Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is supposed to participate in the development of atherosclerosis and cardio-cerebrovascular disease. However, the results of research on relationship between OPG and ischemic ...stroke (IS) are controversial. Therefore, we carried out the first systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate prognostic effect of osteoprotegerin in patients with IS.
We comprehensively searched databases of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library through 21 August 2023 to identify observational studies that evaluated effect of OPG on poor functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale mRS Score of 3-6) and mortality in patients with IS. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of each included study were used as much as possible to assess the pooled effect.
Five studies that enrolled 4,506 patients in total fulfilled our inclusion criteria. Three studies were included in the pooled analysis for each endpoint since one of the included studies had provided data on poor functional outcome as well as mortality. OPG was neither associated with poor functional outcome (aOR 1.29, 95% CI 0.90-1.85) nor with mortality (aOR 1.57, 95% CI 0.90-2.74) in patients with IS.
There is insufficient evidence to demonstrate the correlation between OPG and mortality or poor functional outcome in IS patients. OPG cannot be applied to predict worse neurological function in IS patients based on the current evidence.
Mangrove swamp is one of the world's richest and most productive marine ecosystems. This ecosystem also has a great ecological importance, but is highly susceptible to anthropogenic disturbances. The ...balance of mangrove ecosystem depends largely on the microbial communities in mangrove sediments. Thus, understanding how the mangrove microbial communities respond to spatial differences is essential for more accurate assessment of mangrove ecosystem health. To this end, we performed the first medium-distance (150 km) research on the biogeographic distribution of mangrove microbial communities. The hypervariable regions of 16S rRNA gene was sequenced by Illumina to compare the microbial communities in mangrove sediments collected from six locations (i.e. Zhenzhu harbor, Yuzhouping, Maowei Sea, Qinzhou harbor, Beihai city and Shankou) along the coastline of Beibu Gulf in Guangxi province, China. Collectively, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, Parvarchaeota, Acidobacteria and Cyanobacteria were the predominant phyla in the mangrove sediments of this area. At genus level, the heat map of microbial communities reflected similarities between study sites and was in agreement with their biogeographic characteristics. Interestingly, the genera Desulfococcus, Arcobacter, Nitrosopumilus and Sulfurimonas showed differences in abundance between study sites. Furthermore, the principal component analysis (PCA) and unweighted UniFrac cluster tree of beta diversity were used to study the biogeographic diversity of the microbial communities. Relatively broader variation of microbial communities was found in Beihai city and Qinzhou harbour, suggesting that environmental condition and historical events may play an important role in shaping the bacterial communities as well. This is the first report on medium-distance range distribution of bacteria in the mangrove swamp ecosystem. Our data is valuable for monitoring and evaluation of the impact of human activity on mangrove habitats from the perspective of microbiome.
•Phage phiA034 has a broad host range which can lyse multiple species of Aeromonas.•Based on the whole-genome analysis, the phage phiA034 could be classified as a novel species of an existing viral ...genus Sharonstreetvirus.•The study have expanded the species bank and genomes library of bacterial virus.
Aeromonas is one of the most serious pathogens in freshwater aquaculture. Overuse of antibiotics for the treatment of fish diseases has led to the frequent occurrence of drug-resistant strains. Phage therapy is an alternative approach to overcoming the multi-drug resistance associated with antibiotics. In this study, a novel phage phiA034 targeting the host A. veronii A034 was isolated. The phage could infect 14 strains of 4 species Aeromonas. The phage phiA034 displayed head-tail structure with an icosahedral head in the TEM image. At the optimal MOI of 1, it had a latent period of nearly 20 minutes and a burst size of 286 PFU/cell. Besides, the phage phiA034 exhibited high tolerance to a wide range of temperature (30–70 °C) and acid-base (pH 6.0–10.0). The whole genome of phage phiA034 was sequenced with a size of 61,443 bp and annotated with 82 ORFs, mainly related to structure, DNA replication, and lysis. Based on the analysis and comparison of the genomes and proteomes, phage phiA034 could be classified as a novel species of an existing genus Duplodnaviria Heunggongvirae, Uroviricota, Caudoviricetes, Casjensviridae, Sharonstreetvirus. These findings have expanded the species bank and genomes library of bacterial virus and will promote the application of phage therapy in Aeromonas disease.
In this study, we determined the complete mitogenome sequence of Calappa bilineata, which is the first mitogenome of Calappidae up to now. The total length is 15,606 bp and includes 13 protein-coding ...genes, 22 transfer RNAs, two ribosomal RNAs and one control region. The genome composition is highly A + T biased (68.7%), and exhibits a negative AT-skew (−0.010) and GC-skew (−0.267). As with other invertebrate mitogenomes, the PCGs start with the standard ATN and stop with the standard TAN codons or incomplete T. Phylogenetic analysis showed that C. bilineata was most closely related to Matuta planipes (Matutidae), and these two species formed a sister clade, constituting a Calappoidea group and forming a sister clade with part of Eriphioidea. The existence of the polyphyletic families raised doubts over the traditional classification system. These results will help to better understand the features of the C. bilineata mitogenome and lay foundation for further evolutionary relationships within Brachyura.
•First complete mitogenome of Calappidae was sequenced and described.•Mitogenomic features of C. bilineata was compared with other Brachyuran crabs.•Phylogenetic status of Calappidae within Brachyura was explored.
Introduction Due to the high-density farming of Larimichthys crocea over the years, diseases caused by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites frequently occur in Ningbo, posing a huge ...threat and challenge to the sustainable and healthy development of the L. crocea’s bay farming industry. In order to understand the diseases occurrence in L. crocea farming in Ningbo area, an epidemiological investigation of L. crocea diseases was carried out through regular sampling in 2023. Methods From April to October 2023, routine sampling of L. crocea was conducted monthly in various farming areas in Ningbo. Each time, live or dying L. crocea with obvious clinical symptoms were sampled, with a total number of 55 L. crocea collected. The samples were preserved in ice bags and transported to the laboratory for pathogen detection(including bacterial isolation and identification,virus identification, and parasites detection). Results A total of fifty-five fish dying L. crocea with obvious clinical symptoms were collected in this study, of which 78.18% (43/55) were detected with symptoms caused by pathogenic infection, while 21.82% (12/55) did not have identified pathogens, which were presumed to be breeding abrasions, nutritional metabolic disorders, unconventional pathogens infection or other reasons. A total of twenty-five pathogenic bacteria strains were isolated, which mainly were Pseudomonas plecoglossicida and Vibrio harveyi , accounting for 52% (13/25) and 32% (8/25) of the pathogenic bacteria strains, respectively. Among them, both V. harveyi and Streptococcus . iniae co-infected one fish. Additionally, three other bacterial strains including Nocardia seriolae , Staphylococcus Saprophyticus , and Photobacterium damselae subsp.damselae were isolated. Microscopic examination mainly observed two parasites, Cryptocaryon irritans and Neobenedenia girellae . In virus detection, the red sea bream iridovirus (RSIV) was mainly detected in L. crocea . Statistical analysis showed that among the fish with detected pathogens, 55.81% (24/43) had bacterial infections, 37.21% (16/43) had parasitic infections, and 37.21% (16/43) had RSIV infections. Among them, five fish had mixed infections of bacteria and parasites, three had mixed infections of bacteria and viruses, three had mixed infections of parasites and viruses, and one L. crocea had mixed infections of viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Discussion These findings indicate that these three major types of diseases are very common in the L. crocea farming area in Ningbo, implying the complexity of mixed infections of multiple diseases.
(1) Background: Singapore grouper iridovirus (SGIV) can cause extensive fish deaths. Therefore, developing treatments to combat virulent SGIV is of great economic importance to address this challenge ...to the grouper aquaculture industry. Green tea is an important medicinal and edible plant throughout the world. In this study, we evaluated the use of green tea components against SGIV infection. (2) Methods: The safe working concentrations of green tea components were identified by cell viability detection and light microscopy. Additionally, the antiviral activity of each green tea component against SGIV infection was determined with light microscopy, an aptamer (Q5c)-based fluorescent molecular probe, and reverse transcription quantitative PCR. (3) Results: The safe working concentrations of green tea components were green tea aqueous extract (GTAE) ≤ 100 μg/mL, green tea polyphenols (TP) ≤ 10 μg/mL, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) ≤ 12 μg/mL, (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC) ≤ 10 μg/mL, (-)-epicatechin gallate (EGC) ≤ 5 μg/mL, and (-)-epicatechin (EC) ≤ 50 μg/mL. The relative antiviral activities of the green tea components determined in terms of MCP gene expression were TP > EGCG > GTAE > ECG > EGC > EC, with inhibition rates of 99.34%, 98.31%, 98.23%, 88.62%, 73.80%, and 44.31%, respectively. The antiviral effect of aptamer-Q5c was consistent with the results of qPCR. Also, TP had an excellent antiviral effect in vitro, wherein the mortality of fish in only the SGIV-injection group and TP + SGIV-injection group were 100% and 11.67%, respectively. (4) Conclusions: In conclusion, our results suggest that green tea components have effective antiviral properties against SGIV and may be candidate agents for the effective treatment and control of SGIV infections in grouper aquaculture.
Biomarkers have important roles in various physiological functions and disease pathogenesis. As a nucleocytoplasmic DNA virus, Singapore grouper iridovirus (SGIV) causes high economic losses in the ...mariculture industry. Aptamer-Q5-complexed major capsid protein (MCP) in the membrane of SGIV-infected cells can be used as a specific molecular probe to investigate the crucial events of MCP endocytosis into SGIV-infected host cells during viral infection. Chlorpromazine blocks clathrin-mediated endocytosis, and MCP endocytosis into SGIV-infected cells decreased significantly when the cells were pretreated with chlorpromazine. The disruption of cellular cholesterol by methyl-β-cyclodextrin also significantly reduced MCP endocytosis. In contrast, inhibitors of key regulators of caveolae/raft-dependent endocytosis and macropinocytosis, including genistein, Na
+
/H
+
exchanger, p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1), myosin II, Rac1 GTPase, and protein kinase C (PKC), had no effect on MCP endocytosis. The endocytosis of the biomarker MCP is dependent on low pH and cytoskeletal actin filaments, as shown with various inhibitors (chloroquine, ammonia chloride, cytochalasin D). Therefore, MCP enters SGIV-infected host cells via clathrin-mediated endocytosis, which is dependent on dynamin, cholesterol, low pH, and cytoskeletal actin filaments. This is the first report of a specific aptamer-based probe used to analyze MCP endocytosis into SGIV-infected host cells during viral infection. This method provides a convenient strategy for exploring viral pathogenesis and facilitates the development of diagnostic tools for and therapeutic approaches to viral infection.
Introduction Aeromonas hydrophila is particularly harmful to freshwater aquaculture, and the search for phage is an effective biological control method, but reports of possible temperate phages and ...their mutants are rare in this field. In this study, a virulent phage highly homologous to prophage in the genomes of A. hydrophila was collected and preliminary biological characterization was carried out to understand its nature. Materials and methods Water samples taken from eel ponds in Fujian, China were combined with the strain. Spot test method and double-layer agar plate assay was used for confirmation and purification. Phage virions were observed using transmission electron microscope. A total of 68 strains of Aeromonas spp . were used to determine the host range. MOI groups of 1,000, 100, 10, 1, 0.1, 0.01, 0.001, 0.0001, 0.00001 were prepared to detect the optimal MOI. The conditions of thermal stability assay were set as 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80°C for 1 h, respectively, and conditions of acid and alkali stability assay were set as 2.0, 4.0, 6.0, 8.0, 10.0 and 12.0 of pH. MOI of 0.01 and 0.1, respectively, are set to determine the inhibitory capacity of phage. Results A novel virulent A. hydrophila phage designated phiA051 has been isolated from aquaculture water. Electron microscopic observation showed that the phage phiA051 was composed of an icosahedral capsid. The phage phiA051 possesses an optimal multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.01, and its burst size was 108 PFU/cell. The phage maintained a high viability at temperatures of 30–50°C or pH 6.0–10.0 for 1 h. Phage phiA051 has certain potentials in rapidly inhibiting the spread of pathogen early in the outbreak, and it has a linear dsDNA with GC content of 60.55% and a total length of 32,212 bp, including 46 ORFs. Discussion The phage phiA051 behaved as a virulent phage. However, the BLASTN result showed that 23 of the top 25 hits were genomes of Aeromonas strains. It was suggested that phiA051 was probably derived from some prophage in the chromosome of Aeromonas. Further investigation of the mechanism how phage phiA051 transforms from a temperate phage to a virulent phage will provide a unique perspective and idea to explore the potential of prophages.
Objective
To identify the unique clinical features and biological markers of lung cancer-associated stroke.
Methods
We recruited 102 patients with lung cancer plus stroke, 102 with lung cancer, and ...102 with stroke. Detailed information was analysed and compared among groups.
Results
The groups were age-matched. Patients with lung cancer plus stroke showed multiple lesions involving multiple cerebral artery territories on magnetic resonance imaging, compared with stroke-alone patients. These patients also had a poorer modified Rankin Scale score at 30 days, and high mortality (18.6%). Patients with lung cancer plus stroke had a higher incidence of metastasis, and higher blood levels of D-dimer, CA125 and CA199 compared with patients with lung cancer alone. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that levels of D-dimer, CA125 and CA199 were independently related to lung cancer-associated stroke.
Conclusion
Elevated plasma D-dimer, CA125 and CA199 may be independent risk factors for and biomarkers of lung cancer-associated stroke.
•A pyrosequencing method was applied to detect White Spot Syndrome Virus in shrimps.•This method was able to specifically detect WSSV in eight viruses.•The detection results were more sensitive than ...conventional PCR.•A new detection method for monitoring and controlling WSSV.
This study aimed to establish pyrosequencing methods to detect white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). One pair of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers, and one pyrosequencing primer, were designed for WSSV. The pyrosequencing reaction system and conditions were optimized and a pyrosequencing method for detecting WSSV was successfully established. This method was able to specifically detect WSSV in eight viruses, with high sensitivity. The minimum detectable limit for nucleic acid was 23 copies/μL. The method was verified by detecting WSSV in 1881 batches of samples collected from domestic and imported shrimps. The detection results were more sensitive than conventional PCR. This research has therefore provided a new detection method for monitoring, and controlling aquatic animal virus diseases.