A Quick and Parallel Analytical Method Based on Quantum Dots Labeling for ToRCH-Related Antibodies

Quantum dot is a special kind of nanomaterial composed of periodic groups of II–VI, III–V or IV–VI materials. Their high quantum yield, broad absorption with narrow photoluminescence spectra and high resistance to photobleaching, make them become a promising labeling substance in biological analysis. Here, we report a quick and parallel analytical method based on quantum dots for ToRCH-related antibodies including Toxoplasma gondii, Rubella virus, Cytomegalovirus and Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) and 2 (HSV2). Firstly, we fabricated the microarrays with the five kinds of ToRCH-related antigens and used CdTe quantum dots to label secondary antibody and then analyzed 100 specimens of randomly selected clinical sera from obstetric outpatients. The currently prevalent enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were considered as “golden standard” for comparison. The results show that the quantum dots labeling-based ToRCH microarrays have comparable sensitivity and specificity with ELISA. Besides, the microarrays hold distinct advantages over ELISA test format in detection time, cost, operation and signal stability. Validated by the clinical assay, our quantum dots-based ToRCH microarrays have great potential in the detection of ToRCH-related pathogens

Association between dietary inflammatory index and chronic kidney disease in middle-aged and elderly populations

BackgroundA link between food-induced inflammation and common chronic diseases has been identified in studies. However, there was uncertainty about the influence of dietary inflammatory potential on the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) among middle-aged and older groups. Our research aimed to examine the connection between dietary inflammatory index (DII) to CKD in people aged 40 years and older.MethodsThis study comprised ten cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2018. Linear associations of DII with CKD, low-eGFR, and albuminuria were examined using multiple logistic regression, whereas non-linear associations were assessed by smoothed curve fitting. Besides, we conducted subgroup analyses and interaction tests.ResultsOf the 23,175 middle-aged and older individuals, a total of 5,847 suffered from CKD, making up 25.23% of all participants. After adjustment for all covariates, we found that increased DII scores were positive with an increased hazard of CKD (OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.10, p < 0.0001), and the same was shown between DII and low-eGFR (OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.13, 1.19, p < 0.0001). After further converting DII into categorical variables, the above relationship still existed. These relations were consistent in different ages, genders, BMI, whether smoking, whether suffering from hypertension, and whether suffering from diabetes, with no significant stratification differences (all P for interaction >0.05). Surprisingly, we did not find a statistically significant correlation of DII to albuminuria after complete adjustment for covariates (OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.05, p = 0.0742). Even when DII was considered as a categorical variable, this relation was still not statistically significant. Furthermore, we found an association in the shape of a U between DII and low-eGFR in the fully adjusted model, with a turning point at a DII of 1.6.ConclusionOur findings indicated that middle-aged and older persons with greater levels of DII had a significantly higher risk of CKD

The relationship between weight-adjusted-waist index and total bone mineral density in adults aged 20-59

IntroductionAccording to reports, obesity has a significant impact on bone health. And the weight-adjusted-waist index (WWI), superior to BMI and waist circumference (WC), is a new obesity indicator arising in recent years. This research investigated the relationship between WWI and total bone mineral density (BMD) for adults aged 20 to 59.MethodsUsing data from the 2011–2018 NHANES, we looked into the independent link between WWI and total BMD as well as its nonlinearity using weighted multiple linear regression and smooth curve fitting. Two-stage linear regression models were employed to calculate the threshold effects. There were additional subgroup analyses and testing for interactions.ResultsMultiple linear regression studies on a total of 10,372 individuals showed a significant inverse link between WWI and total BMD in adults between 20 and 59 [β = -0.04, 95% CI: (-0.04, -0.03), P<0.0001]. And smoking, race, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) had no significant effect on this negative connection (P for interaction >0.05). In addition, we found a nonlinear relationship between WWI and total BMD in diabetic and CKD patients, for which the saturation point was 11.38 cm/√kg in the CKD patient group and 10.29 cm/√kg in the diabetic patient group.ConclusionOur analysis demonstrated a significant inverse association between WWI and total BMD in adults aged 20-59

Study on the Behaviors of a Conceptual Passive Containment Cooling System

The containment is an ultimate and important barrier to mitigate the consequences after the release of mass and energy during such scenarios as loss of coolant accident (LOCA) or main steam line break (MSLB). In this investigation, a passive containment cooling system (PCCS) concept is proposed for a large dry concrete containment. The system is composed of series of heat exchangers, long connecting pipes with relatively large diameter, valves, and a water tank, which is located at the top of the system and serves as the final heat sink. The performance of the system is numerically studied in detail under different conditions. In addition, the influences of condensation heat transfer conditions and containment environment temperature conditions are also studied on the behaviors of the system. The results reveal that four distinct operating stages could be experienced as follows: startup stage, single phase quasisteady stage, flashing speed-up transient stage, and flashing dominated quasisteady operating stage. Furthermore, the mechanisms of system behaviors are thus analyzed. Moreover, the feasibility of the system is also discussed to meet the design purpose for the containment integrity requirement. Considering the passive feature and the compactness of the system, the proposed PCCS is promising for the advanced integral type reactor

Association of Lean Body Mass Index and Peritoneal Protein Clearance in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

Background/Aims: The relationship between peritoneal protein clearance (PPCl) and nutritional status in peritoneal dialysis (PD) population have not been clarified. This study aims to investigate the relationship between PPCl and nutritional status in PD population. Methods: Prevalent PD patients were enrolled in the cross-sectional survey in a single center from April to November 2013. The total amount of protein loss in the dialysate was calculated. PPCl reflects the individual differences of peritoneal protein loss, and is calculated by the formula, that PPCl (ml/day)=24-h dialysate protein loss / (albumin/0.4783). Nutritional status measured by lean body mass index (LBMI) was assessed by multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Results: Totally 351 PD patients (55% male, 17.1% with diabetes, mean age 47.7±14.3 years) were included. The median PPC l was 58 ml/day. Patients were divided into four groups for comparison according to the PPC quartiles. Compared with lower PPCl quartiles, patients with higher PPCl had higher body mass index (BMI) (P< 0.001), body surface area (BSA) (P < 0 .001), LBMI (P<0.001), 4-hour D/P creatinine ratio (P< 0.001), and lower residual renal CCl (P<0.001). Compared with conventional body index (BMI and BSA) in ROC analysis, LBMI (area under curve: 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.66-0.77) had better performance in predicting higher PPCl. After adjustment in logistic regression models, each 1 kg/m2 increase of LBMI (odd ratio[OR] =1.37; 95% CI: 1.17-1.60), each 0.1 increase of 4-hour D/P creatinine ratio (OR =1.47; 95% CI: 1.11-1.93), and every 1 L/week/1.73m2 decrease of residual renal CCl (OR =0.98; 95% CI: 0.96-0.99) were independently associated with higher PPCl (> 58 ml/day). Conclusion: Higher LBMI was independently associated with higher , indicating that better nutritional status dominates peritoneal protein metabolism in PD patients

Population-based case-control study revealed metabolomic biomarkers of suboptimal health status in Chinese population—potential utility for innovative approach by predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine

Background: Suboptimal health status (SHS) is a subclinical stage of chronic diseases, and the identification of SHS provides an opportunity for the predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine (PPPM) of chronic diseases. Previous studies have reported the associations between metabolic signatures and early signs of chronic diseases. Methods: This study aimed to detect the metabolic biomarkers for the identification of SHS in a case-control study. SHS questionnaire-25 (SHSQ-25) was used in a population-based health survey to measure the SHS levels of participants. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based untargeted metabolomics analysis was conducted on plasma samples collected from 50 SHS participants and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Results: After adjusting for the confounders, 24 significantly differential metabolites, such as sphingomyelin, sphingosine, sphinganine, progesterone, pregnanolone, and bilirubin, were identified as the candidate biomarkers for SHS. Pathway analysis revealed that sphingolipid metabolism, taurine metabolism, and steroid hormone biosynthesis are the disturbed metabolic pathways related to SHS. A combination of four metabolic biomarkers (sphingosine, pregnanolone, taurolithocholate sulfate, cervonyl carnitine) can distinguish SHS individuals from the controls with a sensitivity of 94.0%, a specificity of 90.0%, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.977. Conclusion: Plasma metabolites are valuable biomarkers for SHS identification, and meanwhile, SHSQ-25 can be used as an alternative health screening tool in the population-based health survey. SHS-related metabolic disturbances could be detected at the early onset of SHS, and SHS-related metabolites could create a window opportunity for PPPM of chronic diseases

Association between mobile phone addiction, sleep disorder and the gut microbiota: a short-term prospective observational study

Bidirectional communication between the gut microbiota and the brain has sparked interest in exploring the link between mobile phone addiction (MPA) and sleep disorders (SD) in microbiome research. However, investigating the role of gut microbiota in this relationship using animal models presents challenges due to the unique nature of MPA, and human research in this area is scarce. We recruited 99 healthy college students to evaluate the gut microbiome using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and assess MPA and SD at baseline and after a two-month follow-up. Multiple covariate-adjusted statistical models, including linear regression, permutational multivariate analysis of variance and so on, were employed to determine microbiome associations with MPA at baseline and changes in SD at follow-up. Our findings revealed negative associations between MPA and three alpha diversity metrics, along with alterations in bacterial composition. MPA showed negative associations with the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, while displaying positive associations with Actinobacteria and Bifidobacteriales. Conversely, Actinobacteria exhibited a negative association with increased SD. This study has established a significant link between MPA and a decrease in the alpha diversity of the gut microbiota. Actinobacteria was associated with MPA and SD, respectively. Additional investigation is needed to fully comprehend the relationship between comorbid behavioral disorders and the gut microbiota

The fragmentomic property of plasma cell-free DNA enables the non-invasive detection of diabetic nephropathy in patients with diabetes mellitus

BackgroundDiabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most prevalent complications of diabetes mellitus (DM). However, there is still a lack of effective methods for non-invasive diagnosis of DN in clinical practice. We aimed to explore biomarkers from plasma cell-free DNA as a surrogate of renal biopsy for the differentiation of DN patients from patients with DM.Materials and methodsThe plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) was sequenced from 53 healthy individuals, 53 patients with DM but without DN, and 71 patients with both DM and DN. Multidimensional features of plasma DNA were analyzed to dissect the cfDNA profile in the DM and DN patients and identify DN-specific cfDNA features. Finally, a classification model was constructed by integrating all informative cfDNA features to demonstrate the clinical utility in DN detection.ResultsIn comparison with the DM patients, the DN individuals exhibited significantly increased cfDNA concentration in plasma. The cfDNA from the DN patients showed a distinct fragmentation pattern with an altered size profile and preferred motifs that start with “CC” in the cfDNA ending sites, which were associated with deoxyribonuclease 1 like 3 (DNASE1L3) expression in the kidney. Moreover, patients with DM or DN were found to carry more alterations in whole-genome cfDNA coverage when compared with healthy individuals. We integrated DN-specific cfDNA features (cfDNA concentration, size, and motif) into a classification model, which achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.928 for the differentiation of DN patients from DM patients.ConclusionOur findings showed plasma cfDNA as a reliable non-invasive biomarker for differentiating DN patients from DM patients. The utility of cfDNA in clinical practice in large prospective cohorts is warranted