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ObjectiveThis study aimed to achieve rapid qualitative and quantitative analysis of the respective contents of glutamine （Gln） enantiomers in functional foods by establishing a water-soluble lanthanide shift reagent-identified method based on the 1H-qNMR technique.MethodsThe internal standard disodium terephthalate was added to the samples dissolved in ultrapure water. After vertexing and centrifuging， an appropriate amount of supernatant was taken into the NMR tube with deuterium water as a field-locking solvent and the water-soluble lanthanide shift reagent samarium （Ⅲ）-propylenediaminetetraacetate as the chiral selector. The 1H-NMR spectrum was collected by a 600 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer for the direct determination of the contents of Gln enantiomers in functional foods.ResultsThe Gln enantiomers and DT quantitative peaks were well-separated. The mass concentration of D- and L-glutamine has a good linearity in the range of 100.0-2 000.0 µg/mL with R2>0.99. The limit of detection was 30.0 µg/mL， and the limit of quantification was 100.0 µg/mL. The average recovery rates obtained from standard addition methods were between 94.27% and 116.07% with the relative standard deviations （n=6） being 0.18%-1.84%.ConclusionThis method offers high recovery， good repeatability， and a simple pretreatment process， and the sample test can be completed within 15 min. The testing of different dosage forms of functional foods purchased from the supermarket platform revealed that the enantiomeric purity of Gln in the samples was ≥99%. No significant difference was observed between this method and high-performance liquid chromatography （P>0.05） in the determination of total Gln. The method can provide a practical technique for the rapid detection of the contents of glutamine enantiomers.

AbstractObjectivesMethodResultsConclusionThe study aimed to evaluate the relative effectiveness of exercise combined with cognitive training (E&CT) in improving cognitive function compared to exercise alone.PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, SPORTDiscus, and OpenGrey were systematically searched. Additional screenings were performed by reviewing citations of relevant articles. Studies were included if they met inclusion criteria. Both pairwise and network meta-analyses were performed using a random effects model in Stata 15.0.Totally, 46 trials from 54 literature (n = 2846) were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The network meta-analysis indicated that exercise alone was more efficacious than E&CT in improving global cognition and multicomponent exercise exhibited the highest likelihood (SUCRA value= 89.0%) of being the most effective type. Regarding memory function, E&CT presented greater potential than exercise alone, with the interactive modality ranking first (SUCRA value = 88.4%). Multicomponent exercise was identified as the top intervention for enhancing executive function. The overall quality of the included studies was rated as moderate, and the certainty of evidence ranged from low to high.Multicomponent exercise emerged as the optimal intervention for improving global cognition and executive function. Nevertheless, for memory function, the interactive modality of E&CT demonstrated the highest probability of being the most effective choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrocatalytic mechanisms of CO2 reduction catalyzed by pyridine-oxazoline (pyrox)-based Mn catalysts were investigated by DFT calculations. In-depth comparative analyses of pyrox-based and bipyridine-based Mn complexes were carried out. C–OH cleavage is the rate-determining step for both the protonation-first path and the reduction-first path. The free energy of CO2 activation (ΔG1) and the electrons donated by CO ligands in this step are effective descriptors in regulating the C–OH cleavage barrier. The reduction of carboxylate complex 6 (E6) is the potential-determining step for the reduction-first path. Meanwhile, for the protonation-first path, the initial generation (E2) or the regeneration (E8) of active catalyst might be potential-determining. Hirshfeld charge and orbital contribution analysis indicate that E6 is definitely based on the heterocyclic ligand and E2 is related to both the heterocyclic ligand and three CO ligands. Therefore, replacement of the CO ligand by a stronger electron donating ligand can effectively boost the catalytic activity of CO2 reduction without increasing the overpotential in the reduction-first path. This hypothesis is supported by the mechanism calculations of the Mn complex in which the axial CO ligand is replaced by a pyridine or PMe3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter ABCG2 is a significant urate transporter with a high capacity, and it plays a crucial role in the development of hyperuricemia and gout. Therefore, it has the potential to be targeted for therapeutic interventions. Cortex Fraxini, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been found to possess anti-hyperuricemia properties. However, the specific constituents of Cortex Fraxini responsible for this effect are still unknown, particularly the compound that is responsible for reducing uric acid levels in vivo. In this study, we propose a target screening protocol utilizing bio-affinity ultrafiltration mass spectrometry (BA-UF-MS) to expediently ascertain ABCG2 ligands from the plasma of rats administered with Cortex Fraxini. Our screening protocol successfully identified fraxin as a potential ligand that interacts with ABCG2 when it functions as the target protein. Subsequent investigations substantiated fraxin as an activated ligand of ABCG2. These findings imply that fraxin exhibits promise as a drug candidate for the treatment of hyperuricemia. Furthermore, the utilization of BA-UF-MS demonstrates its efficacy as a valuable methodology for identifying hit compounds that exhibit binding affinity towards ABCG2 within TCMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study's aims were to translate the Community Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors (CHAMPS) questionnaire to Chinese and examine its psychometric properties. Adapting it for use in China involved forward translation, synthesis, back translation, expert review, and pretesting. A convenience sample of 201 Chinese older adults completed the Chinese version (CHAMPS-C) to evaluate its construct validity index and associations with physiological, psychosocial, and energy expenditure measures. The construct validity index of the CHAMPS-C was 0.95, and it had fair to moderate associations with physiological and psychosocial measures, other scales of physical activity, and accelerometer measurements. Our structured, stepwise process of cross-cultural adaptation produced a scale (i.e., CHAMPS-C), with items equivalent in meaning to the English version, for use with Chinese older adults. The findings of this study indicate that the CHAMPS-C has acceptable reliability and validity to assess the physical activity of older Chinese adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To systematically review and compare the efficacy of different exercise interventions on bone mineral density (BMD, g/cm2) in patients with osteoporosis and osteopenia. Background: It is vitally important to prevent and treat bone loss in patients with osteoporosis and osteopenia. Exercise can effectively increase bone density and slow down bone loss in middle‐aged and older people. However, it is still unclear which type of exercise intervention is the most effective on bone mineral density. Design: Systematic review and network meta‐analysis (NMA) according to PRISMA. Methods: Randomised controlled trials of different exercise treatments for osteopenia and primary osteoporosis were included. A Frequentist network meta‐analysis was conducted to appraise the efficacy of different types of exercise. The outcome was bone mineral density of different parts of the body. Results: Ninety‐seven studies were included. The network meta‐analysis showed that combined exercise, resistance exercise, aerobic exercise and mind‐body exercise had a significant effect in improving the bone density of lumbar spine. The surface under the cumulative ranking area (SUCRA) values for mind‐body exercise was 0.99 and ranked first. For BMD of the femoral neck, all kinds of exercise interventions increased the bone density significantly compared with no exercise and the optimal type was mind‐body exercise (SUCRA = 0.99). In terms of the total hip bone mineral density, aerobic exercise and resistance exercise could improve hip bone density, with the resistance exercise (SUCRA = 0.95) ranking as first. Conclusions: This NMA demonstrated the mind–body exercise might be the optimal exercise type to increase the BMD of the lumbar spine and femoral neck and resistance exercise is the most promising type for total hip BMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dementia is prevalent in worldwide, and increases the care burden and potential costs. Physical activity (PA) has been increasingly shown to be beneficial for them. This was a cross-sectional observational study aiming to investigate the status of PA among community-dwelling older adults with dementia in Beijing or Hangzhou, China, and verify the relationships between neuropsychiatric symptoms, activities of daily living (ADL), caregivers' fear of patients' falling and their PA using a path analysis approach. The level of PA among 216 included people with dementia was low. PA was related to the neuropsychiatric symptoms, with ADL and caregivers' fear of patients' falling have mediation roles. The findings indicated that person-centered strategies related to the management of these symptoms might be helpful to improve ADL, relieve caregivers' concerns about them falling and consequently foster positive participation in PA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: The shortage of psychiatric nurses has become a focus problem attracting widespread concern. And the continuous improvement of quality of psychiatric care has always been a priority in psychiatric units.Previous studies about nurses from general hospitals indicated nursing work environment was a key factor affecting work‐related outcomes, but little attention was paid to psychiatric nurses and few studies focused on the five specific dimensions of nursing work environment. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: Nurse participation in hospital affairs was the dimension with the highest proportion of participants dissatisfied.Nursing work environment and all its five dimensions had significant effects on work‐related outcomes, which were partly mediated by work engagement.For nurse‐perceived quality of care, collegial nurse‐physician relations showed the largest effect; while for turnover intention, the two dimensions of nurse participation in hospital affairs and nursing foundations for quality of care showed larger effects. What are the implications for practice?: Corresponding measures should be taken to improve nursing work environment, especially in the aspect of nurse participation in hospital affairs by promoting nurses' ability to participate, arousing their motivation to participate and offering them more opportunities to participate.Harmonious collegial relationship should be built by creating an atmosphere of equality, respect and collaboration, and enhancing the communication between doctors and nurses.Nursing foundations for quality of care need to be further improved through setting appropriate rules and regulations to ensure the quality of care and offering more opportunities to support nursing staff's growth and development. Introduction: With the increasing demand for high‐quality psychiatric care, it is imperative to improve psychiatric nurses' work engagement and work‐related outcomes. Nursing work environment has been identified as a protective factor in non‐psychiatric nurses, but little was known about psychiatric nurses. Aims: To identify the situation of nursing work environment, work engagement, nurse‐perceived quality of care and turnover intention among psychiatric nurses, and examine the relationship among them. Methods: A cross‐sectional design was adopted. Questionnaire investigation was implemented among psychiatric nurses from 43 clinical units. Structural equation modelling and path analysis were used to examine the causal relationship among variables. Results: The results showed 19.06% of participants were not satisfied with the overall work environment and 24.34% were not satisfied with the dimension of nurse participation in hospital affairs. Hypothesis testing results indicated that nursing work environment and its five dimensions had positive effects on nurse‐perceived quality of care and negative effects on turnover intention, which were both partly mediated by work engagement. Discussion: Supportive nursing work environment could improve nurses' work engagement, enhance nurse‐perceived quality of care and reduce nurses' turnover intention. Implications for Practice: Continuous efforts should be paid to the improvement of nursing work environment in psychiatric hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To clarify the specific impact paths among physical activity, activity of daily living, depression and quality of life among dementia patients. Design: A descriptive, cross‐sectional design. Methods: Dementia patients and their caregivers from five tertiary general hospitals and one dementia patients' club were recruited. A total of 216 valid questionnaires were collected from November 2018 ‐ March 2019. Path analysis was performed by Mplus 7.0 to test the casual relationship among physical activity, activity of daily living, depression and quality of life. Results: Most patients with dementia presented a low level of physical activity and suffered from impaired quality of life. The modified model presented a good model fit and revealed that physical activity had indirect positive effects on quality of life mediated by activity of daily living and depression. Conclusion: The results showed that physical activity was a promising non‐pharmacological method to improve the performance of activity of daily living and reduce depressive symptoms and then enhance the quality of life among dementia patients. Impact: The findings were beneficial to elevate the awareness of physical activity among patients and professionals. This study was helpful to understand how physical activity exerted effects on life quality of dementia patients. This study provided a new perspective for researchers to elucidate the causal relationship of variables among dementia patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrocatalytic mechanisms of CO 2 reduction catalyzed by pyridine-oxazoline (pyrox)-based Mn catalysts were investigated by DFT calculations. In-depth comparative analyses of pyrox-based and bipyridine-based Mn complexes were carried out. C-OH cleavage is the rate-determining step for both the protonation-first path and the reduction-first path. The free energy of CO 2 activation (Δ G 1 ) and the electrons donated by CO ligands in this step are effective descriptors in regulating the C-OH cleavage barrier. The reduction of carboxylate complex 6 (E 6 ) is the potential-determining step for the reduction-first path. Meanwhile, for the protonation-first path, the initial generation (E 2 ) or the regeneration (E 8 ) of active catalyst might be potential-determining. Hirshfeld charge and orbital contribution analysis indicate that E 6 is definitely based on the heterocyclic ligand and E 2 is related to both the heterocyclic ligand and three CO ligands. Therefore, replacement of the CO ligand by a stronger electron donating ligand can effectively boost the catalytic activity of CO 2 reduction without increasing the overpotential in the reduction-first path. This hypothesis is supported by the mechanism calculations of the Mn complex in which the axial CO ligand is replaced by a pyridine or PMe 3 .

Objective: This study aims to investigate the impact of 1,25(OH)2D3 on the polarization of LPS-stimulated macrophages and the underlying regulatory mechanisms., Methods: Primary macrophages were isolated and identified using immunofluorescence assays to detect macrophage biomarker expression levels. RT-PCR was employed to measure the expression of Arginase 1 (Arg-1), Interleukin-10 (IL-10), Inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in macrophages treated with various strategies. Western blotting assessed the protein expression levels of AKT1, p-AKT1, NF-κB p65, p-NF-κB p65, STAT3, and p-STAT3 in LPS-stimulated macrophages exposed to different concentrations of 1,25(OH)2D3., Results: As the LPS concentration increased from 0 to 0.5 mg/L, Arg-1, IL-10, iNOS, and TNF-α expression levels significantly increased. However, at LPS concentrations ranging from 1 mg/L to 10 mg/L, the expression of Arg-1, IL-10, iNOS, and TNF-α displayed a trend from increase to decline. The highest M2 polarization (Arg-1 and IL-10) was observed in macrophages stimulated with 0.5 mg/L LPS among the lower concentrations, while the highest M1 polarization (iNOS and TNF-α) was observed in macrophages stimulated with 5 mg/L LPS among the higher concentrations. Subsequent experiments utilized 0.5 mg/L and 5 mg/L LPS as incubation concentrations. Under LPS stimulation, iNOS was significantly upregulated, surpassing the expression level of IL-10, a marker of M2 macrophages. The introduction of 1,25(OH)2D3 facilitated M2 polarization, with 50 nM as the incubation concentration of 1,25(OH)2D3. Furthermore, 1,25(OH)2D3 reversed the elevated expression of p-AKT1, p-NF-κB p65, and p-STAT3 in macrophages stimulated with 5 mg/L LPS., Conclusions: 1,25(OH)2D3 effectively regulates the M1/M2 polarization in LPS-stimulated macrophages.

Background: Sleep problems are very prevalent in older adults, especially in those at risk for dementia. But the relationships between sleep parameters and subjective or objective cognitive decline are still inconclusive., Aim: The study aimed to investigate the self-reported and objectively measured sleep characteristics in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and subjective cognitive decline (SCD)., Methods: This study adopted a cross-sectional design. We included older adults with SCD or MCI. Sleep quality was measured separately by the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and ActiGraph. Participants with SCD were divided into low, moderate, and high levels of SCD groups. Independent samples T-tests, one-way ANOVA, or nonparametric tests were used to compare the sleep parameters across groups. Covariance analyses were also performed to control the covariates., Results: Around half of the participants (45.9%) reported poor sleep quality (PSQI＜7), and 71.3% of participants slept less than 7 hours per night, as measured by ActiGraph. Participants with MCI showed shorter time in bed (TIB) (p＜0.05), a tendency of shorter total sleep time (TST) at night (p = 0.074) and for each 24-hour cycle (p = 0.069), compared to those with SCD. The high SCD group reported the highest PSQI total score and longest sleep latency than all the other three groups (p＜0.05). Both the MCI and high SCD groups had shorter TIB and TST for each 24-hour cycle than the low or moderate SCD groups. Besides, participants with multiple-domain SCD reported poorer sleep quality than those with single-domain SCD (p＜0.05)., Conclusion: Sleep dysregulation is prevalent in older adults with a risk for dementia. Our findings revealed that objectively measured sleep duration might be an early sign of MCI. Individuals with high levels of SCD demonstrated poorerself-perceived sleep quality and deserved more attention. Improving sleep quality might be a potential target to prevent cognitive decline for people with a risk for dementia., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

The quality of Chinese cardiovascular disease medication apps was evaluated and compared to those in the Google Play Store. Only 21% of 257 CVD medication apps covered medication issues, but the quality is in question. The quality of top 10 CVD medication apps from China was inferior to international apps. An app quality assurance mechanism is needed to ensure patient safety.