Biomedical and environmental sciences : BES最新文献

Objectives: The combined use of bedaquiline and delamanid (BDQ-DLM) is limited by an increased risk of prolonging the QTc interval. We retrospectively evaluated patients who received DLM/BDQ-containing regimens at a TB-specialized hospital. We aimed to present clinical efficacy and safety data for Chinese patients.

Methods: This case-control study included patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) treated with BDQ alone or BDQ plus DLM.

Results: A total of 96 patients were included in this analysis: 64 in the BDQ group and 32 in the BDQ + DLM group. Among the 96 patients with positive sputum culture at the initiation of BDQ alone or BDQ combined with DLM, 46 patients (71.9%) in the BDQ group and 29 (90.6%) in the BDQ-DLM group achieved sputum culture conversion during treatment. The rate of sputum culture conversion did not differ between the two groups. The time to sputum culture conversion was significantly shorter in the BDQ-DLM group than in the BDQ group. The most frequent adverse event was QTc interval prolongation; however, the frequency of adverse events did not differ between the groups.

Conclusion: In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the combined use of BDQ and DLM is efficacious and tolerable in Chinese patients infected with MDR-TB. Patients in the BDQ-DLM group achieved sputum culture conversion sooner than those in the BDQ group.

Objective: To investigate the relationship and potential pathways between metal(loid) exposure and the risk of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in women of childbearing age.

Methods: This case-control study included 200 patients with PCOS (cases) and 896 non-PCOS controls with the age of 25-37 years. The concentrations of 29 metal(loid)s in the follicular fluid (FF) and clinical indicators in the serum were measured in all participants. Logistic regression analysis and mediation analysis were conducted to evaluate the associations between metal(loid) exposure and PCOS risk and investigate the possible roles of clinical indicators, respectively.

Results: Logistic regression analysis revealed an association between high copper levels in FF and increased PCOS risk (highest vs. lowest quartile: adjusted odds ratio = 2.94, 95% confidence interval: 1.83-4.72). A high luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone ratio and elevated levels of testosterone and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) were strongly associated with increased PCOS risk induced by high copper exposure. The mediation analysis indicated a mediating effect of AMH in the association between copper exposure and PCOS risk.

Conclusion: Copper may affect PCOS risk through the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, mediated by AMH. Copper exposure and internal AMH levels are important indicators for early warning of PCOS development.

Objective: Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) could cause damage to pancreatic β-cells, rendering them susceptible to oxidative damage. Hence, investigating the potential of the mitochondria-targeted antioxidant (Mito-TEMPO) to protect pancreatic β-cells from ferroptosis by mitigating lipid peroxidation becomes crucial.

Methods: MIN6 cells were cultured in vitro with 100 μmol/L sodium palmitate (SP) to simulate diabetes. FerroOrange was utilized for the detection of Fe ²⁺ fluorescence staining, BODIPY581/591C11 for lipid reactive oxygen species, and MitoSox-Red for mtROS. Alterations in mitophagy levels were assessed through the co-localization of lysosomal and mitochondrial fluorescence. Western blotting was employed to quantify protein levels of Acsl4, GPX4, FSP1, FE, PINK1, Parkin, TOMM20, P62, and LC3. Subsequently, interventions were implemented using Mito-TEMPO and Carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) to observe changes in ferroptosis and mitophagy within MIN6 cells.

Results: We found that SP induced a dose-dependent increase in Fe ²⁺ and lipid ROS in MIN6 cells while decreasing the expression levels of GPX4 and FSP1 proteins. Through bioinformatics analysis, it has been uncovered that mitophagy assumes a crucial role within the ferroptosis pathway associated with diabetes. Additionally, SP decreased the expression of mitophagy-related proteins PINK1 and Parkin, leading to mtROS overproduction. Conversely, Mito-TEMPO effectively eliminated mtROS while activating the mitophagy pathways involving PINK1 and Parkin, thereby reducing the occurrence of ferroptosis in MIN6 cells. CCCP also demonstrated efficacy in reducing ferroptosis in MIN6 cells.

Conclusion: In summary, Mito-TEMPO proved effective in attenuating mtROS production and initiating mitophagy pathways mediated by PINK1 and Parkin in MIN6 cells. Consequently, this decreased iron overload and lipid peroxidation, ultimately safeguarding the cells from ferroptosis.

Objective: This study aims to explore the complex relationship between social engagement and depressive symptoms among older adults in China, focusing particularly on the moderating role of marital status.

Methods: This study used data from the latest Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). The analysis used the latent class analysis to delineate personality clusters and hierarchical linear regression, supplemented by the PROCESS macro, to investigate the effects of social engagement and marital status on depressive symptoms.

Results: The analysis encompassed 7,789 respondents (mean age: 82.53 [ s = 11.20] years), with 54% female. The personality analysis categorized participants into four clusters, with the majority (77.60%) classified as Confident Idealists, who exhibited the lowest levels of depressive symptoms. Hierarchical linear regression analysis yielded several significant findings: Higher levels of social engagement were significantly associated with fewer depressive symptoms ( t = -7.932, P < 0.001, B = -0.463). Marital status was a significant factor; married individuals reported fewer depressive symptoms compared to their unmarried counterparts ( t = -6.368, P < 0.001, B = -0.750). There was a significant moderating effect of marital status on the relationship between social engagement and depressive symptoms ( t = -2.092, P = 0.037, B = -0.217).

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that, among Chinese older adults, both social engagement and marital status significantly influence depressive symptoms. Higher social engagement, particularly in other activities like doing household chores, gardening, reading newspapers or books, and playing cards or Mahjong, is associated with fewer depressive symptoms, especially among married individuals.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the relationships between residential greenness and cardiometabolic risk factors among rural adults in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang) and thus provide a theoretical basis and data support for improving the health of residents in this region.

Methods: We recruited 9,723 adult rural residents from the 51st Regiment of the Third Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps in September 2016. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was used to estimate residential greenness. The generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) was used to examine the association between residential greenness and cardiometabolic risk factors.

Results: Higher residential greenness was associated with lower cardiometabolic risk factor prevalence. After adjustments were made for age, sex, education, and marital status, for each interquartile range (IQR) increase of NDVI _500-m, the risk of hypertension was reduced by 10.3% ( OR = 0.897, 95% CI = 0.836-0.962), the risk of obesity by 20.5% ( OR = 0.795, 95% CI = 0.695-0.910), the risk of type 2 diabetes by 15.1% ( OR = 0.849, 95% CI = 0.740-0.974), and the risk of dyslipidemia by 10.5% ( OR = 0.895, 95% CI = 0.825-0.971). Risk factor aggregation was reduced by 20.4% ( OR = 0.796, 95% CI = 0.716-0.885) for the same. Stratified analysis showed that NDVI _500-m was associated more strongly with hypertension, dyslipidemia, and risk factor aggregation among male participants. The association of NDVI _500-m with type 2 diabetes was stronger among participants with a higher education level. PM ₁₀ and physical activity mediated 1.9%-9.2% of the associations between NDVI _500-m and obesity, dyslipidemia, and risk factor aggregation.

Conclusion: Higher residential greenness has a protective effect against cardiometabolic risk factors among rural residents in Xinjiang. Increasing the area of green space around residences is an effective measure to reduce the burden of cardiometabolic-related diseases among rural residents in Xinjiang.

Since 1990, China has made considerable progress in resolving the problem of "treatment difficulty" of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The prevalent unhealthy lifestyle among Chinese residents has exposed a massive proportion of the population to CVD risk factors, and this situation is further worsened due to the accelerated aging population in China. CVD remains one of the greatest threats to the health of Chinese residents. In terms of the proportions of disease mortality among urban and rural residents in China, CVD has persistently ranked first. In 2021, CVD accounted for 48.98% and 47.35% of deaths in rural and urban areas, respectively. Two out of every five deaths can be attributed to CVD. To implement a national policy "focusing on the primary health institute and emphasizing prevention" and truly achieve a shift of CVD prevention and treatment from hospitals to communities, the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases has organized experts from relevant fields across China to compile the "Report on Cardiovascular Health and Diseases in China" annually since 2005. The 2024 report is established based on representative, published, and high-quality big-data research results from cross-sectional and cohort population epidemiological surveys, randomized controlled clinical trials, large sample registry studies, and typical community prevention and treatment cases, along with data from some projects undertaken by the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases. These firsthand data not only enrich the content of the current report but also provide a more timely and comprehensive reflection of the status of CVD prevention and treatment in China.

Objective: Our study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the current status and dynamic trends of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence in Sichuan, the second most heavily affected province in China, and to explore future interventions.

Methods: The epidemiological, behavioral, and population census data from multiple sources were analyzed to extract inputs for an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic model (AEM). Baseline curves, derived from historical trends in HIV prevalence, were used, and the AEM was employed to examine future intervention scenarios.

Results: In 2015, the modeled data suggested an adult HIV prevalence of 0.191% in Sichuan, with an estimated 128,766 people living with HIV/AIDS and 16,983 individuals with newly diagnosed infections. Considering current high-risk behaviors, the model predicts an increase in the adult prevalence to 0.306% by 2025, projecting an estimated 212,168 people living with HIV/AIDS and 16,555 individuals with newly diagnosed infections.

Conclusion: Heterosexual transmission will likely emerge as the primary mode of AIDS transmission in Sichuan. Furthermore, we anticipate a stabilization in the incidence of AIDS with a concurrent increase in prevalence. Implementing comprehensive intervention measures aimed at high-risk groups could effectively alleviate the spread of AIDS in Sichuan.

Objective: This study aimed to identify differentially methylated genes (DMGs) associated with natural killer cells in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT), focusing on the influence of varying water iodine exposure levels.

Methods: Participants were divided into categories based on median water iodine (MWI) concentrations: iodine-fortified areas (IFA, MWI < 10 µg/L), iodine-adequate areas (IAA, 40 ≤ MWI ≤ 100 µg/L), and iodine-excessive areas (IEA, MWI > 300 µg/L). A total of 176 matched AIT cases and controls were recruited and divided into 89, 40, and 47 pairs for IFA, IAA, and IEA, respectively. DMGs were identified using 850K BeadChip analysis for 10/10 paired samples. Validation of DNA methylation and mRNA expression levels of the DMGs was conducted using MethylTarget™ and QRT-PCR for 176/176 paired samples.

Results: KLRC1, KLRC3, and SH2D1B were identified as significant DMGs. Validation revealed that KLRC1 was hypomethylated and highly expressed, whereas KLRC3 was hypermethylated and highly expressed in individuals with AIT. Furthermore, KLRC1 was hypomethylated and highly expressed in both IFA and IEA.

Conclusion: The DNA methylation status of KLRC1 and KLRC3 may play crucial roles in AIT pathogenesis. Additionally, DNA methylation of KLRC1seems to be influenced by different iodine concentrations in water.