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Performance degradation assessment methods for rolling bearings under vibration signal monitoring typically involve extracting signal degradation features and inputting them directly into unoptimized assessment models. However, this method often fails to characterize degradation trends and detect early faults in bearings effectively. Moreover, it is susceptible to interference from outliers and false signal fluctuations, posing challenges for accurate performance degradation assessment. To solve the above problems, a novel performance degradation assessment method of rolling bearings based on optimized variational mode decomposition to construct the maximum information degradation feature set and improved hippopotamus optimization algorithm optimized fuzzy support vector data description is proposed. This method effectively suppresses the signal degradation feature pollution caused by the redundancy of irrelevant frequency components, realizes the screening of effective degradation feature sets, and further improves the accuracy of bearing performance degradation assessment. Through experimental verification, this research method uses early healthy rolling bearing samples to establish an assessment model, which can adaptively determine the starting point and degradation trend of bearing degradation. In comparison with other methods for performance degradation assessment under vibration monitoring, it offers distinct advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The drug discovery process increasingly relies on high-throughput sample analysis to accelerate the identification of viable drug candidates. Recently, chromatographic-free high-throughput mass spectrometry (HT-MS) technologies have emerged, significantly increasing sample readout speed and enabling the analysis of large sample sets. These HT-MS platforms continuously acquire data from various samples into a single data file, presenting challenges in applying distinctive data acquisition methods to specific samples. This study introduces a novel approach that integrates real-time sample loading status to activate sample-specific MS/MS data acquisition methods on the high-throughput acoustic ejection mass spectrometry platform. Effective method switching and high signal reproducibility were demonstrated across different data acquisition window durations in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM), high-resolution MRM (MRMHR), and information-dependent acquisition modes. This advancement provides a user-friendly and robust solution to the method-setting challenges of HT-MS, expanding the implementation of HT-MS platforms in drug discovery and other high-throughput analytical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Changes in physiological and biochemical parameters are crucial for the reproductive performance and health of perinatal ewes. However, dynamic changes in feed utilization, rumen fermentation, and serum biochemical indexes of perinatal ewes are unclear. This study aims to explore dynamic changes in dry matter intake, nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, and serum biochemical indexes in perinatal ewes and their relationship with rumen microbiota. We found that the dry matter intake and glucose gradually decreased during prepartum and increased during postpartum. The digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, and acid detergent fiber increased before lambing, and decreased on day 3 after lambing. The concentrations of acetate, propionate, and butyrate gradually decreased before lambing and increased after lambing. The rumen microbiota composition was different in perinatal ewes, and the changes in dry matter intake, serum glucose, acetate, and propionate were related to rumen bacteria (g_Anaerovibrio, g_Lachnobacterium, g_Schwartzia and g_Bacillus). The results provide a basis for the regulation of physiological and biochemical parameters of perinatal ewes by rumen microbiota. Changes in physiological and biochemical parameters are crucial for the reproductive performance and health of perinatal ewes. This study investigated the temporal variations in feed intake, nutrient digestibility, serum parameters, and ruminal fermentation on days 21, 14, and 7 before lambing (Q21, Q14, and Q7) and days 3, 7, and 14 after lambing (H3, H7, and H14). The results showed that dry matter intake (DMI) and glucose (Glu) gradually decreased (p < 0.05) before lambing and increased (p < 0.05) after lambing. The digestibility of dry matter (DMD), crude protein (CPD), and acid detergent fiber (ADFD) increased (p < 0.05) before lambing, then decreased (p < 0.05) on day H3, and then increased (p < 0.05) on day H14. The rumen pH, NH3-N, and triglycerides (TG) gradually increased (p < 0.05) before lambing and were higher (p < 0.05) on day Q7 than after lambing. The concentrations of acetate, butyrate, and total volatile fatty acids (T-VFA) were lower (p < 0.05) on day Q7 than those on days Q21 and Q14, then increased (p < 0.05) after lambing. Total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations gradually decreased (p < 0.05) in perinatal ewes. BHBA and NEFA concentrations were lower (p < 0.05) on day Q21 than those from days Q14 to H14. The rumen microbiota compositions were different (p < 0.05) in perinatal ewes, and g_Anaerovibrio, g_Lachnobacterium, and g_Schwartzia were positively correlated (p < 0.05) with DMI, Glu, acetate, propionate, and T-VFA, and negatively correlated (p < 0.05) with LDL-C. g_Bacillus was negatively correlated (p < 0.05) with DMI, Glu, acetate, propionate, butyrate, and T-VFA, but positively correlated (p < 0.05) with rumen pH and LDL-C. In summary, the DMI, nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, and serum parameters changed during the perinatal period of ewes, and the changes in DMI, serum glucose, acetate, propionate, and T-VFA were related to the rumen bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Intensively managing the use of concentrate supplementation to complement nutrition can increase production costs and reduce producers' income. Considering the frequently large price fluctuations for soybean meal, an alternative is the replacement of local protein sources in ruminant feeding. In this study, we compared the effects of different sources of protein (soybean meal, cottonseed meal, peanut meal, rapeseed meal, and distillers' dried grains with solubles) on the growth, digestibility, and rumen fermentation of growing lambs. Our results showed that when soybean meal was totally replaced with either cottonseed meal, peanut meal, rapeseed meal, or distillers' dried grains with solubles, there was no impact on the average daily gain of growing lambs, but digestibility was reduced. Our study provides a theoretical basis for the rational selection and utilization of proteins from different sources, which helps us to optimize the feeding management of growing lambs. Considering the frequently large price fluctuations for soybean meal, an alternative is the increased use of locally produced high-protein ingredients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the total replacement of soybean meal with different sources of protein on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, serum parameters, rumen fermentation parameters, and bacterial communities in growing lambs. Sixty sheep with similar body weights (38.46 ± 0.71 kg) were distributed to one of five treatments: soybean meal (SBM); cottonseed meal (COM); peanut meal (PEM); rapeseed meal (RAM); and distillers' dried grains with solubles (DDGS). The experiment lasted 62 days with a 10-day adaptation period and a 52-day growing period. The results indicated that the body weight and average daily gain were not affected by different protein sources (p > 0.05), but the dry matter intake of the SBM group was lower than that of the other groups (p < 0.05); otherwise, the feed efficiency was higher (p < 0.05). The digestion of dry matter was higher in the SBM, COM, and RAM groups than in the DDGS and PEM groups (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, compared to the other groups, the SBM group had the highest digestion of gross energy and crude protein (p < 0.05). In addition, the concentration of glutathione peroxidase was highest in the SBM group (p < 0.05). Regarding the rumen fermentation, the SBM group had the highest concentration of NH3-N (p < 0.05). The rumen bacterial community was not affected by treatments (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the total replacement of soybean meal with cottonseed, peanut, rapeseed, or DDGS reduced digestibility but did not impact the body weight or average daily gain of growing lambs and had no effect on the immune function and rumen bacterial community; thus, they can be used to substitute the soybean meal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Abnormal prolactin levels can lead to male infertility. However, the regulation mechanism of prolactin in the epididymis is still unclear. We studied the effects of prolactin on the epididymis function of Yanshan Cashmere bucks using the prolactin inhibitor bromocriptine. The results show that the inhibition of prolactin decreased the serum estradiol concentrations and the expression of the prolactin receptor protein in the epididymis (p < 0.05). The inhibition of prolactin also increased the height of the epididymal epithelium in the caput and cauda, as well as the diameter of the epididymal duct in the caput (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, prolactin inhibition decreased the duct diameter in the epididymal cauda (p < 0.05). Then, transcriptome analyses showed that the differentially expressed genes ESR2, MAPK10, JUN, ACTL7A, and CALML4 were enriched in multiple pathways, including the estrogen signaling pathway, the GnRH signaling pathway, the cAMP signaling pathway, the chemical carcinogenesis–reactive oxygen species pathway, steroid binding, and calcium ion binding, which may be the key genes in the prolactin regulation of epididymal function. This study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of prolactin regulating epididymis function in bucks. Yanshan Cashmere bucks are seasonal breeding animals and an important national genetic resource. This study aimed to investigate the involvement of prolactin (PRL) in the epididymal function of bucks. Twenty eleven-month-old Cashmere bucks were randomly divided into a control (CON) group and a bromocriptine (BCR, a prolactin inhibitor, 0.06 mg/kg body weight (BW)) treatment group. The experiment was conducted from September to October 2020 in Qinhuangdao City, China, and lasted for 30 days. Blood was collected on the last day before the BCR treatment (day 0) and on the 15th and 30th days after the BCR treatment (days 15 and 30). On the 30th day, all bucks were transported to the local slaughterhouse, where epididymal samples were collected immediately after slaughter. The left epididymis was preserved in 4% paraformaldehyde for histological observation, and the right epididymis was immediately preserved in liquid nitrogen for RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). The results show that the PRL inhibitor reduced the serum PRL and estradiol (E2) concentrations (p < 0.05) and tended to decrease luteinizing hormone (LH) concentrations (p = 0.052) by the 30th day, but no differences (p > 0.05) occurred by either day 0 or 15. There were no differences (p > 0.05) observed in the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone (T), and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) concentrations between the two groups. The PRL receptor (PRLR) protein was mainly located in the cytoplasm and intercellular substance of the epididymal epithelial cells. The PRL inhibitor decreased (p < 0.05) the expression of the PRLR protein in the epididymis. In the BCR group, the height of the epididymal epithelium in the caput and cauda increased, as did the diameter of the epididymal duct in the caput (p < 0.05). However, the diameter of the cauda epididymal duct decreased (p < 0.05). Thereafter, a total of 358 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the epididymal tissues, among which 191 were upregulated and 167 were downregulated. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses revealed that ESR2, MAPK10, JUN, ACTL7A, and CALML4 were mainly enriched in the estrogen signaling pathway, steroid binding, calcium ion binding, the GnRH signaling pathway, the cAMP signaling pathway, and the chemical carcinogenesis–reactive oxygen species pathway, which are related to epididymal function. In conclusion, the inhibition of PRL may affect the structure of the epididymis by reducing the expression of the PRLR protein and the secretion of E2. ESR2, MAPK10, JUN, ACTL7A, and CALML4 could be the key genes of PRL in its regulation of epididymal reproductive function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical oxidation of ammonia is an attractive process for wastewater treatment, hydrogen production, and ammonia fuel cells. However, the sluggish kinetics of the anode reaction has limited its applications, leading to a high demand for novel electrocatalysts. Herein, the electrode with the in situ growth of NiCu(OH)2 was partially transformed into the NiCuOOH phase by a pre-treatment using highly oxidative solutions. As revealed by SEM, XPS, and electrochemical analysis, such a strategy maintained the 3D structure, while inducing more active sites before the in situ generation of oxyhydroxide sites during the electrochemical reaction. The optimized NiCuOOH-1 sample exhibited the current density of 6.06 mA cm−2 at 0.5 V, which is 1.67 times higher than that of NiCu(OH)2 (3.63 mA cm−2). Moreover, the sample with a higher crystalline degree of the NiCuOOH phase exhibited lower performance, demonstrating the importance of a moderate treatment condition. In addition, the NiCuOOH-1 sample presented low selectivity (<20%) towards NO2− and stable activity during the long-term operation. The findings of this study would provide valuable insights into the development of transition metal electrocatalysts for ammonia oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Treatment options for idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease (iMCD) are currently limited, especially for patients who do not respond or are resistant to interleukin‐6 inhibitors. For the first time, we innovatively designed a protocol using rituximab–bortezomib–dexamethasone (RVD) as first‐line consolidation therapy in patients newly diagnosed with iMCD. Furthermore, we adopted a no‐maintenance treatment strategy to simplify post‐remission care. Five patients with iMCD were enrolled (including one with TAFRO syndrome) and underwent the RVD regimen, all of whom achieved partial response (PR) or better. After four cycles of RVD, three (60%) patients achieved PR, while one (20%) achieved a complete response. These five patients, who achieved PR or better, discontinued treatment but remained stable for a median follow‐up of 11 months, with a duration of response of 7, 7, 10, 12 and 13 months, respectively. None of the patients experienced grade ≥3 adverse events during the observation period. Collectively, these findings demonstrated that the RVD regimen may be a promising treatment option for patients with iMCD. It was a safe and effective approach that resulted in lasting responses without the need for ongoing maintenance therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MALAT1 is one of the most hopeful members implicated in angiogenesis in a variety of non-malignant diseases. In multiple myeloma (MM), MALAT1 is recognized as the most highly expressed long non-coding RNA. However, the functional roles of MALAT1 in angiogenesis and the responsible mechanisms have not yet been explored. Herein, we discovered a novel regulatory network dependent on MALAT1 in relation to MM tumorigenesis and angiogenesis. We observed that MALAT1 was upregulated in MM and significantly associated with poor overall survival. MALAT1 knockdown suppressed MM cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis, while restricting endothelial cells angiogenesis. Moreover, MALAT1 directly targeted microRNA-15a/16, and microRNA-15a/16 suppression partly reverted the effects of MALAT1 deletion on MM cells in vitro as well as tumor growth and angiogenesis in vivo. In addition, further study indicated that MALAT1 functioned as a competing endogenous RNA for microRNA-15a/16 to regulate vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) expression. Our results suggest that MALAT1 plays an important role in the regulatory axis of microRNA-15a/16–VEGFA to promote tumorigenicity and angiogenesis in MM. Consequently, MALAT1 could serve as a novel promising biomarker and a potential antiangiogenic target against MM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of studies have found that the difficulty in social interactive behaviors and recognize items are two core syndromes of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) children. Previous research has found that ASD children paid more attention to robots comparing to people.Intervention programs with robots as instructors or partners were also proved to be effective in improving ASD children’s social skills.Yet, few studies find robot intervention works in ASD children training.So research explore the possibility of apply such intervention programs into product design.The present study aimed at involving an animated character of robot in an application (APP) of intervention program to facilitate ASD children’s learning of social interactive skills.In order to achieve the goal, a training system based on sensory integration training was established by the design software of Sketch.Augmented Reality (AR) technology was used to create a multi-modal interactive environment of the APP.The present study is among the first attempt to apply sensory integration training in APP design, aiming at promoting social and cognitive performance in ASD children.

Colonization of gastrointestinal microbiota in mammals during early life is vital to host health. The objective of this study was to investigate whether lambs with high and low ADG have a different rumen and rectum microbial community. Thus, we investigated potential relationships between rumen and rectum microbiota and average daily gain (ADG) in weaned lambs. Sixteen lambs with similar body weights (7.63 ± 1.18 kg) were selected at 30 days of age. At 60 days of age, lambs were weaned, and ADG was calculated from 60 to 90 days. Then, two groups were generated: higher ADG (HG, 134.17 ± 13.48 g/day) and lower ADG (LG, 47.50 ± 19.51 g/day). Microbiota was evaluated at 30, 60, and 90 days of age. The final live weight and ADG at 90 days of age was higher (p < 0.05) in the HG group compared to the LG group. The maturity of bacterial and fungal communities was increased (p < 0.05) in the HG group for the 30 days vs. 90 days comparison and 60 days vs. 90 days comparison. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis revealed a total of 18 bacterial biomarkers that are ADG-specific in the rumen and 35 bacterial biomarkers in the rectum. Meanwhile, 15 fungal biomarkers were found in the rumen and 8 biomarkers were found in the rectum. Our findings indicated that ADG is related to the rumen and rectum microbiota in lambs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anammox process is considered as a revolutionary new denitrification technology. In this study, the anammox process was started in a single-stage moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) and the mechanism of excess removal of ammonia nitrogen was studied. At stage I (day 0–51), anammox bacteria (AnAOB) was enriched by feeding synthetic sewage without adding organic carbon. The removal rate of ammonia nitrogen was maintained at about 54% and the removal rate of total inorganic nitrogen was maintained at about 62%. At stage II (day 52–91), internal circulation was added into the MBBR. After adding internal circulation, the ammonium removal efficiency reached about 96% (at day 56) and the total nitrogen removal efficiency reached about 86%. At day 90, the biofilm sample was drowned out for high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that the relative abundance of AnAOB was 23.23%. The dominant anammox genus was Candidatus Brocadia. The relative abundance of Nitrosomonas (ammonia oxidizing bacteria, AOB) was 0.63%. The excess ammonia nitrogen was removed by AOB and AnAOB through the partial nitrification and anammox (PNA) process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Despite its efficacy, emerging concerns exist regarding radiation therapy (RT)-associated toxicity in adolescent and young adult (AYA) lymphoma patients. However, the most current research studying the association between RT and outcome is based only on groups of lymphoma patients and is not compared with the general population, which could more accurately reveal the impact of RT on outcomes. This population-based analysis showed that after adjusting for potential confounders, RT administration is associated with a low risk of cause-specific mortality, including death due to the original diagnosis, second malignant neoplasms (SMNs), and noncancer causes, among AYA patients with lymphoma. This analysis may play a guiding role in the design of future lymphoma studies and the formulation of healthcare policies regarding the widespread use of RT, especially for AYA survivors. Background: Despite its efficacy, emerging concerns exist regarding radiation therapy (RT)-associated toxicity in adolescent and young adult (AYA) lymphoma patients. Few long-term follow-up studies have examined the association between RT and outcomes. Methods: Lymphoma patients aged 15–39 years were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database from 1992 to 2016. Mortality was assessed by comparing those with and without RT using the Fine–Gray competing risk model. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were used to assess the relative risk of death compared with the general U.S. population. Results: In total, 29,686 patients were included; 10,708 (36.07%) received RT. Cause-specific mortality was compared between patients with and without RT while considering other competing events, including death due to index cancer, second malignant neoplasms (SMNs), and noncancer causes. Patients with RT had a lower probability of death and crude 5-year cumulative incidence of death. Moreover, there were significantly lower SMRs in patients with RT than in patients without RT. Differences between the two groups were greatest for mortality due to hematological malignancies and infections. Additionally, in the RT cohort, the SMR for index-cancer-related death was highest in the first year after diagnosis and gradually decreased. Hematological malignancies and infections were the most common specific SMN and noncancer causes of death, respectively. Conclusions: RT did not increase mortality from index cancer, SMNs, or noncancer causes in AYA patients with lymphoid malignancies. The current analysis may serve as a reference for healthcare providers monitoring RT application for AYA lymphoid malignancy survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rumen microbiota is vital for the health and growth performance of the host animal, mainly due to its role in the fermentation of ingested feed within the rumen. Attaining a better understanding of the development of the bacterial community and fermentation in the rumen can provide the theoretical basis for regulating feed utilization. This study analyzed the development of rumen bacteria in lambs from birth to 4 months of age using 16S-rRNA amplicon sequencing data and studied its relationship with ruminal fermentation. Serum levels of metabolites were monitored at 30, 60, 90, and 120 days of age, and the RandomForest approach was used to determine age-related changes in rumen bacteria. Levels of blood metabolites, ruminal fermentation, the rumen bacterial community and its functions were all affected by the age of the lambs (P < 0.05). Based on the Bray-Curtis distance within the age groups of the rumen microbiota, the similarity increased sharply after the lambs were weaned at 60 days of age (P < 0.05). The similarity between the samples collected from birth to 90 days of age and those collected at 120 days of age, increased after 20 days of age, reaching a maximum at 90 days vs. 120 days (P < 0.05). Some age-associated changes in the microbial genera were correlated with changes in the concentrations of volatile fatty acids and the levels of microbial crude protein in the rumen, including positive correlations between main volatile fatty acids and the genera of Prevotella 1 , Lachnospiraceae NK3A20 group , Ruminococcus gauvreauii group , Ruminococcaceae UCG-014 , and Ruminococcus 2 (P < 0.05). These results indicated that the microbial community and the function of rumen was not well-established before 20 days of age, so there is a degree of plasticity in the rumen bacterial community during the first 20 days of post-natal development in lambs, and this might provide an opportunity for interventions to improve rumen fermentation and, thus, increase their growth performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The incidence of Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) has increased in certain groups over several decades in the United States. It is unclear whether the increasing incidence is associated with mortality trends. Methods: The incidence and incidence-based mortality (IBM) rates were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (1980–2016) with SEER*Stat software. The secular trends stratified by demographic characteristics were analyzed by joinpoint regression. Results: The incidence of WM showed an initial rapid increase from 1980 to 1993 {annual percentage change (APC), 14.1% [95% confidence interval (CI), 10 to 18.4%]}, whereas it began to stabilize from 1993 to 2016 [APC, 0.5% (95% CI, −0.3 to 1.3%)]. The WM IBM trend followed a similar pattern, with a decrease occurring around 1994. The trends in the incidence and mortality significantly differed according to geographic location, race, age, sex, primary site of involvement and subtype, which could help in further investigations into the specific etiology. Moreover, a dramatic increase in the 5-year survival rate from the 1980s to 2010s was observed (47.84 vs. 69.41%). Conclusions: Although both the incidence and IBM of WM continued to increase during the study period, a reduction in the rate of increase occurred around 1993. We believe that further advances in healthcare delivery and research can ensure a low mortality rate. Future studies can use the findings of this paper to monitor the results of WM therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: DLBCL is the most commonly occurring type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which may be found at various extranodal sites. But little is known about the particular trends of extranodal DLBCL. Methods: A total of 15,882 extranodal DLBCL patients were included in incidence analysis from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (1973–2015). The joinpoint regression software was used to calculate the annual percent change (APC) in rates. Nomograms were established by R software to predict overall survival (OS). Results: The extranodal DLBCL incidence continued to rise at a rate of 1.6% (95% CI, 0.4–2.8, p < 0.001) per year over the study period, until it declined around 2003. The incidence-based mortality trend of extranodal DLBCL had a similar pattern, with a decrease happening around 1993. Five-year survival rates improved dramatically from the 1970s to 2010s (44.15 vs. 63.7%), and the most obvious increase occurred in DLBCL patients with primary site in the head/neck. The C-index showed a value for OS of 0.708, which validated the nomograms performed well and were able to forecast the prognosis of patients with extranodal DLBCL. The calibration curves showed satisfactory consistency between true values and predicted values for 1-, 5-, and 10-year overall survival, respectively. Conclusions: The incidence and incidence-based mortality of extranodal DLBCL had been increasing for decades, followed by a promising downward trend in recent years. These findings may help scientists identify disease-related risk factors and better manage the disease. The prediction signature cloud identifies high-risk patients who should receive effective therapies to prevent the fatal nature of this disease, and low-risk patients to reduce over-treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• TOC/TN ratio of 0.1 is suitable for organotrophic anammox bacteria enrichment. • CW sediment is a proper source for organotrophic anammox bacteria enrichment. • Candidatus Brocadia caroliniensis was successfully enriched in 40 days. Organotrophic anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) bacteria can utilize small volatile fatty acids with nitrate as electron acceptors with less energy consumption and no biomass production. To achieve a faster and stable start-up of organotrophic anammox process, in this study, the growth of organotrophic anammox bacteria seeded from hybrid constructed wetland (CW) sediment under different TOC/TN ratios and different chloramphenicol concentrations were investigated. The incubation study was conducted at the TOC/TN ratio = 0.0375–0.1 or 0.1–0.2 for the period of over five months by using serum bottles. The anammox bacteria revealed a higher activity when the TOC/TN ratio was 0.1, with the removal efficiency of NH 4 +-N (60–80%) and NO 2 −-N (~100%). The relative abundances of anammox in the incubated CW sediment were about 30% higher in comparison with the municipal waste water treatment plant sludge, suggesting the CW sediment could be a viable source for the enrichment of organotrophic anammox bacteria. On the contrary, the continuous addition of 50 mg/L chloramphenicol completely inhibited the anammox activity in our study. Following the results of the batch tests, Candidatus Brocadia caroliniensis was successfully enriched with the CW sediment in an auto-controlled SBR for the period of 40 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the experimental data from the ALICE program on the centrality dependence of the transverse momentum (pT) spectra in Pb+Pb collisions at sNN=2.76 TeV, we show that the double-Tsallis distribution and the generalized Fokker-Planck (FP) solution cannot describe the spectra of pions, kaons, and protons from central to peripheral collisions in the entire pT region, simultaneously. Hence, a new two-component distribution, which is a hydrodynamic extension of the generalized FP solution accounting for the collective motion effect in heavy-ion collisions, is proposed in order to reproduce all the identified particle spectra. Our results suggest that the particle production dynamics may be different for different particles, especially at very low pT region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organotrophic anammox is a promising process for treating both nitrogen and organic containing wastewater than that of the traditional autotrophic anammox for sole nitrogen removal. However pathways of nitrogen removal particularly at metagenomic level in both processes are still unknown. Here we report, metabolic pathways of nitrogen removal in two lab-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBR), one autotrophic and another organotrophic (TOC/TN = 0.1) anammox bacteria incubated over 220 days. Both reactors showed satisfactory nitrogen removal with 840.31 mg N/L.d and 786.81 mg N/L.d for autotrophic and organotrophic anammox reactors respectively. Four anammox species namely Candidatus B. fulgida , B. sinica, J. caeni and Candidatus K. stuttgartiensis were identified in both reactors. The Candidatus K. stuttgartiensis (4%) was dominant in autotrophic reactor whereas Candidatus J. caeni (10%) in the organotrophic reactor. The supply of organic promoted the growth of anammox bacteria more than three times higher than that of the autotrophic anammox reactor. The functional genes related to the DNRA pathway was obtained in all anammox species except for Candidatus K. stuttgartiensis. The co-existence of other DNRA (Armatimonadetes and Thauera) and partial denitrifying bacteria (Chloroflexi) was also found in both reactors. Moreover, functional genes related to acetate metabolism by acetyl-CoA way were obtained in all anammox bacteria except Candidatus B. fulgida which showed alternative ackA/Pac-t pathways in organic anammox reactor. Overall current results suggest that the anammox, DNRA and partial denitrification were the key nitrogen transformation pathways, particularly in organotrophic anammox reactor. Our findings will improve understanding of the practical application of organotrophic anammox for wider wastewater treatment. • Organotrophic anammox started faster than autotrophic anammox (40 days vs 60 days). • Ca. J. caeni was more advantageous with acetate (TOC/TN = 0.1). • DNRA was observed in all anammox species except for Ca. K. stuttgartiensis. • Ca. B. fulgida use acetate by ackA/Pac-t way while other three use acetyl-CoA way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corrigendum: Trends in Incidence and Mortality of Waldenström Macroglobulinemia: A Population-Based Study Keywords: Waldenström macroglobulinemia; surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER); incidence; incidence-based mortality; epidemiology; survival EN Waldenström macroglobulinemia surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) incidence incidence-based mortality epidemiology survival N.PAG N.PAG 1 02/22/21 20210218 NES 210218 In the published article, there was an incorrect expression of affiliation 1. Waldenström macroglobulinemia, surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER), incidence, incidence-based mortality, epidemiology, survival. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction: Pregnancy toxemia (PT) is a nutritional metabolic disease of ewes in late pregnancy. This study aimed to reveal the relationship between rumen microbiota and PT., Methods: We selected 10 healthy ewes (CON) and 10 pregnancy toxemia ewes (PT) at 135 days of gestation according to the blood β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), glucose (Glu) concentrations and clinical symptoms. Blood and rumen fluid were collected before morning feeding to determine serum biochemical indices and rumen fermentation parameters. Total DNA of rumen fluid was extracted and the V3-V4 regions of 16S rRNA were amplified by PCR for high-throughput sequencing., Results: The results showed that the serum concentrations of Glu, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), uric acid (UA), creatinine (Cr), acetate, propionate, butyrate, and microbial crude protein (MCP) were decreased ( p  < 0.05) and the concentrations of BHBA, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), acetate to propionate ratio (A/P), and ammonia nitrogen (NH 3 -N)were higher ( p  < 0.05) in PT ewes than those in CON ewes. 16S rRNA analysis showed the differences of β-diversity were observed in rumen microbiota between CON and PT ewes. At the phylum level, the relative abundance of Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria were higher ( p  < 0.01), while Firmicutes was lower ( p  < 0.01) in PT ewes. At the genus level, the relative Prevotella , Butyrivibrio , Ruminococcus , Lachnospiraceae&#95;AC2044&#95;group , Lachnospiraceae&#95;XPB1014&#95;group , Lachnospiraceae&#95;ND3007&#95;group , and Oribacterium were lower ( p  < 0.01) in PT ewes. Meanwhile, the relative abundance of Oribacterium, Butyrivibrio, Ruminococcus, and Lachnospiraceae&#95;AC2044&#95;group were positively correlated ( p  < 0.01) with Glu, INS, acetate, propionate, and butyrate, and negatively correlated ( p  < 0.01) with BHBA, P, GC, AST, and A/P., Discussion: In conclusion, the decrease of Oribacterium , Butyrivibrio, Ruminococcus , and Lachnospiraceae&#95;AC2044&#95;group in the rumen of PT ewes reduced the concentrations of volatile fatty acids (acetate, propionate, and butyrate) and serum Glu, and increased BHBA concentration, indicating that the differences in rumen bacteria genera were related to pregnancy toxemia of ewes., 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 © 2024 Chen, Wang, Yin, Duan, Li, Liu and Zhang.)

Changes in physiological and biochemical parameters are crucial for the reproductive performance and health of perinatal ewes. This study investigated the temporal variations in feed intake, nutrient digestibility, serum parameters, and ruminal fermentation on days 21, 14, and 7 before lambing (Q21, Q14, and Q7) and days 3, 7, and 14 after lambing (H3, H7, and H14). The results showed that dry matter intake (DMI) and glucose (Glu) gradually decreased ( p < 0.05) before lambing and increased ( p < 0.05) after lambing. The digestibility of dry matter (DMD), crude protein (CPD), and acid detergent fiber (ADFD) increased ( p < 0.05) before lambing, then decreased ( p < 0.05) on day H3, and then increased ( p < 0.05) on day H14. The rumen pH, NH 3 -N, and triglycerides (TG) gradually increased ( p < 0.05) before lambing and were higher ( p < 0.05) on day Q7 than after lambing. The concentrations of acetate, butyrate, and total volatile fatty acids (T-VFA) were lower ( p < 0.05) on day Q7 than those on days Q21 and Q14, then increased ( p < 0.05) after lambing. Total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations gradually decreased ( p < 0.05) in perinatal ewes. BHBA and NEFA concentrations were lower ( p < 0.05) on day Q21 than those from days Q14 to H14. The rumen microbiota compositions were different ( p < 0.05) in perinatal ewes, and g&#95;Anaerovibrio , g&#95;Lachnobacterium , and g&#95;Schwartzia were positively correlated ( p < 0.05) with DMI, Glu, acetate, propionate, and T-VFA, and negatively correlated ( p < 0.05) with LDL-C. g&#95;Bacillus was negatively correlated ( p < 0.05) with DMI, Glu, acetate, propionate, butyrate, and T-VFA, but positively correlated ( p < 0.05) with rumen pH and LDL-C. In summary, the DMI, nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, and serum parameters changed during the perinatal period of ewes, and the changes in DMI, serum glucose, acetate, propionate, and T-VFA were related to the rumen bacteria.

Yanshan Cashmere bucks are seasonal breeding animals and an important national genetic resource. This study aimed to investigate the involvement of prolactin (PRL) in the epididymal function of bucks. Twenty eleven-month-old Cashmere bucks were randomly divided into a control (CON) group and a bromocriptine (BCR, a prolactin inhibitor, 0.06 mg/kg body weight (BW)) treatment group. The experiment was conducted from September to October 2020 in Qinhuangdao City, China, and lasted for 30 days. Blood was collected on the last day before the BCR treatment (day 0) and on the 15th and 30th days after the BCR treatment (days 15 and 30). On the 30th day, all bucks were transported to the local slaughterhouse, where epididymal samples were collected immediately after slaughter. The left epididymis was preserved in 4% paraformaldehyde for histological observation, and the right epididymis was immediately preserved in liquid nitrogen for RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). The results show that the PRL inhibitor reduced the serum PRL and estradiol (E2) concentrations ( p < 0.05) and tended to decrease luteinizing hormone (LH) concentrations ( p = 0.052) by the 30th day, but no differences ( p > 0.05) occurred by either day 0 or 15. There were no differences ( p > 0.05) observed in the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone (T), and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) concentrations between the two groups. The PRL receptor (PRLR) protein was mainly located in the cytoplasm and intercellular substance of the epididymal epithelial cells. The PRL inhibitor decreased ( p < 0.05) the expression of the PRLR protein in the epididymis. In the BCR group, the height of the epididymal epithelium in the caput and cauda increased, as did the diameter of the epididymal duct in the caput ( p < 0.05). However, the diameter of the cauda epididymal duct decreased ( p < 0.05). Thereafter, a total of 358 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the epididymal tissues, among which 191 were upregulated and 167 were downregulated. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses revealed that ESR2 , MAPK10 , JUN , ACTL7A , and CALML4 were mainly enriched in the estrogen signaling pathway, steroid binding, calcium ion binding, the GnRH signaling pathway, the cAMP signaling pathway, and the chemical carcinogenesis-reactive oxygen species pathway, which are related to epididymal function. In conclusion, the inhibition of PRL may affect the structure of the epididymis by reducing the expression of the PRLR protein and the secretion of E2. ESR2 , MAPK10 , JUN , ACTL7A , and CALML4 could be the key genes of PRL in its regulation of epididymal reproductive function.

Idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease (iMCD) is a rare and cytokine storm-driven inflammatory disorder. The exact cause of iMCD is still unknown, although several hypotheses have been proposed. However, regardless of the underlying cause, the ultimate result is the activation of the inflammatory pathway, which can lead to damage in multiple organs. Currently, there have been several reports highlighting the intricate link between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and iMCD. To better understand the impact of COVID-19-induced immune storm on iMCD, we conducted a multicenter retrospective study in three hospitals in China. A total of 28 patients with iMCD were included, among whom 25 had confirmed COVID-19 infection, and we presented 4 cases that showed different disease progression after the infection of COVID-19, including 2 who did not receive any treatment for Castleman disease before. Our findings underscore the necessity of carefully monitoring iMCD patients with COVID-19 and promptly intervening to address any changes in their condition. Besides, this study also summarized the shared cytokines between COVID-19 and iMCD. Recent studies have shown promising results in treating severe COVID-19 and iMCD using tocilizumab, an interleukin-6 receptor antagonist. Therefore, it suggests that other potential cytokine storm therapy targets that have been effective in COVID-19 may also be explored for the treatment of iMCD., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (© The Author(s), 2024.)

Prolactin has multifaceted roles in lactation, growth, metabolism, osmoregulation, behavior, and the reproduction of animals. This study aimed to investigate the involvement of prolactin in testicular function in cashmere goats. Twenty cashmere goats were randomly assigned to either the control group (CON) or the bromocriptine treatment group (BCR, bromocriptine, prolactin inhibitor). Blood and testis samples collected for analysis after 30 days of treatment. The results indicated that, compared with the CON group, BCR significantly decreased ( p  < 0.05) the serum concentrations of prolactin, and significantly increased ( p  < 0.05) the levels of testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) on day 30. The serum level of the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) was not affected ( p  > 0.05) by the treatment. The mean seminiferous tubule diameter and spermatogenic epithelium thickness were increased ( p  < 0.05) in the BCR group. Subsequently, we performed RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis to identify the key genes and pathways associated with the regulation of spermatogenesis or testosterone secretion function. A total of 142 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified (91 were upregulated, 51 were downregulated). Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) revealed that the DEGs were mainly involved in the extracellular matrix (ECM), hippo, and steroid hormone biosynthesis, which are related to testicular function. The expression of the genes SULT2B1 , CYP3A24 , and CYP3A74 in the steroid hormone biosynthesis pathway significantly increased ( p  < 0.05) in the BCR group, which was validated by qRT-PCR. These results provide a basis for understanding the mechanisms underlying the regulation of testicular function by prolactin in cashmere goats., 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 Chen, Duan, Yin, Li, Liu, Zhang, Yue, Zhang and Liu.)

Background: Insomnia disorder (ID) seriously affects the quality of people's daily life, and acupuncture is an effective therapy for it. As an essential component of the upward activation system, the locus coeruleus (LC) plays a crucial role in sleep-wake regulation, its aberrant functional connectivity (FC) is found to be involved in ID. The purpose of this study was to explore the modulation effect of acupuncture on the resting state FC of LC in ID patients., Methods: 60 ID patients were recruited and randomly assigned to real acupuncture (RA) or sham acupuncture (SA) treatment. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were collected before and after the treatment. With LC as the region of interest, the FC method was adopted to examine acupuncture-related modulation of intrinsic connectivity in ID patients. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Hyperarousal Scale (HAS), and actigraphy were used to assess sleep quality and cortical hyperarousal states. Associations between clinical outcomes and FC features were calculated using Pearson's correlation analysis., Results: The improvement in sleep quality and hyperarousal in the RA group was greater than that in the SA group. After treatment, the FC between the LC and left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) decreased in the RA group. The FC between the LC and left insula and supramarginal gyrus (SMG) was higher in the RA group. The change of LC FC values with the SMG was negatively associated with the change in PSQI scores., Conclusion: Acupuncture can modulate FC between the LC and IFG, insular gyrus, and SMG. This may imply the potential mechanism of acupuncture treatment for insomnia., 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 Chen, Jiang, Yin, Li, Tan and Guo.)

Background: Recent studies have reported that diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) involving different primary extranodal sites have distinct clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis. However, the risk of secondary malignant neoplasms (SMNs) in DLBCL survivors with different primary extranodal sites are unknown., Methods: A total of 40,714 patients diagnosed with stage I/II DLBCL were included from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 1983 to 2015.The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) and absolute excess risk (AER) were used to assess the risk of SMNs., Results: The results show that the risk of SMN was significantly higher in extranodal DLBCL than in the US general population (SIR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.11-1.26), and the risk of developing SMN remains significantly elevated with increased latency. Moreover, there were multiple site-specific risk patterns. There was a 22%, 44%, 66%, 123% and 151% increased risk of SMN 10 years after primary gastrointestinal tract, head/neck, skeletal, lung and liver/pancreas DLBCL diagnosis, respectively. There was a significant decrease risk of SMN with increasing age at diagnosis for primary gastrointestinal tract and skeletal DLBCL. In addition, DLBCL patients with primary sites in the gastrointestinal tract, thyroid and liver/pancreas had the highest incidences of secondary stomach cancer, second thyroid cancer, and second hepatobiliary cancer, respectively, which indicated that the initial site of DLBCL may predict the type of SMN., Conclusions: The strategies for cancer surveillance after extranodal DLBCL diagnosis may need to be individualized according to the subsite of extranodal DLBCL., 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 © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Aquaporin 1 (AQP-1), a transmembrane water channel protein, has been proven to involve in many diseases' progression and prognosis. This research aims to explore the prognostic value of AQP-1 in elderly cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemia (CN-AML). Methods: Complete clinical and expression data of 226 elderly patients (aged > 60) with cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemia (CN-AML) were downloaded from the databases of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). We have explored prognostic significance of AQP-1, investigated the underlying mechanism, and developed a novel scoring system for the risk assessment of elderly patients with AML based on AQP1 methylation. Results: In the first and second independent group, AQP1 shows lower expression in CN-AML than normal people, while high AQP1 expression and AQP1 promoter hypomethylation were related to better overall survival (OS; P < 0.05). To understand the underlying mechanisms, we investigated differentially expressed genes (DEGs), miRNA and lncRNA associated with AQP1 methylation. A three-gene prognostic signature based on AQP1 methylation which was highly correlated with OS was established, and the performance was validated by Permutation Test and Leave-one-out Cross Validation method. Furthermore, an independent cohort was used to verify the prognostic value of this model. Conclusions: AQP1 methylation could serve as an independent prognostic biomarker in elderly CN-AML, and may provide new insights for the diagnosis and treatment for elderly CN-AML patients., (Copyright © 2020 Yin, Huang, Huang, Xu, Fan, Luo, Yan, Chen, Sun and Hu.)