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Aquilaria sinensis is a significant resin-producing plant worldwide that is crucial for agarwood production. Agarwood has different qualities depending on the method with which it is formed, and the microbial community structures that are present during these methods are also diverse. Furthermore, the microbial communities of plants play crucial roles in determining their health and productivity. While previous studies have investigated the impact of microorganisms on agarwood formation, they lack comprehensiveness, particularly regarding the properties of the microbial community throughout the entire process from seedling to adult to incense formation. We collected roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and other tissues from seedlings, healthy plants and agarwood-producing plants to address this gap and assess the dominant bacterial species in the microbial community structures of A. sinensis at different growth stages and their impacts on growth and agarwood formation. The bacteria and fungi in these tissues were classified and counted from different perspectives. The samples were sequenced using the Illumina sequencing platform, and sequence analyses and species annotations were performed using a range of bioinformatics tools to assess the plant community compositions. An additional comparison of the samples was conducted using diversity analyses to assess their differences. This research revealed that Listeria, Kurtzmanomyces, Ascotaiwania, Acinetobacter, Sphingobium, Fonsecaea, Acrocalymma, Allorhizobium, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Peethambara, and Debaryomyces are potentially associated with the formation of agarwood. Overall, the data provided in this article help us understand the important roles played by bacteria and fungi in the growth and agarwood formation process of A. sinensis, will support the theoretical basis for the large-scale cultivation of A. sinensis, and provide a basis for further research on microbial community applications in agarwood production and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In silico toxicogenomics methods are resource- and time-efficient approaches for inferring chemical–protein–disease associations with potential mechanism information for exploring toxicological effects. However, current in silico toxicogenomics systems make inferences based on only chemical–protein interactions without considering tissue-specific gene/protein expressions. As a result, inferred diseases could be overpredicted with false positives. In this work, six tissue-specific expression datasets of genes and proteins were collected from the Expression Atlas. Genes were then categorized into high, medium, and low expression levels in a tissue- and dataset-specific manner. Subsequently, the tissue-specific expression datasets were incorporated into the chemical–protein–disease inference process of our ChemDIS system by filtering out relatively low-expressed genes. By incorporating tissue-specific gene/protein expression data, the enrichment rate for chemical–disease inference was largely improved with up to 62.26% improvement. A case study of melamine showed the ability of the proposed method to identify more specific disease terms that are consistent with the literature. A user-friendly user interface was implemented in the ChemDIS system. The methodology is expected to be useful for chemical–disease inference and can be implemented for other in silico toxicogenomics tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared different doublet and triplet therapies for efficacy and safety in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were comprehensively searched for eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from inception to October 2023. Interventions included abiraterone, apalutamide, enzalutamide, docetaxel, darolutamide, and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), either as doublet or triplet therapies. The outcomes examined were overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC)-free survival, time to symptomatic skeletal event (SSE), and toxicity. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) was determined to identify the preferred treatments. Ten RCTs were included. The combination of darolutamide, docetaxel, and ADT had the highest SUCRA of 84.3 for OS, followed by combined abiraterone, docetaxel, and ADT (SUCRA = 71.6). The highest SUCRAs for PFS were observed for triplet therapies (abiraterone, docetaxel, and ADT [SUCRA = 74.9], followed by enzalutamide, docetaxel, and ADT [SUCRA = 74.3]) and other androgen receptor axis-targeted therapy-based doublet therapies (SUCRAs: 26.5–59.3). Darolutamide, docetaxel, and ADT had the highest SUCRAs, i.e., 80.8 and 84.0 regarding CRPC-free survival and time to SSE, respectively. Regarding Grade >3 adverse events (AEs), the SUCRAs of triplet therapies (SUCRAs: 14.8–31.5) were similar to that of docetaxel and ADT (SUCRA = 39.5). Three studies had a low risk of bias in all categories; the remaining studies had at least an unclear risk of bias in at least one category. Triplet therapy demonstrated potentially enhanced effectiveness than doublet therapy in mHSPC, with acceptable safety concerns. Darolutamide might be the optimal option for triplet therapy in combination with docetaxel and ADT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the role and mechanisms of miR-155 in chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). Methods: The expression level of miR-155 in the skin tissues of patients with CSU and experimental rats were detected by RT-qPCR, followed by the measurement of the histamine release rate in the serum through the histamine release test. Besides, hematoxylin & eosin staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the skin tissues; Corresponding detection kits and flow cytometry to measure the changes of immunoglobulins, inflammatory cytokines and T cell subsets in the serum of rats in each group; and western blot to check the expression level of proteins related to JAK/STAT signaling pathway in the skin tissues. Results: Knockdown of miR-155 reduced the number and duration of pruritus, alleviated the skin damage, and decreased the number of eosinophils in CSU rats. Moreover, knockdown of miR-155 elevated the serum levels of IgG and IgM, decreased the levels of IgA and inflammatory cytokines, and reduced the proportion of CD4 + and CD4 + CD25 + T cells, as well as the CD4+/CD8 + ratio in CSU rats. However, Tyr705 intervention could reverse the effects of knockdown of miR-155 on CSU model rats. Furthermore, we found that knockdown of miR-155 significantly reduced the protein expression of IRF-9, as well as the P-JAK2/JAK2 and P-STAT3/STAT3 ratios in the skin tissues of CSU rats. Conclusion: Knockdown of miR-155 can alleviate skin damage and inflammatory responses and relieve autoimmunity in CSU rats by inhibiting the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the RFID adoption and chain structure (i.e., integrated or decentralized) decisions in two supply chains under two competition modes (i.e., Bertrand or Cournot competition). Each chain consists of a manufacturer and an exclusive retailer, who suffers from inventory misplacement problem. Two supply chains first simultaneously choose chain structure and then decide whether to invest in RFID technology. We develop an analytical model to derive the equilibrium outcomes, then further analyze the interactions between RFID adoption and chain structure under two competition modes. We find that in equilibrium, both chains prefer to choose integration under Cournot competition, while they might be better off from decentralization under Bertrand competition. Moreover, there may exist a prisoner's dilemma for the equilibrium strategies on RFID adoption and chain structure. Specifically, when both chains adopt RFID, the prisoner's dilemma occurs if the competition is fierce; when only one chain adopts RFID, the chain who forgoes RFID adoption is easier to trap into the prisoner's dilemma; when no chain adopts RFID, a high misplacement rate may aggravate the prisoner's dilemma if the competition is weak, and the supply chain members under Cournot competition may escape such dilemma if the competition is fierce. In addition, competition mode doesn't affect the optimal strategies for RFID adoption and chain structure. Further, in the case where the manufacturer affords a higher production cost, Cournot competition is more conducive to coordinate chains when competition is weak or relatively fierce, whereas Bertrand competition will be more effective when competition is moderate or very fierce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study, focusing on silkworms as the research subject, investigated the detrimental effects of gene mutants containing premature termination codons on organisms and the potential genetic compensation effects they may trigger. The research findings revealed the presence of genetic compensation effects in silkworms with a premature termination mutation in the BmTrpA1 gene, leading to a significant increase in the mRNA levels of BmTrpA subfamily paralogs and in Upf2, a key factor of the nonsense-mediated mRNA degradation (NMD) pathway. Knocking down the key factor could suppress the genetic compensation effects. These discoveries document genetic compensation and its role in Lepidoptera insects. Genetic mutations leading to premature termination codons are known to have detrimental effects. Using the Lepidoptera model insect, the silkworm (Bombyx mori), we explored the genetic compensatory response triggered by mutations with premature termination codons. Additionally, we delved into the molecular mechanisms associated with the nonsense-mediated mRNA degradation pathway. CRISPR/Cas9 technology was utilized to generate a homozygous bivoltine silkworm line BmTrpA1−/− with a premature termination. Transcript levels were assessed for the BmTrpA paralogs, BmPyrexia and BmPainless as well as for the essential factors Upf1, Upf2, and Upf3a involved in the nonsense-mediated mRNA degradation (NMD) pathway. Upf2 was specifically knocked down via RNA interference at the embryonic stage. The results comfirmed that the BmTrpA1 transcripts with a 2-base deletion generating a premature termination codon in the BmTrpA1−/− line. From day 6 of embryonic development, the mRNA levels of BmPyrexia, BmPainless, Upf1, and Upf2 were significantly elevated in the gene-edited line. Embryonic knockdown of Upf2 resulted in the suppression of the genetic compensation response in the mutant. As a result, the offspring silkworm eggs were able to hatch normally after 10 days of incubation, displaying a non-diapause phenotype. It was observed that a genetic compensation response does exist in BmTrpA1−/− B. mori. This study presents a novel discovery of the NMD-mediated genetic compensation response in B. mori. The findings offer new insights into understanding the genetic compensation response and exploring the gene functions in lepidopteran insects, such as silkworms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To summarize the clinical features of infection-associated autoimmune encephalitis (IAE) with different antibodies in Xinjiang region, and to explore the diagnostic value of relevant laboratory indicators for IAE. Methods A total of 47 patients with IAE diagnosed and treated in People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uiger Autonomous Region from January 2018 to October 2023 were enrolled, including 18 cases (38.30%) of anti-leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1 (LGI1) antibody-associated encephalitis, 16 cases (34.04%) of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis, 8 cases (17.02%) of anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody-associated encephalitis, and 5 cases (10.64%) of anti-γ-aminobutyric acid receptor type B (GABABR) encephalitis. Social demographic data, clinical manifestations, laboratory and other examinations were collected, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn to evaluate the diagnostic value of relevant laboratory indicators for IAE. Results The age of onset (χ² = 9.500, P = 0.023), myasthenia (χ² = 9.967, P = 0.019), vision loss (χ² = 9.967, P = 0.019) and seizures (χ² = 8.046, P = 0.045), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) white blood cell count (χ² = 15.237, P = 0.002) and chloride (F = 4.156, P = 0.011) in patients with anti-LGI1 antibody-associated encephalitis, anti-NMDAR encephalitis, anti-MOG antibody-associated encephalitis and anti-GABABR encephalitis were statistically significant. The age of onset in patients with anti-LGI1 antibody-associated encephalitis was larger than that in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis (Z =-2.384, P = 0.017) and anti-MOG antibody-associated encephalitis (Z =-2.420, P = 0.016). The CSF white blood cell count in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis was higher than that in patients with anti-LGI1 antibody-associated encephalitis (Z =-3.307, P = 0.001) and anti-MOG antibody-associated encephalitis (Z =-2.835, P = 0.005). CSF chloride was higher in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis (t = 3.159, P = 0.007) and anti-GABABR encephalitis (t =-4.592, P = 0.007) than in patients with anti-LGI1 antibody-associated encephalitis. ROC curve showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of age of onset for diagnosis of anti-LGI1 antibody-associated encephalitis was 0.722 (95%CI: 0.569-0.875, P = 0.012), the sensitivity was 0.556, the specificity was 0.821, and the cut-off value was 54.50 years old. The AUC of CSF white blood cell count in the diagnosis of anti-LGI1 antibody-associated encephalitis was 0.706 (95%CI: 0.558-0.855, P = 0.019), the sensitivity was 0.889, the specificity was 0.571, and the cut-off value was 4.50 x 106/L. The AUC in the diagnosis of anti-NMDAR encephalitis was 0.790 (95%CI: 0.643-0.937, P = 0.002), the sensitivity was 0.600, the specificity was 0.967, and the cut-off value was 13.50 x 106/L. The AUC of CSF chloride for the diagnosis of anti-LGI1 antibody-associated encephalitis was 0.748 (95%CI: 0.598-0.898, P = 0.005), with a sensitivity of 0.722 and a specificity of 0.714, and a cut-off value of 122.70 mmol/L. Conclusions IAE with different antibodies in Xinjiang region has specific clinical features. Age of onset, CSF white blood cell count and chloride have important value in the diagnosis of anti-LGI1 antibody-associated encephalitis, and CSF white blood cell count has important value in the diagnosis of anti-NMDAR encephalitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the inversion of the inner boundary data for Poisson equation in a doubly connected domain by fast Fourier ultraspherical spectral solver. The solver depends on the truncated Fourier series expansion, where the differential equations of the Fourier coefficients are solved by an ultraspherical spectral method. Because this problem is seriously ill‐posed, the Cauchy data with noise will lead to ill‐conditioned linear system. Hence, we apply Tikhonov regularization to solve the obtained linear system and use generalized cross‐validation (GCV) criterion to select regularization parameters. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method are illustrated by several numerical results of different regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Haemaphysalis concinna, carrying multiple pathogens, has attracted increasing attention because of its expanded geographical range and significant role in disease transmission. This study aimed to identify the potential public health risks posed by H. concinna and H. concinna-associated pathogens. Methods: A comprehensive database integrating a field survey, literature review, reference book, and relevant websites was developed. The geographical distribution of H. concinna and its associated pathogens was illustrated using ArcGIS. Meta-analysis was performed to estimate the prevalence of H. concinna-associated microbes. Phylogenetic and geographical methods were used to investigate the role of birds in the transmission of H. concinna-associated microbes. The potential global distribution of H. concinna was predicted by ecological niche modeling. Results: Haemaphysalis concinna was distributed in 34 countries across the Eurasian continent, predominantly in China, Russia, and Central Europe. The tick species carried at least 40 human pathogens, including six species in the Anaplasmataceae family, five species of Babesia, four genospecies in the complex Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, ten species of spotted fever group rickettsiae, ten species of viruses, as well as Francisella, Coxiella, and other bacteria. Haemaphysalis concinna could parasitize 119 host species, with nearly half of them being birds, which played a crucial role in the long-distance transmission of tick-borne microbes. Our predictive modeling suggested that H. concinna could potentially survive in regions where the tick has never been previously recorded such as central North America, southern South America, southeast Oceania, and southern Africa. Conclusions: Our study revealed the wide distribution, broad host range, and pathogen diversity of H. concinna. Authorities, healthcare professionals, and the entire community should address the growing threat of H. concinna and associated pathogens. Tick monitoring and control, pathogen identification, diagnostic tools, and continuous research should be enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malaria remains a significant public health concern in Niger, with the number of cases increasing from 592,334 in 2000 to 3,138,696 in 2010. In response, a concerted campaign against the disease has been initiated. However, the implementation of these malaria interventions and their association with epidemiological behaviour remains unclear. Methods: A time-series study was conducted in Niger from 2010 to 2019. Multiple data sources concerning malaria were integrated, encompassing national surveillance data, Statistic Yearbook, targeted malaria control interventions, and meteorological data. Incidence rate, mortality rate, and case fatality ratio (CFR) by different regions and age groups were analysed. Joinpoint regression models were used to estimate annual changes in malaria. The changes in coverage of malaria interventions were evaluated. Results: Between 2010 to 2019, the incidence rate of malaria decreased from 249.43 to 187.00 cases per 1,000 population in Niger. Niamey had a high annual mean incidence rate and the lowest CFR, while Agadez was on the contrary. Joinpoint regression analysis revealed a declining trend in malaria incidence for all age groups except the 10–24 years group, and the mortality rate and the CFR initially decreased followed by an increase in all age groups. Niger has implemented a series of malaria interventions, with the major ones being scaled up to larger populations during the study period. Conclusions: The scale-up of multi-interventions in Niger has significantly reduced malaria incidence, but the rise in mortality rate and CFR addresses the challenges in malaria control and elimination. Malaria endemic countries should enhance surveillance of malaria cases and drug resistance in Plasmodium, improve diagnosis and treatment, expand the population coverage of insecticide-treated bed nets and seasonal malaria chemoprevention, and strengthen the management of severe malaria cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to statistics, the incidence of liver cancer is increasing yearly, and effective treatment of liver cancer is imminent. For early liver cancer, resection surgery is currently the most effective treatment. However, resection does not treat the disease in advanced patients, so finding a method with a better prognosis is necessary. In recent years, ferroptosis and cuproptosis have been gradually defined, and related studies have proved that they show excellent results in the therapy of liver cancer. Cuproptosis is a new form of cell death, and the use of cuproptosis combined with ferroptosis to inhibit the production of hepatocellular carcinoma cells has good development prospects and is worthy of in-depth discussion by researchers. In this review, we summarize the research progress on cuproptosis combined with ferroptosis in treating liver cancer, analyze the value of cuproptosis and ferroptosis in the immune of liver cancer, and propose potential pathways in oncotherapy with the combination of cuproptosis and ferroptosis, which can provide background knowledge for subsequent related research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Some medical conditions may increase the risk of developing pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB); however, no systematic study on PTB-associated comorbidities and comorbidity clusters has been undertaken. Methods: A nested case-control study was conducted from 2013 to 2017 using multi-source big data. We defined cases as patients with incident PTB, and we matched each case with four event-free controls using propensity score matching (PSM). Comorbidities diagnosed prior to PTB were defined with the International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD-10). The longitudinal relationships between multimorbidity burden and PTB were analyzed using a generalized estimating equation. The associations between PTB and 30 comorbidities were examined using conditional logistic regression, and the comorbidity clusters were identified using network analysis. Results: A total of 4265 cases and 17,060 controls were enrolled during the study period. A total of 849 (19.91%) cases and 1141 (6.69%) controls were multimorbid before the index date. Having 1, 2, and ≥ 3 comorbidities was associated with an increased risk of PTB (aOR 2.85–5.16). Fourteen out of thirty comorbidities were significantly associated with PTB (aOR 1.28–7.27), and the associations differed by sex and age. Network analysis identified three major clusters, mainly in the respiratory, circulatory, and endocrine/metabolic systems, in PTB cases. Conclusions: Certain comorbidities involving multiple systems may significantly increase the risk of PTB. Enhanced awareness and surveillance of comorbidity are warranted to ensure early prevention and timely control of PTB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed germination period is the most sensitive period to salt alkali stress. An accurate, simple, and efficient evaluation system for salt alkali tolerance during seed germination is of great value for screening salt alkali tolerant rapeseed germplasm. This study used 166 Brassica napus varieties, backbone parents, and hybrid combinations as experimental materials. A set of rapeseed hydroponic germination equipment was constructed by hole tray, medical gauze, square containers, etc. Based on this system, a mixture of 1.0% NaCl and 0.10% Na2CO3 was selected to simulate salt alkali mixed stress. The salt alkali tolerance at germination stage of all tested materials was identified and evaluated. Results showed that high salt alkali stress can inhibit the germination of rapeseed seeds, and there is extensive genetic variation in salt alkali tolerance during germination among different materials. According to their germination status, 166 tested rapeseed resources can be classified into 4 levels of salt alkali tolerance. Among them, 11 salt alkali tolerant rapeseed resources were selected with 3rd resistance level, mainly including varieties such as Huayouza 62, Huayouza 158, 67shangd20yu 11, 67shangd20yu 16, backbone parents, and hybrid combinations. This provides identification techniques and elite resources for genetic research and breeding improvement of salt alkali tolerance in rapeseed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CF3-substituted imidoyl sulfoxonium ylides (TFISYs) are extraordinarily versatile and powerful synthons for use in cyclization chemistry that affords diverse CF3-substituted N-heterocycles. We first reacted TFISYs as a two-atom synthon with readily available azoalkenes and then subjected the products to metal-free formal (4+2) cycloaddition chemistry. This protocol features mild conditions and broad substrate scope, is simple to operate, and provides highly functionalized trifluoromethylpyridazines that are widely found in bioactive molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Rodents in the Mu Us Desert may respond to increasing summer heat through behavioral or physiological adjustments. We studied the ambient temperatures that Meriones meridianus and Meriones unguiculatus might experience in their habitats. The results showed that both the heat-sensitive Meriones meridianus and the heat-tolerant Meriones unguiculatus were threatened by extreme summer heat. In addition, although vegetation and rodent burrows increased the variety of ambient temperature in the habitat, only rodent burrows were effective in providing protection from the stress of extreme summer heat. Therefore, behavioral adjustments may be the major way in which small rodents in this region avoid continuous heat stress in summer. Climate change combined with human activities has altered the spatial and temporal patterns of summer extreme heat in the Mu Us Desert. To determine how those rodents living in the desert respond to increased extreme heat in summer, in July 2022, during the hottest month, we examined the rodent species, vegetation coverage, and small-scale heterogeneity in ambient temperature in the southeastern Mu Us Desert. The results showed that Meriones meridianus, Meriones unguiculatus, and Cricetulus longicaudatus were found in the study area, where the vegetation coverage is 33.5–40.8%. Moreover, the maximum temperature of the desert surface was 61.8 °C. The maximum air temperature at 5 cm above the desert surface was 41.3 °C. The maximum temperature in the burrow at a depth of 15 cm was 31 °C. M. unguiculatus might experience 4–9.3 h of heat stress in a day when exposed outside the burrow, whereas M. meridianus would experience 8.5–10.8 h of heat stress. Yet, inside the burrow, both species were barely exposed to heat stress. In conclusion, adjustments in behavioral patterns can be the main way that rodents in the Mu Us Desert adapt to the extreme heat in the summer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new 2D flexible cobalt(II) framework (Co-MOF) exhibits a reversible solid-state structural transformation upon guest molecule removal/uptake. After activation, Co-MOF-α with 1D porous channels transformed into Co-MOF-β (0D voids) accompanied by a shift in metal and carboxylate coordination modes, the rotation of organic linkers and the contraction of interstitial spaces. Gas adsorption experiments reveal that Co-MOF-β exhibits a two-step CO2 adsorption isotherm and close-to-open (type F-IV) isotherms for C2H2, C2H4 and C2H6 at 195 K. Moreover, it shows typical type I adsorption isotherms for the above gases and the selective uptake of C2H2 over CH4 and CO2 at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The difficulty in estimating ages of regional landslides hampers to assess frequency of landslides and hence to quantitatively assess regional landslide hazard. In this study, we used radiocarbon dating of organic sediment on boulder rock varnish to estimate landslide ages in Langxian (LX) arid region in southeastern Tibet. Samples of rock varnish with organic sediment were collected on site for radiocarbon dating, leading to landslide ages from 1880 ± 30 to 18,430 ± 30 yr B.P. To measure surface roughness characteristics of 109 remotely-mapped large bedrock landslide deposits, we estimated average standard deviation of slope (SDS) over an area of ∼640 km2 by calculating the slope gradient of each raster cell and using a rectangular moving window method in ArcMap from a 5 m-resolution Digital Elevation Model generated from helicopter-obtained photographs. Combing estimated landslide ages (t) with average surface roughness of mapped landslide deposits (R) quantified by SDS, we fit an exponential landslide deposits surface roughness-age function (t=1.47×106×e−1.46R, r2=0.63) that was used to estimate regional landslide ages in LX. We conclude that three periods with clusters of regional landslides in LX were revealed by different surface roughness of landslide deposits combing roughness-age function, with the values of 5563–7455 yr B.P., 1724–4151 yr B.P., and 960–1287 yr B.P.. Furthermore, we used our estimates of landslide ages to quantify landslide erosion rates of three corresponding hillslopes in LX ranging from 0.50 to 2.42 mm yr−1. Although rock varnish radiocarbon dating provides us a feasible option for timing regional landslides of arid regions, the epistemic uncertainty in the dating method should arouse our attention, which could be reduced by increasing the number of samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Sensory-based interventions are commonly used to reduce the occurrence of agitation in people with dementia over extended periods. However, the evidence regarding their immediate de-escalation effects is unclear. The objectives of this systematic review are to (a) identify which sensory-based interventions have been used for de-escalating agitation and (b) examine the immediate effects of these interventions on de-escalating agitation in people with dementia. Methods: A systematic review was performed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Data sources were identified by searching Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, and CINAHL for publications up to 2 March 2022. The de-escalating agitation effect had to be measured during the intervention or within 15 min after commencing the treatment. Only randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental studies published in English were included. Results: Nine studies met the inclusion criteria: two randomized controlled trials, one cross-over study, and six quasi-experimental studies. All were conducted in Western countries, involving a total of 246 participants. Music-related interventions were investigated in seven studies, and a positive effect on de-escalating agitation was found, with no side-effects. All of the studies had methodological limitations, including a single group design, blinding, an insufficient sample size, and imprecisely reported results. Conclusion: There is a profound dearth of rigorous studies examining the immediate agitation de-escalating effects of sensory-based interventions on people with dementia. However, the limited evidence on music-related interventions is encouraging. More rigorous research is recommended to confirm the effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The impact of selenium (Se) on human thyroid function remains unclear, with inconsistent results from recent epidemiological studies. Moreover, the observed associations are prone to bias due to potential confounding and reverse causation. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis facilitates the large minimization of biases produced by environmental and lifestyle influences, providing unconfounded estimates of causal effects using instrumental variables. We aim to examine the association between Se concentrations and human thyroid function using a two‐sample MR analysis. Design and Methods: Genetic instruments for Se concentrations, including toenail and blood (TAB) and blood Se concentrations, were identified from a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) of blood Se (n = 5477) and toenail Se levels (n = 4162). GWAS summary statistics on thyroid phenotypes were downloaded from the ThyroidOmics consortium, including thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH) (n = 54,288), free thyroxin (FT4) (n = 49,269), hypo (n = 53,423), and hyperthyroidism (n = 51,823). The MR study was conducted using the inverse‐variance weighted (IVW) method, supplemented with the weighted median and the mode‐based method. Results: Genetically determined TAB Se was negatively associated with FT4 (β = −.067; 95% confidence interval [CI] = −0.106, −0.028; p = 0.001) using the IVW analyses, as well in the additional analyses using the weighted median and weighted‐mode methods. No evidence in heterogeneity, pleiotropy or outlier single‐nucleotide polymorphisms was detected (all p > 0.05). Suggestive casual association between increased genetically determined TAB Se concentrations and decreased hypothyroidism risk was found by the IVW method (odds ratio [OR] = 0.847; 95% CI = 0.728, 0.985; p = 0.031). The causal effect of TAB Se on FT4 was observed in women (β = −.076; 95% CI = −0.129, −0.024; p = 0.004). However, the influence of genetically determined higher Se concentrations on TSH levels and hyperthyroidism revealed insignificance in the primary and sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: The present MR study indicated that high Se concentration enable the decreasing of FT4 levels, and the effects of Se concentrations on FT4 remain sex‐specific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tachinid fly, Exorista sorbillans , is a notorious ovolarviparous endoparasitoid of the silkworm, Bombyx mori , causing severe damage to silkworm cocoon industry. Silkworm larvae show typically precocious wandering behavior after being parasitized by E. sorbillans ; however, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unexplored. Herein, we investigated the changes in the levels of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and juvenile hormone (JH) titer, and they both increased in the hemolymph of parasitized silkworms. Furthermore, we verified the expression patterns of related genes, which showed an upregulation of 20E signaling and biosynthesis genes but a significant downregulation of ecdysone oxidase (EO), a 20E inactivation enzyme, in parasitized silkworms. In addition, related genes of the JH signaling were activated in parasitized silkworms, while related genes of the JH degradation pathway were suppressed, resulting in an increase in JH titer. Notably, the precocious wandering behavior of parasitized silkworms was partly recoverable by silencing the transcriptions of BmCYP302A1 or BmCYP307A1 genes. Our findings suggest that the developmental duration of silkworm post parasitism could be shortened by regulation of 20E and JH titers, which may help silkworm to resist the E. sorbillans infestation. These findings provide a basis for deeper insight into the interplay between silkworms and E. sorbillans and may serve as a reference for the development of a novel approach to control silkworm myiasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irisin, a myokine mainly secreted by skeletal and cardiac muscles, is actively involved in cardiovascular diseases. However, whether irisin is associated with aortic stenosis remains unknown. Two hundred ninety-three severe AS patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation were enrolled and followed-up for 35 months on average. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was applied to measure circulating irisin levels. Patients were divided into two groups based on the median plasma irisin level. We found that high plasma irisin levels were independently associated with pure aortic stenosis (PAS) after adjusting for age, body mass index, history of peripheral vascular disease, and creatinine (OR = 3.015, 95% CI 1.775–5.119, P < 0.001). ROC curve analysis showed a significant predictive value of irisin for PAS (AUC = 0.647, 95% CI 0.583–0.711, P < 0.001). The severity of aortic valve calcification was negatively associated with plasma irisin levels (P < 0.05). In conclusion, irisin is an independent predictor for PAS and is negatively associated with the severity of aortic valve calcification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of endophytic bacteria is influenced by the host plants and their secondary metabolites and activities. In this study, P. megaterium P-NA14 and P. megaterium D-HT207 were isolated from potato tuber and dendrobium stem respectively. They were both identified as Priestia megaterium. The antimicrobial activities and metabolites of both strains were explored. For antimicrobial activities, results showed that P. megaterium P-NA14 exhibited a stronger inhibition effect on the pathogen of dendrobium, while P. megaterium D-HT207 exhibited a stronger inhibition effect on the pathogen of potato. The supernatant of P. megaterium P-NA14 showed an inhibition effect only on Staphylococcus aureus, while the sediment of P. megaterium D-HT207 showed an inhibition effect only on Escherichia coli. For metabolomic analysis, the content of L-phenylalanine in P. megaterium P-NA14 was higher than that of P. megaterium D-HT207, and several key downstream metabolites of L-phenylalanine were associated with inhibition of S. aureus including tyrosine, capsaicin, etc. Therefore, we speculated that the different antimicrobial activities between P. megaterium P-NA14 and P. megaterium D-HT207 were possibly related to the content of L-phenylalanine and its metabolites. This study preliminarily explored why the same strains isolated from different hosts exhibit different activities from the perspective of metabolomics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit flies are destructive quarantine pests that harm horticultural crops. Their wide distribution and high fecundity cause large economic losses to the fruit and vegetable industry. Moreover, adult females lay their eggs within host plant tissue where the larvae feed making them difficult to control. Semiochemicals, including those derived from insects, plants, and other sources, due to their high activity and strong specificity, have become the preferred tools for the environmentally- friendly prevention and control of fruit flies. Therefore this review focuses on semiochemicals related to foraging, mating, and oviposition behavior and the application of these in pest control, and then provides guidance and a theoretical basis for the integrated management of Tephritidae fruit flies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral antiseizure medications are the preferred option for the clinical treatment of epilepsy. Therapeutic drug monitoring has become an important means of achieving individualized treatment of epilepsy. A sensitive, accurate and rapid LC–ESI–MS/MS method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of 15 antiseizure medications in human plasma (carbamazepine, gabapentin, pregabalin, phenytoin, zonisamide, oxcarbazepine, tiagabine, lamotrigine, topiramate, phenobarbital, lacosamide, primidone, 10,11‐Dihydro‐10‐hydroxy carbamazepine, ethosuximide, and levetiracetam). The sample preparation procedure was an one‐step protein precipitation with methanol. Mass detection was performed in ionization polarity switching mode (positive–negative–positive) using multiple reaction monitoring mode. A "boot‐shaped" gradient elution program was applied to separate and concentrate those target analytes, resulting in symmetrical peak shapes within 10 min, without endogenous interference. The method showed great linearity over the concentration ranges with acceptable correlation coefficients (0.9966–0.9996). The precision and accuracy values for intra‐ and inter‐assays were within ±15%. Consequently, the method was successfully implemented on pediatric patients undergoing mono‐ or polytherapy for epilepsy and provided timely concentration results to ordering clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: GnRHa treatment was established for improving final adult height (FAH) in children presenting with Idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP) up to age 8, while several controversies remained for older age groups. The primary objective was to evaluate whether boys diagnosed with ICPP over 9 years of chronological age (CA) could achieve a height benefit from GnRHa treatment. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of 23 boys treated for idiopathic central precocious puberty between January 2018 and January 2021 at Jiangsu Children's Medical Center. All patients started treatment with intramuscular depot GnRHa at a dose of 80–100 μg/kg, followed by continuous intramuscular injection every 28 days at a dose of 60–80 μg/kg. The hormonal parameters, bone age/chronological age ratio, FAH, growth velocity (GV), tanner staging and body mass index (BMI) were assessed during the treatment period. Results: After one course of treatment (3 months), the basal FSH and testosterone levels were reduced, while the basal LH value was not significantly changed compared with those before treatment. Furthermore, the mean BA/CA ratio reduction was statistically significant at month 12. The mean PAH following administration of GnRHa after 12 months was statistically improved compared with those at baseline. In addition, the clinical sign of puberty and GV were significantly improved and the BMI remained unchanged as desired at month 12. Conclusions: This analysis highlighted the positive outcome on the decrease in the rate of bone maturation, with a favorable effect on progression of clinical signs of puberty. Furthermore, our study confirmed PAH was improved even in the older children at onset of treatment (ages 9–10), emphasizing the importance of personalized treatment in such population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider the simultaneous inversion of the source term and the initial data for a time-fractional diffusion equation based on the additional temperatures at two fixed times t = T 1 and t = T 2 . The inverse problem is formulated on the basis of the Fourier method as an operator equation of the first kind. For the overdetermined system of linear equations, we apply the conjugate gradient method with an appropriate stopping criterion to solve the least-squares problems. The method is not only able to converge quickly, but also it can solve large-scale linear equations. Based on the proposed results, it can be seen that the iteration numbers play a role of a regularization parameter. Four numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional corrosion inhibitors have made great contributions to metal corrosion protection. However, environmental pollution caused by them is becoming more serious. To circumvent this tricky problem, green corrosion inhibitors have attracted increasing attention. Notably, plants are good raw materials of effective corrosion inhibitors and also meet the requirements of industrial production, where some active components really work. Therein, starch and cellulose are most abundant in plants which have great potential as industrial corrosion inhibitors. Besides, some other plant extracts are also available from rich sources, and show good corrosion inhibition efficiency. Starch, cellulose, and other plant extracts as representative green corrosion inhibitors have been reported without pollution to the environment. Although many advantages of starch, cellulose, and other plant extracts have been described, no such inhibitors are successfully applied to anticorrosion industry. These factors (source, solubility, dosage, composition, and others) seriously affect the applied industrialization of them. Currently, there are no analysis and discussions on these deficiencies and the related solutions: Herein, we review the factors that affect the industrial application of starch, cellulose, and other extracts from plants, and discuss specific solutions to make them potential industrial corrosion inhibitors. The major points are the following: 1) Why can't plant corrosion inhibitors be really applied to the industry? 2) The deficiencies of starch, cellulose, and other plant extracts as corrosion inhibitors are comprehensively analyzed from material source, solubility, dosage and composition. 3) Solutions that these green plant corrosion inhibitors cannot be used in industry are proposed. We aim to make appropriate recommendations for the early application of rich plant components into industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The placental barrier protects the fetus from exposure to some toxicants and is vital for drug development and risk assessment of environmental chemicals. However, in vivo experiments for assessing the placental barrier permeability of chemicals is not ethically acceptable. Although ex vivo placental perfusion methods provide good alternatives for the assessment of placental barrier permeability, the application to a large number of test chemicals could be time- and resource-consuming. Computational prediction models for ex vivo placental barrier permeability are therefore desirable. Methods: A total of 87 chemicals and corresponding 1444 physicochemical properties were divided into training and test datasets. Three types of algorithms including linear regression, random forest, and ensemble models were applied to develop prediction models for ex vivo placental barrier permeability. Results: Among the tested models, the ensemble model integrating the previous two methods performed best for predicting ex vivo human placental barrier permeability with correlation coefficients of 0.887 and 0.825 when considering the applicability domain. An additional test on seven newly curated chemicals from the literature showed a good correlation coefficient of 0.879 which was further improved to 0.921 by considering the variation of experiments. Conclusion: In this study, the first valid predicting model for ex vivo human placental barrier permeability was developed following the OECD guideline. The model is expected to be useful for assessing the human placental barrier permeability and can be integrated with developmental toxicity prediction models for investigating the toxic effects of chemicals on the fetus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the leading causes of dementia. As the first common neurodegenerative disease, there are no effective drugs that can reverse the progression. The present study is to report the anti-AD effect of cryptotanshinone (CTS), a natural product isolated from Salvia castanea. It is found that it can alleviate AD-like features associated with Aβ1-42 toxicity in muscle cells as well as neuronal cells of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Further studies showed that CTS reduced the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in nematodes, up-regulated the expression of sod-3, and enhanced superoxide dismutase activity. Cryptotanshinone reduced the level of Aβ monomers and highly toxic oligomers in C. elegans while inhibiting the abnormal aggregation of polyglutamine protein. In addition, CTS upregulated the expression of hsp-16.2 and downregulated the expression of ace-2. These results suggested that CTS could alleviate oxidative stress and reduce the level of abnormally aggregated proteins and has the potential to be developed as an anti-AD drug candidate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In semisupervised fuzzy clustering, this article extends the traditional pairwise constraint (i.e., must-link or cannot-link) to fuzzy pairwise constraint. The fuzzy pairwise constraint allows a supervisor to provide the grade of similarity or dissimilarity between the implicit fuzzy vectors of a pair of samples. This constraint can represent more complicated relationship between the pair of samples and avoid eliminating the fuzzy characteristics. Then, we propose a semisupervised fuzzy clustering with fuzzy pairwise constraints (SSFPC). The nonconvex optimization problem in our SSFPC is solved by a modified expectation-maximization algorithm, involving to solve several indefinite quadratic programming problems (IQPPs). Further, a diagonal block coordinate decent (DBCD) algorithm is proposed for these IQPPs, whose stationary points are guaranteed, and the global solutions can be obtained under certain conditions. To suit for different applications, the SSFPC is extended into various metric spaces, e.g., the reproducing kernel Hilbert space. Experimental results on several benchmark datasets and a facial expression database demonstrate the outperformance of our SSFPC compared with some state-of-the-art clustering models [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution has been associated with adverse perinatal outcomes in previous studies. However, few studies have examined the interaction between air pollution and the season of conception on term low birth weight (TLBW) or macrosomia. Birth registry data of singleton live births in Wenzhou, China, between January 2015 and December 2016 were accessed from the Wenzhou Maternal and Child Health Information Management platform, and data on the ambient air pollutants in Wenzhou were obtained from the Chinese Air Quality Online Monitoring and Analysis Platform. Single-/two-pollutant binary logistic regression models were used to assess the associations between ambient air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, and O3) and TLBW/macrosomia, further exploring whether the season of conception interacts with air pollution to impact birth weight. Finally, 213,959 term newborns were selected, including 2452 (1.1%) infants with TLBW and 13,173 (6.1%) infants with macrosomia. In the single-/two-pollutant models, we observed an increased risk of TLBW associated with maternal exposure to PM2.5, PM10, SO2, and NO2 during the entire pregnancy, especially in the 2nd trimester. Maternal exposure to O3 during the 1st trimester was associated with increased macrosomia risk, and O3 exposure during the 3rd trimester was associated with increased TLBW risk. Pregnant women who conceive in the warm season may experience a more adverse ambient air environment that is related to the risks of TLBW. These findings add to the evidence suggesting that air pollution and the season of conception may have synergistic effects on adverse perinatal outcomes, especially TLBW. Further prospective cohort studies are needed to validate our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of Chaihu Shugan pills (CHSG) on the pharmacokinetics of duloxetine and its metabolite 4-hydroxyduloxetine in beagle dogs was investigated by establishing an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method to simultaneously measure the concentrations of duloxetine and 4-hydroxyduloxetine in beagle dog plasma. Duloxetine and 4-hydroxyduloxetine were separated on the UPLC-C18 column after acetonitrile precipitation and detected by mass spectrometry with multireaction detection mode (MRM). Six adult healthy beagle dogs (weighing 7–9 kg, male and female) were randomly selected and examined for a single-dose administration of duloxetine hydrochloride (2 mg/kg, control group) and oral administration of CHSG (0.3 g/kg) twice daily for 15 consecutive days followed by a single-dose administration of duloxetine hydrochloride (2 mg/kg, experimental group) using the self-control method. All plasma samples were treated in the same way, and then the concentrations of duloxetine and 4-hydroxyduloxetine were determined using the established UPLC-MS/MS method. The obtained data were subjected to DAS 2.0 software to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters, and SPSS 20.0 software was used to compare the differences between the two groups. Duloxetine and 4-hydroxyduloxetine had a good linear relationship in the ranges of 1–1000 ng/ml and 0.1–100 ng/ml, and the lower limits of quantification (LLOQ) were 1 ng/mL and 0.1 ng/ml, respectively. The precision, accuracy, extraction recovery, matrix effect, and stability meet the requirements of the guiding principles. After combination with CHSG, Cmax and AUC0⟶t of duloxetine decreased by 49.33% and 13.08%, respectively, and t1/2 was shortened to 10.17 h; Cmax and AUC0⟶t of 4-hydroxyduloxetine decreased by 71.47% and 48.78%, respectively, and t1/2 was shortened to 7.97 h. The UPLC-MS/MS method was fully developed to simultaneously measure the plasma concentration of duloxetine and its metabolite 4-hydroxyduloxetine in beagle dogs. CHSG could slow down the absorption of duloxetine, induce the metabolism of duloxetine and 4-hydroxyduloxetine in beagle dogs, and reduce plasma exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the effects of ordering-timing strategies on radio-frequency identification (RFID) adoption sequences and firms' profitability in a supply chain with a manufacturer and two retailers, both of whom suffer from misplaced inventory problems. The manufacturer is the Stackelberg leader, the two retailers engage in a quantity competition and simultaneously/sequentially make decisions on RFID adoption under two ordering-timing strategies. We derive the equilibrium strategies for RFID adoption and characterize each partner's optimal order quantity and profit. We show that the equilibrium strategies for RFID adoption are identical regardless of the two competing retailers' RFID adoption sequences. The retailer with a smaller misplacement rate will never adopt RFID alone. However, for the retailer with a higher misplacement rate: the more intense the competition is, the more likely he is to adopt RFID; ordering later always promotes him to adopt RFID; ordering earlier is more attractive than adopting RFID when the tagging cost is intermediate. Furthermore, as long as one or both retailers adopt RFID, ordering simultaneously can achieve Pareto improvement for both retailers. When neither retailer adopts RFID, the optimal ordering strategies depend on the misplacement rates and competition intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate how the National Health Commission of China (NHCC)-recommended Chinese medicines (CMs) modulate the major maladjustments of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), particularly the clinically observed complications and comorbidities. Methods: By focusing on the potent targets in common with the conventional medicines, we investigated the mechanisms of 11 NHCC-recommended CMs in the modulation of the major COVID-19 pathophysiology (hyperinflammations, viral replication), complications (pain, headache) and comorbidities (hypertension, obesity, diabetes). The constituent herbs of these CMs and their chemical ingredients were from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Information Database. The experimentally-determined targets and the activity values of the chemical ingredients of these CMs were from the Natural Product Activity and Species Source Database. The approved and clinical trial drugs against these targets were searched from the Therapeutic Target Database and DrugBank Database. Pathways of the targets was obtained from Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and additional literature search. Results: Overall, 9 CMs modulated 6 targets discovered by the COVID-19 target discovery studies, 8 and 11 CMs modulated 8 and 6 targets of the approved or clinical trial drugs for the treatment of the major COVID-19 complications and comorbidities, respectively. Conclusion: The coordinated actions of each NHCC-recommended CM against a few targets of the major COVID-19 pathophysiology, complications and comorbidities, partly have common mechanisms with the conventional medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The NAC transcription factors play important roles in regulating plant growth, development, and senescence, and responding to biotic and abiotic stressors in plants. A novel coding sequence (1,059 bp) was cloned from hexaploid triticale in this study. The putative protein (352 amino acids) encoded by this sequence was over 95% similar to the amino acid sequence of a NAC protein from Aegilops tauschii (XP020161331), and it formed a clade with Ae. tauschii , durum wheat, and barley. The putative protein contained a conserved nature actomyosin (NAM) domain (129 consecutive amino acids) between the 20th and 148th amino acids at the N-terminus and three transcription activation regions at the C-terminus. The novel gene was identified as a triticale NAC gene localized in the nucleus and designated as TwNAC01 (GenBank accession MG736919). The expression levels of TwNAC01 were the highest in roots, followed by leaves and stems when triticale lines were exposed to drought, polyethylene glycol 6,000 (PEG6000), NaCl, cold, methyl jasmonate (MeJA), and abscisic acid (ABA). Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana overexpressing TwNAC01 had significantly lower leaf water loss rates and longer roots than wild-type (WT) A. thaliana. Virus-induced silencing of the TwNAC01 gene in triticale delayed root development and decreased length of primary root. Under drought stress, leaves of TwNAC01- silenced triticale had higher levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), but lower relative water content (RWC), net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO2 concentration, and transpiration rate than the leaves of the WT. Gene overexpression and silencing experiments suggested that TwNAC01 improves plant stress tolerance by increasing root length, regulating the water content of plant leaves by reducing MDA and H2O2 content, and adjusting respiration rate. The results suggest that TwNAC01 is a novel NAC transcription factor gene that can be exploited for triticale and cereal improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selenium (Se) is essential for the basic functions of life, but the low daily intake of Se urges us to find reliable ways to increase food Se content. Plant-growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) have shown potential in enhancing plant growth and Se accumulation. In this study, the soils collected from a Se tailing were used to isolate Se-tolerant PGPB. The results showed that a total of three strains were identified. Strain LWS1, belonging to Priestia sp., grew well in M9 medium and exhibited typical PGP characteristics by an IAA-production ability of 24.3 ± 1.37 mg·L−1, siderophore-production ability of 0.23 ± 0.04 and phosphate-solubilizing ability of 87.5 ± 0.21 mg·L−1. Moreover, LWS1 strain tolerated selenite (SeIV) up to 90 mM by a LC50 of 270.4 mg·L–1. Further investigations demonstrated that the inoculation of strain LWS1 resulted in up to 19% higher biomass and 75% higher Se concentration in rice (Oryza sativa L.) than uninoculated treatments. Our study has provided evidence that microbial Se biofortification through inoculating with Priestia sp. strain LWS1 is an alternative way to improve Se uptake in crops and maintain human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) act as a signaling intermediate to promote cellular adaptation to maintain homeostasis by regulating autophagy during pathophysiological stress. However, the mechanism by which ROS promotes autophagy is still largely unknown. Here, we show that the ATM/CHK2/ULK1 axis initiates autophagy to maintain cellular homeostasis by sensing ROS signaling under metabolic stress. We report that ULK1 is a physiological substrate of CHK2, and that the binding of CHK2 to ULK1 depends on the ROS signal and the phosphorylation of threonine 68 of CHK2 under metabolic stress. Further, CHK2 phosphorylates ULK1 on serine 556, and this phosphorylation is dependent on the ATM/CHK2 signaling pathway. CHK2-mediated phosphorylation of ULK1 promotes autophagic flux and inhibits apoptosis induced by metabolic stress. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the ATM/CHK2/ULK1 axis initiates an autophagic adaptive response by sensing ROS, and it protects cells from metabolic stress-induced cellular damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current surveillance system only focuses on notifiable infectious diseases in China. The arrival of the big-data era provides us a chance to elaborate on the full spectrum of infectious diseases.Methods: In this population-based observational study, we used multiple health-related data extracted from the Shandong Multi-Center Healthcare Big Data Platform from January 2013 to June 2017 to estimate the incidence density and describe the epidemiological characteristics and dynamics of various infectious diseases in a population of 3,987,573 individuals in Shandong province, China.Results: In total, 106,289 cases of 130 infectious diseases were diagnosed among the population, with an incidence density (ID) of 694.86 per 100,000 person-years. Besides 73,801 cases of 35 notifiable infectious diseases, 32,488 cases of 95 non-notifiable infectious diseases were identified. The overall ID continuously increased from 364.81 per 100,000 person-years in 2013 to 1071.80 per 100,000 person-years in 2017 (χ2 test for trend, P < 0.0001). Urban areas had a significantly higher ID than rural areas, with a relative risk of 1.25 (95% CI 1.23-1.27). Adolescents aged 10-19 years had the highest ID of varicella, women aged 20-39 years had significantly higher IDs of syphilis and trichomoniasis, and people aged ≥ 60 years had significantly higher IDs of zoster and viral conjunctivitis (all P < 0.05).Conclusions: Infectious diseases remain a substantial public health problem, and non-notifiable diseases should not be neglected. Multi-source-based big data are beneficial to better understand the profile and dynamics of infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In multiple types of cancer, decreased tumour cell apoptosis during chemotherapy is indicative of decreased chemosensitivity. Forkhead box K2 (FOXK2), which is essential for cell fate, regulates cancer cell apoptosis through several post‐translational modifications. However, FOXK2 acetylation has not been extensively studied. Here, we evaluated the effects of sirtiun 1 (SIRT1) on FOXK2 deacetylation. Our findings demonstrated that SIRT1 inhibition increased FOXK2‐induced chemosensitivity to cisplatin and that K223 in FOXK2 was acetylated. Furthermore, FOXK2 K223 deacetylation reduced chemosensitivity to cisplatin in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, FOXK2 was acetylated by the acetyltransferase cAMP response element binding protein and deacetylated by SIRT1. Furthermore, cisplatin attenuated the interaction between FOXK2 and SIRT1. Cisplatin or SIRT1 inhibition enhanced FOXK2 acetylation, thereby reducing the nuclear distribution of FOXK2. Additionally, FOXK2 K223 acetylation significantly affected the expression of cell cycle–related and apoptosis‐related genes in cisplatin‐stimulated cancer cells, and FOXK2 K223 hyperacetylation promoted mitotic catastrophe, which enhanced chemosensitivity to cisplatin. Overall, our results provided insights into the mechanisms of SIRT1‐mediated FOXK2 deacetylation, which was involved in chemosensitivity to cisplatin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the unique component of Dendrobium , dendrobine-type sesquiterpenoid alkaloids (DSAs) possess a variety of medicinal properties. It has been well documented that plant endophytes can in vitro synthesize secondary metabolites identical or similar to metabolites produced by their host plants. This study aimed to investigate the composition and distribution of endophytic bacteria of Dendrobium stems by Illumina MiSeq platform sequencing and cultivation-dependent methods and then to assess the potential for endophytic bacteria to produce DSAs. Results indicated that it was necessary to combine both cultivation-dependent and cultivation-independent methods to analyze the community structure of endophytic bacterial in plants comprehensively. The length of the Dendrobium stems influenced the endophytic bacterial community. The diversity and richness of endophytic bacteria in group J10_15cm of stems were the highest, which showed a significant difference from the other stem groups. However, there was no certain connection between the diversity and richness of endophytic bacteria and the content of dendrobine. It was most likely due to the influence of several specific endophytic bacteria genera, such as Sphingomonas and Rhodococcus. Athelia rolfsii , Myrothecium roridum , as pathogenic fungi, and Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. actinidiae , as pathogenic bacteria of Dendrobium , were used to determine the antimicrobial activities. In these assays, six strains belonging to five genera showed antimicrobial activity against at least two phytopathogens. The strain BL-YJ10_15-29 (Paracoccus pueri THG-N2.35, 98.98%) showed the best antimicrobial activity against the three phytopathogens. In addition, 2 DSAs (6-hydroxydendrobine and nobilonine) were identified in the fermentation supernatant of the strain CM-YJ10_15-44 (Pseudomonas protegens CHA0, 99.24%), whereas the whole-genome analysis results further demonstrated that the precursors of the two DSAs [geranyl-PP and (E, E)-famesyl-PP] were synthesized mainly through the methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate pathway in this strain. This study provides new insight into the studies on the biosynthesis of DSAs and provides potential biocontrol bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: An efficient and eco‐friendly carbon nitride nanosheet (NM‐g‐C3N4)‐catalyzed decarboxylative coupling reaction of imidazo‐fused heterocycles (i.e., imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridines, benzo[d]imidazo[2,1‐b]thiazole) with N‐phenylglycines in dimethyl carbonate (DMC) has been developed. The toxic solvents, external oxidants, and restricted reaction conditions could be effectively avoided in this powerful and sustainable protocol. Remarkably, NM‐g‐C3N4 could be straightforwardly recovered by simple centrifugation and recycled and reused at least 7 times without an obvious decrease in catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to explore the relationships between the common variants of R-spondin/Wnt signaling genes, gut microbiota composition, and osteoporosis (OP) risk in elderly Chinese Han population. Design: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to obtain the OP-associated measurements at multiple skeleton sites among all 1,168 participants. Genotyping data was obtained by using the next-generation sequencing in the discovery stage (n = 400, 228 OP patients) and SNPscan technology in the replication stage (n = 768, 356 OP patients). Bioinformatic analysis was performed to provide more evidence for the genotype-OP associations. The 16S ribosomal RNA gene high-throughput sequencing technology was adopted to explore OP-associated gut microbiota variations. Results: The genetic variants of rs10920362 in the LGR6 gene (P -FDR = 1.19 × 10–6) and rs11178860 in the LGR5 gene (P -FDR = 1.51 × 10–4) were found to associate with OP risk significantly. Several microbial taxa were associated with the BMDs and T-scores at multiple skeleton sites. The associations between rs10920362 and BMD-associated microbiota maintained significance after adjusting confounders. The rs10920362 CT/TT genotype associated with a decreased relative abundance of Actinobacteria (β = −1.32, P < 0.001), Bifidobacteriaceae (β = −1.70, P < 0.001), and Bifidobacterium (β = −1.70, P < 0.001) compared to the CC genotype. Conclusion: Our findings suggested that the variants loci of LGR6 may be associate with OP pathogenesis via gut microbiota modifications. The relationship between host genetics and gut microbiome provides new perspectives about OP prevention and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Encapsulation of microfiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MMZI) sensor for temperature and salinity sensing in seawater is developed. It includes a C-shape metal tube with a slit on the bottom and polymer adhesive with large elasticity modulus, by which a more robust sensor with relatively fast response can be obtained. To evaluate the performance of sensor after encapsulation, effects of different polymer adhesives on tension withstanding, temperature and salinity sensitivities are evaluated, and dependence of response time on shape of metal tube is investigated. Results show that sensitivities of the sensor in temperature and salinity sensing can reach to be about −1.77 nm/°C and 1.18 nm/ ‰, and response times are about 219.0 ms and 12.5 ms, respectively. By comparing temperatures and salinities measured by sensor with those measured by commercial device, accuracy of the sensor after encapsulation is proved. In addition, cross-sensitivities of strain/pressure and short/long-term stability after encapsulation are also evaluated. Finally, based on the basic structure, further improvements are attempted, such as double encapsulation with stainless steel mesh and complex encapsulation with two kinds of polymer. Encapsulations of MMZI demonstrated here show advantages of low cost, improved robustness, relatively fast response, long-term stability and easy expandability, which will not only afford a critical support for optical sensors operated in the ocean, but also offer some useful references for microfiber sensors used in other sensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]