Explore the vast range of titles available.

Cardiac function is determined by the dynamic equilibrium of various cell types and the extracellular matrix that composes the heart. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), especially atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction, are often accompanied by cell death and acute/chronic inflammatory reactions. Caspase‐dependent pyroptosis is characterized by the activation of pathways leading to the activation of NOD‐like receptors, especially the NLRP3 inflammasome and its downstream effector inflammatory factors interleukin (IL)‐1β and IL‐18. Many studies in the past decade have investigated the role of pyroptosis in CVDs. The findings of these studies have led to the development of therapeutic approaches based on the regulation of pyroptosis, and some of these approaches are in clinical trials. This review summarizes the molecular mechanisms, regulation and cellular effects of pyroptosis briefly and then discusses the current pyroptosis studies in CVD research.

Although the application of image-based fog density estimation brings excellent convenience and low-cost methods, the accuracy of such methods still needs to be improved, and further research is encouraged on accuracy evaluation methods. To improve the accuracy and computational efficiency of fog density estimation in images, we first construct three image features based on the image dark channel information, the image saturation information, and the proportion of gray noise points, respectively. Then, we use a feature fusion method to estimate fog density in the images. In addition, two indicators have been constructed to evaluate the accuracy of various fog density estimation methods. These two indicators are the sequential error indicator and the proportional error indicator, which are calculated using fog image sequences with known density values. These two new indicators enable the evaluation of any fog density estimation method in terms of the ability to maintain order and ratio values. The experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively estimate the fog densities of images and display the best performance among the eight latest image-based methods for estimating fog density; the three features used in the proposed method significantly impact the effectiveness of image-based fog density estimation. The proposed method has been illustrated for fog density analysis of indoor and outdoor surveillance videos. The source code is available at https://github.com/Dai-MR/ImageFogDensityEsitmation .

This meta-analysis investigates the differential risks of suicidal behaviors (ideation, attempts, mortality) associated with current asthma and asthma history. Retrieve cohort studies on the association between asthma and suicide from PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library database. Use the Newcastle Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS) to assess the risk of bias. The risk ratio (RR) of 95% confidence interval (CI) was summarized using a random effects model, and publication bias was evaluated using funnel plots and Egger's trials. A total of 12 cohort studies were included and published between 2005 and 2024. The NOS scores for the 12 cohort studies included in this meta-analysis ranged from 7 to 9. Most studies received scores of 7 or 8, indicating a generally high quality. Current asthma conferred a 62% increased risk of suicidal behaviors (RR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.38-1.88), with suicide attempts showing the strongest association (RR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.33-3.89). Asthma history was linked only to elevated suicide mortality (RR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.64-2.14), not non-fatal suicidal behaviors. Current asthma status is associated with an increased risk of suicidal behaviors, but a history of asthma correlates only with elevated suicide mortality. This finding highlights the need for proactive mental health screening in asthma management protocols, especially during periods of active disease.

The density of fog is directly related to visibility and is one of the decision-making criteria for airport flight management and highway traffic management. Estimating fog density based on images and videos has been a popular research topic in recent years. However, the fog density estimated results based on images should be further evaluated and analyzed by combining weather information from other sensors. The data obtained by different sensors often need to be aligned in terms of time because of the difference in acquisition methods. In this paper, we propose a video and a visibility data alignment method based on temporal consistency for data alignment. After data alignment, the fog density estimation results based on images and videos can be analyzed, and the incorrect estimation results can be efficiently detected and corrected. The experimental results show that the new method effectively combines videos and visibility for fog density estimation.

Curcuma wenyujin is a member of the Curcuma zedoaria (zedoary, Zingiberaceae) family, which has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) due to its abundant biologically active constituents. Curcumenol, a component of Curcuma wenyujin, has several biological activities. At present, despite different pharmacological activities being reported, the clinical usage of curcumenol remains under investigation. To further determine the characteristics of curcumenol, the extraction, determination, and bioactivity of the compound are summarized in this review. Existing research has reported that curcumenol exerts different pharmacological effects in regard to a variety of diseases, including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-bactericidal, anti-diabetic, and anti-cancer activity, and also ameliorates osteoporosis. This review of curcumenol provides a theoretical basis for further research and clinical applications.

BackgroundThe opioid epidemic in the United States is a national public health crisis. In recent years, marijuana legalization has been increasingly adopted by state governments as a policy intervention to control the opioid epidemic under the premise that marijuana and opioids are substitutive substances. The purpose of this systematic review is to synthesize the empirical evidence regarding the impact of state marijuana laws on opioid overdose mortality and other opioid-related health outcomes.MethodA comprehensive search of the research literature in 18 bibliographic databases returned 6640 records, with 5601 abstracts reviewed, 29 full text articles screened for eligibility, and 16 eligible studies included in the systematic review. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software was used to generate summary estimates, forest plots, funnel plots, and heterogeneity statistics.ResultsOf the 16 eligible studies, 4 assessed the association of state marijuana law status with opioid overdose mortality, 7 with prescription opioids dispensed, and the remaining with nonmedical use and opioid-related hospitalizations. Random effects modeling based on pooled data revealed that legalizing marijuana for medical use was associated with a statistically non-significant 8% reduction in opioid overdose mortality (95% confidence interval: − 0.21 to 0.04; p = 0.201) and a 7% reduction in prescription opioids dispensed (95% confidence interval: − 0.13 to − 0.01; p = 0.017). Legalizing marijuana for recreational use was associated with an additional 7% reduction in opioid overdose mortality in Colorado and 6% reduction in opioid prescriptions among fee-for-service Medicaid and managed care enrollees.ConclusionsLegalizing marijuana might contribute to a modest reduction in opioid prescriptions. Evidence about the effect of marijuana legalization on opioid overdose mortality is inconsistent and inconclusive. If any, the effectiveness of state marijuana laws in reducing opioid overdose mortality appears to be rather small and limited to states with operational marijuana dispensaries. It remains unclear whether the presumed benefit of legalizing marijuana in reducing opioid-related harms outweighs the policy’s externalities, such as its impact on mental health and traffic safety.

Background Cannabis use has been identified as a risk factor for depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts. However, the direct relationship between cannabis use and suicide death has not been adequately investigated due to data and methodological challenges. We assessed the association between cannabis use and suicide using the case-control design and integrative data analysis techniques. Methods Cases consisted of suicide decedents aged 16 years and older, selected from the 2013 National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS). Controls were respondents from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). To mitigate potential misclassification in the NSDUH respondents’ self-reported cannabis use, we employed a data fusion approach by integrating the NSDUH data with data from the 2013 National Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drug Use by Drivers (NRS), which included both toxicological testing and self-reported data on cannabis use. For statistical analysis, adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of suicide associated with cannabis and alcohol use were estimated using weighted multivariable logistic regression models. Results Multiply imputed toxicological testing data indicated that 17.1% of the cases, and 7.2% of the NSDUH controls used cannabis as indicated by testing positive for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Weighted multivariable logistic modeling revealed that cannabis use was associated with 83% increased odds of suicide (aOR = 1.83; 95% CI: 1.36, 2.31) and that alcohol use was associated with 20-fold increased odds of suicide (aOR = 20.53; 95% CI: 11.83, 29.24). Other factors associated with significantly increased odds of suicide were male sex, White race, being 35–49 years of age, and having less than a high school education. Conclusions Cannabis use is a significant risk factor for suicide, independent of alcohol use and demographic characteristics. Policy makers should take into consideration the excess risk of suicide associated with cannabis use when assessing the externalities of legalizing cannabis.

Use of triggers for palliative care consultation has been advocated in intensive care units (ICUs) to ensure appropriate specialist involvement for patients at high risk of unmet palliative care needs. The volume of patients meeting these triggers, and thus the potential workload for providers, is unknown. To estimate the prevalence of ICU admissions who met criteria for palliative care consultation using different sets of triggers. Retrospective cohort study of ICU admissions from Project IMPACT for 2001-2008. We assessed the prevalence of ICU admissions meeting one or more primary palliative care triggers, and prevalence meeting any of multiple sets of triggers. Overall, 53,124 (13.8%) ICU admissions met one or more primary triggers for palliative care consultation. Variation in prevalence was minimal across different types of units (mean 13.3% in medical ICUs to 15.8% in trauma/burn ICUs; P = 0.41) and individual units (mean 13.8%, median 13.0%, interquartile range, 10.2-16.5%). A comprehensive model combining multiple sets of triggers identified a total of 75,923 (19.7%) ICU admissions requiring palliative care consultation; of them, 85.4% were captured by five triggers: (1) ICU admission after hospital stay greater than or equal to 10 days, (2) multisystem organ failure greater than or equal to three systems, (3) stage IV malignancy, (4) status post cardiac arrest, and (5) intracerebral hemorrhage requiring mechanical ventilation. Approximately one in seven ICU admissions met triggers for palliative care consultation using a single set of triggers, with an upper estimate of one in five patients using multiple sets of triggers; these estimates were consistent across different types of ICUs and individual units. These results may inform staffing requirements for providers to ensure delivery of specialized palliative care to ICU patients nationally.

The water use of desert vegetation is a critical component of ecohydrological processes in arid regions, with groundwater and soil water serving as the primary moisture sources. To better understand the effects of ecological water conveyance on the water sources of desert vegetation, this study employed hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope techniques combined with the Bayesian mixing (MixSIAR) model to analyze changes in water uptake sources of Populus euphratica (of different ages) under varying groundwater depths during ecological water conveyance and non-conveyance periods. The results indicate: (1) The δ 18 O and δ 2 H values of soil water decreased during the water conveyance period compared to the non-conveyance period, gradually increased with distance from the riverbank, and decreased with soil depth. The δ 18 O and δ 2 H values of xylem water increased during the water conveyance period, with the highest values observed in young trees, followed by mature trees, and the lowest in intermediate-aged trees. The δ 18 O and δ 2 H values of groundwater decreased during the water conveyance period and declined with increasing distance from the riverbank. (2) During the water conveyance period (groundwater depth: 1.95–4.73 m), the primary water sources for P. euphratica of different ages were groundwater, river water, and deep soil water, with the maximum utilization proportion of groundwater reaching 23.1%. During the non-conveyance period (groundwater depth: 4.13–6.26 m), the main water sources shifted to groundwater and deep soil water, with the maximum groundwater utilization proportion dropping to 19.9%. As groundwater depth increased, mature trees exhibited the highest reliance on groundwater, followed by intermediate-aged trees, while young trees showed the lowest dependency. (3) The utilization proportion of soil water by P. euphratica increased with higher soil moisture and clay content but decreased with greater groundwater depth. Elevated soil salinity significantly inhibited water absorption by P. euphratica . This study elucidates the adaptive water use strategies of P. euphratica under fluctuating groundwater conditions during ecological water conveyance and non-conveyance periods, providing theoretical support for the ecological restoration of desert riparian forests in the lower Tarim River Basin.

Diabetes increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Berberine (BBR), an isoquinoline alkaloid used in Chinese medicine, exerts anti-diabetic effect by lowering blood glucose and regulating lipid metabolism. It has been reported that BBR decreases mortality in patients with chronic congestive heart failure. However, the molecular mechanisms of these beneficial effects are incompletely understood. In the present study, we sought to determine whether BBR exerts cardioprotective effect against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in diabetic rats and the underlying mechanisms. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with low dose streptozotocin and fed with a high-fat diet for 12 weeks to induce diabetes. The diabetic rats were intragastrically administered with saline or BBR (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg/d) starting from week 9 to 12. At the end of week 12, all rats were subjected to 30 min of myocardial ischemia and 3 h of reperfusion. BBR significantly improved the recovery of cardiac systolic/diastolic function and reduced myocardial apoptosis in diabetic rats subjected to myocardial I/R. Furthermore, in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, BBR (50 μmol/L) reduced hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced myocardial apoptosis, increased Bcl-2/Bax ratio and decreased caspase-3 expression, together with enhanced activation of PI3K–Akt and increased adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and eNOS phosphorylation. Pretreatment with either PI3K/Akt inhibitor wortmannin or AMPK inhibitor Compound C blunted the anti-apoptotic effect of BBR. Our findings demonstrate that BBR exerts anti-apoptotic effect and improves cardiac functional recovery following myocardial I/R via activating AMPK and PI3K–Akt–eNOS signaling in diabetic rats.