Association between vitamin D and incident herpes zoster: a UK Biobank study.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D has immunomodulatory effects, but any association with herpes zoster (HZ) is unclear. AIM: To explore the association between vitamin D status and risk of incident HZ in adults in the UK. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cohort study involving participants of UK Biobank (a database containing the health information from half a million individuals) across England, Wales, and Scotland, who had at least one vitamin D testing result with linked primary care electronic health records. METHOD: The primary exposure was vitamin D status, categorised as deficient (<25 nmol/L), insufficient (25-49 nmol/L), or sufficient (≥50 nmol/L). The secondary exposures were self-reported vitamin D supplementation at baseline assessment and vitamin D prescription records. The outcome was diagnosed incident HZ, identified from linked primary care or hospital inpatient records. Weibull regression was used, adjusting for potential confounders, including demographic factors, comorbidities, and immunosuppression. RESULTS: In total, 177 572 eligible participants were included in the analysis, with a mean follow-up time of 10.1 years (standard deviation 1.9 years). No evidence showed that low vitamin D was associated with a higher incidence of HZ, compared with people with sufficient vitamin D (deficient: adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.90 to 1.10; insufficient: HR 1.03, 95% CI = 0.96 to 1.10). No evidence was found that supplementing vitamin D or receiving vitamin D prescription was associated with HZ incidence (supplementation: HR 0.88, 95% CI = 0.67 to 1.16; prescription: HR 1.11, 95% CI = 0.91 to 1.34). CONCLUSION: No association of vitamin D status, supplementation, or prescription with incident HZ was observed. No evidence supported vitamin D supplementation as a strategy to prevent HZ.

The association between vitamin D status and COVID-19 in England: A cohort study using UK Biobank.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies indicate that vitamin D supplementation may decrease respiratory tract infections, but the association between vitamin D and COVID-19 is still unclear. OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between vitamin D status and infections, hospitalisation, and mortality due to COVID-19. METHODS: We used UK Biobank, a nationwide cohort of 500,000 individuals aged between 40 and 69 years at recruitment between 2006 and 2010. We included people with at least one serum vitamin D test, living in England with linked primary care and inpatient records. The primary exposure was serum vitamin D status measured at recruitment, defined as deficiency at <25 nmol/L, insufficiency at 25-49 nmol/L and sufficiency at ≥ 50 nmol/L. Secondary exposures were self-reported or prescribed vitamin D supplements. The primary outcome was laboratory-confirmed or clinically diagnosed SARS-CoV-2 infections. The secondary outcomes included hospitalisation and mortality due to COVID-19. We used multivariable Cox regression models stratified by summertime months and non-summertime months, adjusting for demographic factors and underlying comorbidities. RESULTS: We included 307,512 participants (54.9% female, 55.9% over 70 years old) in our analysis. During summertime months, weak evidence existed that the vitamin D deficiency group had a lower hazard of being diagnosed with COVID-19 (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.77-0.95). During non-summertime, the vitamin D deficiency group had a higher hazard of COVID-19 compared with the vitamin D sufficient group (HR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.01-1.30). No evidence was found that vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency was associated with either hospitalisation or mortality due to COVID-19 in any time strata. CONCLUSION: We found no evidence of an association between historical vitamin D status and hospitalisation or mortality due to COVID-19, along with inconsistent results for any association between vitamin D and diagnosis of COVID-19. However, studies using more recent vitamin D measurements and systematic COVID-19 testing are needed.

Distribution of vitamin D status in the UK: a cross-sectional analysis of UK Biobank.

OBJECTIVE: No recent large studies have described the distribution of vitamin D status in the UK. Understanding the epidemiology of vitamin D deficiency is important to inform targeted public health recommendations. This study aimed to investigate the distribution of factors associated with serum vitamin D status in a large national cohort. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: The UK Biobank, a prospective cohort study following the health and well-being of middle-aged and older adults recruited between 2006 and 2010. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 449 943 participants aged 40-69 years with measured serum vitamin D status were eligible for the analysis. Participants completed a questionnaire about sex, age, ethnic background, vitamin D supplementation, smoking, drinking and socioeconomic status. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: We investigated the distribution of serum vitamin D status and the association between demographic factors and vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level <25 nmol/L. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association between demographic factors and vitamin D status. RESULTS: Asian (n=4297/8000, 53.7%) and black (n=2459/7046, 34.9%) participants had a higher proportion of vitamin D deficiency than white participants (n=50 920/422 907, 12%). During spring and winter, the proportion of vitamin D deficiency was higher across the UK and higher in the north than in the south. Male sex, abnormal body mass index, non-white ethnic backgrounds, smoking and being more socioeconomically deprived were associated with higher odds of vitamin D deficiency. Increasing age, taking vitamin D supplements and drinking alcohol were associated with lower odds of deficiency. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D status varied among different ethnic groups and by season and geographical area within the UK. Taking supplements was associated with a lower risk of vitamin D deficiency. These findings support the vitamin D supplementation recommendations of Public Health England.

Vitamin D Deficiency or Supplementation and the Risk of Human Herpesvirus Infections or Reactivation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D may protect against respiratory virus infections, but any association with herpesviruses is unclear. METHODS: We undertook a systematic review of vitamin D deficiency or supplementation and the risk of 8 human herpesviruses. Six databases and 4 gray literature databases were searched for relevant cohort studies, case-control studies, and clinical trials. RESULTS: Ten studies were included, all conducted among immunosuppressed patients. There was no evidence that vitamin D deficiency is associated with cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease (pooled risk ratio, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.66-1.7), herpes zoster after transplantation (1 study), or HHV-8 among HIV patients (1 study). Vitamin D supplementation may decrease herpes zoster among hemodialysis patients (1 study) or CMV disease after renal transplantation (1 study), but supplementation was not associated with reduced EBV viral load among multiple sclerosis patients (1 study). CONCLUSIONS: Any association between vitamin D and herpesviruses remains inconclusive. Further studies in the general population are needed.

Scd1 controls de novo beige fat biogenesis through succinate-dependent regulation of mitochondrial complex II.

Preadipocytes can give rise to either white adipocytes or beige adipocytes. Owing to their distinct abilities in nutrient storage and energy expenditure, strategies that specifically promote "beiging" of adipocytes hold great promise for counterbalancing obesity and metabolic diseases. Yet, factors dictating the differentiation fate of adipocyte progenitors remain to be elucidated. We found that stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase 1 (Scd1)-deficient mice, which resist metabolic stress, possess augmentation in beige adipocytes under basal conditions. Deletion of Scd1 in mature adipocytes expressing Fabp4 or Ucp1 did not affect thermogenesis in mice. Rather, Scd1 deficiency shifted the differentiation fate of preadipocytes from white adipogenesis to beige adipogenesis. Such effects are dependent on succinate accumulation in adipocyte progenitors, which fuels mitochondrial complex II activity. Suppression of mitochondrial complex II by Atpenin A5 or oxaloacetic acid reverted the differentiation potential of Scd1-deficient preadipocytes to white adipocytes. Furthermore, supplementation of succinate was found to increase beige adipocyte differentiation both in vitro and in vivo. Our data reveal an unappreciated role of Scd1 in determining the cell fate of adipocyte progenitors through succinate-dependent regulation of mitochondrial complex II.

Activation of heme oxygenase-1 by Ginkgo biloba extract differentially modulates endothelial and smooth muscle-like progenitor cells for vascular repair.

Vascular progenitors such as endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and smooth muscle-like progenitor cells (SMPCs) may play different roles in vascular repair. Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) is an exogenous activator of heme oxygenase (HO)-1, which has been suggested to improve vascular repair; however, the detailed mechanisms have yet to be elucidated. This study aimed to investigate whether GBE can modulate different vascular progenitor cells by activating HO-1 for vascular repair. A bone marrow transplantation mouse model was used to evaluate the in vivo effects of GBE treatment on wire-injury induced neointimal hyperplasia, which is representative of impaired vascular repair. On day 14 of GBE treatment, the mice were subjected to wire injury of the femoral artery to identify vascular reendothelialization. Compared to the mice without treatment, neointimal hyperplasia was reduced in the mice that received GBE treatment for 28 days in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, GBE treatment increased bone marrow-derived EPCs, accelerated endothelial recovery, and reduced the number of SMPCs attached to vascular injury sites. The effects of GBE treatment on neointimal hyperplasia could be abolished by co-treatment with zinc protoporphyrin IX, an HO-1 inhibitor, suggesting the in vivo role of HO-1. In this in vitro study, treatment with GBE activated human early and late EPCs and suppressed SMPC migration. These effects were abolished by HO-1 siRNA and an HO-1 inhibitor. Furthermore, GBE induced the expression of HO-1 by activating PI3K/Akt/eNOS signaling in human late EPCs and via p38 pathways in SMPCs, suggesting that GBE can induce HO-1 in vitro through different molecular mechanisms in different vascular progenitor cells. Accordingly, GBE could activate early and late EPCs, suppress the migration of SMPCs, and improve in vivo vascular repair after mechanical injury by activating HO-1, suggesting the potential role of pharmacological HO-1 activators, such as GBE, for vascular protection in atherosclerotic diseases.

Vitamin D deficiency or supplementation and the risk of human herpesvirus infections or reactivation: a systematic review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Human herpesviruses induce lifelong latent infections and may reactivate as the immune system deteriorates. Recent studies have suggested that vitamin D, an essential element of bone health, may have some effect of protecting against infections, but investigations of its potential to prevent herpesvirus infection or reactivation are limited. We will review the current literature examining vitamin D and the risk of herpesvirus infections or reactivation. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Our systematic review will address two research questions: (1) Do deficient/insufficient serum vitamin D levels increase the risk of herpesvirus infections and (2) Does vitamin D supplementation protect against herpesvirus infections? We will include only intervention studies with control groups, cohort studies and case-control studies. We will use subject headings and keywords to search for synonyms of 'vitamin D' and 'herpesviruses' (including herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2, varicella-zoster virus, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus and human herpesviruses type 6, 7 and 8) in Medline, Embase, Global Health, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the grey literature databases Open Grey, EThOS and BASE from inception to 31 August 2019. References to the included articles and relevant systematic reviews will also be examined. Two reviewers will independently screen the study titles and abstracts, and examine the full texts to decide the final eligibility. They will independently extract data from the studies and assess bias using the Cochrane Collaboration approach. A third researcher will solve any discrepancies. The results will be narratively synthesised; if an adequate number of studies is included and the homogeneity between studies is acceptable, a meta-analysis will be performed. We will assess the quality of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework, and display the results in a summary of findings table. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical review is not required for a systematic review. We will publish the results in a peer-review journal. Any amendments to the protocol will be recorded in the supplementary section. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42019130153.

Microplastic abundance, characteristics, and removal in wastewater treatment plants in a coastal city of China.

Studying the abundance, characteristics, and removal of microplastics (MPs) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in coastal cities is of great significance for understanding the impacts of human activities on the marine environment, but currently, little information on this topic is available in China. Therefore, the abundance, characteristics, and removal of MPs in seven WWTPs of Xiamen, a typical coastal city in China, are studied. Sixty samples were collected using an improved sampling method involving an electromagnetic flowmeter and a fast digital camera. The influent MPs concentration is 1.57-13.69 items/L, and it is reduced to 0.20-1.73 items/L in the effluent, indicating that 79.3-97.8% MPs is removed. Based on the daily effluent discharge and MPs removal rate, it is estimated that ∼6.5 × 108 MPs are released from the seven WWTPs into the Xiamen Bay each day. The light microscopic and micro-Raman spectroscopic analysis indicates that ∼62.68% of particles are plastic polymers, including polypropylene (31.6%), polyethylene (21.9%), polystyrene (10.1%), propylene/ethylene copolymer (9.2%), and polyethylene terephthalate (7.5%). The color of MPs is mainly composed of white (27.3%) and clears (25.8%). Our results show that granules (41.1%) are the dominant shape of MPs, followed by fragments (31.3%), fibers (23.7%), and pellet (3.9%). The characteristics of MPs such as sizes, shapes, and types affect the MPs removal in WWTPs. Our findings show that MPs concentration in the influent is positively correlated with the suspended solids (SS), however, in the effluent, it is associated with the WWTPs operating load, as reflected by obviously higher MP abundance in overloaded ones.

Effects of pitavastatin versus atorvastatin on the peripheral endothelial progenitor cells and vascular endothelial growth factor in high-risk patients: a pilot prospective, double-blind, randomized study.

BACKGROUND: Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) reflect endothelial repair capacity and may be a significant marker for the clinical outcomes of cardiovascular disease. While some high-dose statin treatments may improve endothelial function, it is not known whether different statins may have similar effects on EPCs.This study aimed to investigate the potential class effects of different statin treatment including pitavastatin and atorvastatin on circulating EPCs in clinical setting. METHODS: A pilot prospective, double-blind, randomized study was conducted to evaluate the ordinary dose of pitavastatin (2 mg daily) or atorvastatin (10 mg daily) treatment for 12 weeks on circulating EPCs in patients with cardiovascular risk such as hypercholesterolemia and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Additional in vitro study was conducted to clarify the direct effects of both statins on EPCs from the patients. RESULTS: A total of 26 patients (19 with T2DM) completed the study. While the lipid-lowering effects were similar in both treatments, the counts of circulating CD34+KDR+EPCs were significantly increased (from 0.021 ± 0.015 to 0.054 ± 0.044% of gated mononuclear cells, P < 0.05) only by pitavastatin treatment. Besides, plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine level was reduced (from 0.68 ± 0.10 to 0.53 ± 0.12 µmol/L, P < 0.05) by atorvastatin, and plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) level was increased (from 74.33 ± 32.26 to 98.65 ± 46.64 pg/mL, P < 0.05) by pitavastatin. In the in vitro study, while both statins increased endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression, only pitavastatin increased the phosphorylation of eNOS in EPCs. Pitavastatin but not atorvastatin ameliorated the adhesion ability of early EPCs and the migration and tube formation capacities of late EPCs. CONCLUSIONS: While both statins similarly reduced plasma lipids, only pitavastatin increased plasma VEGF level and circulating EPCs in high-risk patients, which is probably related to the differential pleiotropic effects of different statins. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01386853.

High-dose amoxicillin with clavulanate for the treatment of acute otitis media in children.

OBJECTIVE: This study uses the acute otitis media clinical practice guideline proposed in 2004 as a reference to evaluate whether antibiotics doses that are in line with the recommendations lead to better prognosis. The study also attempts to clarify possible factors that influence the outcome. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 400 children with acute otitis media were enrolled. The dosage of amoxicillin was considered to be appropriate when in accord with clinical practice guidelines, that is, 80-90 mg/kg/day. The outcome was defined according to the description of tympanic membrane on medical records. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between antibiotic dosage and prognosis after adjusting for baseline factors. RESULTS: The majority of prescriptions were under dosage (89.1%) but it was not noticeably associated with outcome (P = 0.41). The correlation between under dosage and poor prognosis was significant in children below 20 kg with bilateral acute otitis media (odds ratio 1.63; 95% CI 1.02-2.59, P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Treating acute otitis media in children, high-dose amoxicillin with clavulanate as recommended in the clinical practice guideline was superior to conventional doses only in children under 20 kg with bilateral diseases.