Whole-genome sequencing of diverse wheat accessions uncovers genetic changes during modern breeding in China and the United States.

Breeding has dramatically changed the plant architecture of wheat (Triticum aestivum), resulting in the development of high-yielding varieties adapted to modern farming systems. However, how wheat breeding shaped the genomic architecture of this crop remains poorly understood. Here, we performed a comprehensive comparative analysis of a whole-genome resequencing panel of 355 common wheat accessions (representing diverse landraces and modern cultivars from China and the United States) at the phenotypic and genomic levels. The genetic diversity of modern wheat cultivars was clearly reduced compared to landraces. Consistent with these genetic changes, most phenotypes of cultivars from China and the United States were significantly altered. Of the 21 agronomic traits investigated, 8 showed convergent changes between the 2 countries. Moreover, of the 207 loci associated with these 21 traits, more than half overlapped with genomic regions that showed evidence of selection. The distribution of selected loci between the Chinese and American cultivars suggests that breeding for increased productivity in these 2 regions was accomplished by pyramiding both shared and region-specific variants. This work provides a framework to understand the genetic architecture of the adaptation of wheat to diverse agricultural production environments, as well as guidelines for optimizing breeding strategies to design better wheat varieties.

The Pathophysiological Associations Between Obesity, NAFLD, and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Diseases.

Obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases are common and growing public health concerns. Previous epidemiological studies unfolded the robust correlation between obesity, NAFLD, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. Obesity is a well-known risk factor for NAFLD, and both of them can markedly increase the odds of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. On the other hand, significant weight loss achieved by lifestyle modification, bariatric surgery, or medications, such as semaglutide, can concomitantly improve NAFLD and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, certain pathophysiological links are involved in the development of NAFLD in obesity, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases in obesity and NAFLD. Moreover, recent studies indicated that simultaneously targeting several mechanisms by tirzepatide and retatrutide leads to greater weight loss and markedly improves the complications of metabolic syndrome. These findings remind the importance of a mechanistic viewpoint for breaking the association between obesity, NAFLD, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. In this review article, we mainly focus on shared pathophysiological mechanisms, including insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, GLP1 signaling, inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, gut dysbiosis, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) overactivity, and endothelial dysfunction. Most of these pathophysiological alterations are primarily initiated by obesity. The development of NAFLD further exacerbates these molecular and cellular alterations, leading to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease development or progression as the final manifestation of molecular perturbation. A better insight into these mechanisms makes it feasible to develop new multi-target approaches to simultaneously unhinge the deleterious chain of events linking obesity and NAFLD to atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases.

Candidate Antigens and the Development of Helicobacter pylori Vaccines.

BACKGROUND: Infection with Helicobacter pylori (Hp) mostly occurs during childhood, and persistent infection may lead to severe gastric diseases and even gastric cancer. Currently, the primary method for eradicating Hp is through antibiotic treatment. However, the increasing multidrug resistance in Hp strains has diminished the effectiveness of antibiotic treatments. Vaccination could potentially serve as an effective intervention to resolve this issue. AIMS: Through extensive research and analysis of the vital protein characteristics involved in Hp infection, we aim to provide references for subsequent vaccine antigen selection. Additionally, we summarize the current research and development of Hp vaccines in order to provide assistance for future research. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Utilizing the databases PubMed and the Web of Science, a comprehensive search was conducted to compile articles pertaining to Hp antigens and vaccines. The salient aspects of these articles were then summarized to provide a detailed overview of the current research landscape in this field. RESULTS: Several potential antigens have been identified and introduced through a thorough understanding of the infection process and pathogenic mechanisms of Hp. The conserved and widely distributed candidate antigens in Hp, such as UreB, HpaA, GGT, and NAP, are discussed. Proteins such as CagA and VacA, which have significant virulence effects but relatively poor conservatism, require further evaluation. Emerging antigens like HtrA and dupA have significant research value. In addition, vaccines based on these candidate antigens have been compiled and summarized. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccines are a promising method for preventing and treating Hp. While some Hp vaccines have achieved promising results, mature products are not yet available on the market. Great efforts have been directed toward developing various types of vaccines, underscoring the need for developers to select appropriate antigens and vaccine formulations to improve success rates.

[Interaction of hypertensive comorbidity patterns and social participation on depressive symptoms].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between hypertensive comorbidity patterns and social participation and depressive symptoms in middle-aged and elderly hypertensive patients. METHODS: Using the data from the 2015, 2018 and 2020 of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, 2786 middle and elderly adults aged 45 and above with hypertension were included. Data analysis was performed in Stata 17.0 statistical software, using frequency and percentage to describe baseline characteristics. The generalized estimation equation(GEE) was used to to analyze the data, and GEE was constructed with the depressive symptoms of middle and elderly people as the dependent variable. The unifactorial and multifactorial analysis of the effects of hypertensive comorbidity patterns and social participation on depressive symptoms, and the influence of the interaction between hypertensive comorbidity patterns and social participation on depressive symptoms were analyzed. RESULTS: Among the baseline characteristics of 2786 middle and older adults with hypertension, 2319(83.24%) had hypertensive comorbidity and 1558(55.92%) had social participant. The result of unifactorial GEE analysis of depressive symptoms in middle and older adults showed that the risk of depressive symptoms was higher in hypertensive comorbidity than in hypertension without comorbidity(OR=2.31, 95%CI 1.97-2.71, P<0.01), and lower in middle and older adults with social participation than in those without social participation(OR=0.71, 95%CI 0.64-0.78, P<0.01). The result of multifactorial GEE analysis of depressive symptoms in middle and older adults showed that the risk of depressive symptoms was higher in hypertensive comorbidity than in hypertension without comorbidity(OR=2.06, 95%CI 1.75-2.41, P<0.01), and lower in middle and older adults with social participation than in those without social participation(OR=0.78, 95%CI 0.70-0.87, P<0.01). Analysis of the interaction of hypertensive comorbidity and social participation on depressive symptoms in middle and older adults showed that middle and older adults with hypertensive comorbidity and no social participation had a 2.20 times higher risk of depressive symptoms than those with hypertension without comorbidity and no social participation(OR=2.20, 95%CI 1.78-2.72, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Comorbidity is severe in the hypertensive population, and social participation in the hypertensive comorbidity population may reduce the risk of developing depressive symptoms.

Correlation between obesity and early vascular aging in middle-aged and young adult health check-up populations. / ä¸­é’å¹´å¥åº·ä½“æ£€äººç¾¤è‚¥èƒ–ä¸Žæ—©å‘è¡€ç®¡è€åŒ–çš„ç›¸å ³æ€§.

OBJECTIVES: The obesity rate among middle-aged and young adults in China is increasing annually, and the incidence of cardiovascular diseases is becoming more prevalent in younger populations. However, it has not yet been reported whether obesity is associated with early vascular aging (EVA). This study aims to explore the correlation between obesity and EVA in middle-aged and young adult health check-up populations, providing a reference for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. METHODS: A total of 15 464 middle-aged and young adults aged 18-59 who completed brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) test in the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January to December 2020 were included. Among them, 1 965 individuals with normal blood pressure and no cardiovascular risk factors were selected as the healthy population. The baPWV thresholds for determining EVA in each age group for males and females were calculated based on the baPWV values of the healthy population. The number and percentage of individuals meeting the EVA criteria in the middle-aged and young adult health check-up populations were statistically analyzed by age and gender. The differences in obesity indicators [visceral adiposity index (VAI), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC)] between the EVA and non-EVA groups for males and females were compared. Using EVA as the dependent variable, VAI, BMI, and WC were included as independent variables in a Logistic model to analyze the correlation between each obesity indicator and EVA before and after adjusting for other influencing factors. Furthermore, the correlation between each obesity indicator and EVA in each age group was analyzed. RESULTS: In the health check-up populations, the detection rate of EVA in different age groups was 1.65%-10.92% for males, and 1.16%-10.50% for females, the detection rate of EVA increased with age in both males and females. Except for the 40-<50 age group, the EVA detection rate was higher in males than in females in all other age groups. Regardless of gender, obesity indicators VAI, BMI, and WC were significantly higher in the EVA group than in the non-EVA group (all P<0.01). Before and after adjusting for other influencing factors, VAI and WC were both correlated with EVA (both P<0.05). BMI was a risk factor for EVA before adjusting for other influencing factors (P<0.01), but after adjustment, the correlation between BMI and EVA was not statistically significant (P=0.05). After adjusting for other influencing factors, the correlation between VAI and EVA was statistically significant in the 18-<40 and 50-<60 age groups (both P<0.05), while the correlation between BMI and WC with EVA was not statistically significant (both P>0.05). In the 40-<50 age group, the correlation between VAI and BMI with EVA was not statistically significant (both P>0.05), but the correlation between WC and EVA was statistically significant (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: VAI is closely related to the occurrence of EVA in middle-aged and young adults aged 18-<40 and 50-<60 years, while WC is closely related to the occurrence of EVA in those aged 40-<50 years.

Fine mapping of the tiller inhibition gene TIN5 in Triticum urartu.

KEY MESSAGE: A tiller inhibition gene TIN5 was delimited to an approximate 2.1 Mb region on chromosome Tu7 that contains 24 annotated genes. Grain yield in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a polygenic trait representing many developmental processes and their interactions with the environments. Among them, tillering capacity is an important agronomic trait for plant architecture and grain yield, but the genetic basis of tiller formation in wheat remains largely unknown. In this study, we identified a tiller inhibition 5 (tin5) mutant from ethyl methane sulfonate treated G1812 (Triticum urartu Thumanjan ex Gandilyan). A mapping population was constructed with tin5/G3146. Based on the sequence differences between G1812 and G3146, large insertions and deletions (≥ 5 bp) were selected and verified, and a skeleton physical map was constructed with genome-wide 168 polymorphic InDel markers. Genetic analysis revealed that the low-tiller phenotype was controlled by a single recessive locus, which we named TIN5. This locus was mapped to a 2.1-Mb region that contained 24 annotated genes on chromosome Tu7. Among these annotated genes, only TuG1812G0700004539 showed a non-synonymous polymorphism between tin5 and the wild type. Our finding will facilitate its map-based cloning and pave the way for an in-depth analysis of the underlying genetic basis of tiller formation and regulation patterns.

Requirement and functional redundancy of two large ribonucleotide reductase subunit genes for cell cycle, chloroplast biogenesis and photosynthesis in tomato.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR), functioning in the de novo synthesis of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs), is crucial for DNA replication and cell cycle progression. In most plants, the large subunits of RNR have more than one homologous gene. However, the different functions of these homologous genes in plant development remain unknown. In this study, we obtained the mutants of two large subunits of RNR in tomato and studied their functions. METHODS: The mutant ylc1 was obtained by ethyl methyl sulfonate (EMS) treatment. Through map-based cloning, complementation and knock-out experiments, it was confirmed that YLC1 encodes a large subunit of RNR (SlRNRL1). The expression level of the genes related to cell cycle progression, chloroplast biogenesis and photosynthesis was assessed by RNA-sequencing. In addition, we knocked out SlRNRL2 (a SlRNRL1 homologue) using CRISPR-Cas9 technology in the tomato genome, and we down-regulated SlRNRL2 expression in the genetic background of slrnrl1-1 using a tobacco rattle virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) system. KEY RESULTS: The mutant slrnrl1 exhibited dwarf stature, chlorotic young leaves and smaller fruits. Physiological and transcriptomic analyses indicated that SlRNRL1 plays a crucial role in the regulation of cell cycle progression, chloroplast biogenesis and photosynthesis in tomato. The slrnrl2 mutant did not exhibit any visible phenotype. SlRNRL2 has a redundant function with SlRNRL1, and the double mutant slrnrl1slrnrl2 is lethal. CONCLUSIONS: SlRNRL1 is essential for cell cycle progression, chloroplast biogenesis and photosynthesis. In addition, SlRNRL1 and SlRNRL2 possess redundant functions and at least one of these RNRLs is required for tomato survival, growth and development.

Bioassay of ferulic acid derivatives as influenza neuraminidase inhibitors.

Four series of ferulic acid derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their neuraminidase (NA) inhibitory activities against influenza virus H1N1 in vitro. The pharmacological results showed that the majority of the target compounds exhibited moderate influenza NA inhibitory activity, which was also better than that of ferulic acid. The two most potent compounds were 1m and 4a with IC50 values of 12.77 ± 0.47 and 12.96 ± 1.34 µg/ml, respectively. On the basis of the biological results, a preliminary structure-activity relationship (SAR) was derived and discussed. Besides, molecular docking was performed to study the possible interactions of compounds 1p, 2d, 3b, and 4a with the active site of NA. It was found that the 4-OH-3-OMe group and the amide group (CON) of ferulic acid amide derivatives were two key pharmacophores for NA inhibitory activity. It is meaningful to further modify the natural product ferulic acid to improve its influenza NA inhibitory activity.

Glutamate synthase 1 is involved in iron-deficiency response and long-distance transportation in Arabidopsis.

Iron is an essential microelement for plant growth. After uptake from the soil, iron is chelated by ligands and translocated from roots to shoots for subsequent utilization. However, the number of ligands involved in iron chelation is unclear. In this study, we identified and demonstrated that GLU1, which encodes a ferredoxin-dependent glutamate synthase, was involved in iron homeostasis. First, the expression of GLU1 was strongly induced by iron deficiency condition. Second, lesion of GLU1 results in reduced transcription of many iron-deficiency-responsive genes in roots and shoots. The mutant plants revealed a decreased iron concentration in the shoots, and displayed severe leaf chlorosis under the condition of Fe limitation, compared to wild-type. Third, the product of GLU1, glutamate, could chelate iron in vivo and promote iron transportation. Last, we also found that supplementation of glutamate in the medium can alleviate cadmium toxicity in plants. Overall, our results provide evidence that GLU1 is involved in iron homeostasis through affecting glutamate synthesis under iron deficiency conditions in Arabidopsis.

Dysregulated Expression of Long Noncoding RNAs in Endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a common debilitating gynecologic disease. Almost 10% of reproductive-age women are affected by this disease; they commonly suffer pelvic pain and/or infertility. Early diagnosis of this multifactorial disease remains difficult because its etiology is not clear and the early symptoms are nonspecific. In addition, many reproductive-age women are unwilling to undergo invasive laparoscopic surgery because of the possibility of decreasing fertility. Thus, identifying biomarkers for the early diagnosis of endometriosis a key focus of current research. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a class of noncoding transcripts that have length of > 200 nucleotides and lack protein-coding ability but still influence gene expression in various ways. With advances in genome-wide analysis, researchers have determined that lncRNAs play an important role in many human diseases, particularly tumors. Moreover, the role of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of endometriosis has been continually recognized. In this review, we discuss the status of current research on dysregulated lncRNAs and their roles in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. We aim to stimulate new investigations toward the identification of lncRNAs as biomarkers for the early diagnosis and therapy of this long-term gynecological disease.

A FIT-binding protein is involved in modulating iron and zinc homeostasis in Arabidopsis.

Fe and Zn are essential micronutrients for plant growth, and the interrelationship regarding their homeostasis is very complicated. In this study, we identified a FIT-binding protein (FBP) using the yeast two-hybrid system. The C-terminus of FBP binds to the bHLH domain of FIT, abolishing the DNA-binding capacity of FIT. Knockout of FBP results in an enhanced expression of NAS genes and a higher nicotianamine content, and the fbp mutant exhibits tolerance to excessive Zn. Physiological analyses reveal that the mutant fbp retains a larger amount of Zn in roots and transfers a greater proportion of Fe to shoots than that in wild type under Zn-excessive stress. As FBP is expressed in the root stele, the negative regulation caused by sequestration of FIT is restricted to this tissue, whereas other FIT-regulated genes, such as IRT1 and FRO2, which mainly expressed in root epidermis, do not show transcriptional upregulation in the fbp mutant. As an antagonistic partner, FBP offers a new approach to spatially fine-tune the expression of genes controlled by FIT. In conclusion, our findings provide a new insight to understand the interrelationship of Fe and Zn homeostasis in plants.

Sphingobacterium solani sp. nov., isolated from potato stems.

A Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, non-spore-forming bacterium, designated MLS-26-JM13-11T, was isolated from potato stems, collected in Guyuan County, Hebei Province, China. Strain MLS-26-JM13-11T could grow at 10-39 °C (optimum, 30 °C), pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum, pH 7.2) and in the presence of 0-4.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 1.0 % w/v). Phylogenetic analysis, based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, revealed that strain MLS-26-JM13-11T formed a stable clade with Sphingobacterium bambusae IBFC2009T and Sphingobacterium griseoflavum SCU-B140T, with the 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities ranging from 95.9 % to 97.0 %. The major cellular fatty acids comprised iso-C15 : 0 (36.9 %), summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c, 34.0 %), C16 : 0 (3.0 %) and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH (13.4 %). Strain MLS-26-JM13-11T contained sphingoglycolipid, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, six unknown lipids, one unknown aminolipid, four unknown polarlipids and two unknown aminophospholipids. The isoprenoid quinone was MK-7. The DNA G+C content was 42.6 mol%. Furthermore, the average nucleotide identity and in silico estimated DNA-DNA reassociation values among MLS-26-JM13-11T and S. bambusae KCTC 22814T were in all cases below the respective threshold for species differentiation. On the basis of phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic evidence, strain MLS-26-JM13-11T (=ACCC 60057T=JCM 32274T) represents a novel species within the genus Sphingobacterium, for which the name Sphingobacterium solani sp. nov. is proposed.

Anterolateral thigh free flap for simultaneous reconstruction of digital extensor tendon and defect of the dorsal hand: A case report.

This paper describes a new technique in the repair of the hand defect with digital extensor tendon injury. The anterolateral thigh flap with the thick femoral fascia has been used in the reconstruction of the composite defect of the dorsal hand, especially the defect of tendon. This technique requires short period of treatment and hence causes less damage to the donor site but shows a better recovery of the hand function. A favorable curative effect has been obtained in this patient.

In vitro and in vivo anti-cancer activity of formononetin on human cervical cancer cell line HeLa.

Worldwide, cervical cancer (CC) is the third most common malignancy in women, and it remains a leading cause of cancer-related death of women. Genomic studies indicate that phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling is one of the most frequently deregulated pathways in several human cancers, including CC. This signaling pathway has an important role in cancer cell proliferation, survival, motility, and metabolism, and therefore could be an attractive therapeutic target. In a previous study, we used a sensitive and high-speed homogeneous assay for the detection of kinase activity and for screening of PI3K/AKT signaling inhibitors in a high-throughput screening (HTS) format and then obtain formononetin, as an O-methylated isoflavone existed in a number of plants and herbs like Astragalus membranaceus. We showed that formononetin inhibited the phosphorylation of AKT and induced the apoptosis of CC cell line HeLa in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, formononetin suppressed xenograft tumor growth in nude mice. Our results indicated that formononetin may be used as an anti-cancer drug for cervical cancer in the future.

Online Recognition of Fallen-Off Bond Wires in IGBT Modules.

As a core component of power conversion systems, insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules continually suffer from severe thermal damage caused by temperature swings and shear stress, resulting in fatigue failure. Bond wires falling off is one of the failure modes of IGBT modules. Given that the number of fallen-off bond wires is a significant parameter to evaluate the health status of the IGBT modules, this paper proposes an online identification model to recognize the number of fallen-off bond wires during normal operation. Firstly, a database containing datum Vce,on-Tj-IC (collector-emitter on-state voltage Vce,on, chip junction temperature Tj, collector current IC) planes with different fallen-off bond wires is built based on an offline aging test. Secondly, a Foster network model and a special circuit are designed to measure the junction temperature Tj and the collector-emitter on-state voltage Vce,on, respectively. Thirdly, the feature points of the IGBT module represented by Vce,on, Tj, and IC are given to the database to recognize the number of fallen-off bond wires according to the position of the feature points in the datum plane. The experimental results show that the proposed method can determine the fallen-off bond wires under the operation condition.

Screening by Q Exactive liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry identified Choline, 25-hydroxyvitamin D2, and SM(d18:0/16:1(9Z) (OH)) as biomarkers for high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) has a high death rate and poor prognosis. The main causes of poor prognosis are asymptomatic early disease, no effective screening method at present, and advanced disease. Changes in cellular metabolism are characteristic of cancer, and plasma metabolome analysis can be used to identify biomarkers. In this study, we used Q Exactive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS, QE) to compare the differentiation between plasma samples (22 HGSOC samples and 22 normal samples). In total, we detected 124 metabolites, and an orthogonal partial least-squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) model was useful to distinguish HGSOC patients from healthy controls. Choline, 25-hydroxyvitamin D2, and sphingomyelin (d18:0/16:1(9Z) (OH))/SM(d18:0/16:1(9Z) (OH)) showed significantly differential plasma levels in HGSOC patients under the conditions of variable importance in projection (VIP) > 1, p < 0.05 using Student's t-test, and fold change (FC)  ≥ 1.5 or ≤ 0.667. Metabolic pathway analysis can provide valuable information to enhance the understanding of the underlying pathophysiology of HGSOC. In conclusion, the Q Exactive LC/MS/MS method validation-based plasma metabolomics approach may have potential as a convenient screening method for HGSOC and may be a method to monitor tumor recurrence in patients with HGSOC after surgery SIGNIFICANCE: High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) has a high death rate and poor prognosis. The main causes of poor prognosis are asymptomatic early disease, no effective screening method at present, and advanced disease. Changes in cellular metabolism are characteristic of cancer, and plasma metabolome analysis can be used to identify biomarkers. In this study, we used Q Exactive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS, QE) to compare the differentiation between plasma samples (20 HGSOC samples and 20 normal samples). In total, we detected 124 metabolites, and an orthogonal partial least-squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) model was useful to distinguish HGSOC patients from healthy controls. Choline, 25-hydroxyvitamin D2, and sphingomyelin (d18:0/16:1(9Z) (OH))/SM(d18:0/16:1(9Z) (OH)) showed significantly differential plasma levels in HGSOC patients under the conditions of variable importance in projection (VIP) > 1, p < 0.05 using Student's t-test, and fold change (FC) ≥ 1.5 or ≤ 0.667. Metabolic pathway analysis can provide valuable information to enhance the understanding of the underlying pathophysiology of HGSOC. In conclusion, the Q Exactive LC/MS/MS method validation-based plasma metabolomics approach may have potential as a convenient screening method for HGSOC and may be a method to monitor tumor recurrence in patients with HGSOC after surgery.

Design of a Helicobacter pylori multi-epitope vaccine based on immunoinformatics.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is an infectious bacterium that colonizes the stomach of approximately half of the global population. It has been classified as a Group I carcinogen by the World Health Organization due to its strong association with an increased incidence of gastric cancer and exacerbation of stomach diseases. The primary treatment for H. pylori infection currently involves triple or quadruple therapy, primarily consisting of antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors. However, the increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance poses significant challenges to this approach, underscoring the urgent need for an effective vaccine. In this study, a novel multi-epitope H. pylori vaccine was designed using immunoinformatics. The vaccine contains epitopes derived from nine essential proteins. Software tools and online servers were utilized to predict, evaluate, and analyze the physiochemical properties, secondary and tertiary structures, and immunogenicity of the candidate vaccine. These comprehensive assessments ultimately led to the formulation of an optimal design scheme for the vaccine. Through constructing a novel multi-epitope vaccine based on immunoinformatics, this study offers promising prospects and great potential for the prevention of H. pylori infection. This study also provides a reference strategy to develop multi-epitope vaccines for other pathogens.

Systemic Inflammatory Indicators and Risk of Incident Metabolically Unhealthy Phenotype.

Objective: This retrospective cohort study was designed to evaluate the association between eight systemic inflammation indicators at baseline and the metabolically unhealthy (MU) phenotype after two years of follow-up. Methods: Participants were defined as metabolically healthy (MH) if they met 0-2 of the criteria and metabolically unhealthy (MU) if they met ≥ 3 of the criteria. A many of 4175 subjects aged 20-80 years with a metabolically healthy (MH) phenotype at baseline were enrolled in the study. We compared the clinical characteristics between women and men enrolled at baseline according to the metabolic phenotype at follow-up. The associations between baseline inflammation indicators and MU status at follow-up were evaluated using logistic regression analysis. Results: 922 (22.08%) developed new-onset MU symptoms during follow-up. Logistic regression analysis found that most inflammation indicators were significantly associated with MU phenotype at follow-up, aside from the LMR and SII. After adjusting for potential confounders, only the correlations between CRP level, neutrophil count, and MU phenotype reached significance. In comparison to the control group with a CRP of <0.50 mg/L, the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were 1.61 (1.25-2.09), 1.49 (1.15-1.94), and 1.68 (1.30-2.18) for individuals with CRP levels of 0.50-0.90 mg/L, 0.91-1.72 mg/L, and above 1.72 mg/L, respectively. In the population with a neutrophil count <5.00 ×109 cells/L, the neutrophil count correlated positively and significantly with the MU phenotype. In comparison to the control group with a neutrophil count of <2.75 × 109 cells/L, the ORs and 95% CIs were 1.65 (1.30-2.09) in the population with neutrophil count >4.17 × 109 cells/L. Conclusion: CRP and neutrophil counts positively correlated with the risk of MU phenotype in Chinese subjects. These composite inflammatory markers (NLR, PLR, LMR, and SII) provide limited advantages for predicting MU risks compared to CRP.

Longitudinal relationship between grip strength and cognitive function in a European population older than 50 years: A cross-lagged panel model.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the dynamic longitudinal relationship between grip strength and cognitive function. METHODS: 6175 participants aged ≥50 years were included in the study using three waves of follow-up data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe in 2015 (T1), 2017 (T2) and 2019 (T3). Cognitive function was assessed using numeracy, verbal fluency, immediate recall, delayed recall and total. The cross-lagged panel model was used for analysis. RESULTS: There was a correlation between grip strength and cognitive function. Standardized path coefficient from numeracy T1 to grip strength T2 was 0.017 (p = 0.003), and from numeracy T2 to grip strength T3 was 0.014 (p = 0.012). Standardized path coefficient from grip strength T1 to numeracy T2 was 0.096 (p < 0.001), and from grip strength T2 to numeracy T3 was 0.113 (p < 0.001). Other indicators of cognitive function had similar relationships with grip strength. CONCLUSIONS: The study found a statistically significant longitudinal and bidirectional relationship between grip strength and cognitive function in a sample of people aged ≥50 years from several European countries.

Conditional survival of male breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of male breast cancer has been increasing in recent years; however, the long-term survival outcomes of diagnosed patients remain uncertain. This study was designed to evaluate the conditional survival of male breast cancer patients and to predict the future survival of patients through the conditional nomogram, to provide important suggestions for clinical decision-making. METHODS: Retrospective data from the SEER database included 3600 male breast cancer patients, divided into training and validation groups (7 : 3 ratio). Overall survival rates were calculated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Conditional survival analysis described survival at specific years. Time-dependent multivariate Cox analysis identified prognostic factors' impact. The conditional survival nomogram model predicted real-time survival rates. RESULTS: Over time, the 5-year real-time survival rate of patients gradually improved, increasing from 70.5 to 74.8, 79.4, 85.8, and 92.9% (respectively, representing 5-year survival rates of 1-4 years after diagnosis). In addition, the improvement in conditional survival rate CS5 showed a nonlinear trend. After 5 years of diagnosis, age, tumor size, and tumor stage had a sustained impact on patient prognosis. Finally, a conditional survival nomogram was constructed to predict the 10-year survival rate in real time. CONCLUSION: Five years after diagnosis, the conditional survival rate of male patients with breast cancer has improved, but it is not nonlinear. In the first 5 years after diagnosis, patients with older age, larger tumor size, poorer tumor stage, and distant metastasis should be actively followed up and treated to improve their long-term survival.