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A plethora of studies have reported the associations between microbiota and multiple diseases, leading to the development of at least four databases to demonstrate microbiota-disease associations, i.e., gutMDisorder, mBodyMap, Gmrepo, and Amadis. Moreover, gut microbiota mediates drug efficacy and toxicity, whereas a comprehensive database to elucidate the microbiota-drug associations is lacking. Here, we report an open-access knowledge base, MADET (Microbiomics of Anticancer Drug Efficacy and Toxicity), which harbors 483 manually annotated microbiota-drug associations from 26 studies. MADET provides user-friendly functions allowing users to freely browse, search, and download data conveniently from the database. Users can customize their search filters in MADET using different types of keywords, including bacterial name (e.g., Akkermansia muciniphila), anticancer treatment (e.g., anti-PD-1 therapy), and cancer type (e.g., lung cancer) with different types of experimental evidence of microbiota-drug association and causation. We have also enabled user submission to further enrich the data documented in MADET. The MADET database is freely available at https://www.madet.info. We anticipate that MADET will serve as a useful resource for a better understanding of microbiota-drug associations and facilitate the future development of novel biomarkers and live biotherapeutic products for anticancer therapies.

Background Data are limited on whether several easily measured indices are independent predictors of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in hypertensive patients. This study aimed to assess the association of hypertriglyceridemic-waist phenotype, triglyceride glucose (TyG) index, lipid accumulation product (LAP), and visceral adiposity index (VAI) with T2DM risk in hypertensive patients. Methods This cross-sectional study included 5321 hypertensive patients from the baseline survey of the Guangzhou Heart Study. Face-to-face questionnaire survey, physical examination, and fasting blood sample collection were completed for all subjects. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated by using the logistic regression model. The potential nonlinear relationship was examined using restricted cubic spline regression. Results The prevalence of T2DM was 19.98% among hypertensive patients. After adjusting for confounders, participants with elevated triglyceride levels and enlarged waist circumference (HTGW) were associated with a 2.57-fold risk of T2DM (OR 2.57, 95% CI 2.05, 3.23). When comparing with subjects within the lowest quartile of the indices, those in the highest quartile of TyG, LAP, and VAI were associated with 5.35-fold (95% CI 4.33, 6.64), 2.65-fold (95% CI 2.11, 3.34), and 2.17-fold (95% CI 1.77, 2.67) risk of T2DM after adjusting for confounders. Every 1-unit increment of TyG, LAP, and VAI was associated with 81%, 38%, and 31% increased risk of T2DM, respectively. The nonlinear association was observed for TyG, LAP, and VAI (all PNon-linear Conclusions The results found that among hypertensive patients, HTGW and a higher level of TyG, LAP, and VAI were associated with an elevated risk of T2DM. The findings suggested that HTGW, TyG, LAP, and VAI may serve as simple and effective tools for T2DM risk assessment in the prevention and management of main chronic diseases.

Abstract. Background and aims: Experimental studies showed that carotenoids had anti-carcinogenesis properties, but epidemiological studies on the association between dietary carotenoids and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) risk were limited, and the findings were inconsistent. This study aimed to investigate the roles of intake of dietary carotenoids in the development of ESCC among a rural Chinese population. Methods: A population-based case-control study was conducted in Southwest China. A total of 915 incident ESCC cases and 925 community-based controls were included. A validated food frequency questionnaire with 76-item was adopted to collect information about dietary consumption. Intake of dietary calories and each carotenoid was calculated according to the China food composition tables. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by using logistic regression model, with adjustments for age, gender, body mass index, family cancer history, cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, education, marital status, prudent pattern score, and total calories. Results: In comparison of the highest with lowest intake quartiles, intake of total carotene (OR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.52–0.96, Ptrend: 0.024), α-carotene (OR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.46–0.83, Ptrend: 0.014), β-carotene (OR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.46–0.86, P-trend: 0.005), and the sum of lutein and zeaxanthin (OR: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.29–0.56, Ptrend

Azole resistance is becoming increasingly serious due to the frequent recurrence of fungal infections and the need for long-term clinical prevention. In our previous study, we discovered ORF19.5274 with an unknown function by TMT™ quantitative proteomics technology after fluconazole (FLC) treatment of Candida albicans. In this study, we created the target gene deletion strain using CRISPR-Cas9 editing technology to see if ORF19.5274 regulates azole sensitivity. The data showed that ORF19.5274 was involved in hyphal development and susceptibility to antifungal azoles. Deleting this gene resulted in defective hyphal growth in solid medium, while only a weak lag in the initiation of hyphal development and restoring hyphal growth during the hyphal maintenance phase under liquid conditions. Moreover, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay and propidium iodide staining assays showed increased endogenous ROS levels and membrane permeability, but decreased metabolic activity of biofilm in orf19.5274Δ/Δ after treatment with FLC in comparison with either SC5314 or orf19.5274Δ/Δ::ORF19.5274 strains. More importantly, orf19.5274Δ/Δ significantly enhanced the FLC efficacy against C. albicans in infected Galleria mellonella larvae. The above characteristics were fully or partially restored in the complemented strain indicating that the changes caused by ORF19.5274 deletion were specific. In summary, the ORF19.5274 gene is required for hyphal development of C. albicans, and is correlated with the response to antifungal azoles in vitro and in vivo. The identification of ORF19.5275 is promising to expand the potential candidate targets for azoles.

The consensus guidelines for branch-duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (BD-IPMN) of the pancreas are mostly based on imaging features. This study aimed to determine imaging features and their diagnostic accuracy for predicting high-grade dysplasia (HGD)/malignancy in BD-IPMN, including mixed type. The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched, and data were extracted from relevant studies. As the main diagnostic accuracy index, diagnostic odds ratios (DORs) of imaging features for diagnosing HGD/malignancy in BD-IPMNs were pooled using the random-effects model. A bivariate random-effects approach was used to construct summary receiver operating characteristic curves for sensitivity and specificity estimation. The pooled DOR was the highest for the enhanced solid component/mural nodule (MN) (DOR, 12.21; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 6.14–24.27), followed by a main pancreatic duct (MPD) diameter of 10 mm or greater (DOR, 7.93; 95 % CI, 3.02–20.83), solid component (DOR, 4.85; 95 % CI, 2.49–9.42), lymphadenopathy (DOR, 4.84; 95 % CI, 1.11–21.06), MN (DOR, 4.48; 95 % CI, 3.15–6.39), an MPD diameter of 5 mm or greater (DOR, 3.69; 95 % CI, 2.62–5.19), abrupt change in MPD caliber with distal pancreatic atrophy (DOR, 2.65; 95 % CI, 1.66–4.24), thickened/enhancing walls (DOR, 2.38; 95 % CI, 1.57–3.60), and cyst size of 3 cm or larger (DOR, 1.98; 95 % CI, 1.48–2.64). The largest area under the curve (0.89 and 0.95, respectively) and high specificity (0.95 and 0.98, respectively) also were found for enhanced solid component/MN and an MPD diameter of 10 mm or greater, albeit with low sensitivity (0.38 and 0.14, respectively). The aforementioned imaging features could aid in predicting HGD/malignancy of BD-IPMN. Furthermore, enhanced solid component/MN and an MPD diameter of 10 mm or greater were the most important predictors of HGD/malignancy in BD-IPMN and should be considered as indications for surgery.

The eigenvalues of the sample covariance matrix can capture signal correlations and noise characteristics well, which are widely used for spectrum sensing in cognitive radio networks. Some totally blind spectrum sensing algorithms were proposed, such as maximum eigenvalue-to-arithmetic mean (ME–AM), maximum eigenvalue-to-geometric mean (ME–GM), and arithmetic-to-geometric mean of eigenvalues (AGM) methods. This article makes full use of the advantages of these algorithms and proposes a universal spectrum sensing algorithm based on maximum eigenvalue, arithmetic mean, and geometric mean of eigenvalues. The proposed algorithm takes the weighted geometric mean of the test statistics of the ME–AM and AGM algorithms as new test statistic and includes the ME–AM, ME–GM, and AGM algorithms as special cases. Following the random matrix theory framework, in a similar vein to the ME–AM and ME–GM algorithms, we derive the analytical expressions of false alarm probability, threshold, and detection probability of the proposed method using the Tracy–Widom distribution of maximum eigenvalue. In addition, we discuss the problem of designing the optimal weighting factor through theoretical analysis and simulation experiments. Finally, simulation results verify that the universal algorithm can effectively improve the detection performance.

Purpose: Etomidate is widely used in general anesthesia and sedation, and significant individual differences are observed during anesthesia induction. This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanisms of different etomidate susceptibility at the genetic level.Methods: 128 patients were enrolled in the study. The bispectral index (BIS), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded when the patients entered the operating room for 5 min, before the administration of etomidate, 30 s, 60 s, 90 s, 120 s and 150 s after the administration of etomidate, and the corresponding single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were analyzed.Results: Significant individual differences were observed in etomidate anesthesia. The results of two-way ANOVA showed that CYP2C9 rs1559, GABRB2 rs2561, GABRA2 rs279858, GABRA2 rs279863 were associated with the BIS value during etomidate anesthesia; UGT1A9 rs11692021 was associated with the Extended Observer’s Assessment of Alertness and Sedation (EOAA/S) score during etomidate anesthesia; GABRB2 rs2561 was associated with MAP. Multiple linear stepwise regression model results showed that CYP2C9 rs1559, GABRA2 rs279858 and GABRB2 rs2561 were associated with the BIS value and UGT1A9 rs11692021 was associated with the EOAA/S score; GABRB2 rs2561 was associated with MAP.Conclusion: GABRA2 rs279858, GABRB2 rs2561, CYP2C9 rs1559 and UGT1A9 rs11692021 are the SNPs with individual differences during etomidate anesthesia. This is the first to study the SNPs of etomidate, which can provide certain evidence for the future use of etomidate anesthesia and theoretical basis for precision anesthesia.

Cancer is one of the most common malignant diseases in the world. Hence, there is an urgent need to search for novel drugs with antitumor activity against cancer cells. AMP-17, a natural antimicrobial peptide derived from Musca domestica, has antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and fungi. However, its antitumor activity and potential mechanism of action in cancer cells remain unclear. In this study, we focused on evaluating the in vitro antitumor activity and mechanism of AMP-17 on leukemic K562 cells. The results showed that AMP-17 exhibited anti-proliferative activity on K562 cells with an IC50 value of 58.91 ± 3.57 μg/mL. The membrane integrity of K562 was disrupted and membrane permeability was increased after AMP-17 action. Further observation using SEM and TEM images showed that the cell structure of AMP-17-treated cells was disrupted, with depressions and pore-like breaks on the cell surface, and vacuolated vesicles in the cytoplasm. Furthermore, further mechanistic studies indicated that AMP-17 induced excessive production of reactive oxygen species and calcium ions release in K562 cells, which led to disturbance of mitochondrial membrane potential and blocked ATP synthesis, followed by activation of Caspase-3 to induce apoptosis. In conclusion, these results suggest that the antitumor activity of AMP-17 may be achieved by disrupting cell structure and inducing apoptosis. Therefore, AMP-17 is expected to be a novel potential agent candidate for leukemia treatment.

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ObjectiveTo explore the prognostic value of radiological features and serum indicators in patients treated with postoperative adjuvant transarterial chemoembolization (PA-TACE) and develop a prognostic model to predict the overall survival (OS) of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with PA-TACE.MethodWe enrolled 112 patients (75 in the training cohort and 37 in the validation cohort) with HCC treated with PA-TACE after surgical resection at the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University between January 2012 and June 2015. The independent OS predictors were determined using univariate and multivariate regression analyses. Decision curve analyses and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to verify the prognostic performance of the different models; the best model was selected to establish a multi-dimensional nomogram for predicting the OS of HCC patients treated with PA-TACE.ResultMultivariate regression analyses indicated that rim-like arterial phase enhancement (IRE), peritumor capsule (PTC), and alanine aminotransferase to hemoglobin ratio (AHR) were independent predictors of OS after PA-TACE. The combination of AHR had the best clinical net benefit and we constructed a prognostic nomogram based on IRE, PTC, and AHR. The calibration curve showed good fit between the predicted nomogram’s curve and the observed curve.ConclusionOur preliminary study confirmed the prognostic value of AHR, PTC, and IRE and established a nomogram that can predict the OS after PA-TACE treatment in patients with HCC.

BackgroundLimited evidence was available on the association of the integrated effect of multidimensional lifestyle factors with mortality among Chinese populations. This cohort study was to examine the effect of combined lifestyle factors on the risk of mortality by highlighting the number of healthy lifestyles and their overall effects.MethodsA total of 11,395 participants from the Guangzhou Heart Study (GZHS) were followed up until 1 January 2020. Individual causes of death were obtained from the platform of the National Death Registry of China. The healthy lifestyle index (HLI) was established from seven dimensions of lifestyle, and lifestyle patterns were extracted from eight dimensions of lifestyle using principal component analysis (PCA). Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated using the Cox proportional hazard regression model.ResultsDuring 35,837 person-years of follow-up, 184 deaths (1.61%) were observed, including 64 from cardiovascular disease. After adjustment for confounders, HLI was associated with a 50% (HR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.25–0.99) reduced risk of all-cause mortality when comparing the high (6–7 lifestyle factors) with low (0–2 lifestyle factors) categories. Three lifestyle patterns were defined and labeled as pattern I, II, and III. Lifestyle pattern II with higher factor loadings of non-smoking and low-level alcohol drinking was associated with a decreased risk of all-cause mortality (HR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.43–0.92, P–trend = 0.023) when comparing the high with low tertiles of pattern score, after adjustment for confounders. Every 1-unit increment of pattern II score was associated with a decreased risk (HR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.95–0.99) of all-cause mortality. The other two patterns were not associated with all-cause mortality, and the association of cardiovascular mortality risk was observed with neither HLI nor any lifestyle pattern.ConclusionThe results suggest that the more dimensions of the healthy lifestyle the lower the risk of death, and adherence to the lifestyle pattern characterized with heavier loading of non-smoking and low-level alcohol drinking reduces the risk of all-cause mortality. The findings highlight the need to consider multi-dimensional lifestyles rather than one when developing health promotion strategies.

BackgroundSex hormones are associated with many cardiovascular risk factors, but their effects on atrial fibrillation (AF) incidence remain unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association of circulating sex hormones with AF risk by pooling available data from observational studies.MethodsA systematic literature search for pertinent articles with case-control and cohort designs was conducted via five databases up to 7 July 2021. A meta-analysis with six cohort studies was conducted separately on men and women. Adjusted relative risk (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was derived by comparing the highest with the lowest levels of a specific sex hormone and by using a random-effect or fixed-effect model. Heterogeneity was tested using the I2 statistic and the Q-test.ResultsA total of six cohort studies and four case-control studies were included. In a meta-analysis of cohort studies, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) was associated with a decreased risk of AF in men (RR: 0.729, 95% CI: 0.559–0.952, I2 = 50.0%, P–heterogeneity = 0.157) after combining results from two cohort studies; total testosterone was not associated with any risk of AF in men and postmenopausal women, and AF risk was not associated with estradiol in men after synthesizing available studies.ConclusionThis study indicates that a higher endogenous DHEAS level was associated with a lower AF risk in men, whereas total testosterone and estradiol were not associated with AF risk. Longitudinal studies with multiple monitoring are needed to further promulgate the relationship between various circulating sex hormones and AF risk.

Background Academic research is one of the main avenues through which humans can fight the threat of infectious diseases. However, there have been concerns regarding whether the academic system has provided sufficient efforts to fight infectious diseases we potentially face. Answering these questions could contribute to evidence-based recommendations for setting research priorities and third-mission policies. Methods With a focus on one of the most common categories of communicable diseases, infectious and parasitic diseases (IPDs), we searched Web of Science for articles and reviews relevant to IPDs published during the period 2000–2019 and retrieved WHO data on disease burden in corresponding years. The academic response patterns were explored by IPD subcategory and by human development level (an index established by the United Nations). We conduct the analysis in particular to gain insight into the dynamic relationship between disease burden and research effort on IPDs, scientific efforts contributed by countries with different development levels, and the variation trends in international joint efforts. Results The greatest burden of IPDs is clustered in the developing regions of Africa, but has received academic response from both developed and developing countries. Highly developed countries dominate the ranks of academic research in this area, yet there is also a clear increase in research efforts from the countries most affected, despite their low human development scale. In fact, the overall analysis reveals an improved capability for addressing local problems from African regions. In terms of international collaboration, highly developed countries such as the United States and United Kingdom have commonly collaborated with needy regions, whereas prolific but developing nations, like China, have not. Conclusions From a global perspective, academia has positively responded to health needs caused by IPDs. Although the relevant research output contribution is primarily from the highly developed countries, concentrated and specialized efforts from the undeveloped regions to ease their local burden can be clearly observed. Our findings also indicate a tendency to focus more on local health needs for both developed and undeveloped regions. The insights revealed in this study should benefit a more informed and systemic plan of research priorities.

Aims This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between plasma homocysteine (Hcy) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in US patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods We used data from the 2003–2006 National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys (NHANES). CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate 2 and/or urinary albumin-creatine ratio ≥ 3 mg/mmol. Results This study included 1018 patients with T2DM. The mean Hcy value was 10.2 ± 4.6 μmol/L. Among the patients, 417 (40.96%) had hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) and 480 (47.15%) had CKD. The Hcy level was higher in patients with CKD than in those without CKD. Compared to patients with normal Hcy, those with HHcy were older and had worse renal function. After full multivariate adjustment, HHcy was positively associated with the risk of CKD in US patients with T2DM (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.11–1.22; P P P Conclusions HHcy was independently associated with CKD in patients with T2DM. Further prospective studies are warranted to investigate the effect of Hcy on CKD in patients with T2DM.

Over the past two years, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused hundreds of millions of infections, resulting in an unprecedented pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). As the virus spreads through the population, ongoing mutations and adaptations are being discovered. There is now substantial clinical evidence that demonstrates the SARS-CoV-2 variants have stronger transmissibility and higher virulence compared to the wild-type strain of SARS-CoV-2. Hence, development of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 variants to boost individual immunity has become essential. However, current treatment options are limited for COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 variants. In this review, we describe current distribution, variation, biology, and clinical features of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 variants (including Alpha (B.1.1.7 Lineage) variant, Beta (B.1.351 Lineage) variant, Gamma (P.1 Lineage) variant, Delta (B.1.617.2 Lineage) variant, and Omicron (B.1.1.529 Lineage) variant and others. In addition, we review currently employed vaccines in clinical or preclinical phases as well as potential targeted therapies in an attempt to provide better preventive and treatment strategies for COVID-19 caused by different SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Biomass could substitute fossil fuels in heat- and power-generation projects to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas from many stages of the life cycle. The Nordjylland Power Station, one of Denmark’s largest power plants, is a 100% coal-fired combined heat and power plant. To reduce carbon dioxide emissions, this power plant is converting to be 100% biomass-fueled. However, biomass cannot be assumed as an emission-free energy source, even though it has certain advantages in terms of carbon sink capability. The environmental impacts among various biomass sources are unclear. Wheat straw and wood pellets are two of the most abundant biomass resources in Denmark. In this study, by conducting a screening life-cycle assessment, the expected savings of global warming potential emissions due to the substitution of coal with wheat straw or wood pellets are quantified. The life-cycle assessment’s results indicate that for producing 1 MJ of heat, the carbon dioxide equivalent from coal, wheat straw, and wood pellets are 117.01, 22.73, and 78.19 g, respectively. The combustion stage accounts for most of the carbon dioxide emissions. The recommendation is that wheat straw is preferred over wood pellets in terms of carbon emissions based on the current assumptions.

BackgroundAdherence to a healthy lifestyle could reduce the risk of hypertension and diabetes in general populations; however, whether the associations exist in subjects with dyslipidemia remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the integrated effect of lifestyle factors on the risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and their comorbidity among subjects with dyslipidemia.MethodsIn total of 9,339 subjects with dyslipidemia were recruited from the baseline survey of the Guangzhou Heart Study. A questionnaire survey and medical examination were performed. The healthy lifestyle score (HLS) was derived from five factors: smoking, alcohol drinking, diet, body mass index, and leisure-time physical activity. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated by using the logistic regression model and the multinomial logistic regression after adjusting for confounders.ResultsThe prevalence of hypertension, T2DM, and their comorbidity was 47.65, 16.02, and 10.10%, respectively. Subjects with a higher HLS were associated with a lower risk of hypertension, T2DM, and their comorbidity. In comparison to the subjects with 0–2 HLS, the adjusted ORs for subjects with five HLS was 0.48 (95% CI: 0.40–0.57) and 0.67 (95% CI: 0.54–0.84) for hypertension and T2DM. Compared with subjects with 0-2 HLS and neither hypertension nor T2DM, those with five HLS had a lower risk of suffering from only one disease (OR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.40–0.57) and their comorbidity (OR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.26–0.47).ConclusionsThe results suggest that the more kinds of healthy lifestyle, the lower the risk of hypertension, T2DM, and their comorbidity among subjects with dyslipidemia. Preventive strategies incorporating lifestyle factors may provide a more feasible approach for the prevention of main chronic diseases.

BackgroundRecent studies have mainly focused on the association between baseline intensity of mechanical ventilation (driving pressure or mechanical power) and mortality in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). It is unclear whether the association between the time-varying intensity of mechanical ventilation and mortality is significant and varies according to the fluid balance trajectories.MethodsWe conducted a secondary analysis based on the NHLBI ARDS Network’s Fluid and Catheter Treatment Trial (FACTT). The primary outcome was 28-day mortality. The group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) was employed to identify phenotypes based on fluid balance trajectories. Bayesian joint models were used to account for informative censoring due to death during follow-up.ResultsA total of 1,000 patients with ARDS were included in the analysis. Our study identified two phenotypes of ARDS, and compared patients with Early Negative Fluid Balance (Early NFB) and patients with Persistent-Positive Fluid Balance (Persistent-PFB) accompanied by higher tidal volume, higher static driving pressure, higher mechanical power, and lower PaO2/FiO2, over time during mechanical ventilation. The 28-day mortality was 14.8% in Early NFB and 49.6% in Persistent-PFB (p < 0.001). In the Bayesian joint models, the hazard ratio (HR) of 28-day death for time-varying static driving pressure [HR 1.03 (95% CI 1.01–1.05; p < 0.001)] and mechanical power [HR 1.01 (95% CI 1.002–1.02; p = 0.01)] was significant in patients with Early NFB, but not in patients with Persistent-PFB.ConclusionTime-varying intensity of mechanical ventilation was associated with a 28-day mortality of ARDS in a patient with Early NFB but not in patients with Persistent-PFB.

We aimed to explore the association between changes in social activities and the occurrence/persistence of depressive symptoms and investigate the difference in effect sizes among the types and combinations of social activities.The study adopted a valid 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale to assess depressive symptoms in 2480 community-dwelling adults aged 64/65 years. Changes in social-related, learning, and personal activities were classified into four categories: continued low frequency (CLF), increased frequency (IF), decreased frequency (DF), and continued regular frequency (CRF)Those without depressive symptoms at baseline and who engaged in social-related (RRThe effect of personal activities was more manifest in preventing depressive symptoms than the other two kinds, regardless of depressive symptoms at baseline. Regularly engaging in a combination of all three activities at baseline and follow-up was associated with the occurrence and persistence of depressive symptoms.

Anti-PD-1 immunotherapy has saved numerous lives of cancer patients; however, it only exerts efficacy in 10-15% of patients with colorectal cancer. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a potential approach to improving the efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy, whereas the detailed mechanisms and the applicability of this combination therapy remain unclear. In this study, we evaluated the synergistic effect of FMT with anti-PD-1 in curing colorectal tumor-bearing mice using a multi-omics approach. Mice treated with the combination therapy showed superior survival rate and tumor control, compared to the mice received anti-PD-1 therapy or FMT alone. Metagenomic analysis showed that composition of gut microbiota in tumor-bearing mice treated with anti-PD-1 therapy was remarkably altered through receiving FMT. Particularly, Bacteroides genus, including FMT-increased B. thetaiotaomicron, B. fragilis, and FMT-decreased B. ovatus might contribute to the enhanced efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy. Furthermore, metabolomic analysis upon mouse plasma revealed several potential metabolites that upregulated after FMT, including punicic acid and aspirin, might promote the response to anti-PD-1 therapy via their immunomodulatory functions. This work broadens our understanding of the mechanism by which FMT improves the efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy, which may contribute to the development of novel microbiota-based anti-cancer therapies.

Background: Intestinal tumors are the third most common malignant tumors worldwide, accounting for approximately 10% of all new cancer cases worldwide. Cancer prevention is a promising way to limit the intestinal tumor incidence rate; however, challenges remain. Qingchang Wenzhong decoction (QCWZD) can clinically treat mild to moderate ulcerative colitis symptoms. Moreover, the mechanism by which it prevents intestinal tumors has not been clarified. In this study, we explored the mechanism by which QCWZD prevents the occurrence of intestinal tumors.Methods: To study the preventive mechanism of QCWZD on intestinal tumors, we used two model mice with azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS)- and Apcmin/+-induced intestinal tumor formation. The two models exhibited colitis-associated cancer and familial adenomatous polyposis, respectively. Colon and small intestine tissues were collected and analyzed based on histopathology and immunohistochemistry analyses. Fecal samples were collected, and 16S rRNA sequencing was used to analyze the correlation between intestinal microbiota and the prevention of intestinal tumors.Results: In the AOM/DSS mice, the QCWZD reduced the number and size of tumors, as well as tumor load. Similarly, in the Apcmin/+ mice, QCWZD can also reduce the number of tumors and the tumor load. The results of 16S rRNA sequencing confirmed that QCWZD altered the composition of intestinal microbiota in mice, a phenomenon that may prevent the occurrence of intestinal tumors by aiding the increase in the abundance of beneficial bacteria, such as Ralstonia and Butyricicoccus, and reducing that of pathogenic bacteria, such as Desulfobacterota and Bacteroides, in the intestine. Further, immunohistochemistry reveald that QCWZD can improve the expression of intestinal barrier-related proteins and inhibit pyroptosis-related proteins.Conclusions: QCWZD has the potential to prevent the occurrence of intestinal tumors. The anti-tumor activity may be achieved by regulating the intestinal microbiota, improving the function of the intestinal barrier, and inhibiting GSDME mediated pyroptosis.

Grid remapping is one of the most fundamental functions in Earth simulation systems, and is essentially a kind of data interpolation. The key to an efficient interpolation method is how to quickly find the relevant grid points required for interpolation. With the rise of unstructured grid models, the demand for general and efficient interpolation search algorithms is becoming stronger and stronger. KD (K-dimensional) tree has proven to be effective in dealing with unstructured grids. However, it is unable to tackle the cyclic boundary conditions in Earth simulation systems, which restricts the application of KD tree. Taking the nearest neighbor search as an example, this paper introduces two new KD tree-based multi-dimensional data search methods, which break through the limitations of the original method with regards to the cyclic boundary. One method is based on target points duplication, and the other method is based on source points duplication. Their time complexity and space complexity are analyzed and verified by carefully designed experiments. The results show that the method based on target points duplication generally performs better than that based on source points duplication when the data are basically evenly distributed.

Single-pixel imaging (SPI) uses a single-pixel detector instead of a detector array with a lot of pixels in traditional imaging techniques to realize two-dimensional or even multi-dimensional imaging. For SPI using compressed sensing, the target to be imaged is illuminated by a series of patterns with spatial resolution, and then the reflected or transmitted intensity is compressively sampled by the single-pixel detector to reconstruct the target image while breaking the limitation of the Nyquist sampling theorem. Recently, in the area of signal processing using compressed sensing, many measurement matrices as well as reconstruction algorithms have been proposed. It is necessary to explore the application of these methods in SPI. Therefore, this paper reviews the concept of compressive sensing SPI and summarizes the main measurement matrices and reconstruction algorithms in compressive sensing. Further, the performance of their applications in SPI through simulations and experiments is explored in detail, and then their advantages and disadvantages are summarized. Finally, the prospect of compressive sensing with SPI is discussed.

Background ARID3B (AT-rich interaction domain 3B) has been demonstrated to be associated with the progression and patient prognosis of several human tumors. We conducted the present study to investigate the biological behavior and clinical relevance of ARID3B in gastric cancer (GC). Methods Detection of the expression level in GC tissues and cell lines were performed by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. We also retrospectively analyzed the correlation of ARID3B with clinicopathological characteristics and patient prognosis in gastric cancer. The biological functions of ARID3B in GC cells were further explored by transwell migration assays, wound healing assays and cell proliferation assay. Results The present study suggested that the expression of ARID3B was significantly lower in GC tissues than in adjacent normal tissues. IHC staining in tissues of 406 GC patients from training and validation sets verified that ARID3B over-expression correlated with clinicopathological features, such as degree of differentiation and clinical stage. Meanwhile, ARID3B was proved to be an independent prognostic factor for GC prognosis. Furthermore, over-expression of ARID3B suppressed proliferation in GC cells according CCK8 assay. We found that over-expression of ARID3B inhibited GC cell migration by transwell assay and wound healing assay. Furthermore, EMT markers were detected in ARID3B over-expression GC cells, which showed that ARID3B may inhibit metastasis of GC cells. Conclusion Our results firstly revealed that the expression level of ARID3B was closely correlated with clinicopathological features and may serve as an independent prognostic factor for GC patients. More importantly, ARID3B could suppress GC progression, including cell proliferation, migration and metastasis.

Aim We aimed to clarify whether snacking habits decrease the risk of all-cause mortality in an older Japanese population. Methods The study participants were 64- or 65-year-old community-dwelling residents recruited each survey year from 1996 through 2005. Data on the frequency of snacking and other lifestyle factors were obtained during the baseline survey using self-administered questionnaires, and the participants were followed up annually until the end of 2017. In total, 2943 participants (1484 men and 1459 women) were eligible. All-cause mortality was compared among participants grouped by frequency of snacking (no snacking, one to four times/week, or every day). Results The number of deaths recorded over the study period of 43 204 person-years was 357 (24.1%) for men and 173 (11.9%) for women. The mean +/- standard deviations for the follow-up period were 14.2 +/- 4.9 years in men and 15.2 +/- 4.5 years in women. Cox proportional hazard regression analyses showed that after adjusting for potential confounding factors, the hazard ratios for women were 0.64 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43-0.94) in the group that had a habit of snacking one to four times/week, and 0.93 (95% CI 0.63-1.36) in the group that had a habit of snacking every day compared with those in the no snacking group. These associations were not observed among men. Conclusions A moderate frequency of snacking slightly decreases the risk of all-cause mortality among women. Our findings might be useful for improving the nutrition statuses in older female adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int center dot center dot; center dot center dot: center dot center dot-center dot center dot Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; center dot center dot: center dot center dot-center dot center dot.

The combination of cobalt sulfide and carbon can effectively stabilize the structure of the anode material and reduce the capacity decay. Co1−xS/C anode material was synthesized by two-step method of solvothermal and solid-phase sintering, in which cobalt chloride hexahydrate, selenourea and glucose are cobalt, sulfur and carbon sources, respectively. The discharge specific discharge capacity of Co1−xS/C anode material is stable at 216.7 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1 after 100 cycles. The 3D network-like Co9S8@C anode material was synthesized by solid-phase template method. The precursor (Co-based Metal organic Frameworks) template was prepared using cobaltous nitrate hexahydrate and terephthalic acid as cobalt source and organic ligand, respectively. Co9S8@C anode material is a network structure composed of uniformly sized spherical particles, which has the characteristics of high specific surface area and high porosity. The discharge specific capacity at the 10th cycle is as high as 1246.2 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1. After 100 cycles, the capacity decays to 1032.6 mAh g−1, and the capacity retention rate is 82.85%.

A novel green composite flame retardant, bismuth oxychloride nanosheet decorated with chitosan and phytic acid (BiOCl@CS-PA) was prepared in order to improve the fire safety of flexible poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). Introducing phytic acid (PA) is aimed at promoting the flame retardancy of BiOCl nanosheets in condensed phase using the synergistic effects. Chitosan (CS) not only acts as a bridge between BiOCl and PA, but also increases residue as a charring agent. Adequate characterizations verified that the BiOCl@CS-PA has been prepared successfully. When 3 wt.% of BiOCl@CS-PA was imparted into the PVC matrix, the resultant PVC composite can pass V-0 rating in the UL-94 test. Additionally, cone calorimetry test demonstrated that 3 wt.% of BiOCl@CS-PA reduced the first peak heat release rate and inhibited the pronounced peak heat release rate of PVC matrix between 300–400 s in comparison with the BiOCl nanosheets, indicating a further improvement in flame retardancy of PVC/BiOCl@CS-PA composite with the help of PA in the condensed phase. Microstructure and morphology of the char residue of PVC/BiOCl@CS-PA were analyzed to reveal the flame retardant mechanism. The results indicated that the joint action of PA and CS improves the quality of the char layer, which contributes to improving the flame retardancy in condensed-phase.

BackgroundSerum pepsinogens are serological biomarkers of gastric atrophy, and the latter is a risk factor for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, the association of serum pepsinogens with ESCC risk remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the relationship between serum pepsinogen I (PGI) and pepsinogen I: pepsinogen II ratio (PGR) and ESCC risk.MethodsPubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for articles on the effect of serum PGI and PGR on ESCC risk, published up to the end of February 2022. Meta-analysis with a random-effect model was used to calculate pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).ResultsFive case–control studies and three prospective studies were included. In comparison with the high categories, the low categories of serum PGI (OR: 1.92, 95% CI: 1.45–2.56) and PGR (OR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.01–2.85) were associated with an increased risk of ESCC, although a substantial heterogeneity was observed in serum PGR (I2 = 60.2%, P = 0.028) rather than in serum PGI (I2 = 46.4%, P = 0.070). In stratified analysis by study quality, the significant risk effect on ESCC was remained for PGI (OR: 2.05, 95% CI: 1.48–2.84) and PGR (OR: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.17–3.75) when only the studies with high quality were pooled.ConclusionsBased on the available studies, although limited in number, this systematic review along with meta-analysis suggests that low serum PGI and low PGR may be related to an increased risk of ESCC. This present study provides evidence for using serum pepsinogen biomarkers in predicting ESCC. More delicate well-designed cohort studies with high study quality are needed, and dose–response analysis should be performed.

ObjectiveThis study was conducted to evaluate the association of the risk of all-cause mortality with habitual physical activity (HPA) and its different domains among Chinese adults.MethodsA total of 11,994 participants from the Guangzhou Heart Study were followed up until 1 January 2020. Information on HPA, including leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and commute activity, was collected using a modified Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Individual cause of death was obtained from the National Death Registry of China. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to estimate hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) after adjustment for covariates.ResultsDuring 37,715 person-years of follow-up, 208 deaths (1.73%) were observed. When compared with the highest with the lowest exposure tertiles, HPA and LTPA were associated with 34% (HR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.46–0.95) and 30% (HR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.49–0.99) reduced risk of all-cause mortality after adjustment for covariates. Commute activity was not associated with mortality risk. For the specific component of LTPA, we found that every 1 MET-h/week increment of the housework was associated with a 1% (HR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.98–0.99) decreased mortality risk, and performing brisk walking/health exercises/Yangko was associated with a 46% reduced mortality risk (HR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.29–0.99).ConclusionThis study suggests that a higher level of HPA and LTPA was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality. Our findings suggest people to perform HPA, especially LTPA, as a strategy for mortality reduction and health promotion.

The vaginal microbiota dysbiosis is closely associated with the development of reproductive diseases. However, the contribution of mycobiome to intrauterine adhesion (IUA) disease remains unknown. Harnessing 16S and ITS2 rDNA sequencing analysis, we investigate both bacterial and fungal microbiota compositions across 174 samples taken from both cervical canal (CC) and middle vagina (MV) sites of IUA patients. Overall, there is no significant difference in microbial diversity between healthy subjects (HS) and IUA patients. However, we observe the IUA-specific bacterial alterations such as increased

Dietary diversity might reduce the risk of malnutrition, although it is also linked to obesity. We examined whether dietary diversity is associated with all-cause mortality in Japanese older adults based on their body mass index (BMI).The current study included 2944 people aged 64-65 years who participated in the New Integrated Suburban Seniority Investigation (NISSIN) project from 1996 to 2005. Dietary diversity was measured using the Food Variety Score (FVS), which calculates the frequency of all food items consumed daily using a self-administered food frequency questionnaire. Participants were divided into tertiles according to their FVS (first: low, second: middle, third: high). Multivariate adjusted hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated using the Cox proportional hazard regression model. For the stratified analysis, BMI was used to divide the participants into three groups - lean (BMI20), normal (BMI 20-24.9) and overweight/obese (BMI ≥25).Overall, 454 (30.7%) men and 222 (15.2%) women died over a median follow-up period of 16.6 years. No significant association was observed between FVS and all-cause mortality. However, when grouped by BMI, for the participants in the lean group, the multivariate adjusted hazard ratios were 0.56 (95% confidence interval 0.32-0.96) for the middle FVS and 0.50 (95% confidence interval 0.25-1.02) for the high FVS, compared with the low FVS (P for trend = 0.059). In overweight/obese women, although not significant, total mortality was higher in the middle and high FVS.These findings show that dietary diversity should be promoted in lean older Japanese adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2022; 22: 736-744.

This article has been retracted. Please see the Retraction Notice for more detail: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-020-01206-5