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Abstract Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is an autoimmune disease in the central nervous system. Clinical manifestations include cognitive dysfunction, psychiatric‐behavioral abnormalities, epilepsy, motor disorders, speech disorders, and memory impairment. Some patients do not have the characteristic clinical manifestations of the disease when they see a doctor, so they are easily diagnosed incorrectly. Autoimmune antibodies originate from genetic and acquired factors. Clinical data have found a correlation between ovarian teratoma and autoimmune encephalitis. This case reports a 34‐year‐old woman who was diagnosed with teratoma‐associated anti‐N‐methyl‐D‐ aspartate receptor‐mediated autoimmune encephalitis called anti‐N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor encephalitis with bilateral hearing loss in 2021. Through this case report, clinicians will pay attention to autoimmune encephalitis and raise awareness of the specific clinical manifestations of autoimmune encephalitis, and focus on early identification. It means that clinicians should be familiar with the representative clinical manifestations of the disease.

Abstract Metalated covalent organic frameworks (COFs) for 2D and 3D topologies are continuously being developed, whereas metalated COFs with 1D topologies are still in their infancy. Here, a novel 1D phenanthroline‐based COF containing 4,4‐(1,10‐phenanthroline‐2,9‐diyl)bis[benzaldehyde] (PBA) is reported (PAD‐COF). Subsequently, a metalated 1D COF, Co SAS/PAD‐COF, is constructed using the bidentate ligand properties of PBA and anchoring the single Co atoms in PAD‐COF through a post‐synthetic modification strategy. This complex significantly improved the photocatalytic performance of PAD‐COF, and the CO yield of the optimized Co SAS/PAD‐COF was stable at 3091 µmol g−1 h−1 with a selectivity of 93%, which is approximately 43.7 times that of the original PAD‐COF. Experimental and theoretical results demonstrate the excellent CO2 photoreduction activity of Co SAS/PAD‐COF owing to the synergistic effect of single Co catalytic sites and PAD‐COF. Among them, PAD‐COF, as the host, adsorbs CO2 molecules and loads single Co atoms. Meanwhile, Co atoms function as catalytic sites and promote the adsorption and activation of CO2, while reducing the reaction energy barrier formed by the *COOH intermediates. Therefore, this unique metalated 1D COF provides a fresh approach to photocatalytic CO2 reduction.

Abstract Propionic acidemia (PA), resulting from Pcca or Pccb gene mutations, impairs propionyl-CoA metabolism and induces metabolic alterations. While speculation exists that fasting might exacerbate metabolic crises in PA patients by accelerating the breakdown of odd-chain fatty acids and amino acids into propionyl-CoA, direct evidence is lacking. Our investigation into the metabolic effects of fasting in Pcca -/-(A138T) mice, a PA model, reveals surprising outcomes. Propionylcarnitine, a PA biomarker, decreases during fasting, along with the C3/C2 (propionylcarnitine/acetylcarnitine) ratio, ammonia, and methylcitrate. Although moderate amino acid catabolism to propionyl-CoA occurs with a 23-h fasting, a significant reduction in microbiome-produced propionate and increased fatty acid oxidation mitigate metabolic alterations by decreasing propionyl-CoA synthesis and enhancing acetyl-CoA synthesis. Fasting-induced gluconeogenesis further facilitates propionyl-CoA catabolism without changing propionyl-CoA carboxylase activity. These findings suggest that fasting may alleviate metabolic alterations in Pcca -/-(A138T) mice, prompting the need for clinical evaluation of its potential impact on PA patients.

Honeycomb‐layered oxides are a class of cathode materials for sodium‐ion batteries with great potential due to their high voltage and high capacity. However, the structural instability and voltage fading during cycling limit their practical application. Herein, it is revealed that Te substitution into Na3Ni2SbO6 induces a new dual‐honeycomb structure, which can elevate the average discharge voltage of the cathode materials from 3.2 to 3.8 V with improved cycle stability and alleviated voltage decay. Synchrotron operando X‐ray diffraction demonstrates that Te substitution can suppress the O3−P3−O1‐phase transition during charge and discharge processes effectively, benefited from the strong TeO covalent bonds. The resulted Na2.2Ni2Sb0.2Te0.8O6 cathode exhibits a high capacity retention of 70.9% after 1000 cycles at 1C, with an elevated operating voltage of ≈3.8 V. Theoretical calculations reveal that the introduced TeO bonds break the symmetric distribution of charge in Ni/Sb honeycomb structure and elevate the operation voltage by increased valence band width. Proper Te substitution can promote the rate and cycle capability of the cathode by suppressing phase transition and decreasing the bandgap.

Abstract The Proboscidea, which includes modern elephants, were once the largest terrestrial animals among extant species. They suffered mass extinction during the Ice Age. As a unique branch on the evolutionary tree, the Proboscidea are of great significance for the study of living animals. In this study, we generate chromosome-scale and haplotype-resolved genome assemblies for two extant Proboscidea species (Asian Elephant, Elephas maximus and African Savannah Elephant, Loxodonta africana) using Pacbio, Hi-C, and DNBSEQ technologies. The assembled genome sizes of the Asian and African Savannah Elephant are 3.38 Gb and 3.31 Gb, with scaffold N50 values of 130 Mb and 122 Mb, respectively. Using Hi-C technology ~97% of the scaffolds are anchored to 29 pseudochromosomes. Additionally, we identify ~9 Mb Y-linked sequences for each species. The high-quality genome assemblies in this study provide a valuable resource for future research on ecology, evolution, biology and conservation of Proboscidea species.

Due to varying degrees of overlap in point cloud models, point cloud registration is prone to problems, such as feature matching errors and high difficulty in registration. Therefore, a point cloud registration method based on principal component analysis and feature map matching is proposed. Before registration, the principal component analysis method with spindle correction was used to adjust the initial pose, then the K-dimensional tree was established to search the overlapping area. Secondly, the fast point feature histograms features of the sampling points were calculated according to the overlapping area of the two-point cloud, and the point cloud feature graph matching and trimmed iterative closest point (TrICP) fine registration were performed. Registration experiments were carried out according to the existing datasets and the actual scanning model. The experimental results show that the method has good stability and higher accuracy, and the accuracy can be improved by more than 25% compared with other algorithms.

To study the heavy metal accumulation and its impact on insect exterior and chromosome morphology, and reveal the molecular mechanism of insects adapting to long-term heavy metal compound pollution habitats, this study, in the Diaojiang river basin, which has been polluted by heavy metals(HMs) for nearly a thousand years, two Eucriotettix oculatus populations was collected from mining and non-mining areas. It was found that the contents of 7 heavy metals (As, Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Sn, Sb) in E. oculatus of the mining area were higher than that in the non-mining 1–11 times. The analysis of morphology shows that the external morphology, the hind wing type and the chromosomal morphology of E. oculatus are significant differences between the two populations. Based on the heavy metal accumulation，morphological change, and stable population density, it is inferred that the mining area population has been affected by heavy metals and has adapted to the environment of heavy metals pollution. Then, by analyzing the transcriptome of the two populations, it was found that the digestion, immunity, excretion, endocrine, nerve, circulation, reproductive and other systems and lysosomes, endoplasmic reticulum and other cell structure-related gene expression were suppressed. This shows that the functions of the above-mentioned related systems of E. oculatus are inhibited by heavy metal stress. However, it has also been found that through the significant up-regulation of genes related to the above system, such as ATP2B, pepsin A, ubiquitin, AQP1, ACOX, ATPeV0A, SEC61A, CANX, ALDH7A1, DLD, aceE, Hsp40, and catalase, etc., and the down-regulation of MAPK signalling pathway genes, can enhanced nutrient absorption, improve energy metabolism, repair damaged cells and degrade abnormal proteins, maintain the stability of cells and systems, and resist heavy metal damage so that E. oculatus can adapt to the environment of heavy metal pollution for a long time.

Abstract Background The relationship between tea and coffee consumption and mortality among patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains barely explored. Herein, this study aimed to examine the association between tea and coffee consumption and the likelihood of all-cause and cause-specific mortality in patients with MetS. Methods A total of 118,872 participants with MetS at baseline from the UK Biobank cohort were included. Information on tea and coffee consumption was obtained during recruitment using a touchscreen questionnaire. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for mortality were determined using Cox proportional hazards models. Results During a median follow-up of 13.87 years, 13,666 deaths were recorded, with 5913, 3362, and 994 deaths from cancer, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and respiratory disease (RD), respectively. This research showed a significant inverse association between tea intake and the risk of all-cause and cancer mortality, the respective HRs (95% CI) for consuming tea 2 vs. 0 cup/day were 0.89 (0.84–0.95), and 0.91 (0.83–0.99), and tea intake ≥ 4 cups/day could reduce CVD mortality by 11% (HR 0.89; 95% CI 0.81–0.98). The U-shaped nonlinear association between coffee intake and all-cause/CVD mortality was examined (all p-nonlinear

Abstract Background The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 addresses life below the waters, an important source of protein and contributor to global food security and economic development. Our aim was to explore possible evidence on the links between life below water and early childhood caries (ECC). Methods This scoping review identified articles on the link between life below water and caries according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Three electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus) were systematically searched in January 2023, using specific search terms. Studies written in English, with full text available, addressing life under water, focusing on dental caries in humans, with results that can be extrapolated to control ECC in children less than 6 years of age were included in the review. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the retrieved papers and graphical presentation was used for visualization. Results There were 224 publications retrieved of which 13 studies, published between 1960 and 2022, were included in the analysis. The papers originated from Asia (7/13), North America (3/13), Europe (1/13), and 2/13 had multi-country authorship. Also, four laboratory studies extracted agents from marine products to determine their efficacy in preventing caries formation and preventing/slowing plaque formation; four letters discussed the caries prevention potential of sea salt as a source of fluoride; and two review articles about the positive effects of extracted marine products for caries prevention. Most (11/13) studies addressed target 14.1 concerned with enriching the marine environment with nutrients and minerals; two addressed target 14.4 focused on ensuring fish stocks are within biologically sustainable levels; two addressed target 14.7 aimed at increasing the economic benefits through sustainable use of marine resources such as fisheries; and one focused on target 14.5 aimed at conserving marine areas by increasing protected areas. In addition, one ecological study assessed the association between the ecosystem and ECC. Conclusions Currently, there is little known about the impact of protection of marine and coastal ecosystem from pollution and ocean acidification on the risk of ECC. Further evidence on possible associations between life below water and ECC management is needed.

Abstract Background Energy homeostasis is essential for the adaptation of animals to their environment and some wild animals keep low metabolism adaptive to their low-nutrient dietary supply. Giant panda is such a typical low-metabolic mammal exhibiting species specialization of extremely low daily energy expenditure. It has low levels of basal metabolic rate, thyroid hormone, and physical activities, whereas the cellular bases of its low metabolic adaptation remain rarely explored. Results In this study, we generate a single-nucleus transcriptome atlas of 21 organs/tissues from a female giant panda. We focused on the central metabolic organ (liver) and dissected cellular metabolic status by cross-species comparison. Adaptive expression mode (i.e., AMPK related) was prominently displayed in the hepatocyte of giant panda. In the highest energy-consuming organ, the heart, we found a possibly optimized utilization of fatty acid. Detailed cell subtype annotation of endothelial cells showed the uterine-specific deficiency of blood vascular subclasses, indicating a potential adaptation for a low reproductive energy expenditure. Conclusions Our findings shed light on the possible cellular basis and transcriptomic regulatory clues for the low metabolism in giant pandas and helped to understand physiological adaptation response to nutrient stress.

Abstract Propionic acidemia (PA) is a rare autosomal recessive congenital disease caused by mutations in the PCCA or PCCB genes. Elevated propionylcarnitine, 2-methylcitric acid (2MCA), propionylglycine, glycine and 3-hydroxypropionate can be used to diagnose PA. Early-onset PA can lead to acute deterioration, metabolic acidosis, and hyperammonemia shortly after birth, which can result in high mortality and disability. Late-onset cases of PA have a more heterogeneous clinical spectra, including growth retardation, intellectual disability, seizures, basal ganglia lesions, pancreatitis, cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias, adaptive immune defects, rhabdomyolysis, optic atrophy, hearing loss, premature ovarian failure, and chronic kidney disease. Timely and accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment are crucial to saving patients’ lives and improving their prognosis. Recently, the number of reported PA cases in China has increased due to advanced diagnostic techniques and increased research attention. However, an overview of PA prevalence in China is lacking. Therefore, this review provides an overview of recent advances in the pathogenesis, diagnostic strategies, and treatment of PA, including epidemiological data on PA in China. The most frequent variants among Chinese PA patients are c.2002G > A in PCCA and c.1301C > T in PCCB, which are often associated with severe clinical symptoms. At present, liver transplantation from a living (heterozygous parental) donor is a better option for treating PA in China, especially for those exhibiting a severe metabolic phenotype and/or end-organ dysfunction. However, a comprehensive risk–benefit analysis should be conducted as an integral part of the decision-making process. This review will provide valuable information for the medical care of Chinese patients with PA.

With the popularization of higher education, the competition in the employment market of college students is becoming increasingly intense. To enhance the employment efficiency and satisfaction of college students. The study first analyzes college students’ employment unit selection, attribute preference, and location preference through an employment recommendation algorithm. The collaborative filtering algorithm is utilized to complete personalized modeling and output the final recommendation results based on the acquired employment preferences and relevant data collection. Finally, the gradient descent method is used to evaluate the accuracy of college students’ employment recommendations. The results show that the overall educational requirements of enterprises for the three significant positions of short video production, account operation and anchor are not high, and the percentage of those with education of high school or below or master’s degree or above is meager, neither exceeding 3.5%. The personalized employment recommendation algorithm can provide scientific and reasonable guidance for graduates’ employment, with an accuracy rate of up to 50% and a recommendation list length of N=30. When α=0.75, the personalized employment recommendation algorithm can obtain better recommendation performance with smaller recommendation list length. This paper provides new solutions for college students’ employment and valuable references and lessons for research in related fields.

The intelligent development of society has brought new impetus to English teaching in universities, which has led education workers to update their education philosophy and realize the integration and innovation of teaching methods. This paper takes advantage of the Internet’s advantages in blended teaching as the entry point and constructs a blended learning model for English teaching. To verify the innovation and practicability of the model in teaching, the evaluation index system of the blended learning model of English teaching is constructed on the basis of the CIPP model, and the variance maximization idea is used to combine the weights of principal component analysis and entropy weights, which guarantees the scientificity and objectivity of the weights of the evaluation indexes. The blended learning model of teaching was quantitatively analyzed in terms of teaching objectives, programs, processes, and effects using examples. The results show that the blended learning model of English teaching is conducive to improving the level of English teaching in colleges and universities, and its overall evaluation score is 3.59, which is a good level. Each first-level index in the evaluation index system has a score range of 3.2 to 3.7, which is a good level overall. Under the background of the Internet, the introduction of blended teaching can effectively innovate English teaching, and on the basis of focusing on students’ learning behaviors, we should pay attention to the guiding role of teachers so as to boost the quality of English teaching.

The existing YOLOX-S model has a low object detection average precision (AP) under the complex environmental disturbance in construction sites, which cannot well meet the needs of practical applications. In view of the above problems, the YOLOX-S model is improved from three aspects: the introduction of structural re-parameterization module, the introduction of convolutional attention module, and the introduction of AdamW optimization algorithm. Firstly, RepVGGBlock is used to decouple the model structure of the training phase and the testing phase. More residual structures are built in Backbone and Neck in the training phase to improve the model??s feature extraction capability. Secondly, the LKA (large kernel attention) module is used to extract local feature information and long-distance dependencies, providing more effective attention guidance for the subsequent calcu-lation of the position and size of bounding boxes, and improving the detection average precision. Thirdly, AdamW instead of Adam optimization algorithm is used to update the model parameters, which can further improve the model convergence results, and improve the model generalization ability. Finally, experimental results are carried out on the MOCS (moving objects in construction sites) dataset, which show that the improved YOLOX-S model??s average precision of detecting all targets is increased by 3.3 percentage points. And the average precision of detecting large objects, medium objects and small objects is increased by 3.2, 2.3, and 2.2 percentage points, respectively. At the same time, computational cost of the improved YOLOX-S model does not increase significantly, which can better meet the needs of object detection average precision in construction sites under the condition of real-time requirements.

Synthetic deer antler peptides (TSKYR, TSK, and YR) stimulate the proliferation of human chondrocytes and osteoblasts and increase the chondrocyte content of collagen and glycosamino-glycan in vitro. This study investigated the peptide mixture’s pain relief and chondroprotective effect in a rat model of collagenase-induced osteoarthritis. Thirty-six adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into three groups: control (saline), positive control (hyaluronic acid), and ex-perimental (peptides). Intra-articular collagenase injections were administered on days 1 and 4 to induce osteoarthritis in the left knees of the rats. Two injections of saline, hyaluronic acid, or the peptides were injected into the same knees of each corresponding group at the beginning of week one and two, respectively. Joint swelling, arthritic pain, and histopathological changes were evaluated. Injection of the peptides significantly reduced arthritic pain compared to the control group, as evidenced by the closer-to-normal weight-bearing and paw withdrawal threshold test results. Histological analyses showed reduced cartilage matrix loss and improved total cartilage degeneration score in the experimental versus the control group. Our findings suggest that intra-articular injection of synthetic deer antler peptides is a promising treatment for osteoarthritis.

In the context of climate change and human factors, the drought problem is a particularly serious one, and environmental pollution caused by the abuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is increasingly serious. Endophytic fungi can be used as a protection option, which is ecologically friendly, to alleviate abiotic stresses on plants, promote plant growth, and promote the sustainable development of agriculture and forestry. Therefore, it is of great significance to screen and isolate endophytic fungi that are beneficial to crops from plants in special habitats. In this study, endophytic fungi were isolated from Cotoneaster multiflorus, and drought-tolerant endophytic fungi were screened by simulating drought stress with different concentrations of PEG-6000, and the growth-promoting effects of these drought-tolerant strains were evaluated. A total of 113 strains of endophytic fungi were isolated and purified from different tissues of C. multiflorus. After simulated drought stress, 25 endophytic fungi showed strong drought tolerance. After ITS sequence identification, they belonged to 7 genera and 12 species, including Aspergillus, Fusarium, Colletotrichum, Penicillium, Diaporthe, Geotrichum, and Metarhizium. According to the identification and drought stress results, 12 strains of endophytic fungi with better drought tolerance were selected to study their abilities of dissolving inorganic phosphorus and potassium feldspar powder and producing indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). It was found that the amount of dissolved phosphorus in 7 strains of endophytic fungi was significantly higher than that of CK, and the content of soluble phosphorus was 101.98–414.51 μg. ml−1; 6 endophytic fungi had significantly higher potassium solubilization than CK, and the content of water-soluble potassium ranged from 19.17 to 30.94 mg·l−1; 6 strains have the ability to produce IAA, and the yield of IAA ranged between 0.04 and 0.42 mg. ml−1. This study for the first time identified the existence of endophytic fungi with drought tolerance and growth-promoting function in C. multiflorus, which could provide new direction for plant drought tolerance and growth promotion fungi strain resources. It also provides a theoretical basis for the subsequent application of endophytic fungi of C. multiflorus in agricultural and forestry production to improve plant tolerance.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and its drainage are crucial in clearing metabolic waste and maintaining the microenvironment of the central nervous system for proper functioning. Normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is a serious neurological disorder of the elderly with obstruction of CSF flow outside the cerebral ventricles, causing ventriculomegaly. The stasis of CSF in NPH compromises brain functioning. Although treatable, often with shunt implantation for drainage, the outcome depends highly on early diagnosis, which, however, is challenging. The initial symptoms of NPH are hard to be aware of and the complete symptoms overlap with those of other neurological diseases. Ventriculomegaly is not specific to NPH as well. The lack of knowledge on the initial stages in its development and throughout its progression further deters early diagnosis. Thus, we are in dire need for an appropriate animal model for researches into a more thorough understanding of its development and pathophysiology so that we can enhance the diagnosis and therapeutic strategies to improve the prognosis of NPH following treatment. With this, we review the few currently available experimental rodent NPH models for these animals are smaller in sizes, easier in maintenance, and having a rapid life cycle. Among these, a parietal convexity subarachnoid space kaolin injection adult rat model appears promising as it shows a slow onset of ventriculomegaly in association with cognitive and motor disabilities resembling the elderly NPH in humans.

Abstract Background Hydrocephalus is characterized by abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the cerebral ventricles and causes motor impairments. The mechanisms underlying the motor changes remain elusive. Enlargement of ventricles compresses the striatum of the basal ganglia, a group of nuclei involved in the subcortical motor circuit. Here, we used a kaolin-injection juvenile rat model to explore the effects of acute and chronic hydrocephalus, 1 and 5 weeks post-treatment, respectively on the three major neurotransmission pathways (glutamatergic, dopaminergic and cholinergic) in the striatum. Methods Rats were evaluated for motor impairments. Expressions of presynaptic and postsynaptic protein markers related to the glutamatergic, dopaminergic, and cholinergic connections in the striatum were evaluated. Combined intracellular dye injection and substance P immunohistochemistry were used to distinguish between direct and indirect pathway striatal medium spiny neurons (d and i-MSNs) for the analysis of their dendritic spine density changes. Results Hydrocephalic rats showed compromised open-field gait behavior. However, male but not female rats displayed stereotypic movements and compromised rotarod performance. Morphologically, the increase in lateral ventricle sizes was greater in the chronic than acute hydrocephalus conditions. Biochemically, hydrocephalic rats had significantly decreased striatal levels of synaptophysin, vesicular glutamate transporter 1, and glutamatergic postsynaptic density protein 95, suggesting a reduction of corticostriatal excitation. The expression of GluR2/3 was also reduced suggesting glutamate receptor compositional changes. The densities of dendritic spines, morphological correlates of excitatory synaptic foci, on both d and i-MSNs were also reduced. Hydrocephalus altered type 1 (DR1) and 2 (DR2) dopamine receptor expressions without affecting tyrosine hydroxylase level. DR1 was decreased in acute and chronic hydrocephalus, while DR2 only started to decrease later during chronic hydrocephalus. Since dopamine excites d-MSNs through DR1 and inhibits i-MSNs via DR2, our findings suggest that hydrocephalus downregulated the direct basal ganglia neural pathway persistently and disinhibited the indirect pathway late during chronic hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus also persistently reduced the striatal choline acetyltransferase level, suggesting a reduction of cholinergic modulation. Conclusions Hydrocephalus altered striatal glutamatergic, dopaminergic, and cholinergic neurotransmission pathways and tipped the balance between the direct and indirect basal ganglia circuits, which could have contributed to the motor impairments in hydrocephalus.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are natural products of mitochondrial oxidative metabolism and oxidative protein folding. ROS levels must be well controlled, since elevated ROS has been shown to have deleterious effects on osteoblasts. Moreover, excessive ROS is thought to underlie many of the skeletal phenotypes associated with aging and sex steroid deficiency in mice and humans. The mechanisms by which osteoblasts regulate ROS and how ROS inhibits osteoblasts are not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that de novo glutathione (GSH) biosynthesis is essential in neutralizing ROS and establish a proosteogenic reduction and oxidation reaction (REDOX) environment. Using a multifaceted approach, we demonstrate that reducing GSH biosynthesis led to acute degradation of RUNX2, impaired osteoblast differentiation, and reduced bone formation. Conversely, reducing ROS using catalase enhanced RUNX2 stability and promoted osteoblast differentiation and bone formation when GSH biosynthesis was limited. Highlighting the therapeutic implications of these findings, in utero antioxidant therapy stabilized RUNX2 and improved bone development in the Runx2+/– haplo-insufficient mouse model of human cleidocranial dysplasia. Thus, our data establish RUNX2 as a molecular sensor of the osteoblast REDOX environment and mechanistically clarify how ROS negatively impacts osteoblast differentiation and bone formation.

IntroductionThe present study aimed to examine the effects of online game addiction on reduced academic achievement motivation, and the mediating role of learning engagement among Chinese college students to investigate the relationships between the three variables.MethodsThe study used convenience sampling to recruit Chinese university students to participate voluntarily. A total of 443 valid questionnaires were collected through the Questionnaire Star application. The average age of the participants was 18.77 years old, with 157 males and 286 females. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS and AMOS.Results(1) Chinese college students’ online game addiction negatively affected their behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement (the three dimensions of learning engagement); (2) behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement negatively affected their reduced academic achievement motivation; (3) learning engagement mediated the relationship between online game addiction and reduced academic achievement motivation.

In this study, the model-free adaptive control(MFAC) method was applied to a waypoint-tracking control system to solve the problems of high uncertainty in the marine environment and difficulty in accurately determining the benthic autonomous undersea vehicle(AUV) model parameters. Moreover, an improved MFAC course controller was designed and the boundedness of the course control error was verified to solve the problems of a slow convergence rate and low tracking accuracy during course control due to the integral additive effect of the traditional MFAC method. Subsequently, a hyperbolic tangent speed adjustment strategy was proposed to solve the problem whereby the course control overshoot of the AUV is large at the waypoint switch when the closed line of sight(LOS) guidance algorithm is applied to waypoint-tracking control. And this strategy can significantly promote the smooth transition of the AUV at the waypoint switch and improve the convergence speed of the tracking error. Finally, an outfield test of the course control and waypoint-tracking control of the benthic AUV was conducted to verify the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed algorithm.

As an important part of the International Health Regulations, risk communication plays a significant role in the response and management of public health emergencies. Recommended by World Health Organization (WHO), the five principles for risk communication practice include building trust，releasing information timely，information transparency，paying attention to the public, and formulating preplan. In the study, we analyze and summarize the application of WHO′s five principles of risk communication in the management process of a health emergency response after a strong earthquake occurred in Maduo County, Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province in May 2021 for providing a reference to prospective practice in future.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with acidic calcium sulfate on growth, intestinal histology, and disease resistance of juvenile largemouth bass. Fish (19.88 ± 0.03 g) were fed on diets supplemented with 0 % (control), 1% acidic calcium sulfate (ACS1), 2 % acidic calcium sulfate (ACS2), 3 % acidic calcium sulfate (ACS3) and 0.03 % florfenicol (F) for 56 days. The results showed that the supplementation of 1 % acidic calcium sulfate to the diet significantly enhanced the growth performance (P

Abstract Background Granulomatous mastitis (GM) is a chronic inflammatory mastitis disease that requires long-term treatment and has a high recurrence rate. Case management has been proven to be an effective mechanism in assisting patients with chronic illness to receive regular and targeted disease monitoring and health care service. The aim of this study was to investigate the application of a hospital-to-community model of case management for granulomatous mastitis and explore the related factors associated with its recurrence. Methods This was a prospective study on patients with granulomatous mastitis based on a case management model. Data on demographic, clinical and laboratory information, treatment methods, follow-up time, and recurrence were collected and analyzed. The eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) was used to investigate patients' adherence to medications. Logistic regression models were built for analysis of risk factors for the recurrence of granulomatous mastitis. Results By October 2021, a total of 152 female patients with a mean age of 32 years had undergone the entire case management process. The mean total course of case management was 24.54 (range 15–45) months. Almost all the patients received medication treatment, except for one pregnant patient who received observation therapy, and approximately 53.9% of the patients received medication and surgery. The overall recurrence rate was 11.2%, and “high” medication adherence (RR = 0.428, 95% CI 0.224–0.867, P = 0.015) was significantly associated with a lower rate of recurrence, while the rate of recurrence with a surgical procedure + medication was higher than that with medication alone (RR = 4.128, 95% CI 1.026–16.610, P = 0.046). Conclusion A case management model for patients with granulomatous mastitis was applied to effectively monitor changes in the disease and to identify factors associated with disease recurrence. “Low” medication adherence was a significant risk factor for the recurrence of granulomatous mastitis. Patients treated with medication and surgery were more likely to experience recurrence than those treated with medication alone. The optimal treatment approach should be planned for granulomatous mastitis patients, and patient medication adherence should be of concern to medical staff.

Statin therapy is associated with numerous cellular effects. Here, the authors show that statin treatment increases post-translational modifications on fatty acid synthase in the active site, revealing communication between the cholesterol and lipid biosynthetic pathways.

Summary: Lifespan is a life-history trait that undergoes natural selection. Telomeres are hallmarks of aging, and shortening rate predicts species lifespan, making telomere maintenance mechanisms throughout different lifespans a worthy topic for study. Alligators are suitable for the exploration of anti-aging molecular mechanisms, because they exhibit low or even negligible mortality in adults and no significant telomere shortening. Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) expression is absent in the adult Alligator sinensis, as in humans. Selection analyses on telomere maintenance genes indicated that ATM, FANCE, SAMHD1, HMBOX1, NAT10, and MAP3K4 experienced positive selection on A. sinensis. Repressed pleiotropic ATM kinase in A. sinensis suggests their fitness optimum shift. In ATM downstream, Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT)-related genes were clustered in a higher expression pattern in A. sinensis, which covers 10–15% of human cancers showing no telomerase activities. In summary, we demonstrated how telomere shortening, telomerase activities, and ALT contributed to anti-aging strategies.

BackgroundThe major histocompatibility complex (MHC) gene family, a vital immune gene family in vertebrates, helps animals defend against pathogens. The polymorphism of MHC genes is important for a species and is considered to be caused by the numerous alleles of MHC antigen-presenting genes. However, the mechanism of this process is unclear due to the lack of data on the MHC structure. The evolutionary trajectories of the tetrapod MHC are also unclear because of insufficient studies on the reptile MHC architecture. Here, we studied the Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis), which experienced a population bottleneck, but the population increased rapidly in the past 30 years and is proposed to have a unique MHC system to face pathogenic challenges.ResultsWe successfully constructed a 2 Mb MHC region using bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library and genome data of the Chinese alligator and checked the antigen-presenting genes using transcriptome data and the rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) technique. The MHC architecture reported here uncovers adjacent Class I and Class II subregions and a unique CD1 subregion. This newly added information suggested that the Class I-II structure pattern was more ancient in tetrapods and helped reconstruct the evolution of the MHC region architecture. We also found multiple groups of MHC class I (MHC-I) (12 duplicated loci, belonging to three groups, two of which were novel) and MHC class II (MHC-II) (11 duplicated loci, belonging to two groups) inside the 2 Mb MHC region, and there were three more duplicated MHC-I loci outside it. These highly duplicated antigen-presenting loci had differences in expression, amino acid length of antigen-presenting exons, and splice signal of exon and intron, which together promoted the polymorphism of duplicated genes. Although the MHC antigen-presenting genes were identified as monomorphic or oligomorphic in our previous population study, the loci with high copy numbers and many differences can make up for this loss, presenting another mechanism for polymorphism in antigen presentation. These MHC-I and MHC-IIB loci with low polymorphism for each locus, but high numbers in all, may also contribute to MHC antigen-presenting binding variability in a population.ConclusionTo summarize, the fine MHC region architecture of reptiles presented in this study completes the evolutionary trajectories of the MHC structure in tetrapods, and these distinctive MHC gene groups in the Chinese alligator may have helped this species to expand rapidly in the past recent years.

The negative impact of banned pesticides is of special importance for their high toxicity. In this study, nationwide screening of banned pesticides in 37462 fruit and vegetable samples was carried out from 2012 to 2018 using a self-developed HPLC-Q-TOF/MS technique. The dietary exposure risks associated with the banned pesticides were assessed. The results showed that 66.62 % of the samples were detected at least one pesticide. Among the pesticide-positive samples, a total of 18 banned pesticides were detected in 1798 samples for 1896 times. The risk assessment revealed that 11.71 % of the positive detections exceeded the safety limits and posed an unacceptable risk, while 37.29 % of the positive detections posed acceptable risks. According to the screening and assessment results, two national maps were presented to show the total detection ratios of the banned pesticides and the unacceptable risks of dietary exposure. It should be noted that omethoate had higher residual concentration, unacceptable risk frequency and unacceptable risk proportion. This is the first nationwide comprehensive report on screening and risk assessment banned pesticides.

Objective To evaluate the strengthens and feasibility of network-based teaching for clinical training in neonatology during COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Because of COVID-19 pandemic, the interns of Peking Union Medical College Hospital accepted the network-based teaching in the training of neonatology from February to May 2020. Compared with those who received traditional training from November 2019 to January 2020, the Systematic Evatuation of Teaching Quality(SETQ) questionnaire and Pediatric Voluntary Self-assessment Forms were conducted to evaluate the quality of teaching and of knowledge mastery. Results There were no significant differences in teaching quality between two groups. While network-based teaching has favored knowledge mastery for rare diseases, complicated clinical operation and the interpretation of auxiliary examinations (P＜0.05). Conclusions Network-based teaching and the traditional pathway have their strengthens respectively and can be complementary in the intern training of neonatology.

Abstract Background The morbidity of rifampicin/multidrug-resistant tuberculous meningitis (RR/MDR-TBM) has shown an increasing trend globally. Its mortality rate is significantly higher than that of non-rifampicin/multidrug-resistant tuberculous meningitis (NRR/MDR-TBM). This article aimed to explore risk factors related to RR/MDR-TBM, and compare therapeutic effects of linezolid (LZD)- and non-linezolid-containing regimen for RR/MDR-TB patients in Shenzhen city. Furthermore, we aimed to find a better therapy for pathogen-negative TBM with RR/MDR-TBM related risk factors. Methods We conducted a retrospective study enrolling 137 hospitalized cases with confirmed TBM from June 2014 to March 2020. All patients were divided into RR/MDR-TBM group (12 cases) and NRR/MDR-TBM group (125 cases) based on GeneXpert MTB/RIF and (or) phenotypic drug susceptibility test results using cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). The risk factors related to RR/MDR-TBM were investigated through comparing clinical and examination features between the two groups. The mortality rate of RR/MDR-TBM patients treated with different regimens was analyzed to compare their respective therapeutic effects. A difference of P

Nest materials are a major heat source due to rotting promoted by microbial activity. Additionally, they are a potential microbial source given their direct contact with eggshells. Microbial dynamics during incubation have been studied in wild birds; however, similar studies in reptiles remain elusive. Here, the study characterized microbial communities in the nest materials of Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis) using high-throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes and fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region sequences. The results showed that significant changes in the diversity and structure of microbial communities according to different incubation periods. The diversity and richness of bacterial species increased significantly over time, but the relative abundance of the most dominant bacteria in pre-incubation period, including some pathogenic bacteria, declined after incubation. In contrast, fungal species diversity and richness decreased significantly with time. Additionally, nest material composition significantly influenced microbial community structure rather than species diversity and richness. Notably, the fungal community structure showed a stronger response than bacteria to nest material composition, which varied due to differences in plant litter composition. Our results demonstrate the significant response of microbial community diversity and structure to differences in incubation periods and nest material composition in reptiles. It is further emphasized that the importance of incubation period in the conservation of the Chinese alligator and could inform similar studies in other reptiles and birds.

Objective: The flavor formation process of stewed pork was investigated in this study. Methods: Electronic nose and gas-phase mass spectrometry （GC-MS） techniques were used to compare the key processes such as bleaching, frying, stewing and addition of sauces during the processing of stewed pork, and to analyze the changes of flavor compounds. Results: The results of electronic nose measurement were consistent with the results of gas chromatography analysis. The flavor content of raw pork and sauces was the highest, and the flavor substances decreased in the blanching, frying and stewing stages. However, the characte-ristic flavor substances were formed continuously. A total of 148 compounds were detected by GC-MS, including 39, 32, 23, 20, 38, and 65 compounds in raw pork, blanched, fryed, stewed and finished products and sauces, respectively, which mainly produced aldehydes and ketones, esters and alcohols, heterocyclic compounds, and aromatic hydrocarbons and their derivatives. The characteristic flavors of finished products were hexanal, benzaldehyde, 1-octen-3-ol, cinnamaldehyde, 2-pentylfuran, 2-acetyl pyrrole, 2,3-dimethyl-5-ethylpyrazine, etc. The content of acetoin was higher in the pre-preparation stage of stewed pork, while methoxy-phenyl-Oxime stayed high in all of the processes. Conclusion: The electronic nose technique can be used to detect the changes of flavor substances in different processing stages of stewed pork, but the specific substance changes need to be determined and analyzed by GC-MS.

In this paper, we investigate a third-order nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE) which is used to describe the propagation of ultrashort pulses in the subpicosecond or femtosecond regime. Based on the independent transformation, the bilinear form of the third-order NLSE is constructed. The multiple soliton solutions are constructed by solving the bilinear form. The higher-order rogue waves and interaction between one-soliton and first-order rogue wave are obtained by the long wave limit in multi-solitons. The dynamics of the first-order rogue wave, second-order rogue wave and interaction between one-soliton and first-order rogue wave are presented by selecting the appropriate parameters. In particular parameters, the positions and the maximum of amplitude of rogue wave can be confirmed by the detailed calculations.

Chitosan was mixed with carrageenan and tea polyphenols, and chitosan-carrageenan composite film was prepared by the fluidized bed method and its properties were tested.The light transmittance,mechanical property and water resistance of the composite film were investigated by single factor test, and then the response surface experiment was carried out to optimize the preparation process of the composite film with water vapor transmittance as the evaluation index.The results showed that the optimal process of chitosan - carrageenan edible composite film was as follows: adding 1.5% of chitosan, 0.4% of carrageenan,0.6% of glycerol, 0.6% of tea polyphenols, and drying temperature of 50 ℃.Under this condition, the thickness of the composite film was uniform and the mechanical properties were good.The water vapor transmission rate was 1.37 (10–11 g/m·s·Pa).

Abstract Background Majority of chondrosarcomas are associated with a number of genetic alterations, including somatic mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) and IDH2 genes, but the downstream effects of these mutated enzymes on cellular metabolism and tumor energetics are unknown. As IDH mutations are likely to be involved in malignant transformation of chondrosarcomas, we aimed to exploit metabolomic changes in IDH mutant and non-mutant chondrosarcomas. Methods Here, we profiled over 69 metabolites in 17 patient-derived xenografts by targeted mass spectrometry to determine if metabolomic differences exist in mutant IDH1, mutant IDH2, and non-mutant chondrosarcomas. UMAP (Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection) analysis was performed on our dataset to examine potential similarities that may exist between each chondrosarcoma based on genotype. Results UMAP revealed that mutant IDH chondrosarcomas possess a distinct metabolic profile compared with non-mutant chondrosarcomas. More specifically, our targeted metabolomics study revealed large-scale differences in organic acid intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, amino acids, and specific acylcarnitines in chondrosarcomas. Lactate and late TCA cycle intermediates were elevated in mutant IDH chondrosarcomas, suggestive of increased glycolytic metabolism and possible anaplerotic influx to the TCA cycle. A broad elevation of amino acids was found in mutant IDH chondrosarcomas. A few acylcarnitines of varying carbon chain lengths were also elevated in mutant IDH chondrosarcomas, but with minimal clustering in accordance with tumor genotype. Analysis of previously published gene expression profiling revealed increased expression of several metabolism genes in mutant IDH chondrosarcomas, which also correlated to patient survival. Conclusions Overall, our findings suggest that IDH mutations induce global metabolic changes in chondrosarcomas and shed light on deranged metabolic pathways.

Systemic modulation of branched-chain keto acid (BCKA) metabolism alters cardiac health. Here, the authors define the major fates of BCKA in the heart and demonstrate that acute exposure to BCKA levels found in obesity activates cardiac protein synthesis and markedly alters the heart phosphoproteome.

Abstract The plant microbiota play a key role in plant productivity, nutrient uptake, resistance to stress and flowering. The flowering of moso bamboo has been a focus of study. The mechanism of flowering is related to nutrient uptake, temperature, hormone balance and regulation of key genes. However, the connection between microbiota of moso bamboo and its flowering is unknown. In this study, samples of rhizosphere soil, rhizomes, roots and leaves of flowering and nonflowering plants were collected, and 16S rRNA amplicon Illumina sequencing was utilized to separate the bacterial communities associated with different flowering stages of moso bamboo. We identified 5442 OTUs, and the number of rhizosphere soil OTUs was much higher than those of other samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering (Bray Curtis dis) analysis revealed that the bacterial microorganisms related to rhizosphere soil and endophytic tissues of moso bamboo differed significantly from those in bulk soil and rhizobacterial and endosphere microbiomes. In addition, the PCA analyses of root and rhizosphere soil revealed different structures of microbial communities between bamboo that is flowering and not flowering. Through the analysis of core microorganisms, it was found that Flavobacterium, Bacillus and Stenotrophomonas played an important role in the absorption of N elements, which may affect the flowering time of moso bamboo. Our results delineate the complex host-microbe interactions of this plant. We also discuss the potential influence of bacterial microbiome in flowering, which can provide a basis for the development and utilization of moso bamboo.

Objectives: Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is one of the most prevalent viruses in humans worldwide. Owing to limited therapeutic options mainly with acyclovir (ACV) and analogues and the emergence of ACV-resistant strains, new drugs with different modes of action and low toxicity are required. The aim of this study was to determine the anti-HSV-1 effect and mechanism of action of the flavonoid compound dihydromyricetin (DHM) from Ampelopsis grossedentata. Methods: The HSV-1 inhibitory effect of DHM was evaluated by measuring plaque formation and generation of progeny virus as well as expression of HSV-1-related genes in Vero cells. The molecular mechanism of the antiviral activity of DHM against HSV-1 was explored by real-time quantitative PCR and ELISA. Results: DHM presented a significant inhibitory effect on HSV-1 plaque formation and generation of progeny virus, with an EC50 (50% effective concentration) of 12.56 μM in Vero cells. Furthermore, expression of HSV-1 immediate-early genes (ICP4 and ICP22), early genes (ICP8 and UL42) and late genes (gB, VP1/2) was decreased by DHM at concentrations of 16 μM and 32 μM. DHM specifically suppressed mRNA levels of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), leading to inhibition of the inflammatory transcriptional factor NFκB and a decrease in TNFα. Conclusion: These findings indicate that the effective inhibitory activity of DHM was achieved by suppressing TNFα production in a TLR9-dependent manner. Although further studies are needed to better characterise the activity of DHM in vivo, the results suggest this extract as a promising new anti-HSV-1 agent.

MicroRNA (miRNA) is a category of single-stranded non-coding small RNA (sRNA) that regulates gene expression by targeting mRNA. It plays a key role in the temperature-dependent sex determination of Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis), a reptile whose sex is determined solely by the temperature during the incubation period and remains stable thereafter. However, the potential function of miRNAs in the gonads of adult Chinese alligators is still unclear. Here, we prepared and sequenced sRNA libraries of adult female and male alligator gonads, from breeding (in summer) and hibernating (in winter) animals. We obtained 130 conserved miRNAs and 683 novel miRNAs, which were assessed for sex bias in summer and winter; a total of 65 miRNAs that maintained sex bias in both seasons were identified. A regulatory network of sex-biased miRNAs and genes was constructed. Sex-biased miRNAs targeted multiple genes in the meiosis pathway of adult Chinese alligator oocytes and the antagonistic gonadal function maintenance pathway, such as MOS, MYT1, DMRT1, and GDF9. Our study emphasizes the function of miRNA in the epigenetic mechanisms of sex maintenance in crocodilians.

Cellular differentiation is associated with the acquisition of a unique protein signature that is essential to attain the ultimate cellular function and activity of the differentiated cell. This is predicted to result in unique biosynthetic demands that arise during differentiation. Using a bioinformatic approach, we discovered that osteoblast differentiation is associated with increased demand for the amino acid proline. When compared to other differentiated cells, osteoblast-associated proteins, including RUNX2, OSX, OCN, and COL1A1, are significantly enriched in proline. Using a genetic and metabolomic approach, we demonstrate that the neutral amino acid transporter SLC38A2 acts cell-autonomously to provide proline to facilitate the efficient synthesis of proline-rich osteoblast proteins. Genetic ablation of SLC38A2 in osteoblasts limits both osteoblast differentiation and bone formation in mice. Mechanistically, proline is primarily incorporated into nascent protein with little metabolism observed. Collectively, these data highlight a requirement for proline in fulfilling the unique biosynthetic requirements that arise during osteoblast differentiation and bone formation.

Platelet-derived microparticles(PMPs) are extremely small vesicles with complex structure and composition released by platelets, which contain proteins, mRNAs, miRNAs and other bioactive substances and participate in various pathophysiological processes. PMPs promote the development of atherosclerosis(AS) by participating in the processes of vascular endothelial cell injury, inflammatory reaction, lipoprotein deposition, macrophage phagocytosis and plaque instability. Anti-platelet drugs can lower down the plasma level of PMPs. Therefore, PMPs provide a new perspective for the explanation of the pathogenesis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Abstract Background Hibernation in an appropriate environment not only is important for the survival of hibernators in winter, but also is crucial for breeding in the following season for many hibernating species. However, the genetic and epigenetic mechanism underlying this process remain unclear. In the current study, we performed an integrative multi-omics analysis of gonads collected from Chinese alligators that overwintered in wild cave and artificial warmroom to explore transcriptomic and epigenomic alternations in these organs. Results The data revealed that in the breeding season, female alligators were more strongly affected in terms of gene expression than males by non-hibernation because of overwintering in a warm room, especially for genes related to oocyte maturation, and this effect commenced in winter with the downregulation of STAR, which is the rate limiting factor of steroid biosynthesis. Further, miRNAs were found to play essential roles in this negative effect of overwintering in the warm room on hibernation. The upregulated miRNAs likely were responsible for the suppression of oocyte maturation in the breeding season. Finally, DNA methylome changes, especially hypomethylation, were found to play an important role in the alterations in ovarian function-related gene expression induced by non-hibernation. Conclusions Our study revealed the crucial role of hibernation quality for oocyte maturation in the Chinese alligator and the underlying genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, and highlights the importance of habitat, and especially, the overwintering site, in the conservation of not only the Chinese alligator, but also other endangered hibernators.

The quaternary alloys La0.8-xCexMg0.2Ni3.8 (x=0, 0.1,0.3,0.5) were prepared by induction melting, and the effects of partial substitution of Ce for La on the phase structure and electrochemical performances of super lattice La4MgNi19 negative materials were investigated. Results show that La4MgNi19 alloys contain LaNi5 phase, (La,Mg)2Ni7(3R-Ce2Ni7 and 2H-Gd2Co7) phase, (La,Mg)5Ni19 (3R-Ce5Co19) phase. The 2H-Pr5Co19 type phase appears while (La,Mg)2Ni7 phase disappears, after partial substitution of Ce for La. The increase of Ce element substitution has led to an obvious increase of the abundance of A5B19 phase and decrease of AB5 phase accordingly. Ce contributes to the formation of A5B19 phase, especially 2H-Pr5Co19 type phase. With the increase of Ce content from 0 to 0.5, the maximum discharge capacity of alloy electroded increases firstly and then decreased. The x=0.1 alloy exhibits a maximum discharge capacity of 380.36 mAh/g. It is also found that this substitution has caused a significant increase in the activation number, the cyclic stability, high-rate discharge ability. The well performance demonstrates that it is the hydrogen diffusion in the alloy that controls the high rate discharge.

Abstract Background The virulence of the plant pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) involves the coordinate expression of many virulence factors, including surface appendages flagellum and type IV pili, which are required for pathogenesis and the colonization of host tissues. Despite many insights gained on the structure and functions played by flagellum and pili in motility, biofilm formation, surface attachment and interactions with bacteriophages, we know little about how these appendages are regulated in Xcc. Results Here we present evidence demonstrating the role of two single domain response regulators PilG and PilH in the antagonistic control of flagellum-dependent (swimming) and pili-dependent (swarming) motility. Using informative mutagenesis, we reveal PilG positively regulates swimming motility while and negatively regulating swarming motility. Conversely, PilH negatively regulates swimming behaviour while and positively regulating swarming motility. By transcriptome analyses (RNA-seq and RT-PCR) we confirm these observations as PilG is shown to upregulate many genes involved chemotaxis and flagellar biosynthesis but these similar genes were downregulated by PilH. Co-immunoprecipitation, bacterial two-hybrid and pull-down analyses showed that PilH and PilG were able to interact with district subsets of proteins that potentially account for their regulatory impact. Additionally, we present evidence, using mutagenesis that PilG and PilH are involved in other cellular processes, including chemotaxis and virulence. Conclusions Taken together, we demonstrate that for the conditions tested PilG and PilH have inverse regulatory effects on flagellum-dependent and pili-dependent motility in Xcc and that this regulatory impact depends on these proteins influences on genes/proteins involved in flagellar biosynthesis and pilus assembly.

Fresh common beans were treated with 1-MCP at 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 μL L−1 for 20 h at 25°C in an airtight chamber along with a control sample to evaluate the effect of 1-MCP concentration on the quality of fresh common bean during storage. The result showed that postharvest treatment with 0.5 μL L−11-MCP significantly suppressed the increase of peroxidase (POD), cinnamyl-alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD), phenylalnine ammonialyase (PAL), and cellulase (CEL) activity in fresh common bean, inhibited the transport of reducing sugar and increase in cellulose, delayed the increase in the length of pod tendon and electrolyte leakage, and retarded the decrease in the relative thickness of pods and firmness, and maintained the quality of fresh common beans. Our finding that postharvest 0.5 μL L−11-MCP could be used to maintain the quality of the fresh common bean.

Purpose. To investigate the relationship between serum cotinine and lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) among 7905 participants aged 30 years and over. Method. A total of 3945 men and 3960 women from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2018 were included in this cross-sectional analysis. Independent variable was serum cotinine, which is a biomarker of cigarette exposure. The outcome variable was lumbar BMD. We investigated the associations of serum cotinine levels and lumbar BMD using multivariable linear regression models. Results. Serum cotinine concentration was negatively associated with lumbar BMD after adjustment of relevant covariables (β = −0.039, 95% CI: −0.078 to −0.014, P=0.005). However, in the subgroup analysis stratified by gender, this negative association remained only in women (β = −0.072, 95% CI: −0.132 to −0.012, P=0.019). Conclusion. Our study suggested that elevated serum cotinine level correlated with decreased lumbar BMD, especially in women. This finding indicated that reducing cigarette exposure and maintaining serum cotinine at a low level may be beneficial to bone health for adults.

Background: Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is the common cancer with poor prognosis. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) ANRIL has been proven to play an important role in many cancers. However up to now, the role of ANRIL in LSCC is still poorly understood. The present study aimed to investigate the role and underlying mechanisms of ANRIL and miR-181a in LSCC. Methods: Expression of ANRIL, miR-181a and Snai2 in both LSCC tissues and cells was determined by qRT-PCR. CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometry analysis and transwell assay were conducted to detect cell proliferation, clonogenicity, apoptosis, invasion and migration, respectively. The binding between ANRIL and miR-181a, as well miR-181a and Snai2 was confirmed by dual luciferase reporter assay. Western blotting was used to determine the protein levels of Snail, Slug, E-cadherin, N-cadherin and Vimentin. Results: ANRIL was up-regulated while miR-181a was down-regulated in LSCC tissues. ANRIL was negatively correlated with miR-181a and was positively correlated with Snai1 and Snai2. Dual luciferase reporter assay showed ANRIL could directly sponge miR-181a to counteract its suppression on Snai2, serving as a positive regulator of Snai2. Either knockdown of ANRIL or overexpression of miR-181a significantly inhibited the proliferation, clonogenicity, invasion, migration and epithelial mesenchymal transformation (EMT), as well as promoted the apoptosis of LSCC cells, and knockdown of miR-181a reversed the effects. Conclusion: Inhibition of ANRIL could suppress cell proliferation, clonogenicity, invasion and migration, as well as enhance cell apoptosis of LSCC cells through regulation of miR-181a/Snai2 axis, indicating that ANRIL might be a promising therapeutic target during the treatment of LSCC. Keywords: lncRNA-ANRIL, Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, miR-181a, Snai2, EMT

The neonicotinoid pesticide, imidacloprid (IMI), is frequently detected in the environment and in foods. It is absorbed and metabolized by the intestine; however, its effects on intestinal barrier integrity are not well studied. We investigated whether IMI disrupts the permeability of the intestinal epithelial barrier via in vivo tests on male Wistar rats, in vitro assays using the human intestinal epithelial cell line, Caco-2, and in silico analyses. A repeated oral dose 90-day toxicity study was performed (0.06 mg/kg body weight/day). IMI exposure significantly increased intestinal permeability, which led to significantly elevated serum levels of endotoxin and inflammatory biomarkers (tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1 beta) without any variation in body weight. Decreased transepithelial electrical resistance with increased permeability was also observed in 100 nM and 100 μM IMI-treated Caco-2 cell monolayers. Amounts of tight junction proteins in IMI-treated colon tissues and between IMI-treated Caco-2 cells were significantly lower than those of controls. Increased levels of myosin light chain phosphorylation, myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), and p65 subunit of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB p65) phosphorylation were found in IMI-exposed cells compared with control cells. Furthermore, the barrier loss caused by IMI was rescued by the MLCK inhibitor, ML-7, and cycloheximide. Pregnane X receptor (PXR, NR1I2) was inhibited by low-dose IMI treatment. In silico analysis indicated potent binding sites between PXR and IMI. Together, these data illustrate that IMI induces intestinal epithelial barrier disruption and produces an inflammatory response, involving the down-regulation of tight junctions and disturbance of the PXR-NF-κB p65-MLCK signaling pathway. The intestinal barrier disruption caused by IMI deserves attention in assessing the safety of this neonicotinoid pesticide.