ObjectiveThe malaria parasites remodel the host erythrocyte structure by exporting parasite proteins that interact with the membrane skeleton proteins of red blood cells (RBCs), facilitating their intracellular survival and pathogenicity. Skeleton-binding protein 1 (SBP1) is a conserved exported protein across Plasmodium species. In Plasmodium falciparum, SBP1 has been reported to interact with erythrocyte membrane skeleton proteins 4.1R and spectrin, while its contribution to erythrocyte remodeling and parasite virulence in Plasmodium berghei (Pb) remains unclear. This study aims to determine whether PbSBP1 associates with the host cytoskeletal protein 4.1R and to investigate its role in the remodeling of host RBCs and the pathogenicity of Plasmodium berghei. MethodsIn Plasmodium berghei, the relationship between PbSBP1 and the erythrocyte cytoskeletal protein 4.1R was examined using co-immunoprecipitation. A Pbsbp1 gene knockout mutant of Plasmodium berghei (Pbsbp1∆) was generated based on the principle of double crossover homologous recombination. The deformability of erythrocytes infected with Pbsbp1∆ parasites was assessed using microfluidic methods. Microchannels with an array of cylindrical pillars were used to detect modifications in infected RBC deformability. The infected RBCs were squashed between the rows and recovered between the columns and the transit velocity (μm/s) of infected RBCs travelling through the microchannel was recorded. The component of the erythrocyte membrane skeleton junctional complex, tropomodulin (TMOD), was fluorescently labeled, and the cytoskeletal network of infected erythrocytes was imaged using super-resolution stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) to analyze ultrastructural changes in the cytoskeleton of wild-type (WT) and Pbsbp1∆-infected erythrocytes. Actin-based junctional complexes were displayed as individual clusters by the labeled TMOD in the STORM images, and the cluster densities and distances between adjacent clusters of infected RBCs were calculated. Additionally, rodent malaria models (BALB/c mice) and experimental cerebral malaria models (C57BL/6 mice) were employed to monitor the growth of Pbsbp1∆ and WT parasites during the intraerythrocytic stage and their capacity to induce cerebral malaria in mice. ResultsPbSBP1 may participate in the remodeling of infected erythrocytes through direct or indirect interaction with the erythrocyte cytoskeletal protein 4.1R. Microfluidic assays revealed that the deformability of erythrocytes infected with Pbsbp1∆ parasites was significantly enhanced compared to those infected with WT parasites. STORM imaging further demonstrated that the ultrastructure of the erythrocyte cytoskeleton in Pbsbp1∆-infected cells was altered relative to that in WT-infected erythrocytes. The distances between nearest neighbors of clusters had a tendency to increase while the cluster densities were decreased in Pbsbp1∆-infected RBCs compared to WT-infected RBCs. Subsequent phenotypic analysis indicated that the growth rate of Pbsbp1∆ parasites during the intraerythrocytic stage was significantly slower than that of WT parasites, and their ability to induce cerebral malaria in mice was also attenuated. These findings suggest that PbSBP1 is involved in the remodeling of the erythrocyte membrane skeleton, likely through its direct or indirect interaction with protein 4.1R, thereby regulating the deformability of infected erythrocytes and influencing the pathogenicity of the blood-stage parasites. ConclusionThis study establishes a role for PbSBP1 in host erythrocyte remodeling and parasite virulence, providing new research strategies for the prevention and treatment of malaria.

Objective To establish an "human serum - porcine aortic endothelial cells (PAEC) - human platelets" in vitro model and explore the mechanism of xenotransplantation-related coagulation dysfunction mediated by immune complexes - platelet FcγRⅡa (CD32a) receptor. Methods Healthy human serum was co-incubated with PAEC to prepare the supernatant containing immune complexes, which was then used to stimulate healthy human platelets, or directly treated with the serum of xenogeneic liver transplant recipients. Flow cytometry was used to detect platelet activation markers CD62P and surface IgG binding levels, and the platelet adhesion function was evaluated by platelet-PAEC adhesion experiments. CD32a blocking antibody IV.3 and SYK blocker SKYIN 4 were used to clarify the signaling pathways. Results The supernatant from the co-incubation of healthy human serum and PAEC could significantly induce platelet activation and endothelial adhesion. The use of the serum from xenogeneic liver transplant recipients could also significantly induce platelet activation. Antibody IV.3 and SYK blocker SKYIN 4 could significantly inhibit these effects. Conclusions In xenotransplantation, the immune complexes formed by human serum antibodies and porcine endothelial antigens may induce abnormal platelet activation through the platelet CD32a receptor, which is an important mechanism of non-complement-dependent post-transplant coagulation dysfunction, providing a new target for the intervention of coagulation complications in xenotransplantation.

Atherosclerosis （AS） is a chronic and inflammatory vascular disease. Macrophages are common immune cells and play an important role in the development of AS. In recent years， research has found that the formation of AS plaques is closely related to pathological and physiological processes such as macrophage polarization， energy metabolism， and lipid phagocytosis. This review aims to summarize the mechanism of macrophages in the development of AS， and to explore potential therapeutic methods for delaying AS by regulating macrophages， providing new ideas for the treatment and research of AS.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to understand the awareness and attitudes of elderly Southeast Asians towards telehealth services during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in this study. METHODS: In this qualitative study, 78 individuals from Singapore (51.3% female, mean age 73.0 ± 7.6 years) were interviewed via telephone between 13 May 2020 and 9 June 2020 during Singapore's first COVID-19 'circuit breaker'. Participants were asked to describe their understanding of telehealth, their experience of and willingness to utilise these services, and the barriers and facilitators underlying their decision. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis, guided by the United Theory of Acceptance Use of Technology framework. RESULTS: Of the 78 participants, 24 (30.8%) were able to describe the range of telehealth services available and 15 (19.2%) had previously utilised these services. Conversely, 14 (17.9%) participants thought that telehealth comprised solely home medication delivery and 50 (51.3%) participants did not know about telehealth. Despite the advantages offered by telehealth services, participants preferred in-person consultations due to a perceived lack of human interaction and accuracy of diagnoses, poor digital literacy and a lack of access to telehealth-capable devices. CONCLUSION Our results showed poor overall awareness of the range of telehealth services available among elderly Asian individuals, with many harbouring erroneous views regarding their use. These data suggest that public health education campaigns are needed to improve awareness of and correct negative perceptions towards telehealth services in elderly Asians.
Humans ; COVID-19/epidemiology* ; Female ; Telemedicine ; Aged ; Male ; Singapore/epidemiology* ; Qualitative Research ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Aged, 80 and over ; Middle Aged ; Pandemics ; Awareness ; Asian People ; Southeast Asian People

OBJECTIVE: This study examines utilizes the advantages of machine learning algorithms to discern key determinants in prognosticate postoperative circulatory complications (PCCs) for older patients. METHODS: This secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial involved 1,720 elderly participants in five tertiary hospitals in Beijing, China. Participants aged 60-90 years undergoing major non-cardiac surgery under general anesthesia. The primary outcome metric of the study was the occurrence of PCCs, according to the European Society of Cardiology and the European Society of Anaesthesiology diagnostic criteria. The analysis metrics contained 67 candidate variables, including baseline characteristics, laboratory tests, and scale assessments. RESULTS: Our feature selection process identified key variables that significantly impact patient outcomes, including the duration of ICU stay, surgery, and anesthesia; APACHE-II score; intraoperative average heart rate and blood loss; cumulative opioid use during surgery; patient age; VAS-Move-Median score on the 1st to 3rd day; Charlson comorbidity score; volumes of intraoperative plasma, crystalloid, and colloid fluids; cumulative red blood cell transfusion during surgery; and endotracheal intubation duration. Notably, our Random Forest model demonstrated exceptional performance with an accuracy of 0.9872. CONCLUSION We have developed and validated an algorithm for predicting PCCs in elderly patients by identifying key risk factors.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology* ; Machine Learning ; Postoperative Complications/etiology* ; Risk Factors ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Secondary Data Analysis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection's effect on gestational liver function, pregnancy and delivery complications, and neonatal development. METHODS: A total of 157 HCV antibody-positive (anti-HCV[+]) and HCV RNA(+) patients (Group C) and 121 anti-HCV(+) and HCV RNA(-) patients (Group B) were included as study participants, while 142 anti-HCV(-) and HCV RNA(-) patients (Group A) were the control group. Data on biochemical indices during pregnancy, pregnancy complications, delivery-related information, and neonatal complications were also collected. RESULTS: Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) rates in Group C during early, middle, and late pregnancy were 59.87%, 43.95%, and 42.04%, respectively-significantly higher than Groups B (26.45%, 15.70%, 10.74%) and A (23.94%, 19.01%, 6.34%) ( P < 0.05). Median ALT levels in Group C were significantly higher than in Groups A and B at all pregnancy stages ( P < 0.05). No significant differences were found in neonatal malformation rates across groups ( P > 0.05). However, neonatal jaundice incidence was significantly greater in Group C (75.16%) compared to Groups A (42.25%) and B (57.02%) ( χ ² = 33.552, P < 0.001). HCV RNA positivity during pregnancy was an independent risk factor for neonatal jaundice ( OR = 2.111, 95% CI 1.242-3.588, P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS Chronic HCV infection can affect the liver function of pregnant women, but does not increase the pregnancy or delivery complication risks. HCV RNA(+) is an independent risk factor for neonatal jaundice.
Humans ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Adult ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/epidemiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Infant, Newborn ; Viremia/virology* ; Hepatitis C ; Hepacivirus/physiology* ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/virology* ; Young Adult ; Alanine Transaminase/blood*

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

Aim To investigate the effect of long-chain non-coding RNA(lncRNA)GS1-124K5.4 targeting regulation of PRDX6 on proliferation,migration and in-vasion of lung squamous carcinoma(LUSC)cells and the underlying mechanism.Methods The expression level of lncRNA GS1-124K5.4 in lung cancer tissues and adjacent tissues of 60 patients with LUSC were de-termined by fluorescence in situ hybridization.The ex-pression level of lncRNA GS1-124K5.4 in human nor-mal lung cells and LUSC cells were determined by qRT-PCR.Two kinds of LUSC cells(NCI-H 1703,SK-MES-1)with highest expression level of lncRNA GS1-124K5.4 were selected for subsequent experi-ments.The distribution of lncRNA GS1-124K5.4 in cells was studied by fluorescence in situ hybridization and prokaryotic separation.The effect of knockdown of lncRNA GS1-124K5.4 on proliferation of NCI-H1703 and SK-MES-1 cells was studied by CCK-8 experiment and cell clone formation experiment;the effect of knockdown of lncRNA GS1-124K5.4 on migration of NCI-H1703 and SK-MES-1 cells was studied by cell scratch experiment and Transwell cell migration experi-ment;and the effect of knockdown of lncRNA GS1-124K5.4 on invasion of NCI-H1703 and SK-MES-1 cells was studied by Transwell invasion experiment.The protein to be bound by lncRNA GS1-124K5.4 was detected by RNA pull-down combined with mass spec-trometry and immune-precipitation.The effect of knockdown of lncRNA GS1-124K5.4 targeting PRDX6 on proliferation,migration and invasion of NCI-H1703 and SK-MES-1 cells was studied.Results(1)The fluorescence intensity of lncRNA GS1-124K5.4 in lung squamous cell carcinoma increased compared with that in adjacent tissues(P＜0.05),and the expression of lncRNA GS1-124K5.4 was related with lymph node metastasis and clinical stage(P＜0.05).(2)The ex-pression level of lncRNA GS1-124K5.4 in NCI-H1703,NCI-H520 and SK-MES-1 cells significantly increased(P＜0.05).(3)The result of fluorescence in situ hybridization experiment and nucleoplasm sepa-ration experiment showed that lncRNA GS1-124K5.4 was mainly distributed in cell nucleus.(4)The prolif-eration,migration and invasion ability of NCI-H1703 and SK-MES-1 cells with knockdown of lncRNA GS1-124K5.4 significantly decreased(P＜0.05).(5)PRDX6 protein to be bound to LncRNA GS1-124K5.4 was determined by RNA pull-down combined with mass spectrometry and immunoprecipitation.(6)The prolif-eration,migration and invasion ability of NCI-H1703 and SK-MES-1 cells with overexpression of lncRNA GS1-124K5.4 significantly increased(P＜0.05);the proliferation,migration and invasion ability of NCI-H1703 and SK-MES-1 cells with knockdown of PRDX6 significantly decreased(P＜0.05);the proliferation,migration and invasion ability of NCI-H1703 and SK-MES-1 cells with overexpression of lncRNAGS1-124K5.4 and knockdown of PRDX6 showed no signifi-cant change(P＞0.05).Conclusions LncRNA GS1-124K5.4 is highly expressed in lung squamous cell carcinoma,and it may promote the proliferation,migration and invasion of lung squamous carcinoma cells by targeting the expression of PRDX6 protein.