Serum cystatin C,monocyte/high-density lipoprotein-C ratio,and uric acid for the diagnosis of coronary heart disease and heart failure

BACKGROUND Coronary heart disease(CHD)and heart failure(HF)are the major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide.Early and accurate diagnoses of CHD and HF are essential for optimal management and prognosis.However,conventional diagnostic methods such as electrocardiography,echocardiography,and cardiac biomarkers have certain limitations,such as low sensitivity,specificity,availability,and cost-effectiveness.Therefore,there is a need for simple,noninvasive,and reliable biomarkers to diagnose CHD and HF.AIM To investigate serum cystatin C(Cys-C),monocyte/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio(MHR),and uric acid(UA)diagnostic values for CHD and HF.METHODS We enrolled 80 patients with suspected CHD or HF who were admitted to our hospital between July 2022 and July 2023.The patients were divided into CHD(n=20),HF(n=20),CHD+HF(n=20),and control groups(n=20).The serum levels of Cys-C,MHR,and UA were measured using immunonephelometry and an enzymatic method,respectively,and the diagnostic values for CHD and HF were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis.RESULTS Serum levels of Cys-C,MHR,and UA were significantly higher in the CHD,HF,and CHD+HF groups than those in the control group.The serum levels of Cys-C,MHR,and UA were significantly higher in the CHD+HF group than those in the CHD or HF group.The ROC curve analysis showed that serum Cys-C,MHR,and UA had good diagnostic performance for CHD and HF,with areas under the curve ranging from 0.78 to 0.93.The optimal cutoff values of serum Cys-C,MHR,and UA for diagnosing CHD,HF,and CHD+HF were 1.2 mg/L,0.9×10^(9),and 389μmol/L;1.4 mg/L,1.0×10^(9),and 449μmol/L;and 1.6 mg/L,1.1×10^(9),and 508μmol/L,respectively.CONCLUSION Serum Cys-C,MHR,and UA are useful biomarkers for diagnosing CHD and HF,and CHD+HF.These can provide information for decision-making and risk stratification in patients with CHD and HF.

Tandem hydroalkylation and deoxygenation of lignin-derived phenolics to synthesize high-density fuels

Lignin is the most abundant naturally phenolic biomass,and the synthesis of high-performance renewable fuel from lignin has attracted significant attention.We propose the efficient synthesis of high-density fuels using simulated lignin cracked oil in tandem with hydroalkylation and deoxygenation reactions.First,we investigated the reaction pathway for the hydroalkylation of phenol,which competes with the hydrodeoxygenation form cyclohexane.And then,we investigated the effects of metal catalyst types,the loading amount of metallic,acid dosage,and reactant ratio on the reaction results.The phenol hydroalkylation and hydrodeoxygenation were balanced when 180℃ and 5 MPa H_(2)with the alkanes yield of 95%.By extending the substrate to other lignin-derived phenolics and simulated lignin cracked oil,we obtained the polycyclic alkane fuel with high density of 0.918 g·ml^(-1)and calorific value of41.2 MJ·L^(-1).Besides,the fuel has good low-temperature properties(viscosity of 9.3 mm^(2)·s^(-1)at 20℃ and freezing point below-55℃),which is expected to be used as jet fuel.This work provides a promising way for the easy and green production of high-density fuel directly from real lignin oil.

Kinetic-Thermodynamic Promotion Engineering toward High-Density Hierarchical and Zn-Doping Activity-Enhancing ZnNiO@CF for High-Capacity Desalination

Despite the promising potential of transition metal oxides(TMOs)as capacitive deionization(CDI)electrodes,the actual capacity of TMOs electrodes for sodium storage is significantly lower than the theoretical capacity,posing a major obstacle.Herein,we prepared the kinetically favorable Zn_(x)Ni_(1−x)O electrode in situ growth on carbon felt(Zn_(x)Ni_(1−x)O@CF)through constraining the rate of OH^(−)generation in the hydrothermal method.Zn_(x)Ni_(1−x)O@CF exhibited a high-density hierarchical nanosheet structure with three-dimensional open pores,benefitting the ion transport/electron transfer.And tuning the moderate amount of redox-inert Zn-doping can enhance surface electroactive sites,actual activity of redox-active Ni species,and lower adsorption energy,promoting the adsorption kinetic and thermodynamic of the Zn_(0.2)Ni_(0.8)O@CF.Benefitting from the kinetic-thermodynamic facilitation mechanism,Zn_(0.2)Ni_(0.8)O@CF achieved ultrahigh desalination capacity(128.9 mgNaCl g^(-1)),ultra-low energy consumption(0.164 kW h kgNaCl^(-1)),high salt removal rate(1.21 mgNaCl g^(-1) min^(-1)),and good cyclability.The thermodynamic facilitation and Na^(+)intercalation mechanism of Zn_(0.2)Ni_(0.8)O@CF are identified by the density functional theory calculations and electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring,respectively.This research provides new insights into controlling electrochemically favorable morphology and demonstrates that Zn-doping,which is redox-inert,is essential for enhancing the electrochemical performance of CDI electrodes.

Conversion of lignin oil and hemicellulose derivative into high-density jet fuel

Synthesizing high-density fuel from lignocellulose can not only achieve green and low-carbon development,but also expand the feedstock source of hydrocarbon fuel.Here,we reported a route of producing high-density fuel from lignin oil and hemicellulose derivative cyclopentanol through alkylation and hydrodeoxygenation,HY with SiO_(2)/Al_(2)O_(3) molar ratio of 5.3 was screened as the alkylation catalyst in the reaction of model phenolic compounds and mixtures,and the reaction conditions were optimized to achieve conversion of phenolic compounds higher than 87%and selectivity of bicyclic and tricyclic products higher than 99%.Then two phenolic pools simulating the composition of two typic lignin oils were studied to validate the alkylation and analyze the competition mechanism of phenolic compounds in mixture system.Finally,real lignin oil from depolymerized of beech powder was tested,and notably80%of phenolic monomers in the oil were converted into fuel precursor.After hydrodeoxygenation,the alkylated product was converted to fuel blend with a density of 0.91 g/mL at 20℃and a freezing point lower than-60℃,very promising as high density fuel.This work provides a facile and energyefficient way of synthesizing high-performance jet fuel directly from lignocellulosic derivatives,which decreases processing energy consumption and improve the utilization rate of feedstock.

QTL mapping for berry shape based on a high-density genetic map constructed by whole-genome resequencing in grape

Grape berry shape is an important agricultural trait.Clarifying its genetic basis is significant for cultivating grape varieties that meet market demands.However,the current study by forward genetics has not achieved in-depth results.Here,a high-density map was constructed to identify quantitative trait loci(QTLs)for berry shape.A total of 358709 polymorphic SNPs were obtained using whole-genome resequencing(WGS)based on 208 F2 individuals derived from round grape‘E42-6’and oblong grape‘Rizamat’.The 1635.65 cM high-density map was divided into 19 linkage groups with an average distance of 0.37 cM.Using this map,three significant QTLs for fruit shape index(ShI:ratio of berry length to berry width)identified over three years were mapped onto LG4 and LG5,including one stable QTL on Chr5 with the genomic region of 0.47–1.94 Mb.Combining with gene annotation and expression patterns based on RNA-seq data from two contrasting F2 individuals with round and oblong berry(their average ShI was 1.89 and 1.10,respectively)at four developmental stages,four candidate genes were selected from the above QTLs.They were mainly involved in DNA replication,cell wall modification,and phytohormone biosynthesis.Further analysis of RNA-seq data revealed that several important phytohormone synthesis and metabolic pathways were enriched based on differentially expressed genes(DEGs),which was consistent with the results of QTL mapping for genes related to plant hormone biosynthesis in the F2 population.Furthermore,a comparison of plant hormone content showed that there were significant differences in IAA and tZ content between the two contrasting F2 individuals at different developmental stages.Our findings provide molecular insights into the genetic variation in grape berry shape.Stable QTLs and their tightly linked markers offer the possibility of marker-assisted selection to accelerate berry shape breeding.

Proso Millet Protein Elevates Plasma Level of High-Density Lipoprotein:A New Food Function of Proso Millet

We examined the effects of dietary proso-millet protein on plasma levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in different rats from animals reported in our previous studies. The results showed also, in this animal, that the ingestion of the millet protein elevates plasma levels of HDL-cholesterol like our earlier works. Taking into account the anti-atherogenic function of HDL, therefore, the millet protein would be useful as a new food ingredient which has the function that regulates cholesterol metabolism

High-density lipoprotein and atherosclerosis: Roles of lipid transporters

Various previous studies have found a negative cor-relation between the risk of cardiovascular events and serum high-density lipoprotein(HDL) cholesterol levels. The reverse cholesterol transport, a pathway of choles-terol from peripheral tissue to liver which has several potent antiatherogenic properties. For instance, the particles of HDL mediate to transport cholesterol from cells in arterial tissues, particularly from atherosclerotic plaques, to the liver. Both ATP-binding cassette trans-porters(ABC) A1 and ABCG1 are membrane cholesterol transporters and have been implicated in mediating cholesterol effluxes from cells in the presence of HDL and apolipoprotein A-I, a major protein constituent of HDL. Previous studies demonstrated that ABCA1 and ABCG1 or the interaction between ABCA1 and ABCG1 exerted antiatherosclerotic effects. As a therapeutic approach for increasing HDL cholesterol levels, much focus has been placed on increasing HDL cholesterol levels as well as enhancing HDL biochemical functions. HDL therapies that use injections of reconstituted HDL, apoA-I mimetics, or full-length apoA-I have shown dramatic effectiveness. In particular, a novel apoA-I mi-metic peptide, Fukuoka University ApoA-I Mimetic Pep-tide, effectively removes cholesterol via specific ABCA1 and other transporters, such as ABCG1, and has an an-tiatherosclerotic effect by enhancing the biological func-tions of HDL without changing circulating HDL choles-terol levels. Thus, HDL-targeting therapy has significant atheroprotective potential, as it uses lipid transporter-targeting agents, and may prove to be a therapeutic tool for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases.

Effect of low high-density lipoprotein levels on mortality of septic patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies

BACKGROUND:An increase in high-density lipoprotein(HDL)is well associated with a decreased cardiovascular risk,especially atherosclerosis.Recent studies suggest that lower levels of HDL may also be associated with an increased risk of sepsis and an increased rate of mortality in septic patients.However,this conclusion remains controversial.METHODS:MEDLINE,EMBASE,and CENTRAL databases were searched from inception to September 30,2019.All studies were conducted to evaluate the correlation of lipoprotein levels and the risk and outcomes of sepsis in adult patients.The primary outcomes were the risk and mortality of sepsis.RESULTS:Seven studies comprising 791 patients were included.Lower levels of HDL had no marked relevance with the risk of sepsis(odds radio[OR]for each 1 mg/dL increase,0.94;95%CI 0.86–1.02;P=0.078),whereas lower HDL levels were related to an increased mortality rate in septic patients(OR for below about median HDL levels,2.00;95%CI 1.23–3.24;P=0.005).CONCLUSION:This meta-analysis did not reveal a signifi cant association between lower HDL levels and an increase in the risk of sepsis,whereas it showed that lower HDL levels are associated with a higher mortality rate in septic adult patients.These findings suggest that HDL may be considered as a promising factor for the prevention and treatment of sepsis in the future.

Bone and high-density lipoprotein:The beginning of a beautiful friendship

There is a tight link between bone and lipid metabolic pathways.In this vein,several studies focused on the exploration of high-density lipoprotein(HDL)in the pathobiology of bone diseases,with emphasis to the osteoarthritis(OA)and osteoporosis,the most common bone pathologies.Indeed,epidemiological and in vitro data have connected reduced HDL levels or dysfunctional HDL with cartilage destruction and OA development.Recent studies uncovered functional links between HDL and OA fueling the interesting hypothesis that OA could be a chronic element of the metabolic syndrome.Other studies have linked HDL to bone mineral density.Even though at epidemiological levels the results are conflicting,studies in animals as well as in vitro experiments have shown that HDL facilitates osteoblastogensis and bone synthesis and most probably affects osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast bone resorption.Notably,reduced HDL levels result in increased bone marrow adiposity affecting bone cells function.Unveiling the mechanisms that connect HDL and bone/cartilage homeostasis may contribute to the design of novel therapeutic agents for the improvement of bone and cartilage quality and thus for the treatment of related pathological conditions.

Monitoring Study of Long-Term Land Subsidence during Subway Operation in High-Density Urban Areas Based on DInSAR-GPS-GIS Technology and Numerical Simulation

During subway operation,various factors will cause long-term land subsidence,such as the vibration subsidence of foundation soil caused by train vibration load,incomplete consolidation deformation of foundation soil during tunnel construction,dense buildings and structures in the vicinity of the tunnel,and changes in water level in the stratum where the tunnel is located.The monitoring of long-term land subsidence during subway operation in high-density urban areas differs from that in low-density urban construction areas.The former is the gathering point of the entire urban population.There are many complex buildings around the project,busy road traffic,high pedestrian flow,and less vegetation cover.Several existing items requiremonitoring.However,monitoring distance is long,and providing early warning is difficult.This study uses the 2.8 km operation line between Wulin Square station and Ding’an Road station of Hangzhou Subway Line 1 as an example to propose the integrated method of DInSAR-GPS-GIS technology and the key algorithm for long-term land subsidence deformation.Then,it selects multiscene image data to analyze long-termland subsidence of high-density urban areas during subway operation.Results show that long-term land subsidence caused by the operation of Wulin Square station to Ding’an Road station of Hangzhou Subway Line 1 is small,with maximumsubsidence of 30.64 mm,and minimumsubsidence of 11.45 mm,and average subsidence ranging from 19.27 to 21.33 mm.And FLAC3D software was used to verify the monitoring situation,using the geological conditions of the soil in the study area and the tunnel profile to simulate the settlement under vehicle load,and the simulation results tended to be consistent with the monitoring situation.

Role of sphingosine 1-phosphate in anti-atherogenic actions of high-density lipoprotein

The reverse cholesterol transport mediated by highdensity lipoprotein(HDL)is an important mechanism for maintaining body cholesterol,and hence,the crucial anti-atherogenic action of the lipoprotein.Recent studies,however,have shown that HDL exerts a variety of anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic actions independently of cholesterol metabolism.The present review provides an overview of the roles of sphingosine 1-phosphate(S1P)/S1P receptor and apolipoprotein A-I/ scavenger receptor class B typeⅠsystems in the antiatherogenic HDL actions.In addition,the physiological significance of the existence of S1P in the HDL particles is discussed.

Reduced serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and aberrantly expressed cholesterol metabolism genes in colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer(CRC)is a common malignant tumor of the gastrointestinal tract.Lipid metabolism,as an important part of material and energy circulation,is well known to play a crucial role in CRC.AIM To explore the relationship between serum lipids and CRC development and identify aberrantly expressed cholesterol metabolism genes in CRC.METHODS We retrospectively collected 843 patients who had confirmed CRC and received surgical resection from 2013 to 2015 at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences as our research subjects.The levels of serum total cholesterol(TC),triglycerides,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),LDL-C/HDL-C and clinical features were collected and statistically analyzed by SPSS.Then,we used the data from Oncomine to screen the differentially expressed genes(DEGs)of the cholesterol metabolism pathway in CRC and used Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis to confirm the candidate DEGs.PrognoScan was used to analyze the prognostic value of the DEGs,and Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes was used to construct the protein-protein interaction network of DEGs.RESULTS The serum HDL-C level in CRC patients was significantly correlated with tumor size,and patients whose tumor size was more than 5 cm had a lower serum HDL-C level(1.18±0.41 mmol/L vs 1.25±0.35 mmol/L,P<0.01)than their counterparts.In addition,TC/HDL(4.19±1.33 vs 3.93±1.26,P<0.01)and LDL-C/HDL-C(2.83±1.10 vs 2.61±0.96,P<0.01)were higher in patients with larger tumors.The levels of HDL-C(P<0.05),TC/HDL-C(P<0.01)and LDL-C/HDL-C(P<0.05)varied in different stages of CRC patients,and the differences were significant.We screened 14 differentially expressed genes(DEGs)of the cholesterol metabolism pathway in CRC and confirmed that lipoprotein receptor-related protein 8(LRP8),PCSK9,low-density lipoprotein receptor(LDLR),MBTPS2 and FDXR are upregulated,while ABCA1 and OSBPL1A are downregulated in cancer tissue.Higher expression of LDLR(HR=3.12,95%CI:1.77-5.49,P<0.001),ABCA1(HR=1.66,95%CI:1.11-2.48,P=0.012)and OSBPL1A(HR=1.38,95%CI:1.01-1.89,P=0.041)all yielded significantly poorer DFS outcomes.Higher expression of FDXR(HR=0.7,95%CI:0.47-1.05,P=0.002)was correlated with longer DFS.LDLR,ABCA1,OSBPL1A and FDXR were involved in many important cellular function pathways.CONCLUSION Serum HDL-C levels are associated with tumor size and stage in CRC patients.LRP8,PCSK9,LDLR,MBTPS2 and FDXR are upregulated,while ABCA1 and OSBPL1A are downregulated in CRC.Among them,LDLR,ABCA1,OSBPL1A and FDXR were valuable prognostic factors of DFS and were involved in important cellular function pathways.

Identification of the dominant loop of a dual-loop macro-reentry left atrial flutter without prior intervention using high-density mapping technology:A case report

BACKGROUND Left atrial flutter without prior cardiac interventions is uncommon,especially dual-loop macro-reentry atrial flutter.The critical step to ablate dual-loop macroreentry atrial flutter is to identify the dominant loop and key isthmus.Although entrainment mapping could help identify the dominant loop and key isthmus,it may alter or terminate tachycardia.High-density mapping allows the generation of electroanatomic maps without altering or terminating tachycardia.CASE SUMMARY Here,we report a case of symptomatic left atrial flutter without prior intervention.In this case,high-density mapping revealed a dual-loop macro-reentry around the mitral annulus and central scar of the anterior wall.The propagation result showed that the dominant loop was around the mitral annulus,and the key isthmus was between the central scar and mitral annulus.The atrial flutter terminated successfully after ablation was performed.CONCLUSION In this case,we demonstrate that high-density mapping technology may help identify the dominant loop of dual-loop atrial flutter without entrainment,which makes ablation easier.

Research and Application of High-Density Resistivity Method in Seawater Intrusion Investigation in Laizhou Bay

The disaster of seawater intrusion seriously affects people's lives and restricts economic development,so the detection and treatment of seawater intrusion is a long-term task.On the basis of field investigation and water quality analysis,according to the change characteristics of apparent resistivity of groundwater after Cl-reaches 250 mg/L,the theoretical basis for the application of high-density resistivity method was determined,and the characteristic values of apparent resistivity for seawater intrusion interfaces in different geological characteristic regions in Laizhou Bay area were determined by typical profile tests.Combined with water quality investigation and other means,profiles for the high-density resistivity method were arranged,and the interfaces between saline and fresh water were accurately divided.

High-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and In-hospital Mortality in Patients with Acute Aortic Dissection

The association between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol（HDL-C） and mortality in patients with acute aortic dissection（AAD） is unclear. From January 2007 to January 2014, a total of 928 consecutive AAD patients who were admitted within 48 h after the onset of symptoms were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether serum HDL-C level was below the normal lower limit or not. The Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to identify the predictive value of HDL-C for in-hospital mortality in patients with AAD. As compared with normal HDL-C group（n=585）, low HDL-C group（n=343） had lower levels of systolic blood pressure and hemoglobin and higher levels of leukocyte, alanine aminotransferase, blood glucose, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and urea acid. Low HDL-C group had significantly higher in-hospital mortality than normal HDL-C group（21.6% vs. 12.6%, log-rank=10.869, P=0.001）. After adjustment for baseline variables including demographics and biologic data, the increased risk of in-hospital mortality in low HDL-C group was substantially attenuated and showed no significant difference（adjusted hazard ratio, 1.23; 95% confidence interval, 0.86–1.77; P=0.259）. Low HDL-C is strongly but not independently associated with in-hospital mortality in patients with AAD.

Inhibition of protein degradation increases the Bt protein concentration in Bt cotton

Bacillus thuringiensis(Bt)cotton production is challenged by two main problems,i.e.,the low concentration of Bt protein at the boll setting stage and the lowest insect resistance in bolls among all the cotton plant’s organs.Therefore,increasing the Bt protein concentration at the boll stage,especially in bolls,has become the main goal for increasing insect resistance in cotton.In this study,two protein degradation inhibitors(ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid(EDTA)and leupeptin)were sprayed on the bolls,subtending leaves,and whole cotton plants at the peak flowering stage of two Bt cultivars(medium maturation Sikang 1(SK1))and early maturation Zhongmian 425(ZM425)in 2019 and 2020.The Bt protein content and protein degradation metabolism were assessed.The results showed that the Bt protein concentrations were enhanced by 21.3 to 38.8%and 25.0 to 38.6%in the treated bolls of SK1 and ZM425 respectively,while they were decreased in the subtending leaves of these treated bolls.In the treated leaves,the Bt protein concentrations increased by 7.6 to 23.5%and 11.2 to 14.9%in SK1 and ZM425,respectively.The combined application of EDTA and leupeptin to the whole cotton plant increased the Bt protein concentrations in both bolls and subtending leaves.The Bt protein concentrations in bolls were higher,increasing by 22.5 to 31.0%and 19.6 to 32.5%for SK1 and ZM425,respectively.The organs treated with EDTA or/and leupeptin showed reduced free amino acid contents,protease and peptidase activities and significant enhancements in soluble protein contents.These results indicated that inhibiting protein degradation could improve the protein content,thus increasing the Bt protein concentrations in the bolls or/and leaves of cotton plants.Therefore,the increase in the Bt protein concentration without yield reduction suggested that these two protein degradation inhibitors may be applicable for improving insect resistance in cotton production.

Essential proteins identification method based on four-order distances and subcellular localization information

Essential proteins are inseparable in cell growth and survival. The study of essential proteins is important for understanding cellular functions and biological mechanisms. Therefore, various computable methods have been proposed to identify essential proteins. Unfortunately, most methods based on network topology only consider the interactions between a protein and its neighboring proteins, and not the interactions with its higher-order distance proteins. In this paper, we propose the DSEP algorithm in which we integrated network topology properties and subcellular localization information in protein–protein interaction(PPI) networks based on four-order distances, and then used random walks to identify the essential proteins. We also propose a method to calculate the finite-order distance of the network, which can greatly reduce the time complexity of our algorithm. We conducted a comprehensive comparison of the DSEP algorithm with 11 existing classical algorithms to identify essential proteins with multiple evaluation methods. The results show that DSEP is superior to these 11 methods.

Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) Model-Based Prediction for Protein Content in Cowpea

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) is a multi-purpose legume with high quality protein for human consumption and livestock. The objective of this work was to develop near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) prediction models to estimate protein content in cowpea. A total of 116 cowpea breeding lines with a wide range of protein contents (19.28 % to 32.04%) were selected to build the model using whole seed and ground seed samples. Partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) regression technique with different pre-treatments (derivatives, standard normal variate, and multiplicative scatter correction) were carried out to develop the protein prediction model. Results showed: 1) spectral plots of both the whole seed and ground seed showed higher spectral scatter at higher wavelengths (>1450 nm), 2) data pre-processing affects prediction accuracy for bot whole seed and ground seed samples, 3) prediction using ground seed samples (0.64 R2 0.85) is better than the whole seed (0.33 R2 0.78), and 4) the data pre-processing second derivative with standard normal variate has the best prediction (R2_whole seed = 0.78, R2_ground seed = 0.85). The results will be of interest in cowpea breeding programs aimed at improving total seed protein content.

Food-derived protein hydrolysates and peptides:anxiolytic and antidepressant activities,characteristics,and mechanisms

Globally,the prevalence of anxiety and depression has reached epidemic proportions.Food-derived protein hydrolysates and peptides delivered through dietary supplementation can avoid the negative risks associated with traditional pharmaceuticals while delivering superior anxiolytic and antidepressant effects.This review summarizes current research on food-derived anxiolytic and antidepressant protein hydrolysates and peptides,and subsequently analyses their physicochemical characteristics and elaborates on their mechanisms.The aim of this work is to contribute to the in-depth study and provide a theoretical foundation for the development of related products to better serve patients with anxiety and depression.

Activated Protein C Resistance in Patients with Pre-Eclampsia in Lagos, Nigeria

Background: Preeclampsia is reported to complicate 2% - 8% of pregnancies globally and is an important cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. The aetiology and pathogenesis are still poorly understood and substantial improvement has not been made in the prediction, prevention and treatment of the disease. Objective: To compare the frequency of activated protein C resistance (APC-R) in patients with pre-eclampsia to that of normotensive pregnant women and to determine the correlation between activated protein ratio (APC-ratio) and the severity of pre-eclampsia. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 100 pre-eclamptic patients and 100 normotensive pregnant controls. The APC-ratio was determined using the modified activated partial thromboplastin time. Study participants with APC-ratio of less than 2.0 were defined as having APC-R. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 22.0. Results: Mean APC-ratio was significantly lower in pre-eclamptics (2.89 ± 1.70) compared to normotensive pregnant women (3.57 ± 1.06) (p = 0.0008) and the levels were also higher in mild (2.95 ± 1.15) compared to severe pre-eclamptics (2.62 ± 1.14). The frequency of APC-R was 26% among women with pre-eclampsia compared to 4% among normotensive controls (p = 0.000). Among 100 pre-eclamptic women 7 (21.2%) out of 33 with mild pre–eclampsia had APC-R, while 19 (28.4%) out of 67 with severe pre-eclampsia had APC-R. APC-ratio had a significant negative correlation with mean arterial blood pressure (r = −0.324;p = 0.000) and proteinuria (r = −0.379;p = 0.000) among study participants. Conclusion: The frequency of activated protein c resistance is significantly higher in pre-eclamptics compared to normotensive pregnant women and this is more pronounced in those with severe pre-eclampsia compared with those with mild disease. APC-R may therefore be used as a marker of severity in the disease.