Effects of virtual reality-based cognitive interventions on cognitive function and activity of daily living among stroke patients: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIMS: To examine the effects of virtual reality-based cognitive interventions on cognitive function and activities of daily living among stroke patients, and to identify the optimal design for such intervention. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane, CINANL, JBI-EBP and Web of Science from inception to October 2023. METHODS: Methodological quality was assessed by Risk of Bias Tool. Meta-analyses were assessed by Review Manager 5.4. Subgroup analyses were conducted to explore the influence of study design. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach was adopted to assess the certainty of evidence. RESULTS: Twenty-five randomized controlled trials (1178 participants) were included. Virtual reality-based cognitive interventions demonstrated moderate-to-large effects in improving global cognitive function (SMD = 0.43; 95% CI [0.01, 0.85]), executive function (SMD = 0.84; 95% CI [0.25, 1.43]) and memory (SMD = 0.65; 95% CI [0.15, 1.16]) compared to control treatments. No significant effects were found on language, visuospatial ability and activities of daily living. Subgroup analyses indicated one-on-one coaching, individualized design and dynamic difficulty adjustment, and interventions lasting ≥ 6 weeks had particularly enhanced effects, especially for executive function. CONCLUSIONS: Virtual reality-based cognitive interventions improve global cognitive function, executive function and memory among stroke patients. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PATIENT CARE: This review underscores the broad cognitive advantages offered by virtual technology, suggesting its potential integration into standard stroke rehabilitation protocols for enhanced cognitive recovery. IMPACT: The study identifies key factors in virtual technology interventions that effectively improve cognitive function among stroke patients, offering healthcare providers a framework for leveraging such technology to optimize cognitive outcomes in stroke rehabilitation. REPORTING METHOD: PRISMA 2020 statement. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022342668.

Impact of influenza virus infection on lung microbiome in adults with severe pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial and viral infections are commonly implicated in the development of pneumonia. We aimed to compare the diversity and composition of lung bacteria among severe pneumonia patients who were influenza virus positive (IFVP) and influenza virus negative (IFVN). METHODS: Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid specimens were procured from patients diagnosed with severe pneumonia to investigate the microbiome utilizing 16S-rDNA sequencing. The alpha diversity of the microbiome was evaluated employing Chao1, Shannon, and Simpson indexes, while the beta diversity was assessed using principal component analysis and principal coordinate analysis. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) was employed to determine the taxonomic differences between the IFVP and IFVN groups. RESULTS: A total of 84 patients with 42 in the IFVP group and 42 in the IFVN group were enrolled. Slightly higher indexes of Shannon and Simpson were observed in the IFVP group without statistically significant difference. The dominant bacterial genera were Streptococcus, Klebsiella, Escherichia-Shigella in the IFVN group and Acinetobacter, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus in the IFVP group. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii were the most abundant species in the IFVN and IFVP groups, respectively. LEfSe analysis indicated a greater abundance of Klebsiella in the IFVN group. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with severe pneumonia infected with IFV exhibit heightened susceptibility to certain bacteria, especially Acinetobacter baumannii, and the underlying mechanism of the interaction between IFV and Acinetobacter baumannii in the progression of pneumonia needs further investigation.

A Rare Case of Benign Hamartoma and Malignant Primary Pulmonary Lymphoma Coexisting in a Patient Mimicking Invasive Pulmonary Mycosis: a Case Report and Literature Review.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hamartomas are the most common benign tumors of the lungs and can occur anywhere in the lungs, normal hyperplasia, congenital malformation, inflammatory changes, and tumorigenesis are hypothesized to underlie the pathogeny, but the definite etiology remains to be elucidated. Primary pulmonary lymphoma (PPL) refers to clonal lymphoid hyperplasia of one or both lungs in patients who have no detectable extrapulmonary lymphoma or bone marrow involvement at the time of diagnosis and during the subsequent 3 months. It is rare for both diseases to occur in the lungs of the same patient. METHODS: Appropriate laboratory tests, Chest CT scan, bronchoscopy and CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsy. RESULTS: Laboratory tests showed (1-3)-ß-D-glucan was 226.3 pg/mL and sputum culture of Aspergillus niger. Chest Computer Tomography (CT) scan showed multiple flaky high-density shadows in both lungs, proven to be right hamartoma with left lung pulmonary primary lymphoma by bronchoscopy biopsy and CT guided percutaneous needle lung biopsy. CONCLUSIONS: When there are high density shadows or nodules in different parts of one patient's lung, these lesions may not be the same disease. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct biopsies of the lesions in different parts of the lung.

Elevated carcinoembryonic antigen and bronchial obstruction caused by a rotten vegetable leaf mimic lung cancer: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration is a potentially risky medical event, while the condition often requires early detection and rapid intervention to improve respiratory symptoms and prevent major morbidity. Notably, foreign bodies may not be identified and they are likely to be mistaken for neoplastic lesions. However, CEA, as one of tumor markers, presents to be available for assisting in lung cancer diagnosis, especially for non-small-cell lung cancer, while the specificity of CEA is not high. METHODS: Here, we described a case of bronchial opening obstruction with elevated carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) that was firstly misdiagnosed as lung cancer and proved as foreign body aspiration in the upper lobe bronchus of right lung by bronchoscopy. RESULTS: Carcinoembryonic antigen level increased. CT scan demonstrated a cavitation accompanied by multiple small nodular shadows appeared in the right upper lobe field. Bronchoscopy suggested right upper lobe bronchus was blocked by a brown smooth organism with plenty of purulent materials, which was proved as a rotten vegetable leaf. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated CEA and bronchial obstruction are not typical manifestations of lung cancer. Bronchoscopy is crucial for making a reliable diagnosis.

Serum Procalcitonin, Smoking History Combined Age Established a New Prediction Model for Predicting Dynamic Changes of Chest CT Images in Adult Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) Patients.

BACKGROUND: Chest CT is widely used in clinical diagnosis and efficacy evaluation of CAP. While repeated chest CT examinations to evaluate dynamic changes in chest CT images in a short period of time is a common phenomenon, it causes a lot of waste of medical resources, and due to the large dose of CT radiation, it can cause some harm to the human body. The purpose of this study is to establish a new model to predict the dynamic chest CT image changes of CAP patients by analyzing the age, smoking history, and serum inflammatory markers. METHODS: This is a retrospective study. All patients had received chest CT scan and serum inflammatory indexes were measured, including procalcitonin (PCT), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), white blood cell (WBC) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). The second chest CT examination was performed after a week of treatment. General information on the medical record was also recorded (including age, smoking history, drinking history, and others). Main outcome measures were the changes of chest CT images, including absorption and non-absorption (including patients with progressive inflammation). Single factor analysis and two-dimensional logistic regression analysis were used to explore the independent risk factors of the new CT image change prediction model for CAP patients. ROC was used to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the new model. RESULTS: Among 220 patients with CAP, 150 patients had absorption in chest CT after a week of treatment (150/220), the remaining 70 patients had no absorption or even progression (70/220). Age, PCT, and smoking history were independent risk factors for inflammatory absorption. The AUC of ROC curve was 0.89 (95% CI 0.83 - 0.94), the sensitivity was 88.70%, and the specificity was 80.00%. CONCLUSIONS: A new prediction model consists of serum PCT, age, and smoking history has high specificity and sensitivity in predicting dynamic CT changes in adult CAP patients.

Serum Procalcitonin, White Blood Cell and Hypersensitive C-reactive Protein Combined with Age Established a New Prediction Model in Predicting ICU Admission in Adult Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) Patients.

BACKGROUND: CAP is the most common cause of death in infectious diseases in developing countries, while also an important cause of death and morbidity in developed countries. In recent years, CURB-65 (or CRB-65) and pneumonia severity index (PSI) scoring systems have been widely used in the prognosis scoring system of CAP. However, each of them has some shortcomings in predicting ICU admission in CAP patients. The aim of this study is to analyze serum inflammatory biomarkers combined age to established a new prediction model in predicting ICU admission in CAP patients. METHODS: This is a retrospective study. The enrolled CAP patients received serum inflammatory biomarker tests, including procalcitonin (PCT), white blood cell count (WBC), hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Body temperature and age were also recorded. The main outcome measures were ICU admission. Univariate analysis and binary logistic regression analysis were used to explore the in-dependent risk factors which could be components of a new predicting model for ICU admission in CAP patients. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) were used to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the new model, which consisted of the combination of all independent risk factors in predicting the main outcomes. RESULTS: Initially, 246 CAP patients were admitted to general wards, 61 of whom were subsequently transferred to ICU (61/246). Age, PCT, WBC, and hs-CRP were independent risk factors for subsequent admission to ICU for CAP patients in general wards. The AUC of the ROC curve of new prediction model (the joint model consists of age, PCT, WBC, and hs-CRP) was 0.93 (95% CI 0.85 - 0.96), the sensitivity and specificity were 85.2% and 88.1%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Serum inflammatory biomarkers combined age have high specificity and sensitivity in predicting ICU admission in adult CAP patients.

Elevated Leukocytes Combined with Left Lung Consolidation on Chest Computed Tomography (CT) Scan in an Adult Patient Firstly Misdiagnosed as Pneumonia and Finally Diagnosed as Pulmonary Sequestration by Enhanced CT Scan and CT Angiography: a Case Report and Literature Review.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary sequestration is an uncommon pulmonary disorder. We presented an adult case with recurrent pulmonary infection firstly misdiagnosed as pneumonia, which proved as pulmonary sequestration by enhanced CT scan and CT angiography. METHODS: Appropriate laboratory tests, chest CT scan, bronchoscopy, and CT angiography were performed for diagnosis. RESULTS: The white blood cells detected by routine blood test were 11.8 x 109/L, the plain chest CT scan showed the volume of the lower lobe of the left lung decreased and the density increased. Enhanced CT and maximum intensity projection (MIP) algorithms were used for three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the images: no abnormally enhanced shadows were seen in the reduced lower lobe of the left lung, and tortuous vascular shadows were seen in the mediastinum. Bronchoscopy showed a narrowing of the opening in the dorsal segment of the lower lobe of the left lung. Thoracic aortography revealed an abnormal arterial supply to the lower left lung, the pathological results of thoracoscopic resection of the lower left lung were pulmonary sequestration. CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary consolidation may be more than a simple pulmonary infection. Physicians should consider the possibility of pulmonary sequestration in patients with recurrent or refractory pneumonia. Enhanced CT findings of abnormal blood vessel supply are helpful for pulmonary sequestration diagnosis, and CT angiography is the gold standard for diagnosis.

Wnt receptor gene FZD1 was associated with schizophrenia in genome-wide SNP analysis of the Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank cohort.

OBJECTIVES: Large-scale genetic analysis of common variation in schizophrenia has been a powerful approach to understanding this complex but highly heritable psychotic disorder. To further investigate loci, genes and pathways associated more specifically in the well-characterized Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank cohort, we applied genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis in these three annotation categories. METHODS: We performed a case-control genome-wide association study in 429 schizophrenia samples and 255 controls. Post-genome-wide association study analyses were then integrated with genomic annotations to explore the enrichment of variation at the gene and pathway level. We also examine candidate single-nucleotide polymorphisms with potential function within expression quantitative trait loci and investigate overall enrichment of variation within tissue-specific functional regulatory domains of the genome. RESULTS: The strongest finding (p = 2.01 × 10-6, odds ratio = 1.82, 95% confidence interval = [1.42, 2.33]) in genome-wide association study was with rs10252923 at 7q21.13, downstream of FZD1 (frizzled class receptor 1). While this did not stand alone after correction, the involvement of FZD1 was supported by gene-based analysis, which exceeded the threshold for genome-wide significance (p = 2.78 × 10-6). CONCLUSION: The identification of FZD1, as an independent association signal at the gene level, supports the hypothesis that the Wnt signalling pathway is altered in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and may be an important target for therapeutic development.

Antioxidant protein peroxiredoxin 6 suppresses the vascular inflammation, oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction in angiotensin II-induced endotheliocyte.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) states are associated with endothelial dysfunction (ED) and increased production of ROS in endothelial cells. The present study aimed to explore the protective effects of antioxidant protein peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6) on angiotensin II (AngII)­induced human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) dysfunction. To investigate cell viability, levels of inflammatory molecules and proteins were assayed using the CCK-8 assay and evaluated by ELISA and Western blot. NO and ROS levels were determined by Griess assay and the fluorescent probe DCFH-DA. Cell migration capacity was assessed by Transwell assay. AngII decreased cell viability and PRDX6, upregulated the expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1ß, LDH and MDA, stimulated ROS production, and reduced NO synthase, the expressions of eNOS, MnSOD, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and activated the MAPK family of signaling proteins. However, the stimulatory effects of AngII on HUVECs were remarkably suppressed by PRDX6. Furthermore, mercaptosuccinate (MS; PRDX6 inhibitor) had similar effects as AngII in aggravating HUVECs damage. Conversely, these adverse events caused by AngII and MS were obviously reversed by ML3404 and SP600125. The present study indicated that PRDX6 overexpression inactivated p38 MAPK and JNK pathway through decrease AngII-induced inflammation, oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction leading to attenuation of endothelial cell damage.

Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Tumor Thrombus with the Use of Iodine-125 Seed Strand Implantation and Transarterial Chemoembolization: A Propensity-Score Analysis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of iodine-125 (125I) seed strand implantation in combination with transarterial chemoembolization for the treatment of hepatitis B-related unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein invasion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2013 to June 2016, 76 HCC patients with type II tumor thrombus were included in this single-center retrospective study. Twenty patients underwent 125I seed strand implantation combined with transarterial chemoembolization (group A; n = 20), while 56 patients underwent transarterial chemoembolization alone (group B; n = 56). The procedure-related and radiation complications were assessed. Overall survivals were compared by propensity-score analysis. RESULTS: The technique was successfully performed in all patients. The mean intended dose (r = 10 mm; z = 0; 240 days) was 62.6 ± 1.8 Gy. No grade 3 or 4 adverse events related to the procedure occurred in either group. After propensity-score-matching analysis, 19 patients were selected into each group, respectively. In the propensity-matching cohort, the median overall survival time was significantly longer in group A than in the group B (19 pairs; 28.0 ± 2.4 vs 8.7 ± 0.4 mo; P = .001). Treatment strategy, arterioportal shunt, and number of transarterial chemoembolization sessions were significant predictors of favorable overall survival time. CONCLUSIONS: 125I seed strand implantation combined with transarterial chemoembolization is a safe and effective treatment for HCC patients with portal vein invasion.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt for the prevention of recurrent esophageal variceal bleeding in patients with cavernous transformation of portal vein.

BACKGROUND: Treatment options for patients with cavernous transformation of portal vein (CTPV) are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, efficacy and safety of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) to prevent recurrent esophageal variceal bleeding in patients with CTPV. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 67 consecutive patients undergone TIPS from January 2011 to December 2016. All patients were diagnosed with CTPV. The indication for TIPS was a previous episode of variceal bleeding. The data on recurrent bleeding, stent patency, hepatic encephalopathy and survival were retrieved and analyzed. RESULTS: TIPS procedure was successfully performed in 56 out of 67 (83.6%) patients with CTPV. TIPS was performed via a transjugular approach alone (n = 15), a combined transjugular/transhepatic approach (n = 33) and a combined transjugular/transsplenic approach (n = 8). Mean portosystemic pressure gradient (PSG) decreased from 28.09 ±â€¯7.28 mmHg to 17.53 ±â€¯6.12 mmHg after TIPS (P < 0.01). The probability of the remaining free recurrent variceal bleeding was 87.0%. The probability of TIPS patency reached 81.5%. Hepatic encephalopathy occurrence was 27.8%, and survival rate was 88.9% until the end of follow-up. Four out of 11 patients who failed TIPS died, and 4 had recurrent bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: TIPS should be considered a safe and feasible alternative therapy to prevent recurrent esophageal variceal bleeding in patients with CTPV, and to achieve clinical improvement.

Elevated triglyceride levels are associated with cognitive impairments among patients with major depressive disorder.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive deficits have been identified as one of core clinical symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD). Accumulating evidence indicated that triglycerides (TG) might be associated with MDD and cognitive decline. OBJECTIVE: This study examined whether patients with MDD had poorer cognitive functions than healthy controls, and further investigate whether TG levels were involved in MDD, and its cognitive impairments in a Han Chinese population. METHOD: 115 patients with MDD and 119 healthy controls were enrolled. Cognitive functions were assessed by the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), and serum TG levels were examined using enzymatic colorimetry. RESULTS: TG levels were higher in patients with MDD than healthy controls after controlling for the variables. Cognitive test scores were lower in patients with MDD than healthy controls except for visuospatial/constructional index after controlling for the variables. TG levels were negatively correlated with visuospatial/constructional score, delayed memory score and RBANS total score of MDD. Further multivariate regression analysis showed that TG levels were negatively associated with visuospatial/constructional score, attention score, delayed memory score and RBANS total score of MDD. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings supported that serum TG levels might be involved in MDD, and play an important role in cognitive impairments of MDD, especially in delayed memory. Moreover, patients with MDD experienced greater cognitive impairments than healthy controls except for visuospatial/constructional index.

Lycium barbarum polysaccharide attenuates chemotherapy-induced ovarian injury by reducing oxidative stress.

AIM: We aimed to examine the effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) on ovarian damage induced by cyclophosphamide (CTX) and to investigate the underlying mechanism. METHODS: A total of 240 female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: the control group, the CTX-induced ovarian injury (OI) group, and three LBP groups. Different concentrations of LBP solution were administered to the LBP groups by gastric infusion for 15 days, and the OI group and LBP groups were then subjected to CTX treatment for another 15 days. On days 7, 14, and 28 after CTX injection, femoral vein blood and ovarian tissues were collected for the measurements of antioxidant enzymes and oxidation products. Serum indicators were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; and Nrf2, heme oxygenase-1, and quinone oxidoreductase 1 protein levels were detected by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: LBP attenuated CTX-induced ovarian damage and reversed associated adverse effects. LBP reduced oxidative stress by enhancing the potency of antioxidant enzymes and attenuating elevated levels of oxidation products following CTX injection. Furthermore, LBP upregulated Nrf2, heme oxygenase-1, and quinone oxidoreductase 1 protein expression. CONCLUSION: LBP exerts protective effects against CTX-induced ovarian injury by reducing oxidative stress and activating the Nrf2/ARE-signaling pathway.

[Effect of Electroacupuncture on ATP-sensitive Potassium Channel and Protein Kinase mRNA Ex- pression in Myocardial Ischemia Model Rats].

Objective To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at different acupoints on mRNA expressions of ATP-sensitive potassium channel (Kir6. 1, Kir6. 2) and conjugated protein (SUR2A, SUR2B) and protein kinases (PKA, PKG and PKC132) in myocardial ischemia model rats. Methods Myocardial ischemia model was established in healthy male SD rats via subcutaneously injec- ting ISO (85 mg/kg) multipointedly (medial root of limbs and the back). Then they were randomly divided into 4 groups, i.e., the model group, Neiguan (PC6) group, Lieque (LU7) group, non-acupoint group, 10 in each group. Besides, another 10 healthy rats were recruited as the control group. Corresponding EA was performed at respective acupoints to rats in Neiguan (PC6) group, Lieque (LU7) group, non-acu- point group, with dense-sparse wave, 2 -3 mA, 2 -20 Hz, needle retaining time of 20 min, once per day for 7 successive days. mRNA expression levels of Kir6. 1 and Kir6. 2, SUR2A, SUR2B, PKA, PKG, and PKCß2 in left ventricular myocardium were analyzed by Real-time PCR. Results Compared with the con- trol group, mRNA expressions of each index increased in the model group (P <0. 01). Compared with the model group, mRNA expressions of each index significantly decreased in Neiguan (PC6) group and Lieque (LU7) group (P<0. 01). Compared with Neiguan (PC6) group, mRNA expressions of each index significantly increased in Lieque (LU7) group and non-acupoint group (P <0. 01). Compared with Lieque (LU7) group, mRNA expressions of each index significantly increased in non-acupoint group (P <0. 05). Conclusion EA at Neiguan (PC6) could reverse mRNA expression changes of ATP-sensitive potassium channel (Kir6. 1 and Kir6. 2)and conjugated proteins (SUR2A and SUR2B) and protein kinases (PKA, PKG, and PKCß2).

Altered neural signaling and immune pathways in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of schizophrenia patients with cognitive impairment: A transcriptome analysis.

Cognitive deficits are a core feature of schizophrenia and contribute significantly to functional disability. We investigated the molecular pathways associated with schizophrenia (SZ; n=47) cases representing both 'cognitive deficit' (CD; n=22) and 'cognitively spared' (CS; n=25) subtypes of schizophrenia (based on latent class analysis of 9 cognitive performance indicators), compared with 49 healthy controls displaying 'normal' cognition. This was accomplished using gene-set analysis of transcriptome data derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We detected 27 significantly altered pathways (19 pathways up-regulated and 8 down-regulated) in the combined SZ group and a further 6 pathways up-regulated in the CS group and 5 altered pathways (4 down-regulated and 1 up-regulated) in the CD group. The transcriptome profiling in SZ and cognitive subtypes were characterized by the up-regulated pathways involved in immune dysfunction (e.g., antigen presentation in SZ), energy metabolism (e.g., oxidative phosphorylation), and down-regulation of the pathways involved in neuronal signaling (e.g., WNT in SZ/CD and ERBB in SZ). When we looked for pathways that differentiated the two cognitive subtypes we found that the WNT signaling was significantly down-regulated (FDR<0.05) in the CD group in accordance with the combined SZ cohort, whereas it was unaffected in the CS group. This suggested suppression of WNT signaling was a defining feature of cognitive decline in schizophrenia. The WNT pathway plays a role in both the development/function of the central nervous system and peripheral tissues, therefore its alteration in PBMCs may be indicative of an important genomic axis relevant to cognition in the neuropathology of schizophrenia.

Differential regulation of cytotoxicity pathway discriminating between HIV, HCV mono- and co-infection identified by transcriptome profiling of PBMCs.

BACKGROUND: Despite the easy accessibility and diagnostic utility of PBMCs and their potential to show distinct expression patterns associated with the accelerated disease progression in HIV/HCV co-infection, there has not been a systematic study focusing on the global dysregulations of the biological pathways in PBMCs from HIV, HCV mono- and co-infected individuals. This study aimed at identifying the transcriptome distinctions of PBMCs between these patient groups. METHODS: Genome-wide transcriptomes of PBMCs from 10 HIV/HCV co-infected patients, 7 HIV+ patients, 5 HCV+ patients, and 5 HIV/HCV sero-negative healthy controls were analyzed using Illumina microarray. Pairwise comparisons were performed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs), followed by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) to detect the global dysregulations of the biological pathways between HIV, HCV mono- and co-infection. RESULTS: Forty-one, 262, and 44 DEGs with fold change > 1.5 and FDR (false discovery rate) <0.05 for the comparisons of HCV versus co-infection, HIV versus co-infection, and HIV versus HCV were identified, respectively. Significantly altered pathways (FDR < 0.05), featured by those involved in immune system, signaling transduction, and cell cycle, were detected. Notably, the differential regulation of cytotoxicity pathway discriminated between HIV, HCV mono- and co-infection (up-regulated in the former versus the latter group: co-infection versus HIV or HCV, HIV versus HCV; FDR <0.001 ~ 0.019). Conversely, the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway was down-regulated in co-infection versus either HCV (FDR = 0.003) or HIV (FDR = 0.028). For the comparison of HIV versus HCV, the cell cycle (FDR = 0.016) and WNT signaling (FDR = 0.006) pathways were up- and down-regulated in HIV, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our study is the first to identify the differential regulation of cytotoxicity pathway discriminating between HIV, HCV mono- and co-infection, which may reflect the distinct patterns of virus-host cell interactions underlying disease progression. Further inspection of cytotoxicity pathway has pinned down to the expression of the KIR genes to be associated with specific patterns of particular virus-host interactions. Between HIV and HCV, the altered cell cycle and WNT signaling pathways may suggest the different impact of HIV and HCV on cell proliferation and differentiation.

Mn-superoxide dismutase activity is associated with orofacial involuntary movements in schizophrenia patients with tardive dyskinesia.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress-induced damage may be involved in tardive dyskinesia (TD) development. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), the key antioxidant enzyme, was found abnormal in TD. OBJECTIVE: We examined the role of oxidative stress in relation to TD and TD subtypes in schizophrenia using manganese SOD (MnSOD) as the biomarker. METHODS: We recruited 152 male chronic patients with (n = 76) and without TD (n = 76) meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV criteria for schizophrenia and 75 male control subjects. We examined the MnSOD activity for all subjects. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) were assessed in the patients. RESULTS: Manganese SOD activity was lower in patients with TD than non-TD (p < 0.05). In the patients with TD, orofacial and total scores of AIMS were positively associated with MnSOD levels (both p < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis further confirmed that MnSOD was an independent contributor to both the orofacial and the total scores of AIMS (both p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Oxidative stress reflected by compromised oxidative defense may play a role in the development and severity of TD. There may be an etiologic relationship between increased SOD level and dyskinetic movements associated with TD. In particular, MnSOD activity may have a specific role in orofacial TD.

Association of angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism with schizophrenia and depressive symptom severity in a Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: Depressive symptoms are frequently observed in schizophrenia patients. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), a key enzyme of renin-angiotensin system, can catalyze the degradation of neuropeptides and modulate dopaminergic and serotonergic neurotransmission. Previous studies have revealed the association of the ACE gene insertion/deletion polymorphism with depressive disorder and its treatment response but not with the depressive symptoms in schizophrenia. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to examine whether this polymorphism was associated with susceptibility to schizophrenia and with its psychopathological symptoms, especially depressive symptoms in a Han Chinese population. METHODS: This polymorphism was genotyped in 382 chronic patients and 538 healthy controls. Psychopathology was characterised using the positive and negative syndrome scale. RESULTS: The allelic and genotypic frequencies of this polymorphism significantly differed between patients and controls (both p < 0.001). A significant difference in the positive and negative syndrome scale depressive symptom score was observed among the three genotypes (p < 0.03), with higher score in patients with insertion/insertion (I/I) than with deletion/deletion (D/D) genotypes (p < 0.05). Furthermore, there was a significant linear correlation between the number of I alleles and the depressive symptom score (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The ACE gene insertion/deletion polymorphism may play a role in susceptibility to schizophrenia and also in its depressive symptom severity in a Han Chinese population.

The Impacts of Mosquito Density and Meteorological Factors on Dengue Fever Epidemics in Guangzhou, China, 2006-2014: a Time-series Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the associations between the monthly number of dengue fever(DF) cases and possible risk factors in Guangzhou, a subtropical city of China. METHODS: The monthly number of DF cases, Breteau Index (BI), and meteorological measures during 2006-2014 recorded in Guangzhou, China, were assessed. A negative binomial regression model was used to evaluate the relationships between BI, meteorological factors, and the monthly number of DF cases. RESULTS: A total of 39,697 DF cases were detected in Guangzhou during the study period. DF incidence presented an obvious seasonal pattern, with most cases occurring from June to November. The current month's BI, average temperature (Tave), previous month's minimum temperature (Tmin), and Tave were positively associated with DF incidence. A threshold of 18.25 °C was found in the relationship between the current month's Tmin and DF incidence. CONCLUSION: Mosquito density, Tave, and Tmin play a critical role in DF transmission in Guangzhou. These findings could be useful in the development of a DF early warning system and assist in effective control and prevention strategies in the DF epidemic.