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Objectives: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to assess whether there is an association between hypothyroidism and the risk of cognitive dysfunction. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase were searched for relevant studies published from database inception to 4 May 2022, using medical subject headings (MeSHs) and keywords. Results: Eight studies involving 1,092,025 individuals were included, published between 2010 and 2021. The pooled analysis showed that there was no association between hypothyroidism and cognitive dysfunction (OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 0.84–1.51, p = 0.426), including both all-cause dementia (OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 0.76–1.43, p = 0.809) and cognitive impairment (OR = 1.50, 95% CI = 0.68–3.35, p = 0.318). Neither overt hypothyroidism (OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 0.70–2.02, p = 0.525) nor subclinical hypothyroidism (OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 0.73–1.48, p = 0.833) was associated with cognitive dysfunction. Neither prospective cohort (OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 0.77–1.51, p = 0.673) nor cross-sectional studies (OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 0.63–2.42, p = 0.545) had any effect on the association. Interestingly, the risk of cognitive dysfunction was significantly increased in the group not adjusted for vascular comorbidity (OR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.07–2.01, p = 0.017), while it was reduced in the adjusted group (OR =0.82, 95% CI = 0.79–0.85, p < 0.001). Conclusions: This meta-analysis shows that hypothyroidism was associated with a reduced risk of cognitive dysfunction after adjustment for vascular-disease comorbidities. More prospective observational studies are needed in the future to investigate the relationship between hypothyroidism and cognitive dysfunction.

A sunflower (or ∆-system) with k petals and a core Y is a collection of sets S1,⋯, Sk such that Si∩Sj=Y for all i≠j; the sets S1\Y,⋯, Sk\ Y, are petals. In this paper, we first give a sufficient condition for the existence of a sunflower with 2 petals. Let F={A,B,C} be a family of subsets of a set { a1,⋯,am , b1,⋯,bn , c1,⋯,cn } with and A={a1,⋯,am}, B={ b1,⋯,bn } and C={ c1,⋯,cn } are non-increasing lists of nonnegative integers. Suppose that for each r with then the family F* contains a sunflower with two petals, where F*={G1 ,G2}, G1=G[Y∪X] and G2=[ Z∪X] are the subgraphs induced respectively by Y∪X and Z∪X with for all vj Y∪X and for all vj Z∪X. Moreover, we generalize the consequence to the case of a much more general result. Key words: Sunflower; family; tripartite graph.

Recognition of invading foreign exogenous pathogen is the first step to initiate the innate immune response of insects, which accomplished by the pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) serve as an important type of PRRs, which activate immune response by detecting peptidoglycan of microbial cell wall. In this study, we have cloned the full-length cDNA of PGRP gene called PGRP-S1 from the Diaphania pyloalis (Walker). The open reading frame (ORF) of D. pyloalis PGRP-S1 encodes 211 amino acids which containing a secretion signal peptide and a canonical PGRP domain. Multisequence alignment revealed that PGRP-S1 possess the amino acid residues responsible for zinc binding and amidase activity. D. pyloalis PGRP-S1 exhibited the highest transcript level in fat body and followed in head. The mRNA concentration dramatically increased after an injection of Escherichia coli or Micrococcus luteus. Purified recombinant PGRP-S1 exhibit binding ability to peptidoglycans from Staphylococcus aureus or Bacillus subtilis and cause intensive agglutination of E. coli, M. luteus or S. aureus in the presence of zinc ions. Furthermore, phenoloxidase activity significantly increased when the plasma from larvae was incubated with recombinant PGPR-S1 and peptidoglycans from B. subtilis or M. luteus simultaneously. These results implied that PGRP-S1 was a member involving the prophenoloxidase activation pathway. Overall, our results indicated that D. pyloalis PGRP-S1 serve as a PRR to participate in the recognition of foreign pathogen and prophenoloxidase pathway stimulation.

Insect innate immunity is initiated by the special recognition and binding of the foreign pathogens, which is accomplished by the pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). As an important type of PRRs, C-type lectins (CTLs) play various roles in insect innate immunity, including pathogen recognition, stimulation of prophenoloxidase, regulation of cellular immunity and so on. In this study, we have cloned the full-length cDNA of a CTL gene named CTL-S6 from the silkworm, Bombyx mori. The open reading frame (ORF) of B. mori CTL-S6 encodes 378 amino acids, which contain a secretion signal peptide. The mRNA of CTL-S6 exhibited the highest transcriptional level in the midgut. Its transcriptional level increased dramatically in fat body and hemocytes upon Escherichia coli or Micrococcus luteus challenge. Purified recombinant CTL-S6 could bind to bacterial cell wall components, including peptidoglycan (PGN, from Bacillus subtilis) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS, from E. coli 0111:B4), and recombinant CTL-S6 was involved in the encapsulation and melanization of hemocytes. Furthermore, the addition of recombinant CTL-S6 to the hemolymph of silkworm resulted in a significant increase in phenoloxidase activity. Overall, our results indicated that B. mori CTL-S6 may serve as a PRR for the recognition of foreign pathogens, prophenoloxidase pathway stimulation and involvement in the innate immunity.

Summary Background The management of latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is a new priority action for the WHO End Tuberculosis (TB) Strategy. However, national guidelines on latent tuberculosis infection testing and treatment have not yet been developed in China. Here, we present the results from the 2-year follow-up of a study that aimed to track the development of active disease in individuals with latent tuberculosis infection, identify priority populations for latent infection management, and explore the most suitable latent infection diagnostic approach. Methods A population-based multicentre prospective study was done in four sites in rural China, between 2013 and 2015. The baseline survey in 2013 measured the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection using QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT) and tuberculin skin test (TST) in eligible participants. During the follow-up phase between 2014–15, we assessed individuals who had tuberculosis infection at baseline (QFT-positivity or TST tuberculin reaction size [induration] of ≥10 mm) for the development of active disease through active case finding. Eligible participants included in follow-up survey had a birth date before June 1, 2008 (5 years or older in 2013), and continuous residence at the study site for 6 months or longer in the past year. Participants with current active tuberculosis at baseline survey were excluded. Findings Between Sept 1, 2013, and Aug 31, 2015, 7505 eligible participants (aged 5 years or older) were included in tuberculosis infection test positive cohorts (4455 were QFT positive, 6404 had TST induration ≥10 mm, and 3354 were positive for both tests) after baseline examination. During the 2-year follow-up period, 84 incident cases of active tuberculosis were diagnosed. Of participants who developed active tuberculosis, 75 were diagnosed with latent infection by QFT, 62 were diagnosed by TST, and 53 were diagnosed by both tests. An incidence rate of 0·87 (95% CI 0·68–1·07) per 100 person-years was observed for individuals who tested positive with QFT, 0·50 (0·38–0·63) per 100 person-years for those who tested positive with TST (p Interpretation Our results suggest that high-risk populations in communities in rural China, such as individuals at a high risk of disease reactivation from previous tuberculosis, should be targeted for latent infection screening and treatment with an interferon-γ releasing assay rather than a TST. Funding National Science and Technology Major Project of China, Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University of China, CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences, and Sanming Project of Medicine in Shenzhen.

The beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hubner), is one of the major crop pests and is a target for current pest control approaches using insecticides. In this study three cuticular protein genes CPG316, CPG860 and CPG4855 have been cloned from 0 h pupal integument of S. exigua through race PCR Strategy. The deduced amino acid sequences were found to contain the RR-2 consensus region of other insect cuticular proteins and construct phylogenetic trees for each protein. Using quantitative RT-PCR, the developmental expression of the three genes through several larval and the early pupal stages was studied. All three genes contribute to the endocuticle although CPG316 may have a different role from the other two genes. All three newly isolated genes were analyzed and their functions were determined by using direct injection of the dsRNA into early 5th instar larvae. All genes are expressed in the larvae and early pupae but in different patterns. Furthermore, phenotypic results show that these genes have differing effects on the development of cuticle, its flexibility and a big role in metamorphosis in both larval and pupal stages.

Qilinchang, a Mississippi Valley-type Zn-Pb deposit, has essentially homogeneous lead isotope compositions as follows: 206Pb/204Pb = 18.432 to 18.487 (i.e., 18.460±0.15%), 207Pb/204Pb = 15.664 to15.720 (i.e., 15.697±0.18%), and 208Pb/204Pb = 38.729 to 38.874 (i.e., 38.833±0.19%). Strontium isotope compositions at the time of mineralization were relatively heterogeneous: 87Sr/86Sr = 0.7170 for pyrite, 0.7138 to 0.7180 for sphalerite, 0.7109 to 0.7143 for galena, and about 0.7158 to 0.7168 for calcite. The mineralizing metals of the Qilinchang ore deposit, Pb and Zn, have only one source rock. The Pb isotope compositions of sulfides of the deposit are essentially the same as those of the Upper Proterozoic (i.e., lower Sinian) igneous rock suite, if the preferential migration of Pb isotopes during the leaching and the in situ radiogenic Pb back correction are taken into account. The 207Pb/206Pb ratios of sulfides in the deposit are notably high (0.850–0.851), which suggests that this ore deposit contains material with very old signatures. On the basis of kinetic and thermodynamic calculations of water/rock interaction, we obtain a value of about 0.745 of source rock 87Sr/86Sr for the mineralizing metals. This value is similar to that of the lower Sinian igneous rock suite at the time of mineralization. That the lower Sinian igneous rock suite served as the source is also favored by its characteristic of leachability and its content of metals in this and other geologic bodies.