Integrating transcriptomic and polygenic risk scores to enhance predictive accuracy for ischemic stroke subtypes.

Ischemic stroke (IS), characterized by complex etiological diversity, is a significant global health challenge. Recent advancements in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and transcriptomic profiling offer promising avenues for enhanced risk prediction and understanding of disease mechanisms. GWAS summary statistics from the GIGASTROKE Consortium and genetic and phenotypic data from the UK Biobank (UKB) were used.

DAA treatment for HCV reduce risk of hepatocellular carcinoma: a 10-years follow-up study based on Chinese patients with hepatitis C.

The long-term benefits of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy after achieving sustained virological response (SVR) remain uncertain in the Chinese population. This study evaluates the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), hepatic decompensation, and all-cause mortality among Chinese hepatitis C patients treated with DAAs. We included patients diagnosed since 2011 and followed them until November 1, 2022.

Evaluating short-term and long-term liver fibrosis improvement in hepatitis C patients post-DAA treatment.

Despite achieving a high cure rate with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in hepatitis C treatment, further research is needed to identify additional benefits of the DAA therapy. The current study evaluated liver fibrosis improvement in 848 hepatitis C patients treated with DAAs, who also achieved sustained virologic response (SVR). Using the fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index, patients were categorized based on their baseline fibrosis level, and improvements in fibrosis were analyzed in both the short-term (9-26 weeks) and long-term (≥ 36 weeks) follow-up.

Associations of diet with infectious diseases in UK Biobank.

This research aims to utilize multivariate logistic regression to explore associations between the frequency of 13 food groups intake (or four diet groups) and infectious diseases. 487849 participants from the UK Biobank were enrolled, and 75209 participants were diagnosed with infectious diseases. Participants reporting the highest intake frequency of processed meat [odds ratio ( ) = 1.

Gut microbial features may influence antiviral IgG levels after vaccination against viral respiratory infectious diseases: the evidence from two-sample bidirectional mendelian randomization.

Background: Vaccination is effective in preventing viral respiratory infectious diseases through protective antibodies and the gut microbiome has been proven to regulate human immunity. This study explores the causal correlations between gut microbial features and serum-specific antiviral immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels.

Methods: We conduct a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data to explore the causal relationships between 412 gut microbial features and four antiviral IgG (for influenza A, measles, rubella, and mumps) levels.

Epidemiology of acute hepatitis C and hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis in reproductive-age women, 1990-2019: An analysis of the Global Burden of Disease study.

Background: The current study uniquely focuses on the global incidence and temporal trends of acute hepatitis C (AHC) and hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) from 1990-2019. The risk of vertical transmission and adverse perinatal outcomes associated with HCV infection underscores the importance of prioritising these women in HCV prevention efforts.

Methods: Leveraging the Global Burden of Disease 2019 data, we calculated age-standardised incidence rates (ASIR) and assessed temporal trends via the average annual percent change from joinpoint regression.

Leveraging baseline transcriptional features and information from single-cell data to power the prediction of influenza vaccine response.

Introduction: Vaccination is still the primary means for preventing influenza virus infection, but the protective effects vary greatly among individuals. Identifying individuals at risk of low response to influenza vaccination is important. This study aimed to explore improved strategies for constructing predictive models of influenza vaccine response using gene expression data.

Accurate prediction of HCC risk after SVR in patients with hepatitis C cirrhosis based on longitudinal data.

Background: Most existing predictive models of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk after sustained virologic response (SVR) are built on data collected at baseline and therefore have limited accuracy. The current study aimed to construct an accurate predictive model incorporating longitudinal data using a novel modeling strategy. The predictive performance of the longitudinal model was also compared with a baseline model.

Integrating single-cell RNA sequencing data to genome-wide association analysis data identifies significant cell types in influenza A virus infection and COVID-19.

With the global pandemic of COVID-19, the research on influenza virus has entered a new stage, but it is difficult to elucidate the pathogenesis of influenza disease. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have greatly shed light on the role of host genetic background in influenza pathogenesis and prognosis, whereas single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has enabled unprecedented resolution of cellular diversity and in vivo following influenza disease. Here, we performed a comprehensive analysis of influenza GWAS and scRNA-seq data to reveal cell types associated with influenza disease and provide clues to understanding pathogenesis.

Using multi-tissue transcriptome-wide association study to identify candidate susceptibility genes for respiratory infectious diseases.

We explore the candidate susceptibility genes for influenza A virus (IAV), measles, rubella, and mumps and their underlying biological mechanisms. We downloaded the genome-wide association study summary data of four virus-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) level data sets (anti-IAV IgG, anti-measles IgG, anti-rubella IgG, and anti-mumps virus IgG levels) and integrated them with reference models of three potential tissues from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project, namely, whole blood, lung, and transformed fibroblast cells, to identify genes whose expression is predicted to be associated with IAV, measles, mumps, and rubella. We identified 19 significant genes (ULK4, AC010132.

The association between sleep duration, quality, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A cross-sectional study.

Sleep can affect nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We investigated the association between sleep duration, sleep quality, and NAFLD. From January to December 2018, 1,073 patients (age: 37.

Genetic variants of IFIH1 and DHX58 affect the chronicity of hepatitis C in the Chinese Han population.

Hepatitis C remains a major public health problem in the world. The host immune system plays a key role in viral clearance. This study aimed to investigate the connection between retinoic acid-inducible gene I-like (RIG-I-like) receptor gene polymorphism and hepatitis C chronicity in the Chinese Han population.

Associations of socioeconomic status with infectious diseases mediated by lifestyle, environmental pollution and chronic comorbidities: a comprehensive evaluation based on UK Biobank.

Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) inequity was recognized as a driver of some certain infectious diseases. However, few studies evaluated the association between SES and the burden of overall infections, and even fewer identified preventable mediators. This study aimed to assess the association between SES and overall infectious diseases burden, and the potential roles of factors including lifestyle, environmental pollution, chronic disease history.

Repeated Measurement of FIB-4 to Predict Long-Term Risk of HCC Development Up to 10 Years After SVR.

Purpose: It is unclear whether and how the long-term risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) will change in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected patients who have reached sustained virologic response (SVR) with direct-acting antivirals (DAA). In this study, we assessed the long-term risk of HCC up to 10 years after SVR using fibrosis 4 score (FIB-4) and its dynamic changes.

Patients And Methods: A total of 701 DAA-treated patients who achieved SVR between January 2012 to October 2020 were enrolled in the study.

Diversity of Circulating NKT Cells in Defense against Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella Pneumoniae Infection.

Nosocomial infection caused by carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumonia (CRKP) infection has become a global public health problem. Human NK and NKT cells in peripheral immune responses are recognized as occupying a critical role in anti-bacterial immunity. Through performed scRNA-seq on serial peripheral blood samples from 3 patients with CRKP undergoing colonization, infection, and recovery conditions, we were able to described the immune responses of NK and NKT cells during CRKP infection and identified a mechanism that could contribute to CRKP clearance.

Trajectories of De Ritis ratio with risk of hepatocellular carcinoma and liver-related mortality following direct-acting antivirals for HCV: a retrospective longitudinal study up to 10 years.

The De Ritis ratio has good diagnostic accuracy in patients with chronic viral liver disease. However, its prognostic utility has remained controversial. This study was to identify different trajectories of De Ritis ratio in those hepatitis C patients cured and analyze the relationship between trajectory groups and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with liver-related mortality by the retrospective cohort study.

Identifying and Exploring the Candidate Susceptibility Genes of Cirrhosis Using the Multi-Tissue Transcriptome-Wide Association Study.

We identify and explore the candidate susceptibility genes for cirrhosis and their underlying biological mechanism. We downloaded the genome-wide association studies summary data of 901 cirrhosis cases and 451,363 controls and integrated them with reference models of five potential tissues from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) Project, including whole blood, liver, pancreas, spleen, and thyroid, to identify genes whose expression is predicted to be associated with cirrhosis. Then, we downloaded gene expression data of individuals with hepatocellular carcinoma from TCGA database to conduct differential expression analysis to validate these identified genes and explored their possible role in driving cirrhosis via functional enrichment and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA).

Genetic and hosts characterization of hantaviruses in port areas in Hainan Province, P. R. China.

Background: Hantaviruses (HVs) are major zoonotic pathogens in China that cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) posing a major threat to people's health. Hainan Province, an island located in Southeast China, is an ideal region for sea ports. The unique tropical monsoon climate in Hainan provides sufficient living conditions for rodents, which help spread HVs and other rodent-borne diseases.

The Causal Effects of Primary Biliary Cholangitis on Thyroid Dysfunction: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study.

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is an autoimmune disease and is often accompanied by thyroid dysfunction. Understanding the potential causal relationship between PBC and thyroid dysfunction is helpful to explore the pathogenesis of PBC and to develop strategies for the prevention and treatment of PBC and its complications. We used a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) method to estimate the potential causal effect of PBC on the risk of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4), hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and thyroid cancer (TC) in the European population.

Willingness of Chinese Men Who Have Sex With Men to Use Smartphone-Based Electronic Readers for HIV Self-testing: Web-Based Cross-sectional Study.

Background: The need for strategies to encourage user-initiated reporting of results after HIV self-testing (HIVST) persists. Smartphone-based electronic readers (SERs) have been shown capable of reading diagnostics results accurately in point-of-care diagnostics and could bridge the current gaps between HIVST and linkage to care.

Objective: Our study aimed to assess the willingness of Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Jiangsu province to use an SER for HIVST through a web-based cross-sectional study.

Determinants of Recent HIV Self-Testing Uptake Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Jiangsu Province, China: An Online Cross-Sectional Survey.

To help inform regarding HIV self-testing (HIVST) upscale, we assessed the determinants of recent HIVST uptake among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Jiangsu province, China. We conducted a convenience online survey from March to April, 2020 among men aged ≥16 years, who had ever had sex with other men. Statistical analysis included Pearson's chi-square test, bivariate correlation, and multivariable logistic regression.

The Causal Effects of Insomnia on Bipolar Disorder, Depression, and Schizophrenia: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study.

Psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder (BD), major depression (MDD), and schizophrenia (SCZ), affects millions of persons around the world. Understanding the disease causal mechanism underlying the three diseases and identifying the modifiable risk factors for them hold the key for the development of effective preventative and treatment strategies. We used a two-sample Mendelian randomization method to assess the causal effect of insomnia on the risk of BD, MDD, and SCZ in a European population.

Genetic Mutations in Were Associated With the Chronicity of Hepatitis C Among Chinese Han Population.

Recently, several studies have reported that the host immune response can be related to the RANKL/RANK/OPG signaling pathway. However, the associations of , and gene polymorphisms in the RANKL/RANK/OPG pathway with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection outcomes remain unclear. In this case-control study, 768 persistent HCV infection and 503 spontaneous HCV clearance cases, and 1,259 control subjects were included.

Students' and Teachers' Perspective on the Implementation of Online Medical Education in China: A Qualitative Study.

Objective: Due to the quarantine measures during the outbreak of COVID-19, medical schools in China had to shift to online education overnight. Researchers wanted to survey the online medical education status quo and find out the underlying challenges and probable solutions in terms of online medical education to better understand improving and developing medical education in China.

Methods: Researchers distributed self-administered and piloted surveys regarding the implementation of online medical education on WeChat and Wenjuanxing.