Microalgae possess high photosynthetic efficiency, robust adaptability, and substantial biomass, serving as excellent biological resources for large-scale cultivation. Malic enzyme (ME), a ubiquitous metabolic enzyme in living organisms, catalyzes the decarboxylation of malate to produce pyruvate, CO₂, and NAD(P)H, playing a role in multiple metabolic pathways including energy metabolism, photosynthesis, respiration, and biosynthesis. In this study, we identified the Scenedesmus quadricauda malic enzyme gene (SqME) and its biological functions, aiming to provide excellent target genes for the genetic improvement of higher plants. Based on the RNA-seq data from S. quadricauda under the biofilm cultivation mode with high CO₂ and light energy transfer efficiency and small water use, a highly expressed gene (SqME) functionally annotated as ME was cloned. The physicochemical properties of the SqME-encoded protein were systematically analyzed by bioinformatics tools. The subcellular localization of SqME was determined via transient transformation in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. The biological functions of SqME were identified via genetic transformation in Nicotiana tabacum, and the potential of SqME in the genetic improvement of higher plants was evaluated. The ORF of SqME was 1 770 bp, encoding 590 amino acid residues, and the encoded protein was located in chloroplasts. SqME was a NADP-ME, with the typical structural characteristics of ME. The ME activity in the transgenic N. tabacum plant was 1.8 folds of that in the wild-type control. Heterologous expression of SqME increased the content of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll by 20.9%, 26.9%, and 25.2%, respectively, compared with the control. The transgenic tobacco leaves showed an increase of 54.0% in the fluorescence parameter NPQ and a decrease of 30.1% in Fo compared with the control. Moreover, the biomass, total lipids, and soluble sugars in the transgenic tobacco leaves enhanced by 20.5%, 25.7%, and 9.5%, respectively. On the contrary, the starch and protein content in the transgenic tobacco leaves decreased by 22.4% and 12.2%, respectively. Collectively, the SqME-encoded protein exhibited a strong enzymatic activity. Heterologous expressing of SqME could significantly enhance photosynthetic protection, photosynthesis, and biomass accumulation in the host. Additionally, SqME can facilitate carbon metabolism remodeling in the host, driving more carbon flux towards lipid synthesis. Therefore, SqME can be applied in the genetic improvement of higher plants for enhancing photosynthetic carbon fixation and lipid accumulation. These findings provide scientific references for mining of functional genes from S. quadricauda and application of these genes in the genetic engineering of higher plants.
Nicotiana/genetics* ; Photosynthesis/physiology* ; Malate Dehydrogenase/biosynthesis* ; Plant Leaves/genetics* ; Scenedesmus/enzymology* ; Carbon Cycle/genetics* ; Lipid Metabolism/genetics* ; Plants, Genetically Modified/metabolism*

Objective To explore the shared mechanisms of genes related to three common chronic diseases non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD),type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)and atherosclerosis(AS)with ageing as well as potential therapeutic agents by using bioinformatics analysis,machine learning algorithms and molecular docking methods and techniques.Methods Ageing-related genes were collected and organized from AgeingAtlas,CellAge,GenAge,and MSigDB databases.After taking the intersection of genes related to NAFLD,T2DM and AS obtained from databases such as CTD,DisGeNET,GeneCards,OMIM,PharmGKB,and TTD and the gene sets obtained based on the GEO differential gene analysis,we obtained the set of related disease genes for these three common chronic diseases.The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis was performed on the ageing gene set and the three disease-related gene sets using the clusterProfiler package,and the intersection was taken.The enriched genes in the KEGG pathway were merged and imported into the STRING database;the PPI network was constructed.We analyzed the core sub-modules in the PPI network using the MCODE tool and calculated the essential values of Nim and Cim for each node and module.Meanwhile,three machine learning models were used to screen the feature genes:the Lasso regression model,the Boruta algorithm,and the random forest model.The HIT2.0 database was utilized to find the targeted TCM small molecules related to the key feature genes.Small molecules were evaluated and analyzed by ADMET using SwissADME and ADMETlab 3.0 online system.The molecular docking method was utilized to dock the key action targets and screen small molecules.Results A total of 1 325,616,78,and 597 genes related to ageing,NAFLD,T2DM,and AS were obtained.The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis results for ageing and the three diseases were taken to intersect to get two shared intersecting pathways containing 243 genes.The PPI network was constructed,and Cluster 2 had the highest Cim value among the three core submodules.According to the results of signature gene screening,combined with PPI network module analysis results,four signature genes related to ageing were found:CDK6,CDKN1A,MYC,and PTEN.These four targets have 94 potential TCM small molecule candidates,among which resveratrol(RSV)is a TCM small molecule common to these four targets.The ADMET evaluation showed that it had good drug-forming properties.The PTEN target had a high Nim value,and molecular docking of RSV with PTEN showed good binding stability.Conclusion A potential herbal small molecule,RSV,was identified from the perspective of ageing,which may prevent and treat three common chronic diseases,namely,NAFLD,T2DM and AS,by regulating the key gene PTEN.

Objective:To understand the prevalence and related factors of three common chronic diseases, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes in HIV-infected persons.Methods:As of December 2023, HIV-infected persons >15 years old who are receiving antiviral therapy (ART) and follow-up in Henan Province were selected as the study objects. Questionnaires, physical examinations, and blood samples were collected to collect demographic information, ART, body weight, blood lipids, blood pressure, and blood sugar of HIV-infected persons. The logistic regression model was used to analyze the related factors of hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes.Results:Among 4 023 HIV-infected patients, the prevalence rates of hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes were 64.47% (2 594/4 023), 16.80% (676/4 023), and 10.54% (424/4 023), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that hyperlipidemia was positively associated with ≥40 years of age, overweight and obesity, two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) + proteasome inhibitors (PIs) regimen and two NRTIs+ integrase inhibitor regimen, and negatively associated with low body weight. Hypertension was positively correlated with the age group ≥40 years old, family history of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, overweight and obesity, ART time ≥0.5 years, and negatively correlated with low body weight. Diabetes was positively associated with age group ≥40 years, family history of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, overweight and obesity, and negatively associated with the use of two NRTIs+PIs treatment regimens.Conclusions:In 2023, the prevalence of hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes among HIV-infected people in Henan Province was relatively high, and the risk of common chronic diseases among those ≥40 years old, overweight and obese, and those with a family history of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases was also relatively high. It is recommended to strengthen the prevention and management of common chronic diseases among HIV-infected people.

Body weight abnormalities, including overweight, obesity, and underweight, have become a dual public health challenge in Chinese adults: overweight and obesity lead to a variety of chronic complications, while underweight increases the risks of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and organ dysfunction. To systematically address these issues, multidisciplinary experts in endocrinology, sports science, nutrition, and psychiatry from various regions have held multiple weight management seminars. Based on the latest epidemiological data and clinical evidence, they expanded the guideline to include assessment and intervention strategies for underweight, in addition to the core content of obesity management. This guideline outlines the etiological mechanisms, evaluation methods, and multidimensional management strategies for overweight and obesity, covering key areas such as diagnosis and assessment, medical nutrition therapy, exercise prescription, pharmacological intervention, and psychological support. It is intended to provide a scientific and standardized approach to weight management across the adult population, aiming to curb the rising prevalence of obesity, mitigate complications associated with abnormal body weight, and improve nutritional status and overall quality of life.

Under the current situation of "low prevalence and low infection" of schistosomiasis in China, and to provide a basis for achieving the goal of eliminating schistosomiasis by 2030 proposed by the Healthy China Action (2019 - 2030) as scheduled, the Hunan Provincial Corps Hospital of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force established a schistosomiasis monitoring and early warning index system based on the previous studies on schistosomiasis early warning index system and the recent literature analysis, combined with the current potential risk factors affecting the transmission and prevalence of schistosomiasis, and organized two rounds of expert consultation and carried out project promotion meetings. The experts reached a consensus on the comprehensiveness and practicability of the index system, aiming to lay a solid foundation for construction of China's schistosomiasis prevention and control early warning system.

Objective To investigate the association between dietary behavior and mild cognitive impairment(MCI)in older adults,and to further analyze the role of cardiometabolic comorbidities in this relationship.Methods A total of 6599 older adults were recruited from 3 communities and 48 villages in Dawu County between 2018 and 2023 as part of the Hubei Elderly Memory Cohort Study.Dietary behaviors were assessed using a food frequency questionnaire and a dietary behavior questionnaire.Latent class analysis was performed to categorize the participants into healthy eat-ing behavior(HEB),sub-healthy eating behavior(SHEB),and unhealthy eating behavior(UEB).Cardiovascular-metabolic diseases were diabetes,hypertension,coronary heart disease,and cere-brovascular disease,which all diagnosed by physicians.MCI was diagnosed by a team of clinical experts according to Peterson's criteria.Multivariable logistic regression model was used to ana-lyze the impact of cardiometabolic comorbidities on the association between dietary behavior and MCI.Results The morbidity rate of MCI was 24.3％,and that of HEB,SHEB and UEB was 16.6％,24.3％and 31.3％,respectively.The incidence of MCI was higher in the participants who were female,over ≥75 years old,unmarried,and lack physical exercise,SHEB and UEB groups,had low educational level,lived in rural areas,had no stable income,had abnormal BMI,and more types of cardiometabolic diseases(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).After adjusting for confounders,multivari-able logistic regression analysis indicated that both UEB(OR=1.220,95％CI:1.004-1.418,P=0.045)and SHEB(OR=1.592,95％CI:1.345-1.883,P=0.001)were positively correlated with MCI risk in older adults.Further stratified analysis by cardiometabolic comorbidities revealed that for the patients in the HEB group,those suffering from hypertension+diabetes+coronary heart disease had the highest risk for MCI(OR=4.220,95％CI:1.913-9.309,P=0.001),while for the SHEB group,the following comorbidities were significantly associated with increased MCI risk:hypertension+diabetes(OR=1.640,95％CI:1.157-2.322,P=0.005),hypertension+cerebro-vascular disease(OR=1.454,95％CI:1.041-2.031,P=0.028),hypertension+diabetes+cere-brovascular disease(OR=2.064,95％CI:1.246-3.419,P=0.005),and hypertension+diabetes+coronary heart disease+cerebrovascular disease(OR=1.974,95％CI:1.036-3.760,P=0.039).Conclusion Older adults with SHEB or UEB have a higher risk of developing MCI,and the pres-ence of cardiometabolic comorbidities further exacerbates this risk.

Objective:To understand the prevalence and related factors of three common chronic diseases, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes in HIV-infected persons.Methods:As of December 2023, HIV-infected persons >15 years old who are receiving antiviral therapy (ART) and follow-up in Henan Province were selected as the study objects. Questionnaires, physical examinations, and blood samples were collected to collect demographic information, ART, body weight, blood lipids, blood pressure, and blood sugar of HIV-infected persons. The logistic regression model was used to analyze the related factors of hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes.Results:Among 4 023 HIV-infected patients, the prevalence rates of hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes were 64.47% (2 594/4 023), 16.80% (676/4 023), and 10.54% (424/4 023), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that hyperlipidemia was positively associated with ≥40 years of age, overweight and obesity, two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) + proteasome inhibitors (PIs) regimen and two NRTIs+ integrase inhibitor regimen, and negatively associated with low body weight. Hypertension was positively correlated with the age group ≥40 years old, family history of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, overweight and obesity, ART time ≥0.5 years, and negatively correlated with low body weight. Diabetes was positively associated with age group ≥40 years, family history of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, overweight and obesity, and negatively associated with the use of two NRTIs+PIs treatment regimens.Conclusions:In 2023, the prevalence of hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes among HIV-infected people in Henan Province was relatively high, and the risk of common chronic diseases among those ≥40 years old, overweight and obese, and those with a family history of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases was also relatively high. It is recommended to strengthen the prevention and management of common chronic diseases among HIV-infected people.

Depressive disorder is widely stigmatized worldwide. Stigma associated with depressive disorder has become an essential obstacle in the rehabilitation of patients. This paper summarizes the generation, measurement tools, influencing factors, and intervention measures of depressive disorder-related stigma, aiming to provide a reference for conducting research on depressive disorder-related stigma and formulating intervention measures for depressive disorder-related stigma.

Objective To investigate the correlation of serum levels of Spexin,FoxO1 and insulin resistance(IR)with prognosis in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM).Methods A total of 198 patients with GDM were prospectively selected as the GDM group,and 195 healthy pregnant women who underwent physical examinations during the same period were selected as the control group.The age at enrollment,gestational age,triglyceride(TG),pre-pregnancy body weight,fasting insulin(FINS),parity,fasting blood glucose(FBG),total cholesterol(TC)and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index(HOMA-IR)of the subjects were collected.The serum levels of Spexin and FoxO1 in subjects were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).According to the pregnancy outcome,the GDM patients were divided into the adverse pregnancy outcome group(96 cases)and the good pregnancy outcome group(102 cases).The correlations between serum Spexin,FoxO1,and HOMA-IR in GDM patients were analyzed by Pearson's method.Logistic regression was used to analyze risk factors affecting the pregnancy outcome of GDM patients.The predictive value of serum Spexin and FoxO1 levels for the pregnancy outcome of GDM patients was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results The serum levels of FINS,TG,FBG,Spexin,FoxO1 and HOMA-IR were higher in the GDM group than those in the control group(P＜0.01).Pearson correlation analysis showed that serum levels of Spexin and FoxO1 in GDM patients were positively correlated with HOMA-IR,and serum level of Spexin was positively correlated with FoxO1(P＜0.05).The incidences of gestational hypertension,cesarean section,macrosomia,neonatal malformations,low birth weight infants and neonatal asphyxia were higher in the GDM group than those in the control group(P＜0.05).Serum levels of Spexin and FoxO1 and FINS,FBG and HOMA-IR were significantly higher in the adverse pregnancy group than those in the good pregnancy group(P＜0.01).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the increased Spexin and FoxO1 were the risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes in GDM patients(P＜0.01).The ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve(AUC)of serum Spexin and FoxO1 levels for predicting pregnancy outcomes in GDM patients was 0.887 and 0.883,respectively,and the AUC of combined prediction was 0.942.Conclusion Serum levels of Spexin and FoxO1 are elevated in GDM patients,and both are related to IR.The combination of the two can assist in judging the pregnancy outcome of GDM patients.

Objective To investigate the correlation of serum levels of Spexin,FoxO1 and insulin resistance(IR)with prognosis in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM).Methods A total of 198 patients with GDM were prospectively selected as the GDM group,and 195 healthy pregnant women who underwent physical examinations during the same period were selected as the control group.The age at enrollment,gestational age,triglyceride(TG),pre-pregnancy body weight,fasting insulin(FINS),parity,fasting blood glucose(FBG),total cholesterol(TC)and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index(HOMA-IR)of the subjects were collected.The serum levels of Spexin and FoxO1 in subjects were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).According to the pregnancy outcome,the GDM patients were divided into the adverse pregnancy outcome group(96 cases)and the good pregnancy outcome group(102 cases).The correlations between serum Spexin,FoxO1,and HOMA-IR in GDM patients were analyzed by Pearson's method.Logistic regression was used to analyze risk factors affecting the pregnancy outcome of GDM patients.The predictive value of serum Spexin and FoxO1 levels for the pregnancy outcome of GDM patients was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results The serum levels of FINS,TG,FBG,Spexin,FoxO1 and HOMA-IR were higher in the GDM group than those in the control group(P＜0.01).Pearson correlation analysis showed that serum levels of Spexin and FoxO1 in GDM patients were positively correlated with HOMA-IR,and serum level of Spexin was positively correlated with FoxO1(P＜0.05).The incidences of gestational hypertension,cesarean section,macrosomia,neonatal malformations,low birth weight infants and neonatal asphyxia were higher in the GDM group than those in the control group(P＜0.05).Serum levels of Spexin and FoxO1 and FINS,FBG and HOMA-IR were significantly higher in the adverse pregnancy group than those in the good pregnancy group(P＜0.01).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the increased Spexin and FoxO1 were the risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes in GDM patients(P＜0.01).The ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve(AUC)of serum Spexin and FoxO1 levels for predicting pregnancy outcomes in GDM patients was 0.887 and 0.883,respectively,and the AUC of combined prediction was 0.942.Conclusion Serum levels of Spexin and FoxO1 are elevated in GDM patients,and both are related to IR.The combination of the two can assist in judging the pregnancy outcome of GDM patients.