Study on mNGS Technique in Diagnosing Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia in Non-HIV-Infected Patients.

Objective: To investigate the value of metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing (mNGS) in diagnosing Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) in non-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. Methods: In this retrospective study, non-HIV-infected patients with PJP and those diagnosed with non-PJP from August 2022 to December 2024 were selected as subjects. The presence of Pneumocystis jirovecii (PJ) and other co-pathogens in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was analyzed, and the diagnostic efficacy of NGS, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and serum 1,3-ß-D-glucan (BDG) in PJP was compared with the reference standard of clinical compound diagnosis. Results: Eighty-nine non-HIV-infected patients were recruited, with dyspnea as the primary symptom (69.66%) and solid malignant tumor as the most common underlying disease (20.22%). Taking clinical compound diagnosis as the reference standard, the sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value and positive predictive value of mNGS were higher than those detected by PCR and serum BDG. Among 42 non-HIV-infected patients with PJP who underwent mNGS and conventional pathogen detection of BALF, 6 had simple PJ infection and 36 had combined PJ infection. The detection rate of mNGS in mixed infections was significantly higher than that of conventional pathogen detection (85.71 vs 61.70%, P = 0.012). A total of 127 pathogens were detected in BALF using mNGS, among which fungi had the highest detection rate (46.46%). The fungi, viruses and bacteria detected were mainly Pneumocystis jirovecii, human gammaherpesvirus 4 and Acinetobacter baumannii. Conclusion: mNGS is highly effective in diagnosing non-HIV-infected patients with PJP and exhibits ideal performance in the detection of co-pathogens. In addition, it has certain value for clinical diagnosis and guidance of targeted anti-infective drug treatment.

Frailty and health-related quality of life in elderly patients undergoing esophageal cancer surgery: a longitudinal study.

PURPOSE: This study aims to elucidate the longitudinal alterations in frailty and health-related quality of life experienced by elderly patients undergoing surgical treatment for esophageal cancer. Additionally, it seeks to ascertain the impact of preoperative frailty on postoperative health-related quality of life over time. METHODS: 131 patients were included in the prospective study. Patients' frailty and health-related quality of life were assessed utilizing the Tilburg and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC-QLQ-C30) at preoperative, 1 week, 1-month, and 3 months postoperatively. Statistical analyses were performed using generalized estimating equations (GEE), repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), and linear mixed models (LMMs). RESULTS: Out of 131 patients, 28.2% had frailty before surgery, and the prevalence of frailty consistently higher after surgery compared to baseline (67.9%, 51.9%, 39.7%). There was no significant change in frailty scores in preoperative frail patients within 3 months following surgery (P= .496, P< .999, P< .999); whereas in preoperative non-frail patients, the frailty scores increased at 1 week (P< .001) and then decreased at 1-month (P= .014), followed by no change at 3 months. In addition, preoperative frail patients had significantly worse global quality of life (QL) (ß=-4.24(-8.31; -.18), P= .041), physical functioning (ß=-9.87(-14.59; -5.16), P< .001), role functioning (ß=-10.04(-15.76; -4.33), P= .001) and social functioning (ß=-8.58(-15.49; -1.68), P= .015), compared to non-frail patients. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of participants exhibited a high prevalence of preoperative frailty. These patients, who were preoperatively frail, exhibited a marked reduction in health-related quality of life, a more gradual recovery across various functional domains, and an increased symptom burden during the follow-up period. Therefore, it is crucial to meticulously identify and closely monitor patients with preoperative frailty for any changes in their postoperative physiology, role, and social functioning.

Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of Tomato Fatty Acid ß-Oxidase Family Genes KAT and MFP.

Fatty acids and their derivatives play a variety of roles in living organisms. Fatty acids not only store energy but also comprise membrane lipids and act as signaling molecules. There are three main proteins involved in the fatty acid ß-oxidation pathway in plant peroxisomes, including acyl-CoA oxidase (ACX), multifunctional protein (MFP), and 3-ketolipoyl-CoA thiolase (KAT). However, genome-scale analysis of KAT and MFP has not been systemically investigated in tomatoes. Here, we conducted a bioinformatics analysis of KAT and MFP genes in tomatoes. Their physicochemical properties, protein secondary structure, subcellular localization, gene structure, phylogeny, and collinearity were also analyzed. In addition, a conserved motif analysis, an evolutionary pressure selection analysis, a cis-acting element analysis, tissue expression profiling, and a qRT-PCR analysis were conducted within tomato KAT and MFP family members. There are five KAT and four MFP family members in tomatoes, which are randomly distributed on four chromosomes. By analyzing the conserved motifs of tomato KAT and MFP family members, we found that both KAT and MFP members are highly conserved. In addition, the results of the evolutionary pressure selection analysis indicate that the KAT and MFP family members have evolved mainly from purifying selection, which makes them more structurally stable. The results of the cis-acting element analysis show that SlKAT and SlMFP with respect may respond to light, hormones, and adversity stresses. The tissue expression analysis showed that KAT and MFP family members have important roles in regulating the development of floral organs as well as fruit ripening. The qRT-PCR analysis revealed that the expressions of SlKAT and SlMFP genes can be regulated by ABA, MeJA, darkness, NaCl, PEG, UV, cold, heat, and H2O2 treatments. These results provide a basis for the involvement of the SlKAT and SlMFP genes in tomato floral organ development and abiotic stress response, which lay a foundation for future functional study of SlKAT and SlMFP in tomatoes.

Predictive value of von Willebrand factor for venous thrombosis in patients with chronic heart failure complicated with atrial fibrillation after anticoagulant therapy.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the value of von Willebrand factor (vWF) in predicting venous thrombosis in patients with chronic heart failure complicated with atrial fibrillation after anticoagulation therapy. METHODS: Totally, 126 patients with chronic heart failure complicated with atrial fibrillation who were treated with anticoagulant therapy and 60 healthy individuals were enrolled. One year after anticoagulant therapy, venous thrombosis occurred in 19 patients. Clinical data of patients were collected. The plasma vWF activity was detected and compared. The logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors of vWF. ROC curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of plasma vWF. RESULTS: Plasma vWF activity was significantly higher in patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation than control subjects (P < 0.01). The vWF activity in patients with venous thrombosis was significantly higher than that in patients without venous thrombosis (P < 0.01). ROC curve analysis showed that the cut-off value of vWF activity for venous thrombosis within one year after anticoagulant therapy was 267.5%, and the AUC was 0.742 (95% CI: 0.764-0.921, P < 0.05). The sensitivity was 80.0%, and the specificity was 63.6%. Factors of diabetes, myocardial ischemia, old myocardial infarction, and lower extremity atherosclerosis, but not sex, age, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and cardiac function, had significant effect on vWF activity (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that vWF activity was significantly related with atherosclerosis of lower limbs and old myocardial infarction, but not significantly related with diabetes and myocardial ischemia. The risk of venous thrombosis in patients with vWF activity greater than 267.5% was 10.667 times higher than that in patients with vWF activity less than 267.5% (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The vWF activity greater than 267.5% has clinical predictive value for the risk of lower extremity venous thrombosis in patients with chronic heart failure complicated with atrial fibrillation within 1 year of anticoagulant therapy.

Validation of a Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR) Assay to Detect Cyanobacterial 16S rDNA in Human Lung Tissue.

Cyanobacteria produce a variety of secondary metabolites, including toxins that may contribute to the development of disease. Previous work was able to detect the presence of a cyanobacterial marker in human nasal and broncoalveolar lavage samples; however, it was not able to determine the quantification of the marker. To further research the relationship between cyanobacteria and human health, we validated a droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) assay to simultaneously detect the cyanobacterial 16S marker and a human housekeeping gene in human lung tissue samples. The ability to detect cyanobacteria in human samples will allow further research into the role cyanobacteria plays in human health and disease.

The aldolase inhibitor aldometanib mimics glucose starvation to activate lysosomal AMPK.

The activity of 5'-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is inversely correlated with the cellular availability of glucose. When glucose levels are low, the glycolytic enzyme aldolase is not bound to fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) and, instead, signals to activate lysosomal AMPK. Here, we show that blocking FBP binding to aldolase with the small molecule aldometanib selectively activates the lysosomal pool of AMPK and has beneficial metabolic effects in rodents. We identify aldometanib in a screen for aldolase inhibitors and show that it prevents FBP from binding to v-ATPase-associated aldolase and activates lysosomal AMPK, thereby mimicking a cellular state of glucose starvation. In male mice, aldometanib elicits an insulin-independent glucose-lowering effect, without causing hypoglycaemia. Aldometanib also alleviates fatty liver and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in obese male rodents. Moreover, aldometanib extends lifespan and healthspan in both Caenorhabditis elegans and mice. Taken together, aldometanib mimics and adopts the lysosomal AMPK activation pathway associated with glucose starvation to exert physiological roles, and might have potential as a therapeutic for metabolic disorders in humans.

VPS9D1-AS1, a novel long-non-coding RNA, acts as a tumor promoter by regulating the miR-324-5p/ITGA2 axis in colon adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) is among the most common malignancies worldwide. Elucidating the function and mechanism of action of the lncRNA VPS9D1-AS1 in COAD will be of great value for identifying potential therapeutic targets. METHODS: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis was used to measure the expression levels of lncRNA VPS9D1-AS1 in COAD tissues and cell lines. After knocking down the expression of VPS9D1-AS1 in two COAD cell lines, namely SW1116 and LoVo, their proliferation rate was measured by the 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (Edu) incorporation and cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) viability assays, migration and invasion abilities were assessed by wound healing and Transwell assays, and apoptosis rate was measured withflow cytometry. Additionally, the dual luciferase reporter assay system was used to investigate the targeting of miR-324-5p to VPS9D1-AS1 and ITGA2 3'-UTR. The inhibitory effects of the miR-324-5p/ITGA2 axis on the function of VPS9D1-AS1 were also examined. In vivo tumorigenesis assay was performed in nude mice injected with VPS9D1-AS1 shRNA or control shRNA lentivirus-transfected LoVo cells. RESULTS: VPS9D1-AS1 was found to be upregulated in COAD tissues and cell lines. VPS9D1-AS1 knockdown inhibited the COAD cell proliferation, migration and invasion and increased the apoptosis rate. In addition, we have demonstrated that miR-324-5p targets VPS9D1-AS1 and ITGA2 3'-UTR, and miR-324-5p silencing or forced ITGA2 expression attenuated the effect of VPS9D1-AS1 knockdown. CONCLUSION: This study identified a novel competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) pathway that potentially associates with the oncogenic functions of VPS9D1-AS1, miR-324-5p, and ITGA2 in COAD, which could contribute to the identification of new therapeutic approaches targeting COAD.

Purification of acidic lignocellulose hydrolysate using anion-exchange resin: Multicomponent adsorption, kinetic and thermodynamic study.

Acid hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass to produce high value-added products presents a breathtaking industrial application foreground. However, the hydrolysate under harsh conditions contains extremely complex degradations, resulting in many restrictions or lethal toxicity on the following utilization and bioconversion. In this study, the anion-exchange resin 335 was exploited to separate and purify main degradations from the acidic corncob-hydrolysate. A comprehensive investigation was explored on equilibrium isotherms, adsorption kinetics, and thermodynamic parameters of the representative substances in the hydrolysate. The results indicated that the removal of acetic acid, furfural, and lignin reached 90.13%, 92.58%, and 94.85% respectively, while the loss rate of xylose was well controlled within 20%. Based on these studies, various models and parameters were evaluated to uncover the mechanisms. In conclusion, this work offered a theoretical basis for the application in the separation and purification of acidic lignocellulose-hydrolysate and further bioconversion.

miR-23b-3p Inhibits the Oncogenicity of Colon Adenocarcinoma by Directly Targeting NFE2L3.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: MicroR-23b-3p (miR-23b-3p) has been found to be abnormally expressed in a variety of malignant tumors and to play a role in tumor inhibition or promotion. However, the regulatory mechanism of miR-23b-3p in COAD remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of miR-23b-3p expression in COAD cells and to explore its role and regulatory mechanism in the growth of COAD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to measure miR-23b-3p expression in COAD tissues and cell lines. After transfecting miR-23b-3p mimics into two human COAD cell lines (SW620 and LoVo), the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assays were used to detect cell proliferation, the Transwell assay was used to measure cell migration and invasion capacity, and flow cytometry was used to evaluate cell apoptosis in vitro. In addition, a luciferase reporter assay was used to determine whether miR-23b-3p targets NFE2L3. The downstream regulatory mechanisms of miR-23b-3p action in COAD cells were also investigated. For in vivo tumorigenesis assay, COAD cells stably overexpressing miR-23b-3p were injected subcutaneously into the flank of nude mice to obtain tumors. RESULTS: Significantly decreased expression of miR-23b-3p was detected in COAD tissues and cell lines. Exogenous miR-23b-3p expression inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and promoted cell apoptosis of COAD cells in vitro. Nuclear factor erythroid 2 like 3 (NFE2L3) was identified as a direct target gene of miR-23b-3p. In addition, reintroduction of NFE2L3 partially abolished the anticancer effects of miR-23b-3p on COAD cells. Furthermore, miR-23b-3p overexpression hindered the growth of COAD cells in vivo. CONCLUSION: miR-23b-3p inhibited the oncogenicity of COAD cells in vitro and in vivo by directly targeting NFE2L3, suggesting the importance of the miR-23b-3p/NFE2L3 pathway in the development of COAD.

A cost-practical cell-recycling process for xylonic acid bioproduction from acidic lignocellulosic hydrolysate with whole-cell catalysis of Gluconobacter oxydans.

Xylonic acid (XA), as a bio-based platform chemical, is of considerable interest for xylose bioconversion. The whole-cell catalysis of Gluconobacter oxydans presents a promising application potential, while the hard works of cell culture still severely hinder XA business from the crude toxics-containing lignocellulosic hydrolysate. Hence, the bacterial cells should be recycled to reduce commercial production cost. The implementation of diatomite detoxification not only absorbs most of the degraded inhibitors in hydrolysate, but also confines the sugar contents loss with 10% and allows the bacterial cells to maintain 90% bioconversion performance during cell-recycling operation. Additionally, a scale-up of XA bioproduction was achieved in a sealed oxygen supply fermenter. Finally, 210 g XA was produced from 1000 g corncob originated hydrolysate within 24 h of whole-cell catalysis. Diatomite treatment provides an efficient and cost-practical approach for the commercial bioproduction of biochemicals like XA from lignocellulosic biomass.

Removal of fermentation inhibitors from pre-hydrolysis liquor using polystyrene divinylbenzene resin.

BACKGROUND: The presence of soluble lignin, furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in industrial pre-hydrolysis liquor (PHL) from the pulping process can inhibit its bioconversion into bioethanol and other biochemicals. Although various technologies have been developed to remove these inhibitors, certain amounts of sugars are also inevitably removed during the treatment process. Hence, polystyrene divinylbenzene (PS-DVB) resin was used as an adsorptive material to simultaneously remove fermentation inhibitors while retaining sugars with high yields to improve the fermentability of PHL after acid hydrolysis by enriching its xylose concentration. The fermentability of acid-hydrolyzed PHL (A-PHL) was evaluated by the bioconversion into ethanol and xylosic acid (XA) after treatment with PS-DVB resin. RESULTS: The results showed that the highest xylose concentration (101.1 g/L) in PHL could be obtained by acid hydrolysis at 100 °C for 80 min with 4% acid, while the concentration of fermentation inhibitors (furfural, HMF and lignin) in PHL could also be significantly improved during the acid-hydrolysis process. After treatment with PS-DVB resin, not only were 97% of lignin, 92% of furfural, and 97% of HMF removed from A-PHL, but also 96% of xylose was retained for subsequent fermentation. With resin treatment, the fermentability of A-PHL could be improved by 162-282% for ethanol production from A-PHL containing 30-50 g/L xylose and by 18-828% for XA production from A-PHL containing 90-150 g/L xylose. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirmed that PS-DVB resin can remove inhibitors from PHL before producing value-added products by bioconversion. In addition, this work will ideally provide a concept for producing value-added chemicals from pre-hydrolysis liquor, which is regarded as the waste stream in the pulping process.

Novel lncRNA SFTA1P Promotes Tumor Growth by Down-Regulating miR-4766-5p via PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignancy worldwide with a high mortality rate. lncRNA SFTA1P is highly expressed in HCC. We aimed to study the role of SFTA1P in HCC and its relationship with miR-4766-5p. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The levels of SFTA1P in HCC tissues and cell lines were determined. Relationship between SFTA1P and clinical features and prognosis was studied. The influence of SFTA1P on HCC cell viability, migration, invasion and apoptosis was studied in vitro. Rescue experiments were conducted after the binding site between SFTA1P and miR-4766-5p confirmed by dual-luciferase assay. The protein expression of AKT, p-AKT, mTOR and p-mTOR in HCC cells with knockdown of SFTA1P was determined by Western blotting. A tumor study in nude mice was conducted in order to assess the effects of SFTA1P on tumor growth characteristics. RESULTS: SFTA1P was up-regulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. SFTA1P expression was closely related to tumor size, vascular invasion and TNM stage. Knockdown of SFTA1P inhibited HCC cell viability, migration and invasion and promoted cell apoptosis. MiR-4766-5p was a target of SFTA1P and knockdown of SFTA1P could decrease the protein expression of p-AKT and p-mTOR. Rescue experiments showed that miR-4766-5p mimics could attenuate the promoting role of SFTA1P on HCC cell viability, invasion and migration, and inhibiting role on cell apoptosis. Moreover, we used nude mice models and also found that the knockdown of SFTA1P reduced tumor volume and weight. CONCLUSION: lncRNA SFTA1P could promote tumor development in HCC by down-regulating miR-4766-5p expression via PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. It may be a potential therapeutic target for HCC.

The complete genome sequence of Bifidobacterium longum LTBL16, a potential probiotic strain from healthy centenarians with strong antioxidant activity.

B. longum LTBL16 is a potential probiotic strain that was isolated from healthy centenarians in Bama, China. In vitro experiments show that B. longum LTBL16 has a strong antioxidant activity and the complete genome of B. longum LTBL16 was sequenced in this work. The genome consists of one 2,430,682 bp circular chromosome that is plasmid free. The circular chromosome has a GC content of 61.23% and contains 2071 coding sequences (CDSs), 4 rRNA manipulators and 55 tRNA coding genes. Genetic analysis showed that at least five protein-coding genes were associated with antioxidant activity, and the abundance of these genes may be related to free radical scavenging rates and oxygen tolerance. In addition, the safety of B. longum LTBL16 was evaluated using a virulence factor database and antibiotic resistance gene database. The results indicate that B. longum LTBL16 has the good potential for the development and utilization as a probiotic.

Preparation of Lignosulfonates from Biorefinery Lignins by Sulfomethylation and Their Application as a Water Reducer for Concrete.

Lignosulfonate (LG), a water-soluble polymer from sulfite pulping process of lignocellulosic biomass, has been commercially applied as admixture for concrete. In this work, lignosulfonates were produced from alkaline lignin (AL) and enzymatic hydrolysis residue (EHR) by sulfomethylation and these lignosulfonates as water reducers for concrete were then evaluated. Results showed that 94.9% and 68.9% of lignins in AL and EHR could be sulfonated under optimum sulfomethylation conditions, respectively. The sulfonic groups in lignosulfonates from AL (AL-LG) and EHR (EHR-LG) were 1.6 mmol/g and 1.0 mmol/g, respectively. Surface tension and zeta potential analysis indicated that both AL-LG and EHR-LG can be potentially used to as dispersant for improving the fluidity of the cement paste, similarly to commercial lignosulfonate (CM-LG). Adding 0.2 wt % of AL-LG, EHR-LG, and CM-LG in the concrete, the compressive strength (28 days) of concretes increased from 38.4 Mpa to 41.6, 42.6, and 40.9 Mpa, respectively. These findings suggest that the lignosulfonate from biorefinery lignin by sulfomethylation can meet the industrial standards as water reducers for cement admixtures.

Nutrient Intake Is Associated with Longevity Characterization by Metabolites and Element Profiles of Healthy Centenarians.

The relationships between diet and metabolites as well as element profiles in healthy centenarians are important but remain inconclusive. Therefore, to test the interesting hypothesis that there would be distinctive features of metabolites and element profiles in healthy centenarians, and that these would be associated with nutrient intake; the short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), total bile acids and ammonia in feces, phenol, p-cresol, uric acid, urea, creatinine and ammonia in urine, and element profiles in fingernails were determined in 90 healthy elderly people, including centenarians from Bama county (China)-a famous longevous region-and elderly people aged 80-99 from the longevous region and a non-longevous region. The partial least squares-discriminant analysis was used for pattern recognition. As a result, the centenarians showed a distinct metabolic pattern. Seven characteristic components closely related to the centenarians were identified, including acetic acid, total SCFA, Mn, Co, propionic acid, butyric acid and valeric acid. Their concentrations were significantly higher in the centenarians group (p < 0.05). Additionally, the dietary fiber intake was positively associated with butyric acid contents in feces (r = 0.896, p < 0.01), and negatively associated with phenol in urine (r = -0.326, p < 0.01). The results suggest that the specific metabolic pattern of centenarians may have an important and positive influence on the formation of the longevity phenomenon. Elevated dietary fiber intake should be a path toward health and longevity.

Circulation of multiple serotypes of highly divergent enterovirus C in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of China.

Poliomyelitis associated with circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPVs) is a serious public health issue in the post-eradication era, and the occurrence of recombinant cVDPVs emphasizes the need to elucidate enterovirus C (EV-C) epidemiology. Stool samples were collected from 826 healthy children in Southern Xinjiang in 2011 to investigate EV-C circulation and epidemiology. Thirty-six EV-Cs were isolated and assigned to eight EV-C serotypes by molecular serotyping, suggesting the circulation of diverse EV-Cs in Xinjiang. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the Xinjiang EV-C strains had larger variation compared to the prototype and other modern strains. Additionally, the results showed unique characteristics of Xinjiang EV-Cs, such as the cytopathicity of CV-A1 strains to RD cells; the high divergence in CV-A11, CV-A13, CV-A17, and CV-A20 strains; the divergence of Xinjiang CV-A24 from AHC-related CV-A24 variant stains distributed worldwide; and the circulation of two novel EV-C serotypes (EV-C96 and EV-C99). Evaluations of this dense and diverse EV-C ecosystem will help elucidate the processes shaping enteroviral biodiversity. This study will improve our understanding of the evolution of enteroviruses and the recombination potential between polioviruses and other EV-Cs.

Qualitative and Semiquantitative Analysis of Fecal Bifidobacterium Species in Centenarians Living in Bama, Guangxi, China.

Centenarians constitute a significant subpopulation in the Bama County of Guangxi province in China. The beneficial effects of intestinal microbiota, especially bifidobacteria of centenarians, have been widely accepted; however, knowledge about Bifidobacterium species in centenarians is not adequate. The aim of this study was to investigate the quantity and prevalence of fecal Bifidobacterium in healthy longevous individuals. Fecal samples from eight centenarians from Bama (aged 100 to 108 years), eight younger elderlies from Bama (aged 80 to 99 years), and eight younger elderlies from Nanning (aged 80 to 99 years) were analyzed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, species-specific clone library, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction technology (qPCR). A total of eight different Bifidobacterium species were detected. B. dentium, B. longum, B. thermophilum, B. pseudocatenulatum/B. catenulatum, and B. adolescentis were common in fecal of centenarians and young elderly. B. minimum, B. saecularmay/B. pullorum/B. gallinarum, and B. mongoliense were found in centenarians but were absent in the younger elderlies. In addition, Bifidobacterium species found in centenarians were different from those found in Bama young elderly and Nanning young elderly, and the principal differences were the significant increase in the population of B. longum (P < 0.05) and B. dentium (P < 0.05) and the reduction in the frequency of B. adolescentis (P < 0.05), respectively. Centenarians tend to have more complex fecal Bifidobacterium species than young elderlies from different regions.

Gut Microbiota Community and Its Assembly Associated with Age and Diet in Chinese Centenarians.

Increasing evidence suggests that gut microbiota underpin the development of health and longevity. However, our understanding of what influences the composition of this community of the longevous has not been adequately described. Therefore, illumina sequencing analysis was performed on the gut microbiota of centenarians (aged 100-108 years; RC) and younger elderlies (aged 85-99 years; RE) living in Bama County, Guangxi, China and the elderlies (aged 80-92 years; CE) living in Nanning City, Guangxi, China. In addition, their diet was monitored using a semiquantitative dietary questionary (FFQ 23). The results revealed the abundance of Roseburia and Escherichia was significantly greater, whereas that of Lactobacillus, Faecalibacterium, Parabacteroides, Butyricimonas, Coprococcus, Megamonas, Mitsuokella, Sutterella, and Akkermansia was significantly less in centenarians at the genus level. Both clustering analysis and UniFraq distance analysis showed structural segregation with age and diet among the three populations. Using partial least square discriminate analysis and redundancy analysis, we identified 33 and 34 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) as key OTUs that were significantly associated with age and diet, respectively. Age-related OTUs were characterized as Ruminococcaceae, Clostridiaceae, and Lachnospiraceae, and the former two were increased in the centenarians; diet-related OTUs were classified as Bacteroidales, Lachnospiraceae, and Ruminococcaceae. The former two were deceased, whereas the later one was increased, in the high-fiber diet. The age and high-fiber diet were concomitant with changes in the gut microbiota of centenarians, suggesting that age and high-fiber diet can establish a new structurally balanced architecture of gut microbiota that may benefit the health of centenarians.

An outbreak following importation of wild poliovirus in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China, 2011.

BACKGROUND: After more than 10 years without a case of wild poliovirus (WPV) in China, an outbreak occurred in 2011 in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. METHODS: Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) case surveillance was strengthened with epidemiological investigations and specimen collection and serological surveys were conducted among hospitalized patients. RESULTS: There were 21 WPV cases and 23 clinical compatible polio cases reported. WPV was isolated from 14 contacts of AFP cases and 13 in the healthy population. Incidence of WPV and clinical compatible polio cases were both highest among children <1 years, however, 24/44 (54.5%) polio cases were reported among adults aged 15-39 years. CONCLUSIONS: High coverage of routine immunization should be maintained among children until WPV transmission is globally eradicated. Expansion of AFP case surveillance and use of serologic surveys to estimate population immunity should be conducted rapidly to guide preparedness and response planning for future WPV outbreaks.

A correlation between diet and longevity characterization by means of element profiles in healthy people over 80 years from a Chinese longevous region.

Monitoring the element concentrations in the human body is of critical importance for health and longevity. In order to explore the formation mechanism of longevity from the perspective of the body's element loads, this study investigated the prominent feature of element profiles in healthy people over 80 years from Bama County (China), a famous longevous region (LR). The element profiles in nails of elderly people from the LR and a non-longevous region were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, using orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) for pattern recognition. As a result, four characteristic elements closely related to the healthy elderly people from LR, including Cr, Fe, Mn, and Co, were identified. The concentrations of Cr, Fe, Mn, and Co were significantly increased in the LR group (p < 0.05). The values of fold change of Cr, Fe, Mn, and Co were 3.00, 2.46, 2.24, and 2.21, respectively. These characteristic elements could provide an important material guarantee for health and longevity of elderly people in the LR. The further correlation analysis revealed significant positive correlations between the Sr (r = 0.886), Mn (r = 0.873), Ni (r = 0.786), and Co (r = 0.738) concentrations in nails of elderly people and those in drinking water. Furthermore, significant positive correlations were found between the Se (r = 0.940), Mn (r = 0.833), and Fe (r = 0.733) concentrations in nails and their dietary intake. Consequently, the observations suggested that diet could provide extraordinary reference information in terms of reflecting the feature of element profiles in healthy elderly people over 80 years from the LR.