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*

Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the bacterial communities of biting midges and ticks collected from three sites in the Poyang Lake area,namely,Qunlu Practice Base,Peach Blossom Garden,and Huangtong Animal Husbandry,and whether vectors carry any bacterial pathogens that may cause diseases to humans,to provide scientific basis for prospective pathogen discovery and disease prevention and control. Methods Using a metataxonomics approach in concert with full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing and operational phylogenetic unit(OPU)analysis,we characterized the species-level microbial community structure of two important vector species,biting midges and ticks,including 33 arthropod samples comprising 3,885 individuals,collected around Poyang Lake. Results A total of 662 OPUs were classified in biting midges,including 195 known species and 373 potentially new species,and 618 OPUs were classified in ticks,including 217 known species and 326 potentially new species.Surprisingly,OPUs with potentially pathogenicity were detected in both arthropod vectors,with 66 known species of biting midges reported to carry potential pathogens,including Asaia lannensis and Rickettsia bellii,compared to 50 in ticks,such as Acinetobacter lwoffii and Staphylococcus sciuri.We found that Proteobacteria was the most dominant group in both midges and ticks.Furthermore,the outcomes demonstrated that the microbiota of midges and ticks tend to be governed by a few highly abundant bacteria.Pantoea sp7 was predominant in biting midges,while Coxiella sp1 was enriched in ticks.Meanwhile,Coxiella spp.,which may be essential for the survival of Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann,were detected in all tick samples.The identification of dominant species and pathogens of biting midges and ticks in this study serves to broaden our knowledge associated to microbes of arthropod vectors. Conclusion Biting midges and ticks carry large numbers of known and potentially novel bacteria,and carry a wide range of potentially pathogenic bacteria,which may pose a risk of infection to humans and animals.The microbial communities of midges and ticks tend to be dominated by a few highly abundant bacteria.

Objective To explore the current status of H.pylori infection in the natural population of Sanya City,analyze its influencing factors,and provide a reference basis for the prevention and control of H.pylori infection.Methods A total of 677 residents from four districts of Sanya City were selected by overall stratified random sampling method,and were subjected to urea 14C breath test and questionnaire survey to calculate the positive rate of H.pylori in the natural population and analyze the influencing factors of H.pylori infection.Results A total of 606 residents were included,and the number of H.pylori positive detections was 261,with a positive detection rate of 38.5％.Among them,different ethnicity,marital status,smoking,eating vegetables and fruits,and literacy level were associated with H.pylori infection(P＜0.05);gender,age,BMI,alcohol consumption,drinking water source,betel quid chewing,and the number of cohabitants were not significantly associated with H.pylori infection(P＞0.05).Family infection was an independent risk factor for H.pylori infection in the natural population of Sanya City,and Li ethnicity,frequent consumption of fruits and vegetables,and college and higher education level were independent protective factors for H.pylori infection in the natural population of Sanya City.Conclusion The rate of H.pylori infection in the natural population of Sanya City is lower than the national average.Consuming more fruits and vegetables and improving the awareness of hygiene protection are conducive to the prevention of H.pylori infection;and the promotion of the family and related members with the same examination and treatment is important to avoid aggregation of infection within the family.

Objective To explore influencing factors of functional recovery after ankle fracture of type Ⅱ degree and above supination-external rotation.Methods Clinical data of 120 patients with ankle fractures of type Ⅱ degree and above supination-external rotation admitted from February 2019 to April 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.According to American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society(AOFAS),patients were divided into excellent group with 73 patients(90 to 100 points),good group with 35 patients(75 to 89 points),and fair group with 12 patients(＜50 points).The differences of ankle active range of motion(ROM)and AOFAS score were compared among three groups at the latest follow-up.Multivariate Logistic regression analy-sis was performed to analyze the factors related to functional recovery after ankle fracture of supination-external rotation.Results There were significant differences in postoperative ROM(dorsoextension,plantar flexion,varus and valgus)and com-plications between excellent group and good and acceptable group(P＜0.05).Univariate analysis showed there were differences in age above 50 years old,Ⅳ degree of supination-external rotation fracture,lower tibiofibular ligament injury,posterior ankle fracture,no drainage tube placed,infection,antibiotic use time above 7 days(P＜0.05).Multivariate Logistic regression analy-sis showed age above 50 years old[OR=2.829,95％CI(1.049,7.628),P=0.040],Ⅳ degree fracture of supination-external ro-tation[OR=6.13,95％CI(1.153,32.593),P=0.033],lower tibiofibular ligament injury[OR=10.785,95％CI(3.338,34.894),P=0.000],and posterior ankle fracture[OR=6.349,95％CI(1.869,21.560),P=0.003]were independent risk factors for func-tional recovery after ankle fracture of supination-external rotation(P＜0.05).Conclusion The postoperative excellent outcome of ankle fracture was good,and the recovery of joint motion was better.The older age of patient,Ⅳ degree of supination-exter-nal rotation fracture,the lower tibiofibular ligament injury,and posterior ankle fracture are all adverse factors affecting func-tional recovery after supination-external rotation ankle fracture.In clinical,effective measures should be taken to deal with these influencing factors,and strive to improve the functional recovery after the operation of this type of fracture and reduce the occurrence of related complications.

Sucrose synthase plays a crucial role in the plant sugar metabolism pathway by catalyzing the production of uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glucose, which serves as a bioactive glycosyl donor for various metabolic processes. In this study, a sucrose synthase gene named CtSus was cloned from Cistanche tubulosa, a traditional Chinese medicine known for its rich content of diverse glycosides, based on transcriptome analysis results. The open reading frame of CtSus was 2 418 bp long encoding 805 amino acids. Sequence analysis revealed conserved domains associated with the plant sucrose synthase family at both the N-terminal and C-terminal regions of CtSus protein. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that CtSus shares a close evolutionary relationship with sucrose synthases from other plants within the same order. Functional identification of CtSus was performed through whole-cell catalysis coupling with UGT71BD1, a characterized glycosyltransferase enzyme. The results showed that the introduction of CtSus significantly enhanced the conversion rate of glycosylation catalyzed by UGT71BD1. The soluble expression of CtSus in Escherichia coli was further achieved using the pCold^TM TF expression vector. In vitro enzymatic assay indicated the activity of CtSus to catalyze the formation of UDP-glucose in the presence of sucrose and UDP. Real-time quantitative-polymerase chain reaction results showed that the expression patterns of CtSus gene in different parts of C. tubulosa and the suspension cell cultures of C. tubulosa under drought stress correlated with the accumulation patterns observed for phenylethanol glycosides, respectively. Furthermore, key amino acids and their interactions between enzyme and substrate were explored based on protein structure prediction and molecular docking results. Overall, our findings identify a sucrose synthase CtSus responsible for the supply of the active glycosyl donor UDP-glucose during the biosynthesis of glycoside products in C. tubulosa and have also provided a gene element that can be utilized in engineering strain construction for glycoside products production.

As artificial intelligence technology rapidly advances, its deployment within the medical sector presents substantial ethical challenges. Consequently, it becomes crucial to create a standardized, transparent, and secure framework for processing medical data. This includes setting the ethical boundaries for medical artificial intelligence and safeguarding both patient rights and data integrity. This consensus governs every facet of medical data handling through artificial intelligence, encompassing data gathering, processing, storage, transmission, utilization, and sharing. Its purpose is to ensure the management of medical data adheres to ethical standards and legal requirements, while safeguarding patient privacy and data security. Concurrently, the principles of compliance with the law, patient privacy respect, patient interest protection, and safety and reliability are underscored. Key issues such as informed consent, data usage, intellectual property protection, conflict of interest, and benefit sharing are examined in depth. The enactment of this expert consensus is intended to foster the profound integration and sustainable advancement of artificial intelligence within the medical domain, while simultaneously ensuring that artificial intelligence adheres strictly to the relevant ethical norms and legal frameworks during the processing of medical data.
Artificial Intelligence/legislation & jurisprudence* ; Humans ; Consensus ; Computer Security/standards* ; Confidentiality/ethics* ; Informed Consent/ethics*

A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was established and validated for determining the concentrations of costunolide(CO), piperine(PI), agarotetrol(AG), glycyrrhizic acid(GL), vanillic acid(VA), and glycyrrhetinic acid(GA) in rat plasma. This method was then applied to the toxicokinetic study of these six compounds in rats with chronic cerebral ischemia(CCI) following multiple oral doses of Zhachong Shisanwei Pills. Finally, the effects of continuous multiple-dose administration of Zhachong Shisanwei Pills on the liver of CCI rats were investigated. The results showed that after oral administration of different doses of Zhachong Shisanwei Pills, the in vivo exposure of AG, VA, and GA was relatively high, with AUC_(0-∞) values ranging from 604.0-2 494.2, 1 305.4-4 634.5, and 2 177.5-4 045.7 h·ng·mL~(-1), respectively, while the exposure of CO, PI, and GL was relatively low, with AUC_(0-∞) values ranging from 37.8-238.2, 2.4-17.0, and 146.9-408.5 h·ng·mL~(-1), respectively. The C_(max) and AUC_(0-∞) of the six compounds were positively correlated with the administered dose. The T_(max) of PI and AG ranged from 0.3 to 2.0 h, their T_(1/2) ranged from 0.8 to 2.9 h, and their mean residence time(MRT) ranged from 1.0 to 3.7 h. The T_(max) of GL and VA was shorter(0.4-1.9 h), while their T_(1/2)(2.6-5.9 h) and MRT(2.5-8.5 h) were longer. Both CO and GA exhibited a bimodal phenomenon, with T_(max) ranging from 1.6 to 6.6 h, T_(1/2) ranging from 2.8 to 7.7 h, and MRT ranging from 4.1 to 12.9 h. Liver histopathology after 28 days of continuous multiple-dose administration of Zhachong Shisanwei Pills showed that the liver tissue remained normal at a low dose(crude drug 0.8 g·kg~(-1), approximately 5 times the clinical equivalent dose). However, as the dose increased(crude drug 1.1-3.0 g·kg~(-1), 6.9-18.8 times the clinical equivalent dose), varying degrees of liver damage were observed. Blood biochemical tests revealed no significant changes in the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alkaline phosphatase(ALP), and total bile acid(TBA) in CCI rats from administration groups 1 to 3(crude drug 0.8, 1.1, 1.5 g·kg~(-1)). However, ALT, AST, ALP, and TBA levels in groups 4 and 5(crude drug 2.1, 3.0 g·kg~(-1)) showed significant increases. This study preliminarily elucidated the toxicokinetic characteristics of the six compounds in Zhachong Shisanwei Pills and their effects on liver tissue in CCI rats, providing data as a reference for clinical use.
Animals ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Rats ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/toxicity* ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Brain Ischemia/blood* ; Chromatography, Liquid/methods* ; Polyunsaturated Alkamides/blood* ; Piperidines/toxicity* ; Benzodioxoles/toxicity* ; Alkaloids/blood* ; Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether meranzin hydrate (MH) can alleviate depression-like behavior and hypomotility similar to Chaihu Shugan Powder (CSP), and further explore the potential common mechanisms. METHODS: Totally 120 Spraque-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5-8 groups including sham, vehicle, fluoxetine (20 mg/kg), mosapride (10 mg/kg), CSP (30 g/kg), MH (9.18 mg/kg), [D-Lys3]-GHRP-6 (Dlys, 0.5 mg/kg), and MH+Dlys groups by a random number table, 8 rats in each group. And 32 mice were randomly divided into wild-type, MH (18 mg/kg), growth hormone secretagogue receptor-knockout (GHSR-KO), and GHSR+MH groups, 8 mice in each group. The forced swimming test (FST), open field test (OFT), tail suspension test (TST), gastric emptying (GE) test, and intestinal transit (IT) test were used to assess antidepressant and prokinetic (AP) effects after drug single administration for 30 min with absorbable identification in rats and mice, respectively. The protein expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) in the hippocampus of rats were evaluated by Western blot. The differences in functional brain changes were determined via 7.0 T functional magnetic resonance imaging-blood oxygen level-dependent (fMRI-BOLD). RESULTS: MH treatment improved depression-like behavior (FST, OFT) and hypomotility (GE, IT) in the acute forced swimming (FS) rats (all P<0.05), and the effects are similar to the parent formula CSP. The ghrelin antagonist [D-Lys3]-GHRP-6 inhibited the effect of MH on FST and GE (P<0.05). Similarly, MH treatment also alleviated depression-like behavior (FST, TST) in the wild-type mice, however, no effects were found in the GHSR KO mice. Additionally, administration of MH significantly stimulated BDNF and p-mTOR protein expressions in the hippocampus (both P<0.01), which were also prevented by [D-Lys3]-GHRP-6 (P<0.01). Besides, 3 main BOLD foci following acute FS rats implicated activity in hippocampus-thalamus-basal ganglia (HTB) circuits. The [D-Lys3]-GHRP-6 synchronously inhibited BOLD HTB foci. As expected, prokinetic mosapride only had effects on the thalamus and basal ganglia, but not on the hippocampus. Within the HTB, the hippocampus is implicated in depression and FD. CONCLUSIONS MH accounts for part of AP effects of parent formula CSP in acute FS rats, mainly via ghrelin-related shared regulation coupled to BOLD signals in brain areas. This novel functionally connection of HTB following acute stress, treatment, and regulation highlights anti-depression unified theory.
Rats ; Mice ; Animals ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/metabolism* ; Ghrelin/metabolism* ; Antidepressive Agents/therapeutic use* ; Hippocampus ; Stress, Psychological ; Mammals/metabolism*

To investigate two clusters of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) in Xinyang City, Henan Province, in 2022, and analyze their causes, transmission route, risk factors, and the characteristics of virus genetic variation. Case search and case investigation were carried out according to the case definition. Blood samples from cases, family members and neighbors and samples of biological vectors were collected for RT-PCR to detect SFTSV. The whole genome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were performed on the collected positive samples. A total of two clustered outbreaks occurred, involving two initial cases and ten secondary cases, all of which were family recurrent cases. Among them, nine secondary cases had close contact with the blood of the initial case, and it was determined that close contact with blood was the main risk factor for the two clustered outbreaks. After genome sequencing analysis, we found that the SFTSV genotype in two cases was type A, which was closely related to previous endemic strains in Xinyang. The nucleotide sequence of the SFTSV in the case was highly homologous, with a total of nine amino acid mutation sites in the coding region. It was not ruled out that its mutation sites might have an impact on the outbreak of the epidemic.
Humans ; Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome/epidemiology* ; Bunyaviridae Infections/epidemiology* ; Thrombocytopenia/complications* ; Phlebovirus/genetics* ; Disease Outbreaks ; China/epidemiology*

Objective: To exploring the clinical features of SF3B1-mutated myelodysplastic syndrome with excess blasts (MDS-EB) and analyzing the association between SF3B1 mutation, and efficacy and prognostic significance for patients with MDS-EB. Methods: This was a retrospective case series study. The clinical data of 266 patients with MDS-EB diagnosed in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between April 2016 and November 2021 were analyzed. The observed indicators included blood routine counts, mutated genes, overall response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and leukemia-free survival (LFS). The Kaplan-Meier method was used to depict the survival curves. The Log-rank test method was equally used to compare survival across groups and performed the Cox proportional hazard regression model for prognostic analysis. Results: In 266 patients with MDS-EB, 166 (62.4%) were men, and the median age was 57 (17-81) years. Moreover, there were included 26 and 240 patients in the SF3B1-mutated and SF3B1 wild-type groups. Patients in the SF3B1-mutated group were older [median age 65 (51, 69) years vs. 56 (46, 66) years, P=0.033], had higher white blood cell (WBC) counts [3.08 (2.35, 4.78) × 10⁹/L vs. 2.13 (1.40, 3.77) × 10⁹/L], platelet (PLT) counts [122.5 (50.5, 215.0) ×10⁹/L vs. 49.0 (24.3, 100.8) × 10⁹/L], absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) [1.83 (1.01, 2.88) × 10⁹/L vs. 0.80 (0.41, 1.99) × 10⁹/L]and occurrence of DNMT3A mutation [23.1% (6/26) vs. 6.7% (16/240)] (all P<0.05). The ORR were similar in both groups after 2 and 4 cycles of therapy (P=0.348, P=1.000). Moreover, the LFS (P=0.218), PFS (P=0.179) and OS (P=0.188) were similar across the groups. Univariate Cox analysis revealed that SF3B1 mutation did not affect the prognosis of patients with MDS-EB (OS: P=0.193; PFS: P=0.184). Conclusions: Patients with SF3B1 mutation were older, with greater WBC, PLT, and ANC, and SF3B1 mutation easily co-occurred with DNMT3A mutation. From this model, there were no significant differences in efficacy and survival of MDS-EB with or without SF3B1 mutation.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Leukocytes ; Mutation ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes/diagnosis* ; Phosphoproteins/genetics* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; RNA Splicing Factors/genetics* ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Adult ; Aged, 80 and over