Glia-to-Neuron Conversion by CRISPR-CasRx Alleviates Symptoms of Neurological Disease in Mice.

Conversion of glial cells into functional neurons represents a potential therapeutic approach for replenishing neuronal loss associated with neurodegenerative diseases and brain injury. Previous attempts in this area using expression of transcription factors were hindered by the low conversion efficiency and failure of generating desired neuronal types in vivo. Here, we report that downregulation of a single RNA-binding protein, polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1 (Ptbp1), using in vivo viral delivery of a recently developed RNA-targeting CRISPR system CasRx, resulted in the conversion of Müller glia into retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) with a high efficiency, leading to the alleviation of disease symptoms associated with RGC loss. Furthermore, this approach also induced neurons with dopaminergic features in the striatum and alleviated motor defects in a Parkinson's disease mouse model. Thus, glia-to-neuron conversion by CasRx-mediated Ptbp1 knockdown represents a promising in vivo genetic approach for treating a variety of disorders due to neuronal loss.

miR-130b regulates B cell proliferation via CYLD-mediated NF-κB signaling.

Previous studies have revealed that B cell activation is regulated by various microRNAs(miRNAs). However, the role of microRNA-130b regulating B cell activation and apoptosis is still unclear. In the present study, we first found that the expression of miR-130b was the lowest in Pro/Pre-B cells and the highest in immature B cells. Besides, the expression of miR-130b decreased after activation in B cells. Through the immuno-phenotypic analysis of miR-130b transgenic and knockout mice, we found that miR-130b mainly promoted the proliferation of B cells and inhibited B cell apoptosis. Furthermore, we identified that Cyld, a tumor suppressor gene was the target gene of miR-130b in B cells. Besides, the Cyld-mediated NF-κB signaling was increased in miR-130b overexpressed B cells, which further explains the enhanced proliferation of B cells. In conclusion, we propose that miR-130b promotes B cell proliferation via Cyld-mediated NF-κB signaling, which provides a new theoretical basis for the molecular regulation of B cell activation.

Hypertension combined with limitations in activities of daily living and the risk for cardiovascular disease.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of present study was to evaluate the combined effect of hypertension and activities of daily living (ADL)/instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) with the risk of CVD, stroke and cardiac events. METHODS: A total of 14,083 participants aged 45 years or older from the China Health and Retirement longitudinal study were included in current study. Participants were divided into 4 groups according to hypertension and ADL/IADL status. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to explore the associations between hypertension, ADL/IADL and new-onset CVD, stroke and cardiac events. RESULTS: During the 7-year follow-up, a total of 2,324 respondents experienced CVD (including 783 stroke and 1,740 cardiac events). Individuals with limitations in ADL alone, or with hypertension alone, or with both limitations in ADL and hypertension were associated with increased risk of CVD, with the adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 1.17(1.00-1.35), 1.36(1.24-1.49) and 1.44(1.23-1.68), respectively. Those with limitations in ADL and hypertension also had higher risk of stroke (hazard ratios = 1.64; 1.26-2.14) and cardiac events (hazard ratios = 1.37; 1.14-1.64). Similarly, individuals with both limitations in IADL and hypertension were associated with increased risk of CVD (hazard ratios = 1.34; 1.15-1.57), stroke (hazard ratios = 1.50; 1.17-1.95) and cardiac events (hazard ratios = 1.27; 1.06-1.53). CONCLUSION: Hypertension and limitations in ADL/IADL jointly increased the risk of CVD, stroke and cardiac events.

[Risk factors for cow's milk protein allergy in infants: a multicenter prospective nested case-control study]. / å©´å„¿ç‰›å¥¶è›‹ç™½è¿‡æ•çš„å±é™©å› ç´ ï¼šä¸€é¡¹å¤šä¸­å¿ƒå‰çž»æ€§å·¢å¼ç— ä¾‹å¯¹ç §ç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the risk factors associated with cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) in infants. METHODS: This study was a multicenter prospective nested case-control study conducted in seven medical centers in Beijing, China. Infants aged 0-12 months were included, with 200 cases of CMPA infants and 799 control infants without CMPA. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the risk factors for the occurrence of CMPA. RESULTS: Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that preterm birth, low birth weight, birth from the first pregnancy, firstborn, spring birth, summer birth, mixed/artificial feeding, and parental history of allergic diseases were associated with an increased risk of CMPA in infants (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that firstborn (OR=1.89, 95%CI: 1.14-3.13), spring birth (OR=3.42, 95%CI: 1.70-6.58), summer birth (OR=2.29, 95%CI: 1.22-4.27), mixed/artificial feeding (OR=1.57, 95%CI: 1.10-2.26), parental history of allergies (OR=2.13, 95%CI: 1.51-3.02), and both parents having allergies (OR=3.15, 95%CI: 1.78-5.56) were risk factors for CMPA in infants (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Firstborn, spring birth, summer birth, mixed/artificial feeding, and a family history of allergies are associated with an increased risk of CMPA in infants.

The differences in immune features and genomic profiling between squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma - A multi-center study in Chinese patients with uterine cervical cancer.

BACKGROUND: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (AC) of the uterine cervix have distinct biological behaviors and different treatment responses. Studies on immune features and genomic profiling of these two pathologic types were limited and mainly focused on small patient cohorts. METHODS: From 2014 to 2021, 336 (254 SCC vs. 82 AC) cervical cancer patients who were diagnosed/treated in 7 medical centers in China were enrolled in the study. Next-generation sequencing of 425 cancer-relevant genes was performed on tumor tissues and liquid biopsies. Somatic alterations and immune response-related biomarkers were analyzed. Patient prognosis and immune infiltration were analyzed using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). RESULTS: AC tended to have more immunotherapy resistance-related STK11 alterations (P = 0.039), a higher proportion of microsatellite instability (P = 0.21), and more actionable mutations (P = 0.161). In contrast, higher tumor mutational burdens (TMB; P = 0.01), a higher proportion of TMB-high patients (P = 0.016), and more PD-L1-high patients (P = 0.0013) were observed in SCC. Multiple genetic alterations and aberrant signaling pathways were specifically enriched in AC (e.g., TP53, KRAS, ERBB2, and ARID1A alterations) or SCC (e.g., PIK3CA, FBXW7, EP300, and BAP1 mutations). Notably, AC-enriched genetic changes were significantly associated with decreased infiltrations of various B cells, T cells, and dendritic cells, whereas SCC-associated molecular features tended to be associated with increased CD4+ T cell infiltrations. CONCLUSIONS: This was the first multi-center study revealing the immunologic and genomic features between SCC and AC in Chinese patients with cervical cancer. Our findings have illustrated the difference in genetic profiles of those two cervical cancer subtypes, which may suggest the possibility of differential treatment regimens, with better immunotherapy efficacy in SCC and targeted therapy options more favorable in AC.

Application Value of Combined Detection of miR-208 and miR-92a in Early Diagnosis of Myocardial Infarction.

Objective: Myocardial infarction (MI) is a common and serious cardiovascular disease with increasing incidence and mortality rates, making it a major global public health issue. Molecular biology research has shown that the cleavage products miR-208 and miR-92a are microRNAs (miRNAs) associated with myocardial injury. Therefore, this study aims to establish a predictive model and explore the application value of the combined detection of miR-208 and miR-92a in the early diagnosis of MI in microRNA. Methods: Plasma samples were collected from 231 volunteers divided into 30 healthy and 201 diseased subjects From January 1st, 2021 to December 30th, 2021. Plasma RNA was extracted using a TRIZOL kit, and levels of miR-208 and miR-92a were determined using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Subsequently, the logistic regression model, decision tree model analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to evaluate whether miR-208 combined with miR-92a could be used as a biomarker for MI early diagnosis. Results: In this study, the ROC curve evaluation of the logistic regression model and pruned decision tree model found that age, miR-208, and miR-92a had high early diagnostic accuracy for MI, and the area under the curve (AUC) reached 0.928, showing good predictive value. It was also found that the AUC, optimal threshold, sensitivity, and specificity of age, miR-208, and miR-92a were higher than those of age and miR-208. This indicates that the combination of age, miR-208, and miR-92a has more value in the early diagnosis of MI. Conclusion: The combined diagnosis of miR-208 and miR-92a is helpful for the early diagnosis of myocardial infarction, which might serve as a new marker of MI benefiting from its early diagnosis.

Immediate reconstruction of defects after a partial maxillectomy with a digitally planned, prefabricated, 3-dimensionally printed, esthetic obturator prosthesis.

A digital workflow was used to design and prefabricate a 3-dimensionally printed, esthetic obturator prosthesis for immediate placement after a partial maxillectomy. The approach involved simultaneous reciprocation and support of the maxillary defect during the surgery and minimized the incidence of cicatricial contracture of the soft tissue, preventing permanent facial deformity and dysfunction.

[Effect of superfine powder and aqueous extract of Polygonati Rhizoma on rats with natural perimenopausal syndrome].

This study aims to examine the effect of superfine powder and aqueous extract of Polygonati Rhizomaon on natural perimenopausal syndrome in rats and explore the underlying mechanism. To be specific, a total of 60 female SD rats(14-15 months old) with estrous cycle disorder were screened by the vaginal smear and randomized into model control group, ß-estradiol 3-benzoate group(0.1 mg·kg~(-1)), superfine powder of Polygonati Rhizoma group(0.25, 0.5 g·kg~(-1)) and aqueous extract of Polygonati Rhizoma group(0.25, 0.5 g·kg~(-1)), and another 10 female SD rats(14-15 months old) were selected as the youth control group. The administration lasted 6 weeks. Then the perimenopausal syndrome-related indexes such as body temperature, microcirculatory blood flow of face and ear, vertigo period, salivary secretion, grip force, and bone strength were determined and open field test was conducted. The immune system-related indexes such as the wet weight and index of thymus and spleen, percentage of T lymphocytes and subgroups in peripheral blood, and hematological indexes were measured. In addition, the ovary-related indexes such as estrous cycle, the wet weight and index of uterus and ovary, ovarian tissue morphology, and cell apoptosis were determined. Moreover, hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axis(HPO)-related indexes such as serum sex hormone levels, cytochrome P450 family 11 subfamily A member 1(CYP11A1), cytochrome P450 family 19 subfamily A member 1(CYP19A1), and cytochrome P450 family 17 subfamily A member 1(P450 17A1) in ovarian tissue were measured. The results showed that the superfine powder and aqueous extract of Polygonati Rhizoma significantly decreased body temperature(anal, facial and dorsal temperature), microcirculatory blood flow in the ear, and vertigo period, increased salivary secretion, grip force, bone strength, total distance and total speed in the open field test, wet weight and index of thymus and spleen, lymphocyte ratio, CD3~+ level, and CD4~+/CD8~+ ratio, reduced neutrophil number and ratio, estrous cycle disorder ratio, and number of ovarian apoptotic cells, raised wet weight and index of uterus, wet weight of ovary, levels of inhibin B(INHB), estradiol(E_2), anti-müllerian hormone(AMH), and ovarian CYP11A1 and CYP19A1, decreased follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH) and luteinizing hormone(LH) content, and improved ovarian tissue morphology. It is suggested that the superfine powder and aqueous extract of Polygonati Rhizoma can improve the symptoms associated with natural perimenopausal syndrome in rats and enhance ovarian function and immune function. The mechanism is that they regulate HPO axis function by increasing estrogen synthesis.

Association between visceral adiposity index and chronic kidney disease: Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The association between visceral adiposity index (VAI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains debatable. We aimed to prospectively investigate the relationship between VAI and CKD. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 8808 participants from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were included. Males and females were divided into four groups according to gender-specific quartiles of VAI scores. CKD was based on self-reported physicians' diagnosis or personal eGFR level. A logistic regression model was established to analyze the correlation between VAI and CKD. A meta-analysis was conducted to incorporate the results of the current study and previous studies on the association of VAI with CKD. During 7 years of follow-up, a total of 826 participants (9.38%) experienced CKD. In multivariable-adjusted analyses, the adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for the highest versus lowest quartile of VAI was 1.33 (1.03-1.77) for male, and 1.10 (0.81-1.48) for female, respectively. The meta-analysis found the significant associations between VAI and CKD in total, male and female participants (pooled relative risk for highest vs lowest VAI quartile were 2.24(1.70-2.95), 2.36(1.54-3.61) and 2.57 (1.57-4.22), respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Higher VAI score was associated with increased risk of CKD, independently of established risk factors. The VAI may be a predictor of incident CKD, but only among male participants based on present study.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of healthcare professionals working in prenatal diagnosis toward expanded non-invasive prenatal testing in China.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of healthcare professionals (HCPs) working in prenatal diagnosis toward expanded non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) in China. METHODS: We conducted a national online survey among HCPs working in prenatal diagnosis, including specialists in prenatal diagnosis and foetal medicine, obstetricians and gynaecologists, nurses in obstetrics and gynaecology, obstetric ultrasound doctors, and technicians in prenatal diagnosis laboratories. A total of 1882 questionnaires were collected, among which 1822 questionnaires met the research criteria and were included in the analysis. RESULTS: More than 99% of all participants opted for NIPT for trisomies 21, 18, and 13. The rates of support for expanded NIPT for sex chromosome aneuploidies, rare autosomal trisomies, microdeletions and microduplications, and single-gene disorders were 93.9%, 88.6%, 89.4%, and 86.8%, respectively. Specialists in prenatal diagnosis and foetal medicine had greater knowledge but were less likely to support expanded NIPT compared to other participants. Knowledge increased with educational level, whereas support for expanded NIPT decreased with educational level. CONCLUSIONS: More than 80% of HCPs working in prenatal diagnosis in China expressed support for expanding NIPT to conditions other than common trisomies. The degree of knowledge was negatively associated with the rate of support.

Genetic susceptibility to cow's milk allergy in Chinese children.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cow's milk allergy (CMA) is the most common food allergy in young children. Previous studies have reported that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with CMA. The extent to which SNPs contribute to the occurrence of CMA is unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the independent relevance of genetic predisposition to CMA in Chinese children. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: 200 infants with CMA and 799 healthy controls aged 0-12 months were included. Five previously identified genetic variants (rs17616434, rs2069772, rs1800896, rs855791 and rs20541) were genotyped. Logistic regression was used to analyze the genetic associations or their interactions with a family history of allergy on CMA. RESULTS: Among the five SNPs, only IL10 rs1800896 was significantly associated with CMA (odds ratio (OR) 1.60, p=0.042). Each 1-risk allele increase in the genetic risk score (GRS) was suggestively associated with an 11% higher risk of CMA (1.11: 0.99-1.27, p=0.069) and a 45% increased risk of CMA in the GRS high-risk group compared to the GRS low-risk group (1.45: 1.02-2.06, p=0.037). Furthermore, parental allergy also increased the risk of CMA among children (1.87: 1.46-2.39, p<0.001). Importantly, parental allergy exacerbated the genetic effect on the risk of CMA. CONCLUSIONS: The rs1800896 variant in the IL-10 gene is associated with CMA in Chinese children. In addition, the GRS had an interaction with parental history of allergy, implying that genetic risk for CMA was exacerbated among those with parental history of allergy.

Risk Factors Associated With Malignant Transformation in Patients With Oral Leukoplakia in a Chinese Population: A Retrospective Study.

PURPOSE: The study aim was to investigate the risk factors for the progression of oral leukoplakia (OLK) to malignancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The data from 2,628 patients with OLK were retrospectively reviewed. Of these 2,628 patients, 192 had undergone sequential biopsies and were separated into 4 groups according to their final diagnosis. The risk factors were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier univariate survival analysis and Cox multivariate analysis. RESULTS: In 41 of the 2,628 patients (1.7%), the OLK had progressed to cancer, with a mean interval to malignancy of 26.7 months. Of the 192 patients with sequential biopsies, OLK was maintained or had progressed to mild, moderate, or severe dysplasia or carcinoma in 50, 66, 35, and 41 patients, respectively. The 3- and 5-year oral cancer-free survival (OCFS) was 78.9 and 72.5%, respectively. The factors associated with worse overall survival were lesions located in the ventral tongue (P = .04), alcohol use (P = .025), nonhomogeneous lesions (P < .01), and high-risk dysplasia (P < .01). Cox regression analyses indicated that nonhomogeneous lesions (P = .03) and high-risk dysplasia (P < .01) were independent prognostic factors for the progression of OLK to malignancy. CONCLUSIONS: High-risk dysplasia and nonhomogeneous lesions were shown to be important factors for progression to malignancy in patients with OLK. Thus, such patients should receive close follow-up and undergo sequential biopsies in the first 2 to 3 years for early screening of OLK evolving into a malignancy.

Behavioural informatics for improving water hygiene practice based on IoT environment.

The development of Internet of Things (IoT) and latest Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have changed the nature of healthcare monitoring and health behaviour intervention in many applications. Water hygiene and water conservation behaviour intervention as important influence factors to human health are gaining much attentions for improving sustained sanitation practice. Based on face-to-face delivery, typical behaviour intervention method is costly and hardly to provide all day access to personalised intervention guidance and feedbacks. In this study, we presented a behavioural information system and water use behaviour model using IoT platform. Using Expanded Theory of Planned Behaviour (ETPB) and adopted structure equation model, this study offers a solution for understanding the behaviour intervention mechanism and methodology for developing empirical model. A case study of behaviour intervention model is presented by utilising residential water conservation behaviour data collected in China. Results suggested that cultural differences have significant influences on the understanding of intervention drivers, promoting projects and increasing awareness, which could improve the behaviour intervention efficiency and further facilitate the improvement of water hygiene practice. The performance evaluation of water saving dimension is discussed as well in the paper.

Phenolic Compositions and Antioxidant Activities Differ Significantly among Sorghum Grains with Different Applications.

Sorghum grains with different applications had different phenolic profiles, which were corresponded to various antioxidant capacities. In this study, total phenolic, proanthocyanidins and flavonoids contents, as well as contents of individual phenolic compounds from sorghum grains with various applications were determined, and their antioxidant capacities were evaluated. Total phenolic contents (TPC) and total proanthocyanidins contents (TPAC) showed strong correlation with antioxidant activities (r > 0.95, p < 0.01). Hongyingzi (S-1), one of the brewing sorghums, showed the highest level of TPC and TPAC, while white grain sorghum (S-8) had the lowest. Except for black grain sorghum (S-7), that contained the highest contents of ferulic acid, brewing sorghum grains contained the higher contents of the most individual phenolic compounds, especially the variety S-1. The correlation among individual phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities indicated that the free forms of protocatechuic acid (r = 0.982 of FRAPassay, p < 0.01) and taxifolin (r = 0.826 of FRAP assay, p < 0.01) may be the main functional compounds. These results indicate that brewing sorghum grains can also be utilized as effective materials for functional foods.

[Optimization of expression and purification of recombinant Salvia miltiorrhiza WRKY1 protein in Escherichia coli].

WRKY transcription factor is one of the Zinc finger proteins which contains a highly conserved WRKY domain and is a family of the plant-specific transcription factor. The plasmid pET28a-SmWRKY1 harboring Salvia miltiorrhiza WRKY1 (SmWRKY1) gene was successfully transformed and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The conditions on protein expression of SmWRKY1 in E. coli, including induction duration, temperature, IPTG concentration and the E. coli concentration were optimized. The results showed that the highest protein expression of SmWRKY1 was obtained at 24 hours after the E. coli was cultured in the presence of 0.2 mol x L(-1) IPTG at 20 degrees C with A600 values of 1.0-1.5. This recombinant histidine-tagged protein was expressed at 2.454 g x L(-1) as inclusion body, which was first extracted using urea, and then purified by Ni2+ affinity chromatography and identified by SDS-PAGE. The expression of SmWRKY1 in E. coli was further confirmed by western blotting analysis.

Evolution of Chatbots in Nursing Education: Narrative Review.

Background: The integration of chatbots in nursing education is a rapidly evolving area with potential transformative impacts. This narrative review aims to synthesize and analyze the existing literature on chatbots in nursing education. Objective: This study aims to comprehensively examine the temporal trends, international distribution, study designs, and implications of chatbots in nursing education. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted across 3 databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase) following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) flow diagram. Results: A total of 40 articles met the eligibility criteria, with a notable increase of publications in 2023 (n=28, 70%). Temporal analysis revealed a notable surge in publications from 2021 to 2023, emphasizing the growing scholarly interest. Geographically, Taiwan province made substantial contributions (n=8, 20%), followed by the United States (n=6, 15%) and South Korea (n=4, 10%). Study designs varied, with reviews (n=8, 20%) and editorials (n=7, 18%) being predominant, showcasing the richness of research in this domain. Conclusions: Integrating chatbots into nursing education presents a promising yet relatively unexplored avenue. This review highlights the urgent need for original research, emphasizing the importance of ethical considerations.

Assessment of surrogate models for flood inundation: The physics-guided LSG model vs. state-of-the-art machine learning models.

Hydrodynamic models can accurately simulate flood inundation but are limited by their high computational demand that scales non-linearly with model complexity, resolution, and domain size. Therefore, it is often not feasible to use high-resolution hydrodynamic models for real-time flood predictions or when a large number of predictions are needed for probabilistic flood design. Computationally efficient surrogate models have been developed to address this issue. The recently developed Low-fidelity, Spatial analysis, and Gaussian Process Learning (LSG) model has shown strong performance in both computational efficiency and simulation accuracy. The LSG model is a physics-guided surrogate model that simulates flood inundation by first using an extremely coarse and simplified (i.e. low-fidelity) hydrodynamic model to provide an initial estimate of flood inundation. Then, the low-fidelity estimate is upskilled via Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOF) analysis and Sparse Gaussian Process models to provide accurate high-resolution predictions. Despite the promising results achieved thus far, the LSG model has not been benchmarked against other surrogate models. Such a comparison is needed to fully understand the value of the LSG model and to provide guidance for future research efforts in flood inundation simulation. This study compares the LSG model to four state-of-the-art surrogate flood inundation models. The surrogate models are assessed for their ability to simulate the temporal and spatial evolution of flood inundation for events both within and beyond the range used for model training. The models are evaluated for three distinct case studies in Australia and the United Kingdom. The LSG model is found to be superior in accuracy for both flood extent and water depth, including when applied to flood events outside the range of training data used, while achieving high computational efficiency. In addition, the low-fidelity model is found to play a crucial role in achieving the overall superior performance of the LSG model.

Casual effects of telomere length on sarcoidosis: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis.

Background: Telomere length, crucial for genomic stability, have been implicated in various inflamm-aging diseases, but their role in sarcoidosis remains unexplored. Objective: This study aims to explore the casual effects between TL and sarcoidosis via a bidirectional Mendelian Randomization (MR) study. Methods: We examined single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with TL and sarcoidosis, utilizing available open-access genome-wide association study (GWAS) databases from the UK Biobank and FinnGen. We employed five MR techniques, including Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW), MR Egger, weighted median (WM), Robust adjusted profile score (RAPS), and Maximum likelihood, to assess causal relationships and explore pleiotropy. Results: Summary data extracted from GWAS datasets of TL (n = 472,174) and (n = 217,758) of European ancestry. Employing 130 SNPs with genome-wide significance as instrumental factors for TL, we detect a significant negative correlation between TL and sarcoidosis (OR: 0.682, 95% confidence interval: 0.524-0.888, p : 0.0045). Similarly, utilizing 6 SNPs with genome-wide significance as instrumental factors for sarcoidosis, we fail to identify a noteworthy association between sarcoidosis and TL (OR: 0.992, 95% confidence interval: 0.979-1.005, p : 0.2424). Conclusion: Our results suggest that longer telomeres may reduce the risk of sarcoidosis, highlighting TL as a potential biomarker for diagnosis and long-term monitoring. Understanding the critical role of telomere shortening enables more effective focus on diagnosing, treating, and curing sarcoidosis linked to telomeres. Clinical investigations into treatments that enhance TL are warranted.

Association between combination COVID-19-influenza vaccination and long COVID in middle-aged and older Europeans: A cross-sectional study.

The potential impact of combined COVID-19 and influenza vaccination on long COVID remains uncertain. In the present cross-sectional study, we aimed to investigate the plausible association between them in middle-aged and older Europeans based on the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). A total of 1910 participants were recruited in the analyses. The study outcome was long COVID. Participants were divided into 4 groups through the self-reported status of COVID-19 and influenza vaccination. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated. 1397 participants experienced long COVID. After multivariable adjustment, those vaccinated with neither COVID-19 nor influenza vaccine had higher risk of long COVID (OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.26-2.35) compared to those vaccinated with both vaccines. Furthermore, adding the 4 statuses of COVID-19 vaccination/influenza vaccination to conventional risk model improved risk reclassification for long COVID (continuous net reclassification improvement was 16.26% [p = .003], and integrated discrimination improvement was 0.51% [p = .005]). No heterogeneity was found in the subgroup analyses (all p-interaction ≥0.05). Our study might provide a strategy for people aged 50 and over to reduce the occurrence of long COVID, that is, to combine the use of the COVID-19 vaccine and influenza vaccines.

Development of rapid nucleic acid testing techniques for common respiratory infectious diseases in the Chinese population.

Background: Most respiratory viruses can cause serious lower respiratory diseases at any age. Therefore, timely and accurate identification of respiratory viruses has become even more important. This study focused on the development of rapid nucleic acid testing techniques for common respiratory infectious diseases in the Chinese population. Methods: Multiplex fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were developed and validated for the detection of respiratory pathogens including the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), influenza A virus (FluA), parainfluenza virus (PIV), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Results: The assays demonstrated high specificity and sensitivity, allowing for the simultaneous detection of multiple pathogens in a single reaction. These techniques offer a rapid and reliable method for screening, diagnosis, and monitoring of respiratory pathogens. Conclusion: The implementation of these techniques might contribute to effective control and prevention measures, leading to improved patient care and public health outcomes in China. Further research and validation are needed to optimize and expand the application of these techniques to a wider range of respiratory pathogens and to enhance their utility in clinical and public health settings.