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ObjectiveHeart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), an increasing public health concern, is increasing in prevalence and is associated with an elevated risk of hospitalization and mortality. Currently, data on the clinical application value of left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV GLS) in HFpEF are contradictory. Therefore, we performed the following meta-analysis to appraise the diagnostic and prognostic value of LV GLS in HFpEF.MethodsPubMed, Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science were retrieved exhaustively from their inception until December 20, 2022, to obtain literature assessing the diagnostic and prognostic value of LV GLS in HFpEF.ResultsForty-one studies (including 14,543 patients) published from 2008 to 2022 were included. The results of the meta-analysis were as follows: First, the LV GLS values in HFpEF patients were significantly lower than in healthy individuals (SMD:1.21; 95% CI (0.94, 1.47), p2=85%; P2=92%; P2=84%; P = 0.031) in HFpEF patients.ConclusionsLV GLS is impaired in HFpEF patients despite a normal left ventricular ejection fraction, indicating the existence of mild LV contractile dysfunction. Moreover, LV GLS might be an auxiliary indicator for diagnosing HFpEF and predicting all-cause death in HFpEF patients.

BackgroundHeart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a growing public health burden, with mortality and rehospitalization rates comparable to HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The evidence for the clinical usefulness of soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) in HFpEF is contradictory. Therefore, we conducted the following systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of serum sST2 in HFpEF.MethodsPubMed and Scopus were searched exhaustively from their inception until March 15, 2022. In diagnostic analysis, we compared the diagnostic value of serum sST2 in HFpEF to NT pro-BNP. We separately pooled the unadjusted and multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in prognostic analysis.ResultsA total of 16 publications from 2008 to 2021 were examined. The results of this analysis were as follow: Firstly, compared with NT pro-BNP, sST2 obtains poor diagnostic performance in independently identifying HFpEF from healthy controls, hypertensive patients, and HFrEF patient. Nevertheless, it may provide incremental value to other biomarkers for diagnosing HFpEF and deserves further investigation. Secondly, log sST2 was independently associated with adverse endpoints on multivariable analysis after adjusting for variables such as age, sex, race, and NYHA class. Per log unit rise in sST2, there was a 2.76-fold increased risk of all-cause death [HR:2.76; 95% CI (1.24, 6.16); p = 0.516, I2 = 0%; P = 0.013] and a 6.52-fold increased risk in the composite endpoint of all-cause death and HF hospitalization [HR:6.52; 95% CI (2.34, 18.19); p = 0.985, I2 = 0%; P = 0.000]. Finally, the optimal threshold levels of serum sST2 need further determined.ConclusionsHigher sST2 was strongly linked to an increased risk of adverse outcomes in HFpEE. Especially, log sST2 independently predicted all-cause death and the composite endpoint of all-cause death and HF hospitalization. However, prospective and multicenter studies with large-sample and extended follow-up periods are required to validate our results due to limitations in our research.

Rugao city is a typical longevity area taking shallow groundwater as the primary drinking water source. To determine the relationship between longevity and groundwater conditions, the hydrogeochemical characteristics and related causes of potable groundwater were investigated. On this basis, the water quality index (WQI) and hazard index (HI) of groundwater were evaluated. Meanwhile, the nutrient indicators beneficial to human health, like Ca and Mg concentrations, were also considered to explore the relationship. The results were as following: (1) 91.3% of water samples fell under the Ca/Mg–HCO3 water type, which resulted from the dissolution of silicate rock. Na, Cl-, Br, B in groundwater emanated from seawater intrusion. The abnormal concentrations of NO3− and As also indicated that anthropogenic activities had exerted significant influences on groundwater quality. (2) The average WQI value was 30.19, which meant that the overall groundwater quality in Rugao city was pretty good. However, 8 water samples were found to have HI values above 1, which might be attributed to the high concentration of As (maximum value 0.0407 mg/L; mean value 0.0076 mg/L). In general, low WQI and HI values corresponded to towns with a high longevity population; what’s more, WQI and HI values of Rugao city were lower than those of non-longevity areas. (3) Comparing with adjacent non-longevity areas, the potable groundwater in Rugao city had the characteristics of high Ca (mean value 123.57 mg/L), high Mg (mean value 50.33 mg/L) and high SO42- (mean value 525.19 mg/L). The daily intake of Ca and Mg from drinking water could meet 12.4% and 22.4% of daily Ca and Mg requirements, respectively. Also, the areas where the Sr and B concentrations were higher usually had higher life expectancy. The high concentrations of Ca, Mg, SO42-, Sr and B in drinking water, as well as low WQI and HI values, probably contribute to physical health and longevity. This research helps provide an insight into the relationship between groundwater quality and health and can serve as a reference for drinking water quality management.

Supplemental material, sj-docx-4-sci-10.1177_00368504211011836 for PANX2 and brain lower grade glioma genesis: A bioinformatic analysis by XiaoXue Xu, YueHan Hao, Shuang Xiong and ZhiYi He in Science Progress

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-sci-10.1177_00368504211011836 for PANX2 and brain lower grade glioma genesis: A bioinformatic analysis by XiaoXue Xu, YueHan Hao, Shuang Xiong and ZhiYi He in Science Progress

Supplemental material, sj-docx-3-sci-10.1177_00368504211011836 for PANX2 and brain lower grade glioma genesis: A bioinformatic analysis by XiaoXue Xu, YueHan Hao, Shuang Xiong and ZhiYi He in Science Progress

Supplemental material, sj-docx-5-sci-10.1177_00368504211011836 for PANX2 and brain lower grade glioma genesis: A bioinformatic analysis by XiaoXue Xu, YueHan Hao, Shuang Xiong and ZhiYi He in Science Progress

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-sci-10.1177_00368504211011836 for PANX2 and brain lower grade glioma genesis: A bioinformatic analysis by XiaoXue Xu, YueHan Hao, Shuang Xiong and ZhiYi He in Science Progress

Supplemental material, sj-docx-5-sci-10.1177_00368504211011836 for PANX2 and brain lower grade glioma genesis: A bioinformatic analysis by XiaoXue Xu, YueHan Hao, Shuang Xiong and ZhiYi He in Science Progress

Supplemental material, sj-docx-2-sci-10.1177_00368504211011836 for PANX2 and brain lower grade glioma genesis: A bioinformatic analysis by XiaoXue Xu, YueHan Hao, Shuang Xiong and ZhiYi He in Science Progress

Supplemental material, sj-docx-3-sci-10.1177_00368504211011836 for PANX2 and brain lower grade glioma genesis: A bioinformatic analysis by XiaoXue Xu, YueHan Hao, Shuang Xiong and ZhiYi He in Science Progress

Supplemental material, sj-docx-2-sci-10.1177_00368504211011836 for PANX2 and brain lower grade glioma genesis: A bioinformatic analysis by XiaoXue Xu, YueHan Hao, Shuang Xiong and ZhiYi He in Science Progress

Supplemental material, sj-docx-4-sci-10.1177_00368504211011836 for PANX2 and brain lower grade glioma genesis: A bioinformatic analysis by XiaoXue Xu, YueHan Hao, Shuang Xiong and ZhiYi He in Science Progress

A distributed remote water monitoring and early warning system was proposed, which used the UV-Vis spectroscopy, GPS, GIS, 4G network, COD solution and database technology, to solve the problems including long detection cycle, limited scale and the lack of early warning mechanism of the water monitoring. 50 groups of original water sample from Ciqikou to Chaotianmen of Jialing River in Chongqing, China (every 5 km decorate a monitoring node, every 60 minutes collect data) was selected to study distributed remote water monitoring and early warning system of COD in UV-Vis spectroscopy based on 4G networks. The results indicated that through the system, not only the real-time display and storage, historical data query and warning function of water quality monitoring information could be achieved, but also the status of the water quality environment on the basis of COD can be reflected, which has a strong practicability and can provide environmental monitoring departments with real-time water quality information.

A heat engine model of a sing particle confined in a one-dimensional harmonic trap is established. The model, as a quantum-mechanical analog of the Carnot engine, does work to outside when both the width of the potential and the quantum state change very slowly. On the assumption that the width of the potential moves at a very slow speed and the heat leakage is included, we derive the general expressions for several performance parameters, such as work, power output, efficiency, etc. We find the optimally operating regions and the optimal values of performance parameters of the heat engine cycle.