Previous cohort studies investigating the association between sarcopenic obesity (SO) and all-cause mortality among adult people have been inconsistent. We performed a meta-analysis to determine if ...SO is a predictor of all-cause mortality.
Prospective cohort studies that evaluated the association between SO and mortality in older people were identified via a systematic search of three electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library). A random-effects model was applied to combine the results. We considered the methods recommeded by consensuses (dual X-ray absorptiometry,bio-impedancemetry, anthropometric measures or CT scan) to assess sarcopenic obesity.
Of the 603 studies identified through the systematic review, 23 (Participants: 50866) were included in the meta-analysis. The mean age ranged from 50 to 82.5 years.SO was significantly associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality among adult people (pooled HR = 1.21, 95% confidence interval 95% CI = 1.10-1.32, p < 0.001, I
= 64.3%). Furthermore, the subgroup analysis of participants showed that SO was associated with all-cause mortality (pooled HR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.06-1.23) among community-dwelling adult people; similarly, this association was found in hospitalized patients (pooled HR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.17-2.33). Moreover, the subgroup analysis demonstrated that SO was associated with all-cause mortality when using skeletal muscle mass (SMM) criteria, muscle strength criteria, and skeletal muscle index (SMI) criteria (HR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.01-1.23; HR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.05-1.33; and HR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.13-2.07, respectively). In addition, we analyzed SO on the basis of obesity definition and demonstrated that participants with a SO diagnosis based on waist circumference (WC) (HR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.09-1.40), body mass index (BMI) (HR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.04-1.59), or visceral fat area (HR = 2.54, 95% CI: 1.83-3.53) have a significantly increase mortality risk compared with those without SO.
Based on our update of existing scientific researches, SO is a significant predictor of all-cause mortality among older people, particularly hospitalized patients. Therefore, it is important to diagnose SO and to treat the condition to reduce mortality rates among older people.
is the primary cause for nosocomial infective diarrhoea. For a successful infection,
must navigate between resident gut bacteria and the harsh host environment. The perturbation of the intestinal ...microbiota by broad-spectrum antibiotics alters the composition and the geography of the gut microbiota, deterring colonization resistance, and enabling
to colonize. This review will discuss how
interacts with and exploits the microbiota and the host epithelium to infect and persist. We provide an overview of
virulence factors and their interactions with the gut to aid adhesion, cause epithelial damage and mediate persistence. Finally, we document the host responses to
, describing the immune cells and host pathways that are associated and triggered during
infection.
We have conducted a systematic survey for the X-ray properties of millisecond pulsars (MSPs). Currently, there are 47 MSPs with confirmed X-ray detections. We have also placed the upper limits for ...the X-ray emission from the other 36 MSPs by using the archival data. We have normalized their X-ray luminosities Lx and their effective photon indices Γ into a homogeneous data set, which enables us to carry out a detailed statistical analysis. Based on our censored sample, we report a relation of L x 10 31.05 ( E ˙ 10 35 ) 1.31 erg s−1 (2-10 keV) for the MSPs. The inferred X-ray conversion efficiency is found to be lower than the previously reported estimate that could be affected by selection bias. Lx also correlates/anti-correlates with the magnetic field strength at the light cylinder BLC/characteristic age τ. On the other hand, there is no correlation between Lx and their surface magnetic field strength Bs. We have further divided the sample into four classes: (i) black-widows, (ii) redbacks, (iii) isolated MSPs, and (iv) other MSP binaries, and compare the properties among them. We noted that while the rotational parameters and the orbital periods of redbacks and black-widows are similar, Lx of redbacks are significantly higher than those of black-widows in the 2-10 keV band. Also the Γ of redbacks are apparently smaller than those of black-widows, which indicates that the X-ray emission of redbacks are harder than that of black-widows. This can be explained by the different contribution of intrabinary shocks in the X-ray emission of these two classes.
Background. The relationship between seasonal influenza vaccine and susceptibility to 2009 pandemic A/H1N1 virus infection is not fully understood. Methods. One child 6–15 years of age from each of ...119 households was randomized to receive 1 dose of inactivated trivalent seasonal influenza vaccine (TIV) or saline placebo in November 2008. Serum samples were collected from study subjects and their household contacts before and 1 month after vaccination (December 2008), after winter (April 2009) and summer influenza (September–October 2009) seasons. Seasonal and pandemic influenza were confirmed by serum hemagglutinination inhibition, viral neutralization titers, and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction performed on nasal and throat swab samples collected during illness episodes. Results. TIV recipients had lower rates of serologically confirmed seasonal A/H1N1 infection (TIV group, 8%; placebo group, 21%; P = .10) and A/H3N2 infection (7% vs 12%; P = .49), but higher rates of pandemic A/H1N1 infection (32% vs 17%; P = .09). In multivariable analysis, those infected with seasonal influenza A during the study had a lower risk of laboratory-confirmed pandemic A/H1N1 infection (adjusted odds ratio OR, 0.35; 95% confidence interval CI, 0.14–0.87), and receipt of seasonal TIV was unassociated with risk of pandemic A/H1N1 infection (adjusted OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.54–2.26). Conclusions. TIV protected against strain-matched infection in children. Seasonal influenza infection appeared to confer cross-protection against pandemic influenza. Whether prior seasonal influenza vaccination affects the risk of infection with the pandemic strain requires additional study. Clinical trials registration. ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT00792051.
Abstract
The velocity and density distribution of e± in the pulsar wind are crucial distinction among magnetosphere models, and contain key parameters determining the high-energy emission of pulsar ...binaries. In this work, a direct method is proposed, which might probe the properties of the wind from one pulsar in a double-pulsar binary. When the radio signals from the first-formed pulsar travel through the relativistic e± flow in the pulsar wind from the younger companion, the components of different radio frequencies will be dispersed. It will introduce an additional frequency-dependent time-of-arrival delay of pulses, which is function of the orbital phase. In this paper, we formulate the above-mentioned dispersive delay with the properties of the pulsar wind. As examples, we apply the formula to the double-pulsar system PSR J0737−3039A/B and the pulsar-neutron star binary PSR B1913+16. For PSR J0737−3039A/B, the time delay in 300 MHz is ≲ 10 μ s−1 near the superior conjunction, under the optimal pulsar wind parameters, which is approximately half of the current timing accuracy. For PSR B1913+16, with the assumption that the neutron-star companion has a typical spin-down luminosity of 1033 erg s−1, the time delay is as large as 10 − 20 μ s−1 in 300 MHz. The best timing precision of this pulsar is ∼ 5 μ s−1 in 1400 MHz. Therefore, it is possible that we can find this signal in archival data. Otherwise, we can set an upper limit on the spin-down luminosity. Similar analysis can be applied to other 11 known pulsar-neutron star binaries.
Storm significantly deteriorates coastal water fecal pollution now and beyond. Questions relating to storm exerting on coastal water safety are often intertwined with both surface water and ...subsurface processes. Stormwater runoff is a vital metric for coastal water fecal pollution under current cognition, while the controls of subsurface system remain unclear. Here, this study leveraged two time-series field data collected in a sandy beach during storm and non-storm periods to probe subsurface Escherichia coli (E. coli) growth and exports to coastal waters under storm events. Results demonstrated that storm events can not only stimulate subsurface E. coli growth, but also accelerate subsurface E. coli exports into the receiving water. Storm-intensified rainfall injected more oxygenous rainwater in the shallow groundwater, subsequently stimulating subsurface E. coli growth. Storm-strengthened wave energy was responsible for accelerating subsurface E. coli exports through enhanced wave-induced recirculated seawater. This study proposes a new insight for the stress of storm events on microbial pollution in coastal waters. The findings are constructive to the prevention of beach ecosystem pollution and can pave the way for coastal safety management to future extreme weather.
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•Storm events can stimulate subsurface E. coli growth.•Elevated rainfall increases the fresh groundwater discharge and dissolved oxygen.•Strengthened wave energy accelerates subsurface E. coli exports to coastal waters.
Gene editing is a powerful tool for genome and cell engineering. Exemplified by CRISPR-Cas, gene editing could cause DNA damage and trigger DNA repair processes that are often error-prone. Such ...unwanted mutations and safety concerns can be exacerbated when altering long sequences. Here we couple microbial single-strand annealing proteins (SSAPs) with catalytically inactive dCas9 for gene editing. This cleavage-free gene editor, dCas9-SSAP, promotes the knock-in of long sequences in mammalian cells. The dCas9-SSAP editor has low on-target errors and minimal off-target effects, showing higher accuracy than canonical Cas9 methods. It is effective for inserting kilobase-scale sequences, with an efficiency of up to approximately 20% and robust performance across donor designs and cell types, including human stem cells. We show that dCas9-SSAP is less sensitive to inhibition of DNA repair enzymes than Cas9 references. We further performed truncation and aptamer engineering to minimize its size to fit into a single adeno-associated-virus vector for future application. Together, this tool opens opportunities towards safer long-sequence genome engineering.
Mutations at specific hotspots in non-coding regions of ADGRG6, PLEKHS1, WDR74, TBC1D12 and LEPROTL1 frequently occur in bladder cancer (BC). These mutations could function as biomarkers for the ...non-invasive detection of BC but this remains largely unexplored. Massively-parallel sequencing of non-coding hotspots was applied to 884 urine cell pellet DNAs: 591 from haematuria clinic patients (165 BCs, 426 non-BCs) and 293 from non-muscle invasive BC surveillance patients (29 with recurrence). Urine samples from 142 non-BC haematuria clinic patients were used to optimise variant calling. Non-coding mutations are readily detectable in the urine of BC patients and undetectable, or present at much lower frequencies, in the absence of BC. The mutations can be used to detect incident BC with 66% sensitivity (95% CI 58-75) at 92% specificity (95% CI 88-95) and recurrent disease with 55% sensitivity (95% CI 36-74) at 85% specificity (95% CI 80-89%) using a 2% variant allele frequency threshold. In the NMIBC surveillance setting, the detection of non-coding mutations in urine in the absence of clinically detectable disease was associated with an increased relative risk of future recurrence (RR = 4.62 (95% CI 3.75-5.48)). As urinary biomarkers, non-coding hotspot mutations behave similarly to driver mutations in BC-associated genes and could be included in biomarker panels for BC detection.
Adipose tissue is a highly dynamic endocrine organ, secreting a number of bioactive substances (adipokines) regulating insulin sensitivity, energy metabolism and vascular homeostasis. Dysfunctional ...adipose tissue is a key mediator that links obesity with insulin resistance, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Obese adipose tissue is characterized by adipocyte hypertrophy and infiltration of inflammatory macrophages and lymphocytes, leading to the augmented production of pro‐inflammatory adipokines and vasoconstrictors that induce endothelial dysfunction and vascular inflammation through their paracrine and endocrine actions. By contrast, the secretion of adiponectin, an adipokine with insulin sensitizing and anti‐inflammatory activities, is decreased in obesity and its related pathologies. Emerging evidence suggests that adiponectin is protective against vascular dysfunction induced by obesity and diabetes, through its multiple favourable effects on glucose and lipid metabolism as well as on vascular function. Adiponectin improves insulin sensitivity and metabolic profiles, thus reducing the classical risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, adiponectin protects the vasculature through its pleiotropic actions on endothelial cells, endothelial progenitor cells, smooth muscle cells and macrophages. Data from both animal and human investigations demonstrate that adiponectin is an important component of the adipo‐vascular axis that mediates the cross‐talk between adipose tissue and vasculature. This review highlights recent work on the vascular protective activities of adiponectin and discusses the molecular pathways underlying the vascular actions of this adipokine.
We have recently shown that a molecular biomarker signature comprised of inflammatory, hormonal and growth factors occurs in the blood serum from first onset schizophrenia patients. Here, we use the ...same platform to investigate post mortem brain tissue (Brodmann area 10) from schizophrenia patients who were mainly chronically ill and drug treated. Twenty-one analytes are differentially expressed in post-mortem brain tissue. Comparison with our previous mRNA profiling studies of the same patient samples in another frontal cortical area showed that 9 of these molecules were also altered at the transcriptional level. Furthermore, 9 of the molecules were also altered in serum from living first onset schizophrenia patients compared to controls. We propose a model in which the brain and periphery are coordinated through hormones and other regulatory molecules released into the blood via the diffuse neuroendocrine system. These findings provide further evidence for the systemic nature of schizophrenia and give added validity to the concept that schizophrenia can be investigated through studies of blood-based biomarkers.
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