Environmental and intrinsic factors shaping gut microbiota composition and diversity and its relation to metabolic health in children and early adolescents: A population-based study

ABSTRACT

Background

Gut microbiota, by influencing multiple metabolic processes in the host, is an important determinant of human health and disease. However, gut dysbiosis associated with metabolic complications shows inconsistent patterns. This is likely driven by factors shaping gut microbial composition that have largely been under-evaluated, at a population level, in school-age children, especially from developing countries.     

Vessel heterogeneity of TIMI frame count and its relation to P-wave dispersion in patients with coronary slow flow

Background

The vessel heterogeneity of thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) frame count (TFC) in patients with coronary slow flow (CSF) remains to be further evaluated, and the correlation between TFC heterogeneity and P-wave dispersion (PWD) has not been elucidated. We aim to investigate the vessel heterogeneity of TFC in coronary arteries, and its relation to PWD in patients with CSF and otherwise normal coronary arteries.

Methods

We studied 72 patients with angiographically documented CSF and 66 age- and gender-matched control subjects. The coefficient of variation (CV) and mean TFC of the three vessels were calculated. P-wave duration and PWD were measured on the standard electrocardiograms (ECGs).

Results

The mean TFC and CV were both significantly higher in CSF patients than in controls (P<0.001 for both comparisons). The maximum P-wave duration (Pmax) and PWD were found to be significantly higher in CSF patients than in controls (P<0.001 for both comparisons). In patients with CSF, both Pmax and PWD were mildly correlated to mean TFC (r=0.318, P=0.009; and r=0.307, P=0.010), and were more significantly correlated to CV (r=0.506, P<0.001; and r=0.579, P<0.001).

Conclusions

These data demonstrate that variability of TFC in three coronary arteries is increased in CSF patients, and that the vessel heterogeneity in coronary flow might be intimately associated with PWD.     

Induction and reversibility of an obesity syndrome by intracerebroventricular neuropeptide Y administration to normal rats

Summary Intracerebroventricular neuropeptide Y (NPY) administration to normal rats for 7 days produced a sustained, threefold increase in food intake, resulting in a body weight gain of more than 40 g. Basal plasma insulin and triglyceride levels were increased in NPY-treated compared to vehicle-infused rats by about four- and two-fold, respectively. The glucose utilization index of white adipose tissue, measured by the labelled 2-deoxy-d-glucose technique was four times higher in NPY-treated rats compared to controls. This change was accompanied by an increase in the insulin responsive glucose transporter protein (GLUT 4). In marked contrast, muscle glucose utilization was decreased in NPY-treated compared to vehicle-infused animals. This change was accompanied by an increase in triglyceride content. When NPY-treated rats were prevented from overeating, there was no decrease in muscle glucose uptake, nor was there an increase in muscle triglyceride content. This suggests that muscle insulin resistance of ad libitum-fed NPY-treated rats is due to a glucose-fatty acid (Randle) cycle. When intracerebro-ventricular NPY administration was stopped and rats kept without any treatment for 7 additional days, all the abnormalities brought about by the neuropeptide were normalized. A tonic central effect of NPY is therefore needed to elicit and maintain most of the hormonal and metabolic abnormalities observed in the present study. Such abnormalities are analogous to those seen in the dynamic phase of obesity syndromes in which high hypothalamic NPY levels have been reported.Abbreviations NPY Neuropeptide Y - icv intracerebroventricular - GLUT 4 glucose transporter 4     

Role of anti-mutated citrullinated vimentin antibodies in chronic hepatitis C patients and its relation to HCV associated arthritis

Aim of the work

To determine the frequency of anti-mutated citrullinated vimentin (anti-MCV) antibodies in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients and its relation to HCV associated arthritis.

医务人员高暴露人群严重急性呼吸综合征隐性感染与工作强度和工种的相关性研究

目的　了解密切接触严重急性呼吸综合征 (SARS)患者的医护人员隐性感染的发生情况 ,及其与工作强度和工种之间的关系。方法　对北京中日友好医院密切接触SARS患者的 112 7名医务人员和 92名对照者的血清进行冠状病毒抗体 (IgG、IgM)酶联免疫吸附测定法 (ELISA)检测。并调查抗体阳性者周围密切接触者 313名的临床表现。结果　 112 7名SARS病区工作的医务人员 :男2 87名 ,女 84 0名 ;年龄 2 1～ 5 5岁 ,平均年龄 (34± 9)岁。对照组和医务人员上岗前所测冠状病毒抗体均为阴性 ,上岗后冠状病毒抗体阳性者共 2 9名 ,阳性率 2 5 7% (2 9/ 112 7)。特异性抗体的阳性率与工种和病区的关系结果提示 :抗体阳性的护士 2 1名 ,抗体阳性率占护士上岗人数的 3 4 6 % (2 1/ 6 0 7) ;医师、医技人员 6名 ,阳性率占其上岗人数的 1 4 1% (6 / 4 2 6 ) ;督导 2名 ,阳性率占其上岗人数的 2 86 %(2 / 70 )。ICU病区的 130名工作人员中抗体阳性者 10名 ,阳性率为 7 6 9% (10 / 130 ) ,占 2 9名抗体阳性者的 34 5 % (10 / 2 9) ;其他病区人员 19名 ,占 6 5 5 % (19/ 2 9)。 2 9名抗体阳性医务人员的周围密切接触者 313名 ,无一名发病或有临床症状。结论　密切接触SARS患者的医护人员有隐性感染的发生 ,隐性感染者从流行病学     

Enhancement of humoral immune responses to HBsAg by heat shock protein gp96 and its N-terminal fragment in mice

AIM: Most studies on the immune effect of gp96 were focused on its enhancement of CTLs. It is interesting to know whether gp96 could influence the humoral immune response, and whether the recombinant N-terminal fragment of gp96 could substitute native gp96 to stimulate the immune system. METHODS: gp96 isolated from livers of normal mice and its N-terminal fragment (amino acid 22-355) expressed in E coli were used for immunization of BALb/c mice. Eight groups of mice received one of the following regiments subcutaneously in 100 μL phosphate buffered saline (PBS) at an interval of 3 wk. Group 1: PBS only; group 2: gp96 only; group 3: N-terminal fragment only; group 4: HBsAg only; group 5: HBsAg+gp96; group 6: HBsAg+N-terminal fragment; group 7: HBsAg+incomplete Freud's adjuvant; group 8: HBsAg+N-terminal fragment (95℃ heated for 30 min). Serum anti-HBsAg antibody levels were assayed by ELISA. CTL responses in splenocytes were analyzed by ELISPOT after the last vaccination. RESULTS: The average titer of serum anti-HBsAg antibody in the mice immunized with HBsAg together with gp96 or its N-terminal fragment were much higher than those immunized with HBsAg alone detected by ELISA. The cellular immune response of the mice immunized with HBsAg together with gp96 or its N-terminal fragment was not different with those immunized with HBsAg alone measured by ELISPOT assay. CONCLUSION: gp96 or its N-terminal fragment greatly improved humoral immune response induced by HBsAg, but failed to enhance the CTL response, which demonstrated the potential of using gp96 or its N-terminal fragment as a possible adjuvant to augment humoral immune response against HBV infection.