Beyond Traditional Medicine: EVs-Loaded Hydrogels as a Game Changer in Disease Therapeutics.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), especially exosomes, have shown great therapeutic potential in the treatment of diseases, as they can target cells or tissues. However, the therapeutic effect of EVs is limited due to the susceptibility of EVs to immune system clearance during transport in vivo. Hydrogels have become an ideal delivery platform for EVs due to their good biocompatibility and porous structure. This article reviews the preparation and application of EVs-loaded hydrogels as a cell-free therapy strategy in the treatment of diseases. The article also discusses the challenges and future outlook of EVs-loaded hydrogels.

Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the existing meta-analytic evidence of associations between exposure to ultra-processed foods, as defined by the Nova food classification system, and adverse health outcomes. DESIGN: Systematic umbrella review of existing meta-analyses. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, as well as manual searches of reference lists from 2009 to June 2023. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of cohort, case-control, and/or cross sectional study designs. To evaluate the credibility of evidence, pre-specified evidence classification criteria were applied, graded as convincing ("class I"), highly suggestive ("class II"), suggestive ("class III"), weak ("class IV"), or no evidence ("class V"). The quality of evidence was assessed using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations) framework, categorised as "high," "moderate," "low," or "very low" quality. RESULTS: The search identified 45 unique pooled analyses, including 13 dose-response associations and 32 non-dose-response associations (n=9 888 373). Overall, direct associations were found between exposure to ultra-processed foods and 32 (71%) health parameters spanning mortality, cancer, and mental, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and metabolic health outcomes. Based on the pre-specified evidence classification criteria, convincing evidence (class I) supported direct associations between greater ultra-processed food exposure and higher risks of incident cardiovascular disease related mortality (risk ratio 1.50, 95% confidence interval 1.37 to 1.63; GRADE=very low) and type 2 diabetes (dose-response risk ratio 1.12, 1.11 to 1.13; moderate), as well as higher risks of prevalent anxiety outcomes (odds ratio 1.48, 1.37 to 1.59; low) and combined common mental disorder outcomes (odds ratio 1.53, 1.43 to 1.63; low). Highly suggestive (class II) evidence indicated that greater exposure to ultra-processed foods was directly associated with higher risks of incident all cause mortality (risk ratio 1.21, 1.15 to 1.27; low), heart disease related mortality (hazard ratio 1.66, 1.51 to 1.84; low), type 2 diabetes (odds ratio 1.40, 1.23 to 1.59; very low), and depressive outcomes (hazard ratio 1.22, 1.16 to 1.28; low), together with higher risks of prevalent adverse sleep related outcomes (odds ratio 1.41, 1.24 to 1.61; low), wheezing (risk ratio 1.40, 1.27 to 1.55; low), and obesity (odds ratio 1.55, 1.36 to 1.77; low). Of the remaining 34 pooled analyses, 21 were graded as suggestive or weak strength (class III-IV) and 13 were graded as no evidence (class V). Overall, using the GRADE framework, 22 pooled analyses were rated as low quality, with 19 rated as very low quality and four rated as moderate quality. CONCLUSIONS: Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and mortality outcomes. These findings provide a rationale to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of using population based and public health measures to target and reduce dietary exposure to ultra-processed foods for improved human health. They also inform and provide support for urgent mechanistic research. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42023412732.

Cut-off values of haemoglobin and clinical outcomes in incident peritoneal dialysis: the PDTAP study.

BACKGROUND: To explore the cut-off values of haemoglobin (Hb) on adverse clinical outcomes in incident peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients based on a national-level database. METHODS: The observational cohort study was from the Peritoneal Dialysis Telemedicine-assisted Platform (PDTAP) dataset. The primary outcomes were all-cause mortality, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and modified MACE (MACE+). The secondary outcomes were the occurrences of hospitalization, first-episode peritonitis and permanent transfer to haemodialysis (HD). RESULTS: A total of 2591 PD patients were enrolled between June 2016 and April 2019 and followed up until December 2020. Baseline and time-averaged Hb <100 g/l were associated with all-cause mortality, MACE, MACE+ and hospitalizations. After multivariable adjustments, only time-averaged Hb <100 g/l significantly predicted a higher risk for all-cause mortality {hazard ratio [HR] 1.83 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19-281], P = .006}, MACE [HR 1.99 (95% CI 1.16-3.40), P = .012] and MACE+ [HR 1.77 (95% CI 1.15-2.73), P = .010] in the total cohort. No associations between Hb and hospitalizations, transfer to HD and first-episode peritonitis were observed. Among patients with Hb ≥100 g/l at baseline, younger age, female, use of iron supplementation, lower values of serum albumin and renal Kt/V independently predicted the incidence of Hb <100 g/l during the follow-up. CONCLUSION: This study provided real-world evidence on the cut-off value of Hb for predicting poorer outcomes through a nation-level prospective PD cohort.

Rapid self-assembly of self-healable and transferable liquid metal epidermis.

Healable electronic skins, an essential component for future soft robotics, implantable bioelectronics, and smart wearable systems, necessitate self-healable and pliable materials that exhibit functionality at intricate interfaces. Although a plethora of self-healable materials have been developed, the fabrication of highly conformal biocompatible functional materials on complex biological surfaces remains a formidable challenge. Inspired by regenerative properties of skin, we present the self-assembled transfer-printable liquid metal epidermis (SALME), which possesses autonomous self-healing capabilities at the oil-water interface. SALME comprises a layer of surfactant-grafted liquid metal nanodroplets that spontaneously assemble at the oil-water interface within a few seconds. This unique self-assembly property facilitates rapid restoration (<10 s) of SALME following mechanical damage. In addition to its self-healing ability, SALME exhibits excellent shear resistance and can be seamlessly transferred to arbitrary hydrophilic/hydrophobic curved surfaces. The transferred SALME effectively preserves submicron-scale surface textures on biological substrates, thus displaying tremendous potential for future epidermal bioelectronics.

Pegmolesatide for the treatment of anemia in patients undergoing dialysis: a randomized clinical trial.

Background: Pegmolesatide, a synthetic peptide-based erythropoietin (EPO) receptor agonist, is being evaluated as an alternative to epoetin alfa for treating anemia of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Chinese dialysis patients. There is a critical need for a long-acting, cost-effective erythropoiesis-stimulating agent that does not produce EPO antibodies. Methods: A randomized, open-label, active-comparator, non-inferiority phase three trial was conducted at 43 dialysis centers in China between May 17th, 2019, and March 28th, 2022. Eligible patients aged 18-70 years were randomly assigned (2:1) to receive pegmolesatide once every four weeks or epoetin alfa one to three times per week, with doses adjusted to maintain a hemoglobin level between 10.0 and 12.0 g/dL. The primary efficacy endpoint was the mean change in hemoglobin level from baseline to the efficacy evaluation period in the per-protocol set (PPS) population. Non-inferiority of pegmolesatide to epoetin alfa was established if the lower limit of the two-sided 95% confidence interval for the between-group difference was ≥ -1.0 g/dL. Safety assessment included adverse events and potential anaphylaxis reactions. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03902691. Findings: Three hundreds and seventy-two patients were randomly assigned to the pegmolesatide group (248 patients) or the epoetin alfa group (124 patients). A total of 347 patients (233 in the pegmolesatide group and 114 in the epoetin alfa group) were included in the PPS population. In the PPS, the mean change (standard deviation, SD) in hemoglobin level from baseline to the efficacy evaluation period was 0.07 (0.92) g/dL in the pegmolesatide group and -0.22 (0.97) g/dL in the epoetin alfa group. The between-group difference was 0.29 g/dL (95% confidence interval: 0.11-0.47), verifying non-inferiority of pegmolesatide to epoetin alfa. Adverse events occurred in 231 (94%) participants in the pegmolesatide group and in 110 (89%) in the epoetin alfa group. Hypertension was the most common treatment-related adverse event. No fatal cases of anaphylaxis or hypotension were reported. Interpretation: Monthly subcutaneously injection of pegmolesatide was as effective and safe as conventional epoetin alfa administrated one to three times a week in treating anemia in Chinese dialysis patients. Funding: The study was supported by Hansoh Medical Development Group.

Understanding Gel-Powers: Exploring Rheological Marvels of Acrylamide/Sodium Alginate Double-Network Hydrogels.

This study investigates the rheological properties of dual-network hydrogels based on acrylamide and sodium alginate under large deformations. The concentration of calcium ions affects the nonlinear behavior, and all gel samples exhibit strain hardening, shear thickening, and shear densification. The paper focuses on systematic variation of the alginate concentration-which serves as second network building blocks-and the Ca2+-concentration-which shows how strongly they are connected. The precursor solutions show a typical viscoelastic solution behavior depending on alginate content and pH. The gels are highly elastic solids with only relatively small viscoelastic components, i.e., their creep and creep recovery behavior are indicative of the solid state after only a very short time while the linear viscoelastic phase angles are very small. The onset of the nonlinear regime decreases significantly when closing the second network (alginate) upon adding Ca2+, while at the same time the nonlinearity parameters (Q0, I3/I1, S, T, e3/e1, and v3/v1) increase significantly. Further, the tensile properties are significantly improved by closing the alginate network by Ca2+ at intermediate concentrations.

Identification of Protein Biomarkers of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Diet in Randomized Feeding Studies and Validation in an Observational Study.

Background The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is recommended for cardiovascular disease prevention. We aimed to identify protein biomarkers of the DASH diet using data from 2 randomized feeding studies and validate them in an observational study, the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) study. Methods and Results Large-scale proteomic profiling was conducted in serum specimens (SomaLogic) collected at the end of 8-week and 4-week DASH diet interventions in multicenter, randomized controlled feeding studies of the DASH trial (N=215) and the DASH-Sodium trial (N=396), respectively. Multivariable linear regression models were used to compare the relative abundance of 7241 proteins between the DASH and control diet interventions. Estimates from the 2 trials were meta-analyzed using fixed-effects models. We validated significant proteins in the ARIC study (N=10 490) using the DASH diet score. At a false discovery rate <0.05, there were 71 proteins that were different between the DASH diet and control diet in the DASH and DASH-Sodium trials. Nineteen proteins were validated in the ARIC study. The 19 proteins collectively improved the prediction of the DASH diet intervention in the feeding studies (range of difference in C statistics, 0.267-0.313; P<0.001 for both tests) and the DASH diet score in the ARIC study (difference in C statistics, 0.017; P<0.001) beyond participant characteristics. Conclusions We identified 19 proteins robustly associated with the DASH diet in 3 studies, which may serve as biomarkers of the DASH diet. These results suggest potential pathways that are impacted by consumption of the DASH diet. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifiers: NCT03403166, NCT00000608.

Plasma Protein Biomarkers of Healthy Dietary Patterns: Results from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study and the Framingham Heart Study.

BACKGROUND: Molecular mechanisms underlying the benefits of healthy dietary patterns are poorly understood. Identifying protein biomarkers of dietary patterns can contribute to characterizing biological pathways influenced by food intake. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify protein biomarkers associated with four indexes of healthy dietary patterns: Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015); Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI-2010); DASH diet; and alternate Mediterranean Diet (aMED). METHODS: Analyses were conducted on 10,490 Black and White men and women aged 49-73 y from the ARIC study at visit 3 (1993-1995). Dietary intake data were collected using a food frequency questionnaire, and plasma proteins were quantified using an aptamer-based proteomics assay. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the association between 4955 proteins and dietary patterns. We performed pathway overrepresentation analysis for diet-related proteins. An independent study population from the Framingham Heart Study was used for replication analyses. RESULTS: In the multivariable-adjusted models, 282 out of 4955 proteins (5.7%) were significantly associated with at least one dietary pattern (HEI-2015: 137; AHEI-2010: 72; DASH: 254; aMED: 35; P value < 0.05/4955 = 1.01 × 10-5). There were 148 proteins that were associated with only one dietary pattern (HEI-2015: 22; AHEI-2010: 5; DASH: 121; aMED: 0), and 20 proteins were associated with all four dietary patterns. Five unique biological pathways were significantly enriched by diet-related proteins. Seven out of 20 proteins associated with all dietary patterns in the ARIC study were available for replication analyses, and 6 out of these 7 proteins were consistent in direction and significantly associated with at least 1 dietary pattern in the Framingham Heart Study (HEI-2015: 2; AHEI-2010: 4; DASH: 6; aMED: 4; P value < 0.05/7 = 7.14 × 10-3). CONCLUSIONS: A large-scale proteomic analysis identified plasma protein biomarkers that are representative of healthy dietary patterns among middle-aged and older US adult population. These protein biomarkers may be useful objective indicators of healthy dietary patterns.

Metabolomic Markers of Ultra-Processed Food and Incident CKD.

BACKGROUND: High ultra-processed food consumption is associated with higher risk of CKD. However, there is no biomarker for ultra-processed food, and the mechanism through which ultra-processed food is associated with CKD is not clear. Metabolomics can provide objective biomarkers of ultra-processed food and provide important insights into the mechanisms by which ultra-processed food is associated with risk of incident CKD. Our objective was to identify serum metabolites associated with ultra-processed food consumption and investigate whether ultra-processed food-associated metabolites are prospectively associated with incident CKD. METHODS: We used data from 3751 Black and White men and women (aged 45-64 years) in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. Dietary intake was assessed using a semiquantitative 66-item food frequency questionnaire, and ultra-processed food was classified using the NOVA classification system. Multivariable linear regression models were used to identify the association between 359 metabolites and ultra-processed food consumption. Cox proportional hazards models were used to investigate the prospective association of ultra-processed food-associated metabolites with incident CKD. RESULTS: Twelve metabolites (saccharine, homostachydrine, stachydrine, N2, N2-dimethylguanosine, catechol sulfate, caffeine, 3-methyl-2-oxovalerate, theobromine, docosahexaenoate, glucose, mannose, and bradykinin) were significantly associated with ultra-processed food consumption after controlling for false discovery rate <0.05 and adjusting for sociodemographic factors, health behaviors, eGFR, and total energy intake. The 12 ultra-processed food-related metabolites significantly improved the prediction of ultra-processed food consumption (difference in C statistics: 0.069, P <1×10 -16 ). Higher levels of mannose, glucose, and N2, N2-dimethylguanosine were associated with higher risk of incident CKD after a median follow-up of 23 years. CONCLUSIONS: We identified 12 serum metabolites associated with ultra-processed food consumption and three of them were positively associated with incident CKD. Mannose and N2, N2-dimethylguanosine are novel markers of CKD that may explain observed associations between ultra-processed food and CKD. PODCAST: This article contains a podcast at https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/www.asn-online.org/media/podcast/CJASN/2023_03_08_CJN08480722.mp3.

Telemedicine and Clinical Outcomes in Peritoneal Dialysis: A Propensity-Matched Study.

INTRODUCTION: Telemedicine (TM) has shown to provide potential benefits on clinical outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease but limited evidences published in the peritoneal dialysis (PD) population. This study aimed to explore the long-term effects of TM on the mortality and technique failure. METHODS: The Peritoneal Dialysis Telemedicine-assisted Platform Cohort Study (PDTAP Study) was conducted prospectively in 27 hospitals in China since 2016. Patient and practice data were collected through the doctor-end of the TM app (Manburs) for all participants. TM including self-monitoring records, on-line education materials, and real-time physician-patient contact was only performed for the patient-end users of the Manburs. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. The secondary outcomes were cause-specific mortality and all-cause and cause-specific permanent transfer to hemodialysis. RESULTS: A total of 7,539 PD patients were enrolled between June 2016 and April 2019, with follow-up till December 2020. Patients were divided into two cohorts: TM group (39.1%) and non-TM group (60.9%). A propensity score was used to create 2,160 matched pairs in which the baseline covariates were well-balanced. There were significantly lower risks of all-cause mortality (HR 0.59 [0.51, 0.67], p < 0.001), CVD mortality (HR 0.59 [0.49, 0.70], p < 0.001), all-cause transfer to hemodialysis (0.57 [0.48, 0.67], p < 0.001), transfer to hemodialysis from PD-related infection (0.67 [0.51, 0.88], p = 0.003), severe fluid overload (0.40 [0.30, 0.55], p < 0.001), inadequate solute clearance (0.49 [0.26, 0.92], p = 0.026), and catheter-related noninfectious complications (0.41 [0.17, 0.97], p = 0.041) in the TM group compared with the non-TM group. CONCLUSION: This study indicated real-world associations between TM usage and reduction in patient survival and technique survival through a multicenter prospective cohort.

Association Between Ultraprocessed Food Consumption and Risk of Incident CKD: A Prospective Cohort Study.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Ultraprocessed foods have become readily available in the global food supply in the past few decades. Several adverse health outcomes have been linked with higher consumption of ultraprocessed foods. However, the impact of ultraprocessed foods on chronic kidney disease (CKD) risk remains unknown. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: 14,679 middle-aged adults without CKD at baseline in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. EXPOSURE: Ultraprocessed foods consumption (servings per day) calculated using dietary data collected via a food frequency questionnaire at visit 1 and visit 3. OUTCOME: Incident CKD defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 accompanied by ≥25% eGFR decline, CKD-related hospitalization or death, or kidney failure with kidney replacement therapy. ANALYTICAL APPROACH: Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the association between ultraprocessed foods consumption and CKD. Restricted cubic splines were used to examine the shape of the association. RESULTS: During a median follow-up period of 24 years, there were 4,859 cases of incident CKD. The incidence rate for the highest quartile of ultraprocessed foods consumption was 16.5 (95% CI, 15.6-17.4) per 1,000 person-years and 14.7 (95% CI, 13.9-15.5) per 1,000 person-years for the lowest quartile of consumption. After adjusting for a range of confounders including lifestyle factors, demographic characteristics, and health behaviors, participants in the highest quartile of ultraprocessed foods consumption had a 24% higher risk (HR, 1.24 [95% CI, 1.15-1.35]) of developing CKD compared with those in the lowest quartile. There was an approximately linear relationship observed between ultraprocessed food intake and risk of CKD. By substituting 1 serving of ultraprocessed foods with minimally processed foods, there was a 6% lower risk of CKD observed (HR, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.93-0.96]; P < 0.001). LIMITATIONS: Self-reported data and residual confounding. CONCLUSIONS: Higher ultraprocessed foods consumption was independently associated with a higher risk of incident CKD in a general population.

Anti-Freezing, Non-Drying, Localized Stiffening, and Shape-Morphing Organohydrogels.

Artificial shape-morphing hydrogels are emerging toward various applications, spanning from electronic skins to healthcare. However, the low freezing and drying tolerance of hydrogels hinder their practical applications in challenging environments, such as subzero temperatures and arid conditions. Herein, we report on a shape-morphing system of tough organohydrogels enabled by the spatially encoded rigid structures and its applications in conformal packaging of "island-bridge" stretchable electronics. To validate this method, programmable shape morphing of Fe (III) ion-stiffened Ca-alginate/polyacrylamide (PAAm) tough organohydrogels down to -50 °C, with long-term preservation of their 3D shapes at arid or even vacuum conditions, was successfully demonstrated, respectively. To further illustrate the potency of this approach, the as-made organohydrogels were employed as a material for the conformal packaging of non-stretchable rigid electronic components and highly stretchable liquid metal (galinstan) conductors, forming a so-called "island-bridge" stretchable circuit. The conformal packaging well addresses the mechanical mismatch between components with different elastic moduli. As such, the as-made stretchable shape-morphing device exhibits a remarkably high mechanical durability that can withstand strains as high as 1000% and possesses long-term stability required for applications under challenging conditions.

The Peritoneal Dialysis Telemedicine-assisted Platform Cohort (PDTAP) Study: Design and methods.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of the Peritoneal Dialysis Telemedicine-assisted Platform Cohort (PDTAP) Study is to explore potential predictors and their effects on patient survival, technique survival, and the occurrence of infectious and noninfectious complications. DESIGN: The PDTAP study is a national-level cohort study in China. A newly developed PD telemedicine application provided a unique and convenient way to collect multicenter, structured data across units. SETTING: The PDTAP study was underway in 27 hospitals from 14 provinces located at 7 geographical regions (northwest, northeast, north, central, southwest, southeast, and south) in China. PARTICIPANTS: Our study aims to enroll at least 7000 adult patients with end-stage renal disease receiving PD. METHODS: Approval has been obtained through the ethics committees of all hospitals. All participants signed the informed consent form after the center had received ethics board approval in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient survival, technique survival, hospitalization, and the occurrence of infectious and noninfectious complications. CONCLUSIONS: The PDTAP study aims to explore potential predictors and their effects on patient survival, technique survival, and infectious and noninfectious complications using a newly developed PD telemedicine system to collect multicenter, structured data in real-world practice. Substantial and transformable findings in relation to PD practices were expected. This study also developed a national-level infrastructure for further collaboration and ancillary investigation.

Review of relationship between Toxoplasma gondii infection and neuropsychiatric diseases / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: Toxoplasma gondii, an opportunistic pathogenic protozoan, is widely distributed worldwide and can cause zoonoses, which is a serious threat to human health. Nowadays, the relationship between T. gondii infection and neuropsychiatric diseases has attracted researchers' attention increasingly. T. gondii infection is related to the pathogenesis of many neuropsychiatric diseases by affecting the nervous system, such as schizophrenia, depression, Alzheimer's disease, and so on. This review will focus on the relationship between T. gondii infection and neuropsychiatric diseases and summarizes the possible mechanisms of disorders resulting from T. gondii infection． It is expected that the study on the related pathogenic mechanism of T. gondii will lead to new therapeutic directions and feasible solution for the clinical treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases caused by T. gondii infection.

Patterns of Legume Purchases and Consumption in the United States.

Background: Legumes are an inexpensive, healthy source of protein, fiber, and micronutrients, have low greenhouse gas and water footprints, and enrich soil through nitrogen fixation. Although higher legume consumption is recommended under US dietary guidelines, legumes currently comprise only a minor part of the US diet. Objectives: To characterize the types of legumes most commonly purchased by US consumers and patterns of legume purchases by state and region, seasonality of legume purchases, and to characterize adults that have a higher intake of legumes. Methods: We examined grocery market, chain supermarket, big box and club stores, Walmart, military commissary, and dollar store retail scanner data from Nielsen collected 2017-2019 and dietary intake from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2017-2018. Results: The five leading types of legumes purchased in the US were pinto bean, black bean, kidney bean, lima bean, and chickpea. The mean annual per capita expenditure on legumes based on grocery purchases was $4.76 during 2017-2019. The annual per capita expenditure on legumes varied greatly by state with highest expenditure in Louisiana, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and lowest expenditure in Washington, New York, and Wisconsin. There were large regional differences in the most commonly purchased legumes. Of 4,741 adults who participated in the 24-h dietary recall in NHANES, 2017-2018, 20.5% reported eating any legumes in the previous 24 h. Those who consumed legumes were more likely to be Hispanic, with a higher education level, with a larger household size (all P < 0.05), but were not different by age, gender, or income level compared to those who did not consume legumes. Conclusion: Although legumes are inexpensive, healthy, and a sustainable source of protein, per capita legume intake remains low in the US and below US dietary guidelines. Further insight is needed into barriers to legume consumption in the US.

Higher Ultra-Processed Food Consumption Is Associated with Increased Risk of Incident Coronary Artery Disease in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.

BACKGROUND: Higher ultra-processed food intake has been linked with several cardiometabolic and cardiovascular diseases. However, prospective evidence from US populations remains scarce. OBJECTIVES: To test the hypothesis that higher intake of ultra-processed foods is associated with higher risk of coronary artery disease. METHODS: A total of 13,548 adults aged 45-65 y from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study were included in the analytic sample. Dietary intake data were collected through a 66-item FFQ. Ultra-processed foods were defined using the NOVA classification, and the level of intake (servings/d) was calculated for each participant and divided into quartiles. We used Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic splines to assess the association between quartiles of ultra-processed food intake and incident coronary artery disease. RESULTS: There were 2006 incident coronary artery disease cases documented over a median follow-up of 27 y. Incidence rates were higher in the highest quartile of ultra-processed food intake (70.8 per 10,000 person-y; 95% CI: 65.1, 77.1) compared with the lowest quartile (59.3 per 10,000 person-y; 95% CI: 54.1, 65.0). Participants in the highest compared with lowest quartile of ultra-processed food intake had a 19% higher risk of coronary artery disease (HR: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.35) after adjusting for sociodemographic factors and health behaviors. An approximately linear relation was observed between ultra-processed food intake and risk of coronary artery disease. CONCLUSIONS: Higher ultra-processed food intake was associated with a higher risk of coronary artery disease among middle-aged US adults. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings and to investigate the mechanisms by which ultra-processed foods may affect health.

Safety markers for rhabdomyosarcoma cells using an in vivo imaging system.

In vivo imaging system (IVIS) is a novel and rapidly expanding technology that is widely applied in life sciences, including cell tracing. IVIS is able to quantify biological events, including tumor proliferation, through counting the number of photons emitted from a specimen. PLA802-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), PLA802-monomeric cherry fluorescent protein (mCherry), RH30-EGFP and RH30-mCherry tumor cells were injected into 18 BALB/c female nude mice subcutaneously with 5×106 cells in 100 µl to quantitatively analyze EGFP and mCherry cells traced by IVIS. Inversion fluorescence microscopy revealed no transfection efficiency difference between PLA802-EGFP (95.3±1.2%) and PLA802-mCherry (95.8±1.7%), or between RH30-EGFP (94.7±2.1%) and RH30-mCherry (95.2±1.9%). Transfection did not influence the cell morphology of PLA802 or RH30. The cell migration, invasion and proliferation assay results of lentivirus-EGFP and lentivirus-mCherry revealed no significant difference prior to or following transfection. Therefore, lentivirus-EGFP and lentivirus-mCherry may serve as safety biological markers for PLA802 and RH30 cells. In vivo experiments demonstrated that lentivirus-EGFP and lentivirus-mCherry tumor luminescence signals were observed in all mice by IVIS. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemistry indicated that PLA802-EGFP, PLA802-mCherry, RH30-EGFP and RH30-mCherry cell lines exhibited rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) characteristics like the maternal cells. In summary, mCherry and green fluorescent protein in human RMS PLA802 and RH30 cancer cells may be safely and stably expressed for a long time in vitro and in vivo.

Roles of Perilipins in Diseases and Cancers.

Perilipins, an ancient family of lipid droplet-associated proteins, are embedded in a phospho-lipid monolayer of intracellular lipid droplets. The core of lipid droplets is composed of neutral fat, which mainly includes triglyceride and cholesterol ester. Perilipins are closely related to the function of lipid droplets, and they mediate lipid metabolism and storage. Therefore, perilipins play an important role in the development of obesity, diabetes, cancer, hepatic diseases, atherosclerosis, and carcinoma, which are caused by abnormal lipid metabolism. Accumulation of lipid droplets is a common phenomenon in tumor cells. Available data on the pathophysiology of perilipins and the relationship of perilipins with endocrine metabolic diseases and cancers are summarized in this mini-review. The research progress on this family offers novel insights into the therapeutic strategies for these diseases.

Impact of parathyroidectomy on survival among haemodialysis patients: A prospective cohort study.

AIM: We evaluated whether parathyroidectomy (PTX) was associated with survival of dialysis patients. METHODS: In a cohort study with one year follow-up, data from 146 haemodialysis patients from a hospital were analyzed. We compared the baseline data between patients receiving PTX surgery and those who had not undergone PTX. The Cox proportional hazards regression was used to examine the effect of PTX. RESULTS: Patients who had received PTX surgery were more likely to be older, have longer duration of dialysis, higher ultrafiltration rate, C-reactive protein (CRP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and lower albumin compared with those who had not receive PTX. During 1 year follow-up, 21 (17.1%) patients died, of whom seven died from cerebrovascular events, 10 died from cardiovascular disease, and four died from infection. The mortality was 9.4% in the PTX group and 17.3% in the control group. The PTX group had a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality than the control group (P = 0.005). There was a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality in the PTX group compared with the non-PTX group (HR = 0.93, 95%CI: 0.89-0.97). The lower risk (HR = 0.92, 95%CI: 0.85-0.98) of PTX group was not changed after adjusting potential factors. Our results also suggested that this relationship was independent of many potential confounding factors. CONCLUSION: Parathyroidectomy was related to significant reduction in all-cause among patients with severe SHPT. PTX may be considered as a matter of priority, from which dialysis patients would benefit.