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Ethanol and water are the primary components of liquor. In this study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and density functional theory (DFT) were used to model ethanol-water clusters and infer possible structures of ethanol-water solutions. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and density of states analysis were employed to confirm the existence of clusters and further describe their properties. By comparing binding energies and calculating coordination numbers, we found that the ethanol-water solution with a molecular ratio of 1:2 forms three stable clusters. Under ideal conditions, the cluster ratio is approximately 1:1:6. Generally, the clusters undergo continuous splitting and recombination., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they do not have any conflict of financial interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Scorodites are commonly used for arsenic immobilization, and it is also the main component of arsenic bearing tailings. Alkali-activated geopolymers are commonly used to landfill arsenic-bearing minerals. However, there no previous studies have explored the interaction between geopolymer molecules and the surface of scorodite. In this paper, Si(OH) 4 as a monomer molecule of geopolymer, the mechanism of adsorption and 'ion exchange' between Si(OH) 4 molecule and the surface of scorodite during alkali-activation is studied. Results show that the Fe-terminated scorodite (010) surface has high stability. Si(OH) 4 are more easily adsorbed on the hollow site of an Fe-terminated scorodite (010) surface, which is described as chemisorption. Compared with Si(OH) 4 , NaOH is easier to adsorb on an Fe-terminated scorodite (010) surface. The co-adsorption of NaOH and Si(OH) 4 on the Fe-terminated scorodite (010) surface was studied, and also belongs to chemical adsorption. When the hydroxyl binds to the As atom, the adsorbed Si(OH) 4 is more likely to undergo an 'ion exchange' reaction with the surface, and the reaction is barrierless. The intermediate As(OH) 4 produced by the 'ion exchange' reaction can be deprotonated to form an arsenate molecule, which can occur spontaneously. This work reveals that the interaction mechanism of geopolymer molecules on surface of scorodite., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper, (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Genome-wide association studies have identified many single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with erythrocyte traits. However, the functional variants and their working mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we reported that the SNP of rs80207740, which was associated with red blood cell (RBC) volume and hemoglobin content across populations, conferred enhancer activity to XPO7 gene via allele-differentially binding to Ikaros family zinc finger 1 (IKZF1). We showed that the region around rs80207740 was an erythroid-specific enhancer using reporter assays, and that the G-allele further enhanced activity. 3D genome evidence showed that the enhancer interacted with the XPO7 promoter, and eQTL analysis suggested that the G-allele upregulated expression of XPO7. We further showed that the rs80207740-G allele facilitated the binding of transcription factor IKZF1 in EMSA and ChIP analyses. Knockdown of IKZF1 and GATA1 resulted in decreased expression of Xpo7 in both human and mouse erythroid cells. Finally, we constructed Xpo7 knockout mouse by CRISPR/Cas9 and observed anemic phenotype with reduced volume and hemoglobin content of RBC, consistent to the effect of rs80207740 on erythrocyte traits. Overall, our study demonstrated that rs80207740 modulated erythroid indices by regulating IKZF1 binding and Xpo7 expression., (© 2024 Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.)

Background: Wheat is one of the key ingredients used to make Chinese liquor, and its saccharification power and protein content directly affect the quality of the liquor. In pursuit of a non-destructive assessment of wheat components and the optimization of raw material proportions in liquor, this study introduces a precise predictive model that integrates hyperspectral imaging (HSI) with stacked ensemble learning (SEL)., Results: This study extracted hyperspectral information from 14 different varieties of wheat and employed various algorithms for preprocessing. It was observed that multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) emerged as the most effective spectral preprocessing method. The feature wavelengths were extracted from the preprocessed spectral data using three different feature extraction methods. Then, single models (support vector machine (SVM), backpropagation neural network (BPNN), random forest (RF), and gradient boosting tree (XGBoost)) and a SEL model were developed to compare the prediction accuracies of the SEL model and the single models based on the full-band spectral data and the characteristic wavelengths. The findings indicate that the MSC-competitive adaptive reweighted sampling-SEL model demonstrated the highest prediction accuracy, with R p 2 (test set-determined coefficient) values of 0.9308 and 0.9939 for predicting the saccharification power and protein content and root mean square error of the test set values of 0.0081 U and 0.0116 g kg -1 , respectively., Conclusion: The predictive model established in this study, integrating HSI and SEL models, accurately detected wheat saccharification power and protein content. This validation underscores the practical potential of the SEL model and holds significant importance for non-destructive component analysis of raw materials used in liquor. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading contributors to cancer-related mortality worldwide. Nop2/Sun domain family member 5 (NSUN5), a conserved RNA 5-methylcytosine methyltransferase, is conventionally recognized as oncogenic. However, its role in HCC development remains unknown. In this study, we observed a remarkable upregulation of NSUN5 expression in both tumor tissues from patients with HCC, establishing a correlation with unfavorable clinical outcomes. NSUN5 knockdown and overexpression significantly inhibited and promoted HCC cell proliferation, respectively. Additionally, employing a combination of methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) and RIP-seq techniques, we identified zinc finger BED domain-containing protein 3 (ZBED3) as a novel downstream target of NSUN5. Additionally, we found that the overexpression of ZBED3 counteracted the tumor-suppressing effect of NSUN5 knockdown and simultaneously reversed the inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In summary, we elucidated the oncogenic role of NSUN5 in HCC development and identified the ZBED3/Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway as its downstream target. This study provides a novel therapeutic target for further development in HCC treatment., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

N1-methyladenosine (m1A) is a post-transcriptionally modified RNA molecule that plays a pivotal role in the regulation of various biological functions and activities. Especially in cancer cell invasion, proliferation and cell cycle regulation. Over recent years, there has been a burgeoning interest in investigating the m1A modification of RNA. Most studies have focused on the regulation of m1A in cancer enrichment areas and different regions. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the methodologies employed for the detection of m1A modification. Furthermore, this review delves into the key players in m1A modification, known as the "writers," "erasers," and "readers." m1A modification is modified by the m1A methyltransferases, or writers, such as TRMT6, TRMT61A, TRMT61B, TRMT10C, NML, and, removed by the demethylases, or erasers, including FTO and ALKBH1, ALKBH3. It is recognized by m1A-binding proteins YTHDF1, TYHDF2, TYHDF3, and TYHDC1, also known as "readers". Additionally, we explore the intricate relationship between m1A modification and its regulators and their implications for the development and progression of specific types of cancer, we discuss how m1A modification can potentially facilitate the discovery of novel approaches for cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Our summary of m1A methylated adenosine modification detection methods and regulatory mechanisms in various cancers provides useful insights for cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Video Abstract., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

N 4 -acetylcytidine (ac 4 C) is a highly conserved chemical modification widely found in eukaryotic and prokaryotic RNA, such as tRNA, rRNA, and mRNA. This modification is significantly associated with various human diseases, especially cancer, and its formation depends on the catalytic activity of N-acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10), the only known protein that produces ac 4 C. This review discusses the detection techniques and regulatory mechanisms of ac 4 C and summarizes ac 4 C correlation with tumor occurrence, development, prognosis, and drug therapy. It also comments on a new biomarker for early tumor diagnosis and prognosis prediction and a new target for tumor therapy. Video Abstract., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Emerging mobile colistin resistance ( mcr ) genes pose a significant threat to public health for colistin was used as the last resort to treat multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogenic bacterial infections. Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKP) is a clinically significant pathogen resulting in highly invasive infections, often complicated by devastating dissemination. Worryingly, the untreatable and severe infections caused by mcr -harbouring hvKP leave the selection of antibiotics for clinical anti-infective treatment in a dilemma. Herein, we screened 3,461 isolates from a tertiary teaching hospital from November 2018 to March 2021, and an mcr-8.2 -harbouring hvKP FAHZZU2591 with a conjugative plasmid was identified from paediatric sepsis. This is the first report of MCR-8-producing hvKP from paediatric sepsis to our best knowledge. The susceptibility, genetic features, and plasmid profiles of the isolate were investigated. Further, we assessed the virulence potential of FAHZZU2591 and verified its pathogenicity and invasive capacity using a mouse model. The phylogenetic analysis of mcr-8 -bearing K. pneumoniae revealed that China is the predominant reservoir of the mcr-8 gene, and the clinic is the primary source. Our work highlights the risk for the spread of mcr -positive hvKP in clinical, especially in paediatric sepsis, and the persistent surveillance of colistin-resistance hvKP is urgent.

Obtaining a comprehensive understanding of ore grade information is of significant importance for evaluating the value of ore. However, the real-time detection of multicomponent grade needs more effective online methods. This study proposes a novel approach utilizing hyperspectral imaging (HSI) to evaluate the grade information of nine major ilmenite components by integrating spectral and spatial data. Four multivariate input-output models were developed to mitigate variable interference to predict each component's grade. The results demonstrated that the backpropagation neural network (BPNN) model built from iPLS-VCPA-IRIV feature selection spectral data worked best (R P 2 = 0.9935, RMSEP = 0.1364, RPD = 12.8986, and RPIQ = 21.4871, with a computational time of approximately 0.8 s). Furthermore, applying the best optimal combination algorithm for multicomponent grade inversion yielded highly accurate results, in which 97% of the component inversion residuals were less than 1. This investigation affirms that HSI enables rapid and accurate prediction and inversion of the multicomponent grade of ilmenite, thereby presenting a promising alternative to online analysis in the mineral field.

Scorodite (FeAsO 4 ·2H 2 O) is an ideal material for the fixation of arsenic that has attracted considerable research interest in recent decades. However, the position of the H atom in the scorodite crystal structure, water molecular configuration, surface morphology, and chemical state of the surface atoms have not been reported. In this work, density functional theory (DFT) is used to optimize the scorodite crystal structure, and the atomic bonding is analyzed. At the same time, a surface model is constructed to calculate the configuration and electronic structure of the surface atoms for different coordination groups. The results show that the tetrahedral [AsO 4 ] and octahedral [FeO 4 (2H 2 O)] groups in the scorodite crystal structure have good stability(geometry configuration), and the covalent bond strength between the As atom and the bridged oxygen atom (O b ) is greater than that between the O b atom and the Fe atom. The water molecules in the crystal structure do not seriously deform and ionize. The configuration of the water molecules remains stable through electrostatic interactions (O w -Fe) and hydrogen bonding (H-O b ). The Fe atoms on the surface of scorodite can coordinate with OH and H 2 O, while the As atoms can only form a stable coordination with OH. When an Fe atom on the surface coordinates with two H 2 O atoms, the Fe atom will shrink to the inside of the bulk. With the increase in the hydroxylation number of the Fe atom, the bonding strength between the Fe atom and the O b atom decreases. Different surface configurations do not affect the stability(geometry configuration) of the [AsO 4 ] structure. In addition, the surface water molecular layer has a very weak effect on the surface coordination configuration. By contrast, in the surface configuration of the (W + OH) structure, the change in the surface atomic layer spacing is the smallest.

MCR-positive Escherichia coli (MCRPEC) have been reported in humans worldwide. The high prevalence of mcr-1 poses clinical and environmental risks due to its diverse genetic mechanisms. Given the vital role of animals and the environment in the spread of antibiotic resistance, a "One Health" perspective should be taken when addressing antimicrobial resistance issues. This study conducted a prospective study in six farms (located in Jiaxing City, Zhejiang province, China) in 2019. MCRPEC strains were screened from samples of different sources. The molecular epidemiological surveys and transmission potential were investigated by whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. MCRPEC were detected in different farms with various sources. Sequence type complex 10 was dominant and distributed widely in multiple sources. Core-genome multilocus sequence type (cgMLST) analysis indicated that clonal transmission could occur within and between farms. In addition, mcr-1 genes with different locations showed different transmission tendencies. The study indicated that interspecies and cross-regional transmission of MCRPEC could occur between different sectors in farms. Further surveillance and research of non-clinical MCRPEC strains are necessary to reduce the threat of MCRPEC., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The purity of sorghum varieties is an important indicator of the quality of raw materials used in the distillation of liquors. Different varieties of sorghum may be mixed during the acquisition process, which will affect the flavor and quality of liquor. To facilitate the rapid identification of sorghum varieties, this study proposes a sorghum variety identification model using hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technology combined with convolutional neural network (AlexNet)., Results: First, the watershed algorithm, which was modified with the extended-maxim transform, was used to segment the hyperspectral images of a single sorghum grain. The isolated forest algorithm was used to eliminate abnormal spectral data from the complete spectral data. Secondly, the AlexNet model of sorghum variety identification was established based on the two-dimensional gray image data of sorghum grain in group 1. The effects of different preprocessing methods and different convolution kernel sizes on the performance of the AlexNet model were discussed. The eigenvalues of the last layer of the AlexNet model were visualized using the t-distributed random neighborhood embedding method, which is used to evaluate the separability of features extracted by the AlexNet model. The performance differences between the optimal AlexNet model and traditional machine learning models for sorghum variety identification were compared. Finally, the varieties of sorghum grains in groups 2 and 3 were identified based on the optimal AlexNet model, and the average accuracy values of the test set reached 95.62% and 95.91% respectively., Conclusion: The results in this study demonstrated that HSI combined with the AlexNet model could provide a feasible technical approach for the detection of sorghum varieties. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.)

The analysis of the surface chemical behavior of pyrite is highly crucial in the fields of environmental conservation, metal extraction, and flotation separation. In this paper, the mechanism of atomic reconstruction on the pyrite surface and the adsorption behavior of O 2 on a reconstructed surface are calculated by density functional theory (DFT). Different reconstruction surfaces were constructed by deleting S and Fe atoms on the (100) surface of pyrite. In addition, the geometric configuration, formation energy, binding energy, cohesion energy, and surface electronic properties of the reconstruction surface were calculated. The adsorption energies and geometric configurations of O 2 on different reconstructed surfaces were also determined. The results show that under Fe-poor conditions, the charge of Fe atoms increases, and S atoms form S n on the reconstructed surface. The binding energy between the S n and the substrate (ideal surface) is lower, which is similar to the S n adsorption on the substrate surface with the Fe atom as the site. S n has high cohesive energy and is resistant to being attacked by oxidants, which leads to structural collapse, and a low affinity for O 2 . Under S-poor conditions, the -[Fe-S] n - plane structure formed on the reconstructed surface. The -[Fe-S] n - structure stably bonds to the substrate by an Fe-S bond, and exhibits strong binding energy. However, the -[Fe-S] n - structure has low cohesive energy and exhibits thermodynamic instability. In contrast, O 2 shows a strong affinity for the -[Fe-S] n - structure, indicating that the deficiency of the S atom promotes the surface oxidation reaction. The mechanism of atomic reconstruction on the surface of pyrite is of utmost importance for understanding its surface chemical behavior.

The emergence of carbapenemase significantly threatens public health. It is prevalent worldwide but rare in Aeromonas caviae . Unlike most bacterial species, A. caviae has two distinct flagella systems, which are closely related to biofilm formation. The ability to form biofilms on host tissues or inert surfaces constitutes an important cause of many persistent infections, which causes difficulties in clinical treatment. Here, we report on a multidrug-resistant (MDR) A. caviae carrying bla NDM-1 with a novel sequence type 1,416. The strong ability of biofilm formation of FAHZZU2447 was verified by a crystal violet assay. The resistome profile and location of the bla NDM-1 gene were determined by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, S1 nuclease pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (S1-PFGE), and Southern blot analysis. Moreover, the strain underwent whole-genome sequencing to identify its genomic characteristics. In addition, the bla NDM-1 gene was located on a ∼243 kb plasmid with genetic context IS 1R - bla NDM-1 - ble - trpF - dsbD - hp - sul1 - qacE . Phylogenetic analysis indicated the transmission of A. caviae in China, Japan, and Thailand. Our study aimed to elucidate the genomic features of bla NDM-1 -producing A. caviae , thereby clarifying the distribution of A. caviae worldwide and emphasizing the harmfulness of biofilm formation to the clinic. Further comprehensive surveillance of this species is needed to control further dissemination., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Hu, Zhang, Liu, Liu, Qiao, Ge, Zhao, Ma, Chen and Liu.)

Purpose: Beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae is common in the clinic, but research associated with the co-existence of KPC-2, LAP-2, and CTX-M-65 in K. pneumoniae is still rare. In this study, the phenotypic and genetic characteristics of a multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae strain SJ25 co-harboring bla KPC-2 , bla LAP-2 , and bla CTX-M-65 with rare ST1469 were investigated., Methods and Results: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that strain SJ25 was resistant to various common antibiotics, except ciprofloxacin, fosfomycin, colistin, and tigecycline. Whole-genome analysis revealed that strain SJ25 carries a variety of antimicrobial resistance genes and virulence determinants. Plasmid analysis confirmed that the bla KPC-2 and bla CTX-M-65 genes were located on an ~136 kb transferrable IncFII/IncR plasmid and that bla LAP-2 was located on an untypeable plasmid., Conclusion: Our findings emphasized the need for continuous surveillance of β-lactamase-bearing K. pneumoniae in the clinic to control potential dissemination and outbreak., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2022 Chen et al.)

Objective: To study the risk factors and prediction models of multidrug resistance in patients with tuberculosis and diabetes and those with a history of tuberculosis treatment., Methods: A total of 256 tuberculosis patients with diabetes who were registered in Luoyang city, Henan Province, from January 2018 to December 2021. Logistic regression analysis was performed to analyse the risk factors for multidrug resistance. ROC curves were used to analyse the predictive model for multidrug resistance., Results: Age < 65 years old, HbA1c, and a history of tuberculosis treatment were independent risk factors for multidrug resistance in patients with tuberculosis and diabetes (P < 0.05). The area under the ROC curve of predictive model for MDR was 0.878 (95% CI (0.824, 0.932)). Age < 65 years old and HbA1c were independent risk factors for MDR in patients with TB and diabetes with a history of TB treatment. The area under the ROC curve of predictive model for MDR was 0.920 [95% CI (0.831, 0.999)]., Conclusion: The predictive model had certain prediction value for the risk of multidrug resistance in patients with tuberculosis and diabetes., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The worldwide spread of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) has led to a major challenge to human health. In this case, colistin is often used to treat the infection caused by CRE. However, the coexistence of genes conferring resistance to carbapenem and colistin is of great concern. In this work, we reported the coexistence of bla OXA-181 , bla CTX-M-55 , and mcr-8 in an ST273 Klebsiella pneumoniae isolate for the first time. The species identification was performed using MALDI-TOF MS, and the presence of various antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence genes were detected by PCR and whole-genome sequencing. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that K. pneumoniae 5589 was resistant to aztreonam, imipenem, meropenem, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, piperacillin-tazobactam, cefepime, and polymyxin B, but sensitive to amikacin. S1-pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and Southern blotting revealed the mcr-8 gene was carried on a ~ 138 kb plasmid with a conserved structure (IS 903B - ymoA - inhA - mcr-8 - copR - baeS - dgkA - ampC ). In addition, bla OXA-181 was found on another ~51 kb plasmid with a composite transposon flanked by insertion sequence IS 26 . The in vitro conjugation experiments and plasmid sequence probe indicated that the plasmid p5589-OXA-181 and the p5589-mcr-8 were conjugative, which may contribute to the propagation of ARGs. Relevant detection and investigation measures should be taken to control the prevalence of pathogens coharboring bla OXA-181 , bla CTX-M-55 and mcr-8 ., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Ge, Qiao, Xu, Liu, Chen, Li, Hu, Zhou, Guo and Zheng.)

All-printed flexible micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) based on two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials with in-plane interdigital configurations are regarded as promising miniaturized power source units, but they chronically suffer from self-aggregation and inadequate matching of electrode materials, thus resulting in inefficient electrolyte ions intercalation. Herein, an innovative multicomponent interlaced architecture essentially consisting of 2-amino-8-naphthol 6-sulfonic acid (ANS)-anchored pristine graphene and highly conductive multiwalled carbon nanotubes is reported. The assembled and optimized Gr@ANS electrodes offer sufficient absorption/desorption and redox-active sites, delivering a high areal capacitance of 33.7 mF/cm 2 for screen-printed MSCs. Particularly, the well-modified Gr@ANS/CNTs-interlaced complex structure effectively prevents the usual restacking of the delaminated Gr@ANS nanosheets and maximizes ion accessibility in electrodes. Ascribed to the optimized electron-transferring kinetics, the achieved Gr@ANS/CNTs MSCs exhibit excellent capacitance (40.2 mF/cm 2 and 18.8 F/cm 3 ), simultaneously significantly increasing the rate capability of Gr@ANS MSCs (from 3.9 to 60.0%). Arising from the multicomponent synergism, the all-solid-state MSCs exhibit outstanding bending stability and cycling performance (73.8% after 10 000 charge/discharge cycles). The new charge reservoir engineering evidenced in graphene-based micro-supercapacitors would serve as a stepping stone toward the scalable manufacture of hybrid energy storage micro-devices.

Total acid content (TAC) and reducing sugar content (RSC) are important evaluation indicators for the quality of fermented grains. In this study, the TAC and RSC of fermented grains were quantified using hyperspectral imaging (HSI). Two combined algorithms were used to extract the characteristic wavelengths of TAC and RSC. Nine color features of fermented grains were extracted based on H, S and V color channels. Multivariate analytical models were developed to predict TAC and RSC using full wavelengths, characteristic wavelengths, color features and fused data, respectively. The CF model established based on characteristic wavelengths extracted by CARS-SPA showed the best results in predicting TAC. Meanwhile, the PSO-SVR model built using fused data was the best model for predicting RSC. The visualization of the TAC and RSC was achieved using the optimal models. These results show that HSI can achieve non-destructive detection and visualization of TAC and RSC in fermented grains., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study combined hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and deep forest (DF) to develop a reliable model for conducting a rapid and nondestructive determination of sorghum purity. Isolated forest (IF) algorithm and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to remove the abnormal data of sorghum grains. Competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) algorithm and successive projections algorithm (SPA) were combined and used to extract the characteristic wavelengths. Gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) was used to extract the textural features. DF models were established based on the different types of data. Specifically, the DF models established using the characteristic spectra produced the best recognition results: the average correct recognition rate (CRR) of the models was greater than 91%. In addition, the average CRR of validation set Ⅰ was 88.89%. These results show that a combination of HSI and DF could be used for the rapid and nondestructive determination of sorghum purity., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Mobile colistin resistance ( mcr ) genes represent an emerging threat to public health. Reports on the prevalence, antimicrobial profiles, and clonality of MCR-9-producing Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC) isolates on a national scale in China are limited. We screened 3,373 samples from humans, animals, and the environment and identified eleven MCR-9-positive ECC isolates. We further investigated their susceptibility, epidemiology, plasmid profiles, genetic features, and virulence potential. Ten strains were isolated from severe bloodstream infection cases, especially three of them were recovered from neonatal sepsis. Enterobacter hormaechei was the most predominant species among the MCR-9-producing ECC population. Moreover, the co-existence of MCR-9, CTX-M, and SHV-12 encoding genes in MCR-9-positive isolates was globally observed. Notably, mcr-9 was mainly carried by IncHI2 plasmids, and we found a novel ~187 kb IncFII plasmid harboring mcr-9 , with low similarity with known plasmids. In summary, our study presented genomic insights into genetic characteristics of MCR-9-producing ECC isolates retrieved from human, animal, and environment samples with one health perspective. This study is the first to reveal NDM-1- and MCR-9-co-producing ECC from neonatal sepsis in China. Our data highlights the risk for the hidden spread of the mcr-9 colistin resistance gene., Competing Interests: Author JH was employed by Sansure Biotech Inc. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Chen, Xu, Liu, Hu, Han, Wu, Fu, Zheng and Xiao.)

The contents of amylose and amylopectin in sorghum directly affects the quality and yield of liquor. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is an emerging technology widely applied in the content analysis of food ingredients. In this study, the effects of different preprocessing methods on visible-light and near-infrared spectral data were analyzed, and the prediction accuracies of these spectral data were compared. Principal components analysis (PCA) and successive projections algorithm (SPA) were combined to extract the characteristic wavelengths. Using both the full and characteristic wavelengths, partial least square regression (PLSR) and cascade forest (CF) models were developed to predict the contents of amylose and amylopectin in different varieties of sorghum. The average RPD values of the CF models established by the characteristic wavelengths were 4.7622 and 5.5889, respectively. These results corroborated the utility of HSI in achieving the rapid and nondestructive prediction of amylose and amylopectin contents in different varieties of sorghum., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

With the battery-type anode and capacitor-type cathode, lithium-ion capacitors (LICs) are expected to exhibit both high energy and high power density but suffer from the mismatch of the electrode reaction kinetics and capacity. Herein, to alleviate the mismatch between the two electrodes and synergistically enhance the energy/power density, we design a method of microwave irradiation reduction to prepare graphene-based electrode material (MRPG/CNT) with fast ion/electron pathway. The three-dimensional structure of CNT intercalation to graphene inhibits the restacking of graphene sheets and improves the conductivity of the electrode material, resulting a rapid ion and electron diffusion channel. Due to its specific properties, MRPG/CNT materials can be used as both anode and cathode electrodes of LICs at the same time. As anode, MRPG/CNT shows a high capacity of 1200 mAh g -1 as well as high rate performance. As cathode, MRPG/CNT displays a high capacity of 108 mAh g -1 and the capacity retention of 100% after 8000 cycles. Coupling the prelithiated MRPG/CNT anode with MRPG/CNT cathode gives a full-graphene-based symmetric LIC, which achieves a high energy density of 232.6 Wh kg -1 at 226.0 W kg -1 , 111.2 Wh kg -1 at the ultrahigh power density of 45.2 kW kg -1 , and superior capacity retention of 86% after 5000 cycles. The structure design of this electrode provides a new strategy for alleviating the mismatch of LIC electrodes and constructing high-performance symmetrical LICs.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to spread across the globe, but patient experiences are rarely documented., Objective: To explore the psychology of COVID-19 patients during hospitalization., Methods: A phenomenological and robust sampling approach was employed. Sixteen patients admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology with COVID-19 from 20th January to 1st March 2020 were selected. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, phone calls, or face-to-face interviews using quarantine measures. Data were analyzed using the Colaizzi method., Results: The psychological experience of COVID-19 patients during hospitalization could be summarized into five themes. Firstly, attitudes toward the disease included fear, denial, and stigma during the early stages, which gradually developed into acceptance in the later stages. Secondly, the major source of stress included the viral nature of the disease, quarantine measures, and concerns regarding the health of family members. Thirdly, reactions of body and mind included disease stage-dependent emotional responses, excessive attention to symptoms, rumination, and changes in diet, sleep, and behavior. Fourthly, supportive factors included psychological adjustments, medical care, and family and social support. Finally, the disease resulted in psychological growth and patients viewed problems with gratitude through the cherishing of life, family, bravery, and tenacity., Conclusion: COVID-19 patients gradually changed their attitude toward the disease and displayed emotional responses dependent on the stage of the disease. Negative emotions dominated during the early stages but gradually gave way to mixed positive and negative emotions. Active guidance of psychological growth may therefore promote physical and mental recovery in COVID-19 patients., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Rational engineering and simplified production of printable graphene inks are essential for building high-energy and flexible graphene micro-supercapacitors (MSCs). However, few graphene-based MSCs show impressive areal capacitance and energy density, especially based on additive-manufacturing, cost-effective, and printable inks. Herein, a new-style and solution-processable graphene composite ink is ingeniously formulated for scalable screen printing MSCs. More importantly, the as-formulated inks consist of interwoven two-dimensional graphene and activated carbon nanofillers, which are delaminated by one-step sand-milling turbulent flow exfoliation. Notably, embedding the activated carbon nanoplatelets into graphene layers drastically boosts the electrochemical performance of screen-printed micro-supercapacitors (denoted as Gr/AC-MSCs), such as an outstanding areal capacitance of 12.5 mF cm -2 (about 20 times than pure graphene). The maximum energy density, maximum power density, and exceptional cyclability are 1.07 μW h cm -2 , 0.004 mW cm -2 , and 88.1% after 5000 cycles, respectively. As such, the as-printed MSCs on paper display high resolution and pronounced energy-storage performance. Furthermore, the packaged and optimized Gr/AC-MSCs showcase remarkable mechanical flexibility even under highly folded and excellent water resistance, maintaining 91.8% capacitance retention after being washed for 90 min. The versatile methodology highlights the promise of graphene and analogous 2D nanosheet functional inks for scalable fabrication of flexible energy-storage devices.

This paper proposes a sorghum adulteration detection model using hyperspectral imaging technology (HSI), image processing technology, and multivariate analysis technology. The model used a watershed algorithm to extract hyperspectral data from sorghum grains. Principal component analysis (PCA) and clustering analysis (CA) were used to remove abnormal samples of sorghum. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was used to identify the variety of sample, and a sorghum distribution map and adulteration ratios were obtained by marking varieties with different colors. This paper presents, for the first time, HSI use for identification of adulteration in sorghum using PCA and CA. Accuracy of the model identification for the validation set reached 96%, and for the adulterated samples reached 91%, and comprehensive accuracy of the model could reach more than 90%. These results show that the model can rapidly and nondestructively detect sorghum adulteration., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The dissemination of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemases (KPCs) among Gram-negative bacteria is an important threat to global health. However, KPC-producing bacteria from environmental samples are rarely reported. This study aimed to elucidate the underlying resistance mechanisms of three carbapenem-resistant Aeromonas taiwanensis isolates recovered from river sediment samples. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis indicated a close evolutionary relationship among A. taiwanensis isolates. S1-PFGE, Southern blot and conjugation assays confirmed the presence of bla KPC- 2 and qnrS2 genes on a non-conjugative plasmid in these isolates. Plasmid analysis further showed that pKPC-1713 is an IncP-6 plasmid with a length of 53,205 bp, which can be transformed into DH5α strain and mediated carbapenems and quinolones resistance. The plasmid backbone of p1713-KPC demonstrated 99% sequence identity to that of IncP-6-type plasmid pKPC-cd17 from Aeromonas spp. and IncP-6-type plasmid: 1 from Citrobacter freundii at 74% coverage. A 14,808 bp insertion sequence was observed between merT gene and hypothetical protein in p1713-KPC, which include the quinolone resistance qnrS2 gene. Emergence of plasmid-borned bla KPC and qnrS2 genes from A. taiwanensis isolates highlights their possible dissemination into the environment. Therefore, potential detection of such plasmids from clinical isolates should be closely monitored., (Copyright © 2019 Hu, Yu, Shang, Xu, Guo, Liang, Kang, Song, Sun, Yue, Mao and Zheng.)

Objectives: The bla KPC gene is rarely reported in Citrobacter koseri. Here we report the first draft genome sequence of a bla KPC-2 -carrying C. koseri isolate from a patient with diarrhoea., Methods: Transferability of the bla KPC-2 -bearing plasmid was determined by the filter mating method. The whole genome sequence of C. koseri L168 was determined using an Illumina HiSeq platform. The genome was de novo assembled using Velvet 1.2.10. Acquired antimicrobial resistance genes and plasmid replicons were identified using ResFinder 2.1 and PlasmidFinder 1.3, respectively., Results: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) showed that C. koseri L168 was resistant to multiple antibiotics but was susceptible to ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin, tigecycline and colistin. A KPC-2-harbouring plasmid was conjugative and the transconjugants conferred increased resistance to carbapenems confirmed by conjugation experiments and AST. In silico analysis revealed the presence of the β-lactam resistance genes bla KPC-2 and bla MAL-1 . Additionally, plasmids of incompatibility groups IncFII and IncX4 were identified in the genome by PlasmidFinder. BLAST analysis revealed that bla KPC-2 was located on a Tn3 transposon element in C. koseri L168 with the conserved linear structure ISKpn27-bla KPC-2 -ΔISKpn6-korC-klcA., Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is only the second report of C. koseri producing KPC-2, and we report the first draft genome sequence of a bla KPC-2 -carrying C. koseri isolate from a patient with diarrhoea in China. This work may facilitate our understanding of the pathogenesis, multidrug resistance mechanisms and genomic features of this species. Further monitoring of bacteria carrying carbapenemase genes in patients' gut microbiota is warranted., (Copyright © 2018 International Society for Chemotherapy of Infection and Cancer. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Staphylococcus microti DSM 22147 was isolated from viscera of common voles ( Microtus arvalis Pallas) with generalized Brucella microti infection in the Czech Republic. To the best of our knowledge, the genome sequence of the species S. microti has not been previously studied. The complete genome sequence of strain DSM 22147 includes a genome of 2,381,859 bp (38.0% GC content) without any plasmids., (Copyright © 2018 Hu et al.)

Reduced graphene oxide/SiO 2 (RGO/SiO 2 ) serving as a novel spherical support for Ziegler-Natta (Z-N) catalyst is reported. The surface and interior of the support has a porous architecture formed by RGO/SiO 2 sandwich structure. The sandwich structure is like a brick wall coated with a graphene layer of concreted as skeleton which could withstand external pressures and endow the structure with higher support stabilities. After loading the Z-N catalyst, the active components anchor on the surface and internal pores of the supports. When the ethylene molecules meet the active centers, the molecular chains grow from the surface and internal catalytic sites in a regular and well-organized way. And the process of the nascent molecular chains filled in the sandwich structure polymerization could ensure the graphene disperse uniformly in the polymer matrix. Compared with traditional methods, the porous spherical graphene support of this strategy has far more advantages and could maintain an intrinsic graphene performance in the nanocomposites.

With the increasing demand for composites of multifunctional and integrated performance, graphene-based nanocomposites have been attracting increasing attention in biomedical applications because of their outstanding physicochemical properties and biocompatibility. High product yields and dispersion of graphene in the preparation process of graphene-based nanocomposites have long been a challenge. Further, the mechanical properties and biosafety of final nanocomposites are very important for real usage in biomedical applications. Here, we presented a novel high-throughput method of graphene on mechanical exfoliation in a natural honey medium, and a yield of ∼91% of graphene nanoflakes can be easily achieved with 97.76% of single-layer graphenes. The mechanically exfoliated graphene (MEG) can be well-dispersed in the poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) matrix. The PVA/MEG nanocomposite fibers are obtained by gel spinning and stretched 20 times. As a candidate for monofilament sutures, the PVA/MEG nanocomposite fibers with 0.3 wt % of MEG have an ultrahigh ultimate tensile strength of 2.1 GPa, which is far higher than that of the neat PVA fiber (0.75 GPa). In addition, the PVA/MEG nanocomposite fibers also have antibacterial property, low cytotoxicity, and other properties. On the basis of the above-mentioned properties, the effects of a common surgical suture and PVA/MEG nanocomposite fibers on wound healing are evaluated. As a result, the wounds treated with PVA/MEG nanocomposite fibers with 0.3 wt % of MEG show the best healing after 5 days of surgery. It is possible that this novel surgical suture will be available in the market relying on the gentle, inexpensive method of obtaining nonoxidized graphene and the simple process of obtaining nanocomposite fibers.

Hydroxyl radicals (˙OH) generated from a UV/O 3 solution reaction is used to efficiently etch graphene oxide nanosheets under moderate conditions. Reduced holey graphene oxide is directly used as a supercapacitor electrode material and exhibits high specific capacitance (224 F g -1 at a current density of 1 A g -1 ) and high volumetric capacitance (up to 206 F cm -3 ).

The gut microbiota is altered in liver diseases, and several probiotics have been shown to reduce the degree of liver damage. We hypothesized that oral administration of specific Bifidobacterium strains isolated from healthy guts could attenuate liver injury. Five strains were tested in this study. Acute liver injury was induced by D-galactosamine after pretreating Sprague-Dawley rats with the Bifidobacterium strains, and liver function, liver and ileum histology, plasma cytokines, bacterial translocation and the gut microbiome were assessed. Two strains, Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum LI09 and Bifidobacterium catenulatum LI10, conferred liver protection, as well as alleviated the increase in plasma M-CSF, MIP-1α and MCP-1 and bacterial translocation. They also ameliorated ileal mucosal injury and gut flora dysbiosis, especially the enrichment of the opportunistic pathogen Parasutterella and the depletion of the SCFA-producing bacteria Anaerostipes, Coprococcus and Clostridium XI. Negative correlations were found between MIP-1α / MCP-1 and Odoribacter (LI09 group) and MIP-1α / M-CSF and Flavonifractor (LI10 group). Our results indicate that the liver protection effects might be mediated through gut microbiota modification, which thus affect the host immune profile. The desirable characteristics of these two strains may enable them to serve as potential probiotics for the prevention or adjuvant treatment of liver injury.

Alterations in the gut microbiome have been reported in liver cirrhosis, and probiotic interventions are considered a potential treatment strategy. This study aimed to evaluate the effects and mechanisms of Lactobacillus salivarius LI01, Pediococcus pentosaceus LI05, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Clostridium butyricum MIYAIRI and Bacillus licheniformis Zhengchangsheng on CCl 4 -induced cirrhotic rats. Only administration of LI01 or LI05 prevented liver fibrosis and down-regulated the hepatic expression of profibrogenic genes. Serum endotoxins, bacterial translocations (BTs), and destruction of intestinal mucosal ultrastructure were reduced in rats treated with LI01 or LI05, indicating maintenance of the gut barrier as a mechanism; this was further confirmed by the reduction of not only hepatic inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-17A, but also hepatic TLR2, TLR4, TLR5 and TLR9. Metagenomic sequencing of 16S rRNA gene showed an increase in potential beneficial bacteria, such as Elusimicrobium and Prevotella, and a decrease in pathogenic bacteria, such as Escherichia. These alterations in gut microbiome were correlated with profibrogenic genes, gut barrier markers and inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, L. salivarius LI01 and P. pentosaceus LI05 attenuated liver fibrosis by protecting the intestinal barrier and promoting microbiome health. These results suggest novel strategies for the prevention of liver cirrhosis.

Bacterial translocation (BT) is thought to play an important role in the development of liver cirrhosis, but the mechanisms have not been fully explored. This study aims to investigate the distribution of Treg (CD3 + CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + ), Th17 (CD3 + CD4 + IL-17 + ), and Th1 (CD3 + CD4 + IFN-γ + ) cells in the intestinal lamina propria, liver and blood and to explore their relationships with BT. Cirrhotic rats with ascites were induced by CCl 4 . We found that there were lower levels of total protein and albumin, lower albumin/globulin ratio, lower body weight and higher spleen weight and ascites volume in cirrhotic rats with than without BT. We found that BT may cause increase of Treg cells in the proximal small intestine and decrease of Th17 cells in the whole intestine and blood in cirrhotic rats. It may also aggravate the CCl 4 -induced decrease in Th1 cells in the whole intestine, liver, caecum, and blood and the CCl 4 -induced increase in Th17 cells in the liver and Tregs in the distal small intestine, colon, and liver. Our data suggest that BT may aggravate liver injury and decrease liver function via an interaction with CD4 + T Cells. The results of this study may be helpful for the development of new treatments for liver cirrhosis., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interests.

This report describes the draft genome sequence of S. condimenti strain F-2(T) (DSM 11674), a potential starter culture. The genome assembly comprised 2,616,174 bp with 34.6% GC content. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documentation that reports the whole-genome sequence of S. condimenti., (Copyright © 2016 Zheng et al.)

Background: A novel avian-origin influenza A (H7N9) virus emerged and spread among humans in Eastern China in 2013. Prophylactic treatment with antibiotics and probiotics for secondary infection is as important as antiviral treatment. This study aims to assess the ability of probiotic treatment to restore internal homeostasis under antibiotic pressure and to reduce/ameliorate the risk of secondary infections resulting from infection with the H7N9 virus., Methods: This is a retrospective study in archival samples. Between April 1 and May 10, 2013, 113 stool, sputum, and blood specimens were collected and analyzed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to determine the composition of the patient microbiomes. Microbial diversity was calculated using Gel-Pro analyzer and Past software. Cluster analysis of DGGE pattern profiles was employed to create a phylogenetic tree for each patient, and multidimensional scaling (MDS) and principal component analysis (PCA) were performed to visualize relationships between individual lanes., Results: Five patients had secondary infections, including Klebsiella pneumonia, Acinetobacter baumanii and Candida albicans infection. The DGGE profiles of fecal samples obtained at different time points from the same individual were clearly different, particularly for patients with secondary infections. Shannon's diversity index and evenness index were lower in all infected groups compared to the control group. After B. subtilis and E. faecium or C. butyricum administration, the fecal bacterial profiles of patients who had not been treated with antibiotics displayed a trend of increasing diversity and evenness. C. butyricum failed to reduce/ameliorate secondary infection in H7N9-infected patients, but administration of B. subtilis and E. faecium appeared to reduce/ameliorate secondary infection in one patient., Conclusion: H7N9 infection might decrease intestinal microbial diversity and species richness in humans. C. butyricum failed to reduce/ameliorate secondary infection in H7N9-infected patients. B. subtilis and E. faecium may also play a role in reducing/ameliorating secondary infection in these patients.

Lactobacillus heilongjiangensis DSM 28069(T) is a potential probiotic isolated from traditional Chinese pickle. Here we report the complete genome sequence of this strain. The complete genome is 2,790,548bp with the GC content of 37.5% and devoid of plasmids. Sets of genes involved in the biosynthesis of riboflavin and folate were identified in the genome, which revealed its potential application in biotechnological industry. The genome sequence of L. heilongjiangensis DSM 28069(T) now provides the fundamental information for future studies., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Staphylococcus sciuri subsp. sciuri strain Z8 was isolated from a skin wound infection of a patient with infective endocarditis. To the best of our knowledge, the genome sequence of the species S. sciuri has not been previously studied. The complete genome sequence of strain Z8 includes a genome of 2,620,868 bp (32.43% GC content) without any plasmids., (Copyright © 2015 Hu et al.)

We report a draft genome sequence of Lactobacillus panis DSM 6035(T), isolated from sourdough. The genome of this strain is 2,082,789 bp long, with 47.9% G+C content. A total of 2,047 protein-coding genes were predicted., (Copyright © 2015 Zhu et al.)

Staphylococcus caprae strain 9557 was isolated from a cerebrospinal fluid sample. The assembled genome contained 2,747,651-bp nucleotides with 33.34% GC content. Consistent with its phenotypic characteristics, the genome harbors a varying repertoire of putative virulence factors involved in invasion, survival, and growth in the host cells., (Copyright © 2015 Zheng et al.)

Staphylococcus gallinarum DSM 20610(T) is a rare pathogen in humans. The increasing relevance of human health prompted us to determine the genomic sequence of S. gallinarum. The complete genome sequence of S. gallinarum includes a genome of 3,171,720 bp (33.02% G+C content) without any plasmids., (Copyright © 2015 Shi et al.)

Background: The relationship between Klebsiella pneumoniae and nosocomial and community-acquired infections is well known, and K. pneumoniae resistance to most antibiotics is increasing worldwide. In contrast, tigecycline remains active against many bacterial strains, and serves as a last resort for treating multi-drug resistant bacterial infections. That tigecycline nonsusceptibility among K. pneumoniae isolates has been reported worldwide is worrying. However, the mechanisms of tigecycline resistance in K. pneumoniae are less well known. We report the genome sequence and genomic characterization of tigecycline-resistant K. pneumoniae strain 5422 isolated from the bile samples of a patient with cholangiocarcinoma., Results: We sequenced the K. pneumoniae strain 5422 genome using next-generation sequencing technologies. Sequence data assembly revealed a 5,432,440-bp draft genome and 57.1% G + C content, which contained 5397 coding sequences. The genome has extensive similarity to other sequenced K. pneumoniae genomes, but also has several resistance-nodulation-cell division (RND) efflux pump genes that may be related to tigecycline resistance., Conclusions: K. pneumoniae strain 5422 is resistant to multiple antibiotics. The genome sequence of the isolate and comparative analysis with other K. pneumoniae strains presented in this paper are important for better understanding of K. pneumoniae multi-drug resistance. The RND efflux pump genes identified in the genome indicate the presence of an antibiotic resistance mechanism prior to antibiotics overuse. The availability of the genome sequence forms the basis for further comparative analyses and studies addressing the evolution of the K. pneumoniae drug resistance mechanism and the K. pneumoniae transcriptome.

Liver cirrhosis occurs as a consequence of many chronic liver diseases that are prevalent worldwide. Here we characterize the gut microbiome in liver cirrhosis by comparing 98 patients and 83 healthy control individuals. We build a reference gene set for the cohort containing 2.69 million genes, 36.1% of which are novel. Quantitative metagenomics reveals 75,245 genes that differ in abundance between the patients and healthy individuals (false discovery rate < 0.0001) and can be grouped into 66 clusters representing cognate bacterial species; 28 are enriched in patients and 38 in control individuals. Most (54%) of the patient-enriched, taxonomically assigned species are of buccal origin, suggesting an invasion of the gut from the mouth in liver cirrhosis. Biomarkers specific to liver cirrhosis at gene and function levels are revealed by a comparison with those for type 2 diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease. On the basis of only 15 biomarkers, a highly accurate patient discrimination index is created and validated on an independent cohort. Thus microbiota-targeted biomarkers may be a powerful tool for diagnosis of different diseases.

Background: Selective prophylactic decontamination of the digestive tract is a strategy for the prevention of secondary nosocomial infection in patients with avian influenza virus subtype H7N9 infection. Our aim was to summarize the effectiveness of these therapies in re-establishing a stable and diverse microbial community, and reducing secondary infections., Methods: Comprehensive therapies were dependent on the individual clinical situation of subjects, and were divided into antiviral treatment, microbiota-targeted therapies, including pro- or pre-biotics and antibiotic usage, and immunotherapy. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) were used for real-time monitoring of the predominant intestinal microbiome during treatment. Clinical information about secondary infection was confirmed by analyzing pathogens isolated from clinical specimens., Results: Different antibiotics had similar effects on the gut microbiome, with a marked decrease and slow recovery of the Bifidobacterium population. Interestingly, most fecal microbial DGGE profiles showed the relative stability of communities under the continual suppression of the same antibiotics, and significant changes when new antibiotics were introduced. Moreover, we found no marked increase in C-reactive protein, and no cases of bacteremia or pneumonia, caused by probiotic use in the patients, which confirmed that the probiotics used in this study were safe for use in patients with H7N9 infection. Approximately 72% of those who subsequently suffered exogenous respiratory infection by Candida species or multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae were older than 60 years. The combination of probiotics and prebiotics with antibiotics seemed to fail in these patients., Conclusions: Elderly patients infected with the influenza A (H7N9) virus are considered a high-risk group for developing secondary bacterial infection. Microbiota restoration treatment reduced the incidence of enterogenous secondary infection, but not exogenous respiratory infection. The prophylactic effects of microbiota restoration strategies for secondary infection were unsatisfactory in elderly and critically ill patients.

A novel influenza A (H7N9) virus of avian origin emerged in eastern China in the spring of 2013. This virus causes severe disease in humans, including acute and often lethal respiratory failure. As of January 2014, 275 cases of H7N9-infected patients had been reported, highlighting the urgency of identifying biomarkers for predicting disease severity and fatal outcomes. Here, we show that plasma levels of angiotensin II, a major regulatory peptide of the renin-angiotensin system, are markedly elevated in H7N9 patients and are associated with disease progression. Moreover, the sustained high levels of angiotensin II in these patients are strongly correlated with mortality. The predictive value of angiotensin II is higher than that of C-reactive protein and some clinical parameters such as the PaO2/FiO2 ratio (partial pressure of arterial oxygen to the fraction of inspired oxygen). Our findings indicate that angiotensin II is a biomarker for lethality in flu infections.

Staphylococcus cohnii subsp. cohnii belongs to the family Staphylococcaceae in the order Bacillales, class Bacilli and phylum Firmicutes. The increasing relevance of S. cohnii to human health prompted us to determine the genomic sequence of Staphylococcus cohnii subsp. cohnii strain hu-01, a multidrug-resistant isolate from a hospital in China. Here we describe the features of S. cohnii subsp. cohnii strain hu-01, together with the genome sequence and its annotation. This is the first genome sequence of the species Staphylococcus cohnii.

Background: Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius), a prevalent necrophagous blowfly that is easily mass reared, is noted for being a mechanical vector of pathogenic microorganisms, a pollinator of numerous crops, and a resource insect in forensic investigation in the postmortem interval. In the present study, in order to comprehensively understand the physiological and biochemical functions of C. megacephala, we performed RNA-sequencing and digital gene expression (DGE) profiling using Solexa/Illumina sequencing technology., Methodology/principal Findings: A total of 39,098,662 clean reads were assembled into 27,588 unigenes with a mean length of 768 nt. All unigenes were searched against the Nt database, Nr database, Swiss-Prot, Cluster of Orthologous Groups (COG) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG) with the BLASTn or BLASTx algorithm (E-value<0.00001) for annotations. In total, 7,081 unigenes and 14,099 unigenes were functionally classified into 25 COG categories and 240 KEGG pathways, respectively. Furthermore, 20,216 unigenes were grouped into 48 sub-categories belonging to 3 main Gene Ontology (GO) categories (ontologies). Using the transcriptome data as references, we analyzed the differential gene expressions between a soybean oil-fed group (SOF) and a lard oil-fed group (LOF), compared to the negative control group (NC), using the DGE approach. We finally obtained 1,566 differentially expressed genes in SOF/NC, and 1,099 genes in LOF/NC. For further analysis, GO and KEGG functional enrichment were performed on all differentially expressed genes, and a group of differentially expressed candidate genes related to lipometabolism were identified., Conclusions/significance: This study provides a global survey of C. megacephala and provides the basis for further research on the functional genomics of this insect.

Aerococcus viridans is a catalase-negative Gram-positive bacterium and has been described as an airborne organism widely distributed in the hospital environment or in clinical specimens. We isolated A. viridans strain LL1 from indoor dust samples collected by a patient. Here, we prepared a genome sequence for this strain consisting of 31 contigs totaling 1,994,039 bases and a GC content of 39.42%.