Background Obesity is a recognized risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD), but whether weight change is associated with CKD remains unclear. This research aimed to investigate the relationship between weight change patterns across adulthood and the risk of CKD.
Borrelia burgdorferi as a causative agent of Lyme disease is transmitted by Ixodes spp. ticks to humans and animals. Sheep is considered a natural reservoir for B. burgdorferi and plays a pivotal role in disease transmission and the expansion of natural foci. An epidemiological investigation of B. burgdorferi in sheep is essential for prevention and control of Lyme disease. In this study, we developed a recombinant outer surface protein C (OspC)-based ELISA for serological study of B. burgdorferi in sheep with a specificity and sensitivity of 84.4% and 86.2%, respectively. A total of 972 collected serum samples from the Northeast China regions in 2015 and 2016 were determined with positive rates of 5.8% and 12.2%, respectively. Thus, specific pathogen-free sheep were infected with B. burgdorferi SZ strain to study on the secretion of specificity antibody against OspC. It revealed that specific antibody was detected on day 5 postinoculation and sustained in a high level for ∼28 days, the peak occurred at ∼13 days. Taken together, the result indicated that the established ELISA is capable for clinical diagnosis and epidemiological study on B. burgdorferi in sheep at the early stage of infection and detecting the specific antibody during the secretion period.
Abstract Background Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibition is recognized for its evident renoprotective benefits in diabetic renal disease. Recent data suggest that SGLT2 inhibition also slows down kidney disease progression and reduces the risk of acute kidney injury, regardless of whether the patient has diabetes or not, but the mechanism behind these observed effects remains elusive. The objective of this study is to utilize a mendelian randomization (MR) methodology to comprehensively examine the influence of metabolites in circulation regarding the impact of SGLT2 inhibition on kidney function. Methods We used a MR study to obtain associations between genetic proxies for SGLT2 inhibition and kidney function. We retrieved the most recent and comprehensive summary statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) that have been previously published and involved kidney function parameters such as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), and albuminuria. Additionally, we included blood metabolite data from 249 biomarkers in the UK Biobank for a more comprehensive analysis. We performed MR analyses to explore the causal relationships between SGLT2 inhibition and kidney function and two-step MR to discover potential mediating metabolites. Results The study found that a decrease in HbA1c levels by one standard deviation, which is genetically expected to result in SGLT2 inhibition, was linked to a decreased likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (odds ratio [OR] = 0.55 [95% CI 0.35, 0.85], P = 0.007). Meanwhile, SGLT2 inhibition also protects eGFR (β = 0.05 [95% CI 0.03, 0.08], P = 2.45 × 10 − 5 ) and decreased UACR (-0.18 [95% CI -0.33, -0.02], P = 0.025) and albuminuria (-1.07 [95% CI -1.58, -0.57], P = 3.60 × 10 − 5 ). Furthermore, the study found that of the 249 metabolites present in the blood, only one metabolite, specifically the concentration of small high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles, was significantly correlated with both SGLT2 inhibition and kidney function. This metabolite was found to play a crucial role in mediating the improvement of renal function through the use of SGLT2 inhibition (β = 0.01 [95% CI 0.005, 0.018], P = 0.001), with a mediated proportion of 13.33% (95% CI [5.71%, 26.67%], P = 0.020). Conclusions The findings of this investigation provide evidence in favor of a genetically anticipated biological linkage between the inhibition of SGLT2, the presence of circulating metabolites, and renal function. The findings demonstrate that the protective effect of SGLT2 inhibition on renal function is mostly mediated by HDL particle concentrations in circulating metabolites. These results offer significant theoretical support for both the preservation of renal function and a better comprehension of the mechanisms underlying SGLT2 inhibition.
Transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE), caused by transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), is a highly infectious disease in pigs. Vaccination is an effective approach to prevent TGEV infection. Here, we evaluated the potential of TGEV S1 as a DNA vaccine and porcine interleukin (pIL)-12 as an adjuvant in a mouse model. A DNA vaccine was constructed with the TGEV S1 gene to induce immune response in an experimental mouse model; pIL-12 was chosen as the immunological adjuvant within this DNA vaccine. The pVAX1-(TGEV-S1) and pVAX1-(pIL-12) vectors were transfected into BHK-21 cells and expressed in vitro. Experimental mice were separately immunized with each of the recombinant plasmids and controls through the intramuscular route. The lymphocytes isolated from the blood and spleen were analyzed for proliferation, cytotoxic activities, and populations of CD4+ and CD8+ cells. The titers of TGEV S1 in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and TGEV neutralizing antibodies and the concentrations of interferon (IFN)-γ and IL-4 were also analyzed in the serum. The plasmids pVAX1-(TGEV-S1) and pVAX1-(pIL-12) could be expressed in BHK-21 cells, and the combination of pVAX1-(TGEV-S1) and pVAX1-(pIL-12) could induce a significant increase in all markers. pIL-12 could act as an immunological adjuvant in the DNA vaccine for TGEV-S1. Furthermore, the DNA vaccine prepared using TGEV-S1 and porcine IL-12 could induce excellent humoral and cellular immune responses.
This study aims to assess the global burden and trends in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) prevalence, stratified by sociodemographic index (SDI) categories and age groups, across 204 countries and territories. Utilizing data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, this study analyzed trends in the age-standardized prevalence rate of overall and type-specific CVDs, including rheumatic heart disease, ischemic heart disease, stroke, hypertensive heart disease, non-rheumatic valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy and myocarditis, atrial fibrillation and flutter, peripheral artery disease, endocarditis, and other cardiovascular and circulatory diseases. Age-standardized prevalence rates were stratified by SDI categories (low, low-middle, middle, high-middle, and high) and age groups (0–14, 15–49, 50–69, and ≥ 70 years). The corresponding average annual percentage change was calculated to assess temporal trends. From 1990 to 2019, the global age-standardized prevalence rate per 100,000 population for CVD decreased from 6728.04 (95% UI 6394.55 to 7059.66) to 6431.57 (95% UI 6109.95 to 6759.8), with an average annual percent change of -0.15% (95% CI -0.17 to -0.13). When stratified by SDI category, the age-standardized prevalence rate of CVD decreased significantly in high-middle and high SDI countries but increased in middle, low-middle, and low SDI countries. By age group, the age-standardized prevalence rate of CVD declined in the 50–69 and ≥ 70 years groups but increased in the 0–14 and 15–49 years groups. SDI levels were negatively associated with faster increases in the age-standardized prevalence rate of CVD across all ages and age groups. Low SDI countries consistently showed the highest age-standardized prevalence rates of CVD in the younger age groups (0–14 and 15–49 years), while high-middle SDI countries had the highest rates in the older age groups (50–69 and ≥ 70 years). The age-standardized prevalence rate of CVD was negatively associated with SDI levels in the 0–14 and 15–49 years groups and positively associated with SDI levels in the 50–69 and ≥ 70 years groups. Type-specific CVDs such as rheumatic heart disease, other cardiovascular and circulatory diseases, non-rheumatic valvular heart disease, and hypertensive heart disease showed increased age-standardized prevalence rates from 1990 to 2019. This study highlights significant disparities in CVD prevalence across sociodemographic and age groups. While the global prevalence of CVD has generally decreased, the rise in CVD prevalence in lower SDI countries and younger populations calls for tailored intervention strategies. Addressing these disparities is crucial to mitigating the growing burden of CVD and promoting cardiovascular health on a global scale.
This study conducted data on 15,446 adults to explore the impact of flavonoids on weight-adjusted waist index (WWI). This was a nationwide cross-sectional study among US adults aged 20 years or older. Dietary intake of flavonoids was assessed through 24-h recall questionnaire. WWI was calculated by dividing waist circumference (WC) by the square root of weight. We utilized weighted generalized linear regression to evaluate the association between flavonoids intake and WWI, and restricted cubic splines (RCS) to explore potential non-linear relationships. Our findings indicated that individuals with lower WWI experienced a notable increase in their consumption of total flavonoids, flavanones, flavones, flavan-3-ols, and anthocyanidins intake ( β (95% CI); −0.05(−0.09, −0.01); −0.07(−0.13, 0.00); −0.07(−0.11, −0.02); −0.06(−0.11, 0.00); −0.13(−0.18, −0.08), respectively), with the exception of flavonols and isoflavones. Additionally, consumption of total flavonoids, flavonols, flavanones, isoflavones, and flavan-3-ols had a non-linear relationship with WWI (all P for non-linearity < 0.05). Furthermore, the effect of total flavonoids on WWI varied in race ( P for interaction = 0.011), gender ( P for interaction = 0.038), and poverty status ( P for interaction = 0.002). These findings suggested that increase the intake of flavonoids might prevent abdominal obesity, but further prospective studies are requested before dietary recommendation.