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BackgroundEpicutaneo-cava catheter (ECC) is an ideal venous access for very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. However, because veins of VLBW infants are thin, ECC catheter is difficult to insert, and the success rate of puncture is low. This study aimed to use ECC with 24G indwelling needles to improve the outcomes of VLBW infants.MethodsThis retrospective study enrolled 121 VLBW infants (birthweight ResultsThere were no significant differences in gender, age, and body weight between the two groups on the day of ECC insertion and venipuncture site. It can be seen through model analysis that the success rate of first-attempt cannulation of ECC in the indwelling needle group was significantly higher than in the conventional technique group. In contrast, average catheterization time and catheterization-related bleeding risk in the indwelling needle group were significantly lower than in the conventional technique group (p = 0.00,and 0.00, respectively). Infection during catheter placement, indwelling catheter duration and catheter-related infection between the two groups (p > 0.05).ConclusionApplication of ECC with 24G indwelling needles in VLBW infants can improve the success rate of first attempt cannulation of ECC, reduce the time of catheterization and the risk of bleeding, which may be popularized for widespread application.

Purpose:Both EGFR and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways have been used as therapeutically actionable targets, but resistance is frequently reported. In this report, we show that enrichment of the cancer stem cell (CSC) subsets and dysregulation of Notch signaling underlie the challenges to therapy and describe the development of bispecific antibodies targeting both HER and Notch signaling.Experimental Design:We utilized cell-based models to study Notch signaling in drug-induced CSC expansion. Both cancer cell line models and patient-derived xenograft tumors were used to evaluate the antitumor effects of bispecific antibodies. Cell assays, flow cytometry, qPCR, and in vivo serial transplantation assays were employed to investigate the mechanisms of action and pharmacodynamic readouts.Results:We found that EGFR/Notch targeting bispecific antibodies exhibited a notable antistem cell effect in both in vitro and in vivo assays. Bispecific antibodies delayed the occurrence of acquired resistance to EGFR inhibitors in triple-negative breast cancer cell line–based models and showed efficacy in patient-derived xenografts. Moreover, the EGFR/Notch bispecific antibody PTG12 in combination with GDC-0941 exerted a stronger antitumor effect than the combined therapy of PI3K inhibitor with EGFR inhibitors or tarextumab in a broad spectrum of epithelial tumors. Mechanistically, bispecific antibody treatment inhibits the stem cell–like subpopulation, reduces tumor-initiating cell frequency, and downregulates the mesenchymal gene expression.Conclusions:These findings suggest that the coblockade of EGFR and Notch signaling has the potential to increase the response to PI3K inhibition, and PTG12 may gain clinical efficacy when combined with PI3K blockage in cancer treatment.

Supplementary methods, Supplementary figures and tables

Feature matching is a fundamental and important task in many applications of remote sensing and photogrammetry. Remote sensing images often involve complex spatial relationships due to the ground relief variations and imaging viewpoint changes. Therefore, using a pre-defined geometrical model will probably lead to inferior matching accuracy. In order to find good correspondences, we propose a simple yet efficient deep learning network, which we term the ``local structure visualization-attention'' network (LSV-ANet). Our main aim is to transform outlier detection into a dynamic visual similarity evaluation. Specifically, we first map the local spatial distribution into a regular grid as descriptor LSV, and then customized a spatial SCale Attention (SCA) module and a spatial STructure Attention (STA) module, which explicitly allows structure manipulation and scale selection of LSV within the network. Finally, the embedded SCA and STA deduce optimal LSV for solving feature matching task by training the LSV-ANet end-to-end. In order to demonstrate the robustness and universality of our LSV-ANet, extensive experiments on various real image pairs for general feature matching are conducted and compared against eight state-of-the-art methods. The experiment results demonstrate the superiority of our method over state of the art.

By diazonium chemistry, nitrobenzene groups have been introduced to graphene oxide membranes as interlayer pillars like the surface oxygen-containing functional groups.

Seed-borne bacterial pathogens cause severe yield loss and biotoxin contamination in rice, leading to increasing concern on the global food supply and environmental safety. Plant native microbes play an important role in defending against diseases, but their actions are often influenced by the chemical fungicides applied in the field. Here, Bacillus licheniformis mmj was isolated from rice spikelet, which uniquely showed not only fungicide-responsiveness but also broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against major rice bacterial pathogens including Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, Burkholderia plantarii and Burkholderia glumae. To understand the hallmark underlying the environmental adaptation and antimicrobial activity of B. licheniformis mmj, the genome sequence was determined by SMRT and subjected to bioinformatics analysis. Genome sequence analysis enabled the identification of a set of antimicrobial-resistance and antibacterial activity genes together with an array of harsh environment-adaptive genes. Moreover, B. licheniformis mmj metabolites were analyzed with gas chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, and the volatile components that were linked with the antimicrobial activity were preliminarily profiled. Collectively, the present findings reveal the genomic and metabolic landscapes underlying fungicide-responsive B. licheniformis, which offers a new opportunity to design harsh environment-adaptive biopesticides to cope with prevalent bacterial phytopathogens.

Simple summaryDetecting deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) in patients with colorectal cancer is essential for clinical decision-making, including evaluation of prognosis, guidance of adjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy, and primary screening for Lynch syndrome. However, outside of tertiary care centers, existing detection methods are not widely disseminated and highly depend on the experienced pathologist. Therefore, it is of great clinical significance to develop a broadly accessible and low-cost tool for dMMR prediction, particularly prior to surgery. In this study, we developed a convenient and reliable model for predicting dMMR status in CRC patients on routine preoperative characterization utilizing multiple machine learning algorithms. This model will work as an automated screening tool for identifying patients suitable for mismatch repair testing and consequently for improving the detection rate of dMMR, while reducing unnecessary labor and cost in patients with proficient mismatch repair.BackgroundDeficient mismatch repair (dMMR) indicates a sustained anti-tumor immune response and has a favorable prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Although all CRC patients are recommended to undergo dMMR testing after surgery, current diagnostic approaches are not available for all country hospitals and patients. Therefore, efficient and low-cost predictive models for dMMR, especially for preoperative evaluations, are warranted.MethodsA large scale of 5596 CRC patients who underwent surgical resection and mismatch repair testing were enrolled and randomly divided into training and validation cohorts. The clinical features exploited for predicting dMMR comprised the demographic characteristics, preoperative laboratory data, and tumor burden information. Machine learning (ML) methods involving eight basic algorithms, ensemble learning methods, and fusion algorithms were adopted with 10-fold cross-validation, and their performance was evaluated based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and calibration curves. The clinical net benefits were assessed using a decision curve analysis (DCA), and a nomogram was developed to facilitate model clinical practicality.ResultsAll models achieved an AUC of nearly 0.80 in the validation cohort, with the stacking model exhibiting the best performance (AUC = 0.832). Logistical DCA revealed that the stacking model yielded more clinical net benefits than the conventional regression models. In the subgroup analysis, the stacking model also predicted dMMR regardless of the clinical stage. The nomogram showed a favorable consistence with the actual outcome in the calibration curve.ConclusionWith the aid of ML algorithms, we developed a novel and robust model for predicting dMMR in CRC patients with satisfactory discriminative performance and designed a user-friendly and convenient nomogram.

In China, citrus Huanglongbing (HLB) disease is caused by the Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus bacterium, which is carried by the Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri Kuwayama. It was hypothesized that the epidemic of the HLB may related with the rate of bacterium presence in the insect vector and bacterium content in plant tissues, as well as the phyllosphere microbe communities changes. This study systematically analyzed the presence or absence of Ca. L. asiaticus in citrus tree leaves and in the insect vector D. citri over a 6-year period using real-time PCR. In addition, changes in the number of bacteria carried by D. citri over 12 months were quantified, as well as the relationship between the proportion of D. citri carrying Ca. L. asiaticus and the proportion of plants infected with Ca. L. asiaticus were analyzed. Results showed that the proportion of D. citri carrying bacteria was stable and relatively low from January to September. The bacteria in citrus leaves relatively low in spring and summer, then peaked in December. The proportion of D. citri carrying bacteria gradually declined from 2014 to 2019. The proportion of D. citri carrying Ca. L. asiaticus showed a significant positive correlation with the proportion of diseased citrus. The phyllosphere bacterial and fungal communities on the healthy citrus leaf were significantly different with the disease leaf in April and December. Pathogenic invasions change the citrus phyllosphere microbial community structure. It could be summarized that citrus Huanglongbing correlated with incidence of Diaphorina citri carrying Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus and citrus phyllosphere microbiome.

BACKGROUND Men who have sex with men (MSM) in China are disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic, and medication adherence to antiretroviral treatment in this vulnerable population is suboptimal. To address this issue, we developed an app-based case management service with multiple components, informed by the Information Motivation Behavioral skills model. OBJECTIVE We aimed to conduct a process evaluation for the implementation of an innovative app-based intervention guided by the Linnan and Steckler framework. METHODS Process evaluation was performed alongside a randomized controlled trial in the largest HIV clinic in Guangzhou, China. Eligible participants were HIV-positive MSM aged ≥18 years planning to initiate treatment on the day of recruitment. The app-based intervention had 4 components: web-based communication with case managers, educational articles, supportive service information (eg, information on mental health care and rehabilitation service), and hospital visit reminders. Process evaluation indicators of the intervention include dose delivered, dose received, fidelity, and satisfaction. The behavioral outcome was adherence to antiretroviral treatment at month 1, and Information Motivation Behavioral skills model scores were the intermediate outcome. Logistic and linear regression was used to investigate the association between intervention uptake and outcomes, controlling for potential confounders. RESULTS A total of 344 MSM were recruited from March 19, 2019, to January 13, 2020, and 172 were randomized to the intervention group. At month 1 follow-up, there was no significant difference in the proportion of adherent participants between the intervention and control groups (66/144, 45.8% vs 57/134, 42.5%; P=.28). In the intervention group, 120 participants engaged in web-based communication with case managers and 158 accessed at least 1 of the delivered articles. The primary concern captured in the web-based conversation was the side effects of the medication (114/374, 30.5%), which was also one of the most popular educational articles topics. The majority (124/144, 86.1%) of participants that completed the month 1 survey rated the intervention as “very helpful” or “helpful.” The number of educational articles accessed was associated with adequate adherence in the intervention group (odds ratio 1.08, 95% CI 1.02-1.15; P=.009). The intervention also improved the motivation score after adjusting for baseline values (β=2.34, 95% CI 0.77-3.91; P=.004). However, the number of web-based conversations, regardless of conversation features, was associated with lower motivation scores in the intervention group. CONCLUSIONS The intervention was well-received. Delivering educational resources of interest may enhance medication adherence. The uptake of the web-based communication component could serve as an indicator of real-life difficulties and could be used by case managers to identify potential inadequate adherence. CLINICALTRIAL Clinicaltrial.gov NCT03860116; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03860116 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.1186/s12889-020-8171-5

Background Childhood experience has been suggested to affect cognitive function in later life. However, the association between childhood friendship status and cognitive ageing trajectory in middle-aged and older adults has not been fully assessed. This study examined the association between childhood friendship status and cognitive ageing trajectory and identified factors modifying this association. Methods We used four waves of data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), a national representative longitudinal study of adults aged 45 years or older, 2011–2018. The CHARLS included surveys on childhood friendship and cognitive assessments. Childhood friendship status was categorised as poor, fair, and good. To examine the association between childhood friendship and cognitive ageing trajectory in later life, we applied multilevel linear regression models, and explored potential influences of sociodemographic factors, health status and behaviours, and childhood conditions on this association. Results Of the 4,350 participants, 1,919 (44.1%) were women. The mean age was 56.29 ± 7.80 years. We found childhood friendship was significantly associated with cognitive ageing trajectory in later life, with a dose–response relationship. After adjusting for covariates, comparing to participants with poor childhood friendships, those with better childhood friendships had lower rates of cognitive decline (β = 0.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.03 to 0.22 [interaction term of fair friendship and time]; β = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.10 to 0.28 [interaction term of good friendship and time]) and higher level of cognitive functions (β = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.22 to 0.58 [fair friendships]; β = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.43 to 0.79 [good friendships]). These associations were stronger for those who were female, less educated, and had experienced more adverse childhood experiences. Conclusions Childhood friendship is associated with cognitive ageing in later life. Enhancing childhood friendships can play an important role to promote healthy ageing in the future.

In China, citrus Huanglongbing (HLB) disease is caused by the

COVID-19 has imposed a very substantial direct threat to the physical health of those infected, although the corollary impact on mental health may be even more burdensome. Here we focus on assessing the mental health impact of COVID-19 and of other epidemics in the community. We searched five electronic databases until December 9, 2020, for all peer-reviewed original studies reporting any prevalence or correlates of mental disorders in the general population following novel epidemics in English, Chinese or Portuguese. We synthesised prevalence estimates from probability samples during COVID-19 and past epidemics. The meta-analytical effect size was the prevalence of relevant outcomes, estimated via random-effects model. I2 statistics, Doi plots and the LFK index were used to examine heterogeneity and publication bias. This study is pre-registered with PROSPERO, CRD42020179105. We identified 255 eligible studies from 50 countries on: COVID-19 (n = 247 studies), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS; n = 5), Ebola virus disease (n = 2), and 1918 influenza (n = 1). During COVID-19, we estimated the point prevalence for probable anxiety (20.7%, 95% CI 12.9–29.7), probable depression (18.1%, 13.0–23.9), and psychological distress (13.0%, 0–34.1). Correlates for poorer mental health include female sex, lower income, pre-existing medical conditions, perceived risk of infection, exhibiting COVID-19-like symptoms, social media use, financial stress, and loneliness. Public trust in authorities, availability of accurate information, adoption of preventive measures and social support were associated with less morbidity. The mental health consequences of COVID-19 and other epidemics could be comparable to major disasters and armed conflicts. The considerable heterogeneity in our analysis indicates that more random samples are needed. Health-care professionals should be vigilant of the psychological toll of epidemics, including among those who have not been infected.

ObjectiveTo discuss the influence of psychological nursing procedure on negative emotion, stress state, quality of life and nursing satisfaction in patients with lung cancer radical operation.Methods106 patients with lung cancer who underwent radical resection in our hospital from September 2019 to September 2021 were selected. According to the intervention time, patients were divided into Group A and Group B, with 53 cases in each group. Group A received routine nursing, Group B used psychological nursing procedure on the basis of Group A. The negative emotions, stress state, quality of life and nursing satisfaction of patient were observed.ResultsSelf-rating anxiety scale and self-rating depression scale scores of Group B were lower than Group A (P P P P ConclusionPsychological nursing procedure is conducive to reducing the negative emotion, relieving stress reaction, improving the quality of life, increasing nursing satisfaction of patients with lung cancer radical operation.

Background Men who have sex with men (MSM) in China are disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic, and medication adherence to antiretroviral treatment in this vulnerable population is suboptimal. To address this issue, we developed an app-based case management service with multiple components, informed by the Information Motivation Behavioral skills model. Objective We aimed to conduct a process evaluation for the implementation of an innovative app-based intervention guided by the Linnan and Steckler framework. Methods Process evaluation was performed alongside a randomized controlled trial in the largest HIV clinic in Guangzhou, China. Eligible participants were HIV-positive MSM aged ≥18 years planning to initiate treatment on the day of recruitment. The app-based intervention had 4 components: web-based communication with case managers, educational articles, supportive service information (eg, information on mental health care and rehabilitation service), and hospital visit reminders. Process evaluation indicators of the intervention include dose delivered, dose received, fidelity, and satisfaction. The behavioral outcome was adherence to antiretroviral treatment at month 1, and Information Motivation Behavioral skills model scores were the intermediate outcome. Logistic and linear regression was used to investigate the association between intervention uptake and outcomes, controlling for potential confounders. Results A total of 344 MSM were recruited from March 19, 2019, to January 13, 2020, and 172 were randomized to the intervention group. At month 1 follow-up, there was no significant difference in the proportion of adherent participants between the intervention and control groups (66/144, 45.8% vs 57/134, 42.5%; P=.28). In the intervention group, 120 participants engaged in web-based communication with case managers and 158 accessed at least 1 of the delivered articles. The primary concern captured in the web-based conversation was the side effects of the medication (114/374, 30.5%), which was also one of the most popular educational articles topics. The majority (124/144, 86.1%) of participants that completed the month 1 survey rated the intervention as “very helpful” or “helpful.” The number of educational articles accessed was associated with adequate adherence in the intervention group (odds ratio 1.08, 95% CI 1.02-1.15; P=.009). The intervention also improved the motivation score after adjusting for baseline values (β=2.34, 95% CI 0.77-3.91; P=.004). However, the number of web-based conversations, regardless of conversation features, was associated with lower motivation scores in the intervention group. Conclusions The intervention was well-received. Delivering educational resources of interest may enhance medication adherence. The uptake of the web-based communication component could serve as an indicator of real-life difficulties and could be used by case managers to identify potential inadequate adherence. Trial Registration Clinicaltrial.gov NCT03860116; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03860116 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR2-10.1186/s12889-020-8171-5

ObjectiveThis meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of bladder training by clamping on bladder urethral function in patients with indwelling urinary catheters used for different durations.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis.Data sourcesThe UpToDate, Cochrane Library, OVID, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, CINAHL and Embase were screened from 1 January 2000 to 28 February 2022.Eligibility criteria for selecting studiesRandomised controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-experimental designs comparing the efficacy of bladder training in patients with an indwelling urinary catheter by clamping or free drainage before urinary catheter removal were published in English or Chinese.Data extraction and synthesisTwo reviewers independently extracted the data and assessed the quality of studies. Continuous variables were analysed using mean difference and standardised mean difference (SMD) values with a 95% CI. Categorical variables were analysed using relative risk (RR) and 95% CI.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe primary outcome was urinary tract infection incidence, and secondary outcomes included hours to first voiding, incidence of urinary retention and recatheterisation and residual urine volume.ResultsSeventeen papers (15 RCTs and 2 quasi-RCTs) comprising 3908 participants were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled results of the meta-analysis showed that the clamping group had a significantly higher risk of urinary tract infections (RR=1.47; 95% CI 1.26 to 1.72; pConclusionsBladder training by clamping indwelling urinary catheters increases the incidence of urinary tract infection and lengthens the hours to first void in patients with indwelling urinary catheters use durations of ≤7 days compared with the free drainage. However, the effect of clamping training on patients with an indwelling urinary catheter use duration of >7 days is unclear.

Cereal crop production is severely affected by seed-borne bacterial diseases across the world. Locally occurring disease resistance in various crops remains elusive. Here, we have observed that rice plants of the same cultivar can be differentiated into disease-resistant and susceptible phenotypes under the same pathogen pressure. Following the identification of a seed-endophytic bacterium as the resistance-conferring agent, integration of high-throughput data, gene mutagenesis and molecular interaction assays facilitated the discovery of the underlying mode of action. Sphingomonas melonis that is accumulated and transmitted across generations in disease-resistant rice seeds confers resistance to disease-susceptible phenotypes by producing anthranilic acid. Without affecting cell growth, anthranilic acid interferes with the sigma factor RpoS of the seed-borne pathogen Burkholderia plantarii, probably leading to impairment of upstream cascades that are required for virulence factor biosynthesis. The overall findings highlight the hidden role of seed endophytes in the phytopathology paradigm of 'disease triangles', which encompass the plant, pathogens and environmental conditions. These insights are potentially exploitable for modern crop cultivation threatened by globally widespread bacterial diseases.

Aim: There is increasing interest in the role that biological traits, and historical and biogeographic processes, play in the formation of phylogeographic patterns. An arid belt that once existed in northern China might have affected many plants, but this has yet to be untested in an arid-tolerant, wind-dispersed species. Here we tested how intrinsic and extrinsic factors have affected the phylogeography of Populus davidiana.Location: East AsiaMethods: Genetic variation was surveyed across 40 populations (555 individuals) covering the Chinese range of P. davidiana, using 16 nuclear microsatellite loci (nSSRs) and four chloroplast fragments (cpDNA). Demographic and migration hypotheses were tested using coalescent-based approaches, and the present and past potential distributions were predicted using species distribution modelling.Results: Molecular data divides P. davidiana into two lineages, northeastern China (NECR), and central and northern China (CNCR); however, the dividing line is around 118ºE for nSSRs, but 122ºE for cpDNA. The range and habitat of the two lineages barely overlap at present, and their ecological separation may have initiated around the Pliocene-Quaternary boundary, when major intraspecific cpDNA clades diverged. NECR and CNCR experienced postglacial northeastward and northward range shifts, respectively. Bi-directional historical gene flow was detected between NECR and CNCR for both bi-parentally inherited nSSRs and maternally inherited cpDNA. Demographic inferences suggest a severe bottleneck for CNCR and especially NECR, around the latest Pleistocene.Main conclusions: The phylogeographic break within P. davidiana reflects the impacts of biogeographic history, climate and biological traits. Its plumed, wind-dispersed seeds might be especially significant, because prevailing southwestern spring winds may have moved the NECR-CNCR boundary further east than similar phylogenetic breaks in other species, and also moved the cpDNA boundary relative to that for nuclear markers. Biological traits, therefore, should also be considered when examining the genetic and ecological differentiation between closely related taxa.

Juniperus squamata, an endemic conifer of Asia, is an important shrub ecologically and economically. Yet little is known about its genetic diversity and population structure due to lacking of highly polymorphic molecular markers. In this study, expressed sequence tag microsatellite markers (EST-SSR) were developed for Juniperus squamata. Illumina HiSeq data were used to reconstruct the transcriptome of this species by de novo assembly. Based on this transcriptome, 18 SSR markers were designed and successfully amplified. Just one locus was eliminated due to its detection of null alleles and the remaining 17 loci were polymorphic, generating five to 14 alleles per locus in J. squamata. Markers cross-amplification tests were successful in two closely related species of J. squamata. These markers will serve as a basis for further studies to assess the genetic diversity and population structure of J. squamata. As well, they could be useful in promoting sustainable forest management strategies for this species in the face of global climate change.

Liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) is one of the most lethal tumors worldwide, and while its detailed mechanism of occurrence remains unclear, an early diagnosis of LIHC could significantly improve the 5-years survival of LIHC patients. It is therefore imperative to explore novel molecular markers for the early diagnosis and to develop efficient therapies for LIHC patients. Currently, DEPDC1B has been reported to participate in the regulation of cell mitosis, transcription, and tumorigenesis. To explore the valuable diagnostic and prognostic markers for LIHC and further elucidate the mechanisms underlying DEPDC1B-related LIHC, numerous databases, such as Oncomine, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), UALCAN, Kaplan-Meier plotter, and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were employed to determine the association between the expression of DEPDC1B and prognosis in LIHC patients. Generally, the DEPDC1B mRNA level was highly expressed in LIHC tissues, compared with that in normal tissues (p < 0.01). High DEPDC1B expression was associated with poor overall survival (OS) in LIHC patients, especially in stage II, IV, and grade I, II, III patients (all p < 0.05). The univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that DEPDC1B was an independent risk factor for OS among LIHC patients (HR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.08–1.6, p = 0.007). In addition, the protein expression of DEPDC1B was validated using Human Protein Atlas database. Furthermore, the expression of DEPDC1B was confirmed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay using five pairs of matched LIHC tissues and their adjacent noncancerous tissues. The KEGG pathway analysis indicated that high expression of DEPDC1B may be associated with several signaling pathways, such as MAPK signaling, the regulation of actin cytoskeleton, p53 signaling, and the Wnt signaling pathways. Furthermore, high DEPDC1B expression may be significantly associated with various cancers. Conclusively, DEPDC1B may be an independent risk factor for OS among LIHC cancer patients and may be used as an early diagnostic marker in patients with LIHC.

Porous ZnO/Ag nanofibers with unique multi-interface contact structures have been synthesized by an electrospinning method. The composite nanofibers with the length of several hundred micrometers are composed of uniformly distributed ZnO and Ag nanoparticles in the size range 10~30 nm. Notably, a heterogeneous growth in the interface of ZnO and Ag particles occurs. The MO degradation rate of ZnO/Ag nanofibers with Ag content of 18 wt.% is 100% in 10 min under UV-vis irradiation and that of ZnO/Ag nanofibers with Ag content of 15 wt.% is 92% in 40 min under simulated day light, which is two times that of the pure ZnO. It is attributed to a special structure that improves the generation and separation efficiency of the photo-generated charges by the expansion of the absorption edges, the utilization efficiency of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) oscillations of Ag, and the effective transferring of electrons from ZnO through the heterogeneous-growth interface. No obvious loss of the photocatalytic activity is observed after five cycles, indicating the excellent photostability of ZnO/Ag nanofibers. The work sheds light on the structure design of highperformance composite photocatalysts.

This systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) aimed to determine the effects of mind-body therapies (MBTs) among older adults with dementia.We searched five electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library) for publications investigating the effect of MBTs until July 14th, 2020. We included published peer-reviewed RCTs among participants with a mean age of 60 and above and a diagnosis of any dementia. Eligible studies included measurements for all types of health outcomes, including cognitive function, neuropsychiatric inventory, depressive syndromes, agitation, psychosocial status, and other health outcomes. Two investigators extracted data, the risk of bias for each study was evaluated through Review Manager, and statistical meta-analysis was performed using Stata.A total of nine studies met the eligibility criteria, with full-text available for systematic review. Five of them, with 338 participants, were included in the meta-analysis. For most included RCTs of the review, the methodological quality was moderate. The meta-analysis showed that Tai Chi had a mild effect on global cognitive function (Mini-Mental State Examination, SMD = 0.40, 95% CI 0.10-0.70). Yoga and aromatherapy may also be beneficial for depression, and these three MBTs improved quality of life.The current review suggested that MBTs may act as potential non-pharmaceutical approaches to improve certain health outcomes among older populations with dementia. Systematic review and meta-analysis registration: PROSPERO CRD42021198514.

Previous studies indicate that maltreatment is related to children’s suicidal ideation, but the indirect mechanisms of left-behind children have been rarely investigated in the Chinese context. On the basis of a left-behind children sample (N = 1355; 57.1% females), this study aims to investigate the direct and indirect effects of maltreatment on suicidal ideation among Chinese left-behind children. The results of structural equation modeling (SEM) demonstrate that child maltreatment not only directly affects the suicidal ideation of left-behind children, but can also indirectly affect their suicidal ideation through the partially mediating role of self-efficacy. Moreover, a significant gender difference was found in the direct effect of maltreatment on suicidal ideation, with females experiencing stronger influence than males. Findings suggest that the effect of maltreatment on the suicidal ideation of left-behind children is mediated by self-efficacy and moderated by gender. Findings also highlight intervention directions for risk behaviors among left-behind children.

Background We estimated the predictive effects of ART-related perceptions on the actual ART uptake behavior among ART naïve PLWH stratified by different time of HIV diagnosis under the new strategy. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted among ART naïve PLWH in Guangzhou, China from June 2016 to June 2017. Cox regression model was used to evaluate the predictive effects of ART-related perceptions on ART initiation among PLWH stratified by different timepoint of HIV diagnosis (i.e., before or after the update of the new treatment policy). Results Among 411 participants, 150 and 261 were diagnosed before (pre-scaleup group) and after (post-scaleup group) the implementation of the new strategy, respectively. The ART initiation rate in the post-scaleup group (88.9%) was higher than that in the pre-scaleup group (73.3%) (p p p = 0.006], has a predictive effect on ART initiation; in pre-scaleup group, all constructs of HBM-related ART perceptions were predictors of ART initiation (HRa = 0.71 to 1.83, p p > 0.05). Conclusions The ART initiation rate was high particularly among participants who diagnosed after the new treatment strategy. The important role of the time of HIV diagnosis on ART initiation identified in this study suggested that future implementation interventions may consider to modify the ART-related perceptions for HIV patients who diagnosed before the implementation of the new ART strategy, while expand the accessibility of ART service for those who diagnosed after the implementation of the new strategy.

It is a critical challenge for drinking water production when treating algae-contaminated surface water. In this study, the impact of in situ coagulation (C), activated alumina filtration (AA) and their combination (CAA) on the performance of gravity-driven membrane (GDM) was systematically assessed during 105-day operation. The results indicated that pretreatments in particular CAA could effectively enhance GDM flux, and the stable fluxes were increased to 3.1, 4.9 and 8.3 L/(m

Introduction A broad spectrum of rhizosphere bacteria and fungi were shown to play a central role for health, fitness and productivity of their host plants. However, implications of host metabolism on microbiota assembly in the phyllosphere and potential consequences for holobiont functioning were sparsely addressed. Previous observations indicated that tea plants might reduce disease occurrence in various forests located in their proximity; the underlying mechanisms and potential implications of the phyllosphere microbiota remained elusive. Objectives This study aimed at deciphering microbiome assembly in the tea plant phyllosphere throughout shoot development as well as elucidating potential implications of host metabolites in this process. The main focus was to explore hidden interconnections between the homeostasis of the phyllosphere microbiome and resistance to fungal pathogens. Methods Profiling of host metabolites and microbiome analyses based on high-throughput sequencing were integrated to identify drivers of microbiome assembly throughout shoot development in the phyllosphere of tea plants. This was complemented by tracking of beneficial microorganisms in all compartments of the plant. Synthetic assemblages (SynAss), bioassays and field surveys were implemented to verify functioning of the phyllosphere microbiota. Results Theophylline and epigallocatechin gallate, two prevalent metabolites at the early and late shoot development stage respectively, were identified as the main drivers of microbial community assembly. Flavobacterium and Myriangium were distinct microbial responders at the early stage, while Parabacteroides and Mortierella were more enriched at the late stage. Reconstructed, stage-specific SynAss suppressed various tree phytopathogens by 13.0%-69.3% in vitro and reduced disease incidence by 8.24%-41.3% in vivo. Conclusion The findings indicate that a functional phyllosphere microbiota was assembled along with development-specific metabolites in tea plants, which continuously suppressed prevalent fungal pathogens. The insights gained into the temporally resolved metabolite response of the tea plant microbiota could provide novel solutions for disease management.

Family functionality has been proven to be associated with adolescents’ and children’s mental health, but its indirect mechanisms among left-behind children have rarely been investigated in the Chinese context. This study aims to explore the direct effect of family functionality on psychological distress and the mediating roles of social support and Internet addiction among Chinese left-behind children. Based on multistage random sampling, 1355 students were recruited to participate in a school-based questionnaire survey in Jiangsu Province. Structural equation modeling using Amos 26.0 was used to test the direct and indirect paths of the variables. The results support our hypotheses, suggesting that family functionality has a direct effect on the psychological distress of left-behind children. Meanwhile, the association between family functionality and psychological distress is mediated by social support and Internet addiction, separately and sequentially. The findings suggest that effective social work interventions for psychological distress should be targeted toward social support and Internet addiction among left-behind children.

The membrane fouling triggered by biofouling layer is the critical factor limiting the application of biofiltration-facilitated gravity-driven membrane (GDM) system in decentralized drinking water treatment. Powdered activated carbon (PAC) and alumina (AA) were used to mitigate membrane fouling by pre-deposition. Pre-deposited PAC and AA improved the stable flux of the biofiltration-facilitated GDM systems, increasing by 9.6% and 17.0%, respectively. The removal of dissolved organic carbon, UV254 and protein-like material was sequentially enhanced by pre-deposition of PAC and AA, respectively. Pre-deposited AA performed better than pre-deposition of PAC in restricting the adhesion of soluble microbial products to the membrane. After pre-deposition of PAC and AA, the porosities of the biofouling layers increased by 0.78% and 2.51%, and the protein/polysaccharide ratio in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) decreased from 111.8% to 53.4% and 39.8%, respectively. The protein in tightly bound EPS showed a significant positive (p < 0.05) relationship with the total membrane resistance and genus Acidovorax. Zoogloea was the core genus among the bacterial communities related to EPS production. Overall, pre-deposition of PAC and AA can be a simple and effective strategy to alleviate membrane fouling in biofiltration-facilitated GDM.

Rice fungal pathogens, responsible for severe rice yield loss and biotoxin contamination, cause increasing concerns on environmental safety and public health. In the paddy environment, we observed that the asymptomatic rice phyllosphere microenvironment was dominated by an indigenous fungus, Aspergillus cvjetkovicii, which positively correlated with alleviated incidence of Magnaporthe oryzae, one of the most aggressive plant pathogens. Through the comparative metabolic profiling for the rice phyllosphere microenvironment, two metabolites were assigned as exclusively enriched metabolic markers in the asymptomatic phyllosphere and increased remarkably in a population-dependent manner with A. cvjetkovicii. These two metabolites evidenced to be produced by A. cvjetkovicii in either a phyllosphere microenvironment or artificial media were purified and identified as 2(3H)-benzofuranone and azulene, respectively, by gas chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses. Combining with bioassay analysis in vivo and in vitro, we found that 2(3H)-benzofuranone and azulene exerted dissimilar actions at the stage of infection-related development of M. oryzae. A. cvjetkovicii produced 2(3H)-benzofuranone at the early stage to suppress MoPer1 gene expression, leading to inhibited mycelial growth, while azulene produced lately was involved in blocking of appressorium formation by downregulation of MgRac1. More profoundly, the microenvironmental interplay dominated by A. cvjetkovicii significantly blocked M. oryzae epidemics in the paddy environment from 54.7 to 68.5% (p < 0.05). Our study first demonstrated implication of the microenvironmental interplay dominated by indigenous and beneficial fungus to ecological balance and safety of the paddy environment.

Aim: To produce dendritic cells (DCs) from CD34+ stem cells from cord blood and explore their prophylactic and curative effect against tumors by vaccinating humanized NSG mice. Materials & methods: Separated CD34+ stem cells from cord blood were cultured for 30 days, and the resultant DCs (CD34-DCs) were collected. The basic function of the CD34-DCs and the cytotoxicity of CD34-cytotoxic-T lymphocytes (CTLs) were tested in vitro, and tumor inhibition in a humanized NSG mouse tumor model was observed. Results: The number of CD34-DCs reached approximately 9 log. These cells performed functions similar to those of DCs derived from monocytes from peripheral blood (PBMC-DCs). The CTLs of the CD34-DCs (CD34-CTLs) presented a better antitumor effect in vitro. The obvious prophylactic and therapeutic antitumor effects of the CD34-DC vaccine were observed in the humanized NSG mouse models. Conclusion: CD34-DCs from cord blood were sufficient in quantity and quality as a vaccine agent against tumors in vitro and in vivo.

Purpose: Both EGFR and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways have been used as therapeutically actionable targets, but resistance is frequently reported. In this report, we show that enrichment of the cancer stem cell (CSC) subsets and dysregulation of Notch signaling underlie the challenges to therapy and describe the development of bispecific antibodies targeting both HER and Notch signaling. Experimental Design: We utilized cell-based models to study Notch signaling in drug-induced CSC expansion. Both cancer cell line models and patient-derived xenograft tumors were used to evaluate the antitumor effects of bispecific antibodies. Cell assays, flow cytometry, qPCR, and in vivo serial transplantation assays were employed to investigate the mechanisms of action and pharmacodynamic readouts. Results: We found that EGFR/Notch targeting bispecific antibodies exhibited a notable antistem cell effect in both in vitro and in vivo assays. Bispecific antibodies delayed the occurrence of acquired resistance to EGFR inhibitors in triple-negative breast cancer cell line–based models and showed efficacy in patient-derived xenografts. Moreover, the EGFR/Notch bispecific antibody PTG12 in combination with GDC-0941 exerted a stronger antitumor effect than the combined therapy of PI3K inhibitor with EGFR inhibitors or tarextumab in a broad spectrum of epithelial tumors. Mechanistically, bispecific antibody treatment inhibits the stem cell–like subpopulation, reduces tumor-initiating cell frequency, and downregulates the mesenchymal gene expression. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the coblockade of EGFR and Notch signaling has the potential to increase the response to PI3K inhibition, and PTG12 may gain clinical efficacy when combined with PI3K blockage in cancer treatment.

Using excellent kinetic transport graphitized carbon nanofibers network to construct free-standing V2O5-based electrode is an effective approach to develop high-performance lithium ion batteries. Herein, we successfully prepare graphitized carbon nanofibers by combining the electrospinning and the catalytic effect of iron oxide, and the conductance of graphitized carbon nanofibers is increased by 5 × 10 4 times compared to the amorphous carbon. Through hydrothermal method, the V2O5 nanosheets can be anchored on the surface of graphitized carbon nanofibers, forming a flexible and free-standing composite electrode, which can be directly used as cathode electrodes with a reversible capacity of 290 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C and a capacity higher than 105 mAh g−1 even at a large current density of 20 C, retaining a capacity of 160 mAh g−1 at 5.0 C even over 700 cycles. This is the first report to synthesize V2O5 nanosheets on graphitized carbon nanofibers prepared by electrospinning to construct a free-standing composite electrode with high rate capability and cycling stability lithium ion storage performances.

We aimed to investigate the effects of Clostridium butyricum-, Bacillus subtilis-, and Bacillus licheniformis-based potential probiotics on the growth performance, intestinal morphology, immune responses, and caecal short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and microbial structure in broiler chickens. Three treatment groups containing a total of 1200 one-day-old AA broilers were included: birds fed with a basal diet only (Con), birds fed with added 1010 probiotics cfu/kg (ProL), and birds fed with added 1011 probiotics cfu/kg (ProH). The dietary probiotics significantly improved the final and average body weights and serum immunoglobulins A, M, and Y. The probiotics also enhanced the ileal morphology and improved the caecal acetate, butyrate, and propionate contents. Furthermore, 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that dietary compound probiotics modulated the caecal microflora composition as follows: (1) all birds shared 2794 observed taxonomic units; (2) treatment groups were well separated in the PCA and PCoA analysis; (3) the relative abundance of Parabacteroides, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014, Barnesiella, Odoribacter, [Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group], [Ruminococcus]_torques_group, and Butyricimonas significantly varied between treatments. The compound probiotics improved the growth performance, serum immune responses, the ratio of ileal villus height to crypt depth, and major caecal SCFAs in broiler chickens. The dietary C. butyricum-, B. subtilis-, and B. licheniformis-based probiotics improved overall broiler health and would benefit the poultry industry.

The occurrence and development of tumors cannot be separated from the influence of differentiation at different stages and levels. Our study found that E-cadherin was significantly increased in cell model induced by sodium butyrate and cell density, while METTL3, METTL16 and WTAP were decreased during the differentiation of cells. In the clinicopathological tissues, E-cadherin was low expressed in poorly differentiated tumor tissues and above three regulators were highly expressed in poorly differentiated tissues. At the levels of clinicopathological differentiation, tissue differentiation and cell differentiation, the result indicated that the poor prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) may be closely related to high expression of total m6A level and high expression of METTL3, METTL16 and WTAP.