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Recognizing the key role early detection plays in interrupting further tuberculosis (TB) transmission, the World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized the need for global investment in that area. In line [...]

Incretins are gut-produced peptide-hormones that potentiate insulin secretion, especially after food intake. The concept of incretin was formed more than 100 years ago, even before insulin was isolated and utilized in the treatment of subjects with type 1 diabetes. The first incretin, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), was identified during later 1960’s and early 1970’s; while the second one, known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), was recognized during 1980’s. Today, GLP-1-based therapeutic agents [also known as GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists, GLP-1RAs] are among the first line drugs for type 2 diabetes. In addition to serving as incretin, extra-pancreatic functions of GLP-1RAs have been broadly recognized, including those in the liver, despite the absence of GLP-1R in hepatic tissue. The existence of insulin-independent or gut-pancreas-liver axis-independent hepatic function of GLP-1RAs explains why those therapeutic agents are effective in subjects with insulin resistance and their profound effect on lipid homeostasis. Following a brief review on the discovery of GLP-1, we reviewed literature on the exploration of hepatic function of GLP-1 and GLP-1RAs and discussed recent studies on the role of hepatic hormone fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) in mediating function of GLP-1RAs in animal models. This was followed by presenting our perspective views.

Osteoporosis (OP) is a systemic metabolic bone disease that is characterized by decreased bone mineral density and microstructural damage to bone tissue. Recent studies have demonstrated significant advances in the research of programmed cell death (PCD) in OP. However, there is no bibliometric analysis in this research field. This study searched the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database for literature related to OP and PCD from 2000 to 2023. This study used VOSviewers 1.6.20, the “bibliometrix” R package, and CiteSpace (6.2.R3) for bibliometric and visualization analysis. A total of 2905 articles from 80 countries were included, with China and the United States leading the way. The number of publications related to PCD in OP is increasing year by year. The main research institutions are Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Chinese Medical University, Southern Medical University, Zhejiang University, and Soochow University. Bone is the most popular journal in the field of PCD in OP, and the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research is the most co‐cited journal. These publications come from 14,801 authors, with Liu Zong‐Ping, Yang Lei, Manolagas Stavros C, Zhang Wei, and Zhao Hong‐Yan having published the most papers. Ronald S. Weinstein was co‐cited most often. Oxidative stress and autophagy are the current research hot spots for PCD in OP. This bibliometric study provides the first comprehensive summary of trends and developments in PCD research in OP. This information identifies the most recent research frontiers and hot directions, which will provide a definitive reference for scholars studying PCD in OP.

Abstract There is limited research on the relationship between Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Our aim is to investigate the relationship between overall lifestyle assessed by LE-8 score and MASLD in a nationally representative sample. We employed the LE8 score to comprehensively evaluate cardiovascular health, the assessment of MASLD primarily utilized the Fatty Liver Index. The weighted logistic regression models, restrictive cubic splines (RCS), subgroup analyses and the weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression were used to evaluate the relationship between the cardiovascular health and MASLD. Logistic regression models revealed that higher LE8 scores were associated with lower odds of having MASLD. The RCS revealed a significant nonlinear dose–response relationship between LE8 scores and MASLD. The WQS regression model indicated that blood glucose contributed the most to the risk of MASLD. The subgroup analysis indicates that there are significant differences in this association across age, educational level, and poverty income ratio. Our study suggests that an inverse correlation between LE8 and the risk of MASLD. Our findings underscore the utility of the LE8 algorithm in MASLD risk assessment and provide support for MASLD prevention through the promotion of healthy lifestyles.

Background Chronic kidney disease has become a major global concern, and the prevalence of kidney disease in China is the highest in the world. About 89.5% of patients require hemodialysis. In recent years, the prevalence of frailty in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients has risen significantly, seriously affecting the quality of life and prognosis of patients. Objective To explore the prevalence of frailty and the influencing factors of maintenance hemodialysis patients in China through Meta-analysis. Methods Cross-sectional and cohort studies on the prevalence and influencing factors of frailty in Chinese MHD patients were systematically searched in CNKI, VIP, CBM, Wanfang Data, Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and CINAHL databases. The search deadline was from the respective databases to July 2023. Literature screening, data extraction and quality assessment were performed independently by two researchers. Stata 15.0 was used for meta-analysis. Results Thirty-two papers were included, and including 6 746 patients, among which 2 566 experienced frailty, involving 37 influencing factors. Meta-analysis showed that the prevalence of frailty in MHD patients in China was 37.4% (95%CI=30.3%-44.5%). Age (OR=1.09, 95%CI=1.06-1.13), age>60 years (OR=3.81, 95%CI=2.31-6.30), female (OR=2.13, 95%CI=1.47-3.08), living alone (OR=2.42, 95%CI=1.22-4.80), sleep (OR=1.28, 95%CI=1.08-1.50), depression (OR=1.97, 95%CI=1.26-3.08), age on dialysis (OR=3.25, 95%CI=1.82-5.79), social support (low level) (OR=1.99, 95%CI=1.39-2.86), comorbidities (OR=1.79, 95%CI=1.40-2.30), malnutrition (OR=1.17, 95%CI=1.07-1.28), Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) (OR=1.32, 95%CI=1.01-1.71), C-reactive protein (CRP) (OR=1.15, 95%CI=1.09-1.21), hemoglobin (Hb

Abstract Background Solitary fibrous tumors (SFT) and meningiomas (MA) have similar clinical and radiographic presentations but require different treatment approaches and have different prognoses. This emphasizes the importance of a correct preoperative diagnosis of SFT versus MA. Objective In this study, investigated the differences in imaging characteristics between SFT and MA to improve the accuracy of preoperative imaging diagnosis of SFT. Methods The clinical and imaging data of 26 patients with SFT and 104 patients with MA who were pathologically diagnosed between August 2017 and December 2022, were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical and imaging differences between SFT and MA, as well as between the various pathological grades of SFT, were analyzed. Results Age, gender, cystic change, flow void phenomenon, yin-yang sign, lobulation, narrow base, tumor/cortex signal ratio (TCSR) > 1.0 in T1-weighted imaging (T1WI), TCSR ≥ 1.1 in T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), peritumoral edema, and absence of dural tail sign varied between SFT and MA. As per the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, TCSR > 1 in T1WI has the maximum diagnostic accuracy for SFT. Cranial or venous sinus invasion had a positive effect on SFT (Grade III, World Health Organization (WHO) grading). Conclusion Among the many radiological and clinical distinctions between SFT and MA, TCSR ≥ 1 exhibits the highest predictive efficacy for SFT; while cranial or venous sinus invasion may be a predictor of WHO grade III SFT.

Hydraulic support leg pressure serves as a crucial indicator for assessing work face support quality. Current evaluation methods for support quality primarily concentrate on static analyses-like inadequate initial support force, pressure overrun, and uneven bracket force-while neglecting dynamic column pressure changes. This paper introduces a model for assessing hydraulic support quality using deep learning techniques. Real-time data is preprocessed into a spatio-temporal pressure sub-matrix sample, which is then inputted into the model. This process assesses the support quality type and characterizes its dynamic evolution within the area. The model facilitates the identification of dynamic support quality effects in the working face area, aiding operators in making targeted adjustments to hydraulic support status. Experimental results revealed that the optimized LeNet-5 network-adjusting parameters like convolutional layer count, kernel size, and ReLU activation function-achieved the highest classification accuracy of 85.25 % for support quality, surpassed other networks. Furthermore, the improved LeNet-5 network outperformed other networks in both F1 score and recall. Additionally, the improved LeNet-5 network achieved faster convergence to the optimal solution, accelerated training speed. This highlighted its advantages in evaluating the spatio-temporal support quality of hydraulic supports in smart mining operations.

Actinidia eriantha is one of the species of kiwifruit with a particularly high ascorbic acid (AsA) content. However, the molecular mechanism driving AsA richness in fruit remains unclear. In order to reveal the molecular mechanism of AsA richness in A. eriantha, this study constructed a regulatory network related to AsA metabolism by combining genomics, metabolomics and transcriptomics. We assembled a high-quality genome of A. eriantha ‘Ganlv 1’ with only five remaining gaps. The assembly is comprised of 29 pseudochromosomes with a total size of 615.95 Mb, and contig N50 of 20.35 Mb. Among them, 24 of the pseudochromosomes were obtained directly from telomere-to-telomere. The LTR assembly index score and consensus quality value were 21.34 and 39.90%, respectively. Subsequently, 61 metabolites and 2 092 genes were found to be differentially accumulated/expressed during fruit development by metabolome and transcriptome assays, respectively. AsA metabolism and the cyclic regeneration pathway were found to have high expression levels throughout fruit growth and development, suggesting its crucial role in the regulation of AsA. Furthermore, the AsA contents are highly associated with ascorbate peroxidase genes. The genome obtained in this study provides genomic resources for the genetic and breeding research of A. eriantha, and the constructed regulatory network can provide a public data platform for future research on kiwifruit.

Biofertilizers are environmentally friendly compounds that can enhance plant growth and substitute for chemically synthesized products. In this research, a new strain of the bacterium Bacillus velezensis, designated JZ, was isolated from the roots of strawberry plants and exhibited potent antagonistic properties against Bacillus altitudinis m-1, a pathogen responsible for leaf spot disease in strawberry. The fermentation broth of JZ exerted an inhibition rate of 47.43% against this pathogen. Using an optimized acid precipitation method, crude extracts of lipopeptides from the JZ fermentation broth were obtained. The crude extract of B. velezensis JZ fermentation broth did not significantly disrupt the cell permeability of B. altitudinis m-1, whereas it notably reduced the Ca2+-ATPase activity on the cell membrane and markedly elevated the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration. To identify the active compounds within the crude extract, QTOF-MS/MS was employed, revealing four antimicrobial compounds: fengycin, iturin, surfactin, and a polyene antibiotic known as bacillaene. The strain JZ also produced various plant-growth-promoting substances, such as protease, IAA, and siderophore, which assists plants to survive under pathogen infection. These findings suggest that the JZ strain holds significant potential as a biological control agent against B. altitudinis, providing a promising avenue for the management of plant bacterial disease.

Introduction/aimsThere is debate about whether and to what extent either respiratory or cardiac dysfunction occurs in patients with dysferlinopathy. This study aimed to establish definitively whether dysfunction in either system is part of the dysferlinopathy phenotype.MethodsAs part of the Jain Foundation's International Clinical Outcome Study (COS) for dysferlinopathy, objective measures of respiratory and cardiac function were collected twice, with a 3-y interval between tests, in 188 genetically confirmed patients aged 11-86 y (53% female). Measures included forced vital capacity (FVC), electrocardiogram (ECG), and echocardiogram (echo).ResultsMean FVC was 90% predicted at baseline, decreasing to 88% at year 3. FVC was less than 80% predicted in 44 patients (24%) at baseline and 48 patients (30%) by year 3, including ambulant participants. ECGs showed P-wave abnormalities indicative of delayed trans-atrial conduction in 58% of patients at baseline, representing a risk for developing atrial flutter or fibrillation. The prevalence of impaired left ventricular function or hypertrophy was comparable to that in the general population.DiscussionThese results demonstrate clinically significant respiratory impairment and abnormal atrial conduction in some patients with dysferlinopathy. Therefore, we recommend that annual or biannual follow-up should include FVC measurement, enquiry about arrhythmia symptoms and peripheral pulse palpation to assess cardiac rhythm. However, periodic specialist cardiac review is probably not warranted unless prompted by symptoms or abnormal pulse findings.