying the safe disposal of waste stream produced during processing. This study developed a pilot-scale biorefinery, whose bioethanol production from rice straw was an integrated recovery system for lignin, silica, and nutrient recovery. The recovery yield of silica and lignin from the black liquor of alkaline pretreatment was up to 96%, and the lignin purity reached 79% without the existence of carbohydrate fiber. After the recovery, the final liquid waste mainly contained inorganic matters and has a potential to be reused in the acidification step. The distillation residue was a nitrogen source for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation equivalent to corn steep liquor with the final ethanol concentration of 1.6 wt% in 160 h. The new process can be considered as a zero-waste biorefinery model. The material flow indicated that more valued products produced by the simple method increase the profits of this process. Also, the energy efficiency of the process was 0.53 that demonstrated the process’s economy and sustainability. The proposed system was feasible to foster the sustainable integration of local agricultural development and biomass industry shortly.
Graphic abstract
Studies primarily outside the United States have reported that SMuRF-less STEMI patients are surprisingly common (14-27%) and have a worse in-hospital/short-term prognosis. Given potential ...demographic and management differences over time and in the US, we aimed to identify the proportion and outcomes of SMuRF-less STEMI patients in a large US healthcare population. Patients with a first STEMI presenting to Intermountain Healthcare catheterization laboratories between 2001-2021 were included. SMuRF included a clinical diagnosis of, or treatment for, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and smoking. Follow-up MACE were defined as death, MI, and heart failure hospitalization (HFH) by 60 days and long-term. Qualifying STEMI patients totaled 3510, 26.2% (919) with no SMuRF. SMuRF-less patients were younger, more frequently male, and had fewer comorbidities. Neither total MACE (adj HR 0.95,
= 0.72) nor death (adj HR 1.06,
= 0.69) differed by SMuRF status at 60 days. Long-term outcomes were more frequent in SMuRF patients, which remained significant for total MACE (adj HR 0.83,
= 0.02) and HFH (HR 0.36,
= 0.0005) after adjustment for baseline differences other than SMuRF. Results were consistent through subgroup and sensitivity analyses. In this moderately large US healthcare population, SMuRF-less STEMI presentation was confirmed to be common (26.2%). However, unlike earlier, mostly non-US reports, adjusted short-term outcomes were similar, and long-term outcomes were more favorable. Further studies to increase understanding, recognition, and treatment of risk factors in SMuRF-less subjects and to optimize STEMI management are indicated.
Cellulose–chitosan (CECS) aerogels are novel, green, biodegradable materials with many applications in water treatment, food packing, and thermal insulation. Using cellulose (CE) from biomass wastes ...can be regarded as one of the best ways to prepare CECS aerogel due to its low cost, sustainability, and environmentally friendly properties. However, most current procedures have harsh conditions and use many chemicals; thus, releasing waste is inevitable. Here, we developed a green and facile approach for fabricating cellulose–chitosan (CECS) aerogel from rice straw and shrimp waste-based chitosan (CS). The rice straw treatment step without using organic solvents and oxidants was, respectively, conducted with sodium hydroxide 1 wt.% and sulfuric acid 2 wt.% for cellulose preparation. The CECS aerogel was created by the freeze–thaw process without using a cross-linker. The aerogels have high porosity (98%), low density (18.65 mg/cm
3
), and low thermal conductivity (0.035 W/m.K), which could be used as an insulator. The characterization of aerogel was determined by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) for elucidating the chemical structure. In addition, wastewater obtained from alkaline treatment and acid hydrolysis processes was used to produce lignin/silica hybrid material. The lignin/silica hybrid material has an amorphous structure with a lignin/silica ratio of 0.936.
