Metagenomic exploration of the rhizosphere soil microbial community and their significance in facilitating the development of wild-simulated ginseng.

Panax ginseng, a prized medicinal herb, has faced increasingly challenging field production due to soil degradation and fungal diseases in Northeast China. Wild-simulated cultivation has prevailed because of its sustainable soil management and low disease incidence. Despite the recognized benefits of rhizosphere microorganisms in ginseng cultivation, their genomic and functional diversity remain largely unexplored. In this work, we utilized shotgun metagenomic analysis to reveal that Pseudomonadota, Actinomycetota, and Acidobacteriota were dominant in the ginseng rhizobiome and recovered 14 reliable metagenome-assembled genomes. Functional analysis indicated an enrichment of denitrification-associated genes, potentially contributing to the observed decline in soil fertility, while genes associated with aromatic carbon degradation may be linked to allelochemical degradation. Further analysis demonstrated enrichment of Actinomycetota in 9-year-old wild-simulated ginseng (WSG), suggesting the need for targeted isolation of Actinomycetota bacteria. Among these, at least three different actinomycete strains were found to play a crucial role in fungal disease resistance, with Streptomyces spp. WY144 standing out for its production of actinomycin natural products active against the pathogenic fungus Ilyonectria robusta. These findings not only enhance our understanding of the rhizobiome of WSG but also present promising avenues for combating detrimental fungal pathogens, underscoring the importance of ginseng in both medicinal and agricultural contexts.IMPORTANCEWild-simulated ginseng, growing naturally without human interference, is influenced by its soil microbiome. Using shotgun metagenomics, we analyzed the rhizospheric soil microbiome of 7- and 9-year-old wild-simulated ginseng. The study aimed to reveal its composition and functions, exploring the microbiome's key roles in ginseng growth. Enrichment analysis identified Streptomycetes in ginseng soil, with three strains inhibiting plant pathogenic fungi. Notably, one strain produced actinomycins, suppressing the ginseng pathogenic fungus Ilyonectria robusta. This research accelerates microbiome application in wild-simulated ginseng cultivation, offering insights into pathogen protection and supporting microbiome utilization in agriculture.

Proanthocyanidins Ameliorate LPS-Inhibited Osteogenesis of PDLSCs by Restoring Lysine Lactylation.

Periodontitis is a bacteria-induced inflammatory disease characterized by the progressive destruction of periodontal supporting tissues. Periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) are capable of differentiating into osteoblasts, which is an important stem cell source for endogenous periodontal tissue regeneration. Lysine lactylation (Kla) is a novel post-translational modification of proteins that is recently thought to be associated with osteogenic differentiation. Here, we found that lactylation levels are reduced both in the periodontal tissue of rats with periodontitis and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human PDLSCs. Proanthocyanidins were able to promote the osteogenesis of inflamed PDLSCs by restoring lactylation levels. Mechanistically, proanthocyanidins increased lactate production and restored the lactylation levels of PDLSCs, which recovered osteogenesis of inflamed PDLSCs via the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. These results provide evidence on how epigenetic regulation by pharmacological agents influence the osteogenic phenotype of stem cells and the process of periodontal tissue repair. Our current study highlights the valuable potential of natural product proanthocyanidins in the regenerative engineering of periodontal tissues.

Divergent Synthesis of Enantioenriched Silicon-Stereogenic Benzyl-, Vinyl- and Borylsilanes via Asymmetric Aryl to Alkyl 1,5-Palladium Migration.

Functionalization of Si-bound methyl group provides an efficient access to diverse organosilanes. However, the asymmetric construction of silicon-stereogenic architectures by functionalization of Si-bound methyl group has not yet been described despite recent significant progress in producing chiral silicon. Herein, we disclosed the enantioselective silylmethyl functionalization involving the aryl to alkyl 1,5-palladium migration to access diverse naphthalenes possessing an enantioenriched stereogenic silicon center, which are inaccessible before. It is worthy to note that the realization of asymmetric induction at the step of metal migration itself remains challenging. Our study constitutes the first enantioselective aryl to alkyl 1,5-palladium migration reaction. The key to the success is the discovery and fine-tuning of the different substituents of α,α,α,α-tetraaryl-1,3-dioxolane-4,5-dimethanol (TADDOL)-based phosphoramidites, which ensure the enantioselectivity and desired reactivity.

IRF2 Cooperates with Phosphoprotein of Spring Viremia of Carp Virus to Suppress Antiviral Response in Zebrafish.

IFN regulatory factor (IRF) 2 belongs to the IRF1 subfamily, and its functions are not yet fully understood. In this study, we showed that IRF2a was a negative regulator of the interferon (IFN) response induced by spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV). Irf2a-/- knockout zebrafish were less susceptible to SVCV than wild-type fish. Transcriptomic analysis reveals that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the irf2a-/- and irf2a+/+ cells derived caudal fins were mainly involved in cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) signaling pathway. Interestingly, the basal expression levels of interferon stimulating genes (ISGs), including pkz, mx, apol, and stat1 were higher in the irf2a-/- cells than irf2a+/+ cells, suggesting that they may contribute to the increased viral resistance of the irf2a-/- cells. Overexpression of IRF2a inhibited the activation of ifnφ1 and ifnφ3 induced by SVCV and poly(I:C) in the epithelioma papulosum cyprini (EPC) cells. Further, it was found that SVCV phosphoprotein (SVCV-P) could interact with IRF2a to promote IRF2a nuclear translocation and protein stability via suppressing K48-linked ubiquitination of IRF2a. Both IRF2a and SVCV-P not only destabilized STAT1a but reduced its translocation into the nucleus. Our work demonstrates that IRF2a cooperates with SVCV-P to suppress host antiviral response against viral infection in zebrafish. IMPORTANCE Interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) are central in the regulation of interferon-mediated antiviral immunity. Here, we reported that IRF2a suppressed interferon response and promoted virus replication in zebrafish. The suppressive effects were enhanced by the phosphoprotein of the spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV) via inhibition of K48-linked ubiquitination of IRF2a. IRF2a and SVCV phosphoprotein cooperated to degrade STAT1 and block its nuclear translocation. Our work demonstrated that IRFs and STATs were targeted by the virus through posttranslational modifications to repress interferon-mediated antiviral response in lower vertebrates.

It is time to improve the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines among people with chronic diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study aims to investigated COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among people with chronic diseases and the factors correlating with their vaccination hesitancy. The articles were searched in PubMed, Ovid, EMBASE, and web of science databases between December 2019 and October 2022. Cross-sectional studies, including the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine by patients with chronic diseases (≥18 years old), were included in this study. The outcomes included the proportion and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of chronic disease patients willing to be vaccinated and the odds ratio (OR) and 95% CI of correlating factors. The source of heterogeneity was analyzed through meta-regression and subgroup analysis. We included 31 studies involving 57 875 patients with chronic disease. The overall COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among patients with chronic disease was 0.65 (95% CI, 0.59-0.72). The acceptance among the elderly patients was 0.53 (95% CI, 0.26-0.80). South America had the highest COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate and Asia the lowest, while on a country level, the United Kingdom had the highest acceptance rate among patients with chronic diseases. People with rheumatic immune diseases had the lowest rate of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Concerns about vaccine safety had a statistically different effect on acceptance. Overall, the health systems ought to focus on educating specific groups of individuals on the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination and addressing safety concerns.

Predictive value of the stress hyperglycemia ratio in dialysis patients with acute coronary syndrome: insights from a multi-center observational study.

BACKGROUND: Various studies have indicated that stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) can reflect true acute hyperglycemic status and is associated with poor outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, data on dialysis patients with ACS are limited. The Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) risk score is a well-validated risk prediction tool for ACS patients, yet it underestimates the risk of major events in patients receiving dialysis. This study aimed to evaluate the association between SHR and adverse cardiovascular events in dialysis patients with ACS and explore the potential incremental prognostic value of incorporating SHR into the GRACE risk score. METHODS: This study enrolled 714 dialysis patients with ACS from January 2015 to June 2021 at 30 tertiary medical centers in China. Patients were stratified into three groups based on the tertiles of SHR. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), and the secondary outcomes were all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 20.9 months, 345 (48.3%) MACE and 280 (39.2%) all-cause mortality occurred, comprising 205 cases of cardiovascular death. When the highest SHR tertile was compared to the second SHR tertile, a significantly increased risk of MACE (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.48-2.49), all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.64-2.93), and cardiovascular mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.70; 95% CI, 1.90-3.83) was identified in the multivariable Cox regression model. A similar association was observed in both diabetic and nondiabetic patients. Further restricted cubic spline analysis identified a J-shaped association between the SHR and primary and secondary outcomes, with hazard ratios for MACE and mortality significantly increasing when SHR was > 1.08. Furthermore, adding SHR to the GRACE score led to a significant improvement in its predictive accuracy for MACE and mortality, as measured by the C-statistic, net reclassification improvement, and integrated discrimination improvement, especially for those with diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: In dialysis patients with ACS, SHR was independently associated with increased risks of MACE and mortality. Furthermore, SHR may aid in improving the predictive efficiency of the GRACE score, especially for those with diabetes. These results indicated that SHR might be a valuable tool for risk stratification and management of dialysis patients with ACS.

The triglyceride-glucose index predicts 1-year major adverse cardiovascular events in end-stage renal disease patients with coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index has been suggested as a dependable indicator for predicting major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in individuals with cardiovascular conditions. Nevertheless, there is insufficient data on the predictive significance of the TyG index in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: This study, conducted at multiple centers in China, included 959 patients diagnosed with dialysis and CAD from January 2015 to June 2021. Based on the TyG index, the participants were categorized into three distinct groups. The study's primary endpoint was the combination of MACE occurring within one year of follow-up, including death from any cause, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal stroke. We assessed the association between the TyG index and MACE using Cox proportional hazard models and restricted cubic spline analysis. The TyG index value was evaluated for prediction incrementally using C-statistics, continuous net reclassification improvement (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI). RESULTS: The three groups showed notable variations in the risk of MACE (16.3% in tertile 1, 23.5% in tertile 2, and 27.2% in tertile 3; log-rank P = 0.003). Following complete adjustment, patients with the highest TyG index exhibited a notably elevated risk of MACE in comparison to those in the lowest tertile (hazard ratio [HR] 1.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14-2.35, P = 0.007). Likewise, each unit increase in the TyG index correlated with a 1.37-fold higher risk of MACE (HR 1.37, 95% CI 1.13-1.66, P = 0.001). Restricted cubic spline analysis revealed a connection between the TyG index and MACE (P for nonlinearity > 0.05). Furthermore, incorporating the TyG index to the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events risk score or baseline risk model with fully adjusted factors considerably enhanced the forecast of MACE, as demonstrated by the C-statistic, continuous NRI, and IDI. CONCLUSIONS: The TyG index might serve as a valuable and dependable indicator of MACE risk in individuals with dialysis and CAD, indicating its potential significance in enhancing risk categorization in clinical settings.

Grass carp IL-20 binds to IL-20R2 but induces STAT3 phosphorylation via IL-20R1.

IL-20 is a pleiotropic cytokine that belongs to the IL-10 family and has a variety of biological functions in tissue homeostasis and regulation of host immune defenses. It signals through a heterodimeric receptor composed of a subunit with a long intracellular domain (R1 type receptor) and a subunit with a short intracellular domain (R2 type receptor). In this study, the R1 type receptor (CiIL-20R1/CRFB8) and the R2 type receptor (CiIL-20R2/CRFB16) were identified in grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella. Expression analysis revealed that IL-20R2 was highly expressed in the gills and skin in healthy fish. Infection with Flavobacterium columnare resulted in the downregulation of both receptors in the gill at 48 and 72 h, whilst infection with grass carp reovirus induced their expression in the head kidney and spleen at 72 h. In the primary head kidney leucocytes, the expression levels of IL-20R1 and IL-20R2 were decreased after stimulation with 250 ng/mL IL-1ß but not affected by IFN-γ. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis showed that CiIL-20R2/CRFB16 but not CiIL-20R1/CRFB8 bound to CiIL-20L. Furthermore, it was shown that CiIL-20R1/CRFB8 was responsible for activating the phosphorylation of STAT3, whilst CiIL-20R2/CRFB16 was not involved. Structural modeling analysis showed that key residues involved in the interaction between IL-20 and receptors were highly conserved between grass carp and humans, suggesting that the signal transduction and functions of IL-20/IL-20R axis are evolutionarily conserved.

IL-4/13 expressing CD3γ/δ+ T cells regulate mucosal immunity in response to Flavobacterium columnare infection in grass carp.

Interleukin (IL) 4 and 13 are signature cytokines orchestrating Th2 immune response. Teleost fish have two homologs, termed IL-4/13A and IL-4/13B, and have been functionally characterized. However, what cells express IL-4/13A and IL-4/13B has not been investigated in fish. In this work, the recombinant IL-4/13A and IL-4/13B proteins of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) were produced in the Escherichia coli (E. coli) cells and purified. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the recombinant CiIL-4/13A and CiIL-4/13B proteins were prepared and characterized. Western blotting analysis showed that the CiIL-4/13A and CiIL-4/13B mAbs could specifically recognize the recombinant proteins expressed in the E. coli cells and HEK293T cells and did not cross-react with each other. Confocal microscopy revealed that the CiIL-4/13A+ and CiIL-4/13B+ cells were present in the gills, intestine and spleen and could be upregulated in fish infected with Flavobacterium columnare (F. columnare). Interestingly, the cells expressing CiIL-4/13A and CiIL-4/13B were mostly CD3γ/δ+ cells. The CD3γ/δ+/IL-4/13A+ and CD3γ/δ+/IL-4/13B+ cells were significantly upregulated in the gill filaments and the intestinal mucosa after F. columnare infection. Our results imply that the CD3γ/δ+/IL-4/13A+ and CD3γ/δ+/IL-4/13B+ cells are important for homeostasis and the regulation of mucosal immunity.

Proanthocyanidin enhances the endogenous regeneration of alveolar bone by elevating the autophagy of PDLSCs.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of proanthocyanidin (PA) on osteogenesis mediated by periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) and endogenous alveolar bone regeneration. BACKGROUND: Leveraging the osteogenic potential of resident stem cells is a promising strategy for alveolar bone regeneration. PA has been reported to be effective in osteogenesis. However, the effect and mechanism of PA on the osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs remain elusive. METHODS: Human PDLSCs were treated with various doses of PA to assess the cell proliferation using Cell Counting Kit-8. The osteogenic differentiation ability was detected by qRT-PCR analysis, western blot analysis, Alizarin red S staining, and Alkaline Phosphatase staining. The level of autophagy was evaluated by confocal laser scanning microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and western blot analysis. RNA sequencing was utilized to screen the potential signaling pathway. The alveolar bone defect model of rats was created to observe endogenous bone regeneration. RESULTS: PA activated intracellular autophagy in PDLSCs, resulting in enhanced osteogenic differentiation. Moreover, this effect could be abolished by the autophagy inhibitor 3-Methyladenine. Mechanistically, the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway was negatively correlated with PA-mediated autophagy activation. Lastly, PA promoted the alveolar bone regeneration in vivo, and this effect was reversed when the autophagy process was blocked. CONCLUSION: PA may activate autophagy by inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway to promote the osteogenesis of PDLSCs and enhance endogenous alveolar bone regeneration.

A Cost Comparison Between Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Conventional Excision for the Treatment of Head and Neck Melanomas In Situ and Thin Melanomas.

BACKGROUND: Variation in operative setting and surgical technique exists when treating specialty site melanomas. There are limited data comparing costs among surgical modalities. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the costs of head and neck melanoma surgery performed with Mohs micrographic surgery or conventional excision in the operating room or office-based settings. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed on patients aged 18 years and older with surgically treated head and neck melanoma in 2 cohorts, an institutional cohort and an insurance claims cohort, for the years 2008-2019. The primary outcome was total cost of care for a surgical encounter, provided in the form of insurance reimbursement data. A generalized linear model was used to adjust for covariates affecting differences between treatment groups. RESULTS: In the institutional and insurance claims cohorts, average adjusted treatment cost was highest in the conventional excision-operating room treatment group, followed by the Mohs surgery and conventional excision-office setting ( p < .001). CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate the important economic role the office-based setting has for head and neck melanoma surgery. This study allows cutaneous oncologic surgeons to better understand the costs of care involved in head and neck melanoma treatment. Cost awareness is important for shared decision-making discussions with patients.

THBS1-Mediated Degradation of Collagen via the PI3K/AKT Pathway Facilitates the Metastasis and Poor Prognosis of OSCC.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a prevalent form of malignant tumor, characterized by a persistently high incidence and mortality rate. The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a crucial role in the initiation, progression, and diverse biological behaviors of OSCC, facilitated by mechanisms such as providing structural support, promoting cell migration and invasion, regulating cell morphology, and modulating signal transduction. This study investigated the involvement of ECM-related genes, particularly THBS1, in the prognosis and cellular behavior of OSCC. The analysis of ECM-related gene data from OSCC samples identified 165 differentially expressed genes forming two clusters with distinct prognostic outcomes. Seventeen ECM-related genes showed a significant correlation with survival. Experimental methods were employed to demonstrate the impact of THBS1 on proliferation, migration, invasion, and ECM degradation in OSCC cells. A risk-prediction model utilizing four differentially prognostic genes demonstrated significant predictive value in overall survival. THBS1 exhibited enrichment of the PI3K/AKT pathway, indicating its potential role in modulating OSCC. In conclusion, this study observed and verified that ECM-related genes, particularly THBS1, have the potential to influence the prognosis, biological behavior, and immunotherapy of OSCC. These findings hold significant implications for enhancing survival outcomes and providing guidance for precise treatment of OSCC.

Ischemia preconditioning alleviates ischemia/reperfusion injury-induced coronary no-reflow and contraction of microvascular pericytes in rats.

BACKGROUND: Ischemia preconditioning (IPC) ameliorates coronary no-reflow induced by ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, and pericytes play an important role in microvascular function. However, it is unclear whether IPC exerts a protective effect on coronary microcirculation and regulates the pericytes. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess whether IPC improves coronary microvascular perfusion and reduces pericyte constriction after myocardial I/R injury. METHODS: Rats were randomly divided into three groups: the sham group, the I/R group, and the IPC + I/R group. The left anterior descending artery (LAD) of rats in the I/R group were ligated for 45 min, and the rats in the IPC + I/R group received 4 episodes of 6min occlusion followed by 6min reperfusion before the LAD was ligated. After 24 h of reperfusion, the area of no-reflow, and area at risk were evaluated with thioflavin-S and Evens blue staining, and infarct size with triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining, respectively. Besides, fluorescent microspheres were perfused to enable visualization of the non-obstructed coronary vessels. Cardiac pericytes and microvascular were observed by immunofluorescence, and the diameter of microvascular at the site of the pericyte somata was analyzed. RESULTS: The infarct size, and area of no-reflow in the IPC + I/R group were significantly reduced compared with the I/R group (infarct size, 33.5% ± 11.9% vs. 49.2% ± 9.4%, p = 0.021；no-reflow, 12.7% ± 5.2% vs. 26.6% ± 5.0%, p < 0.001). IPC improved microvascular perfusion and reduced the percentage of the blocked coronary capillary. Moreover, we found that cardiac pericytes were widely distributed around the microvascular in various regions of the heart, and expressed the contractile protein α-smooth muscle actin. The microvascular lumen diameter at pericyte somata was reduced after I/R (4.3 ± 1.0 µm vs. 6.5 ± 1.2 µm, p < 0.001), which was relieved in IPC + I/R group compared with the I/R group (5.2 ± 1.0 µm vs. 4.3 ± 1.0 µm, p < 0.001). Besides, IPC could reduce the proportion of apoptotic pericytes compared to the I/R group (22.1% ± 8.4% vs. 38.5% ± 7.5%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: IPC reduced no-reflow and inhibited the contraction of microvascular pericytes induced by cardiac I/R injury, suggesting that IPC might play a protective role by regulating the pericyte function.

Bedaquiline and Linezolid improve anti-TB treatment outcome in drug-resistant TB patients with HIV: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the effect of second-line anti-TB treatment and determine which drugs can achieve the greatest clinical benefit for DR-TB-HIV patients by comparing multiple chemotherapy regimens, to provide a basis for evidence-based practice. METHODS: We searched three electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane) for related English studies published since 2010. A random-effect model was used to estimate the pooled result for the treatment outcomes. Subgroup analysis based on possible factors, such as ART, baseline CD4 T-cell count, treatment regimens, and profiles of drug resistance, was also conducted to assess factors for favorable outcome. Outcomes were treatment success and mortality. RESULTS: 38 studies, 40 cohorts with 9279 patients were included. The pooled treatment success, mortality, treatment failure, and default rates were 57.5 % (95 % CI 53.1-61.9), 21 % (95 % CI 17.8-24.6), 4.8 % (95 % CI 3.5-6.5), and 10.7 % (95 % CI 8.7-13.1), respectively, in patients with DR-TB and HIV co-infection. Subgroup analysis showed that BDQ and LZD based regimen, and ≥ 2 Group A drugs were associated with a higher treatment success rate. Besides, higher CD4 T-cell count at baseline was also correlated with higher treatment success rate, too. CONCLUSIONS: Suboptimal anti-TB outcomes underlining the need to expand the application of effective drugs and better regimen in high HIV setting. BDQ and LZD based all-oral regimen and early ART could contribute to higher treatment success, particularly among XDR-TB-HIV patients. Given that all included studies were observational, our findings emphasize the need for high-quality studies to further investigate the optimal treatment regimen for DR-TB-HIV.

The triglyceride glucose index is associated with future cardiovascular disease nonlinearly in middle-aged and elderly Chinese adults.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the association between triglyceride glucose index and cardiovascular disease (CVD) development in the Chinese middle-aged and elderly population using the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study dataset 2011-2018. METHODS: Basic characteristics of participants, including sociodemographic information, and health conditions, were acquired. Logistic regression analyses and restricted cubic spline regression analyses were conducted to investigate the association between the triglyceride glucose index and future CVD risks. Subgroup analyses were performed to evaluate potential interaction. RESULTS: Seven hundred fifty-three of 6114 (12.3%) participants have developed CVD in 2018 over an approximately 7-year follow-up. The logistic regression analysis exhibited that compared to the lowest triglyceride glucose index group, the multivariable OR for future CVD was 0.985 (95%CI 0.811-1.198) in the T2 triglyceride glucose index group and 1.288 (95%CI 1.068-1.555) in the T3 TyG index (P for trend 0.006). The restricted cubic spline regression analysis showed the nonlinear association between triglyceride glucose index and CVD incidence; the cut-off values were 8.07 and 8.57, respectively, after total adjustment. Gender, fast blood glucose, and triglycerides interacted with triglyceride glucose index and CVD except for BMI. CONCLUSION: The triglyceride glucose index was nonlinearly related to the risk of future cardiovascular disease in the middle-aged and elderly Chinese population.

Triglyceride glucose index exacerbates the risk of future cardiovascular disease due to diabetes: evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS).

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the effect of the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index on the association between diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). METHODS: Data from 6,114 individuals were extracted and analyzed from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS) from 2011 to 2018. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between diabetes and CVD across the various TyG index groups. The statistical method of subgroup analysis was used to determine the correlation between diabetes and CVD for each TyG index group by sex, history of hypertension and dyslipidemia, smoking, and drinking. RESULTS: Diabetes was positively associated with CVD risk after adjustment in 2011(odds ratio (OR) 1.475, 95% CI 1.243-1.752, P < 0.001). There was a gradient increase in the OR for new-onset CVD in 2018 due to diabetes at baseline across the value of the TyG index based on a fully adjusted model (P for trend < 0.05). The ORs of diabetes at baseline for CVD in 2018 were 1.657 (95% CI 0.928-2.983, P = 0.098), 1.834(95% CI 1.064-3.188, P = 0.037) and 2.234(95% CI 1.349-3.673, P = 0.006) for T1, T2 and T3 of the TyG index respectively. The gradient of increasing risk of CVD still existed among those with hypertension and nondrinkers in the subgroup analysis. CONCLUSION: Elevated TyG index strengthens the correlation between diabetes mellitus and CVD in middle-aged and elderly Chinese adults.

The benefits of psychosocial interventions for mental health in men who have sex with men living with HIV: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV are more likely to suffer from mental health problems. They should be given adequate attention to treat and improve their mental health disorders. This meta-analysis aimed to assess whether psychosocial interventions reliably improve psychological well-being among MSM living with HIV. METHOD: Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and PubMed were searched for psychosocial intervention randomized controlled trials evaluating mental health (e.g., depression, anxiety, self-efficacy). The effect size was pooled using the random-effects model, and continuous outcomes were reported using standardized mean difference (SMD) values . RESULTS: A total of 12 studies including 1782 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Psychosocial interventions in contrast to control groups significantly reduced depression (SMD, - 0.28; 95% CI - 0.52 - - 0.03) at the follow-up assessment and improved quality of life (SMD 0.43, 95% CI 0.23-0.63) after treatment. Psychosocial interventions also had a significant effect on measures of self-efficacy (SMD 2.22, 95% CI 0.24-4.20), and this effect was sustained until long-term follow-up (SMD 0.55, 95% CI 0.02-1.08). Subgroup analyses revealed that improvements in depression were more significant when participants possessed higher education and treatment providers used cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study indicate that psychosocial interventions benefit the mental health of MSM living with HIV. It is necessary to conduct more research to explore characteristics that may affect treatment outcomes in the future. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This research was prospectively registered in PROSPERO ( CRD42021262567 ).

Molecular identification of Klebsiella pneumoniae and expression of immune genes in infected spotted gar Lepisosteus oculatus.

Spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) is a primitive ray-finned fish which has not undergone the third round whole genome duplication and commonly used as a model to study the evolution of immune genes. In this study, a pathogenic strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae (termed KPY01) was isolated from a diseased spotted gar, based on the Gram-stain and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rDNA and khe genes. Further, the virulence genes and drug resistance genes were determined and drug sensitivity tests were performed to explore the virulence and drug resistance of the KPY01. Putative biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) for the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites were predicted using the anti-SMASH5.0 online genome mining platform. Histopathological analysis revealed that the immune cells were significantly decreased in the white pulp of spleen of fish infected with K. pneumonia and tissue inflammation became apparent. Besides, the expression of cytokines including interleukin (il) -8, il-10, il-12a, il-18 and interferon γ (ifn-γ) were shown to be modulated in the spleen, gills and kidney. Our work provides useful information for further investigation on the virulence of K. pneumoniae and host immune responses to K. pneumoniae infection in fish.

Trends in Tract-Level Prevalence of Obesity in Philadelphia by Race-Ethnicity, Space, and Time.

The growing recognition of often substantial neighborhood variation in health within cities has motivated greater demand for reliable data on small-scale variations in health outcomes. The goal of this article is to explore temporal changes in geographic disparities in obesity prevalence in the City of Philadelphia by race and sex over the period 2000-2015. Our data consist of self-reported survey responses of non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, and Hispanics from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey. To analyze these data-and to obtain more reliable estimates of the prevalence of obesity-we apply a Bayesian model that simultaneously accounts for spatial-, temporal-, and between-race/ethnicity dependence structures. This approach yields estimates of the obesity prevalence by age, race/ethnicity, sex, and poverty status for each census tract at all time-points in our study period. While the data suggest that the prevalence of obesity has increased at the city-level for men and women of all three race/ethnicities, the magnitude and geographic distribution of these increases differ substantially by race/ethnicity and sex. The method can be flexibly used to describe and visualize spatial heterogeneities in levels, trends, and in disparities. This is useful for targeting, surveillance, and etiologic research.

Microbiota Diversity in Human Colorectal Cancer Tissues Is Associated with Clinicopathological Features.

AIM: Few evidences are available regarding the link between microbiota composition in the human colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues and the patients' clinicopathological features. METHODS: Microbiota diversity in CRC tissues (n = 30) were profiled and compared by high-throughput sequencing with clinicopathological features, including tumor location, differentiation degree, metastasis, and CRC patients' gender and age. RESULTS: Many bacteria with significant difference in abundance were identified associated with these clinicopathological features (P < 0.05). There was a significant difference in microbial composition between right colon cancers (RCa) vs. left colon cancers (LCa), RCa vs. rectal cancers (P < 0.05). The amount of Fusobacteria was significantly higher in LCa, moderately and poorly differentiated cancers (MPD), and young patients (<60 years), compared to RCa, well differentiated cancers (WD) and elder patients (>60 years), respectively (P < 0.05). Helicobacter spp. in RCa and MPD patients was significantly higher than in LCa and WD patients (P < 0.05). Firmicutes in non-lymph node metastasis (LNM) patients was significantly lower than in LNM patients (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The different microbiota composition in the CRCs was associated with patients' clinicopathological features, which could be a consequence of microflora diversity.