The Milk of Cows Immunized with Trivalent Inactivated Vaccines Provides Broad-Spectrum Passive Protection against Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease in Neonatal Mice.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a contagious viral infection predominantly affecting infants and young children, caused by multiple enteroviruses, including Enterovirus 71 (EV71), Coxsackievirus A16 (CA16), Coxsackievirus A10 (CA10), and Coxsackievirus A6 (CA6). The high pathogenicity of HFMD has garnered significant attention. Currently, there is no specific treatment or broad-spectrum preventive measure available for HFMD, and existing monovalent vaccines have limited impact on the overall incidence or prevalence of the disease. Consequently, with the emergence of new viral strains driven by vaccine pressure, there is an urgent need to develop strategies for the rapid response and control of new outbreaks. In this study, we demonstrated the broad protective effect of maternal antibodies against three types of HFMD by immunizing mother mice with a trivalent inactivated vaccine targeting EV71, CA16, and CA10, using a neonatal mouse challenge model. Based on the feasibility of maternal antibodies as a form of passive immunization to prevent HFMD, we prepared a multivalent antiviral milk by immunizing dairy cows with the trivalent inactivated vaccine to target multiple HFMD viruses. In the neonatal mouse challenge model, this immunized milk exhibited extensive passive protection against oral infections caused by the three HFMD viruses. Compared to vaccines, this strategy may offer a rapid and broadly applicable approach to providing passive immunity for the prevention of HFMD, particularly in response to the swift emergence and spread of new variants.

Soluble suppression of tumourigenicity 2 as a predictor of postoperative hepatic failure.

BACKGROUND: Posthepatectomy liver failure remains a potentially life-threatening complication after hepatectomy. Soluble suppression of tumourigenicity 2 is an injury-related biomarker. The aim of the study was to assess soluble suppression of tumourigenicity 2 elevation after hepatectomy and whether it can predict posthepatectomy liver failure. METHODS: This was a single-centre retrospective study including all patients who underwent a liver resection between 2015 and 2019. Plasma concentrations of soluble suppression of tumourigenicity 2 were measured before surgery and at postoperative days 1, 2, 5 and 7. Posthepatectomy liver failure was defined according to the International Study Group of Liver Surgery and the morbidity rate was graded according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. RESULTS: A total of 173 patients were included (75 underwent major and 98 minor resection); plasma levels of soluble suppression of tumourigenicity 2 increased from 43.42 (range 18.69-119.96) pg/ml to 2622.23 (range 1354.18-4178.27) pg/ml on postoperative day 1 (P < 0.001). Postoperative day 1 soluble suppression of tumourigenicity 2 concentration accurately predicted posthepatectomy liver failure ≥ grade B (area under curve = 0.916, P < 0.001) and its outstanding performance was not affected by underlying disease, liver pathological status and extent of resection. The cut-off value, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of postoperative day 1 soluble suppression of tumourigenicity 2 in predicting posthepatectomy liver failure ≥ grade B were 3700, 92%, 85%, 64% and 97% respectively. Soluble suppression of tumourigenicity 2high patients more frequently experienced posthepatectomy liver failure ≥ grade B (64.3% (n = 36) versus 2.6% (n = 3)) and Clavien-Dindo IIIa higher morbidity rate (23.2% (n = 13) versus 5.1% (n = 6)) compared with soluble suppression of tumourigenicity 2low patients. CONCLUSIONS: Soluble suppression of tumourigenicity 2 may be a reliable predictor of posthepatectomy liver failure ≥ grade B as early as postoperative day 1 for patients undergoing liver resection. Its role in controlling hepatic injury/regeneration needs further investigation. Registration number: ChiCTR-OOC-15007210 (www.chictr.org.cn/).

Design and evaluation of an efficient mosquito trap.

BACKGROUND: Vector mosquito control is important for preventing and controlling mosquito-borne infectious diseases. This study designed and developed a mosquito killer (MK) with a specific light wavelength, simulated human body temperature, human odor, and a photocatalyst to stimulate CO2 based on the physiological characteristics and ecological habits of mosquitoes. We tested the trapping effect of individual and multiple mosquito-trapping elements of the MK through two-way selection experiments and compared them with several commercial mosquito traps. RESULTS: The 365 nm wavelength MK was significantly more effective than the 395 nm (Cx. quinquefasciatus: 62.00% vs. 34.25%; Ae. albopictus: 50.75% vs 45.00%, An. sinensis: 49.75% vs 39.00%). Mosquitoes captured by the MK with heaters at 365 nm were significantly more than those captured by the MK without heaters at 365 nm. A trap with a 365 nm wavelength, heating element, and lure showed significantly better capture effectiveness than MK with a 365 nm wavelength, heating element, but without lure (Cx. quinquefasciatus: 67.00% vs. 29.75%, Ae. albopictus: 60.25% vs 36.25%, An. sinensis: 49.75% vs 39.75%). The coated photocatalyst trap with a 365 nm wavelength, heating element, and lure showed significantly better capture effectiveness than the trap without coating (Cx. quinquefasciatus: 54.25% vs. 42.50%; Ae. albopictus: 53.50% vs 44.00%, An. sinensis: 50.00% vs 41.25%). This trap demonstrated a significantly better capture advantage for Cx. quinquefasciatus and Ae. albopictus compared to the three commercial products. CONCLUSION: The developed mosquito trap with multiple attractant factors significantly enhanced the capture effectiveness of common mosquitoes. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Coping as a mediator of the relationship between kinesiophobia and illness perception in atrial fibrillation patients: A cross-sectional mediation analysis.

AIM(S): To explore the mediating role of coping styles in the association between illness perception and kinesiophobia in atrial fibrillation patients. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey. METHODS: Between June 2021 and November 2022, data were collected using a self-designed demographic questionnaire, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ), Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia Heart (TSK-SV Heart) and Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire (MCMQ). The sample comprised 474 atrial fibrillation patients recruited from three hospitals in China. To analyse the data, multiple linear regression models with forced entry were employed, and the mediation Mode 4 of the PROCESS macro in SPSS was implemented. RESULTS: In total, 57.8% of patients exhibited a high level of kinesiophobia. Regression analyses uncovered associations between kinesiophobia and various demographic and disease characteristics, as well as assessments of both illness perception and coping styles. Path analysis results indicated that illness perception reduced kinesiophobia through the mediating effect of confrontation, while avoidance and resignation intensified kinesiophobia. The mediating factor of coping styles explained a significant 53% of the overall effect. CONCLUSIONS: Coping styles mediate the relationship between illness perception and kinesiophobia, resulting in a shift in coping styles as illness perception decreases and ultimately leading to reduced kinesiophobia. IMPACT: Coping styles play a mediating role in the relationship between kinesiophobia and illness perception. The results suggest healthcare providers in identifying high-risk individuals and tailoring interventions to effectively break the vicious cycle of kinesiophobia. Therefore, screening and intervening with patients showcasing heightened illness perception aims to promote a transformation in coping styles, subsequently reducing atrial fibrillation kinesiophobia. REPORTING METHOD: The results of the observations were reported in adherence to the STROBE criteria. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient and public involvement.

Effect of probiotics on children with autism spectrum disorders: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Researches have found that alteration of intestinal flora may be closely related to the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, whether probiotics supplementation has a protective effect on ASD remains controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to analyze the outcome of probiotics in the treatment of ASD children. METHODS: The Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Embase were searched until Sep 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) relevant to the probiotics and placebo treatment on ASD children were screened. Quality assessment of the included RCTs was evaluated by the Cochrane collaboration's tool. The primary outcomes were ASD assessment scales, including ABC (aberrant behavior checklist) and CBCL (child behavior checklist) for evaluating the behavior improvement, SRS (social responsiveness scale) for social assessment, DQ (developmental quotient) for physical and mental development and CGI-I (clinical global impression improvement) for overall improvement. The secondary outcome was total 6-GSI (gastrointestinal severity index). RESULTS: In total, 6 RCTs from 6 studies with 302 children were included in the systemic review. Total 6-GSI (MD=-0.59, 95%CI [-1.02,-0.17], P < 0.05) decreased significantly after oral administration of probiotics. Whereas, there was no statistical difference in ABC, CBCL, SRS, DQ and CGI-I between probiotics and placebo groups in ASD children. CONCLUSION: Probiotics treatment could improve gastrointestinal symptoms, but there was no significant improvement in ASD.

AcMYB266, a key regulator of the red coloration in pineapple peel: a case of subfunctionalization in tandem duplicated genes.

Red fruit peel is an attractive target for pineapple breeding. Various pineapple accessions with distinct red coloration patterns exist; however, the precise molecular mechanism accounting for these differences remains unknown, which hinders the pineapple breeding process from combining high fruit quality with red peel. In this study, we characterized a transcription factor, AcMYB266, which is preferentially expressed in pineapple peel and positively regulates anthocyanin accumulation. Transgenic pineapple, Arabidopsis, and tobacco plants overexpressing AcMYB266 exhibited significant anthocyanin accumulation. Conversely, transient silencing of this gene led to decreased anthocyanin accumulation in pineapple red bracts. In-depth analysis indicated that variations of AcMYB266 sequences in the promoter instead of the protein-coding region seem to contribute to different red coloration patterns in peels of three representative pineapple varieties. In addition, we found that AcMYB266 was located in a cluster of four MYB genes exclusive to and conserved in Ananas species. Of this cluster, each was proved to regulate anthocyanin synthesis in different pineapple tissues, illustrating an interesting case of gene subfunctionalization after tandem duplication. In summary, we have characterized AcMYB266 as a key regulator of pineapple red fruit peel and identified an MYB cluster whose members were subfunctionalized to specifically regulate the red coloration of different pineapple tissues. The present study will assist in establishing a theoretical mechanism for pineapple breeding for red fruit peel and provide an interesting case for the investigation of gene subfunctionalization in plants.

Integrated multi-omics analysis and machine learning to refine molecular subtypes, prognosis, and immunotherapy in lung adenocarcinoma.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) has a malignant characteristic that is highly aggressive and prone to metastasis. There is still a lack of suitable biomarkers to facilitate the refinement of precision-based therapeutic regimens. We used a combination of 10 known clustering algorithms and the omics data from 4 dimensions to identify high-resolution molecular subtypes of LUAD. Subsequently, consensus machine learning-related prognostic signature (CMRS) was developed based on subtypes related genes and an integrated program framework containing 10 machine learning algorithms. The efficiency of CMRS was analyzed from the perspectives of tumor microenvironment, genomic landscape, immunotherapy, drug sensitivity, and single-cell analysis. In terms of results, through multi-omics clustering, we identified 2 comprehensive omics subtypes (CSs) in which CS1 patients had worse survival outcomes, higher aggressiveness, mRNAsi and mutation frequency. Subsequently, we developed CMRS based on 13 key genes up-regulated in CS1. The prognostic predictive efficiency of CMRS was superior to most established LUAD prognostic signatures. CMRS demonstrated a strong correlation with tumor microenvironmental feature variants and genomic instability generation. Regarding clinical performance, patients in the high CMRS group were more likely to benefit from immunotherapy, whereas low CMRS were more likely to benefit from chemotherapy and targeted drug therapy. In addition, we evaluated that drugs such as neratinib, oligomycin A, and others may be candidates for patients in the high CMRS group. Single-cell analysis revealed that CMRS-related genes were mainly expressed in epithelial cells. The novel molecular subtypes identified in this study based on multi-omics data could provide new insights into the stratified treatment of LUAD, while the development of CMRS could serve as a candidate indicator of the degree of benefit of precision therapy and immunotherapy for LUAD.

The Relationship between Low-Sodium Salt Intake and Both Blood Pressure Level and Hypertension in Chinese Residents.

Compared to common salt, low-sodium salt can reduce blood pressure to varying degrees. However, the exact dosage relationship remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the dose-response relationships between low-sodium salt intake and systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), as well as the risk of hypertension, and to determine the optimal range for low-sodium salt intake. We investigated the basic characteristics and dietary profile of 350 individuals who consumed low-sodium salt. The samples were divided into three groups according to the 33.3rd and 66.6th percentiles of low-sodium salt intake in condiments (Q1: <4.72 g/d, Q2: ≥4.72 g/d, and <6.88 g/d, and Q3: ≥6.88 g/d). The restricted cubic spline results indicated that low-sodium salt intake decreased linearly with SBP and DBP, while low-sodium intake demonstrated a non-linear, L-shaped relationship with the risk of hypertension, with a safe range of 5.81 g to 7.66 g. The multiple linear regression analysis revealed that compared with group Q1, the DBP in group Q2 decreased by 2.843 mmHg (95%CI: -5.552, -0.133), and the SBP in group Q3 decreased by 4.997 mmHg (95%CI: -9.136, -0.858). Exploratory subgroup analyses indicated that low-sodium salt intake had a significant impact on reducing SBP in males, DBP in females, SBP in rural populations, and DBP in urban populations. The intake of low-sodium salt adheres to the principle of moderation, with 5.81-7.66 g potentially serving as a pivotal threshold.

Perioperative liberal drinking management promotes postoperative gastrointestinal function recovery after gynecological laparoscopic surgery: A randomized controlled trial.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the effect of perioperative liberal drinking management, including preoperative carbohydrate loading (PCL) given 2 h before surgery and early oral feeding (EOF) at 6 h postoperatively, in enhancing postoperative gastrointestinal function and improving outcomes in gynecologic patients. The hypotheses are that the perioperative liberal drinking management accelerates the recovery of gastrointestinal function, enhances dietary tolerance throughout hospitalization, and ultimately reduces the length of hospitalization. DESIGN: A prospective randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Operating room and gynecological ward in Wuhan Union Hospital. PATIENTS: We enrolled 210 patients undergoing elective gynecological laparoscopic surgery, and 157 patients were included in the final analysis. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomly allocated in a 1:1:1 ratio into three groups, including the control, PCL, and PCL-EOF groups. The anesthetists and follow-up staff were blinded to group assignment. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was the postoperative Intake, Feeling nauseated, Emesis, Examination, and Duration of symptoms (I-FEED) score (range 0 to 14, higher scores worse). Secondary outcomes included the incidence of I-FEED scores >2, and other additional indicators to monitor postoperative gastrointestinal function, including time to first flatus, time to first defecation, time to feces Bristol grade 3-4, and time to tolerate diet. Additionally, we collected other ERAS recovery indicators, including the incidence of PONV, complications, postoperative pain score, satisfaction score, and the quality of postoperative functional recovery at discharge. MAIN RESULTS: The PCL-EOF exhibited significantly enhanced gastrointestinal function recovery compared to control group and PCL group (p < 0.05), with the lower I-FEED score (PCL: 0[0,1] vs. PCL-EOF: 0[0,0] vs. control: 1[0,2]) and the reduced incidence of I-FEED >2 (PCL:8% vs. PCL-EOF: 2% vs. control:21%). Compared to the control, the intervention of PCL-EOF protected patients from the incidence of I-FEED score > 2 [HR:0.09, 95%CI (0.01-0.72), p = 0.023], and was beneficial in promoting the patient's postoperative first flatus [PCL-EOF: HR:3.33, 95%CI (2.14-5.19),p < 0.001], first defecation [PCL-EOF: HR:2.76, 95%CI (1.83-4.16), p < 0.001], Bristol feces grade 3-4 [PCL-EOF: HR:3.65, 95%CI (2.36-5.63), p < 0.001], first fluid diet[PCL-EOF: HR:2.76, 95%CI (1.83-4.16), p < 0.001], and first normal diet[PCL-EOF: HR:6.63, 95%CI (4.18-10.50), p < 0.001]. Also, the length of postoperative hospital stay (PCL-EOF: 5d vs. PCL: 6d and control: 6d, p < 0.001), the total cost (PCL-EOF: 25052 ± 3650y vs. PCL: 27914 ± 4684y and control: 26799 ± 4775y, p = 0.005), and postoperative VAS pain score values [POD0 (PCL-EOF: 2 vs. control: 4 vs. PCL: 4, p < 0.001), POD1 (PCL-EOF: 1 vs. control: 3 vs. PCL: 2, p < 0.001), POD2 (PCL-EOF: 1 vs. control:2 vs. PCL: 1, p < 0.001), POD3 (PCL-EOF: 0 vs. control: 1 vs. PCL: 1, p < 0.001)] were significantly reduced in PCL-EOF group. CONCLUSIONS: Our primary endpoint, I-FEED score demonstrated significant reduction with perioperative liberal drinking, serving as a protective intervention against I-FEED>2. Gastrointestinal recovery metrics, such as time to first flatus and defecation, also showed substantial improvements. Furthermore, the intervention enhanced postoperative dietary tolerance and expedited early recovery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2300071047(https://www.chictr.org.cn/).

[Enzymatic production of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethylamine].

1,4-cyclohexanedimethylamine (1,4-BAC) is an important monomer for bio-based materials, it finds wide applications in various fields including organic synthesis, medicine, chemical industry, and materials. At present, its synthesis primarily relies on chemical method, which suffer from issues such as expensive metal catalyst, harsh reaction conditions, and safety risks. Therefore, it is necessary to explore greener alternatives for its synthesis. In this study, a two-bacterium three-enzyme cascade conversion pathway was successfully developed to convert 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxaldehyde to 1,4-cyclohexanedimethylamine. This pathway used Escherichia coli derived aminotransferase (EcTA), Saccharomyces cerevisiae derived glutamate dehydrogenase (ScGlu-DH), and Candida boidinii derived formate dehydrogenase (CbFDH). Through structure-guided protein engineering, a beneficial mutant, EcTAF91Y, was obtained, exhibiting a 2.2-fold increase in specific activity and a 1.9-fold increase in kcat/Km compared to that of the wild type. By constructing recombinant strains and optimizing reaction conditions, it was found that under the optimal conditions, a substrate concentration of 40 g/L could produce (27.4±0.9) g/L of the product, corresponding to a molar conversion rate of 67.5%±2.1%.

Dynamic response of a simply supported liquid-crystal elastomer beam under moving illumination.

Optically responsive liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) devices have thriving potential to flourish in soft robots and microdrives, owing to their advantages of remote controllability, structural simplicity, and no power supply. In terms of illumination-driven modes, most research has focused on the dynamic response of LCE devices under continuous and periodic illumination, while the theoretical study of the dynamic response under moving illumination is limited. In this paper, based on the coupling of LCE and mechanical deformation under moving illumination, the dynamic model of a LCE simply supported beam is built to investigate its dynamic response under moving illumination. The analytical solution of the dynamic response of the LCE beam under moving illumination is derived through the modal superposition method and the Duhamel integration, and the solution is programed and analyzed with matlab software. By numerical calculations, the influence of the internal and driving parameters of the structure on the dynamic response of the LCE simply supported beam can be analyzed. The results show that when the moving speed of illumination reaches the first-order critical frequency, the maximum amplitude of the dynamic response at the beam mid-span will reach a peak. Meanwhile, the dynamic response of beam can be improved by increasing the illumination width, increasing the light intensity, increasing the shrinkage coefficient, and reducing the damping coefficient. This work provides theoretical guidance for applying the dynamic response of LCE devices under moving illumination in soft robots, microactuators, energy harvesters, sensors, etc.

Deciphering the Dynamic Assembling-Disassembling of Small Molecules on Solid/Liquid Interfaces within Microchannels by Pulsed Streaming Potential Measurement.

Assembling small molecules at liquid/solid interfaces is relatively common and contributes to many unique properties of the interface. However, such an assembling process can be dynamic depending on the concentration of the molecule and the properties of the solid and liquid themselves, which poses serious challenges on the accurate evaluation of the assembling processes. Herein, we report a convenient way for in situ and real-time monitoring of assembling-disassembling of small-molecule surfactants on the surface of microchannels using pulsed streaming potential (SP) measurement based on the variation of surface charge. With this technique, five distinctive kinetic regimes, each responsible for a characteristic molecular behavior, can be differentiated during a typical assembling-disassembling cycle. Significant difference of the assembling-disassembling process was clearly reflected for surfactants with hydrophobic tails of only a two -CH2- difference (C16TAB/C18TAB and D10DAB/D12DAB). The relative SP (Er) value is positively correlated with the molecular weight at a concentration of 0.1 mM for the same kinds of surfactants. Moreover, the assembling kinetics of D10DAB exhibits an "overshoot effect" at high concentration, which means morphology adjustment. The consequences of such assembling/disassembling of these molecules for electrophoretic separation, protein immobilization, and photocatalysis in a microchannel were investigated through dynamic characterization, which proves its potential as a tool for dynamic solid/liquid interface characterization.

Systems metabolic engineering of Escherichia coli for high-yield production of Para-hydroxybenzoic acid.

Para-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHBA) is extensively used as an additive in the food and cosmetics industries, significantly enhancing product shelf life and stability. While microbial fermentation offers an environment-friendly and sustainable method for producing PHBA, the titer and productivity are limited due to product toxicity and complex metabolic flux distributions. Here, we initially redesigned a L-phenylalanine-producing Escherichia coli by employing rational metabolic engineering strategies, resulting in the production of PHBA reached the highest reported level of 14.17 g/L. Subsequently, a novel accelerated evolution system was devised comprising deaminase, the alpha subunit of RNA polymerase, an uracil-DNA glycosylase inhibitor, and the PHBA-responsive promoter PyhcN. This system enabled us to obtain a mutant strain exhibiting a 47% increase in the half-inhibitory concentration (IC50) for PHBA within 15 days. Finally, the evolved strain achieved a production of 21.35 g/L PHBA in a 5-L fermenter, with a yield of 0.19 g/g glucose and a productivity rate of 0.44 g/L/h. This engineered strain emerges as a promising candidate for industrial production of PHBA through an eco-friendly approach.

Protein Profiles and Novel Molecular Biomarkers of Schizophrenia Based on 4D-DIA Proteomics.

Schizophrenia is a severe psychological disorder. The current diagnosis mainly relies on clinical symptoms and lacks laboratory evidence, which makes it very difficult to make an accurate diagnosis especially at an early stage. Plasma protein profiles of schizophrenia patients were obtained and compared with healthy controls using 4D-DIA proteomics technology. Furthermore, 79 DEPs were identified between schizophrenia and healthy controls. GO functional analysis indicated that DEPs were predominantly associated with responses to toxic substances and platelet aggregation, suggesting the presence of metabolic and immune dysregulation in patients with schizophrenia. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that DEPs were primarily enriched in the chemokine signaling pathway and cytokine receptor interactions. A diagnostic model was ultimately established, comprising three proteins, namely, PFN1, GAPDH and ACTBL2. This model demonstrated an AUC value of 0.972, indicating its effectiveness in accurately identifying schizophrenia. PFN1, GAPDH and ACTBL2 exhibit potential as biomarkers for the early detection of schizophrenia. The findings of our studies provide novel insights into the laboratory-based diagnosis of schizophrenia.

Incidence and Outcomes of Brucella Endocarditis in a High-Prevalence Area: A Single-Center Study.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical characteristics of Brucella endocarditis (BE) and observe the factors related to death to provide guidance for clinical treatment. METHODS: This study examined all patients with BE admitted to The First People's Hospital of Kashi Prefecture between January 2017 and November 2023. Clinical characteristics and follow-up outcomes were collected for analysis. RESULTS: This study revealed 774 cases of brucellosis and 14 cases of BE, with an overall incidence rate of 1.88%. Most of the patients were male (71.43%) and lived in areas where brucellosis is common. Patients ranged in age from 26 to 68 years. Common symptoms reported among patients included chest tightness and fatigue, and a significant portion also presented with congestive heart failure. Most patients exhibited normal white blood cell counts (WBC) but had elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). Transthoracic ultrasound (TTE) revealed cardiac valve vegetation in all patients, along with positive blood cultures. Six patients (42.86%) completed heart surgery, and ten (71.43%) completed anti-infection treatment. Six patients died, five of whom did not undergo surgery. The other patient with Marfan syndrome died after surgery. Sex, WBC count, neutrophil (NEUT) and total bilirubin (TBIL) were significant factors associated with regression in BE patients (P < 0.05) according to univariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with BE in Kashi have a severe clinical presentation at diagnosis, but early detection with improved cardiac ultrasound and aggressive treatment can improve the prognosis.

Serum vitamin D and obesity among US adolescents, NHANES 2011-2018.

Background and objectives: Childhood obesity is highly prevalent worldwide. We aimed to assess whether serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D was associated with general/central obesity among US adolescents, and further to explore the mediatory impact of homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) on this association. Methods: This study is cross-sectional in design. Study adolescents were enrolled from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2011-2018. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D categories associated with general (indexed by body mass index) and central (indexed by waist circumference to height ratio) obesity were regressed. The possible mediatory effect of HOMA-IR on this association was explored. The nonlinear and dose-response association was examined by restricted cubic spline (RCS) test. Results: Total 2,696 adolescents were eligible for inclusion, and the mean age of all adolescents was 15.4 years. Overall, the percentage of general and central obesity was 38.0% and 38.6%, respectively. Compared with adolescents with sufficient vitamin D, adolescent with deficient and insufficient vitamin D intake were associated with general obesity and central obesity; fully-adjusted OR for general obesity was 1.602 (95% CI: 1.161-2.211) and 1.659 (1.385-1.986), and fully-adjusted OR for central obesity was 2.025 (1.445-2.837) and 1.557 (1.287-1.884), respectively, while there was no observable significance in adolescents with possibly harmful vitamin D. The proportion mediated by HOMA-IR was estimated to be 31.7% for global obesity and 50.3% for central obesity (both P < 0.05). More stratified analyses were presented, and identified that the association with general obesity was particularly present among Mexican American, while with central obesity among Non-Hispanic Black adolescents. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that deficient or insufficient 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were associated with the significant risk of general and central obesity among US adolescents, and approximately 30% and 50%, respectively, of these associations were mediated by HOMA-IR.

Global transcriptome analysis reveals resistance genes in the early response of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) to Colletotrichum lindemuthianum.

BACKGROUND: Disease can drastically impair common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production. Anthracnose, caused by the fungal pathogen Colletotrichum lindemuthianum (Sacc. and Magnus) Briosi and Cavara, is one of the diseases that are widespread and cause serious economic loss in common bean. RESULTS: Transcriptome analysis of the early response of common bean to anthracnose was performed using two resistant genotypes, Hongyundou and Honghuayundou, and one susceptible genotype, Jingdou. A total of 9,825 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) responding to pathogen infection and anthracnose resistance were identified by differential expression analysis. By using weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA), 2,051 DEGs were found to be associated with two resistance-related modules. Among them, 463 DEGs related to anthracnose resistance were considered resistance-related candidate genes. Nineteen candidate genes were coexpressed with three resistance genes, Phvul.001G243600, Phvul.001G243700 and Phvul.001G243800. To further identify resistance genes, 46 candidate genes were selected for experimental validation using salicylic acid (SA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA). The results indicated that 38 candidate genes that responded to SA/MeJA treatment may be involved in anthracnose resistance in common bean. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified 38 resistance-related candidate genes involved in the early response of common bean, and 19 resistance-related candidate genes were coexpressed with anthracnose resistance genes. This study identified putative resistance genes for further resistance genetic investigation and provides an important reference for anthracnose resistance breeding in common bean.

Developing a Multi-Dimensional Health Index System for a General Occupational Population in the Light of Health Ecology Theory: A Delphi Study.

Background: The health status of the occupational population is critical to the development of countries and regions as it is the main force of social and economic development. However, there is a dearth of comprehensive and systematic indicators to evaluate the health of occupational groups. This study aimed to construct a multi-dimensional evaluation index system for the general population. Methods: This study combined a literature review and initially established a multidimensional health system framework for the occupational population based on health ecology theory and then used two rounds of Delphi expert consultation to construct the final multidimensional health index system for the occupational population. Fifteen experts from related fields were selected for two rounds of Delphi expert consultation. Results: The recovery rates of the two rounds of expert questionnaires were 100.00% and 93.33% respectively, the expert authority coefficient were 0.90, and the Kendall's coordination coefficients of the first and second level indexes were 0.32 and 0.42 (P ≥ 0. 001). The final index system includes four primary indicators (individual characteristics, health knowledge, health behavior, and health skills), 13 second-level indicators, and 41 third-level indicators; the weight coefficients of the four primary health dimensions are relatively close, and the "health knowledge" is slightly higher. Conclusion: The multi-dimensional health index system of the occupational population established in this study is comprehensive and reasonable from the perspective of health ecology, which can provide a solid foundation for the further development of a comprehensive health status prediction model for the occupational population.

Longitudinal changes in sarcopenia was associated with survival among cirrhotic patients.

Background: Sarcopenia is common in patients with liver cirrhosis and is an independent predictor of multiple clinical outcomes. Most studies to date have used a static assessment of sarcopenia. However, there is very limited data evaluating the temporal course of muscle area in cirrhosis. To bridge this gap in clinical studies, we performed a longitudinal analysis to evaluate the impact of changes in sarcopenia for cirrhotic patients. Methods: Adult patients with clinically diagnosed liver cirrhosis who underwent at least 2 abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans in the hospital were enrolled. The interval between the two abdominal scans was 6 ± 1 months. Patients were categorized into persistent non-sarcopenia, new-onset sarcopenia, sarcopenia to non-sarcopenia, and persistent sarcopenia based on changes in sarcopenia. Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank tests were used to separately compare unadjusted survival curves by different statuses of sarcopenia. Cox regression analysis was performed to assess the associations between different states of sarcopenia and overall mortality. The association between persistent non-sarcopenia and new-onset sarcopenia was analyzed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 307 patients were included for analysis. At the second assessment, 10.10% (31/307) patients were new-onset sarcopenia, 27.69% (85/307) with persistent sarcopenia status, while 13.03% (40/307) patients with sarcopenia developed non-sarcopenia and 49.19% (151/307) with persistent non-sarcopenia status. The overall survival rate was significantly lower in the persistent sarcopenia and new-onset sarcopenia than in the non-sarcopenia group and sarcopenia to non-sarcopenia group (p < 0.001). Persistent sarcopenia (HR 5.799, 95%CI 1.563-21.521, p = 0.009) and new onset sarcopenia (HR 5.205, 95%CI 1.482-18.282, p = 0.010) were identified as poor prognostic factors for cirrhotic patients. The etiology of cirrhosis and the initial skeletal muscle mass were independent risk factors for new-onset sarcopenia. Conclusion: Sarcopenia is a dynamically changing process in patients with cirrhosis. Persistent and new-onset sarcopenia were independently and robustly associated with overall survival.

Trends in urine lead and associated mortality in US adults: NHANES 1999-2018.

Objectives: This study aimed to describe the trends of urine lead among US adults aged ≥45 years and to explore its association with all-cause and disease-specific mortality. Methods: This study enrolled 9,669 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2018. Trends in urine lead were described by logistic regression analysis using the survey cycle as a continuous variable. Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were used to quantify the association between urine lead and mortality. Results: There was an obvious decline in urine lead concentrations from 1.203 µg/L (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.083-1.322) in 1999-2000 to 0.478 µg/L (95% CI: 0.433-0.523) in 2017-2018, and this decline was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Referring to the first tertile of urine lead concentrations, risk magnitude for all-cause mortality was significantly and linearly increased after adjustment (P = 0.026 and 0.020 for partially and fully adjusted models, respectively), and significance was attained for the comparison of the third vs. first tertile after full adjustment (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.35). Treating urine lead continuously, the risk for all-cause mortality was statistically significant (HR: 1.18 and 1.19, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.39 and 1.00 to 1.40 for partially and fully adjusted models). For cardiovascular disease-specific and cancer-specific mortality, there was no hint of statistical significance. Conclusions: Our findings indicated that urine lead exhibited a declining trend from 1999-2000 to 2017-2018 in US adults aged ≥45 years, and high urine lead was a significant and independent risk factor for all-cause mortality.