Publications by authors named "YongMei Liu"
Geese, both wild and domestic, are generally considered part of the natural reservoir for influenza A viruses. The highly pathogenic H5 Goose/Guangdong avian influenza virus lineage that is still causing outbreaks worldwide was first detected in domestic geese in 1996. However, while wild geese might have a somewhat restricted role in the influenza ecosystem, the role of domestic geese is little studied.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDespite decades of research, the pathogenesis of endometriosis remains unclear. Recent studies have shown that microRNAs play an important role in this condition. In this study, we found that the expression level of miR-450b-5p was increased in ectopic endometrial tissues and that GA-binding protein A (GABPA) and HOXD10 expression levels were decreased.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The aim of this study was to explore the clinical characteristics of patients infected with different Omicron subvariants presenting non-severe disease, evaluate the safety and efficacy of Azvudine for treatment of COVID-19, in order to broaden understanding of Omicron subvariant infections.
Method: A total of 244 individuals with Omicron subvariant (BA.2.
Background: Improving angiogenesis in the ischemic myocardium is a therapeutic strategy for preventing, reducing, and repairing myocardial injury of coronary artery disease (CAD). saponins (PNS) have been widely used in the clinical treatment of cardiovascular diseases, demonstrating excellent efficacy, and can potentially improve angiogenesis in the ischemic myocardium. However, the effects of PNS on angiogenesis and its underlying mechanism of action remain unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe relationship between mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) heteroplasmy and nuclear DNA (nDNA) methylation (CpGs) remains to be studied. We conducted an epigenome-wide association analysis of heteroplasmy burden scores across 10,986 participants (mean age 77, 63% women, and 54% non-White races/ethnicities) from seven population-based observational cohorts. We identified 412 CpGs (FDR p < 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To explore whether refreezing and rebiopsy affect reproductive outcomes.
Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Setting: Not applicable.
Humoral immunity plays a critical role in clearing SARS-CoV-2 during viral invasion. However, the proteome-wide characteristics of antibody responses in individuals infected with Omicron variant, both asymptomatic and symptomatic, remain poorly understood. We profiled the serum antibodies from 108 individuals, including healthy controls and those infected with Omicron BA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and first identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, has led to global efforts in vaccination to mitigate rising morbidity and mortality, with vaccines proving crucial in controlling the pandemic. This study evaluated the humoral responses to the inactivated virus vaccine Sinopharm or Koxing Kerlafor, the protein subunit vaccine ZF001, and the adenoviral vector vaccine Convidecia after 18 months of inactivated virus vaccination by heterologous and homologous booster vaccination in patients with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and healthy individuals. We discovered that patients who had recovered from the infection and then received a third vaccine dose (booster) exhibited durable immunity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImportance: Metals are established neurotoxicants, but evidence of their association with cognitive performance at low chronic exposure levels is limited.
Objective: To investigate the association of urinary metal levels, individually and as a mixture, with cognitive tests and dementia diagnosis, including effect modification by apolipoprotein ε4 allele (APOE4).
Design, Setting, And Participants: The multicenter prospective cohort Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) was started from July 2000 to August 2002, with follow-up through 2018.
Background: The association of overall cardiovascular health (CVH) with changes in DNA methylation (DNAm) has not been well characterized.
Methods: We calculated the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score to reflect CVH in five cohorts with diverse ancestry backgrounds. Epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) for LE8 score were conducted, followed by bioinformatic analyses.
The 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) receptors have emerged as significant targets for therapeutic intervention in psychiatric disorders. Currently, the efficacy of psychiatric drugs is limited by challenges in achieving desired outcomes, the occurrence of adverse effects, dependence, and withdrawal reactions. Consequently, there is a pressing need for the development of safe and effective therapeutic agents for psychiatric disorders.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBlood lipid traits are treatable and heritable risk factors for heart disease, a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Although genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have discovered hundreds of variants associated with lipids in humans, most of the causal mechanisms of lipids remain unknown. To better understand the biological processes underlying lipid metabolism, we investigated the associations of plasma protein levels with total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in blood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- A study explored how different biological factors (like proteins and metabolites) can help identify distinct groups of people with obesity who have varying risks for heart and metabolic diseases.
- Using data from 243 participants, researchers found two groups: one (iCluster1) with favorable cholesterol levels and another (iCluster2) with higher BMI and inflammation levels.
- The findings suggest these groups could reflect different stages of obesity-related issues, potentially influenced by factors like diet and behavior, despite similar ages across the groups.
Aims/hypothesis: Several studies have reported associations between specific proteins and type 2 diabetes risk in European populations. To better understand the role played by proteins in type 2 diabetes aetiology across diverse populations, we conducted a large proteome-wide association study using genetic instruments across four racial and ethnic groups: African; Asian; Hispanic/Latino; and European.
Methods: Genome and plasma proteome data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) study involving 182 African, 69 Asian, 284 Hispanic/Latino and 409 European individuals residing in the USA were used to establish protein prediction models by using potentially associated cis- and trans-SNPs.
BACKGROUNDMost GWAS of plasma proteomics have focused on White individuals of European ancestry, limiting biological insight from other ancestry-enriched protein quantitative loci (pQTL).METHODSWe conducted a discovery GWAS of approximately 3,000 plasma proteins measured by the antibody-based Olink platform in 1,054 Black adults from the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) and validated our findings in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). The genetic architecture of identified pQTLs was further explored through fine mapping and admixture association analysis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - The study investigates mitochondrial function in patients with dermatomyositis (DM) who are positive for anti-MDA5 and TIF1-γ antibodies, focusing on the mitochondrial mass in their peripheral lymphocyte subsets compared to healthy controls.
- - Results revealed that these DM patients had abnormal changes in their lymphocyte subsets and significantly higher mitochondrial mass, with a positive correlation found between anti-MDA5 antibody levels and mitochondrial mass in these cells.
- - The findings suggest a relationship between altered mitochondrial characteristics and the presence of specific antibodies, offering new insights into the underlying mechanisms of DM's pathology.
Article Synopsis
- Genome-wide association studies have found numerous genetic loci linked to glycemic traits, but connecting these loci to specific genes and biological pathways remains a challenge.
- Researchers conducted meta-analyses of exome-array studies across four glycemic traits, analyzing data from over 144,000 participants, which led to the identification of coding variant associations in more than 60 genes.
- The study revealed significant pathways related to insulin secretion, zinc transport, and fatty acid metabolism, enhancing understanding of glycemic regulation and making data available for further research.
Aims: Proteomic profiling offers an expansive approach to biomarker discovery and mechanistic hypothesis generation for LV remodelling, a critical component of heart failure (HF). We sought to identify plasma proteins cross-sectionally associated with left ventricular (LV) size and geometry in a diverse population-based cohort without known cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Methods And Results: Among participants of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), we quantified plasma abundances of 1305 proteins using an aptamer-based platform at exam 1 (2000-2002) and exam 5 (2010-2011) and assessed LV structure by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) at the same time points.
Background: Patients with stroke frequently experience pulmonary dysfunction.
Aim: To explore the effects of information-motivation-behavioral (IMB) skills model-based nursing care on pulmonary function, blood gas indices, complication rates, and quality of life (QoL) in stroke patients with pulmonary dysfunction.
Methods: We conducted a controlled study involving 120 stroke patients with pulmonary dysfunction.
Article Synopsis
- Scientists are studying how our body's chemicals (called metabolites) relate to heart problems known as coronary artery disease (CAD).
- They used a special method to look at over 1,400 blood chemicals from nearly 8,300 people to find out which ones might cause CAD.
- In the end, they found 59 blood chemicals and 27 ratios that are linked to CAD, focusing on four specific chemicals that could help in understanding and preventing this heart disease.
Aging is characterized by a decline in the adaptability and resistance of the body. In this study, Bushen Kangshuai Granules (BKG), as a kind of Chinese herbal formula, was developed and shown to alleviate aging-related symptoms. Self-controlled study combined with RNA-seq and metabonomics were used to expound the efficacy and safety of BKG and revealed the regulation mechanism of BKG treating aging.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - The study explored immune and inflammatory characteristics, as well as the in-hospital outcomes of patients infected with the Omicron variant in China, focusing on varying levels of disease severity during its first major outbreak.
- - Data was collected from 140 hospitalized patients from December 2022 to February 2023, comparing clinical features, antibody responses, immune cell counts, and inflammatory markers among mild, severe, and critical cases.
- - Findings indicated that severe and critical patients were primarily male, had higher mortality rates, and displayed distinct immune responses, with lower antibody levels and immune cell counts associated with worse outcomes; lactate dehydrogenase levels were highlighted as a significant death risk factor.
Article Synopsis
- Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects about 1 in 7 adults in the U.S., especially African Americans who are more likely to suffer from it.
- Scientists discovered that certain changes in DNA can help predict who might get CKD, focusing on specific sites in the DNA.
- The study created a special score using these DNA changes to see how likely someone is to have CKD and found it works well for African Americans, suggesting it could help in checking kidney health in the future.
Article Synopsis
- Cigarette smoking is known to alter DNA methylation at the AHRR gene, but this study investigates whether non-cigarette tobacco use, like pipe and cigar smoking, also affects AHRR methylation and health outcomes.
- Data from four cohorts (1985-2002) revealed that exclusive non-cigarette tobacco users had lower AHRR methylation compared to those who smoked cigarettes, with non-cigarette users showing less dramatic effects.
- The results indicate that lower AHRR methylation in non-cigarette tobacco users is linked to worse respiratory symptoms and higher mortality rates, suggesting AHRR methylation could be a marker for health risks among these smokers.