Visit to visit transition in TXNIP gene methylation and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a nested case-control study.

Our study aimed to investigate the association between the transition of the TXNIP gene methylation level and the risk of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study included 263 incident cases of T2DM and 263 matched non-T2DM participants. According to the methylation levels of five loci (CpG1-5; chr1:145441102-145442001) on the TXNIP gene, the participants were classified into four transition groups: maintained low, low to high, high to low, and maintained high methylation levels. Compared with individuals whose methylation level of CpG2-5 at the TXNIP gene was maintained low, individuals with maintained high methylation levels showed a 61-87% reduction in T2DM risk (66% for CpG2 [OR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.80]; 77% for CpG3 [OR: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.78]; 87% for CpG4 [OR: 0.13, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.56]; and 61% for CpG5 [OR: 0.39, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.92]). Maintained high methylation levels of four loci of the TXNIP gene are associated with a reduction of T2DM incident risk in the current study. Our study suggests that preserving hypermethylation levels of the TXNIP gene may hold promise as a potential preventive measure against the onset of T2DM.

Dose-response associations of triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and triglyceride-glucose index with arterial stiffness risk.

BACKGROUND: The triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio and triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index are novel indexes for insulin resistance (IR). We aimed to evaluate associations of TG/HDL-C and TyG with arterial stiffness risk. METHODS: We enrolled 1979 participants from the Rural Chinese Cohort Study, examining arterial stiffness by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Logistic and linear regression models were employed to calculate effect estimates. For meta-analysis, we searched relevant articles from PubMed, Embase and Web of Science up to August 26, 2023. The fixed-effects or random-effects models were used to calculate the pooled estimates. We evaluated dose-response associations using restricted cubic splines. RESULTS: For cross-sectional studies, the adjusted ORs (95%CIs) for arterial stiffness were 1.12 (1.01-1.23) and 1.78 (1.38-2.30) for per 1 unit increment in TG/HDL-C and TyG. In the meta-analysis, the pooled ORs (95% CIs) were 1.26 (1.14-1.39) and 1.57 (1.36-1.82) for per 1 unit increment of TG/HDL-C and TyG. Additionally, both TG/HDL-C and TyG were positively related to PWV, with ß of 0.09 (95% CI 0.04-0.14) and 0.57 (95% CI 0.35-0.78) m/s. We also found linear associations of TG/HDL-C and TyG with arterial stiffness risk. CONCLUSIONS: High TG/HDL-C and TyG were related to increased arterial stiffness risk, indicating TG/HDL-C and TyG may be convincing predictors of arterial stiffness.

Obesity and risk of depressive disorder in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis of observational studies.

PURPOSE: This meta-analysis evaluated the relationship between overweight/obesity and depressive disorders in children and adolescents. METHODS: We examined the databases of PubMed, Embase and Web of Science for pertinent observational studies released up until 20 February 2022. The pooled relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of obesity and overweight with depressive disorder were calculated by means of random-effects models. The Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality scale were adopted to evaluate the study quality. RESULTS: Finally, for this meta-analysis, we evaluated 22 observational publications covering 175 135 participants (5 cohort study articles, 1 case-control study article and 16 cross-sectional study articles). A significant positive association was found between obesity and the risk of depression (RR 1.32, 95% CI 1.09-1.60, I2 = 79.90%, Pheterogeneity < 0.001) and in the association between obesity and depressive symptoms (RR 1.16, 95% CI: 1.00-1.35, I2 = 25.0%, Pheterogeneity = 0.247). On sensitivity analysis, the pooled RRs remained robust. Subgroup analysis indicated that obese children and teenagers in western countries were more prone to depression. CONCLUSION: Evidence from this meta-analysis, based on observational studies, supported the idea that obese children and adolescents are more likely to experience depression and depressive symptoms.

Long-Term Exposure to Traffic Noise and Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Diseases: a Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis.

While noise pollution from transportation has become an important public health problem, the relationships between different sources of traffic noise and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain inconclusive. A comprehensive meta-analysis was therefore conducted to quantitatively assess the effects of long-term exposure to road traffic, railway, and aircraft noise on CVDs and relevant subtypes. We systematically retrieved PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for articles published before April 4, 2022. Summary relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by the fixed- or random-effects models. In total, 23 articles were included in our meta-analysis. The risk of CVDs increased by 2% (RR 1.020, 95% CI 1.006-1.035) and 1.6% (RR 1.016, 95% CI 1.000-1.032) for every 10 dB increment of road traffic and aircraft noise. For CVD subtypes, the risk increased by 3.4% (1.034, 1.026-1.043) for stroke and 5% (1.050, 1.006-1.096) for heart failure with each 10 dB increment of road traffic noise; the risk of atrial fibrillation increased by 1.1% (1.011, 1.002-1.021) with each 10 dB increment of railway noise; and the risk increased by 1% (1.010, 1.003-1.017) for myocardial infarction, 2.7% (1.027, 1.004-1.050) for atrial fibrillation, and 2.3% (1.023, 1.016-1.030) for heart failure with each 10 dB increment in aircraft noise. Further, effects from road traffic, railway, and aircraft noise all followed positive linear trends with CVDs. Long-term exposure to traffic noise is positively related to the incidence risk of cardiovascular events, especially road traffic noise which significantly increases the risk of CVDs, stroke, and heart failure.

Evaluation of Protective Efficacy of Recombinant Toxoplasma gondii DDX39 Protein Vaccine against Acute and Chronic T. gondii Infection in Mice.

Toxoplasma gondii, a pervasive parasite responsible for toxoplasmosis, poses significant health risks to humans and animals. In this study, we investigated the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of the recombinant T. gondii DDX39 protein formulated with ISA201 adjuvant (rTgDDX39) as a candidate vaccine against toxoplasmosis. The full-length of TgDDX39 gene was successfully amplified, cloned into the pET-30a vector, and expressed in BL21 (DE3) competent cells, which was purified and identified as a 57.1 kDa protein via sodium dodecyl-sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Western blot analysis confirmed that rTgDDX39 was specifically recognized by serum from T. gondii-infected mice. Furthermore, immunization of rats with rTgDDX39 generated antiserum that could specifically recognize the native TgDDX39 protein in T. gondii tachyzoite lysates. Immunofluorescence assay revealed that TgDDX39 was primarily located in the nucleus and perinuclear region of tachyzoites. Our vaccination strategy significantly increased T cell proliferation, with CD4+ T cells rising by 21.9% and CD8+ T cells by 57.8% by the sixth week compared to the adjuvant control group. Additionally, high titers of anti-rTgDDX39 IgG antibodies were detected in vaccinated mice, with a notable induction of IgG1 and IgG2a isotypes, and IgG1/IgG2a > 1 suggests a Th2-biased immune response. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo assays demonstrated that polyclonal antibodies raised against rTgDDX39 could inhibit the proliferation of T. gondii RH tachyzoites, highlighting the potential of these antibodies to neutralize this parasite effectively. This study provides compelling evidence of the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of rTgDDX39, supporting its potential as a potential candidate vaccine against toxoplasmosis. The protective efficacy of the vaccine was evaluated in mice challenged with acute (RH) and chronic (PRU) strains of T. gondii, showing a survival time extended to 17 days in the acute model, compared to 13.5 and 14 days in the control groups, and a significant 34% reduction in cyst burden in the chronic model. Additionally, the survival rate in the PRU-infected mice increased from 15-20% in the control groups to 45% in the vaccinated group. In vitro and in vivo assays demonstrated that polyclonal antibodies raised against rTgDDX39 could inhibit the proliferation of T. gondii RH tachyzoites, highlighting the potential of these antibodies to neutralize the parasite effectively. This study provides compelling evidence of the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of rTgDDX39, supporting its potential as a candidate vaccine against toxoplasmosis.

Olive oil intake and cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

Background: Currently, the reported links between olive oil intake and cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer morbidity and mortality, and all-cause mortality are inconsistent. The aim of this meta-analysis is to study the reported correlations of olive oil intake with CVD, coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and cancer incidence and mortality, and all-cause mortality. Methods: PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched until March 7, 2024. Pooled relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by the random-effects model. Nonlinear dose-response relationships were modeled with restricted cubic splines. This study has been registered at PROSPERO (CRD42023419001). Results: Overall, 30 articles covering 2 710 351 participants were identified. Higher olive oil intake was linked with a reduced risk of CVD incidence (RR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.77, 0.93), CHD incidence (RR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.72, 0.99), CVD mortality (RR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.67, 0.88), and all-cause mortality (RR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.81, 0.89). For a 10 g d-1 increment of olive oil intake, the risk of CVD incidence, stroke incidence, CVD mortality, and all-cause mortality decreased by 7%, 5%, 8%, and 8%, respectively. No association was found between olive oil intake and cancer incidence and mortality. Nonlinear relationships between olive oil intake and CVD and all-cause mortality were observed, with a reduced risk from intakes ranging from 0 to 18 g d-1 and 0 to 22 g d-1, respectively. Conclusion: Our study found that high olive oil intake was related to a lower risk of CVD and CHD incidence and CVD mortality and all-cause mortality.

Association of methylation risk score with incident type 2 diabetes mellitus: A nested case-control study.

AIMS: To investigate the association of methylation risk score (MRS) and its interactions with environmental factors with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk. METHODS: We conducted a nested case-control study with 241 onset cases and 241 matched controls. Conditional logistic regression models were employed to identify risk CpG sites. Simple and weighted MRSs were constructed based on the methylation levels of ATP-binding cassette G1 gene, fat mass and obesity associated gene, potassium voltage-gated channel member 1 gene, and thioredoxin-interacting protein gene previously associated with T2DM to estimate the association of MRS with T2DM risk. Stratified analyses were used to investigate interactions between MRS and environmental factors. RESULTS: A total of 10 CpG loci were identified from the aforementioned genes to calculate MRS. After controlling for potential confounding factors, taking tertile 1 as reference, the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for T2DM of tertile 3 was 2.39 (1.36-4.20) for simple MRS and 2.59 (1.45-4.63) for weighted MRS. With per SD score increment in MRS, the OR (95% CI) was 1.66 (1.29-2.14) and 1.60 (1.24-2.08) for simple and weighted MRSs, respectively. J-curved associations were observed between both simple and weighted MRSs and T2DM risks. Additionally, multiplication interactions for smoking and hypertension with simple MRS on the risk of T2DM were found, similarly for smoking and obesity with weighted MRS on the risk of T2DM (all Pinteraction < .05). CONCLUSION: Elevated simple and weighted MRSs were associated with increased risk of T2DM. Environmental risk factors may influence the association between MRS and T2DM.

Miscarriage and stillbirth in relation to risk of cardiovascular diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The relationship between pregnancy loss and the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remains a matter of debate. Our intention in conducting this meta-analysis was to analyze the relationship between miscarriage and stillbirth and risk of CVDs. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were systematically searched up to May 30, 2023 for all relevant studies. The random-effects model was applied to estimate the pooled relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). We evaluated RR estimates for the risk of CVDs with each additional miscarriage and stillbirth through generalized least squares regression. RESULTS: Twenty-three articles were incorporated into the meta-analysis. For women with a history of miscarriage, the pooled RRs for the risk of total CVDs, coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and total CVD deaths were 1.16 (95 % CI 1.10-1.22), 1.26 (1.12-1.41), 1.13 (1.03-1.24), and 1.20 (1.01-1.42), respectively. For women with a history of stillbirth, the pooled RRs for the risk of total CVDs, CHD, stroke, and total CVD deaths were 1.60 (1.34-1.89), 1.30 (1.12-1.50), 1.37 (1.06-1.78), and 1.95 (1.05-3.63), respectively. With each additional miscarriage, the risk increased for total CVDs (1.08, 1.04-1.13), CHD (1.08, 1.04-1.13), and stroke (1.05, 1.00-1.10). With each additional stillbirth, the risk increased for total CVDs (1.11, 1.03-1.21) and CHD (1.13, 1.07-1.19). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis indicates that both miscarriages and stillbirths are related to a higher risk of total CVDs, CHD, stroke, and total CVD deaths. The risk of total CVDs and CHD increased with the number of miscarriages or stillbirths.

Research on Evaluation of University Emergency Management Ability Based on BP Neural Network.

University emergency management ability is an important part of university safety management. To evaluate university emergency management ability scientifically, objectively, and accurately, this study constructs three first-level indexes, namely, pre-prevention ability, in-process control ability, and post-recovery ability, and 15 s-level indexes, including the establishment of emergency management institutions; the construction of emergency plans; the allocation of emergency personnel, equipment, and materials; and the training and exercise of emergency plans. On the basis of the backpropagation (BP) neural network method and MATLAB platform, an evaluation model of university emergency management ability is constructed. The neural network evaluation model is trained with sample data, and a university in Beijing is adopted as an example to verify the good prediction effect of the model. The results show that applying the evaluation model based on the BP neural network to the emergency management ability of colleges and universities is feasible. The model provides a new method to evaluate the emergency management ability of colleges and universities.

Study on the Response Law of Coal Pore Structure and Permeability Affected by Acidification Time.

In order to study the pore alteration and permeability of coal affected by acid liquor, samples were collected from the Yuwu coal mine in the Qinshui basin, Shanxi Province, and taken as the study object. Hydrochloric acid (HCl) with a 10% volume concentration was used to treat these coal samples. The pore structure characteristics and gas permeability of this coal with different treatment times were measured by laboratory experiments. The fractal theory was introduced to analyze the complexity of the sample pore and the changing rules of coal permeability. The research results show that acid liquor has a significant influence on the pore structure of YW coal. Under the effect of acid treatment, the micropore volume of the coal sample is reduced, but both the mesopore and macropore volume are increased. The fractal dimension of acidulated coal samples changes in the range of 2.57-2.81, and it is exponentially decreased with the increase of the treatment time. This indicates that the acid treatment can make the YW coal surface become smooth, and the pore structure tends to be smooth. The acidification method is able to effectively enhance the coal permeability with a maximum increment of about 9.43 times. After 30 h of acid treatment, the total pore volume, fractal dimension, and gas permeability of this coal tend to be stable. The acid treatment time should be controlled at around 30 h.

Lower intensity of physical activity strengthens the effect of dietary inflammatory index on the risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality.

To examine the independent and joint associations of dietary inflammation index (DII) and physical activity (PA) with mortality risk. We analyzed data for 20,165 study participants aged ≥ 18 from The Rural Chinese Cohort Study. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of mortality associated with DII and PA. The dose-response association between DII and mortality risk was intuitively generated by the restricted cubic splines model. During the mean 5.03-year follow-up, a total of 1110 cases of all-cause mortality were identified. Compared with people in quartile 1 of DII, positive associations were found in quartile 4 for all-cause (HR 1.27; 95%CI 1.06-1.52), CVD (HR 1.45; 95%CI 1.09-1.91), and other mortality (HR 1.52; 95%CI 1.10-2.09), while a linear association was demonstrated. Compared with people of quartile 1 of DII and high intensity of PA, those with quartile 4 of DII and low intensity of PA had higher risk of all-cause (HR 1.96; 95%CI 1.50-2.56), CVD (HR 2.68; 95%CI 1.71-4.19), and other mortality (HR 1.83; 95%CI 1.19-2.83). A pro-inflammatory diet was significantly associated with increased risk of mortality and lower PA may strengthen the effect.

Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Fractures: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies.

Alcohol consumption remains inconsistently correlated with fracture risk, and a dose-response meta-analysis for specific outcomes is lacking. The objective of this study was to quantitatively integrate the data on the relationship between alcohol consumption and fracture risk. Pertinent articles were identified in PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases up to 20 February 2022. Combined RRs and 95% CIs were estimated by random- or fixed-effects models. Restricted cubic splines were used to model linear or nonlinear relationships. Forty-four articles covering 6,069,770 participants and 205,284 cases of fracture were included. The combined RRs and 95% CIs for highest compared with lowest alcohol consumption were 1.26 (1.17-1.37), 1.24 (1.13-1.35), and 1.20 (1.03-1.40) for total, osteoporotic, and hip fractures, respectively. A linear positive relationship between alcohol consumption and total fracture risk was detected (Pnonlinearity = 0.057); the risk was correlated with a 6% increase (RR, 1.06; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.10) per 14 g/d increment of alcohol consumption. J-shaped relationships of alcohol consumption with risk of osteoporotic fractures (Pnonlinearity < 0.001) and hip fractures (Pnonlinearity < 0.001) were found. Alcohol consumption of 0 to 22 g/d was linked to a reduced risk of osteoporotic fractures and hip fractures. Our findings show that any level of alcohol consumption is a risk factor for total fractures. Moreover, this dose-response meta-analysis shows that an alcohol consumption level of 0 to 22 g/d is related to a reduction in the risk of osteoporotic and hip fractures. The protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42022320623).

Dose-Response Association of Dietary Inflammatory Potential with All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality.

Although the association of dietary inflammatory potential, evaluated by the dietary inflammatory index (DII), with all-cause and cause-specific mortality has been reported, evidence remains equivocal, with no relevant dose-response meta-analysis having been conducted. To examine the dose-response association of dietary inflammatory potential with risk of all-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were systematically searched up to August 9, 2021. Cohort studies were included if DII was reported as ≥3 levels or per incremental increase, and if the associations of DII with all-cause, cancer, and CVD mortality were assessed. Generalized least squares regression was used to estimate study-specific dose-response associations, and the random effect model was used to pool the RRs and 95% CIs of all-cause, cancer, and CVD mortality per 1-unit increase in DII. Restricted cubic splines were used to intuitively display the dose-response association between dietary inflammatory potential and mortality. Of the 1415 studies retrieved, 15 articles (17 cohort studies involving 397,641 participants) were included in this meta-analysis. With per 1-unit increase in DII, the risks were significantly increased for all-cause mortality (RR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.05, I2 = 51.8%; P-heterogeneity = 0.009), cancer mortality (RR: 1.02; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.04, I2 = 58.6%; P-heterogeneity = 0.013), and CVD mortality (RR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.06, I2 = 85.7%; P-heterogeneity <0.001), respectively. Restricted cubic splines showed significant positive linear associations between DII and the above 3 outcomes. Our study indicated that proinflammatory diets can increase the risk of all-cause, cancer, and CVD mortality in a linear manner.