Impact of small hydropower plants on microbial community structure and functions in benthic biofilms.

The development of small hydropower plants (SHPs) has significantly altered river connectivity and biodiversity, with its ecological impacts increasingly gaining attention. Previous ecological impact studies have biologically focused on aquatic organisms such as fish, macroinvertebrates and algae, while research on benthic biofilms, a dominant microbial life form, remains limited. Thus, we established sampling sites at 15 SHPs in the Oujiang River Basin, located upstream of the dam (S1), within the reservoir area (S2), in the dewatered section with ecological flow (S3), and downstream where natural flow is restored (S4).

Comparing multiple assessment methods based on water quality, habitat and organism indicators: unveiling the ecological health of Ningbo's urban rivers.

The growing urgency of assessing aquatic ecosystem health has drawn increasing attention due to mounting environmental pressures. While numerous studies have assessed riverine ecological health, most rely on a single assessment method, often neglecting the integration of multiple indicators. This study advances existing research by comparing different assessment approaches to evaluate ecological health of urban rivers.

Standardized diversity estimation uncovers global distribution patterns and drivers of stream insects.

Freshwater insect biodiversity is under global threat from anthropogenic stressors, yet the roles of natural and anthropogenic drivers remain unclear. Here, we examine 783 river basins to map the global diversity and explore the effects of sampling bias, natural, and anthropogenic factors on four major taxa: Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera and Odonata (EPTO). About 62% of basins were under-sampled, especially in the Global South.

Effect of stormwater and land use on biogeochemical transformations of dissolved and particulate phosphorus in freshwater systems.

Climate change increases the frequency of storm events, which flush land pollutants, including phosphorus (P), into freshwater bodies; nonetheless, understanding the biogeochemical transformation of P in dissolved and particulate forms during storm events is still challenging. We collected surface water samples during storm and dry weather flow from five study sites along a pH gradient for measurement of P species, including: dissolved inorganic P (DIP) and organic P (DOP); colloidal organic and inorganic P (COP and CIP); and particulate organic and inorganic P (POP and PIP). In dry weather flow, DIP levels rise due to low concentrations of suspended particulate matter (SPM) (11-23 mg L) and desorption from the particulate matter.

Small hydropower plants affect aquatic community diversity: A longitudinal study under ecological flow.

Small hydropower plants (SHPs) play a crucial role in clean energy production, yet they also disrupted river ecosystems. To achieve a balance between energy production, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem integrity, it is essential to study how aquatic organisms respond to SHP operations. Prior researches had shown that SHP operations have the most significant impact in dewatering sections, but studies often overlook the influence of ecological flows.

Differential impacts of small hydropower plants on macroinvertebrate communities upstream and downstream under ecological flow.

Hydropower dams influence freshwater biodiversity by altering river flow patterns and habitat conditions. With the global surge in small hydropower plants (SHPs), their impacts on aquatic ecosystems have become increasingly recognized. However, most previous studies did not consider the recently implemented ecological flows.

Vericiguat in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction patients on guideline-directed medical therapy: Insights from a 6-month real-world study.

Background: Vericiguat has demonstrated efficacy in improving the prognosis of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) following recent clinical deterioration. However, its real-world impact on reducing N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels and improving ventricular remodeling remains uncertain in stable HFrEF patients receiving guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) over the short term.

Methods: This multicenter, observational cohort study included 200 HFrEF patients.

Screening for Fabry disease in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy in China: A multicentre and prospective study.

Aims: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is frequently detected via echocardiography in individuals with Fabry disease (FD), sometimes leading to confusion with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) of other aetiologies. Considering this diagnosis challenge, FD should be included in the list of differential diagnosis for patients presenting with LVH. To address this concern, we conducted a prospective screening study in China, using dried blood spot (DBS) testing, to evaluate patients with unexplained LVH.

Sex differences in the impact of frailty on patients with heart failure: A retrospective cohort study.

Aims: Limited literature shows the existence of sex differences in the long-term prognosis of heart failure (HF) patients with frailty. In this study, whether sex differences exist in the impact of frailty on death from cardiovascular causes in patients with HF was investigated by conducting a retrospective cohort study.

Methods And Results: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) study (2009-2018) were used to conduct a retrospective cohort study of 958 participants with HF.

Different facets of alpha and beta diversity of benthic diatoms along stream watercourse in a large near-natural catchment.

Understanding the processes and mechanisms that shape the distribution patterns and variations of biodiversity along spatial gradients continues to be a priority for ecological research. We focused on the biodiversity of benthic diatom communities within a large near-natural watershed. The objectives are: (1) to explore the overall spatial patterns of benthic diatom biodiversity; (2) to investigate the effects associated with watercourse position and environmental variables, as well as both common and rare species on two facets (i.

Hydrostatic pressure effect on excited state properties of room temperature phosphorescence molecules: A QM/MM study.

Stimulus-responsive organic room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) materials exhibit variations in their luminescent characteristics (lifetime and efficiency) upon exposure to external stimuli, including force, heat, light and acid-base conditions, the development of stimulus-responsive RTP molecules becomes imperative. However, the inner responsive mechanism is unclear, theoretical investigations to reveal the relationship among hydrostatic pressures, molecular structures and photophysical properties are highly desired. Herein, taking the Se-containing RTP molecule (SeAN) as a model, based on the dispersion corrected density functional theory (DFT-D), the combined quantum mechanics and molecular dynamics (QM/MM) method and thermal vibration correlation function (TVCF) theory, the influences of hydrostatic pressure on molecular structures, transition properties as well as lifetimes and efficiencies of RTP molecule are theoretically studied.

STING deficiency alleviates ferroptosis through FPN1 stabilization in diabetic kidney disease.

Ferroptosis, a form of cell death driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, has known as one of the most significant pathological processes involved in diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) has been demonstrated its potential in regulating ferroptosis, but the regulatory role in DKD mice and underlying mechanisms haven't been illustrated. To elucidate whether and how STING regulates ferroptosis in DKD, we detected the influence of STING on diabetic-related ferroptosis in a diabetic model and in erastin-induced renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs).

Comparison of different macroinvertebrates bioassessment indices in a large near-natural watershed under the context of metacommunity theory.

The metacommunity theory proposes that community structure and biodiversity are influenced by both local processes (such as environmental filtering) and regional processes (such as dispersal). Despite the extensive use of traditional bioassessments based on species-environment relationships, the impact of dispersal processes on these assessments has been largely overlooked. This study aims to compare correlations between various bioassessment indices, including Shannon Weiner (H'), Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP), average score per taxon (ASPT), biotic index (BI), and EPT taxa index (EPT), based on macroinvertebrates collected from 147 sampling sites in a subtropical Chinese near-natural catchment.

Combination of the triglyceride-glucose index and EuroSCORE II improves the prediction of long-term adverse outcomes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

Aims: We aimed to investigate the independent and combined association of the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and EuroSCORE II with major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), and examine whether the addition of the TyG index improves the predictive performance of the EuroSCORE II.

Materials And Methods: This study included 1013 patients who underwent CABG. The primary endpoint was MACE, which was defined as the composite of all-cause death, repeat coronary artery revascularisation, non-fatal myocardial infarction and non-fatal stroke.

Comparisons of Two-dimensional Echocardiographic Aortic Dimensions Between Chinese, Japanese, and Europeans.

Purpose: We aimed to investigate the impacts of age, gender, and race on aortic dimensions in healthy adults.

Methods: We analyzed data from 3 large population-based sample studies, including Chinese Echocardiographic Measurements in Normal Chinese Adults, Japanese the Normal Values for Echocardiographic Measurements Project, and European Normal Reference Ranges for Echocardiography, to compare the two-dimensional echocardiography-derived aortic diameters at different levels and to explore the effects of age, gender, and race on aortic measurements. We also compared the values corrected by body surface area (BSA) or height.

Dose titration of sacubitril/valsartan for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: a real-world study.

Aims: The study aims to explore the real-world titration patterns of sacubitril/valsartan in a chronic heart failure (HF) follow-up management system and the effect on the recovery of ventricular remodelling and cardiac function in China.

Methods And Results: This is a single-centre, observational study of 153 adult outpatients with HF and reduced ejection fraction who were managed in the chronic HF follow-up management system and prescribed with sacubitril/valsartan from August 2017 to August 2021 in China. All patients tried to titrated sacubitril/valsartan to the tolerant dose during follow-up.

Association between visceral adiposity index and heart failure: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Obesity is an important risk factor for heart failure (HF).

Hypothesis: Visceral adiposity index (VAI) is a simple metric for assessing obesity; however, the association between VAI and risk for HF has not been studied.

Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 28 764 participants ≥18 years of age from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2009-2018, in the United States was performed.

Risk factors for intracardiac thrombus in peripartum cardiomyopathy: a retrospective study in China.

Aims: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) are more vulnerable to intracardiac thrombus than other types of cardiomyopathies, although explicit anticoagulant strategy is not sure. Too aggressive anticoagulation therapy can lead to severe bleeding events. Hence, we want to construct a risk stratification model for intracardiac thrombus in PPCM patients.

Red cell distribution width is associated with short-term mortality in critically ill patients with heart failure.

Aims: There is limited evidence for the correlation between short-term mortality and red cell distribution width (RDW) in critical patients with heart failure. Herein, a retrospective cohort study was conducted to investigate whether RDW was independently associated with short-term mortality in critically ill patients with heart failure.

Methods And Results: As a retrospective cohort study, it involved a total of 9465 patients with heart failure from the MIMIC-IV database.

Insights of Worsening Renal Function in Type 1 Cardiorenal Syndrome: From the Pathogenesis, Biomarkers to Treatment.

Type-1 cardiorenal syndrome refers to acute kidney injury induced by acute worsening cardiac function. Worsening renal function is a strong and independent predictive factor for poor prognosis. Currently, several problems of the type-1 cardiorenal syndrome have not been fully elucidated.

Deep sequencing reveals the skewed B-cell receptor repertoire in plaques and the association between pathogens and atherosclerosis.

The immune/inflammatory responses regulated by B cells are the critical determinants of atherosclerosis. B-cell receptor (BCR) plays pivotal roles in regulating B cell function. However, the composition and molecular characteristics of the BCR repertoire in atherosclerotic patients have not been fully elucidated.

Gut Dysbiosis Contributes to the Imbalance of Treg and Th17 Cells in Graves' Disease Patients by Propionic Acid.

Background: Graves' disease (GD) is a typical organ-specific autoimmune disease. Intestinal flora plays a pivotal role in immune homeostasis and autoimmune disease development. However, the association and mechanism between intestinal flora and GD remain elusive.

Ginsenoside Rb1 ameliorates CKD-associated vascular calcification by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Vascular calcification (VC) is a pathological process underpinning major cardiovascular conditions and has attracted public attention due to its high morbidity and mortality. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common disease related to VC. Ginsenoside Rb1 (Rb1) has been reported to protect the cardiovascular system against vascular diseases, yet its role in VC and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.