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Background: The respiratory chain plays a key role in the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). However, the exact regulatory mechanisms of this system still need to be elucidated, and only a few studies have investigated the impact of genetic mutations within the respiratory chain on MTBC transmission. This study aims to explore the impact of respiratory chain gene mutations on the global spread of MTBC. Results: A total of 13,402 isolates of MTBC were included in this study. The majority of the isolates (n = 6,382, 47.62%) belonged to lineage 4, followed by lineage 2 (n = 5,123, 38.23%). Our findings revealed significant associations between Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) of specific genes and transmission clusters. These SNPs include Rv0087 (hycE, G178T), Rv1307 (atpH, C650T), Rv2195 (qcrA, G181C), Rv2196 (qcrB, G1250T), Rv3145 (nuoA, C35T), Rv3149 (nuoE, G121C), Rv3150 (nuoF, G700A), Rv3151 (nuoG, A1810G), Rv3152 (nuoH, G493A), and Rv3157 (nuoM, A1243G). Furthermore, our results showed that the SNPs of atpH C73G, atpA G271C, qcrA G181C, nuoJ G115A, nuoM G772A, and nuoN G1084T were positively correlated with cross-country transmission clades and cross-regional transmission clades. Conclusions: Our study uncovered an association between mutations in respiratory chain genes and the transmission of MTBC. This important finding provides new insights for future research and will help to further explore new mechanisms of MTBC pathogenicity. By uncovering this association, we gain a more complete understanding of the processes by which MTBC increases virulence and spread, providing potential targets and strategies for preventing and treating tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of this study was to compare and analyze the representative opening and closing movement of Tai Chi elastic band exercise with the reverse fly movement of elastic band resistance training. The aim was to explore the biomechanical differences between the two exercises and provide theoretical support for the application of Tai Chi elastic band exercise in health intervention. Methods: A total of 26 male participants were recruited and randomly divided into two groups in a 1:1 ratio. There were 13 participants in each Tai Chi elastic band exercise group and elastic band resistance training group. Both groups of participants used an elastic band to perform movement in the experiment. Experimental data were collected using the Vicon infrared motion capture system and Delsys surface EMG system. The AnyBody software was utilized to simulate the creation of a musculoskeletal model for both exercises. Result: The study found that the Tai Chi elastic band exercise group exhibited smaller horizontal abduction angle and flexion angle of the shoulder joint, as well as normalized RMS of the anterior deltoid and triceps brachii, compared to the elastic band resistance training group (P < 0.01); the Tai Chi elastic band exercise group exhibited greater elbow flexion angle, elbow flexion torque, and muscle strength of the infraspinatus, coracobrachialis, biceps brachii, brachialis and brachioradialis, compared to the elastic band resistance training group (P < 0.01); the Tai Chi elastic band exercise group exhibited smaller horizontal abduction angular velocity of the shoulder joint and a lower normalized RMS of the posterior deltoid, compared to the elastic band resistance training group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: (1) The opening and closing movement of Tai Chi elastic band exercise is characterized by a large elbow flexion angle, a small shoulder joint horizontal angle and flexion angle, and a slow and uniform speed of movement. The reverse fly movement of elastic band resistance training is characterized by a large horizontal abduction angle of the shoulder joint, a large flexion angle of the shoulder joint, a small flexion angle of the elbow joint, and a fast and uneven speed. (2) The opening and closing movement exerts a greater torque on the elbow flexion, while the reverse fly movement exerts a greater torque on the shoulder joint horizontal abduction and external rotation. (3) The opening and closing movement provide greater stimulation to the infraspinatus, coracobrachialis, and elbow flexor, while the reverse fly movement provides greater stimulation to the posterior deltoid, anterior deltoid, subscapularis, and elbow extensor. In summary, the variation in joint angle, joint angular velocity, and hand position could be the factor contributing to the differences in joint torque and muscle activity between the opening and closing movement of Tai Chi elastic band exercise and the reverse fly movement of elastic band resistance training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The local hemodynamic response after cupping therapy has been considered as a contributing factor for improving muscle tissue health; however, the effects of cupping pressure and duration on the spatial hemodynamic response have not been investigated. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the hemodynamic response inside and outside the cupping cup under various pressures and durations of cupping therapy. METHODS: A 3-way factorial design with repeated measures was used to investigate the main and interaction effects of the location (areas inside and outside the cup), pressure (- 225 and - 300 mmHg) and duration (5 and 10 min) on the hemodynamic response of the biceps muscle. A functional near-infrared spectroscopy was used to assess hemodynamic changes in 18 participants. RESULTS: A significant three-way interaction of the location, pressure, and duration factors was observed in oxyhemoglobin (p = 0.023), deoxy-hemoglobin (p = 0.013), and blood volume (p = 0.013). A significant increase was observed in oxyhemoglobin, blood volume, and oxygenation compared to pre-cupping (p < 0.05) in the area outside the cup. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that an appropriate combination of cupping pressure and duration can effectively affect the spatial hemodynamic response of the biceps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the relationship between red blood cell distribution width to albumin (RDW/ALB) ratio (RAR) and the risk of rehospitalization and rehospitalization all-cause mortality in middle-aged and elderly survivors with sepsis based on an ambispective longitudinal cohort from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Methods: Between 2017 and 2022, 455 adults who survived the first-episode severe sepsis without recurrence for at least 3 months were included in this study. All participants were followed up every 4 weeks for 12 months. According to the tertiles of RAR, participants were divided into three groups: low-level (≤ 0.36, n = 152), moderate-level (0.37– 0.44, n = 152), and high-level (≥ 0.45, n = 151). The relationship between RAR and the risk of rehospitalization and rehospitalization all-cause mortality was evaluated. Results: Out of 455 participants, 156 experienced rehospitalization (34.3%), of which 44 (28.2%) died. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that the RAR cut-off values for rehospitalization and rehospitalization all-cause mortality were 0.4251 and 0.4743, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that the RAR was positively associated with rehospitalization (P = 0.011) and all-cause mortality (P = 0.006). Compared with the low-level, the high-level RAR presented a higher dose-dependent rehospitalization risk (P = 0.02) and rehospitalization all-cause mortality (P = 0.044). The stratified analysis displayed that compared to the low-level, with the RAR increasing by 1.0, the risk for rehospitalization increased 3.602-fold in aged < 65 patients (P = 0.002) and 1.721-fold in female patients (P = 0.014). Kaplan–Meier survival analysis implied a significant positive association between the RAR and the cumulative incidence of rehospitalization and rehospitalization all-cause mortality (log-rank, all P < 0.001). Conclusion: RAR has a reliable predictive value for the risk of rehospitalization and rehospitalization all-cause mortality in patients with sepsis. Consequently, monitoring RAR for at least 1 year after surviving sepsis in female patients aged < 65 in clinical practice is critical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Observational studies have suggested an association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and renal function, and vice versa. However, the results from these studies are inconsistent. It remains unclear whether there are causal relationships and in which direction they might exist., Methods: We used a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) method to investigate the bidirectional causal relation between OSA and 7 renal function phenotypes [creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFRcrea), cystatin C-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFRcys), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), rapid progress to CKD, rapid decline of eGFR, urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR) and CKD]. The genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics of OSA were retrieved from FinnGen Consortium. The CKDGen consortium and UK Biobank provided GWAS summary data for renal function phenotypes. Participants in the GWAS were predominantly of European ancestry. Five MR methods, including inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, simple mode, weighted median, and weighted mode were used to investigate the causal relationship. The IVW result was considered the primary outcome. Then, Cochran's Q test and MR-Egger were used to detect heterogeneity and pleiotropy. The leave-one-out analysis was used for testing the stability of MR results. RadialMR was used to identify outliers. Bonferroni correction was applied to test the strength of the causal relationships ( p  < 3.571 × 10 -3 )., Results: We failed to find any significant causal effect of OSA on renal function phenotypes. Conversely, when we examined the effects of renal function phenotypes on OSA, after removing outliers, we found a significant association between BUN and OSA using IVW method (OR: 2.079, 95% CI: 1.516-2.853; p  = 5.72 × 10 -6 )., Conclusion: This MR study found no causal effect of OSA on renal function in Europeans. However, genetically predicted increased BUN is associated with OSA development. These findings indicate that the relationship between OSA and renal function remains elusive and requires further investigation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Hou, Li, Xiao and Wang.)

Background: The toxin-antitoxin (TA) system plays a vital role in the virulence and pathogenicity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( M. tuberculosis ). However, the regulatory mechanisms and the impact of gene mutations on M. tuberculosis transmission remain poorly understood., Objective: To investigate the influence of gene mutations in the toxin-antitoxin system on M. tuberculosis transmission dynamics., Method: We performed whole-genome sequencing on the analyzed strains of M. tuberculosis . The genes associated with the toxin-antitoxin system were obtained from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Gene database. Mutations correlating with enhanced transmission within the genes were identified by using random forest, gradient boosting decision tree, and generalized linear mixed models., Results: A total of 13,518 M. tuberculosis isolates were analyzed, with 42.29% ( n  = 5,717) found to be part of genomic clusters. Lineage 4 accounted for the majority of isolates ( n  = 6488, 48%), followed by lineage 2 ( n  = 5133, 37.97%). 23 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) showed a positive correlation with clustering, including vapB1 G34A, vapB24 A76C, vapB2 T171C, mazF2 C85T, mazE2 G104A, vapB31 T112C, relB T226A, vapB11 C54T, mazE5 T344C, vapB14 A29G, parE1 (C103T, C88T), and parD1 C134T. Six SNPs, including vapB6 A29C, vapB31 T112C, parD1 C134T, vapB37 G205C, Rv2653c A80C, and vapB2 2 C167T, were associated with transmission clades across different countries. Notably, our findings highlighted the positive association of vapB6 A29C, vapB31 T112C, parD1 C134T, vapB37 G205C, vapB1 9 C188T, and Rv2653c A80C with transmission clades across diverse regions. Furthermore, our analysis identified 32 SNPs that exhibited significant associations with clade size., Conclusion: Our study presents potential associations between mutations in genes related to the toxin-antitoxin system and the transmission dynamics of M. tuberculosis . However, it is important to acknowledge the presence of confounding factors and limitations in our study. Further research is required to establish causation and assess the functional significance of these mutations. These findings provide a foundation for future investigations and the formulation of strategies aimed at controlling TB transmission., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Hou, Li, Tao, Kong, Li, Liu, Li and Wang.)

Purpose: Observational studies have reported inconsistent results on the relationship between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The primary objective of this study was to investigate the causal relationships between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), CKD, its common causes, and AMD among participants of European descent., Methods: Genetic variants associated with eGFR, CKD and its common causes, encompassing diabetic nephropathy (DN), immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), and membranous nephropathy (MN) were obtained from previously published genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and FinnGen database. Summary statistics for early AMD, AMD, dry AMD, and wet AMD were acquired from the GWAS and FinnGen database. Inverse-variance-weighted (IVW) method was the main MR analysis. Sensitivity analyses were performed with Cochran's Q, MR-Egger intercept, and leave-one-out analysis. In addition, RadialMR was utilized to identify and remove outliers., Results: IVW results showed that CKD, eGFR were not associated with any type of AMD ( p  > 0.05). DN (OR: 1.042, 95% CI: 1.002-1.083, p  = 0.037) and MN (OR: 1.023, 95% CI: 1.007-1.040, p  = 0.005) were associated with an increased risk of earl AMD. DN (OR: 1.111, 95% CI: 1.07-1.154, p  = 4.87 × 10 -8 ), IgAN (OR: 1.373, 95% CI: 1.097-1.719, p  = 0.006), and MN (OR: 1.036, 95% CI: 1.008-1.064, p  = 0.012) were associated with an increased risk of AMD. DN (OR: 1.090, 95% CI: 1.042-1.140, p  = 1.57 × 10 -4 ) and IgAN (OR: 1.480, 95% CI: 1.178-1.858, p  = 7.55 × 10 -4 ) were associated with an increased risk of dry AMD. The risk of wet AMD was associated with DN (OR: 1.107, 95% CI: 1.043-1.174, p  = 7.56 × 10 -4 ) and MN (OR: 1.071, 95% CI: 1.040-1.103, p  = 5.48 × 10 -6 )., Conclusion: This MR study found no evidence of causal relationship between CKD and AMD. DN, IgAN, and MN may increase risk of AMD. This findings underscore the importance of ocular examinations in patients with DN, MN, and IgAN. More studies are needed to support the findings of our current study., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Hou, Liu, Xiao, Li, Tian and Wang.)

Background: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in both developed and many developing countries. Exercise training is a fundamental component of cardiac rehabilitation programs for patients with CHD. This study aims to investigate the effects of a Tai Chi rehabilitation program, which is provided through a hybrid online and offline mode, on oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in patients with CHD., Methods: A total of 34 patients with coronary heart disease were randomly assigned to two groups: an experiment group ( n  = 14, age 62.07 ± 9.076 years) and a control group ( n  = 20, age 61.90 ± 9.700 years). The experiment group underwent a 12-week Tai Chi cardiac rehabilitation program (TCCRP), while the control group followed a conventional exercise rehabilitation program (CERP) consisting of 1-h sessions, 3 times per week, for a total of 36 sessions. Participants were studied at baseline and post-intervention. The main assessments include the levels of Malondialdehyde (MDA), Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and Interleukin-10 (IL - 10) in blood samples. Pearson correlation analysis was used, and the differences between the two groups were subsequently tested using two-way repeated ANOVA. Statistical significance was defined as a two-sided p -value of <0.05., Results: The key finding of the study reveals that MDA was significantly reduced by 1.027 nmoL/mL. Additionally, the TCCRP showed significant improvements in SOD and IL-10, with values of 10.110 U/mL and 2.441 pg./mL, respectively. Notably, a significant positive correlation was found between SOD and IL-10 ( r  = 0.689, p  = 0.006), while MDA showed a significant positive correlation with TNF-a ( r  = 0.542, p  = 0.045). In contrast, the ECRP group only showed a significant improvement in SOD., Conclusion: The study conducted a 12-week program on TCCRP, which utilized a hybrid online and offline model for individuals with coronary heart disease. The program showed promising results in alleviating oxidative stress and inflammation, possibly by regulating the balance between oxidative and antioxidative factors, as well as pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Cui, Wei, Li, Liu, Sun, Liu, Chen, Fang, Liu, Fu, Li, Li, Ma, Zhang, Huang, Li, Lyu and Zhang.)