Investigating the association between gut microbiome and aortic aneurysm diseases: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the associations between specific bacterial taxa of the gut microbiome and the development of aortic aneurysm diseases, utilizing Mendelian Randomization (MR) to explore these associations and overcome the confounding factors commonly present in observational studies. Methods: Employing the largest available gut microbiome and aortic aneurysm Genome-Wide Association Study databases, including MiBioGen, Dutch Microbiome Project, FinnGen, UK Biobank, and Michigan Genomics Initiative, this study performs two-sample bidirectional MR analyses. Instrumental variables, linked to microbiome taxa at significant levels, were selected for identifying relationships with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA), and aortic dissection (AD). Methods like inverse variance weighted, MR-PRESSO, MR-Egger, weighted median, simple mode, and mode-based estimate were used for MR analysis. Heterogeneity was assessed with the Cochran Q test. MR-Egger regression and MR-PRESSO addressed potential unbalanced horizontal pleiotropy. Results: The analysis did not find any evidence of statistically significant associations between the gut microbiome and aortic aneurysm diseases after adjusting for the false discovery rate (FDR). Specifically, while initial results suggested correlations between 19 taxa and AAA, 25 taxa and TAA, and 13 taxa with AD, these suggested associations did not hold statistical significance post-FDR correction. Therefore, the role of individual gut microbial taxa as independent factors in the development and progression of aortic aneurysm diseases remains inconclusive. This finding underscores the necessity for larger sample sizes and more comprehensive studies to further investigate these potential links. Conclusion: The study emphasizes the complex relationship between the gut microbiome and aortic aneurysm diseases. Although no statistically significant associations were found after FDR correction, the findings provide valuable insights and highlight the importance of considering gut microbiota in aortic aneurysm diseases research. Understanding these interactions may eventually contribute to identifying new therapeutic and preventive strategies for aortic aneurysm diseases.

Genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes mellitus and aortic dissection: a Mendelian randomisation study.

Background: This Mendelian randomization (MR) study aimed to explore the causal relationship between the genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and aortic dissection (AD), and to assess associations with genetically predicted glycemic traits. The study sought to verify the inverse relationship between T2DM and AD using a more robust and unbiased method, building on the observational studies previously established. Materials and methods: The study employed a two-sample and multivariable MR approach to analyze genetic data from the DIAbetes Meta-ANalysis of Trans-Ethnic association studies (DIAMANTE) with 74,124 cases and 824,006 controls, and the Meta-Analyses of Glucose and Insulin-Related Traits Consortium (MAGIC) involving up to 196,991 individuals. For AD data, FinnGen Release 10 was used, including 967 cases and 381,977 controls. The research focused on three foundational MR assumptions and controlled for confounders like hypertension. Genetic instruments were selected for their genome-wide significance, and multiple MR methods and sensitivity analyses were conducted. Results: The study revealed no significant effect of genetic predisposition to T2DM on the risk of AD. Even after adjusting for potential confounders, the results were consistent, indicating no causal relationship. Additionally, glycemic traits such as fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and HbA1c levels did not show a significant impact on AD susceptibility. The findings remained stable across various MR models and sensitivity analyses. In contrast, genetic liability to T2DM and glycemic traits showed a significant association with coronary artery disease (CAD), aligning with the established understanding. Conclusion: Contrary to previous observational studies, this study concludes that genetic predisposition to T2DM does not confer protection against AD. These findings underscore the imperative for further research, particularly in exploring the preventative potential of T2DM treatments against AD and to facilitate the development of novel therapeutic interventions.

Loss-induced switching between electromagnetically induced transparency and critical coupling in a chalcogenide waveguide.

Optical loss is generally perceived to be an adverse effect in integrated optics. Herein, in contrast, we propose a mechanism to harness the loss in a coupled ${\rm {high-}}{\! Q}$ resonators system to realize on-chip electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). The increasing loss of one of the coupled resonators results in a difference in ${Q}$ factor, leading to EIT generation. This optical loss-induced EIT is studied analytically using the coupled-mode theory and demonstrated experimentally in chalcogenide coupled microring resonators. By taking advantage of the chalcogenide phase change materials that feature exceptional optical property contrasts, we further demonstrate the loss-induced mechanism to realize fast and nonvolatile responses between the EIT state and the critical coupling state in a monolithically integrated chip. Our results provide a new perspective to harvest the negative loss effect of coupled resonators for tunable photonic devices, which might shed new light on the design ideology for on-chip slow-light optical components.

Melatonin Plays a Critical Protective Role in Nicotine-Related Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.

Aim: Smoking is a major risk factor for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Among the components of smoke, nicotine is known to exert pro-atherosclerotic, prothrombotic, and proangiogenic effects on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The current study was designed to investigate the mechanisms through which nicotine induces vascular wall dysfunction and to examine whether melatonin protects against nicotine-related AAA. Methods: In this study, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure melatonin and TNF-α levels, as well as total antioxidant status (TAS), in patients with AAA. We established a nicotine-related AAA model and explored the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of melatonin. Tissue histopathology was used to assess vascular function, while western blotting (WB) and immunofluorescence staining were performed to detect protein expression. Results: We observed melatonin insufficiency in the serum from patients with AAA, particularly smokers. Moreover, melatonin level was positively correlated with antioxidant capacity. In the in vivo model, nicotine accelerated AAA expansion and destroyed vascular structure. Furthermore, OPN, LC3II, p62, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), NF-κB p65, TNF-α, phosphorylated AKT, and phosphorylated mTOR levels were increased, in vivo, following nicotine treatment, while SM22α and α-SMA levels were reduced. Additionally, melatonin attenuated the effects of nicotine on AAA and reversed changes in protein expression. Moreover, melatonin lost its protective effects following bafilomycin A1-mediated inhibition of autophagy. Conclusion: Based on our data, melatonin exerts a beneficial effect on rats with nicotine-related AAA by downregulating the AKT-mTOR signaling pathway, improving autophagy dysfunction, and restoring the VSMC phenotype.

[Forensic Validation of the Goldeneye™ DNA ID 25A Kit].

OBJECTIVE: To test and estimate the forensic application of Goldeneye™ DNA ID 25A Kit. METHODS: The kit was validated by a series of tests for accuracy, sensitivity, consistency, peak height balance, stability, and mixed samples through measured blood samples and other samples in routine casework. RESULTS: The peak height balance of the different loci was ≥ 42%. The genotyping results of the positive control DNA was accurate. The complete STR genotyping result could be obtained from 0.125 ng positive control DNA. CONCLUSION: Goldeneye™ DNA ID 25A Kit is suitable for criminal cases and DNA database in forensic practice.

[A sort of meliorative method for testing DNA from sperm smear].

OBJECTIVE: To establish an effective method for testing DNA from the sperm smear. METHODS: We did exploratory research for ninety-one cases of the sperm smear which were accumulated by our laboratory during working hours. Chelex extraction method was used to extract DNA. The digested solution of sperm was purified and concentrated by using Silicon bead. STR loci were typed after PCR amplification by Profile Plus kit. RESULTS: Although there were a few sperm cells on the slide, it is easy to obtain good DNA typing result from it because the amalgamative method we used was high effective for DNA extraction. CONCLUSION: The DNA analysis of sperm smear could offer satisfactory typing results which would be useful in case.