Study of glycosides from Piper sintenense Hatusima / 中国药科大学学报

@#In order to investigate the chemical constituents of glycosides in Piper sintenense Hatusima, column chromatographic techniques such as silica gel, ODS, MCI GEL CHP20P, Sephadex LH-20, and semi-preparative high performance liquid chromatography were used to afford nine glycosides from the n-butanol part of the 95% ethanol extract of Piper sintenense Hatusima. Based on the physicochemical properties and NMR data, the above compounds were identified as (2S)-2-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1-propanone-2-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), 2-phenylethyl β-D-glucopyranoside (2), benzyl α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1''→6')-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), benzyl β-D-xylopyanosyl-(1''→6')-β-D-glucopyranoside (4), phenethyl β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1''→ 2')-β-D-glucopyranoside(5), salidroside (6), phenethanol β-D-xylopyanosyl-(1''→6')-β-D-glucopyranoside (7), (Z)-hexenyl-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1''→6')-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (8), (Z)-hexenyl-O-β-D-xylopyanosyl-(1''→6')-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (9). Compound 1 was identified as a new compound, and compounds 3-9 were isolated from the genus Piper for the first time.

Drug resistance and genetic diversity of clinical strains of Helicobacter pylori in the Qiannan Prefecture and Guiyang City,and their relationships with diseases / 中国人兽共患病学报

To understand Helicobacter pylori's drug resistance,genetic diversity,and relationship with clinical diseases in the Guiyang and Qiannan minority areas of Guizhou Province,we collected samples through endoscopy,and isolated and cul-tured H.pylori.The drug resistance and genotype characteristics were determined.The differences in different regions and dis-ease types were compared,and the structural characteristics of H.pylori and mixed infections with different strains of H.py-lori in Qiannan Prefecture were analyzed.A difference in the composition ratio of EPYIA typing in the cagA variable region was observed between the two areas(P=0.012),and the composition ratio of the vacA genotype differed(P=0.000).A total of 94.6％(53/56)new sequences of H.pylori strains from two regions were obtained by MLST.The rate of infection by H.pylori mixed with different strains was 44.4％in Qiannan Pre-fecture,and no significant difference was observed in the com-position of H.pylori mixed infections among patients with dif-ferent clinical diseases(P=0.349).Differences in EPI YA typ-ing and the vacA genotype composition ratio in the cagA varia-ble region of H.pylori were observed between the Qiannan Prefecture and Guiyang City.

Association between weight change and risk of liver fibrosis in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Background: Liver fibrosis plays a key role in the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to cirrhosis. Considering weight change is known to be closely associated with increased risk of liver fibrosis, we aimed to address a gap in evidence regarding the existence of this association in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: We included data on 622 T2D patients and 1618 non-T2D participants from the 2017-2018 cycle of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). We assessed liver fibrosis by the median values of liver stiffness measurement (LSM). According to the participants' body mass index (BMI) at age 25 (early adulthood), 10 years prior (middle adulthood), and at the 2017-2018 cycle (late adulthood), we categorised weight change patterns into stable non-obese, weight loss, weight gain, and stable obese. We applied logistic regression to association analysis and used population attributable fraction (PAF) to analyses hypothetical prevention regimens. Results: The prevalence of liver fibrosis was higher in T2D patients (23.04%) than in non-T2D participants (6.70%), while weight change was associated with a greater risk of fibrosis in the former compared to the latter group. Compared with T2D patients in the stable non-obese group, stable obese individuals from 10 years prior to the 2017-2018 cycle had the highest risk of developing liver fibrosis, corresponding to an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 3.13 (95% confidence interval = 1.84-5.48). Absolute weight change patterns showed that the risk of liver fibrosis was highest (aOR = 2.94) when T2D patients gained at least 20 kg of weight from 10 years prior to 2017-2018 cycle. Conclusions: Obesity in middle and late adulthood is associated with an increased risk of T2D complicated with liver fibrosis.

Associations of social jetlag with depressive symptoms among adults in Southern China: a cross-sectional study.

To investigate the associations between social jetlag and depressive symptoms and further analyze the interaction of social jetlag and chronic diseases on depressive symptoms among adults. Data were derived from a cross-sectional survey. Information on social jetlag, depressive symptoms, demographic characteristics, lifestyles, and health situations were collected via a structured self-administered questionnaire. The multivariable logistic regression analyses and restricted cubic splines regression were performed to test the association between social jetlag and depressive symptoms. The multiplicative model was applied to analyze the interaction of social jetlag and chronic disease on depressive symptoms. A total of 5818 adults were included and the prevalence of social jetlag was 22.95%. After multivariable adjustment, adults who experienced more than 2 hours of social jetlag had a significantly greater risk of depressive symptoms (OR = 1.43,95%CI:1.00-2.05, P = 0.049). Compared with participants having<1 hour of social jetlag and no chronic disease, participants having chronic disease were more likely to report depressive symptoms(OR = 3.22,95%CI = 2.59-4.00, P < 0.001). Moreover, among those who have chronic disease, the greater the social jetlag they reported, the greater risk of depressive symptoms they have (OR = 3.81,95%CI = 2.77-5.33, P < 0.001; OR = 4.08,95%CI = 2.24-7.43, P < 0.001). Social jetlag was linearly associated the with risk of depressive symptoms, according to restricted cubic splines. This study shows that 22.95% adults experience more than 1 hour of social jetlag. Social jetlag was positively associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms. Among those who have chronic disease, the greater the social jetlag they reported, the greater risk of depressive symptoms they have.

Association between adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet and serum uric acid.

To explore the relationship between Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and serum uric acid (SUA) levels among the Chinese adult population, and verify the mediating effect of BMI between DASH diet and SUA levels. A total of 1125 adults were investigated using a self-administered food frequency questionnaire. SUA levels were determined by uricase colorimetry. The total DASH score ranged from 9 to 72. The relationship between the DASH diet and SUA levels was examined by multiple adjusted regression analysis. Method of Bootstrap was used to test the mediation effect of BMI in the correlation of the DASH diet and SUA levels. After multivariable adjustment, there was a significant linear relationship between the DASH diet and SUA (P < 0.001). Compared with the lowest group, SUA of participants in group of highest DASH diet score decreased by 34.907 (95% CI - 52.227, - 17.588; P trend < 0.001) µmol/L. The association between the DASH diet scores and SUA levels was partly mediated by BMI (- 0.26, Bootstrap 95% CI - 0.49, - 0.07), with 10.53% of the total effect being mediated. Adopting the DASH diet might be helpful in reducing SUA level, and the effect might be partly mediated by BMI.

Association of biomass fuel use with the risk of vision impairment among Chinese older adults: a cohort study.

Cooking with biomass fuels has been reported to have adverse effects on health. This study aims to explore the association between cooking with biomass fuels and vision impairment among Chinese older adults aged 65 years and above. This cohort study drew on data from the 2011/2012 wave and the 2014 follow-up wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Participants' visual function was examined through a vision screening test. Exposure to indoor biomass fuels was self-reported. Cox proportional hazards models were applied to explore the relationship between biomass fuel use and vision impairment. Additionally, we compared the risk of vision impairment between participants who switched cooking fuel types and those who did not. Subgroup and interaction analyses were conducted to explore the potential effect modifiers. A total of 4711 participants were included in this study. During the follow-up, 1053 (22.35%) participants developed vision impairment. Cooking with biomass fuels increased the risk of vision impairment by 40% (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.40, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.21-1.61). Participants who switched from clean fuels to biomass fuels had a greater risk of vision impairment than persistent clean fuel users (HR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.03-2.00). Greater effect estimates were found in participants who lived in eastern and central China and urban residents. Cooking with biomass fuels resulted in a greater risk of vision impairment among Chinese older adults. This risk also existed in those who changed their cooking fuels from clean fuels to biomass fuels. Further studies with an objective assessment of biomass fuel combustion are required to confirm our findings.

Engagement in leisure activities and cognitive function by socioeconomic groups in China: A prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the effects of leisure activities on cognition differ among socioeconomic groups and the effects of changes in the frequency of habitual leisure activities on cognition. METHODS: We included 5869 older adults from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (2008-2014). Five typical leisure activities were used to calculate the Leisure Activity Index (LAI). The Mini-Mental State Examination was used to assess cognition. Latent class analysis was used to construct the overall socioeconomic status (SES). Cox proportional hazard regression was applied to explore the associations and further stratified the analysis by SES. RESULTS: Participants in the highest quartile of LAI had a 50 % lower risk of developing cognitive impairment compared with the lowest quartile of LAI (HR: 0.50, 95 % CI: 0.40-0.62) (Ptrend < 0.01). Compared with participants who participated in leisure activities with increased frequency during the follow-up period, the HR (95 % CIs) of participants with no change in frequency was 3.10 (2.39-4.01), and that of participants with decreased frequency was 2.34 (1.81-3.04). A significant interaction between LAI and SES were found (Pinteraction = 0.02). The association between LAI and cognitive function was more pronounced in participants with high SES (HRQ4 vs Q1: 0.31, 95 % CI: 0.16-0.59) than in participants with low SES (HRQ4 vs Q1: 0.61, 95 % CI: 0.45-0.83). CONCLUSIONS: Leisure activities may have significant benefits in preventing cognitive impairment. However, promoting leisure activities alone may not substantially reduce socioeconomic inequalities in cognitive health. Measures addressing the social determinants of cognitive health still need to be further explored.

Subjective poverty, mental health, and mortality among Chinese older people: a prospective cohort study from 2008 to 2018.

PURPOSE: The associations of duration of subjective poverty and poverty status with mortality among older people remains inconclusive, and the underlying mechanisms of mental health on them are rarely discussed in population-based epidemiological studies. METHODS: We used the data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) (2008-2018). The Cox regression model was used to estimate hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for mortality. Mediation analysis was applied to assess the effect of mental health. RESULTS: When compared with participants without subjective poverty, those who reported subjective poverty at one time point (2008 or 2011) or two time points (2008 and 2011) had a higher risk of death, with multivariable-adjusted HR (95% CIs) of 1.08 (1.00-1.16) and 1.22 (1.06-1.39), respectively. For poverty status, the multivariable-adjusted HR (95% CIs) of mortality were 0.81 (0.66-0.98) for "just objective poverty" and 0.78 (0.62-0.98) for "neither subjective nor objective poverty" compared with participants who reported "just subjective poverty", while there was no statistically significant association between "poverty subjectively and objectively" and mortality (HR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.72-1.07). Besides, we found that the proportion mediated by mental health was 26.6%, and age was a significant effect modifier. CONCLUSIONS: Subjective poverty may be associated with a higher risk of death among Chinese older people. This study showed that promoting mental health alone may not substantially reduce socioeconomic inequality in health. Further explorations of measures to tackle the social determinants of health are still needed.

Detection of early-universe gravitational-wave signatures and fundamental physics.

Detection of a gravitational-wave signal of non-astrophysical origin would be a landmark discovery, potentially providing a significant clue to some of our most basic, big-picture scientific questions about the Universe. In this white paper, we survey the leading early-Universe mechanisms that may produce a detectable signal-including inflation, phase transitions, topological defects, as well as primordial black holes-and highlight the connections to fundamental physics. We review the complementarity with collider searches for new physics, and multimessenger probes of the large-scale structure of the Universe.

Association of food groups with the risk of cognitive impairment in Chinese older adults.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of 10 common foods (including staple foods, fruits, vegetables, sugar, meat, fish, eggs, beans, salt-preserved vegetables, and garlic) on cognitive function in Chinese older adults. METHODS: Cross-sectional data on demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and dietary habits were taken from the 2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Cognition was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Food consumption was measured by participants reporting the frequency of their food consumption. Association between food groups and cognitive function was evaluated using mixed-effect regression model analysis. RESULTS: Compared with those who rarely or never consumed vegetables, meat, fruits, beans, and garlic, older adults who consumed these foods almost daily were 56%, 30%, 23%, 34%, and 29% less likely to have cognitive impairment, respectively. No associations between staple foods, sugar, fish, and eggs consumption and cognitive impairment were found. Low-frequency consumption of salt-preserved vegetables may be associated with cognitive function. Regular vegetables consumption had the greatest associated risk reduction of all food types. Interactions indicated that the co-ingestion of vegetables and beans or sugar, meat and beans may have antagonistic effect, while the co-ingestion of salt-preserved vegetables and garlic may have synergistic effect. Subgroup analyses showed that sex and age were the significant effect modifiers for meat and fish, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive function of Chinese older adults may be related to food groups. Future research should measure food types and consumption level with greater granularity.

Association of the serum transaminase with mortality among the US elderly population.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Considering the inconsistent findings of research into the associations between serum levels of liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST], and gamma-glutamyltransferase [GGT]) and mortality among elderly people, we aimed to investigate the associations of ALT, AST, GGT, and De-Ritis ratio (DRR, defined as AST/ALT) and all-cause or cause-specific mortality among the US elderly people using National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys data. METHODS: We included 6415 elderly participants (≥ 65 years). Exclusion criteria included positive test for hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus infection at baseline. Multivariable-adjusted Cox regression models calculating hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals were developed for each of the liver enzyme measures. RESULTS: All-cause cumulative mortality was 33.8%, of which 23.8% were cardiovascular disease (CVD) deaths, 15.6% were cancer deaths, and 60.6% were other cause deaths. Adjusted Cox models found increased all-cause mortality risk for low ALT (HR: 1.70), low AST (HR: 1.13), high GGT (HR: 1.25), and high DRR (HR: 1.68). Low ALT and high DRR predicted CVD mortality. Low ALT (HR: 1.91), low AST (HR: 1.16), high GGT (HR: 1.40), and high DRR (HR: 1.76) predicted other cause mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Low ALT and high DRR were associated with increased CVD and cancer mortality. All serum liver enzyme measures were associated with all-cause mortality and other cause mortality in the US elderly population. Further studies may validate these findings in other elderly populations.

Relationship between dietary niacin intake and diabetes mellitus in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2018.

PURPOSES: Previous studies show inconsistent associations between niacin supplementation and diabetes mellitus (DM) in high-risk population, but little is known about the relationship between dietary intake of niacin and DM in the generation population. Our study aimed to explore the associations of dietary niacin intake with the risk of DM in the United States (US) adult population. METHODS: These data were derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2018 of 35,606 individuals aged 20 years or older. Niacin intake and food sources were measured by two 24-h dietary recall interviews. The diagnosis of DM was established according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria. Binary logistic regression and restricted cubic spline models were applied to evaluate the association of dietary niacin intake and DM. RESULTS: Among the 35,606 individuals, the prevalence of DM was 11.47%. The full-adjusted odds ratio(aOR) of DM was 1.27(95%CI 1.06-1.52) for quartile (Q) 4 v. Q1 of dietary niacin intake. In the dose-response analysis, the shape of the association of niacin intake with the risk of DM was approximately J-shaped (non-linear, p < 0.05). Energy-adjusted niacin of 26.08 mg/day was the optimal cut-off value for predicting DM. CONCLUSIONS: High dietary niacin intake was positively associated with DM among US adults. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V: Opinions of authorities, based on descriptive studies, narrative reviews, clinical experience, or reports of expert committees.

The prevalence of turnover intention and influencing factors among emergency physicians: A national observation.

BACKGROUND: High turnover among physicians in emergency department is a great challenge in China. However, the rate and the reasons why physicians intend to leave have not been extensively studied yet. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the risk factors of turnover intention among physicians in emergency department. METHODS: A national cross-sectional survey was conducted from July to August 2018 in China. A total of 10 457 physicians in emergency department were investigated using a structured self-administered questionnaire, which included demographic characteristics, work-related factors, turnover intention, the Patient Health Questionnaire and Positive and Negative Affect Scale. The stepwise logistic regression analysis was applied to identify the risk factors of turnover intention among physicians. RESULTS: A total of 55.18% of the physicians in emergency department reported turnover intention in China. Turnover intention were more likely to be reported among physicians who were male (odds ratio (OR) = 1.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.13-1.38); who perceived medical errors (OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.23-1.47); who had a lower average monthly income; who provided out-of-hospital resuscitation services; who experienced physical violence (OR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.26-1.54) and who reported higher score on negative affect and depressive tendency (OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.05-1.08; OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.09-1.12). Conversely, physicians who perceived shortage of manpower (OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.66-0.81), or reported higher score on positive affect (OR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.94-0.97) were inclined to stay in emergency department. CONCLUSION: This study shows that turnover intention among physicians in emergency department is high in China and was significantly associated with gender, average monthly income, perceived shortage of physicians, the times for provide out-of-hospital resuscitation services, exposure to workplace violence, depressive tendency, positive affect and negative affect. Targeted interventions are required to improve the retention rate among physicians in emergency department from the comprehensive aspects.

Association of temperature variability with the risk of initial outpatient visits for allergic rhinitis: a time-series study in Changchun.

Epidemiological studies have revealed associations between several temperature parameters and allergic rhinitis (AR). However, few studies have reported the association of AR with daily temperature variability, which indicates both short-term intra- and interday temperature changes. This study aimed to analyze associations between temperature variability and initial outpatient visits for AR. The analysis was conducted with an over-dispersed Poisson model using daily time-series data on temperature and the number of initial AR outpatients from 2013 to 2015 in Changchun, China. The composite index of temperature variability was derived by calculating the standard deviation of daily minimum temperature and maximum temperature over exposure days. Stratified analysis by season was also conducted. There were 23,344 AR outpatients during the study period. In the total period, per 1 °C increase in temperature variability at 0-2 days (TV0-2), 0-3 days (TV0-3), and 0-4 days (TV0-4) was associated with a 4.03% (95% CI: 0.91-7.25%), 4.40% (95% CI: 0.95-7.97%), and 4.12% (95% CI: 0.38-8.01%) increase in the number of AR outpatients, respectively. When stratified by season, the strongest effect was shown in spring. Our results suggested that temperature variability was associated with increased initial outpatient visits for AR, which may provide helpful implications for formulating public health policies to reduce adverse health impacts of unstable temperature.

Analysis of the risk factors related to prolonged drainage time in patients with selective abdominal drainage after laparoscopic cholecystectomy / 中华肝胆外科杂志

Objective:To determine the risk factors of drainage time longer than 1 day in patients with selective abdominal drainage after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Methods:The clinical data related to patients with selective abdominal drainage undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy from November 2009 to November 2019 at Chinese PLA General Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Of 233 patients enrolled into this study, there were 147 males and 86 females, with a median aged 59.0 (47.5, 65.5) years old. The patients were divided into drainage time 1 day group of 65 patients and longer than 1 day group of 168 patients according to postoperative drainage time. The baseline data and perioperative data were collected, the risk factors correlated with drainage time longer than 1 day were analyzed.Results:The drainage time was 1 in the 1 day group and 2~8 in another group. Among the 233 patients, there was one with biliary leakage and 14 patients had abdominal bleeding, all of them healed after 2~3 days. All of the 233 patients were recovered when discharged. Independent risk factors related to drainage time longer than 1 day include BMI≥28 kg/m 2 ( OR=3.443, 95% CI: 1.411-8.405, P=0.007), operation time ≥65 min ( OR=2.570, 95% CI: 1.310-5.045, P=0.006), thickness of gallbladder wall ≥0.5 cm ( OR=12.720, 95% CI: 1.350-5.478, P=0.005), postoperative stomachache ( OR=13.537, 95% CI: 1.685-108.748, P=0.014) and postoperative fever ( OR=8.156, 95% CI: 1.035-64.249, P=0.046). Conclusion:For patients undergoing selective abdominal drainage after laparoscopic cholecystectomy with BMI ≥28 kg/m 2, operation time ≥65 min, gallbladder wall thickness ≥0.5 cm, postoperative abdominal pain and fever, clinicians should appropriately prolong the drainage time to ensure medical safety.

Relationship between tube voltage kV value for head and neck CT angiography and body weight / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the relationship between tube voltage kV value for head and neck CT angiography and body weight.Methods:A total of 120 patients with suspected vascular disease of the head and neck who underwent CT angiography of the head and neck in Beihai People's Hospital from January 2020 to May 2022 were included in this study. Patients were divided into three groups according to different tube voltages: group A (tube voltage 120 kV, n = 45), group B (tube voltage 100 kV, n = 45) and group C (tube voltage 80 kV, n = 30). Patients in group A were divided into group A1 (< 70 kg, n = 15), group A2 (70-85 kg, n = 15) and group A3 (> 85 kg, n = 15) according to different body weights. Patients in group B were divided into group B1 (< 70 kg, n = 15), group B2 (70-85 kg, n = 15) and group B3 (> 85 kg, n = 15) according to different body weights. Patients in group C were divided into group C1 (< 70 kg, n = 15) and group C2 (70-85 kg, n = 15) according to different body weights. Group C3 was not used. The contrast medium used was Loversol. The CT value, image noise, signal-to-noise ratio, contrast to noise ratio, and effective radiation dose of arterial vessels in each group were measured. The images were subjectively evaluated by two physicians who had senior professional titles using a 5-point rating scale. Results:Subjective score of image quality was all ≥ 3 grade in each group. There was no significant difference in image quality rating between groups A1 and A2 and groups B1, B2, and C1. There was a remarkable difference in image quality rating between groups A3, B3, and C2 and the other groups. There was a significant difference in the CT value of blood vessels at four different levels between groups A1, B1 and C1 ( F = 76.82, 64.62, 98.79, 71.85, all P < 0.001). There was a significant difference in CT value of blood vessels at four different levels between groups A2, B2 and C2 ( F = 159.82, 112.33, 108.22, 135.18, all P < 0.001). There was a significant difference in CT value of blood vessels at four different levels between groups A3 and B3 ( t = 4.40, 4.27, 3.91, 3.59, all P < 0.05). In groups B3 and C2, the image noise was remarkably increased, signal to noise ratio and contrast to noise ratio were remarkably decreased compared with those in the other groups. The effective radiation dose of arterial vessels in group B1 was 47% lower than that in group A1 and the effective radiation dose of arterial vessels in group C1 was 73% lower than that in group A1 ( F = 116.18, P < 0.001). The effective radiation dose of arterial vessels in group B2 was 49% lower than that in group A2, and the effective radiation dose of arterial vessels in group C2 was 66% lower than that in group A2 ( H = 35.40, P < 0.001). The effective radiation dose in group B3 was 35% lower than that in group A3 ( t = 3.59, P < 0.05). Conclusion:In CT angiography of the head and neck, the selection of tube voltage kV value is related to body weight. Tube voltage 80 kV is suitable for patients with a body weight < 70 kg, tube voltage 100 kV for patients with a body weight of 70-85 kg, and tube voltage 120 kV for patients with a body weight > 85 kg. These tube voltages can decrease effective radiation dose and ensure image quality, meeting the requirement for clinical diagnosis.

Cooking with biomass fuels and mortality among Chinese elderly people: A prospective cohort study.

This study used data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (n = 9765, age 65+) to investigate the impact of biomass fuels on the mortality of the Chinese elderly population. The association between biomass fuels and mortality was examined using a Cox proportional hazards model. We evaluated the difference in risk of death between those who switched fuel types from biomass to clean fuels and from clean to biomass fuels versus those who did not during the follow-up period. Participants who used biomass fuels had a higher risk of death than participants who used clean fuels (HR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.01-1.17). For participants who switched cooking fuel types during the follow-up period, switching from biomass to clean fuels significantly reduced the risk of death (HR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.67-0.91), while no evidence of an association between switching from clean to biomass fuels and risk of death was found (p > 0.05). Interactions and subgroup analyses indicated that effect estimates were greater for women and non-smokers. Biomass fuels may be associated with a higher risk of death among Chinese elderly. Research measuring personal exposure levels to indoor air pollution caused by biomass fuels combustion is required to confirm our results.

Comparison of obesity indices and triglyceride glucose-related parameters to predict type 2 diabetes mellitus among normal-weight elderly in China.

PURPOSE: Although a significant proportion of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) cases arose from normal-weight individuals, studies on indicators of T2DM in normal-weight people are limited. Accordingly, this study aims to investigate the predictive value of obesity indices and triglyceride glucose-related parameters (TyG-related parameters) in T2DM among normal-weight Chinese elderly. METHODS: A total of 24,215 normal-weight Chinese elderly (age ≥ 60 years) [body mass index-BMI (18.5-23.9 kg/m2)] were included. Obesity indices and triglyceride glucose-related parameters (TyG-related parameters) included waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), visceral adiposity index (VAI), lipid accumulation product (LAP), and TyG-related parameters (TyG, TyG-BMI, TyG-WC, and TyG-WHtR). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the associations between obesity- and TyG-related indices and T2DM. The areas under the curve (AUC) of the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were used to evaluate and compare the predictive value of the different indices. RESULTS: The prevalence of T2DM was 14.2% in normal-weight individuals. Among the indices, TyG was significantly associated with T2DM among men and women, respectively, (adjusted odds ratio-aOR per SD 3.46; 95% CI 3.23-3.71) and (aOR per SD 3.64; 95% CI 3.43-3.86). Compared with other indices, TyG had the highest AUC value for T2DM in men (AUC: 0.818, 95% CI 0.810-0.825) and women (AUC: 0.824, 95% CI 0.814-0.833). CONCLUSIONS: TyG is an effective marker and outperforms other indices when predicting T2DM in the normal-weight Chinese elderly population. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V: Opinions of authorities, based on descriptive studies, narrative reviews, clinical experience, or reports of expert committees.

Immunogenic SARS-CoV2 Epitopes Defined by Mass Spectrometry

SARS-CoV-2 infections elicit both humoral and cellular immune responses. For the prevention and treatment of COVID19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, T cell responses are important in mediating recovery and immune-protection. The identification of immunogenic epitopes that can elicit a meaningful T cell response can be elusive. Traditionally, this has been achieved using sophisticated in silico methods to predict putative epitopes; however, our previous studies find that immunodominant SARS-CoV-2 peptides defined by such in silico methods often fail to elicit T cell responses recognizing SARS-CoV-2. We postulated that immunogenic epitopes for SARS-CoV-2 are best defined by directly analyzing peptides eluted from the peptide-MHC complex and then validating immunogenicity empirically by determining if such peptides can elicit T cells recognizing SARS-CoV-2 antigen-expressing cells. Using a tandem mass spectrometry approach, we identified epitopes of SARS-CoV-2 derived not only from structural but also non-structural genes in regions highly conserved among SARS-CoV-2 strains including recently recognized variants. We report here, for the first time, several novel SARS-CoV-2 epitopes from membrane glycol-protein (MGP) and non-structure protein-13 (NSP13) defined by mass-spectrometric analysis of MHC-eluted peptides, provide empiric evidence for their immunogenicity to induce T cell response. Significance StatementCurrent state of the art uses putative epitope peptides based on in silico prediction algorithms to evaluate the T cell response among COVID-19 patients. However, none of these peptides have been tested for immunogenicity, i.e. the ability to elicit a T cell response capable of recognizing endogenously presented peptide. In this study, we used MHC immune-precipitation, acid elution and tandem mass spectrometry to define the SARS-CoV-2 immunopeptidome for membrane glycol-protein and the non-structural protein. Furthermore, taking advantage of a highly robust endogenous T cell (ETC) workflow, we verify the immunogenicity of these MS-defined peptides by in vitro generation of MGP and NSP13 peptide-specific T cells and confirm T cell recognition of MGP or NSP13 endogenously expressing cell lines.

In Silico Defined SARS-CoV2 Epitopes May Not Predict Immunogenicity to COVID19

SARS-CoV-2 infections elicit both humoral and cellular immune responses. For the prevention and treatment of COVID19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, it has become increasingly apparent that T cell responses are equally, if not more important than humoral responses in mediating recovery and immune-protection. One of the major challenges in developing T cell-based therapies for infectious and malignant diseases has been the identification of immunogenic epitopes that can elicit a meaningful T cell response. Traditionally, this has been achieved using sophisticated in silico methods to predict putative epitopes deduced from binding affinities and consensus data. Our studies find that, in contrast to current dogma, immunodominant SARS-CoV-2 peptides defined by such in silico methods often fail to elicit T cell responses recognizing naturally presented SARS-CoV-2 epitopes.