Protease or Clostridium butyricum addition to a low-protein diet improves broiler growth performance.

Low-protein (LP) feeds are used in the poultry industry to combat the increasing consumption of protein resources and reduce environmental pollution caused by excessive nitrogen excretion. Dietary supplementation of protease or Clostridium butyricum increases the growth performance of broilers; however, it is unclear whether they counteract the negative effects of LP diets. The effects of protease and C. butyricum on growth performance, intestinal morphology, anti-oxidant capacity, anti-inflammatory response, and microbial community of broilers have not been studied extensively. Here, 450 healthy 1-day-old Cobb500 broilers were allocated to five groups, according to different diets: basal diet (Control); LP diet (LP; 2% less crude protein than the control); LP diet + 200 g/t HuPro protease (LPH); LP diet + 1.0 × 109 CFU/t C. butyricum (LPC); and basal diet + 200 g/t oxytetracycline (Antibiotic). Supplementing both C. butyricum and protease improved the growth performance of broilers. The supplementation of HuPro protease under low-protein conditions could achieve a breeding effect similar to that of the positive control (Antibiotic). Supplementing C. butyricum could maintain intestinal barrier function, alleviate the inflammatory response, and increase ileal and cecal short-chain fatty acid concentrations. Both C. butyricum and protease altered the bacterial diversity in the cecum, increased Bacteroidetes abundance, and resulted in higher abundance of Rikenellaceae RC9 gut spp. and lower abundance of Alistipes spp. in broilers. This study demonstrates the positive effects of proteases and C. butyricum on broilers and serves as a reference for the selection of appropriate supplementation for broilers in the poultry industry. KEY POINTS: • Low-protein diet had a negative effect on growth performance of broilers. • Protease significantly reduced feed conversion rate. • Clostridium butyricum had positive effects on broilers.

Accuracy of Ultrasound Diagnosis of Thyroid Nodules Based on Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Diagnostic Technology: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Ultrasonography (US) is the most common method of identifying thyroid nodules, but US images require an experienced surgeon for identification. Many artificial intelligence (AI) techniques such as computer-aided diagnostic systems (CAD), deep learning (DL), and machine learning (ML) have been used to assist in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules, but whether AI techniques can improve the diagnostic accuracy of thyroid nodules still needs to be explored. Objective: To clarify the accuracy of AI-based thyroid nodule US images for differentiating benign and malignant thyroid nodules. Methods: A search strategy of "subject terms + key words" was used to search PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, China Biology Medicine (CBM), and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) for studies on AI-assisted diagnosis of thyroid nodules based on US images. The summarized receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve and the pooled sensitivity and specificity were used to assess the performance of the diagnostic tests. The quality assessment of diagnostics accuracy studies-2 (QUADAS-2) tool was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. The Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 15 were used to process the data. Subgroup analysis was based on the integrity of data collection. Results: A total of 25 studies with 17,429 US images of thyroid nodules were included. AI-assisted diagnostic techniques had better diagnostic efficacy in the diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules: sensitivity 0.88 (95% CI: (0.85-0.90)), specificity 0.81 (95% CI: 0.74-0.86), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) 30 (95% CI: 19-46). The SROC curve indicated that the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.92 (95% CI: 0.89-0.94). Threshold effect analysis showed a Spearman correlation coefficient: 0.17 < 0.5, suggesting no threshold effect for the included studies. After a meta-regression analysis of 4 different subgroups, the results showed a statistically significant effect of mean age ≥50 years on heterogeneity. Compared with studies with an average age of ≥50 years, AI-assisted diagnostic techniques had higher diagnostic performance in studies with an average age of <50 years (0.89 (95% CI: 0.87-0.92) vs. 0.80 (95% CI: 0.73-0.88)), (0.83 (95% CI: 0.77-0.88) vs. 0.73 (95% CI: 0.60-0.87)). Conclusions: AI-assisted diagnostic techniques had good diagnostic efficacy for thyroid nodules. For the diagnosis of <50 year olds, AI-assisted diagnostic technology was more effective in diagnosis.

Risk of C1q variation in systemic lupus erythematosus: a meta-analysis with Trial Sequential Analysis.

Introduction: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease closely related to the immune system. C1q is an important component of complement system. However, the correlation between C1q gene polymorphism and SLE has not been completely unified. Aim: The primary aim of this meta-analysis was to examine the association between C1q polymorphisms and the risk of SLE. Material and methods: All relevant articles were retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science and CNKI until June 2020. Pooled OR and 95% CI with random model were used to evaluate the strength of the association between C1q polymorphisms and SLE. Considering the limited number of studies, Trial Sequential Analysis (TSA) was applied to estimate whether the information was sufficient to make reliable and conclusive evidence. Both Egg's test and trim and fill method were performed to assess the publication bias. Results: Eight articles were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results showed that C1q rs631090 was associated with SLE only in the homozygous and recessive model (allelic model: 1.169 (0.632-2.162), homozygous model: 2.342 (1.239-4.427), heterozygous model: 0.983 (0.395-2.448), dominant model: 1.036 (0.418-2.567), recessive model: 2.281 (1.227-4.239)) and there was no association between C1q rs172378 and rs292001 and SLE (rs172378 (allelic model: 1.071 (0.949-1.210), homozygous model: 1.172 (0.868-1.584), heterozygous model: 1.080 (0.892-1.306), dominant model: 1.100 (0.918-1.317), recessive model: 1.112 (0.863-1.431)); rs292001 (allelic model: 0.877 (0.657-1.170), homozygous model: 0.713 (0.320-1.589), heterozygous model: 0.714 (0.448-1.138), dominant model: 0.703 (0.414-1.196), recessive model: 0.927 (0.601-1.430)). Nevertheless, TSA showed that more information was needed to get more accurate results. There is no publication bias. Conclusions: This meta-analysis suggested that C1q rs631090 but not rs172378 and rs292001 may be a potential susceptible factor associated with SLE. Nevertheless, due to the limited sample size in this meta-analysis, more large-scale association studies are still needed to confirm the results.

Relation Among Anxiety, Depression, Sleep Quality and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Path Analysis.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the relationship between anxiety, depression, sleep quality and health-related quality of life among systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients in China. Patients and Methods: After ethical approval and obtaining participants' informed consent, a cross-sectional study was conducted in The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University between October 1, 2021 and January 30, 2022. The data comprised demographic information, number of SLE symptoms, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (SLEQoL). We performed descriptive statistics, Spearman or Pearson correlations, and multiple linear regression. And Path analysis was performed to examine direct and indirect associations between these variables and health-related quality of life. Results: A total of 580 patients were recruited and 513 met our target criteria. Our final model fitted the data well: goodness-of-fit index (GFI) =0.996; adjusted goodness-of-fit index (AGFI) =0.974; comparative fit index (CFI) =0.998; root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) =0.043. This model explained 57.3% of the variance on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with SLE and all the hypothesized paths reached significance (P<0.05). Anxiety, depression, sleep quality, income/family, and number of SLE symptoms were related to health-related quality of life, and anxiety had the most influence on HRQoL (ß=0.561). Conclusion: The study model helps to explain the relation among anxiety, depression, sleep quality and health-related quality of life in patients with SLE. It also suggests that health care professionals should be aware of factors such as anxiety, sleep quality, number of SLE symptoms, and depression in their care for HRQoL of SLE patients.

Functional Comparison of Clostridium butyricum and Sodium Butyrate Supplementation on Growth, Intestinal Health, and the Anti-inflammatory Response of Broilers.

Butyrate has been reported to promote proliferation of colonic epithelial cells and maintain intestinal barrier integrity in broilers. Although supplementation of Clostridium butyricum and sodium butyrate have been shown to confer benefits on broilers, their effects and mechanisms have not been compared. In this study, C. butyricum and sodium butyrate were added into the basal diet of broilers and their effects on growth performance, intestinal health, and anti-inflammatory response were analyzed. It was found that both C. butyricum and sodium butyrate showed good probiotic effects on broilers. Their effects on growth rate and expression of inflammation related genes were superior to that of the antibiotic oxytetracycline. Besides, the two dietary supplements improved intestinal structure integrity and secretion of inflammatory cytokines, whereas the antibiotic had negative effects. Comparison of the two supplements revealed that sodium butyrate more effectively improved the growth and intestinal structure of broilers than C. butyricum. On the contrary, C. butyricum was superior to sodium butyrate in promoting tight junction protein expression and anti-inflammatory response. In summary, this study demonstrates the positive effects of C. butyricum and sodium butyrate on broilers, and will serve as a reference for selection of appropriate butyrate supplementation for broilers in the breeding industry.

Association of HLA-DR1, HLA-DR13, and HLA-DR16 Polymorphisms with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Meta-Analysis.

Objectives: The principal purpose of this meta-analysis was to assess the association between HLA-DRB1 (HLA-DR1, HLA-DR13, and HLA-DR16) polymorphisms and SLE susceptibility. Methods: We searched published case-control studies on the association between HLA-DRB1 polymorphisms and SLE susceptibility from PubMed and Web of Science databases. The pooled ORs with 95% CIs were utilized to estimate the strength of association of HLA-DR1, HLA-DR13, and HLA-DR16 polymorphisms and SLE susceptibility by fixed effect models. We also performed sensitivity analysis, trial sequential analysis, Begg's test, and Egg's test in this meta-analysis. Results: A total of 18 studies were included in this meta-analysis. Overall analysis showed that HLA-DR1 and HLA-DR13 polymorphisms were associated with a decreased risk of SLE (OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.65-0.90, P < 0.01; OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.50-0.68, P < 0.01), and HLA-DR16 polymorphism was associated with an increased risk of SLE (OR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.24-2.33, P < 0.01). In subgroup analysis of ethnicity, the results were as follows: HLA-DR1 polymorphism in Caucasians (OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.58-0.98,P = 0.04) and North Americans (OR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.42-0.96,P = 0.03); HLA-DR13 polymorphism in Caucasians (OR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.47-0.82,P < 0.01) and East Asians (OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.34-0.57,P < 0.01); and HLA-DR16 polymorphism in East Asians (OR = 2.62, 95% CI: 1.71-4.03,P < 0.01). Conclusions: This meta-analysis showed that HLA-DR1 and HLA-DR13 are protective factors for SLE, and HLA-DR16 is a risk factor. Due to the limitations of this meta-analysis, the association between HLA-DRB1 polymorphisms and SLE susceptibility needs to be further researched before definitive conclusions are proved.

Serum 14-3-3η is a Marker that Complements Current Biomarkers for the Diagnosis of RA: Evidence from a Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the diagnostic value of 14-3-3η protein for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHOD: Searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and China Biology Medicine (CBM) databases comprehensively from inception to May 2020. The evaluation index were the pooled sensitivity, specificity, diagnosis odds ratio (DOR), positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), as well as the area under the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves. Meta-Disc 1.4 and RevMan 5.3 were used to analyze all statistics. QUADAS-2 tool was applied to evaluate the quality of eligible studies. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression were used to explore the sources of heterogeneity. RESULTS: Nine articles containing eleven records were eligible for this meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity of 14-3-3η was 0.63 (95% CI: 0.60 to 0.66), the pooled specificity was 0.90 (95% CI: 0.88 to 0.91). The pooled PLR and NLR was 6.10 (95% CI: 4.67 to 7.96) and 0.40 (95% CI: 0.33 to 0.48), respectively. The pooled DOR was 15.90 (95% CI: 11.15 to 22.68), and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.8696. Compared with a single indicator (rheumatoid factor or anti-citrullinated protein antibodies), adding 14-3-3η can bring incremental benefits to the diagnosis of RA. The results of subgroup analysis and meta-regression suggested that the two factors (ethnicity, early vs established RA) we analyzed might not be the source of heterogeneity (P value were 0.0979 and 0.4298, respectively) and there was no publication bias among these articles (P = .42). CONCLUSION: Serum 14-3-3η protein is a supplementary biomarker in the diagnosis of RA.

Association of the rs17250932, rs4794067, and rs2240017 polymorphism in the TBX21 gene with autoimmune diseases: A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate systematically the association between TBX21 gene polymorphisms (rs17250932, rs2240017, and rs4794067) and the risk of autoimmune diseases in Asian populations. METHODS: The Medline, Web of Science, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database were used to retrieve eligible studies that were published before July 2020. Pooled odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated by using the dominant model, heterozygote contrast model, and allelic contrast model. Publication bias was evaluated using contour-enhanced funnel plots and Egger's regression test. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the robustness of this meta-analysis. RESULTS: A total of 12 eligible studies, including 3834 patients and 4824 healthy controls, were recruited in this meta-analysis. The pooled data demonstrated that TBX21 rs2240017 and rs4794067 polymorphisms were significantly associated with the risk of autoimmune diseases in Asian populations in allelic contrast model (OR: 1.456, 95% CI: 1.131-1.875, P = 0.004; OR: 0.766, 95% CI: 0.615-0.954, P = 0.017), heterozygote comparison model (OR: 1.647, 95% CI: 1.239-2.189, P = 0.001; OR: 0.796, 95% CI: 0.634-0.999, P = 0.049), and dominant model (OR: 1.572, 95% CI: 1.194-2.071, P = 0.004; OR: 0.767, 95% CI: 0.607-0.970, P = 0.027). The G allele of rs2240017 may be a risk factor for autoimmune diseases, and the T allele of rs4794067 may increase the risk of autoimmune diseases. However, we failed to find evidence of the association between TBX21 rs17250932 polymorphism and susceptibility to autoimmune diseases. No publication bias was established in this meta-analysis. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis indicated that TBX21 rs2240017 and rs4794067 polymorphism confer susceptibility to autoimmune diseases, but not rs17250932.

Association of the rs17250932, rs4794067, and rs2240017 polymorphism in the TBX21 gene with autoimmune diseases: A meta-analysis

Objective: To evaluate systematically the association between TBX21 gene polymorphisms (rs17250932, rs2240017, and rs4794067) and the risk of autoimmune diseases in Asian populations. Methods: The Medline, Web of Science, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database were used to retrieve eligible studies that were published before July 2020. Pooled odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated by using the dominant model, heterozygote contrast model, and allelic contrast model. Publication bias was evaluated using contour-enhanced funnel plots and Egger’s regression test. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the robustness of this meta-analysis. Results: A total of 12 eligible studies, including 3834 patients and 4824 healthy controls, were recruited in this meta-analysis. The pooled data demonstrated that TBX21 rs2240017 and rs4794067 polymorphisms were significantly associated with the risk of autoimmune diseases in Asian populations in allelic contrast model (OR: 1.456, 95% CI: 1.131–1.875, P = 0.004; OR: 0.766, 95% CI: 0.615–0.954, P = 0.017), heterozygote comparison model (OR: 1.647, 95% CI: 1.239–2.189, P = 0.001; OR: 0.796, 95% CI: 0.634–0.999, P = 0.049), and dominant model (OR: 1.572, 95% CI: 1.194–2.071, P = 0.004; OR: 0.767, 95% CI: 0.607–0.970, P = 0.027). The G allele of rs2240017 may be a risk factor for autoimmune diseases, and the T allele of rs4794067 may increase the risk of autoimmune diseases. However, we failed to find evidence of the association between TBX21 rs17250932 polymorphism and susceptibility to autoimmune diseases. No publication bias was established in this meta-analysis. Conclusion: This meta-analysis indicated that TBX21 rs2240017 and rs4794067 polymorphism confer susceptibility to autoimmune diseases, but not rs17250932 (AU)

The effect of dietary supplementation with Clostridium butyricum on the growth performance, immunity, intestinal microbiota and disease resistance of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

This study was conducted to assess the effects of dietary Clostridium butyricum on the growth, immunity, intestinal microbiota and disease resistance of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Three hundreds of tilapia (56.21 ± 0.81 g) were divided into 5 groups and fed a diet supplemented with C. butyricum at 0, 1 x 104, 1 x 105, 1 x 106 or 1 x 107 CFU g-1 diet (denoted as CG, CB1, CB2, CB3 and CB4, respectively) for 56 days. Then 45 fish from each group were intraperitoneally injected with Streptococcus agalactiae, and the mortality was recorded for 14 days. The results showed that dietary C. butyricum significantly improved the specific growth rate (SGR) and feed intake in the CB2 group and decreased the cumulative mortality post-challenge with S. agalactiae in the CB2, CB3 and CB4 groups. The serum total antioxidant capacity and intestinal interleukin receptor-associated kinase-4 gene expression were significantly increased, and serum malondialdehyde content and diamine oxidase activity were significantly decreased in the CB1, CB2, CB3 and CB4 groups. Serum complement 3 and complement 4 concentrations and intestinal gene expression of tumour necrosis factor α, interleukin 8, and myeloid differentiation factor 88 were significantly higher in the CB2, CB3 and CB4 groups. Intestinal toll-like receptor 2 gene expression was significantly upregulated in the CB3 and CB4 groups. Dietary C. butyricum increased the diversity of the intestinal microbiota and the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria (such as Bacillus), and decreased the relative abundance of opportunistic pathogenic bacteria (such as Aeromonas) in the CB2 group. These results revealed that dietary C. butyricum at a suitable dose enhanced growth performance, elevated humoral and intestinal immunity, regulated the intestinal microbial components, and improved disease resistance in tilapia. The optimal dose was 1 x 105 CFU g-1 diet.