Association of single-point insulin sensitivity estimator index (SPISE) with future cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes.

AIMS: To investigate the association of single-point insulin sensitivity estimator (SPISE) index with future cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: SPISE index (= 600 × high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [mg/dL]0.185/triglycerides [mg/dL]0.2 × body mass index [kg/m2]1.338) was calculated in 10 190 participants. Cox proportional hazard regression models were applied to evaluate the association between SPISE index and future cardiovascular outcomes. Restricted cubic spline analyses and two-piecewise linear regression models were employed to explore the nonlinear association and to determine the threshold value. Subgroup and interaction analyses were conducted to test the robustness of the results. RESULTS: After fully adjusting for well-established metabolic confounders, higher SPISE index was significantly associated with lower risk of future cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes (major adverse cardiovascular event [MACE]): hazard ratio [HR] 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.90-0.98, p = 0.0026; overall mortality: HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.86-0.93, p < 0.0001; cardiovascular disease [CVD] mortality: HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.79-0.92, p < 0.0001; congestive heart failure (CHF): HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.67-0.78, p < 0.0001; major coronary events: HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.87-0.95, p < 0.0001. There was a nonlinear association between SPISE index and future cardiovascular outcomes (the threshold value was 5.68 for MACE, 5.71 for overall mortality, 4.64 for CVD mortality, 4.48 for CHF, and 6.09 for major coronary events, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Higher SPISE index was independently associated with lower risk of future cardiovascular outcomes in type 2 diabetes patients after full adjustment for well-established metabolic confounders.

Characteristics of the White Matter Structural Network in Individuals with Subjective Cognitive Decline with and without APOEε4 Based on Graph Theory Study.

PURPOSE: To determine whether individuals with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) have changes in whole-brain network characteristics and intracerebral node characteristics in the structural network, and whether there is a difference between SCD with and without Apolipoprotein E4 (APOEε4). METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 36 individuals without SCD without APOEε4 (healthy control, HC group), 21 individuals with SCD with APOEε4 (APOEε4+ group), and 33 individuals with SCD without APOEε4 (APOEε4- group). The white matter structural network was constructed using the fractional anisotropy (FA) based deterministic fiber tracking method. Graph theory was used to analyze the whole-brain network characteristics and intracerebral node characteristics of the three groups. RESULTS: Regarding the whole-brain network characteristics, all three groups exhibited small-worldness in their structural networks. The clustering coefficient (Cp) and local efficiency (Eloc) in the APOEε4+ and APOEε4- groups were significantly lower than in the HC group (p < 0.05), but no significant difference in Cp or Eloc was observed between the APOEε4+ and APOEε4- groups. Regarding intracerebral node characteristics, there were significant differences in some brain regions, mainly the default mode network (DMN), the occipital lobe, the temporal lobe, and subcortical regions. The change in intracerebral node characteristics was different between the APOEε4+ group and the APOEε4- group. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with SCD demonstrate changes in whole-brain network characteristics and intracerebral node characteristics in the structural network. Moreover, differences exist between APOEε4+ and APOEε4- individuals.

The effect of O-antigen length determinant wzz on the immunogenicity of Salmonella Typhimurium for Escherichia coli O2 O-polysaccharides delivery.

Attenuated Salmonella Typhimurium is a promising antigen delivery system for live vaccines such as polysaccharides. The length of polysaccharides is a well-known key factor in modulating the immune response induced by glycoconjugates. However, the relationship between the length of Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O-antigen (OAg) and the immunogenicity of S. Typhimurium remains unclear. In this study, we assessed the effect of OAg length determined by wzzST on Salmonella colonization, cell membrane permeability, antimicrobial activity, and immunogenicity by comparing the S. Typhimurium wild-type ATCC14028 strain to those with various OAg lengths of the ΔwzzST mutant and ΔwzzST::wzzECO2. The analysis of the OAg length distribution revealed that, except for the very long OAg, the short OAg length of 2-7 repeat units (RUs) was obtained from the ΔwzzST mutant, the intermediate OAg length of 13-21 RUs was gained from ΔwzzST::wzzECO2, and the long OAg length of over 20 RUs was gained from the wild-type. In addition, we found that the OAg length affected Salmonella colonization, cell permeability, and antibiotic resistance. Immunization of mice revealed that shortening the OAg length by altering wzzST had an effect on serum bactericidal ability, complement deposition, and humoral immune response. S. Typhimurium mutant strain ΔwzzST::wzzECO2 possessed good immunogenicity and was the optimum option for delivering E. coli O2 O-polysaccharides. Furthermore, the attenuated strain ATCC14028 ΔasdΔcrpΔcyaΔrfbPΔwzzST::wzzECO2-delivered E. coli O2 OAg gene cluster outperforms the ATCC14028 ΔasdΔcrpΔcyaΔrfbP in terms of IgG eliciting, cytokine expression, and immune protection in chickens. This study sheds light on the role of OAg length in Salmonella characteristics, which may have a potential application in optimizing the efficacy of delivered polysaccharide vaccines.

Pterostilbene could alleviate diabetic cognitive impairment by suppressing TLR4/NF-кB pathway through microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Diabetic cognitive impairment (DCI) is a serious neurodegenerative disorder caused by diabetes, with chronic inflammation being a crucial factor in its pathogenesis. Pterostilbene is a well-known natural stilbene derivative that has excellent anti-inflammatory activity, suggesting its potential medicinal advantages for treating DCI. Therefore, this study is to explore the beneficial effects of pterostilbene for improving cognitive dysfunction in DCI mice. A diabetic model was induced by a high-fat diet plus streptozotocin (40 mg·kg-1 ) for consecutive 5 days. After the animals were confirmed to be in a diabetic state, they were treated with pterostilbene (20 or 60 mg·kg-1 , i.g.) for 10 weeks. Pharmacological evaluation showed pterostilbene could ameliorate cognitive dysfunction, regulate glycolipid metabolism disorders, improve neuronal damage, and reduce the accumulation of ß-amyloid in DCI mice. Pterostilbene alleviated neuroinflammation by suppressing oxidative stress and carbonyl stress damage, astrocyte and microglia activation, and dopaminergic neuronal loss. Further investigations showed that pterostilbene reduced the level of lipopolysaccharide, modulated colon and brain TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathways, and decreased the release of inflammatory factors, which in turn inhibited intestinal inflammation and neuroinflammation. Furthermore, pterostilbene could also improve the homeostasis of intestinal microbiota, increase the levels of short-chain fatty acids and their receptors, and suppress the loss of intestinal tight junction proteins. In addition, the results of plasma non-targeted metabolomics revealed that pterostilbene could modulate differential metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with inflammation, thereby suppressing systemic inflammation in DCI mice. Collectively, our study found for the first time that pterostilbene could alleviate diabetic cognitive dysfunction by inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB pathway through the microbiota-gut-brain axis, which may be one of the potential mechanisms for its neuroprotective effects.

Association of fasting blood glucose to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio with short-term outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Biochemical markers are crucial for determining risk in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients; however, the relationship between fasting blood glucose to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (FG/HDL-C) ratio and short-term outcomes in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients remains unknown. Therefore, we have investigated the relationship between the FG/HDL-C ratio and short-term outcomes in ACS patients. METHODS: We used data from a pragmatic, stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized clinical trial to perform a post hoc analysis. A total of 11,284 individuals with ACS were subdivided into quartiles according to their FG/HDL-C ratios. We used a multivariate logistic regression model, two-piecewise linear regression model, and generalized additive model (GAM) to evaluate the relationship between the FG/HDL-C ratio and short-term outcomes (major adverse cardiovascular events [MACEs] and cardiovascular [CV] death within 30 days). RESULTS: The FG/HDL-C ratio was remarkably linked to an enhanced risk of MACEs and CV death in individuals with ACS in the highest quartile (MACEs, odds ratio [OR]: 1.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], [1.11, 1.99]; P < 0.01; CV death, OR: 1.69; 95% CI, [1.01, 1.41]; P = 0.04). The GAM suggested that the relationship between the FG/HDL-C ratio and MACEs and CV death was non-linear. The two-piecewise linear regression model demonstrated that the threshold values were 3.02 and 3.00 for MACEs and CV death, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A higher FG/HDL-C ratio is associated with a higher risk of MACEs and CV death in patients with ACS.

Factors influencing the implementation of a pilot smoking cessation intervention among migrant workers in Chinese factories: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Tobacco control intervention with Chinese internal migrants, especially those working in factories has rarely been investigated. This study aims to identify aids and barriers to implementing a comprehensive pilot intervention aimed at reducing smoking among migrant workers working in factories in China. METHOD: Twenty in-depth interviews were conducted 3 months into the intervention, with managers, migrant workers and team leaders in two factories, where the pilot intervention was implemented, in Zhongshan city in Guangdong, a southern Chinese province. Data analysis was based on the thematic approach. RESULTS: This study identifies the societal, individual and programmatic factors that could influence the implementation of a pilot smoking cessation intervention among migrant workers in the two Chinese factories. At the societal level, social customs and relationships where smoking is seen as essential in social communications was the most important barrier to the implementation of smoking cessation intervention. At the individual level, migrant-related features such as low education, high mobility and poor integration with local residents, together with poor health beliefs and attitudes added to the challenges of implementing smoking cessation intervention. At the programmatic level, the role of small-team leaders was generally positive, although limited due to their busy work patterns and poor powers of enforcement. CONCLUSION: Achieving successful smoking cessation intervention in factories could be challenging with many migrants, as multi-level factors including social context, intervention delivery, individual and migrants' characteristics play an important role in shaping the implementation of the intervention. Our study suggests the importance of tailoring interventions for the migrant factory workers. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR-OPC-17011637 at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. Retrospectively registered on 12th June 2017.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of a multi-dimensional intervention to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for children with upper respiratory tract infections in China.

BACKGROUND: We developed a multifaceted intervention to reduce antibiotic prescription rate for children with upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) among primary care doctors in township hospitals in China. The intervention achieved a 29% (95% CI 16-42) absolute risk reduction in antibiotic prescribing. This study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of our intervention at reducing antibiotic prescribing in rural primary care facilities as measured by the intervention's effect on the antibiotic prescription rates for childhood URTIs. METHODS: We took a healthcare provider perspective, measuring costs of consultation (time cost of doctor), prescription monitoring process and peer-review meetings (time cost of participants) and medication costs. Costs on provider side were collected through a bespoke questionnaire from all 25 township hospitals in December 2016, while medication costs were collected prospectively in the trial. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were calculated by dividing the mean difference in cost of the two trial arms by the mean difference in antibiotic prescribing rate. RESULTS: This showed an incremental cost of $0.03 per percentage point reduction in antibiotic prescribing. In addition to this incremental cost, the cost of implementing the intervention, including training and materials delivered by township hospitals, was $390.65 (SD $145.68) per healthcare facility. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that a multifaceted intervention programme, when embedded into routine practice, is very cost-effective at reducing antibiotic prescribing in primary care facilities and has the potential of scale up in similar resource limited settings.

A preliminary exploration of plain-film radiography in scapular dyskinesis evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Evaluation of scapular dyskinesis is of clinical interest because it is believed to be associated with pathologies of the shoulder. This study investigated the feasibility of plain-film radiography in evaluating scapular dyskinesis. METHODS: Subjects with unilateral disorders of the shoulder (n = 186) who underwent plain-film radiography of bilateral scapulae were divided into 4 categories of scapular dyskinesis patterns according to the Kibler classification and analyzed. Coracoid upward shift distance (CUSD), length of the scapular spine line (LSS), and scapular upward rotation angle (SURA) were measured on the radiographs. Intrarater and inter-rater reliability were tested, and the characteristics of these parameters in each type were analyzed. The differences (d) between bilateral scapulae (d-CUSD, d-LSS, and d-SURA) among the 4 categories were compared. RESULTS: Intrarater and inter-rater reliability were excellent for all parameters. Significant differences between the scapulae were observed in CUSD in type I and in LSS in type II categories. No significant difference in any of the parameters was found in type III. Compared with the other categories, d-CUSD in type I and d-LSS in type II were significantly larger. The cutoff values of d-CUSD and d-LSS were 1.1 mm and 1.2 mm, respectively. No significant difference in d-SURA was found among the 4 categories. CONCLUSIONS: The measurement of CUSD, LSS, and SURA on plain-film radiography had excellent reliability. d-CUSD and d-LSS were characteristic parameters of type I and type II, respectively; however, type III had no distinguishing characteristics among the parameters.

Overexpression of Porcine Beta-Defensin 2 Enhances Resistance to Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae Infection in Pigs.

To reduce the need for antibiotics in animal production, alternative approaches are needed to control infection. We hypothesized that overexpression of native defensin genes will provide food animals with enhanced resistance to bacterial infections. In this study, recombinant porcine beta-defensin 2 (PBD-2) was overexpressed in stably transfected PK-15 porcine kidney cells. PBD-2 antibacterial activities against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, an important respiratory pathogen causing porcine contagious pleuropneumonia, were evaluated on agar plates. Transgenic pigs constitutively overexpressing PBD-2 were produced by a somatic cell cloning method, and their resistance to bacterial infection was evaluated by direct or cohabitation infection with A. pleuropneumoniae. Recombinant PBD-2 peptide that was overexpressed in the PK-15 cells showed antibacterial activity against A. pleuropneumoniae. PBD-2 was overexpressed in the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, and jejunum of the transgenic pigs, which showed significantly lower bacterial loads in the lungs and reduced lung lesions after direct or cohabitation infection with A. pleuropneumoniae. The results demonstrate that transgenic overexpression of PBD-2 in pigs confers enhanced resistance against A. pleuropneumoniae infection.

[Application of three dimensional model in treatment of superolateral dislocation of mandibular condyle].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the application of three-dimensional jaw model in treatment of superolateral dislocation of condyle. METHODS: Nine patients with superolateral dislocation of condyle and symphyseal fractures were admitted in hospital from June 2008 to June 2013. Spiral CT scan on maxilla and mandible was performed，and three-dimensional jaw model was constructed with rapid prototyping technology. According to conditions of condylar superolateral dislocation model，the operation scheme was designed. The symphyseal fracture line was made and fracture was reduced on three-dimensional jaw model. Individualized prefabricated reconstructive titanium plate was made on symphyseal fracture model. Symphyseal fracture was replaced with individualized prefabricated mandibular reconstruction titanium plate according to occlusal relationship. At the same time，reduction of condylar superolateral dislocation was accomplished. RESULTS: Operations were successfully completed in 9 cases under guidance of three dimensional jaw model surgery. Operative incision was primarily healed，and occlusal relationship was restored. Postoperative CT scan showed that the locations of condyle in 9 cases were completely restored. Patients were followed-up for 6-28 months with a median of 18 months. The maximum of mouth opening was 3.1- 4.2 cm with a medians of 3.3 cm，and the occlusal relationship of all patients was normal after surgery. CONCLUSION: Three-dimensional jaw model can show complete status of condylar superolateral dislocation and symphyseal fracture. The model can accurately shape symphyseal reconstructive titanium plate and restore condylar superolateral dislocation during reductive surgery.

Association of Urine Albumin to Creatinine Ratio With Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

CONTEXT: The urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR) is a widely used indicator of albuminuria and has predictive value for adverse cardiovascular events. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the correlation between the UACR and the risk of developing major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and total mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: This post hoc analysis included 10 171 participants from the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) study and the ACCORD follow-up study (ACCORDION) with baseline UACR data. The natural logarithm (ln) of each UACR measurement was calculated. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between the UACR and the risk of MACEs and total mortality. The additional predictive value of UACR was further evaluated. Similar methods were used to analyze the correlation between the UACR and MACEs and total mortality within the normal range. RESULTS: During a median follow-up period of 8.83 years, 1808 (17.78%) participants experienced MACEs, and there were 1934 (19.01%) total deaths. After adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors, the multivariate analysis revealed a significant association between the UACR and the risk of MACEs and total mortality. The inclusion of UACR in the conventional risk model enhanced the predictive efficacy for MACEs and total mortality. CONCLUSION: An elevated UACR is associated with a higher risk of MACEs and total mortality in patients with T2DM, even when it falls within the normal range. The UACR improves prediction of MACE and total mortality risk in patients with T2DM.

Protective role of hydrogen sulfide against diabetic cardiomyopathy by inhibiting pyroptosis and myocardial fibrosis.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) contributes significantly to the heightened mortality rate observed among diabetic patients, with myocardial fibrosis (MF) being a pivotal element in the disease's progression. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been shown to mitigate MF, but the specific underlying mechanisms have yet to be thoroughly understood. A connection has been established between the evolution of DCM and the incidence of cardiomyocyte pyroptosis. Our research offers insights into H2S protective impact and its probable mode of action against DCM, analyzed through the lens of MF. In this study, a diabetic rat model was developed using intraperitoneal injections of streptozotocin (STZ), and hyperglycemia-stimulated cardiomyocytes were employed to replicate the cellular environment of DCM. There was a marked decline in the expression of cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE), a catalyst for H2S synthesis, in both the STZ-induced diabetic rats and hyperglycemia-stimulated cardiomyocytes. Experimental results in vivo indicated that H2S ameliorates MF and enhances cardiac functionality in diabetic rats by mitigating cardiomyocyte pyroptosis. In vitro assessments highlighted the induction of cardiomyocyte pyroptosis and the subsequent decline in cell viability under hyperglycemic conditions. However, the administration of sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) curtailed cardiomyocyte pyroptosis and augmented cell viability. In contrast, propargylglycine (PAG), a CSE inhibitor, reversed the effects rendered by NaHS administration. Additional exploration indicated that the mitigating effect of H2S on cardiomyocyte pyroptosis is modulated through the ROS/NLRP3 pathway. In essence, our findings corroborate the potential of H2S in alleviating MF in diabetic subjects. This therapeutic effect is likely attributable to the regulation of cardiomyocyte pyroptosis via the ROS/NLRP3 pathway. This discovery furnishes a prospective therapeutic target for the amelioration and management of MF associated with diabetes.

Impaired effective functional connectivity in the social preference of children with autism spectrum disorder.

Background: The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), amygdala (Amyg), and nucleus accumbens (NAc) have been identified as critical players in the social preference of individuals with ASD. However, the specific pathophysiological mechanisms underlying this role requires further clarification. In the current study, we applied Granger Causality Analysis (GCA) to investigate the neural connectivity of these three brain regions of interest (ROIs) in patients with ASD, aiming to elucidate their associations with clinical features of the disorder. Methods: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data were acquired from the ABIDE II database, which included 37 patients with ASD and 50 typically developing (TD) controls. The mPFC, Amyg, and NAc were defined as ROIs, and the differences in fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) within the ROIs between the ASD and TD groups were computed. Subsequently, we employed GCA to investigate the bidirectional effective connectivity between the ROIs and the rest of the brain. Finally, we explored whether this effective connectivity was associated with the social responsiveness scale (SRS) scores of children with ASD. Results: The fALFF values in the ROIs were reduced in children with ASD when compared to the TD group. In terms of the efferent connectivity from the ROIs to the whole brain, the ASD group exhibited increased connectivity in the right cingulate gyrus and decreased connectivity in the right superior temporal gyrus. Regarding the afferent connectivity from the whole brain to the ROIs, the ASD group displayed increased connectivity in the right globus pallidus and decreased connectivity in the right cerebellar Crus 1 area and left cingulate gyrus. Additionally, we demonstrated a positive correlation between effective connectivity derived from GCA and SRS scores. Conclusion: Impairments in social preference ASD children is linked to impaired effective connectivity in brain regions associated with social cognition, emotional responses, social rewards, and social decision-making. This finding further reveals the potential neuropathological mechanisms underlying ASD.

Prediction of disease progression in individuals with subjective cognitive decline using brain network analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to explore potential differences in brain functional networks at baseline between individuals with progressive subjective cognitive decline (P-SCD) and stable subjective cognitive decline (S-SCD), as well as to identify potential indicators that can effectively distinguish between P-SCD and S-SCD. METHODS: Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database was utilized to enroll SCD individuals with a follow-up period of over 3 years. This study included 39 individuals with S-SCD, 15 individuals with P-SCD, and 45 cognitively normal (CN) individuals. Brain functional networks were constructed based on the AAL template, and graph theory analysis was performed to determine the topological properties. RESULTS: For global metric, the S-SCD group exhibited stronger small-worldness with reduced connectivity among nearby nodes and accelerated compensatory information transfer capacity. For nodal efficiency, the S-SCD group showed increased connectivity in bilateral posterior cingulate gyri (PCG). However, for nodal local efficiency, the P-SCD group exhibited significantly reduced connectivity in the right cerebellar Crus I compared with the S-SCD group. CONCLUSION: There are differences in brain functional networks at baseline between P-SCD and S-SCD groups. Furthermore, the right cerebellar Crus I region may be a potentially useful brain area to distinguish between P-SCD and S-SCD.

Causes and management strategies for elevated intraocular pressure after implantable collamer lens implantation.

With the widespread application of Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) implantation surgery in the field of myopia correction, a comprehensive understanding of its potential complications, especially those related to intraocular pressure (IOP), becomes crucial. This article systematically reviews various complications that may lead to IOP elevation after ICL surgery. Firstly, common complications after ICL surgery, including residual viscoelastic, steroid response, and excessive vault of the ICL, are detailed, emphasizing their potential impact on intraocular pressure. Regarding residual viscoelastic, we delve into its direct relationship with postoperative elevated IOP and possible preventive measures. For steroid response, we stress the importance of timely adjustment of steroid therapy and monitoring intraocular pressure. Additionally, excessive vault of the ICL is considered a significant potential issue, and we elaborate on its mechanism and possible management methods. In further discussion, we focus on relatively rare complications such as Toxic Anterior Segment Syndrome (TASS), Urrets-Zavalia Syndrome (UZS), Pigment Dispersion Syndrome (PDS), and malignant glaucoma. For these relatively rare complications, this review thoroughly explores their potential mechanisms, emphasizes the importance of prevention, and provides guidance for early diagnosis and treatment. This is a comprehensible review that aims to offer eye care professionals a comprehensive understanding and effective management guidance for complications of elevated IOP after ICL surgery, ultimately providing optimal care for patients' visual health.

Alterations of White Matter Connectivity in Adults with Essential Hypertension.

Purpose: To explore the topology of the white matter network in individuals with essential hypertension by graph theory. Patients and Methods: T1-weighted image and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data from 43 patients diagnosed with essential hypertension (EHT) and 33 individuals with normotension (healthy controls, HCs) were incorporated in this cross-sectional study. Furthermore, structural networks were constructed by graph theory to calculate whole brain network characteristics and intracerebral node characteristics. Results: Both EHT and HC groups displayed small-worldness in their structural networks. The area under the curve (AUC) of the small-worldness coefficient (σ) was higher in the EHT group compared to the HC group, whereas the AUC of assortativity was lower in the EHT group in contrast to the HC group. The nodal clustering coefficient (CP) and local efficiency (Eloc) of the EHT group decreased in the right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus and the left medial superior frontal gyrus. These values increased in the left anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyrus. Furthermore, weight and body mass index (BMI) were positively correlated with σ. Conclusion: The EHT group showed brain network separation and integration dysfunction. Weight and BMI were positively correlated with σ. The data acquired in this investigation implied that altered structural connectivity in the prefrontal region may be a potential neuroimaging marker in EHT patients.

Altered effective connectivity on rapid automatized naming deficits in Chinese children with developmental dyslexia: An rs-fMRI study with Ganger causality analysis.

Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) is the core defect of developmental dyslexia (DD), requiring collaboration among brain areas to complete. However, it's still unclear which effective connectivity (EC) among brain areas are crucial for RAN deficits in Chinses children with DD. The current study aims to explore the EC among brain areas related to RAN deficits in Chinese children with DD. We recruited 36 Chinese children with DD and 64 typically developing (TD) children aged 8-12 to complete resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scan. Granger causality analysis (GCA) was employed to analysis the EC among brain areas related to RAN, and to calculate the relationship between EC and RAN scores. Compared to TD group, the DD group exhibited significantly decreased EC from left precentral gyrus (PG) to right precuneus, left anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyrus (ACG), left calcarine and right angular, from left middle frontal gyrus (MFG) to left calcarine. Additionally, the DD group showed increased EC from right cuneus to left inferior frontal gyrus triangular part (IFGtri). The EC from left PG to left ACG was positively correlated with letters-RAN score. The results showed Chinese children with DD had both defect and compensatory mechanisms for their RAN deficits. The decreased EC output from left PG may be the core problem of the RAN deficits, which may influence the integration of visual-spatial information, attention, memory retrieval, and speech motor in speech production. The current study has important clinic implications for establishing intervention measures targeted brain.

HylS', a fragment of truncated hyaluronidase of Streptococcus suis, contributes to immune evasion by interaction with host complement factor C3b.

Pathogenic bacteria have evolved many strategies to evade surveillance and attack by complements. Streptococcus suis is an important zoonotic pathogen that infects humans and pigs. Hyaluronidase (HylA) has been reported to be a potential virulence factor of S. suis. However, in this study, it was discovered that the genomic region encoding HylA of the virulent S. suis strain SC19 and other ST1 strains was truncated into four fragments when aligned with a strain containing intact HylA and possessing hyaluronidase activity. As a result, SC19 had no hyaluronidase activity, but one truncated HylA fragment, designated as HylS,' directly interacted with complement C3b, as confirmed by western ligand blotting, pull-down, and ELISA assays. The deposition of C3b and membrane attack complex (MAC) formation on the surface of a HylS'-deleted mutant (ΔhylS') was significantly increased compared to wild-type SC19. In human sera and whole blood, ΔhylS' survival was significantly reduced compared to that in SC19. The resistance of ΔhylS' to macrophages and human polymorphonuclear neutrophil PMNs also decreased. In a mouse infection model, ΔhylS' showed reduced lethality and lower bacterial load in the organs compared to that of SC19. We conclude that the truncated hyaluronidase HylS' fragment contributes to complement evasion and the pathogenesis of S. suis.

Analytical validation of the DropXpert S6 system for diagnosis of chronic myelocytic leukemia.

Digital PCR is a powerful method for absolute nucleic acid quantification and is widely used in the absolute quantification of viral copy numbers, tumor marker detection, and prenatal diagnosis. However, for most of the existing droplet-based dPCR systems, the droplet generation, PCR reaction, and droplet detection are performed separately using different instruments. Making digital PCR both easy to use and practical by integrating the qPCR workflow into a superior all-in-one walkaway solution is one of the core ideas. A new innovative and integrated digital droplet PCR platform was developed that utilizes cutting-edge microfluidics to integrate dPCR workflows onto a single consumable chip. This makes previously complex workflows fast and simple; the whole process of droplet generation, PCR amplification, and droplet detection is completed on one chip, which meets the clinical requirement of "sample in, result out". It provides high multiplexing capabilities and strong sensitivity while all measurements were within the 95% confidence interval. This study is the first validation of the DropXpert S6 system and focuses primarily on verifying its reliability, repeatability, and consistency. In addition, the accuracy, detection limit, linearity, and precision of the system were evaluated after sample collection. Among them, the accuracy assessment by calculating the absolute bias of each target gene yielded a range from -0.1 to 0.08, all within ±0.5 logarithmic orders of magnitude; the LOB for the assay was set at 0, and the LoD value calculated using probit curves is MR4.7 (0.002%); the linearity evaluation showed that the R2 value of the BCR-ABL was 0.9996, and the R2 value of the ABL metrics calculated using the ERM standard was 0.9999; and the precision evaluation showed that all samples had a CV of less than 4% for intra-day, inter-day, and inter-instrument variation. The CV of inter-batch variation was less than 7%. The total CV was less than 5%. The results of the study demonstrate that dd-PCR can be applied to molecular detection and the clinical evaluation of CML patients and provide more precise personal treatment guidance, and its reproducibility predicts the future development of a wide range of clinical applications.

Streptococcus suis subtilisin-like serine proteases SspA-1 and SspA-2 interplay with complement C3a and C5a to facilitate bacterial immune evasion and infection.

Streptococcus suis (S. suis), a significant zoonotic bacterial pathogen impacting swine and human, is associated with severe systemic diseases such as streptococcal toxic shock-like syndrome, meningitis, septicaemia, and abrupt fatality. The multifaceted roles of complement components C5a and C3a extend to orchestrating inflammatory cells recruitment, oxidative burst induction, and cytokines release. Despite the pivotal role of subtilisin-like serine proteases in S. suis pathogenicity, their involvement in immune evasion remains underexplored. In the present study, we identify two cell wall-anchored subtilisin-like serine proteases in S. suis, SspA-1 and SspA-2, as binding partners for C3a and C5a. Through Co-Immunoprecipitation, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent and Far-Western Blotting Assays, we validate their interactions with the aforementioned components. However, SspA-1 and SspA-2 have no cleavage activity against complement C3a and C5a performed by Cleavage assay. Chemotaxis assays reveal that recombinant SspA-1 and SspA-2 effectively attenuate monocyte chemotaxis towards C3a and C5a. Notably, the ΔsspA-1, ΔsspA-1, and ΔsspA-1/2 mutant strains exhibit compromised survival in blood, and resistance of opsonophagocytosis, alongside impaired survival in blood and in vivo colonization compared to the parental strain SC-19. Critical insights from the murine and Galleria mellonella larva infection models further underscore the significance of sspA-1 in altering mortality rates. Collectively, our findings indicate that SspA-1 and SspA-2 are novel binding proteins for C3a and C5a, thereby shedding light on their pivotal roles in S. suis immune evasion and the pathogenesis.